Ayatollah Martyr Mutahhari the Exemplary Teacher

Welcome to a special feature on the occasion of Teacher’s Day in honour of the great contemporary Iranian thinker, Ayatollah Morteza Mutahhari, who was martyred this day in 1979 by enemies of the Islamic Republic, only a few months after the victory of the Islamic Revolution in Iran.

He was indeed an exemplary teacher for the Iranian nation, and during the years leading to the triumph of the people’s movement in Iran, he had acted as an advisor to the Father of the Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini (God bless him).

Ayatollah Morteza Mutahhari, was a prolific writer and an eloquent speaker, qualities which are necessary for a successful teacher. He played a significant role in enlightenment and explanation of the issues of the day for the Iranian people during the tyranny of the British-installed and American-backed Pahlavi regime. He was indeed a multisided genius. He was a professor, a philosopher, a theologian and logician. Born on February 3, 1920 in the town of Fariman, in Khorasan, northeastern Iran in a religious family, after receiving elementary education in his hometown, his love and passion for the holy Qur’an and Islamic teachings led him to enroll at the Mashhad seminary. In 1937 he left for the Qom seminary to pursue higher studies, and benefitted under the supervision of the famous philosopher and exegete of the holy Qur’an, Allamah Seyyed Mohammad Hussain Tabatabai. He also studied under other distinguished scholars, especially, Imam Khomeini. Blessed with a sharp intelligence, talent and amazing diligence in learning, during the 12 years of his studies in holy Qom, he attended Imam Khomeini’s classes on ethics, philosophy, gnosis, jurisprudence and principles. Soon he attained the status of Ijtihad or independent reasoning on the basis of the holy Qur’an and the Hadith. He became one of the well-known teachers of his days and his classes were full of students who were thirsty for knowledge and wisdom.

In 1952, Ayatollah Mutahhari shifted to Tehran to continue his intellectual and cultural pursuits. Teaching at seminaries and the Faculty of Divinity and Islamic Teachings at Tehran University were some of his activities. In addition he published various scientific, political, moral and historical books and articles in Tehran. Along with his academic activities, he continued his political activities. In 1963 he had a significant role in organizing the 15^th of Khordad Uprising on June 5 1963, in protest against the arrest of Imam Khomeini by the Shah’s regime. He was imprisoned following his impassionate speech against the Shah. A month later, the regime was forced to release him along with other ulema because of intense public pressure. After his release Professor Mutahhari wrote books covering social requirements and delivering speeches at universities, and Tehran’s important mosques. Ayatollah Mutahhari’s dynamic thoughts and authoritative pen stood against deviant thoughts and with all his strength he defended Islam. His defence was not with power or gun but it was with logic on the basis of the holy Qur’an and the Hadith. Thus the educated classes read his articles, listened to his speeches and with enthusiasm participated in his classes. Logical and rational criticisms of the false ideas of some of western philosophers were considered as other abilities of Ayatollah Mutahhari. He believed in establishing the Islamic government, and to reach this goal he resolutely fought distortions and deviations.

In 1967, when the illegal Zionist entity Israel attacked Arab states in the 6-day war and occupied large chunks of their territories, Ayatollah Mutahhari released a statement appealing to the people to provide Palestinian Muslims with the necessary relief aid. As a result, the Pahlavi regime arrested and imprisoned him. In a moving speech, he drew the attention of Muslims and especially the Iranian people to the woeful situation of the Palestinians, saying: “If we truly want to make ourselves worthy in the sight of God Almighty and Prophet Mohammad (SAWA); if we want to be respected among world nations, we have to close ranks with fellow Muslims. If the Prophet were alive today, what would he have done?  What affairs would he think about?  By Allah, the soul of the Prophet is displeased at the Israelites.  If someone is not talking about this issue, they are committing a sin, if I am not talking about this issue, by Allah, I am committing a sin; if any speaker or intellectual is not talking about this issue he is committing a sin. By Allah, we have a responsibility, and we not fulfilling it. If Imam Husain (AS) was here in our midst today, he would have said: If you want to commemorate my sacrifice; if you want to beat your chest in grief for me; flagellate yourself with chains for my sake, then your chant today should be, "PALESTINE!!!"  Ayatollah Mutahhari’s speech about Palestine was so stirring and effective that copies were made and circulated, and after the victory of the Islamic Revolution, it has been regularly broadcast by Iranian media in support of Palestinian oppressed people.

On release from prison he continued to give speeches at Tehran’s important mosques. Around the year 1974 he was forbidden to speak, a ban that lasted till the triumph of the Islamic Revolution in 1979. In describing the unique characteristic of Professor Mutahhari, the present Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei says:” Martyr Mutahhari considered education as his important mission. He was not only a teacher in the classroom, but also among his friends, and in the society he was known as a capable teacher. He was pious, pure-hearted, always reciting the holy Qur’an and offering the late midnight prayers with tears in the presence of God. He paid much attention to learning and science. Despite his encyclopedic knowledge, he was indeed looking for learning till the end of his life.”

