Deliberating on the Identity of Pen (Writing)

The First Chapter: There Was Not Word at the Beginning of the Creature. There Was Only Love!

We start the 12th Festival of Selecting the Best Sacred Defense Book of the Year when we are becoming close to the 30th anniversary of victory of Islamic Revolution. After a short time after passed since the revolt and fights of Islamic Revolution, we stepped into the roaring river of fighting between truth and untruth. And with all our energy and capabilities, we entered the war field that lasted eight years.
Islamic Revolution and war –each of them with its special essence- caused deep and powerful on principles of Iran country. These two phenomena not only caused unpredictable and wide changes in our country but also caused these changes in Middle East, then Asia and the whole world. The revolution of Iran became more complete in objectives with the eight years of imposed war. Islamic Revolution of Iran shook the bases of the thoughts that had rooted in corners of lives of nations and in their beliefs in a still and unmoving way. Islamic Revolution even destroyed such thoughts and beliefs.
During the hard time of 8 years of war, many damages and ruined place were imposed to us in the most unfair possible ways. Martyrdom of young people of our homeland created many pure and wonderful scenes. The strong determination and beliefs of the people who were trained and appeared in this field were comparable with legends and myths among the people of the world, western people in particular.














Such determination could not have touchable existence and materialistic presence except in tales. The seed of war was cultivated in the earth of the country; but what grew from this seed was not merely the bitter and dark stem of wandering, ruined places, killed people and injuries; but a great culture grew from that seed which appeared as a tall and strong tree. Although it had been watered with blood and was strengthened by being ruined and burnt but it presented the most heavenly people of the earth; the people who were even pioneer to fighters of the time that Islam appeared. It is the description of Imam Khomeini about these people.
And such a great and unique culture was born. It was the culture of sacred defense. This newly born phenomenon in the current era grew during war years without needing protectors. And its roots grew in depth of earth and its stems became strong. It became firmer every day and the high stems reached to the sky. Moments passed through day and days joined years. The earth rounded and time passed. The cities that were occupied by the enemy were freed in front of wondered eyes of people of the world and wondered eyes of the violent occupier. Great men appeared; sometimes in the position of a powerful commander and sometimes in the position of a lover “Basiji”? (Volunteer soldier). After creating legend during their short lives, they were martyred. And finally the imposed war became close to its final days and it finished; but that strong tree, that fruitful culture of epic of battle, self sacrifice, bravery and resistance remained in order to cast shadows of support and leading on the nations in chains that had not believed themselves and had not believed God.
A new period was formed in the literary life of the country since 1989 that war finished formally. In this period of time, the society felt the need to reviving and preserving the culture of sacred defense; because the enemy became aware by ending of the war; the enemy that had massacred many people violently and hurriedly. They enemy wanted to find basic ways to harm us. The enemy recognized the danger of growth and development of strong tree of sacred defense culture sooner than us. Within evaluations, the enemy found out that the strong roots of that tree take energy from Islamic- Shiite beliefs.

The Second Chapter: Where Is the Center of Gravity of Art?

Since the fight between truth and untruth is an eternal and everlasting fight and the world has been never empty of this fight and will never be empty too, naturally survival of the truth battle field –especially the thought that wants to become worldwide and causes difficulties for cruel and expansionist governments and takes back the rights of oppressed people from these governments- requires using suitable, efficient and absolute ways. And doubtlessly, the culture of self sacrifice and resistance is the most important way and the factor of victory in this battle.
And in such critical situation, the duties of real art and artist become doubtlessly outstanding. And the difference between heavenly art and earthly art appears here. The earthly art is the art that only searches for enjoying, entertainment and finally wandering in the field of thought “Art for Art”?. In this respect, Imam Khomeini said: “We should merely focus on the art that teaches the way of fighting with expansionist countries.”?
The Supreme Leader has also referred to the value and position of art in the current world and the expectation of Islam world from artists for keeping the spirit of resistance and fighting live. The Supreme Leader has said: “The expectation of Islamic Revolution from art and artist is based on aesthetic look in the field of war which is not a big expectation. A nation came to battle field in an eight year defense. Young people went to battle fields and welcomed self sacrifice in the way of their values. Mothers, fathers, wives and children and those who made efforts in back of battle fields also created epics in other way. If you review the memories of eight years of sacred defense you will you find some thing more beautiful than this for an artistic look to the situation and quality of a society? While reviewing the most excellent dramatic works of the world and you face with self sacrifice of a human you admire and respect this person and hi/her action. Thousands of events much more valuable and greater than what is shown in an artistic work occurred in your home (Your country) during the eight years of sacred defense and inside the Islamic Revolution. Isn’t it beautiful? Can art pass over this issue indifferently? Islamic Revolution has expects this from artists and it is not a big expectation.”?

