Speech number four
In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
...meanwhile this was a necessary reminder that all governments should heed. From the advent of Islam, Muslims have been the guardians of the true religion of Islam even when they lost their rights for the sake of protecting the religion. Hazrat Amir al-Mu`minin, the Commander of the Faithful (pbuh), co-operated with the caliphs because outwardly they followed the religious precepts, and chaos did not prevail until Mu`awiya came to power and he deviated from the path and customs
of the caliphs and transformed the caliphate into a monarchy. Under such circumstances, Imam `Ali had no choice but to rise up against him, for according to the rules of religion and logic, he could not tolerate Mu`awiya to remain in that post for a single day. Those of his advisers who out of ignorance advised Imam `Ali to wait until his rule became stronger and then dismiss Mu`awiya did not know that had he waited, he would have met with objections from the Muslims and after strengthening his position, he would not have been able to dismiss Mu`awiya. Nowadays, there may be some uninformed people who believe it would have been better if Imam `Ali had made his position stronger and then dismissed Mu`awiya, but they are mistaken. Thus, when Imam `Ali realized that a cruel government was coming to power, revolt was a divine duty and he carried it out.In this way too the infallible Imams revolted, even if they were few in number, they would fight until the death in order to carry out their religious duties. Whenever one of the Imams saw that revolt was not appropriate, he stayed at home and propagated Islam instead. This was the way from the beginning of Islam.
The `ulama and leaders of Islam have always advised the people to maintain their composure. It was not so long ago that the Great Mirza, the late Hajj Mirza Muhammad Hassan Shirazi lived. He was a great intellectual thinker who lived in Samarra, and although he advocated quietism and reconciliation
, when he realized that Islam was in danger and the cruel king at that time wanted to wipe out Islam by using foreign companies, this old man sitting in a small city with only three hundred theology students around him was forced to admonish the despotic king. His writings have been preserved. That king didn't listen and with offensive and impolite statements he defied the lofty position of this great scholar until the latter was forced to say a word so that independence could be restored.After realising that Iraq was exposed to danger, the late Mirza Muhammad Taqi Shirazi spoke out in support of the Arabs and changed matters. If he had not done so, Iraq would have been destroyed. All Islamic states are indebted to this group of men (the clergymen), it is they who, up until now, have guarded their independence. They are one of the resources of the Islamic countries, and it is through their counsel that arrogant people are silenced. By the same token, when the clergy see that Islam is in danger they strive as much as possible and if they feel that by making issues public knowledge, by giving speeches and sending messages the danger can be averted, so be it, but if not, they have no choice but to rise up and take action. The clergy wish to see harmony and unity exist between all Muslims, however they can only maintain their silence in so far as national independence is not endangered by things that maybe even the government is unaware of or does not understand. These duties are determined by religion, it's not that the `ulama say something of their own accord; this kind of uprising is that which is stipulated by religion and the Holy Qur'an.
On the evening before the people were to go to the Sayyid Azizullah Mosque to pray for the awakening of the government, I was informed that the latter was planning to resist. Under such circumstances, I realised that the
ulama had another duty. I made the final decision whilst praying and beseeching the Almighty God and I told no one, but God showed kindness towards the Shah, the government and the nation. If, God forbid, any disrespect had been aimed at the `ulama of Tehran, I would have made a grave decision, but around midnight the government realized that it couldn't withstand the power of the people, and that same night it took a document from the great `ulama of Tehran so that the problem would be resolved. The following morning a telegram also arrived in Qum while I was at Mr. Shari`atmadari's home. The telegram was a good sign, but there was fear of deceit until news of the annulment of the Provincial and District Councils Bill was published in the newspapers after several communications between here and Tehran. However, they are not finished speaking yet. Concerning these town council laws that he claims have been accepted by the `ulama, they have not been accepted, they have been objected to. Furthermore, the laws governing the Provincial and District Councils cannot be compared with those for the town councils, which are said to be "similar," and to make such a comparison is erroneous. However, in both cases, being male and Muslim has been included and stipulated in the text of the law. In addition to this, we are the ones to compel them to uphold what they themselves are committed to. Not that the constitutional law is complete and final in our opinion, but if the `ulama refer to the law it is because of the second article of the amendment to the Constitution which invalidates the legality of any law which opposes the Holy Qur'an. For we do not concern ourselves with these laws, we are concerned only with the Islamic laws. The `ulama of Islam are interested in the laws of the Qur'an and the traditions of the Prophet and the Imams, anything that agrees with the Qur'an we will humbly submit to and anything which is incompatible with the religion and violates the Islamic laws, be that the constitutional law or even international laws, we will oppose.