Presenting genuine Islamic ideology through his lectures, speeches and writings, he served the cause of the Islamic Revolution during the years 1972-to-1979; since in those years the leftists had increased their propaganda and groups of leftist Muslims and also those with a hotchpotch of ideas had emerged. In those years, upon Imam Khomeini’s recommendation, Professor Mutahhari traveled to Qom twice a week to teach at its seminary where he taught important courses and at the same time he taught some courses at home in Tehran. In 1976, following an ideological dispute with a communist teacher of the faculty of Tehran University, he tendered his resignation. In those years Ayatollah Mutahhari, in collaboration with some ulema, established in Tehran the “Jameye Rohaniat-e-Mobarez” or the Society of Combatant Ulema, hoping that such an institution would be gradually established in other cities as well.

Professor Mutahhari’s contact with Imam Khomeini continued during the Imam’s 14-year exile in Iraq, via letters and other means. In the year 1976 he traveled to the holy city of Najaf and consulted with the Beloved Leader on the important issues of the Islamic Revolution and also the situation at the seminaries. After the start of the new phase of the Islamic Revolution, he fully devoted himself to the people’s movement and played a fundamental role in all its phases. At the time of Imam Khomeini’s brief stay in Paris, after being forced to leave Iraq, Ayatollah Mutahhari traveled to France, where he spoke with the Imam on the important issues of the Islamic Revolution and it was then that Imam Khomeini told him to form the Islamic Revolution Council.

Till the victory of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Mutahhari had always acted as a trusted advisor for the Imam, and was expected to play a key role in solving the problems after establishment of the Islamic Republic, but the cowardly enemies, aware of the importance of this sharp politician and thinker, assassinated him. This prominent thinker was martyred at midnight, 1^st of May 1979 by a grouplet called “Forqan” after leaving an ideological and political gathering.  Ayatollah Mutahhari had earlier warned about the deviation and danger of this grouplet. Following his martyrdom, Imam Khomeini hailed Ayatollah Morteza Mutahhari as “the fruit of my life”.

Ayatollah Mutahhari’s speech and writings were the result of his dynamic thinking, research, and scientific and practical efforts. His works fit into various fields such as ideological, philosophical, historical, social, legal, ethical and psychological. What have remained in memories about Martyr Mutahhari is his unique Islamic and revolutionary characteristics. His awareness of the issues of the day and the society’s problems was his most significant characteristic, and accordingly he strove to remove doubts by making his priority tasks to fight any kind of distortion, eclecticism, fanaticism and Westoxication.  This great man always tried to remove the wrong thoughts and beliefs from the society and especially from the youth. That is because he knew that the young generation is the hope of the future and a powerful and trustful base of the revolution.

In his works, Ayatollah Mutahhari has subjected both the traditional and modern thoughts to a critical analysis, and rationally exposed the deviant ideas. In 1973 he wrote: “I have been writing books and articles for 20 years and the only thing that I had in mind in all my works was solving the problems and responding to questions in the field of Islamic issues in our era.” In a chapter of his book titled “Spiritual and Moral Crisis in the Current Era”, Professor Mutahhari has detailed some of the crises such as increase in suicide, neurological diseases, poverty, hunger, environmental pollution and the rebellious attitudes among modern youth who act like hippies. He believed that the main problem of western society is the absence of religion and spiritual values from daily life. In this regard in the book “Philosophy of Ethics”, he says: “Today man has acquired science but the actual cure of his pain is faith, since intellectual or nonintellectual awareness can do nothing in this regard. The goal of awareness is knowledge, and not evasion of faith. The West tried to remove faith in the hope of solving the problems on the basis of knowledge and science, but failed. Neither philosophical awareness has any benefit nor intellectual awareness.” In eloquent words, Ayatollah Mutahhari described the role of faith and science in life as follows: “Science provides the tools while faith makes the ends meet. Science is the beauty of thought and faith is the beauty of feeling. Science explains the nature while faith makes human beings. Science is the revolution of the exterior while faith is the revolution of the self or innate revolution. Science brings light and capability while faith gives love, hope and encouragement. Science safeguards the outside environment while faith safeguards the self and the soul. Science is the beauty of mind while faith is the beauty of soul. Science makes one immune from diseases, floods, earthquakes and storms, while faith gives security against anxieties, loneliness, despondency and negligence.”

Martyr Mutahhari has discussed in depth such academic issues as justice in Islam. He believes that justice in Islam should be taken into account as a social philosophy and is important than anything else and is based on Islamic policies; hence even a little deviation from justice is not permitted. He says the basic of justice in Islam is in the holy Qur’an and in the practice and behavior of Prophet Mohammad (SAWA). In his book titled “Divine Justice”, he takes up, in the light of the holy Qur’an such issues as teamwork and justice. In regard to justice, he says: Some believe that justice means that everyone in any condition and situation and with any talent exactly should be in the same class. He exposes the fallacy of such an idea and explains that justice means: Human beings, as per their individual characteristics, talents and efforts, are entitled to certain rights and privileges. Justice means that man gains his right based on what he deserves. Justice means to give this right to its possessor and this is the same meaning as respecting each other rights. At the same he has cautioned against wrong social rules that are destructive to the innate nature of human beings. This warrants the proper bringing up and grooming of children and making them aware of the harmful effects of the environment including radio, and TV programmes, as well as emotionally disturbing literature through newspapers and magazines that may focus on sex and violence. He paid attention to children and wrote a book for them titled “Dastan-e Rastaan” or “Anecdotes of the Righteous”. The book contains a series of lessons from the life of Godfearing persons. These anecdotes represent the spirit of Islamic teaching. Generosity, sacrifice, piety and thousands of good characters are formed in these stories and familiarize the reader with a world of sublime teachings.

AS/MG