The first Martyr of Mihrab According to Fellowships, Ayatollah Qazi Tabatabaee and his trust to youth.

In the name of God

I knew martyr Ayatollah Qazi Tabatabaee in Tabriz from my youth and I occasionally went to his mosque. He often spoke in Mosques of Maqbareh and Sha’ban, but perhaps our memorial visit with martyr Ayatollah Qazi Tabatabaee were in Najaf.

SHAHED YARAN: in any great social movement, undoubtfully, role of youth is remarkable and way of interaction with them is crucial. Grandee of religion especially combatant clergymen were well aware of this point and their success almost was linked with making serious and friendly relationship with youth generation, and a generation which in case of proper management were able to create incomparable epics such as Islamic Revolution and Holy Defense.

In this conversation, Dr. Golabi who was one of influential academic faces in Tabriz’s campaigns, pointed out to attitude and approaches of martyr Qazi through this issue.

A feature that martyr Ayatollah Qazi was known with was his good relationship with youth. You seem were familiar with him in your youth time. Please speak about getting know him and how you became attracted to him as a youth.

In the name of God, the Compaginated and the Merciful

I appreciated your upright action. Really there are people who are models of piety and resistance, models for rightful Islam which in this country are somehow a stranger. There weren’t people to interduce them, recognize them, examine and illustrate their virtues as they were. Tabriz from old times had especial structure, particularly before the revolution and after Second World War. My education courses were in years of 24 and 25, meaning after Second World War, in that time because of not ruling machinations in Iran including in Tabriz, in every alleys and streets were a mosque and clergy of that mosque was as a master for youths. I was habitant in Raste Kouche neighborhood, around the Cathedral Mosque of Tabriz and so my commute usually was in mosques that were in Cathedral Mosque or Raste Kouche’s mosques. It is good to remember Ayatollah Nasrallah Shabestari who was one of virtuous clergies, but after the revolution for some reasons he didn’t involve himself in revolutionary issues. Once I asked him what is his reason, he responded that for people like us that aren’t enter act in political issues and spent our life for jurisprudence and Hadiths books, is not proper to interfere in things that we are not aware of. God forbidden, detriments may become greater than its benefits. He always was a silent person, but the great martyr Ayatollah Qazi Tabatabaee was from those people who from the beginning interfere in political issues, because of his close relationship with aware and brainy clergies.

Nevertheless, it is interesting that to tell you, as far as I was in contact with martyr Ayatollah Qazi Tabatabaee, his interfere in political issues never was emotional and passionate, but he acted very countable and wise and logical, and perhaps a reason for terror of this great character was his wise movements. Most of those who assassinated in first days of the revolution were clergies who had accountability. This means that if in a day call from them to account, that they because of their especial manner is not necessity to render an account, although they had answer for all their actions. He always was with people and lived with them, usually he considered people and society, count on them and didn’t do things that made society surprised and this is one of main reasons that enemies of Islamic revolution and those who wants to make the revolution helpless start assassinating these people, unless there were other clergies which do things for the revolution but they [terrorists] didn’t go after them. They go after those who were mainstays and master-mind and foundations of revolution and their actions was an honor for the revolution.

I knew martyr Ayatollah Qazi Tabatabaee in Tabriz from my youth and I occasionally went to his mosque. He often spoke in Mosques of Maqbareh and Sha’ban, but perhaps our memorial visit with martyr Ayatollah Qazi Tabatabaee were in Najaf. If I’m not mistaken I was studying in France in year of 42 and in summer I wanted to return to Iran for visiting my wife’s family. Once I decided go through Turkey to Iraq for this trip and pilgrimage A’tabat and then come back to Iran.

I in that time was follower (Moqalled) of Ayatollah Hakim so I decided to visit him. It was summers days and month of Mordad. There are basements in there that in hot days go to there. When I entered to the basement surprisingly I saw Mr. Qazi. We greeted and he asked: where was you? How you get here? He was in exile and thought I am in exile too. I said: I’m coming from France. I came to visit dignified Marja’ and also ask my questions from him.” And Mr. Qazi incidentally helped a lot and with his companionship I could visit Ayatollah Hakim and I asked my questions with companion of Ayatollah Qazi.

