Who Is He

by Ali Shariati

  During the six years at Mashhad University, in spite of the bar­riers placed before him, he began his constructive efforts to create and develop his thoughts on the school and foundations of lslam. The young generation of Iran received him with great enthusi­asm as their thirst for an undistorted Islam had been aroused. Uni­versity students from all over Iran invited him to lecture at their re­spective universities. He accepted these invitations in spite of all the difficul­ties he faced.

  In Mashhad he taught Islamology, including lectures on: “Of What Use the Study of Islam?” (30.1); “Who is Muhammad?” (30.2); “Knowing Muhammad” (30.3); and the “Visage of Muhammad” (30.4). His course on the History of Civilization included: “Description of History” (11.4); “Schools of History and Methods of Research” (11.5); “Impressive Events in History” (12.1); “Characteristics of the Recent Centuries” (12.2); “Characteristics of Today’s Civilization” (12.7); “A General Discussion on Civi­lization and Culture” (12.3); “Political Tendencies in the Contemporary World” (12.5); “The Problem of Finding Self” (12.6); “What does ‘civilization’ mean?” (11.2); “General Discussion on World View and Culture” (11.3); “Why is mytholo­gy the spirit of all civilizations?” (11.6); “History of the Chinese Civilization” (11.7); and “World View and Environ­ment” (12.4).

  A center had been formed in 1967 in Tehran called the Husayniyah Irshad by a group of ulama and other Muslim thinkers. They invited Shariati, among others, to participate in pro­gramming the works of the organization. He accepted their invita­tion and began a series of lectures under the title of History of Religions and Islamology. Unprecedented numbers of students partici­pated in his classes. In ad­dition to his regular classes, he gave lectures upon special occasions of the Islamic calendar as well as in re­sponse to unfolding political events.

  Beginning in the fall of 1968, at the same time that he had been teaching at Mashhad University (four years before his expulsion), he commuted to Tehran giving lectures at the Husayniyah Irshad. His first dated lecture was “Approach to the Understanding of Islam” (28.2), October 25, 26, 1968. In December he gave lectures on “A Com­plete Human Being” (25.6) and “The Human Being and History” (24.5).

  In the spring of 1969 he gave ten days of lectures: “Ali: A Myth-like Reality” (26.6); “Appointment with Abraham” (consisting of four lectures which form the second volume of the hajj) (29.1); “Civilization and Modernism” (31.9); and his famous “Ummah (Community) and Imamate (Leadership)” (26.10).

  He wrote “Totemism” (13.4) during this time as well as “The Fall” (13.1) and “The Human Being in Islam” (24.1). He gave a lecture on “Existentialism” (24.6) at Melli University.

  In the fall of 1969 he gave the lectures, “A Glance at Tomorrow’s History” (31.6); “History of Islamic Iran” (27.1); “Art Fleeing from What Exists” (32.2); “Ali is Alone” (24.6); “Ali: His Life after Death” (26.9); “The Scientific Method” (31.2); “About the Book” (25.9); and “Migration and Civilization” (23.11

  At the beginning of 1970, he lectured on “Advice and a Story” (32.8); “Prayer” (8.1); and “The School of Imam Sajjad” (8.2); and then in the spring he wrote, “Iqbal: The 20th Century Reformer” (5.2); its Preface and “The Philosophy of History in the View of Islam” (19.8). In the summer, he lectured on “History and its Value in Islam” (29.20); “Religion vs. Religion” (22.1); and “The Intellectual and His Responsibility to Soci­ety” (20.2). In the fall, he continued his History of Civilization courses and spoke on “The Economic Roots of the Renaissance” (31.3).

  In the winter of 1970-71, he went on the hajj and lectured in Medinah, Arafah, Mina, Makkah and Mt. Hira where he spoke on “Medinah: The City of Migration” (29.2); “Civilization: The Logical Outcome of Migra­tion” (29.3); “Study of Types of Migration” (29.4); “The Salvation of the Young Generation” (29.5); “Migration, Ummah (Community) and Imamate (Leadership)” (29.6); “Reflections on the hajj Rituals” (29.7); “Sacrifice Your Ish­mael” (29.9); “Selection and/or Election” (29.10); “What must be done?” (29.11); “A Glance at the Life of Muhammad” (29.12); and “Monotheism and Multithe­ism” (23.2).

