For the 48th Martyrdom Anniversary of Martyrs: Bokharaei, Amani, Safar Harandi, and Niknejad

A Review of Biographies and Braveries of Four Coalition Martyrs

Navideshahed: The supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, said about the exalted position of the four martyrs: "It feels true if we say the four martyrs, Bokharaei, Amani, Safar Harandi, and Niknejad are God's light in the dark of earth."

News ID: ۳۰۶۱۰۸

پنجشنبه - ۱۵ شهريور ۲۰۱۱ / 2011 15 June

The research group: The supreme leader said about 16th June 1965 martyrs: "The four martyrs (Bokharaei, Amani, Safar Harandi, and Niknejad) whom were remembered by Sir Askaroladi, are God's light in the dark of earth. They were outstanding people who became martyrs for God's ends. They chose a way that led to what you can see today: the government of Islam in the heart of widespread infidelity and tyranny, something more like a myth. The four martyrs were truly God's light in a dark era that shined brightly and enlightened the space and hearts of people; they guided many to truth."

A brief biography and parts of these outstanding coalition martyrs' memories shall lead us to their more understanding.

Martyr Amani
Martyr Mohammad Sadegh Amani was born in Tehran in 1930. He was a business man in Tehran's Grand Bazar. Haj Mehdi Araghi said about him: "He was a jurist and had memorized about 6000 hadiths (sayings ascribed to Prophet Muhammad and Twelvers Imams); he was a morals teacher and had many students whom he taught morals on Fridays." In order to attract the youth, Martyr Amani had his own ways; when he went camping with the young people, he chose a hadith related to camping. He gave a slip to every one in the group on the top of which was the image of two clasping hands, with a hadith that read: "Is adhering to religion, something other than frankness and friendship?" Here, you can see how the hadith made sense: when a group of people go camping, they should behave frankly.

Besides spiritual training of Islamic forces (his students), he was active in sheiites group. He and some of his companions formed Islamic Coalition, with Imam Khomein's confirmation, and after some time he became the head of military division of the coalition. He planned the Badr Operation to execute the divine laws in the case of Hassan Ali Mansour. After Mansour's death, a pursuit to arrest him came into force, and after 10 days in February 1965, he was arrested while in Abolghasem Razavi's house and following Shah's court-martial verdict, executed along with his comrades, Bokharaei, Safar Harandi, and Niknejad on 16th June 1965 and became a martyr. He had a major role in leading the Islamic Coalition.

In response to his brother's request to get him out of jail, he said: "An opportunity has come up that may not in the future. It's a special opportunity I want to make use of and become a martyr," and assrted: ""Don't do anything for me (to get me out of jail)."

Martyr Mohammad Bokharaei
Martyr Mohammad Bokharaei, son of Ali Akbar Bokharaei, was born in the south of Tehran in 1944. After finishing school, he became a close friend to martyr Reza Safar Harandi, and took part in the Reverend Haj Sheikh Ali Asghar Harandi classes where he became acquainted with Islam and enlightening ideologies behind Imam Khomeini's movement. On the dawn of the movement, Martyr Bokharaei and Harandi came into touch with Islamic Coalition, and martyr Araghi found them good candidates for military action, and related them to martyr Amani who heightened their moral. Taking part in military exercises strengthened their tie.

He had a major role in killing Hassan Ali Mansour in the name of God. He shot Mansour twice and got out of the scene, but he slipped on some icy slurry in front of the former Sepahsalar Mosque (today's Martyr Motahari School), and fell. He was then arrested and brought to the constabulary office where he reacted so boldly and explicitly that made Colonel Nasiri furious to the point that he hit him in the mouth with a Sheriff stick, leaving him with a profusingly bleeding mouth.

Although martyr Bokhoaraei was only 20 years old at that time, but his bravery in interrogations and unjust courts inspired appreciation. On the dawn of 16th June 1965, martyr Bokharaei with the three other martyrs (mentioned above) quite satisfied and shouting Allahoakbar (meaning God is greater) were executed and became a martyr.

Martyr Reza Safar Harandi
Martyr Reza Safar Harandi, son of Ali Akbar Harandi, was born in 1946 in a knowledgeable and Islam preaching family. His brother, the Reverend Haj Sheikh Ali Asghar Harandi, was a serving righteous priest that besides having a job as a clothes seller on which he lived, became Imam of congregation Namaz (Islamic prayer) in Darvaz-e-Ghar Mosque in Tehran and preached Islamic education. His job as a seller was indeed an exhibition of Islamic pure business. Martyr Reza Safar Harandi was raised in such a family. After finishing elementary school, he learnt Islamic education from his brother and started to work in his shop. He was an active person in preaching Islam, getting to contact with the youth and attracting them to Islamic ways in the mosque his brother was Imam. In his contacts, he got to know martyr Bokharaei and Niknejad with whom he got into work on Islamic subjects such as Promoting Virtue and Preventing Vice. With the start of Imam Khomeini's Godly movement, he and his companions took on their revolutionary task during which they got into touch with the Islamic Coalition and went for military acts.