Spreading the idea of “Art for Art”? is one of the traps that the enemy has set deceitfully in the way of open mind people and artists of all moving and revolutionary societies. This way, by making artist busy with worthless and old thoughts that are not useful for anything in the world, the enemy changed the artists in these societies into boastful and isolated artists who speak a lot and they are far from touchable realities of the society.
The expansionist power has also another way. In this way, the enemy shows the objectives that apparently create love to freedom and being far from slavery with humanitarian commitments; but with such beautiful and attractive appearance, the enemy is hypocritically seeking to gain the advantage of leadership and take the control of survival and death of people in the way it likes. This reality appears in relationship with Islamic Revolution of Iran and the cultural and artistic concepts of sacred defense; because this culture has an Islamic nature; because the activities of expansionist powers of the world in disseminating and propagating their thoughts and ideas become more and more serious due to the fact that Islamic Revolution has two unacceptable and dangerous aspects in their view (Revolution and Islam).
In this way, there is no sign of rough actions and the activities which are carried out without planning and expert studies. In the new story, there is creature born that is beautiful and lovely. This creature has come to give a modern order to the world. This creature is not Jesus, Moses or any of angels of God. That creature is evil and west claims that evil is the realest, most compassionate and knowledgeable creature that is able to save human being at the present time. west does not feel shy or having troubled conscience to present this claim; because it considers appearance of prophets and the society with religious training as a type of idealism which is expired and is not on fashion any more. They believe that appearance of prophets is an unbelievable belief that can not be implemented and deceived human being for many years and such things have been eliminated since a long time ago.
At the peak of widespread propaganda of west to achieve the final victory –that the enemy had followed this plan with the tool of art in its novels and films for a long time- suddenly a combatant appears who gives honor to the religious art with his bravery and courage. He comes from the novels that their writers believe in the concept that “Mohammadi pure Islam has been the place where the eight years of sacred defense relied on that”?. Islam is a bitter and unpleasant truth for west. West has made its best and complete efforts to make Islam empty from inside. And they have not achieved to any results by now.
Islam is capable both in forming the form of art and in giving meaning to the concept of art. Artistic work –in any form- has a face (form) and a character (concept). The face of art is the result of a kind of skill and technique. And its nature is based on a kind of knowledge and spiritual insight. Religious art is an art that releases human being from being captured by temptation and lust. Religious art appears God in the eyes of human being with all his glory, greatness and beauty. Religious art seeks for truth and sees the truth. Religious art fights with a face made of cruelty, ugliness and untruth. This type of art gives human being heavenly sadness and takes humble sadness from human. Religious art gives the soul of human deep spiritual happiness and wonder. Religious art releases human from the trap of childish happiness and devil lusts.
Religious art is a wing to fly with; it is a wing to fly from the tight cage of time and location. It is an opportunity to breathe in a space without time and location. Religious art is a reality that is made of the material of “Path”? rather than the material of “Destination”?. That is why it is an invitation for passing through path not an emphasis on staying. Religious art is the sign of thirst and enthusiasm of an impatient soul that moves towards eternality. And in one word, religious art is nothing except the art of being lover and the art of lovers.
Writing about sacred defense occurs in such atmosphere; but despite all these spiritual joys it is very difficult job.
By the way, who has said that writing about champions and champion actions in war is an easy job?
It is a very hard job to writer about the champions who actually own the original art; the person who only worships God; the person who has suffered a lot and finally has deeply experienced the joy of loving God. Now the art of writer is copying the real art that war champions have created. And it is supposed that the other side of his art is pictured in the form of words; because as “Martyr Avini”? said: “Art is exactly the commitment and battle.”?

The Third Chapter: Where the Root Is Being Cut!