  He returned and spoke on “An Insight into Shiite History” (19.6) and “Husayn: Adam’s Heir” (19.7). He continued his lectures in the History and Knowledge of Religions and History of Civilization Courses. He spoke on “Permanent Standards of Education” (29.23) and published his translation of the reply of Kashif al-Ghita (31.18). He lectured on “Fatima is Fatima,” (21.1); “Death: A Message for Life” (29.26); “The Machine at the Service of Machinism” (31.8); and wrote volume one of Hajj: Reflections on its Rituals. (6).

  In the fall of 1971, continuing his course on History and Knowledge of Religions, he lectured on “Mothers! Fathers! We are to blame!” (22.2); “Awaiting the Religion of Protest” (19.7); “Alid Shiism/Safavid Shiism” (9.2); “The Responsibility of Being a Shiite” (7.3); “Ali: Founder of Unity” (26.6); “Yea Brother! That’s the way it was!” (22.3); “World View” (23.1); “Ideology I” (23.3); and “From where should we begin?” (20.6).

  In January of 1972, he again went on the hajj and spoke in Medinah, Makkah, Arafah and Mina on “Twenty-three Years in Twenty-three Days” (29.13); “The Importance of Migration in Islam” (29.14); “A Sketch of the Prophet’s Mosque” (29.15); “Monotheism: The Infrastructure of Our Actions” (29.10); “Now that you have reached the Kabah, do not remain there” (29.17); and “Promise for the Future” (29.19).

  He then began his famous Islamology courses at Husayniyah Irshad in Tehran in February of 1972. On the 9th of Muharram (February 24, 1972) he gave his lecture on “Martyrdom” (19.3). In the spring of 1972, he was expelled from Ferdowsi University in Mashhad. He wrote, “Good-bye City of Martyrdom” (22.5).

  5.

  From the Husayniyah

  to the Zaynabiyah

  HE MOVED TO Tehran and continued his lectures on Islamology. Just seven months later the Husayniyah was closed until after the Islamic Revolution in 1979 which he did not live to see.

  Because of these circumstances, his lectures on Islamology in Tehran were limited to twenty-seven lectures including topics such as: “School of Thought and Action” (16.1); “School of Thought and Action of Islam” (16.2); “Monotheism: A Philosophy of History” (16.7); “The Philosophy of Ethics” (16.8); “History in the View of the Quran and Schools of Thought” (17.1); “Toynbee’s Thesis” (17.2); “Marxism in the Three Cycles of His Life” (17.3); “The Relationship Between Thought and Action” (17.5); “Marxism in the l9th Century” (17.3); “Capitalism and Surplus Value” (18.1); “Historic Determinism” (18.4); “Commentary on Surah Anbiya” (18.8); and “The School of Ex­istentialism” (18.9).

  He spoke on “Expectations From the Muslim Woman” (21.2); and gave seminars. He spoke on “And Once Again Abu Dharr” (3.2); “Our Century in Search of Ali” (26.3); “Revolutionary Role of the Reminders and Reminding” (7.2); “The Most Beautiful Worshiped Spirit” (8.4); “The Third Way” (20.4); and “Consciousness and Decep­tion” (20.5).

  He was succeeding beyond anyone’s imagination in drawing the young people to Islam. As he grew stronger, the opposition increased. He had to face the Shah’s entire regime and the Shah’s security forces, as well as groups as diverse as leftist intellectuals and those clothed in very religious conservative garb. They stopped at nothing. Accusations of mistakes and errors by the regime’s agents disguised as both religious men and leftist intellectuals only served to increase the interest among the young people in Shariati.

  His father was asked about this: “Do you recall any mistakes in Dr. Shariati’s works and if so, do you feel they are so extensive that they have mislead our young people?”1

  His father replied, “God forbid. The greatest service that Ali did was that he made the religion of Islam relevant to the class of the enlight­ened and educated. If it had not been for him, perhaps these young people who today practice lsla
m would have deviated from Is­lam and would not be the strong followers of Ayatullah Khomeini that they are today because they would not have been familiar with the school of thought and action of Islam. His greatest service to our society and the greatest obligation our society has to him is because he expressed religious truths among these people and groups.