Praise be to God the matter is now over; Mr Asadullah `Alam was warned that this matter must be ended and thank God it has ended. We are grateful that (praise be to God) it ended without a battle or war, without a drop of blood being shed. Such a matter, which could have ended in a great national uprising and could have moved tribes, ended with not even one person being slapped! During small, local uprisings and wars which involve thousands of people often a few are killed, and several are wounded, it is not possible that during an uprising of twenty million not even one person's nose bleeds! The government doesn't realize who prevented chaos or battle from occurring. They should come and see what has been written in the letters we have received and what has been said by the people who came to talk to us. They came to us with tears in their eyes, "Give us an order, a word from you that our souls will have everlasting life and see what happens." We told them that we did not ask that of them. But if a single word had been issued there would have been an explosion. Who quenched this fire? Why doesn't the government want to believe this? Why is it trying with all its might to destroy this great force (the clergy) which is the support of the independence of the country? God knows I am filled with sorrow. It is the clergy who have adapted to this situation and are serving the independence of this country. Why doesn't the government understand what it has done to our education? Why doesn't it rely on the clergy? Why with the death of one `alem does the world become devastated, but when the government fails the people celebrate? The government should be such that if it suffers a failure the people mourn and rise up to protect it. It can't attract support itself, maybe it could if the people saw that it wanted what was best for Muslims; if the people saw that the
government protected the interests of the Muslims, they would buy bonds and sell their homes and use the money for the good of the Muslims. Why is the press allowed to say such things? Why are they so discourteous and unjust? If the clergy were to go, the country would have no backbone. Why is the press free to say whatever it wants (against the clergy)? Why are the events of January 7 (Dey 17) freely celebrated? These things create hatred. Don't make the country's king hated. We advise you not to turn January 7 into a day of celebration. We believe this to be a heinous act. Protect this country. The events of January 7 do not signify progress. The progress of a nation lies with its universities and look at what you have done to them. For over a hundred years we have had universities and yet when a king wants to have a tonsillectomy we must bring a doctor here from another country. Foreigners must build the Karaj Dam. Foreigners must come even to build a road. Do international obligations demand this? If you have doctors and engineers you have education. If you say you have education, you have wealth, you have students, you have doctors and engineers; so why do you hire them from outside the country? Why do you pay foreigners a hundred thousand tumans a month?! Answer this! If you have no answer, then pity this country! For a hundred years it has had universities but it has no doctors, no engineers... This is what the clergy have to say. The clergy are not against the economical development of this country, they have been slandered. For five hundred years the clergy have administered and protected the entire world. One only needs to look at history. Even though the caliphs themselves were oppressors, they governed the world through an Islamic system. Doesn't Islam have a way for development? Which economic matter did the `ulama oppose? You wanted to build dams, did they stand in your way? You wanted to import industries, did they stop you? We said don't destroy the steel plant. Do you think that we don't know what you have done to the Karaj Steel Plant? The `ulama are not against independence; the creed of the `ulama is independence and religion demands that we call for it. But we have no means at our disposal; we do not govern the newspapers, and they have presented the `ulama in an unfavourable light. Twenty odd years have passed since the scandalous forced removal of the Islamic veil (kashf hijab) took place. Check and see what you have done. You've put women into the offices, and every office they've been put into has become paralyzed. For the moment this is not a common practice, the `ulama say do not let it become so; don't spread it to the provinces. If women are put into an organization it will upset conditions there. Do you want women to provide your independence? Those that you follow are exploring space while you fool around with (the rights of) your women.