Martyr Harandi backed martyr Bokharaei on the day of Mansour revolutionary execution, and could get out of the scene after the mission was accomplished, but when he got back home to take his belongings for a life of concealment with martyr Bokharaei, he got arrested. He and his comrades were executed at the dawn of 16th June 1965 by Shah's mercenaries' firing squad, and became martyrs.

Martyr Morteza Niknejad
Martyr Morteza Niknejad was born in 1942 in a religious family. From the time he was a teenager, his commitment to Islam was inspiring. After finishing elementary school, he started selling galoshes in Tehran's Grand Bazar. After some time he got acquainted with martyr Reza Safar Harandi and took part in the Reverend Haj Sheikh Ali Asghar Harandi's Islamic education classes; there getting to know martyr Bokharaei, all the three became sincere friends who later came into touch with the Islamic Coalition.

During Badr Operation, Niknejad was the second to back martyr Bokharaei. When Bokharaei killed Mansour for his treacherous acts against nation, Niknejad fired a few shots to distract the security forces. The shots hit the Parliament gutter and broke a Mercedes Benz windshield in which they threw Mansour and took him to a hospital. He got out of the scene but he was arrested with martyr Safar Harandi. Although he was badly injured and not able to move on the day of his trial, they laid him on a stretcher and brought him for trial to the review court-martial at the command of the judge. Morteza and his friends had much difficulty coming to the court. They put a bench in the court for him to lie on; since the sun was directly shining to his face, he, now feeling very weak, had held a piece of cloth in front of his face to shelter him from sun rays.

The judge, Shah's known executioner, told martyr Niknejad: "You should have thought about today, the day you wanted to behave like that; not now, that you are weak and afraid. I wish you did, and never did such a foolish thing."

Martyr Niknejad asked for permission to talk, but he was ordered to sit where he was and not to talk; however, I don't know it was that day or the day before his last day, that the feeble young Niknejad criticized the regime so bitterly that attracted every one's attention. He said: "It is not me that is afraid of death and it is not me seeking pleasure and rest, so I'm not looking to evade this or free myself from jail. We have been asking for God's help and imploring him to let us become martyrs for His ends. We have been counting days and hours for this moment. This is you who is hypocrite, and because of such hypocrisy, you can't endure and hold resistance."

At the dawn of 16th June 1965, he rushed for his own execution by firing squad while he was shouting allahoakbar, and happy and thankful to God for the exalted gift of martyrdom.

The End

Sources:
1. Based on documents and memories of Martyr Andarzgou Epic, Islamic Revolution Documents Center
2. The Untold (memories of martyr Haj Mehdi Araghi) and Savak files.