We were conventionally enlightened on that time and answers that I got from Ayatollah Hakim were so convincing. I had just come from France and it was for a first time that I visit a Marja’, and when about especial subjects that I wondered, heard these answers I realized answers are adapted with logic and wisdom. Later I got to practice to all those answers and this make me happy. This was my first visit with Ayatollah Qazi.

The topic that you pointed out raise this question that why he was in exile in Najaf?

I didn’t know. When I wanted to go to Najaf, I wrote a letter to my father and he answered that Iran and Iraq’s relationship is not good. Saddam wasn’t still in power, it was Hasan al-Bekr and Saddam was his assistant but it was the Arvand issue and relations of Iran and Iraq were severed, so my father recommended me not to go to Iraq, because if I came back from land border I would became arrested. I was interested to go to A’tabat so I decided to go to Iraq embassy in Paris and if relations were not good then they do not allow me to enter the embassy. But I went to the embassy and submit my passport. After two days, surprisingly I got my Visa. I said to myself is don and through Turkey I went to Jordan. Train was too dirty that I got off it in Samera and I couldn’t tolerant to travel with that to Bagdad. I pilgrimage Samera and then went to Kazemain and then to Najaf.

I didn’t know Ayatollah Qazi was in exile. Even now I don’t remember he told me that he was in exile or not. When I entered to his office, I was surprised and he said that yes I am here. I could immediately and without any appointment visited Ayatollah Hakim. I arrived to Najat the day after Arba’een. It was end of Safar and I returned in beginning of Rabi’ al-Aval. I wanted to enter Iran by Khosravi border but they prevented me and asked: "what were you doing in Iraq?” I said: "I have visa”. They said: "you made a mistake, you didn’t know we cut ties with Iraq? I answered: how do I knew; I came from France.” They take my passport, so I hadn’t had any passport and when I return to France I had to go to Tehran and again took a passport. In that time passport was issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and gave Student Visa. There was an Air Force Col. in passport office, God bless him, when he heard my honest words said that I recommended you when an adult forbidden you from going somewhere, listen to them. By the way they forgiven me and gave my passport and I return to France.

Was Ayatollah Qazi habitant in Ayatollah Hakim’s office?

It seems like he was in Najaf and regularly went to his office. He includes those people who regularly visit Ayatollah Hakim and I met him in there.

Educating in Europe required certain clothing. What was Ayatollah Qazi’s reaction through youth’s clothing?

When I entered to School of Pharmacy, environment of university required to shave my beard and using tie, so when I visit Ayatollah Hakim perhaps I had a tie but certainly my face was shaved. In year of 42 I was a youth in 29 and incidentally one of questions that I asked was the necessity of growing beard and Ayatollah Hakim said: "juridically, yes must grow beard.” Ayatollah Hakim spoke with accent of Arabs who speaks Farsi, in other words he pronounced Farsi words with Arabic accent. He told me: "at least might growing a professor beard.” He noted this with pointing to his face. In that time, I promise that: "O’ God send me to Hajj and when I return from Mecca I won’t shave my face.” And incidentally this happened and I went my first Hajj before the revolution. At our university three persons grew bear: one the Dr. Rajaee Khorasani, the Dr. Abdolhamid Salimi Khaligh and the third one was me. Ayatollah Qazi didn’t react strongly about youths who shaving their face. In this cases there are two viewpoints. One is Humans to be appears properly and we do not concern about their souls. Those were the clergies who attention to inside of people and because its result would reflect to humans inside and outer. Ayatollah Qazi looked toward inside of people and refered to human’s behaviors.

On the eve of Islamic revolution great events happened in Tabriz. Pleas point out to some of them.

One great event of Tabriz was taking refuge of universities’ science Committee in Masters’ inn of Tabriz university. This refuge was simulated with taking refuge Of Tehran university. Maybe number of Masters who took refuge became 100. After about twenty refuges Tehran’s refuges ended up and it was decided that this take place in Tabriz. But we come to a decision that we don’t broke the refuges individually but leading clergies recommend us and we according to their permission broke the refuges. A supreme clergy was Ayatollah Qazi and he in a massage appreciated the action of University Masters and he said that the nation heard your voice and appreciated your attempt so it is better to broke the refuge and get back to your works.