Don't present your `ulama unfavourably to the world. This is a shameful act on your part. These are the problems, this is the advice, but what good is it? Those who should hear it are not here, and even if there were someone here who could make the government understand that which pains our hearts, he would not do so.
But you gentlemen, your responsibility, at any post which you might hold is to guard Islam's reputation. If even one of your people acts dishonourably the `ulama in general will be seen in an unfavourable light. Just because others speak unfavourably, don't you too present yourselves in a bad light. Our involvement in these events has brought about some sweet experiences and some bitter ones. We have just mentioned the sweet ones, which were the sentiments of the people, May God grant them predominance and victory. The bitter ones came from the actions of a few people, May God forgive them. It is God's will that the life and independence of the nation lies in your hands. Whatever happens is either in your favour or against you. If events go against you, don't let this defeat you psychologically. An outward defeat is not important, what is important is a psychological defeat. If a man is defeated spiritually he is as good as dead. For you that have support from God, you that are the clergy, you that your hearts are otherworldly, there is no defeat in this world; this world is nothing, he who is connected to God will never suffer defeat. Defeat belongs to those whose aspirations are of this world. When one's aspirations are of this world, one will be defeated. If one's aspirations are the unseen and the mysteries behind it, there is no failure. Failure is for the desperate, it belongs to those who trust the Devil and to those whose hearts have been filled with love for the wealth of this world. If you are defeated in some way, your hearts should be strong, stand firm until the last person. Don't believe that if so-and-so fails it is finished. No! You are a monotheist. You are a Muslim. You are connected to God and God cannot be defeated. So lose not heart nor fall into despair, for ye must gain mastery if ye are true in faith.
If you win, don't lose your heads, be strong. You should neither be filled with fear nor be too daring. It is not right now to shout obscenities at the government. You are above saying that which is unbefitting your position.
From today we are setting about our business. Over the two months since this event occurred, we haven't been able to work properly, there were nights when I slept for only two hours. From now on we should occupy ourselves with studying which is greater than any other means of worship, if the heart is pure. Once again if we see a foreign devil focusing on our nation, we will act in the same way, the government will be the same and the nation will be the same. Such a gathering which is costly for others can be arranged by us with a single word. The people realize that we are their friends, and they are fond of their friends. The clergy are the fathers of the people, and they are fond of their children. In the middle of the night, an old man announces: "Let us gather and pray," and Tehran moves! Another old man here writes: "We want to have a prayer gathering" and see what happens! Why? Because the people perceive that the `ulama have their best interests at heart, the `ulama are righteous people, they are not corrupt. We would like the government to be like this also. We would like it if when a day of national mourning is announced everyone mourns, not the opposite. And just as the hearts of the people are attentive to the clergy and gather at their bidding, we would like them to be like this also with the government.
From Rey they wrote, "We are five thousand people ready with our shrouds in hand;" from Japalaq: "We are one hundred thousand individuals awaiting your orders." From Lorestan they wrote: "We are tribes ready with our shrouds." The people are aware. Can a country which is aware be backward? Get rid of your weapons and then in Tehran, for example, announce that you will hold a gathering in the east, and we will announce one in the west; announce a gathering in Qum and we will announce one twelve kilometres from there in Khak Faraj; you hold one close by and we will hold one far away. Go to Khuzestan, anywhere, and do the same so that you will see just how important this support is for you.
I advise the king of this nation not to lose this force. Two events occurred; one was the death of Ayatullah Burujirdi and the other was the
death of one of their people; and we all saw what happened. They say the akhunds are nothing. How can they say this?! You say that you don't have anything to do with the akhunds, well the akhunds have something to say to you! Religious counsel is compulsory, to abandon it might even be a capital sin. It is the duty of the `ulama to counsel everyone throughout the nation, from the Shah down.This is the way to the people's hearts, the Muslim people's hearts will be won over through Islam. We understand what makes their hearts beat, the hearts of the Muslim people must be attracted by means of Islam for without doubt in the remembrance of God do hearts find satisfaction. All hearts are in God's hands. The converter of all hearts is God. Focus your attention on God so that the hearts of the people will focus on you. The people of learning do this, you (the government) must also be like this. We are not saying wear a turban, rather we say come to understand that which the clergy have understood. We say the government should govern the people well so that they understand that the government has their best interests at heart. But if the people see that's not how it really is, they'll begin to ask: "When will this government be destroyed?"