In this section of the article, we intend to deliberate and see what we have done during these years, the years after the end of sacred defense. We want to take a look at our experiences and elaborate on the book that was written in commemoration of legend creators and was selected as the best book.
Then we will evaluate our current situation and will find out if we are taking steps in the right path or we have been deviated from the right path and we do not know that?
Are our efforts in harmony with our claims?
In order to collect information, I had to refer to the file of selected books -stories and novels- of sacred defense in the annual festivals [Festival of Selecting Sacred Defense Book of the Year].
The more we searched, the less we found. It was the same old story of weak filing that is observed in many special issues related to Islamic Revolution and sacred defense.
In order to study concept, volume and appearance of the book, almost none of the books participated in the first festival were not available. The books of other festivals were kept in my personal library and the library of one of the organizations. I found and studied them. In advance, I apologize to the writers if there have been some books in these festivals and I have not mentioned their names in the followings. It goes back to the fact I mentioned above about the filing system of this festival.
By accepting the Resolution 598 of United Nations Organization, the imposed war finished in 1989. The First Festival of Selecting the Best Sacred Defense Book of the Year –in the field of story and novel for age group of adults- was held in 1993. The books which had been written before the year 1993 were judged in this year.

The results of selected people in the 1st to 11th festivals are as follows:

The First Festival:

The First Rank – One World of Butterfly Writer: Amir Hossein Fardi
The Second Rank – Site of Murder Writer: Mohammad Bokayee
The Third Rank – Esmaeel, Esmaeel Writer: Mohammad Golab Darre’ee
The Third Rank – The Other Side of the Fog Writer: Daryush Aabedi
Honored – Soil Flower and Uncle Basket Writer: Martyr Habib Ghani Pour
Honored – War Stories Writer: Hossein Fattahi
Honored – Diverse Works in the Field of Sacred Defense
Writer: Ali Reza Shahi

The Second Festival:

The First Rank -
The Second Rank – Only Look at the Earth
Writer: Mohammad Reza Kaateb
The Second Rank – The Last Days Writer: Ahmad Dehghan
Honored – Dandelion Writer: Ali Moazzeni

The Third Festival:

The First Rank – The Sound of War Writer: Mohammad Reza Bayrami
The First Rank – Eye, Eye of Two Fish Writer: Mohammad Hamzeh-zadeh
The Second Rank – Meeting at the Sunny Night Writer: Ali Moazzeni
The Third Rank – Mission Completed Writer: Ahmad Dehghan
Honored – Golab Khanoom (Miss Golab) Writer: Ghassem Ali Farassat
Honored – Love of War Years Writer: Hossein Fattahi
Honored – Rooted in Depths Writer: Ebrahim Hassan Beygi
Honored – Armia Writer: Reza Amir Khani

The Fourth Festival

The First Rank – Appearance Writer: Ali Moazzeni
The First Rank – Bread and Jasmine Writer: Ali Agha Ghaffar Hamedani
The Second Rank – Stories of War City Writer: Habib Ahmad-zadeh
The Second Rank – A Time for Growing Up Writer: Mohsen Momeni
The Second Rank – Song of Midnight Writer: Davoud Ghaffar-zadegan
The Second Rank – Journey to Direction of 270 Degrees
Writer: Ahmad Dehghan
The Second Rank – The Whole Life Writer: Ahmad Gholami
The Third Rank – The Guest of Angels Writer: Amir Hossein Fardi
Honored – Childhood of the Earth Writer: Jamshid Khanian
Honored – Sparrows Understand the Heaven Writer: Hassan Bani Aameri
Honored – There Was War, There Was No War
Writer: Majid Gheysari
Honored – Eagles in Prison Writer: Mohammad Yousef Ahmad Beygi
Honored – One Sky Illuminator Writer: Davoud Amirian

The Fifth Festival:

The First Rank – The Last Attack Writer: Martyr Gholam Reza Salehi
The First Rank – Taste of Gunpowder Writer: Majid Gheysari
The Second Rank – In Flames of Water Writer: Morteza Mardiha
The Second Rank – The Four Person Battalion
Writer: Ahmad Dehghan
The Third Rank –
Honored – Always Friend Writer: Mostafa Kharaman
Honored – Waxed Boots Writer: Ali Asghar Jafarian
Special Honor – The Hidden Crescent Writer: Ali Asghar Shirzadi

The Sixth Festival:

The First Rank –
The Second Rank –
The Third Rank – A Leg of This Hand Watching Writer: Babak Tayyebi
Special Honor – Three Narrations about a Man
Writer: Mohammad Reza Bayrami
Honored – The Father Land Writer: Ahmad Shakeri
Honored – Quiet Ground of Hoor Writer: Nosratollah Mahmoud-zadeh
Honored – That Man Went in the Rain Writer: Sharam Shafee’ee

