|
Interview with Mr.Azadikhah
About
martyr omid Azadikhah
Will
of the martyr
Photoe gallery
Interview
Q: Would you please
introduce yourself?
A: I am Najaf
Azadikhah. I am the father of Martyr Omid Azadikhah.
Q: How old are you?
A: I was born on
July 4th, 1945.
Q: How many
children do you have?
A: Omid’s mother
(My wife) died in 1980. I decided to take care of Omid and ask
relatives to take care of Arezoo (Omid’s sister). I felt lonely
when Arezoo married. Then I married again and now I have another
daughter too. She has three names. I call her Omid. Her mother
calls her Omideh and she is named “Ameneh” in her certificate
card. I may have some mistakes in spelling when I say my
prayers. But my daughter is able to sit and read Koran for me
for half an hour in order that I read it correctly too.
Q:
Where and when Omid was
born?
A: Omid was born in
Tehran, Zahir-ol-Eslam Avenue, Tavassoli Lane. This lane is now
named as “Martyr Omid Azadikhah” Lane. He was born on January 16th,
1967.
Q: How was his
childhood considering the fact that he was born before Islamic
Revolution?
A: I didn’t want
him to have much freedom as some of his schoolmates. He was
limited to go to school from home and come back home from
school. God forgive me; he was really like a lamb. He was calm
and obedient.
Q: What were
hobbies of Omid?
A: Since I was a
boxer in past and I was Tehran champion, I liked Omid to become
a boxer too; but he liked to do wrestling. And I didn’t let him
do that. I told him: I will take to boxing club. I wanted to be
his coach. I liked him to be the first; because he obeyed a lot
and didn’t take his head up. I trained him little by little. I
didn’t send him to club. That was because I didn’t want him to
go out of house and be in contact with bad people. He liked it
very much to have relations with his friends and go to cinema.
He liked such hobbies within the Islamic limits.
Q: How were Omid’s
friends?
A: His friends were
like him. I had supervision on them.
Q: Was Omid
interested in marriage?
A: I had met a girl
and spoke to her family. She was not bad. She was beautiful. I
even told her family that I couldn’t afford to take a wedding
party at that time. The girl and her mother had come to visit
Omid one week before his martyrdom. Omid was at military service
at that time. It was decided that they would come the next week
on Tuesday and meet Omid. The following week that the girl and
her mother came to visit Omid, they saw the announcement of
martyrdom of Omid Azadikhah. It was written in the announcement
that the ceremony would be held in martyr’s home. It meant that
they had come to funeral ceremony instead of wedding party.
Q: How was he
martyred?
A: It was his off
day. Another soldier who were married and had children asked him
to patrol instead of him. Since Omid was a very kind child had
accepted to do that favor for that soldier. And the soldier had
told Omid that he would compensate one day if he patrolled
instead of him. Tehran was under missile attack that day. They
targeted Islamic Council Parliament; but the missile hit
University of Officers. Omid was patrolling near transportation.
And the missile hit the ground six meters away from Omid. I was
having rest at home before missile attack. Then the telephone
rang. I should remind that the missile had hit Nasser Khosro
Street too. Omid called and asked if I was ok. I told him:
“Don’t call home this much. There may be a problem and the army
thinks you are the Fifth Column. Nothing will happen for me. You
take care of yourself!”
The telephone rang
20 minutes or half an hour after that.
- Hello! Mr.
Azadikhah?
- Yes. It is me.
- Do you know Omid
Azadikhah?
- What mistake has
he made again?
I knew they
wouldn’t without any reason.
He answered:
Nothing wrong is with him. He has just broken his hand and he is
now in Firouzgar Hospital.
Later I heard from
his friends that he was still alive till Enghelab Avenue that
the ambulance stopped behind the Red Light.
I went to the
hospital and saw soldiers on beds. But Omid was not there.
Q: Did you doubt?
A: No. I just
thought he had broken his hand. And I didn’t know that those who
had been martyred had been carried to downstairs in
Sardkhaneh (A place for holding the dead bodies).
I thought he was taken to downstairs
to be visited by orthopedist.