Oh government, oh wretched ones. The conquest of a country is nothing - and fortunately you have not achieved this - what is important is the conquest of hearts. If you want to, then do it. If not, don't. It's up to you.
May God's peace and blessings be upon you.
1- Mu`awiya ibn Abu Sufyan (607 - 80 AD) first caliph of the Umayyad dynasty accepted Islam on the day Mecca was conquered (630 AD). He was the commander of the army during the caliphate of Abu Bakr and at the time of Umar he was first the governor of Jordan and then governor of Damascus, and at the time of Uthman he was responsible for the entire principality of Syria. After the death of Uthman, Hazrat `Ali (pbuh) was proclaimed caliph and issued orders for Mu`awiya's dismissal. However, Mu`awiya did not comply with Imam `Ali's orders and accused him of involvement in the murder of Uthman and demanded vengeance for his death. During the battle of Siffin, which was fought between Mu`awiya's troops and those of Hazrat Ali, `Amr ibn-al-`As, Mu`awiya's army commander, on seeing the battle going in `Ali's favour, resorted to a ruse and ordered his soldiers to fasten copies of the Qur'an to their lances and hold them up in the air. This move brought about a dispute amongst `Ali's followers, the battle was ended and Mu`awiya remained in his principality. After Imam Ali's martyrdom, his son Imam Hassan (pbuh) was forced into a conditional peace with Mu`awiya because of the actions of his traitorous troops and commanders and eventually relinquished the caliphate to him in 661 AD. From this date on, Mu`awiya called himself the official Muslim caliph. See Philip K. Hitti's History of the Arabs and S.H.M. Jafri's The Origins and Early Development of Shi`a Islam.
2- Mu`awiya opposed the expulsion order. Moghayyar ibn Sho`beh and Ibn `Abbas (Imam `Ali's cousin) did not agree with Mu`awiya's expulsion and recommended that Imam `Ali be lenient and condescending for two years until the people of Syria swore allegiance to him, and then take action against him. But Imam `Ali would not accept that Mu`awiya rule over the lives and wealth of the Muslim people for even a short period of time.
3- Ayatullah Mirza Muhammad Hassan Shirazi (1812-1894 AD), better known as Mirza Shirazi the Great I, was the most learned marja` of his era and was one of the highest ranking `ulama. He issued the famous order for the tobacco boycott. Early in his life he left Shiraz and went to study with the `ulama in Isfahan; from there he went to Iraq (to the atabat, i.e. the major centres of Shi`i learning in Iraq: the holy shrines in Karbala, Najaf and Kazimayn). There he studied under Shaykh Morteza Ansari, before he himself began to teach. During the period that he was marja`-i taqlid in 1891, the Qajar Shah, Nasir al-Din, signed a contract with an English company granting it a fifty-year monopoly over the distribution and exportation of tobacco. As concern over the concession swept through the country, Ayatullah Shirazi issued a fatwa stating that the use of tobacco in whatever form was forbidden (haram) and was tantamount to declaring war with Imam Zaman (the Twelfth Imam) in order to curtail the spread of British influence in the country. Consequently, Nasir al-Din Shah was faced with no alternative but to annul the concession.
4- The city of Samarra is of interest to Muslims and is a famous place of Shi`i pilgrimage. This city is located in Iraq, 120 km north of Baghdad and lies on the east bank of the Tigris river. Several times the ancient city of Samarra has been destroyed and rebuilt. It is the burial site of Imam `Ali al-Naqi (pbuh), the tenth Imam, and Imam Hassan `Askari (pbuh), the eleventh Imam. There is also a famous basement there which is said to be the place where the twelfth Imam of the Shi`a, Imam Mahdi (May God hasten his renewed manifestation) went into occultation. The ancient name of this city was Surra man ra'a which means whoever sees it shall be gladdened.