The Seventh Festival:

The First Rank – Palm Trees and Men Writer: Nematollah Soleymani
The Second Rank – Fairy Faced Writer: Hossein Mortazavi
The Third Rank – I, Dad and a Commando Writer: Daryush Aabedi
Honored – Mey (Wine) Writer: Bagher Rajab Ali
Honored – Bare against the Wind Writer: Ahmad Shakeri
Honored – Show Me the Way of Your Home
Writer: Kamran Sahar Kheez

The Eighth Festival:

The First Rank – Mountain on Shoulders of the Tree
Writer: Nargess Abyar
The First Rank – The Suspension Bridge
Writer: Mohammad Reza Bayrami
The Second Rank –
The Third Rank –
Honored – The Bride of the Stronghold Writer: Azeez Ghalami
Honored – Taste of Life Writer: Davoud Bakhtiari Daneshvar

The Ninth Festival:

The First Rank – Nights without Moonlight Writer: Mohsen Kazemi
The Second Rank –
The Third Rank – Leaden Roads Writer: Mohammad Mahdi Bahadorvand
The Third Rank – Geryaneh Writer: Saeed Assadi Fard
Honored – Empty Space of Sunflowers Writer: Razieh Tojjar
Honored – Till Ending the Siege
Writer: Mohammad Hashem-pour Yazdan Parast
Honored – Ashkaneh Writer: Ebrahim Hassan Beygi

The Tenth Festival:

The First Rank –
The Second Rank –
The Third Rank –
Honored – When the War Finished Writer: Sasan Nategh
Honored – Playing Chess with the Machine of Day of Judgment
Writer: Habib Ahmad-zadeh
Honored – The Wandering Calf Writer: Majid Gheysari

The Eleventh Festival:

The First Rank –
The Second Rank –
The Third Rank –
Special Honor – With Glasses of Hemlock
Writer: Abdol-majid Najafi