I walked towards
downstairs. An officer asked: “Where do you go?”. My son has
broken his hand and his garrison has hit by missile. Can’t I go
and meet my son?! I answered. He found out that I didn’t know
the hospital and was not aware that the cold house was located
at downstairs. Then he took me to the office of the hospital.
There they asked: “Do you know this watch Mr. Azadikhah?” I
said: “Yes. This is the watch I gave to my son.”. Then they
brought a glass of water and asked me to drink. Is he dead? I
asked. He is martyred, they answered. It was not my Omid, I
said. We opened this watch from his hand, they said. It is not
the reason. He might have given his watch to one of his friends
and went for patrolling, I said. Then I saw that officer took
out calendar of Omid from his drawer. It was written with his
own hand writing. This calendar belongs to Omid; but he might
have given it to a soldier to check the date, I said. They said:
“Go to Sardkhaneh (A place for holding the dead
bodies) and see it with your eyes.
No. my son has not
been martyred that I go and see, I said. Then I called my work
and 10, 15 my colleagues came to see and identify Omid. I just
saw their eyes red from crying. It meant there was news; but I
didn’t accept. They took me to my shop and closed it. They took
me home then. The following day was funeral day. And I laughed
to them. I said: “Omid is at university and will come back at
2:00 o’clock. They took me to Behesht Zahra (Tehran cemetery).
They directed me to the place where the dead bodies were washed.
They said: “Come and see Omid!” you are crazy, I said. They
finally took me by force.
There were three
pieces of mortar shells in his brain. His back had been
separated into two parts from under the belly button. There was
a piece of mortar shell in his nose. And I saw it was Omid. We
usually don’t know the value of good things that we get. And we
know what has happened when we lose it. They took away the cover
from Omid’s face when they put him in the grave. Omid’s eyes
were open and had a nice smile on his lips.
Q: There is
unfortunately a wrong imagination that poor people sent their
children to war and battle fields. And it is said that they had
to send their children. What is your opinion about it?
A: No. It is not
true. (He became very sad when he hear the question.) I received
a salary of 480000 Rials when I was a colonel. And I earned
900000 Rials every month. I traveled to Bangkok and India and
imported original ruby and diamonds. And I sold them here in
Iran. My friends were my customers. I owned a Datsun k18
equipped with cooling system and air jack. It cost 600000 Rials.
I should mention the fact that you could buy a house in Sa’di
Street with 250000 Rials. Hence, it was not the matter of
poverty
Let’s compare Iran
with a house. You, I, our fathers, our relatives and our friends
all accept what father says. Sons, daughters, son-in-law and
daughter-in-law and others all accept what the father says. Imam
Khomeini was also the father of everyone. It means we all obeyed
what he commanded. Imagine someone breaks the glass of your
house’s window. Wouldn’t you defend? We should however remember
that there were some people who sent their children abroad or
hid in basements or pains 15 million Rials in order that their
children are not dispatched to battle fields. But our children
went and served. And they should serve; because our leader had
commanded. The leader said: “This 13- year old teenager who
fastened grenade to himself and went under the tank and exploded
it, is our leader.”
Q:
Were you a religious family since past?
A: Being religious
does not mean wearing “Ammameh” (What clergymen use on their
heads) and having beard. I am born in Tehran. I was actually
born in No 26, Haj Nayeb Lane, Nasser Khosro Street. There was
only one mourning group for Imam Hossein at that time. And it
was told “Tayyeb” Mourning Group (God bless him). The beginning
of the group was in Imam Mosque (Former Shaah Mosque) and the
end of the group was in Shoush Square. And it was love. Mourning
groups of each area came and joined this big one. We ran
barefoot and mourned and cried for Imam Hossein.
When I grew up, I
traveled by plan to Mashad on special days (Usually on Tasooaa
and Ashoura (Anniversary of martyrdom of Imam Hossein)). I took
out my shoes and socks in plane and got down the plan stairs
barefoot and made a pilgrimage. Then I went back to the airport.
There I washed my feet and wore my socks and shoes and got into
the plane and came back.
Q:
What is your opinion about the youth of the country?
A: I had one son. I
gave it and received back more than 20 million sons. Only few of
them are naughty. They will –May God wants- change when they see
the situation is changing.
Q: What was your
motivation to try this much for keeping alive the name and
memory of your son?