5- Ayatullah Mirza Muhammad Taqi Shirazi (d 1921 AD), better known as Mirza Mojahid II, was one of the great Shi`i marja` and was one of Mirza Shirazi the Great's students. He was a leading force (after Ayatullah Sayyid Kazem Tabataba'i) in the resistance by the Shi`i `ulama opposed to the imposition of British rule on Iraq at the end of the First World War. His requisition read as follows: "It is the religious duty of the Iraqi people to demand their rights."6- The numerous telegrams sent from the `ulama to `Alam's government requesting the abolition of the Provincial and District Councils Bill and the government's refusal to reply, forced the clergy of Tehran to seek assistance from Almighty God and in order to remind the people of important matters they decided to hold a gathering at the Sayyid Azizullah Mosque on Thursday morning November 29, 1962 (Azar 8, 1341 AHS). This information was disseminated amongst the people by way of leaflets. The great elderly clergymen Ayatullah Bihbihani and Ayatullah Tunakabuni decided to remain in the Sayyid Azizullah Mosque until the Provincial and District Councils Bill was annulled. This news caused public uproar, and the pious people, who could not bear to see their marja` and religious leaders inconvenienced and dissatisfied in this way, decided to join them in the mosque to express their opposition to the government. The Sayyid Azizullah Mosque is one of the major mosques in Tehran and was an Islamic revolutionary base during the time of the resurgence and is located within Tehran's main bazaar.
8- As the Provincial and District Council disturbances continued and the `ulama of Tehran issued an invitation to the people to join them in a protest gathering at the Sayyid Azizullah Mosque on November 29, 1962 (Azar 8, 1341 AHS), `Alam's government felt increasingly threatened. That same night it held a meeting during which the Provincial and District Councils Bill was rescinded and notification was sent to the `ulama of Tehran. Also, in order to prevent the prayer gathering of the next day, the government decided to send `Emad Torbatti, the Prime Minister's representative, in the middle of the night to the homes of the respected clergymen Bihbihani, Khansari, Amoli, Tunakabuni, to obtain their signatures at the bottom of a document declaring the cancellation of the aforementioned gathering. At 5 a.m. this document was distributed in the Tehran Bazaar and the surrounding streets. It stated: "The Prime Minister has announced that the bill concerning the election for Provincial and District Councils which was ratified by the government will not be implemented. Therefore, thanks to all the Muslims' efforts, the gathering on Thursday Rajab 1, (November 29) which was supposed to be held in the Sayyid Azizullah Mosque is no longer necessary."
9- The telegram containing the news of the abolition of the Provincial and District Councils Bill was sent to Mr. Sayyid Kazem Shari`atmadari and the great Ayatullahs Gulpaygani and Najafi-Marashi in Qum from the Prime Minister's palace. Refraining from sending a telegram to Imam Khomeini was evidence of the regime's anger regarding his stance.
10- Even though the government had promised to publish news of the bill's annulment in the newspapers, it considered it sufficient merely to send telegrams to the great maraji' and `ulama. This greatly angered Imam and the other clergymen. Thus, by sending a letter and special messenger to Tehran and other cities, Imam requested that the clergy continue in their opposition until news of the annulment be published in the newspapers. This action forced the Prime Minister to announce the abolition of the bill during an interview on December 1, 1962 (Azar 10, 1341 AHS). After this, the newspaper headlines read: "The government has revoked the bill dated October 6, 1962 (Mehr 14, 1341 AHS)."
telegram to Mr. Sayyid Kazem Shari`atmadari and the great Ayatullahs Najafi-Marashi and Gulpaygani stated: "...concerning the government's silence on the issue of the non-participation of women in the Provincial and District Councils, I must remind the worthy gentlemen that the conditions concerning this bill are the same as those which apply to the elections for the town councils' bill which was ratified seven years ago and to which no opposition has ever been raised." Imam Khomeini in reply to questions put to him by the merchants and businessmen of Qum regarding his views on the Prime Minister's interview dated December 12, 1962 (Azar 21, 1341 AHS) rejected `Alam's claims concerning the similarity of the bill with the town council bill. His statements in this regard were later published as his declaration in reply to the Prime Minister. See Nihzat-i Ruhaniyun-i Iran, Volume 3, pp. 112-115.