Glancing over the process of selected books in the section of story and novel for adults, we come to the result that there a disorderly fluctuation in festivals of every year; but this fluctuation has been downwards both quality and quantity are concerned.
Having no first, second or third ranks or even all the first three ranks in some festivals is the evidence for this claim. We can however relate a low percentage of this ranking in the interference of personal tastes of the jury in selecting books –to some extent is can be expected because no one can claim that his/her opinions are one hundred percent conformed to rules-
But decrease in the number of books and fall in the level of quality of books can remind some points.
Firstly, the level of expectation of people in public and consequently the judges has improved. Secondly, the level of quality of works has not improved technically and conceptually parallel with improvement of taste of the society. And it is an alarm that must not and can not be ignored. This is while many people believe that the best story books regarding a historical event are created when time passes and we become far from it.
Now this important point should be studied precisely by expert people that why we have faced with fall in the quality and quantity level of books. There are certainly obstacles and problems which have been neglected by us.
Don’t experienced writers have any thing to say any more? It is much to be regretted if the answer is “Yes”?; because not seen corners and ambiguous characters of sacred defense are discovered during time. By studying the books of writers another point is also found out in this regard.
Studying the books of some writers in the order the publishing dates shows us they have become far from the positions they took in past. And this fact plays an important role in drop in the level of quality of books. There was a generation of writers who experienced war years. And even some of them spent some time in battle fields. Are they now involved in problem or problems that have caused them to write fewer books or write surface books?
There are certainly problems in the process of writing and forming of the narrative idea. Here I should mention the generation of writers who have not experienced those years; or they have been too little to recognize what was happening in the country; but they make serious efforts to communicate with the generation that witnessed war –including writers or other people- in order to understand that atmosphere. It will be great if experienced officials attract and train these interested young writers. Time however passes and this culture will face with poverty when the past generation pass away and are omitted from the field of writing.
Have we been sufficiently faithful to preserving the essence of the phrase “Sacred Defense”? in the process of selecting the best sacred defense books of the year (Only in the section of story and novel)?
If the answer is “No”?, the concepts of books will tend to the subject of war minus “Islamic nature”?. Or we would be better to say that without preserving sacredness, the concept of works will be deviated form the right way. This critical point is exactly what expansionist powers always wanted to achieve. They aimed at making empty the concept of artistic works (Written or non- written) from the nature of fighting with evil and protecting the religious nature. Do publishers welcome publishing works with the subject of sacred defense? In this stage of the work –after the work has been rewritten and corrected- is the writer able to publish and present his/her works in the society?
Writing based on orders show the fact that the writer is worried about not publishing of his/her work. And this writer shows tendency to writing based on orders. Writing based on order is not however an act against artistic creation as many writers believe.
We can give outstanding examples of literature in this field. For instance, the masterpiece of “Shah Nameh”? was written by Ferdowsi based on the order to Sultan Mahmoud Ghaznavi [Shah Nameh is a poetry book that is said by Ferdowsi and reviews Iranian legends and history].
Among the books written in the recent century, we can refer to the Novel “The World of Teo”? which was written by Youstin Gorder based on the order of United Nations Organization. And also the Novel “1984”? written by George Orwell is one of these examples. There are many other examples too that you probably remember.
Are publishers and writers provided with facilities to distribute their books in other cities except Tehran?
Basically, how strong has been the support system working for publication, writing and distribution during two decades of 1370’s (1990’s) and 1380’s (2000’s)?
is there basically such as system for writers, publishers and distributors?
Holding festivals such as Festival of Selecting the Best Sacred Defense Book of the Year, 20 Years or A Quarter of Century, Sacred defense Book is considered as a supporting system for writing in this field. These activities are carried out by spending a considerable amount of budget and following the efforts made by many people. We may not even mention the name of people who make such great efforts.
We hope that their efforts do not remain merely in the stage of selecting the best books and announcing names of writers of these books. Doubtlessly, officials are interested in participation of current literature in stability of this culture. Officials are also interested in continuation of survival and development of extent of sacred defense culture for future generations and people of the world.
To achieve this objective completely, it is required that supportive plans are expanded and increased. By studying the shortages and weaknesses in the first step of creation of a story –the first step is writing- and eliminating shortages and problems and probable negligence in this section and other sections, officials can contribute to increase of producing these books in a speedy way.
The support of government in this field plays an important role; but if the situation changed and the ground was paved such that private publishers became interested in producing such books, this culture would be released from dependence to government.
In implementing supportive plans, we should study if publishing sacred defense books in other cities is as much as Tehran or it is in a completely different status?
It is a great obstacle that majority of these books are published in Tehran and they are not published in other cities. This obstacle should be removed. Basically, introducing a particular writer and his/her work to other cities can be considered at the top of these supportive programs. These works and their writers can be also introduced through mass media, TV in particular. Since the major part of population of the country is consisted of students and university students, we can include studying stories and novels with the subject of sacred defense in their study programs as well as their research projects. These books can be also used by artistic groups such as theatre groups in schools and universities. And such activities require production of books with enough circulation. These books should be also available for the young sector of the society. Translating these books into other languages can be considered as appositive step in this way. Translating books have not been prevailed in our country; but this movement has been started since few years ago.
Another part of this supportive program is about writers again. They should be provided with facilities in order to be able to write stories in a secure thought atmosphere.
There should be a well organized and rich information bank about details and identity cards of the people who attended sacred defense, from the President to teenager “Basiji”? people.
Keeping interviews, documentary films and news pictures in special archives is very helpful for majority of writers who have not directly attended battle fields or the people who have not experienced war due to their ages. Fortunately, many of these works have been collected in War Museum. Although it is not as vast as all the years of sacred defense and related issues and subjects but this action is a constructive and permanent action in this line.
It is the right of every writer to attend criticism sessions in which the book is studied and analyzed by expert people. Sometimes analyzing a particular book in such sessions creates miracles for the writer of that book. These sessions should be arranged such that the writer sits and speaks face to face with the person who has played role in sacred defense. In these sessions, the writer benefits from experiences of such people. They should also have the chance to speak with other writers in these sessions. The objective should be improving the level of its quality not omitting it.
As for other part of supportive activities, we can refer to supporting the writer while writing a book. The writer can be supported in different stages since finding the suitable subject for the plot or receiving order for writing a book to presenting the book for being published, different stages of the process such as study, conducting research –sometimes conducing interviews and field researches- writing the first version of the book, editing, rewriting for several times and other stages. Every of these stages requires particular period of time. It can last several months or several years. During this time, how can the writer make a living without problems?
The writers of our country who perform miracles are used to ascetic life and working without receiving financial helps; but this method affects on writer’s efficiency and the quality of his/her work. It causes the quality level to drop.
This way, some writers may create works under the influence of their inner enthusiasm during a short time; but in a long term period of time, the number of champion writers who write books and deal with financial problems decreases.
In some countries, writers are provided with special places in which they can write. This temporary residence is located in a place that the writer can think in peace and far from disturbance.
In continuation, the supportive program can include encouraging programs too. These encouraging programs can be such as awarding prizes such as providing educational scholarship, foreign trips (Religious pilgrimages and tourism trips) and granting loans such as the loan for buying automobiles (While banks, producers of tea, tomato paste, washing powders and other organizations use automobile as their prize, is it impossible to consider automobile in the list of prizes for writers who make efforts in line with preserving sacred defense culture?)
In conclusion of this section, I also emphasize on pathology of producing sacred defense works. I believe that we should constantly and determinedly preserve this culture. If this culture is not preserved there will be no effect remained in the future from this epic and the people who created this epic.