A: I always said
that revolution belongs to those who had revolted; but when Omid
went to training courses in military service I wished I had two
sons in order that Omid went to battle fields. But since his
fate was that he should be martyred in University of Officers he
was martyred there. Now I refer to the speech of the supreme
leader who said: “Virtue of keeping alive memories of martyrs is
not less than martyrdom.”
Q:
How do managers behave with you during administrative works? Are
you satisfied with it?
A: I put 9 pictures
of Omid’s body which has been cut into pieces -and I carry them
in my wallet- on the desk of the general director who has not
answered my question well. And I tell him: “If you have
dedicated your child in the way of Islamic Revolution and you
invest on if tell me that I kiss your feet; if not stand up from
back of this desk.” And I make him stand up from back of his
desk.
By the way, it is
not very important that I am satisfied with government and
society. We don’t however interfere in politics; because we have
policy makers, parliament and president. And higher than all of
them we have a leader who is the supreme leader (Ayatollah
Khamenee).
He came here to
visit us once. He gave me an envelope and emphasized that I open
it later. I opened the envelope when he left. I saw there is a
travel check inside the envelope. I took it back the day after
that. Give it to those who need, I said. You have a “Hosseinieh”
(Hosseinieh is a religious place in which people hold mourning
ceremonies for Imam Hossein). Spend it for that, he answered. If
I have money, the expenses of “Hosseinieh” will be provided by
Imam Hossein himself.
Q: Do you hold
special ceremonies in this “Hosseinieh” too?
A: We hold mourning
ceremonies on “Tasooaa” and “Ashoura” nights every year. The
yard is filled with people mourning for Imam Hossein. The
mourning ceremony is held deeply effective. There is a Christian
living in front of our “Hosseinieh”. They cover their hair and
look at us from their windows and cry. When I see such thins, I
feel proud that my son went and I am doing the right work.
Many families from
Mexico, Italy and Intifatha of Lebanon come here. I am proud to
be their host. And different characters from army, “Martyr
Foundation and Isargaran Affairs” and other places come here to
visit.
A young person came
here from Armenia once. I have become a Muslim with Mr Makarem
Shirazi. My name has changed into Mahmoud. Is here the house of
Mr. Azadikhah?, he said. You should say: “Is here the house of
Azadikhah?” then I will answer, I replied. He laughed and said:
“Is here the house of Azadikhah?” I hugged and kissed him. When
an Armenian becomes a Muslim and sees that a Muslim accepts him,
he finds out that he had lost a lot of time. He should have
become Muslim much sooner.
Q: What is your
greatest desire?
A: I have a 13-
year old daughter. I have asked God that I don’t die before she
marries. And my main desire is to go near Omid. I have tolerated
being far from him for 20 years. I imagine that he is in a far
city and has got married. And his wife forces him to choose
either me or her. And I tell him that he chooses his wife. I
like to go to Omid’s house and live with him. I hope it will be
this way.
Q: And what is your
last word?
A: It is a
happiness that you –the youth- move ahead such strongly with the
culture of martyr and martyrdom. God may help that the enemy
doesn’t become happy about our situation -and they will not-. We
obey commands of the supreme leader. And I pray that Imam Zaman
(The 12th Shia Imam) appears soon.
Will of the martyr:
Oh God! You know
that enemies of your religion and your prophet have decided to
destroy religion. And Islamic Government of Iran which has
revived that religion at the age of corruption and inequality
has been attacked by unbeliever Ba’th based on command of
criminal America. And it is your victory as you have promised in
Koran- that free men and self sacrificed men become moving words
of Koran and defend the bounds of Koran. Oh God! You have given
the country of Imam Zaman a successor whose tongue doesn’t say
anything except truth and justice of Hazrat Ali. You gave us
Imam Khomeini that all cruel of the world are frightened from
him. Oh God! Help us to be in your sincere army and behind the
flag man of justice (Imam Khomeini) make the needy of the world
be inheritor of the earth. Oh God! Make strong the self
sacrificed and the needy people who are the main owners of
Islamic Revolution in order that all corrupted people of the
world are eradicated.
Oh God! Accept us
with red face in front of you that we have fulfilled our
religious duties as much as possible.
|