12- This phrase is contained in the irrevocable law and is one of the major rules of religious jurisprudence, according to which in legal and juristical issues the people are expected to comply with the precepts of their religion and the laws which they themselves have chosen. Imam's intention here is to draw attention to the contradictory nature of the Provincial and District Councils Bill with the constitutional law which the government is bound to. By referring to the aforesaid rule, he emphasized that his words did not constitute a recognition of the legitimacy of the constitutional or any other law, for that came from the law's compliance with the laws of the religion. For further information concerning irrevocable laws see Wasa'il al-Shi`a Vol. 15, (Kitab al-Talaq), (Abwab Muqaddamata wa Shara'ita) Chapter 30.
13- The second amendment to the constitutional law declared that: "The Holy National Consultative Assembly, which has been established through the assistance and favour of the twelfth Imam (May God hasten his renewed manifestation), should not at any time allow any of its articles of laws to contradict the rules of Islam or the laws of Hazrat Khairol- Anam (Hazrat Muhammad, upon whom be peace). It is obvious that the responsibility for determining which laws are at variance with the laws of Islam is and has been with the most learned `ulama, (May God prolong their beneficial existence). Therefore, it is officially decided that in any period of time a group of not less than five Islamic jurisprudents (mujtahids) and fuqaha who are aware of current events will be selected to do this. Thus, the most learned `ulama and maraji`-i taqlid will introduce twenty names from amongst the `ulama, who are qualified, to the National Consultative Assembly. Five or more will be chosen by unanimous vote or by drawing lots, and will be recognised as members so that all the articles proposed to the Majlis are carefully analysed and negotiated, and every article which is at variance with the holy laws of Islam is rescinded. The vote of this group of `ulama must be obeyed and followed, and this article is irrevocable until Imam Mahdi's appearance."
circumstances and their international obligations. The Shah in answer to a telegram sent by the maraji` announced these changes to be trivial and to have arisen from the current situation. In one of his speeches, `Alam, while condemning any revolt, implicitly described the current activities of the `ulama as being reactionary measures and added that the wheels of time could not be turned back and the government would not change its mind concerning the reform programmes.
16- The high-ranking `ulama of the theology centres inside the country, clergymen, scholars, preachers, merchants, tradesmen and religious groups supported the actions of the maraji` of Qum for the abolition of the Provincial and District Councils Bill in successive letters, telegrams and papers which contained thousands of signatures. They regularly expressed to the Shah and the government, and especially the maraji', the aversion and apprehension of the local citizens concerning the bill, and requested the abolition of the bill.
18- Refers to the defeat of `Alam's government by the clergy over the Provincial and District Councils Bill. After its annulment, people in many cities put up lights and celebrated the victory of Islam and the clergy. Some of the poets even composed poems to mark the occasion. To see the role of the leadership of Imam Khomeini at that time refer to the poem on page 205 in the book Barrasi va Tahlili az Nihzat-i Imam Khomeini, Vol. 1. Also see Nihzat-i Ruhaniyun-i Iran, Vol. 3, pp. 185-193.
21- The Pahlavi regime used propagation and false rumour in its fight against the clergy in the Provincial and District Councils Bill disturbances in order to make the clergy and the maraji`s non-reactionary struggle look despicable and portray the clergy's uprising as being instigated by the feudal landowners and capitalists, and in this way turn the peasants against the clergy. The magazine Khusheh wrote: "One of the great landowners living abroad has sent large sums of money from Europe as sahm-i imam money to be put at the disposal of the clergy so that they can take action on behalf of the landowners."
22- After the Constitutional Revolution from the middle of 1927, some circles close to Riza Khan began talking about the forced removal of the women's Islamic veil (kashf hijab) and by the New Year of 1928 (1307 AHS), Riza Khan's wife and daughters appeared in public without the Islamic covering. The law calling for the removal of hijab was implemented after Riza Khan's return from Turkey (in 1934) on January 7, 1935 (Dey 17, 1341 AHS). On this day, Riza Khan, accompanied by his wife and two daughters, attended the opening ceremonies for a college along with his ministers and their wives who had removed their Islamic covering. At this ceremony, Riza Khan addressed the women saying: "We have broken the prison bars! Now the freed prisoners can make beautiful homes instead of cages." See Hijab va Kashf Hijab Dar Iran, Khatarat-i Taj al-Saltaneh.