The Fourth Chapter: Read in the Name of God Who Created!

Here we appreciate the writers whose books have been presented in these 11 festivals of selecting the Best Sacred defense Book of the Year. I also appreciate the people who have make lots of efforts in this field and their names were not mentioned in this article. Apart from their ranks in these festivals, we can say about all of them that they are soldiers who fought shoulder to shoulder of combatants of eight years of sacred defense. They shared the experiences of combatants in every step that they took while passing through mine fields, passing over barbed wires and the difficult obstacles created by the enemy, during hot days of south of the country and while climbing mountains full of snow in west of the country. Writers are combatants whose souls cried many times; they were frightened and they suffered to put the words on each other like bricks and make the strong and glorious fort of sacred defense culture. Sacred defense would lack something if these messengers of the culture of sacred defense were not. Like the event of “Ashoura”? that would not become known in the world for all the time if Hazrat Zeynab (The sister of Imam Hossein) did not inform people with her artistic lecture.
Who can imagine the nostalgia in a house in which the father loses his wife and his backing by going to battle field?
Vineyard has leaned under the light of the spring like a jug of wine, drunk, absolutely drunk
I don’t take the wood. I know you will take it from me again; another journey, another mission, another….
We return to home. Every where is full of the smell of loneliness and nostalgia? When I go to the window, I see the road that is black. Some one says: “I will go even if you do not want; but I like you to want.”?
A mortar shell that has fallen on the ground has taken you to the top of the sky, instead of flower, instead of thorns and straw, instead of any thing which its death could not be a disaster.
The wine jug is empty. The vineyard is neither drunk nor proud. It is only my shoulders that are shaking….

(Empty Space of Sunflowers – Writer: Razieh Tojjar)

Who can picture a child that suddenly grows up when all members of his family are martyred? Who can show this child who carries a gun and becomes old in moments of martyrdom of his dear family?
Twenty days after the day that the Iraqi aircraft came and threw a bomb in the yard of our house and Maryam was martyred and her husband was martyred and my father was martyred and my mother was martyred and the city was filled with strongholds and soldiers and….
A terrible sound of explosion spread between the palm trees. Then some palm trees fell on the ground like some people… I saw the ambulance from back of palm trees. I saw Saleh and Abdou...
A moment later, ambulance and Saleh and Abdou were thrown to the air by the attack of a wind like the flower leaps of chamomile that is yellow and red and blue.
And the thing that remained from the ambulance and Saleh and Abdou was only fire and smog and the voice of groan of Saleh and Abdou and the ambulance….

(Childhood of the Earth - Writer: Jamshid Khanian)

Waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting for hearing the sound of feet of the son, smelling his body scent or at least a letter or message form him. Waiting finishes; but there is no news of coming back; the son of yesterday and the martyr of today.
Dear father! When they have invaded our land it means that our every thing is in danger. And if I and people like me stay with our fathers and mothers and do not go battle fields and do not stop them, then they will move ahead and invade our houses one by one. So it is better that people like me have come here near the border and stopped them….
In conclusion, I just say one thing to you. And that is why do you think you will be alone if I am martyred? Dear father! Don’t you ever repeat these words among wise and respected people; because they will doubt about your certainty. And they will say: “Yousef has gone; but God is here. Have you neglected him?”? then what will you answer?

(Mey [Wine] - Writer: Bagher Rajab Ali)

War dispatched trains full of soldiers to battle fields; naughty soldiers, gloomy soldiers, relax soldiers, worried soldiers and the soldiers that the dagger of the enemy had already torn their hearts permanently.
But battle field gave their hearts the beauty of hope with all its motions. Both of them went out and the old man kept silence. And the officer came to the window. Then he came back and sat down. And he saw him that passes from a city not from them. He only saw the lights; one cloth and the light.
Was it Arak or Boroujerd? It maight be Doroud City? Was it important? Then suddenly the whole lights of the city were turned off. It was when he found out what was going to happen. He told himself: “I wish they come directly to us. I wish they come and bombard the train. Then I would have no responsibility. A death comes while I have had no role in bringing it.”?