The research group: The supreme leader said about 16th June 1965 martyrs: "The four martyrs (Bokharaei, Amani, Safar Harandi, and Niknejad) whom were remembered by Sir Askaroladi, are God's light in the dark of earth. They were outstanding people who became martyrs for God's ends. They chose a way that led to what you can see today: the government of Islam in the heart of widespread infidelity and tyranny, something more like a myth. The four martyrs were truly God's light in a dark era that shined brightly and enlightened the space and hearts of people; they guided many to truth." A brief biography and parts of these outstanding coalition martyrs' memories shall lead us to their more understanding. Martyr Amani Martyr Mohammad Sadegh Amani was born in Tehran in 1930. He was a business man in Tehran's Grand Bazar. Haj Mehdi Araghi said about him: "He was a jurist and had memorized about 6000 hadiths (sayings ascribed to Prophet Muhammad and Twelvers Imams); he was a morals teacher and had many students whom he taught morals on Fridays." In order to attract the youth, Martyr Amani had his own ways; when he went camping with the young people, he chose a hadith related to camping. He gave a slip to every one in the group on the top of which was the image of two clasping hands, with a hadith that read: "Is adhering to religion, something other than frankness and friendship?" Here, you can see how the hadith made sense: when a group of people go camping, they should behave frankly. Besides spiritual training of Islamic forces (his students), he was active in sheiites group. He and some of his companions formed Islamic Coalition, with Imam Khomein's confirmation, and after some time he became the head of military division of the coalition. He planned the Badr Operation to execute the divine laws in the case of Hassan Ali Mansour. After Mansour's death, a pursuit to arrest him came into force, and after 10 days in February 1965, he was arrested while in Abolghasem Razavi's house and following Shah's court-martial verdict, executed along with his comrades, Bokharaei, Safar Harandi, and Niknejad on 16th June 1965 and became a martyr. He had a major role in leading the Islamic Coalition. In response to his brother's request to get him out of jail, he said: "An opportunity has come up that may not in the future. It's a special opportunity I want to make use of and become a martyr," and assrted: ""Don't do anything for me (to get me out of jail)." Martyr Mohammad Bokharaei Martyr Mohammad Bokharaei, son of Ali Akbar Bokharaei, was born in the south of Tehran in 1944. After finishing school, he became a close friend to martyr Reza Safar Harandi, and took part in the Reverend Haj Sheikh Ali Asghar Harandi classes where he became acquainted with Islam and enlightening ideologies behind Imam Khomeini's movement. On the dawn of the movement, Martyr Bokharaei and Harandi came into touch with Islamic Coalition, and martyr Araghi found them good candidates for military action, and related them to martyr Amani who heightened their moral. Taking part in military exercises strengthened their tie. He had a major role in killing Hassan Ali Mansour in the name of God. He shot Mansour twice and got out of the scene, but he slipped on some icy slurry in front of the former Sepahsalar Mosque (today's Martyr Motahari School), and fell. He was then arrested and brought to the constabulary office where he reacted so boldly and explicitly that made Colonel Nasiri furious to the point that he hit him in the mouth with a Sheriff stick, leaving him with a profusingly bleeding mouth. Although martyr Bokhoaraei was only 20 years old at that time, but his bravery in interrogations and unjust courts inspired appreciation. On the dawn of 16th June 1965, martyr Bokharaei with the three other martyrs (mentioned above) quite satisfied and shouting Allahoakbar (meaning God is greater) were executed and became a martyr. Martyr Reza Safar Harandi Martyr Reza Safar Harandi, son of Ali Akbar Harandi, was born in 1946 in a knowledgeable and Islam preaching family. His brother, the Reverend Haj Sheikh Ali Asghar Harandi, was a serving righteous priest that besides having a job as a clothes seller on which he lived, became Imam of congregation Namaz (Islamic prayer) in Darvaz-e-Ghar Mosque in Tehran and preached Islamic education. His job as a seller was indeed an exhibition of Islamic pure business. Martyr Reza Safar Harandi was raised in such a family. After finishing elementary school, he learnt Islamic education from his brother and started to work in his shop. He was an active person in preaching Islam, getting to contact with the youth and attracting them to Islamic ways in the mosque his brother was Imam. In his contacts, he got to know martyr Bokharaei and Niknejad with whom he got into work on Islamic subjects such as Promoting Virtue and Preventing Vice. With the start of Imam Khomeini's Godly movement, he and his companions took on their revolutionary task during which they got into touch with the Islamic Coalition and went for military acts. Martyr Harandi backed martyr Bokharaei on the day of Mansour revolutionary execution, and could get out of the scene after the mission was accomplished, but when he got back home to take his belongings for a life of concealment with martyr Bokharaei, he got arrested. He and his comrades were executed at the dawn of 16th June 1965 by Shah's mercenaries' firing squad, and became martyrs. Martyr Morteza Niknejad Martyr Morteza Niknejad was born in 1942 in a religious family. From the time he was a teenager, his commitment to Islam was inspiring. After finishing elementary school, he started selling galoshes in Tehran's Grand Bazar. After some time he got acquainted with martyr Reza Safar Harandi and took part in the Reverend Haj Sheikh Ali Asghar Harandi's Islamic education classes; there getting to know martyr Bokharaei, all the three became sincere friends who later came into touch with the Islamic Coalition. During Badr Operation, Niknejad was the second to back martyr Bokharaei. When Bokharaei killed Mansour for his treacherous acts against nation, Niknejad fired a few shots to distract the security forces. The shots hit the Parliament gutter and broke a Mercedes Benz windshield in which they threw Mansour and took him to a hospital. He got out of the scene but he was arrested with martyr Safar Harandi. Although he was badly injured and not able to move on the day of his trial, they laid him on a stretcher and brought him for trial to the review court-martial at the command of the judge. Morteza and his friends had much difficulty coming to the court. They put a bench in the court for him to lie on; since the sun was directly shining to his face, he, now feeling very weak, had held a piece of cloth in front of his face to shelter him from sun rays. The judge, Shah's known executioner, told martyr Niknejad: "You should have thought about today, the day you wanted to behave like that; not now, that you are weak and afraid. I wish you did, and never did such a foolish thing." Martyr Niknejad asked for permission to talk, but he was ordered to sit where he was and not to talk; however, I don't know it was that day or the day before his last day, that the feeble young Niknejad criticized the regime so bitterly that attracted every one's attention. He said: "It is not me that is afraid of death and it is not me seeking pleasure and rest, so I'm not looking to evade this or free myself from jail. We have been asking for God's help and imploring him to let us become martyrs for His ends. We have been counting days and hours for this moment. This is you who is hypocrite, and because of such hypocrisy, you can't endure and hold resistance." At the dawn of 16th June 1965, he rushed for his own execution by firing squad while he was shouting allahoakbar, and happy and thankful to God for the exalted gift of martyrdom. The End Sources: 1. Based on documents and memories of Martyr Andarzgou Epic, Islamic Revolution Documents Center 2. The Untold (memories of martyr Haj Mehdi Araghi) and Savak files.