23- Following the regime's defeat in the Provincial and District Councils Bill disturbances, the government tried to distract public attention from this disgrace by making plans to commemorate January 7 (Dey 17 AHS) and turn it into a day of national celebration employing women of doubtful propriety and women with connections to imperialist circles who planned a parade, celebrations and demonstrations. When Imam became aware of the decision, he sent a message to government officials stating that if the government decided to carry out its demonstration on January 7, the Islamic `ulama would announce a national day of mourning in commemoration of the disaster at the Gauhar Shad Mosque and would request the public to stop work and participate in a street demonstration to express their hatred of those who caused that bloody disaster. This message was so effective that the regime changed its plans.
24- The Karaj Dam was built on the Karaj river, seventeen kilometres from Karaj, sixty-three kilometres from Tehran, in December 1958 (Azar 1337 AHS). Initial construction work began in 1952 (1331 AHS), then in 1956 (1335 AHS) the International Engineering Company (Harza) was assigned to
the project. After the foreign consulting engineers accepted Harza's proposals, the dam's building contract was ratified by the Planning Organisation.
26- Riza Khan, who dreamt of attaining power similar to that of Hitler's Germany, ordered the construction of a steel mill by the German company Krupp. The Krupp Co. chose the Karaj river as a suitable area to build the factory because it was near the Alborz mines. Most of the equipment and tools needed to build the factory were brought in from Germany at great expense and taken to the Karaj area. But after Iran was occupied by the Allied forces, not only did the Germans stop working and sending the remainder of the equipment but it is said that they made the Iranian government destroy the equipment they had already sent. In this way, great sums of money paid by the oppressed people of Iran were completely wasted.
status of women was lowered during the time of Riza Khan and his son, first by British and then American schemes which isolated Muslim women from social activities.
29- After the abolition of the Provincial and District Councils Bill, some of the `ulama considered the struggle over and in a telegram to the Shah, thanked him for repealing the bill. However, Imam was convinced that the struggle must continue until news of the bill's annulment was printed in the newspapers. This difference of opinion resulted in contradictory rumours and news which confused many people. The people went to Qum to clarify their obligations and Imam gave the government the ultimatum that it must announce the annulment of the bill in the national newspapers.
30- Sura Al-i-Imran (The Family of Imran) verse 139.
31- Refers to the elderly clergymen such as Ayatullah Tunakabuni and Ayatullah Bihbihani who were over ninety years of age. See footnote 6 of this speech.
32- Japalaq is an area in Isfahan.
33- Ayatullah Hajj Aqa Husayn Tabataba'i better known as Ayatullah Burujirdi (1873-1961 AD) the leader of the theological centre of Qum (after Ayatullah Hairi), founder of the A`zam Mosque of Qum, and highest ranking Shi`i marja`-i taqlid (since September 1941 {Shahrivar 1320 AHS}) during the reign of Muhammad Riza Shah. After his preliminary studies in Burujird, he went to Isfahan and taught religious jurisprudence and philosophy there for eight years. He then studied for another eight years with Akhund Muhammad Kazem Khurasani in Najaf. He returned to Iran and began teaching logic and doctrinal scriptures in Burujird. In 1944 (1323 AHS), he was invited to Qum by Imam and the other `ulama. The defeat of the constitutional movement and events such as the execution of Shaykh Fazlullah Nuri, as well as the troubles arising from unsuccessful political actions taken against Riza Khan, led Ayatullah Burujirdi to avoid involvement in political matters wherever possible, out of fear that such
involvement would prove to be detrimental to the Muslims. For this reason, he was sometimes the object of criticism. In order to take advantage of the reputation of this great man, Muhammad Riza would visit him frequently and in a show of piety for the people would announce his readiness to disseminate Islam.
34- One of the Shah's statements.
35- Sura Ra`d (Thunder), Verse 28.
36- This was said in admonition