(Suspension Bridge – Writer: Mohammad Reza Bayrami)

Every one likes to stay at home and be in the security of the city in condition that there is a security under its shadow you continue your life without any fear. Security is the same favorable thing that moments of the young person dies for it. He resisted and tolerated in the most difficult situation in order to stay live and fight that security stays live.
Since two days ago they have been bringing all they have. They carry them to different places with lots of noise. They are locating them in orders. T 72 Tanks, T 62 Tanks, Scorpion, Chiften, personal carriers, 106…
During these twenty and … days we used all our war equipments. We only had a few bullets for the time they want to attack.
Many times I forget that I should come back to home and be with my mother and father. How much older have my father and mother become when I come back? Has father built the ceiling of the storage room on the other side of the yard? Do the hens of mother lay eggs? Have those two trees in the yard blossomed? Do father find time to control them or again they are full of pests?
Here it becomes like hell at noon. Your hand burns when you touch the gun. And your head and back sweats. I have pain in my leg…

(When the War Finished - Writer: Sasan Nategh)

The writer has collected the evidences and now it is the moment that he must step on mines in the clothes of Haj Mansour in order to find out what it looks like when the let is cut on mines; since the time you see the light of explosion to the time pieces of leg fly into the sky.
Two steps away, from the highest part of a stronghold. It was full of sand there. I think he had seen the pale face of some people around him. He took the palm of his hands parallel with the ground. He was slow and certain. With a voice that came from the bottom of his throat, he said:
Go away….. Go away... Every one stay far from me!
One of his forces who were in lower part of the stronghold had seen that back sand came out of his right boot …

(A Leg of This Hand Watching - Writer: Babak Tayyebi)


Abadan remembers the day that its body was torn into pieces under the rain of bullets and its soil was the place of praying for lovers. They had promised not to allow the enemy to even take a relax breath on the earth of this city. They did not know that continuation of Karbala was going to happen in Abadan and Khoramshahr. And it was not supposed that Imam Hossein leaves his companions alone even after centuries.
My prayers finished and I thought what I should do before beginning the work. I moved on all fours till bed. For any small movement of my body, I could breathe difficultly.
Now you people of Koufeh! [The city in Iraq that its people did not remain faithful to Imam Hossein] oh you people who have determined to kill me!
I alarm you clearly!
Then I heard the sound of shooting a bullet. Some moments later, I heard the sound of a mortar shell that passed over us. So the machine of the Day of Judgment had given the same previous numbers to the artillery.

(Playing Chess with the Machine of Day of Judgment - Writer: Habib Ahmad-zadeh)

In the story of Kordestan, the writer pictures two memories and one grief. He remembered oppression of Kordestan people and betrayal and the grief of the captives who died in the most terrible way.
Samrand came ahead. Tears were moving on his long and white beard. He took the hand of Hiva in his hand. He said: “Borhani Hill was respected by residences of Kaani Chav and 70 villages in surroundings. I have no doubt that this is the light of Borhaneddin is the light of truth that has been seen by innocent eyes of this young man on top of this hill….

(Bare against the Wind - Writer: Ahmad Shakeri)

He saw in the mirror that members of the party are coming from doors and windows to the square like ants…..
There was a Landrover on the road in the far distance. It was opposite him. Armed “Komoleh”? [Komoleh is the name of a party that was active against Islamic Revolution and people] had stood around him and had targeted Behzad. He took a look at surrounding. There was a coffee shop a little far from there on the side of the road. It was crowded. It was a steep and narrow road. It was not possible to turn around and it was not possible to turn to a direction. There was no place to run away. He put his foot on the brake: “It finished.”?