There were great protests in Tabriz and Ayatollah Qazi was from those who move ahead of people and several times these demonstrations end up to Tabriz University, because students were the exiles of Islamic revolution, and usually demonstrators wanted to end up the demonstrations to there, so martyr Ayatollah Qazi before them entered to university and lectured there, and students got inspirations and got their necessity ways from his words.

From demonstrations that Ayatollah Qazi were van of them, which one is remained in your mind?

After the event of Day in Qom and also 29^th of Bahman of 57, when Bakhtiyar was ahead and Shah was escaped and government had lost the helm and people regularly demonstrated, although it was martial law, army didn’t have anything to do with people so people could move ahead and people were chanted. Because we were from university so we attend demonstrations that held by students, so I hadn’t exact details about other demonstrations. In that time university was a great trench and so we mostly were in university and settled students’ affairs. Books were published with title of students’ movement and the name of people who had role in students’ movements were mentioned in them.

God bless Dr. Ali Askar Neishaburi, he was one of them and also the late Dr. Thameni. Dr. Mohammad Ahmad Karani which later became the ambassador of Iran in Algeria, and Dr. Rajaee Khorasani who was a radical revolutionary and he was from those who walk ahead of students. We usually in that time, had meetings about university’s affair and settle things such as duplicating declarations and funding.

Qolam Hussein Heravi attended to these classes gradually. Dr. Kazem Elahi who was studied in United States also attended to these meetings, but he wasn’t in university and came from outer of university.

Was this group had contact with Ayatollah Qazi or they acted independently?

No, until before revolution’s victory hadn’t much contact with him, the relationship was after that. Before that because of SAVAK’s care making contact was difficult for Ayatollah Qazi and universities, but after the revolution relationships became strength.

My education finished in year of 45 and I returned to Tabriz from France and started working in university. About year of 46 until near the revolution, Qadr ceremony was held in my house and students also attended. The clergy of our ceremonies was a man named Jalil Asnaqi. After the revolution one or two times I went to Tehran, for visiting him I went to that mosque and I realized some of house lowers were praying there. Anyway, he was among those who addressed issues of the day and we held meeting weakly in different houses.

Wasn’t Ayatollah Qazi’s declarations distributed in university?

If it was, I did not know, because contacts between clergies and universities were through Masters instead of students and I am certain there were youth that were in contact with Ayatollah Qazi and broadcasted his announcements.

Are you remember any especial memory about the revolution’s victory and Bahman of 22th?

When the revolution triumphed, what happened at first in Tabriz was foraging Tabriz’s presidio, so many weapons fell into hands of those who should not. My family were in Tehran and I was alone in Tabriz. If I weren’t wrong it was the night of 22th of Bahman. The house’s bell rang and they said Ayatollah Qazi asked for me. I went to his house. It was crowdy and various people were there. Because he knew me from Najaf, greeted with me and we went to another room. There were two persons in there, he said: I want to speak with the two of you, firstly Tabriz’s broadcasting is for us. There is a person here who named Mr. Qazanfar pour which saying he is a good man. Do know him?” I answered: "I don’t know him but we could investigate about him.” Mr. Qazanfar Pour in that time was Bani Sadr’s entourages and came with him from France. In that time Mr. Bani Sadr was from those who were beside of Imam Khomeini and counted as revolutionary person. Therefore, I came and asked about him from some people and they said that yes he came with Mr. Bani Sadr from France and he is an undertaking person, so it was decided that he with Ayatollah Qazi Tabatabaee’s sentence became responsible for Tabriz’s broadcasting. However, for being no problems I suggested that put one of our university’s colleagues as his assistant.

