In Chase and Escape (3)


Rereading the book "Consistent with Freedom", the Memories of Seyyed Mohammad Mehdi Jafari in five episodes

Motahari-Shariati Fallout; Mojahedin Filth
Episode III: Freedom from the Prison

Serge Barseghian: In 1967, Seyyed Mohammad Mehdi Jafari was freed from Ghasr Prison and stayed in Tehran. He then contacted the Mojahedin Kahlgh Organization April next year through Torab (Morteza) Haghshenas. Albeit the organization was then known as the Liberation Organization and conceivably Ayatollah Taleghani endorsed it as Iran's Mojahedin Khalgh Organization (MEK) among a number of proposed titles. Nonetheless, after his release, Jafari was in close contact with Taleghani and wrote in his book, Abreast with Freedom, that: Right from his release, he (Ayatollah Taleghani) was approached by heads of the organization (Mojahedin Khalgh), seemingly via Hanifnejad, to be informed about its formation and become an organizational member of the body." Jafari's second memoir, Abreast with Freedom, is an account on the formation and developments of the organization during its early years and its allegory. Jafari was never an official MEK member but had a part in its organizational activities; in the beginning, Reza Raeisi Tousi had proposed Jafari to translate Arabic books and pamphlets into Persian which included books like the Strategic Policies of Alfath Organization, Revolution in Revolution by Reze Debreh, History of Aljazireh and Gamal Abdolnaser, and the Land of Fire and Blood. The significance of Jafari's narration of the MEK events is that it brings interviews and quotations of personages like Ayatollah Taleghani, Martyr Motahari, Bazargan on MEK formation. Mohammad Ali Rajaei was the last person who linked Jafari with the organization; however, Rajaei's capture and the organization's adverse ideological swing in 1976 axed the link. Jafari had heard from Ma'adikhah that religious detainees had boycotted MEK members in the prison which stirred up his (Jafari's) curiosity to ask Taleghani about the issue: "Of what Ayatollah Taleghani said it could be construed that Marxists in Iran have always stabbed us in the back; therefore, a betrayer Marxist whose job is nothing but daggering in the back and betraying is dirty in nature and cannot be associated with. It must not even be touched."

The book makes exciting accounts of Motahari's views on MEK, Shariati and Taleghani. According to Jafari, in the mid-1970s, some of his comrades had a feeling that Mr. Motahari was a member of the Royal Philosophy Community. "I asked him about the veracity of the fantasy."No, there is no way I am a member of that community," said Motahari. "I am a friend and colleague of Dr. Seyyed Hussein Nasr and am very close to him. They bring me their journals and I even write them articles sometimes, but no way am I a member of the community. I myself shun membership in a community on shah's name." In 1974, Motahari took advantage of his relationship with Nasr --Farah Diba's office manager— in a futile endeavor to prevent the closure of Enteshar Company. Jafari has quoted Dr Nasr as saying to Mr. Motahari that "Farah says she had heard that the company provides mental food for guerillas." Jafari also recalls Motahari's dispute with Shariati; Haj Ahmad Sadegh (father of martyr Naser Sadegh) was one of the Hedayat Mosque custodians. He has told Jafari that once Motahari was asked about his role in the then-ongoing intellectual current and the inclination for religion among the youth, in comparison with Dr. Shariati's; "Both I and Dr. Shariati are followers of the current," replied Motahari. "Ayatollah Taleghani and Mr. Bazargan are the forerunners of this religious-intellectual current. We both adhere to them." however, when the dispute erupted between Motahari and Shariati, Taleghani took Shariati's side and Bazargan stood by Motahari. This is why one day in the School of Theology Motahari told Jafari that "Honestly, Bazargan's fairness outweighs that Ayatollah Taleghani's."

Translated by: Abbas Hajihashemi

Source: Mehrnameh Monthly, No. 5



 
Number of Visits: 6582


Comments

 
Full Name:
Email:
Comment:
 
Book Review

Kak-e Khak

The book “Kak-e Khak” is the narration of Mohammad Reza Ahmadi (Haj Habib), a commander in Kurdistan fronts. It has been published by Sarv-e Sorkh Publications in 500 copies in spring of 1400 (2022) and in 574 pages. Fatemeh Ghanbari has edited the book and the interview was conducted with the cooperation of Hossein Zahmatkesh.

Is oral history the words of people who have not been seen?

Some are of the view that oral history is useful because it is the words of people who have not been seen. It is meant by people who have not been seen, those who have not had any title or position. If we look at oral history from this point of view, it will be objected why the oral memories of famous people such as revolutionary leaders or war commanders are compiled.

Daily Notes of a Mother

Memories of Ashraf-al Sadat Sistani
They bring Javad's body in front of the house. His mother comes forward and says to lay him down and recite Ziarat Warith. His uncle recites Ziarat and then tells take him to the mosque which is in the middle of the street and pray the funeral prayer (Ṣalāt al-Janāzah) so that those who do not know what the funeral prayer is to learn it.

A Critique on Oral history of War Commanders

“Answering Historical Questions and Ambiguities Instead of Individual-Organizational Identification”
“Oral history of Commanders” is reviewed with the assumption that in the field of war historiography, applying this method is narrated in an advancing “new” way, with the aim of war historiography, emphasizing role of commanders in creation of its situations and details.