(Mountain on Shoulders of the Tree - Writer: Nargess Abyar)


We were not fighting a foreign enemy or an orderly military force. The person who had become enemy of us was in fact one of us. In addition to that, there were at least four or five spies of “Komoleh”? of “Democrat Party”? in every village. Therefore, they could not gain any new information by those investigations. They merely aimed at annoying the prisoners and just that …

(Geryaneh - Writer: Saeed Assadi Fard)

When you are supposed to be captured by the enemy, you should have enough belief and love to your way and you’re God and all the things you have fought for and tolerated being far from home and city for. You should have this belief and love in order to be able to tolerate every moment of captivity that is equal with death. And you should be able to tolerate loneliness, sickness, hunger and do not give up. Then you want a writer that can transfer your suffering in the form of words to readers.
It was 12 at noon. Mohsen thought he was very hot and was burning. … they brought one spade handle and tied his feet to that spade handle. A hard hit spread the pain into the depth of his body… he again started and gave him another thirty lashes… he said: You want to reform Lebanon? You want to free Palestine? …. Another thirty lashes. … Have you gone to Mecca? .. Another fifteen lashes….
His feet were bleeding.
Mohsen could not be on fasting after all those lashes. The lower part of his body had been infected in tens of points. The injuries were infectious. No one dared to take him to the health center….
He knew that it was Camp 11. it was a hole out of hell’s holes. Camp 11 belonged to lost people.

(With Glasses of Hemlock - Writer: Abdol-majid Najafi)

Martyrdom has a story that is different from the most interesting tales of the world. It should be hear by the ear of soul. It should be seen with the eye of heart. And it should be understood from the depth of soul. Martyrdom is not a story that can be explained in some words and then one name on a blue plaque on the wall of the alley [Most of alleys in Iran have the names of martyrs. These names are written on blue plaques and they are on wall of alley]. It puts responsibility on your shoulders when it is heard. This responsibility is as heavy as “Alborz”? Mountain. And you should carry it with you by the day you are alive. And you should show it to others. You are a writer. You have made efforts as much as you could. Maybe you have made little efforts; but you wanted to show the glory of this belief with your pen and you could do it.
After all those efforts and suffering, and while creating such a story has filled your soul with the concepts that you think others do not understand., how will you get along with the feeling by the end of your life?
I send the photo with this note. I am the second person in the line of people who are in the water till their necks. ..
This is the same motorcycle drivers..
Please publish the note with the photo if you can. …
You may be able to keep alive their memories by writing that event. Maybe some one is found who has news about divers.


(Taste of Gunpowder - Writer: Majid Gheysari)

Now I put on my clothes in order to narrate my story clearly near a martyr. My story is story of an experienced writer who owes to the heavenly light of martyrs that have given him honor.
The people who respected Martyr Haj Younes welcomed me in the streets of the village. They were always kind with me. I knew that all this enthusiasm was the light of fire that Martyr Haj Younes had lit. …
What is difficult for others is as easy as a piece of cake for Haj Younes. Difficult? Which difficult? Are doing sports and running difficult works?
They have not carried bricks that they think this knapsack is heavy. …
They have not worked in the cold weather with bare foot until the time their feet blisters in the boots. He does need these trainings for fighting. He has learned fighting with hunger and poverty for years and now he is ready for war. ….
He finishes prayers. … Don’t ever I feel I am better than other soldiers because of these admirations! He says: “God please forgive me!”? seven times.

(Appearance - Writer: Ali Moazzeni)



Who says that women of this country have tolerated captivity, martyrdom and injuries less than men? The women who made a living without their husbands. They did not let their children feel the absence of father. They made efforts for battle fields with their tongues and hands. they reached to high spiritual positions in patience.
The voice of my groan spreads in the prison cell. I open my eyes. The wall comes close. They want me broken. Again I stand up and start to say my prayers. I say my prayers to that side. One hour passes for asking questions and answering. When I keep silence, the woman guard takes a wire from the top of the wall.
Question … wire…
Question … wire …
Question … wire …
I am separated from the earth lightly. I turn round and turn round and turn round. Then I slowly come down. The sky is blue and the grass is green. It has the smell of unfamiliar flowers. I look at through my half open eyes. A woman in black dress with a veil sits down next to me. She puts her hand on my heart and reads the pray of patience. …

(Empty Space of Sunflowers – Writer: Razieh Tojjar)


References:
1: A selection of selected story works in 11 festivals
The introductions that are written in the article as single sentences or phrases have been mentioned from the following references:
2: Imam Khomeini – Sahifeh Nour – Volume 22 – Islamic Revolution Cultural Documents Center - Volume 2 – Page 30
3: Martyr Avini – Article of Renewing Commitment of Art
4: Speeches – The Supreme Leader
5: Ambiguities in the Concept of “Religious Art”?- Written by Manouchehr Akbarlou


Writer: Soheyla Abdol Hosseini