This university’s colleague after Muslim People’s movement honestly did an interesting service. One of his services was when Muslim People eventually attacked to occupied the broadcasting first thing that he does was locking all transmitters and put keys in his pocket and run away from windows or any other ways. Then they [Muslim People] came and saw no transmitter weren’t working! Another thing that Ayatollah Qazi wanted from him was this that he said when presidio was taken, there was a youth in jail and delivered him here. This solider was accused shooting a sergeant who commanded to other soldiers to shoot people. Anyway, a few people were arrested and accused this solider that you shut that sergeant. It was supposed to volley him in 23th or 24^th of Bahman, but the revolution won in 22th, the presidio was conquest and all run away. This person also was shouting from behinds bar that bring me out of here. They brought him out and took him to Ayatollah Qazi. He was from Hamedan. His first name was Mohsen but I forgot his surname. Ayatollah Qazi said: "I hadn’t any one except you to trust him. I entrust him to you. He hadn’t any fault. You deliver him to his family. I said: "very well”.

I took him to my house because it was about 10 o’clock and that time wasn’t like now that bus or any vehicle be available. Tomorrow morning, I took him ticket for Qazvin and I confided to bus driver that he is one of my relatives and came from Hamedan. You drop him off in crossroad of Qazvin/Hamedan and he would get Hamedan’s cars. We also gave him address and he got into the car and the poor solider went. We also said to him that when you arrived to Hamedan call us. After two days, he called and said that O’ sir, God blessing you. I got hale and healthy to my family. After his leaving, I realized he leave behind his flask and I still have it. After that I hadn’t any address or news from him.

The revolution won and Ayatollah Qazi handle the affairs until Muslim People’s movement was happen. Ayatollah Qazi Tabatabaee was very bound to ethics and he became angry very lately. In time of Muslim People’s movement, Islamic Republic’s referendum was happening and the election of Assembly was holding. It was certain that this Assembly would passes the principal of Governance of the jurist. The party of Muslim People became strong in Tabriz and they didn’t want this election happen. In Tabriz in some mosques, Imam Khomeini’s followers were propaganda and preparing people for election, and in some other mosques Muslim People’s clergies try to made negative view through election. There were a dual and general amaze among people and they became confuse to attend the election or not? The principal of Governance of the jurist is right or not?

Mr. Haj Seyed Ahmad Milani, the father of Seyed Mohammad Milani who were one of the first round of parliamentary representative was a political prisoner with Ayatollah Qazi. He in that time became president of the chamber of commerce and was interested in clergymen issues and revolutionary affairs. I and Mr. Saeed Rajaee Khorasani with Seyed Ahmad Milani’s invitation went to chamber of commerce and he said: "this issue is becoming worse and would cause a problem for the revolution. We must vanish this duality.” We said: "how?” he answered: "we must go to Ayatollah Angaji’s house and requested from him to invite two aside’s clergies and advise them.” He who was a trusted clergy for Tabriz’s people and also for Imam Khomeini, and he was sick in that days, accepted and said that there is no problem, you invite them. Therefore, the late Milani invited all of them, but the invitation letter was signed by Angagi’s signature and held in his house. Ayatollah Qazi also came. Muslim people’s clergies about 10 minutes arrived sooner. I and Dr. Rajaee and Dr. Milani also were there. They were sit that Ayatollah Qazi was enter. Usually when a clergy arrive others raise to respect him and would open his way. When martyr Ayatollah Qazi entered, unfortunately they didn’t raise and didn’t offer their sit to him. Only one or two clergy who were from his followers raise up and gave him a sit beside their selves.

The late Ayatollah Angaji was lying in the bed and pillow was under his head and his head was about 30 or 40 cm taller that could saw this view. I saw he became so sad. We started the discussion that we must corporate together, the revolution is for all, the revolution is for Islam. If you have any problem, you could solve it later, now we must become united. When we said this, one of clergies of Muslim People spoke and without mentioning any name said harsh words toward Ayatollah Qazi that: "yes, some clergies want to get advantage from circumstance and think that the revolution belong to them and they want to become a premier …” I took a look to Ayatollah Qazi and he was calm as if no one spoking about him. He was sitting patiently and calmly, but Ayatollah Angaji who we think couldn’t spoke because of his weakness, suddenly rose his head and told to that clergy who was famous in Tabriz: "what are these nonsenses? Are you insulting to a distinguished Seyed who sacrifices his life for the revolution? You are not ashamed?” there were an absolute silence in the room and nobody spoke any more.