  “One of our friends has said, ‘Before Ali began preaching Islam, university professors would profess to be great intellectuals by degrading Islam, but today these very professors know that his success among young people was due to his belief in Islam. The difference between these two is the service of what Ali did. He made religion relevant in the university among young enlightened and educated people. Before him, religion was not a relevant and pertinent issue in these institutions.’

  “When I was in jail, a communist came up to me and said, ‘You have a son who is greater than a whole society.’ I asked, ‘How can you say that when you have taken a way which is separate from our way?’ He said, ‘While I have been in prison, I have read several of his lectures and writings like “From Migration to Death,” “The Visage of Muhammad” and two or three other lectures but the title, cover and author of these were changed so the guards would not know whose book we were reading. These were sent to us as was the lecture he gave at the Petroleum College. I was able to read several and I swear by God that if we had had a teacher and preacher like Shariati, our fate would have been much different than just re­ceiving the religion that our parents had inherited and passed to us or going to hear irrelevant sermons. None of that was acceptable to our type. If we had had a teacher like him, our destiny would have been very different.’

  “This, then, was his greatest service. Now in regard to mistakes or errors, who is there who has not made mistakes in speeches, lectures or in his writings? Ali made no terrible mistakes or errors which would harm public thought or belief. Some things are a question of taste. For instance, in regard to the books of such and such an ulama or scholar copied centuries ago, in some cases, there are errors. He said this should be pointed out so that people not think that they must accept everything that has been copied down. Now perhaps there is a person who objects to this kind of criticism. This is a question of taste. It cannot be called a mistake. He and I also had differences of opinion. I would say that he should not criticize these people because society respects them. He would say the reason why he criticized was because the preachers memorized whatever the gentleman in question wrote and repeated it word for word to the people. He believed that criticism must be made so that people allow for the possibility that such a book may have errors in it.

  “One cannot say that Ali Shariati’s work has errors because the things are so minor. They are nothing for which he should be criti­cized—especially in comparison to the work that he did for society, for Islam. His errors were minimal. There was nothing said or written that would harm a person’s beliefs or the religion of Islam.”

  Sometimes 6000 students would participate in Shariati’s lectures. More than 40,000 people saw the play on Abu Dharr Ghifari in September/October, 1972 be­fore the regime applied pressure to close it.

  It was Aban (October-November) 1972. In addition to the last three lectures on Islamology, he spoke on “Shiism: A Complete Political Party” (7.1); “Followers of Ali” (26.8); “Message of Hope to Responsible Intellectuals” (20.1); and “Qasitin (those who deviate), Mariqin (those who miss the truth of religion), Nakithin (those who break their allegiance)” (26.7). Then on Friday, November 12 of that same year, following the second part of “Shiism: A Complete Political Party” (7.1), after a congregational ritual prayer, when all other conspiracies failed to stop the movement, the Shah’s forces closed the Husayniyah Irshad.

  The Husayniyah

  Writing to his friends at the Husayniyah two weeks after it was closed, Shariati summarized what he felt his work at the Husayniyah had been and began planning for the work to be done once it was reopened, something he would not live to see.2

  “...The Husayniyah has ended its second season...it is closed until the opening of its third—which will most certainly be more glorious. This is a crucial time, full of tests and difficulties for us...

  “...And on these nights and days when I have had the opportunity to pray to God and consider my efforts and endeavors, think about them, and evaluate whatever it was I accomplished, study my weak and strong points, without wanting to exaggerate the results of our work and fall into the difficulty of ‘pride’ and without covering over the errors and mistakes, I think that, in truth, much has been accomplished and that which has been accomplished is beyond any merit we may have had.