Ayatollah Angaji turned to me and said: "Sir! Write something. They are agreeing with me.” Unfortunately, I hadn’t any copy of that agreement. I wrote that supreme clergies … (and I wrote all the names) all of them became ready to cooperating for the revolution. Also, we determined that Muslim People’s clergies spoke in the mosque in even days and in odd days’ clergies of the revolution spoke in there. But in their speeches, not to talk of division and duality, try to unit people and … so it summarized in 8 paragraph and all of them sign it. I told this memory to say I became surprised of Ayatollah Qazi’s dignity and patience and Ayatollah Angaji’s response was consequence of patience and tolerance of him. He with his dignity and placidity finally force Ayatollah Angaji to spoke on his behalf. Ayatollah Qazi was really a solemn man. Now I am regret that why in that day I didn’t write all the events? I don’t remember much now.

You were for a short time in governorship, was this responsibility owe to you by Ayatollah Qazi’s opinion?

Muslim People’s events lead to occupation of governorship by them that this happen after Ayatollah Qazi’s martyrdom. This event happened in time of Mr. Qaravi’s governing. Mr. Qaravi was in contact with revolutionary youths of Tabriz from before the revolution. One of heads of these youths was a person named Javad Hussein Khah which later a branch of Munafiq in a trip that he from Tehran was going to Khorram Darre, in the way of Karaj and Khorram Darre was shot and his body was burned. Javad Hussein Khah was in contact with Mr. Qaravi. I and Dr. Rajaee and Dr. Neishabouri from meetings of before the revolution knew martyr Javad Hussein Khah and he was a link among those persons who had financial needs.

When Mr. Qaravi became governor, we went to him and congratulated. He gave we the Governor Sentence which undoubtfully Javad Hussein Khah and Dr. Rajaee were involve to it. He gave the sentence of official and administrative assistant of Governor to Dr. Asqar Neishabouri. There were other people too. Mr. Mohammad Elahi Tabatabaee became the political assistant of Governor. I went to Mr. Qaravi and said: "Sir! I don’t know much about politics and I couldn’t become a Governor.” He said: "anyway I wrote the sentence and you must accept it.” The length of my governing was only 40 days and I asked from Mr. Sarookhani to became assistant of the Governor. Then I refuse and he became the Governor. Of course, later I was corporate with Governorship and in election’s days, when there were problems in cities I as a plenipotentiary representative of Mr. Qaravi went to there and end up dissensions. A big dissension was burning the vote boxes in Hashtrood that Toudeh Party were involved and the governor also was one of them and he was encouraging them. They burnt a number of vote boxes and it was close to annulled the election. One time also, because of clergy’s contention in Ahar and its suburbs I travel to there and Thanks God solve the problem.

How much Ayatollah Qazi was involving in administration affairs?

In 40 days of my governing, I didn’t receive no massage, phone call or any letter from him, so he never was interfering but in that time governorship was different from now. One of problems of that time was clique’s interfering for disturbing the social order. One of basic problems of governorship was distribution of people’s daily necessities. I never forget that when I entered to Governorship the first problem was issues of cubic sugar, sugar, vegetable oil and flour.

Because my father was a well-known businessman in Tabriz so I was familiar with Tabriz’s businessmen. Also, I knew representative of vegetable oil of Quo. He almost entered all vegetable oils of Tabriz and surrounding cities. I asked him: "how much vegetable oil you entered monthly?” he said: "150 tons per month.” This 150 tons in 10 days was finished. I sent inspectors to surroundings and they even take photos. In most houses, even 20 cans were kept because it was rumored that vegetable oil wont found and a family that use one can per month, because of this fear kept 20 cans in their houses, so their consumption became 10 times. It was close that petrol and bread had this problem, so our main problems were these kinds of issues.

There were problems in committees and we were struggling with them. Unpleasant people were entered to these committees and do things that is not honored for Islamic Republic. Perhaps an element that made me exhausted from Governorship was these kinds of things that I wasn’t familiar with them.