  “Today—tonight—as I am sitting here alone, in hiding, expecting at any moment for something to happen, it is 5:05 am, the 26th of November and just like every other weak person who at the time of trouble thinks about God, and, being all alone, realizes to a greater degree that the only One we can have is God. I sense the presence of God with the clarity and directness of the morning dawn rising before my eyes of anticipation. I sense Him. I see Him. I touch His subtle and supportative Hand upon my shoulders. I am drowned in wonder and shame at all the kindness and affection which He gave to this, His humble and worthless servant.

  “In truth, how great is God’s kindness and understanding. After all, who were we to stand before and confront all of the power of those who deviate (qasitin), the crimes of treason of those who break their allegiance (nakithin) and the frightening prejudice of those who miss the truth of religion (mariqin)? The power of the Pharaoh, the gold of Korah and the edicts of Balaam all joined together.... In this aloneness and this anxious and shaky ‘place of retreat’ where each moment a doubt arises, more than ever before and more than on those glorious nights packed with people at the Husayniyah, I am certain about the successes of the Husayniyah and its future. It is the same certainty that I have in regard to the rising of the sun on this very morning at 6:00 am.

  “This was not a dream...”

  “This was not a dream....it would be most unfair to think that He would leave us half-way there. Does He not know that just because of Him and with the hope of His support and guidance, we took steps upon His Way? Does He not know that upon the Way we have taken towards Him, we put everything else aside? We wanted to gain absolutely nothing for ourselves. He knows that the Way was more narrow than a strand of hair, sharper than a sword and that it passed through hell. Yet throughout all of this, we had our hand in His alone.

  “Perhaps we have erred upon this Way, but we have committed no crime, no treason. Perhaps we moved forward too slowly, but we never hesitated for a moment. We never stepped off His path. Does He not know that from the beginning we solely devoted our lives to Him, we never allowed even sleep or food or visiting friends or life or wife or children to interfere. From the time we pledged our pen to Him, we have written no article for our profession, not even a letter throughout all of these months to my wife...

  And that of the unknown heroes...

  “And that young unknown youth who lived in a hole and (in order to meet the costs of riding the bus to the Husayniyah and buying pamphlets) would not eat on Fridays or what of the university students— boys and girls—who reciting their communal ritual prayer beside the mosque, were beaten. In return for the curses and slander made against them, they cried out, ‘Allah akbar’—all of them. And what of that girl who, after the ritual prayer, the beatings and arrests saw that everything had ended and saw the only home she had in the world in which she had faith, was closed. She did not go elsewhere. She returned to her family in the middle of the night only after she had circumambulated the Husayniyah. Silent, and in anguish, she cried alone.

  Does God not know?

  “Does God not know all of these things? Does He not see? He would never turn away from a zealous man who with total sincerity and certainty called the people to His Way, and the people came. It is true that whenever a journey reaches steep slopes, the climb beco
mes more difficult. He tests those who are upon this Way. If they are unable to continue, unable to move forward, He holds them back and seeks out more rugged people to continue up the dangerous slopes. If He finds them patient, people who reflect no weariness, people who are overflowing with faith, certainty and trust, they will begin the move....

  “We are presently undergoing such a test. Once we who have God as our Employer are certain that this is His Way, that we have thought with consciousness and acted with the purest of intentions, I do not believe that we need to prove anything to ourselves because we are aware that that which can never be doubted in regard to the work of the Husayniyah was the piety (taqwa) behind every act. What sign could be clearer than the fact that the Husayniyah played no political games of ‘opportunism’ or ‘advisability’. We conscious­ly sensed the effects of a deep and penetrating transformation of society as a result of our work which changed the orientation and direction of a generation in a relatively short period of time.

  “This proves that we correctly determined our duty and accurately carried it out. It is clear that we understood the expedient nature of the time and necessities of the place....This all shows that it was in line with God’s Will. God had Willed that His religion be saved from the hands of those who used it to set up shop or who sold it for a price and in so doing reflected the level of their awareness and extent of their honor. It had been His Will that Islam be removed from the monopoly of an eroded generation and given, instead, to the time, to consciences that are alive and awake and to aware scholars of this generation. Faith was removed from the stagnant mire of deteriorated thoughts, books and frameworks. It was allowed to flow and fill the fertile lands of tomorrow thus making possible the growth of verdant fields of thought and emotion.