Are you let Ayatollah Qazi know these problems and was he investigate to them?

Ayatollah Qazi investigate to them but the first days of the revolution had special features. Some problems are like disease. You bring the best doctor of pathology to class, listen to him carefully, became evaluated and get the grade of 20 but if you didn’t observe the signs of diseases in a hospital, you couldn’t identify the disease. When you saw these signs in a hospital, you realize those thigs that the masters said in class and get the grade of 20 from him for curing a patient is useless. A person start curing a patient, give medicines and other signs appears, again another medicine examines and a new condition appears. Revolution has the same condition. When you become practical, you realize that you couldn’t do much with your knowledge, because in especial occasion of revolution all bounds and laws would disappear. All people who was involve in the revolution, said this and also I am in this believe that Islamic Revolution of Iran succeed sooner than things that Imam Khomeini and others predicted and in 22th of Bahman because of Imam Khomeini’s inspiration the revolution suddenly exploded.

I don’t know. Maybe later some people would come and do historical studies and conclude that the revolution born like a 7^th month old-baby, but existence of Imam Khomeini and his followers was an obstacle to avoid hurting the revolution. Remember the events of imposed war, I think if a historical analyzer compare especial condition of imposed war in Iran with other societies, s/he would realize that it was a miracle that we could defense for 8 years, with youths which some of them were not even soldiers. They went to mosques and took military trainings and then went to battles and implement strategy of war, which where we must attack? These are really miracles. Now also the west have fear that there are youths in this country who with their faith can do great works. The west doesn’t want this. The west say to us suspension and it is means don’t work and sit and eat, don’t think, they want this from us, doesn’t want anything else, because if we do this we would became destroy.

Do have any memory from Ayatollah Qazi’s Friday Prayer?

yes, in that time Friday Prayer was accompany with problems that Muslim People made them, but people really accompany. Prayers held in Railway Square so people should come from various areas to Railway Square. I don’t forget when people came for Friday Prayer Muslim People stopped and beat them. I knew people who came from different areas of Tabriz, for example from eastern part of city and they got there from streets and alleys and reach to Railway Square to Muslim People couldn’t see them. I observe that Ayatollah Qazi in first line was praying and in last lines were struggles and shootings. Friday Prayer in that time was like this.

For the reason that you were involve in administrative issues, Ayatollah Qazi’s martyrdom was a step forward or add a problem to other countries’ problems in that specific historical time, and generally what was the effect of his martyrdom in Tabriz?

I’m not a good analyzer, but I could somehow analysis this idea that not only Ayatollah Qazi’s martyrdom but also the martyrdom of other martyrs of Islamic revolution who serve honestly to Islamic revolution was a step toward and was a victory. When Ayatollah Qazi became martyrdom, and left his people we couldn’t fill his vacant space with anything else. Impossible to fill the vacant space of his dignity and resistance. But his martyrdom brought awareness for people. Why Ayatollah Qazi attempt for Islamic revolution? Because people become aware and know about Islam. What had don the imperial tyranny’s regime to us? What is request of the west from us? What wants The East from us? They do not want anything except slavery. I think with Ayatollah Qazi’s martyrdom awareness of people increase rapidly. One reason for distortion of Muslim People was Ayatollah Qazi’s martyrdom. As the blood of Imam Hussein (a.s) destroyed Bani Ommayah, the blood of Ayatollah Qazi cause the issue of Muslim People became recognized. Although his martyrdom was a loss but brought these achievements.

I must mention this point that before Ayatollah Qazi’s martyrdom, martyr Ayatollah Madani was habitant in Tabriz. Maybe he entered to Tabriz 4 or 5 month before his martyrdom and I was from those who visited him. In that time in Maqsudiyah street, two or three houses before Shahriyar’s house, he had a rental house and I with Dr. Rajaee Khorasani visited him.

You pointed out to Master Shahriyar, it is good to speak about him too.

Master Shahriyar was a literary elite for Azerbaijan and Iran. His viewpoint and his action after the revolution and his deep attachment to revolution’s values and Imam Khomeini is obvious for everyone and honestly he had a great owe to all of us.