Who Is He

by Ali Shariati

  “Take the book on Abu Dharr. The head of the Farhang Library brought it to me in 1950 to translate into Persian. I translated the in­troduction but because of the extent of my work over a period of many years and as I could not sleep more than three or four hours at night, my nervous system was affected. The doctors forbade my working. I sug­gested Ali translate the book because he had a good literary style. He was in the 11th grade.

  “He translated it. I helped him when I could. That is, he would translate several pages and then read them to me. If there was a word or phrase that was not correct, I would tell him. He would then return to his room and continue translating.

  “The amazing thing about it was that this book and the intro­duction he wrote fit exactly into the style of writing of his later works. That is, the style he used when in the 11th grade was very similar to his style of writing after earning his graduate degrees. A person who studies literary styles would know immediately that his works are written by the same person.

  “It was Shaykh Ali Agha Tehrani, a great and respected scholar, who first noted this. He compared Ali’s first work, the In­troduction to and translation of Abu Dharr and the last thing he wrote, the story of Hurr, and found remarkable similari­ty of style. In order to show the belief and line of thought of Shariati, he compared these two.”1

  Shaykh Ali Agha Tehrani wrote, “The spiritual and human qualities of this scholar and great mujahid, Ali Shariati, amaze the mind. Genius, faith, sincerity, consciousness, perseverance, the amount of work he accomplished, his anguished soul—and the cer­tainty of belief in the way he had taken—all overwhelm anyone who knew him or studies his work. From his very first work until his last, all had a unified goal and direction. For example, one of his books is called “Two Martyrs.” The first, about Abu Dharr, is a product of his high school years and the second, about Hurr, is one of the last things that he wrote.

  “They are both oriented towards the same way: struggle against corruption, aggression, satanic desires and finally, gaining victory over all corruption and attaining one’s Absolute Beloved. The themes are similar in each: the struggle of truth over falsehood, of intellect over whims, and ideas and thoughts of God over the advice and desires of the ego. Both concern the victory of truth over selfish interests.”2

  Shaykh Ali Agha Tehrani goes on, “In my mind, his perseverance upon the Straight Path is the best reason for the rightness of his way and his lacking any kind of selfish inclinations and goal other than divinely inspired ones. If this were not so, he would have become like others who have taken advantage of golden material opportunities that came their way.

  “One of the reasons the Quran gives for proof that it was revealed by God and not a product of man’s imagination is its very uni­formity. ‘Will they not ponder on the Quran? If it had been from other than God, they would have found in it much incongruity.’ (4:82) With this inspiration, the genius of Shariati took flight beyond the horizons of time and place.”3

  Shariati’s father then continues the story of how Ali came to write and speak about Hurr as one of his last works, “When Ali came to Mashhad before leaving for the last time for Europe, he went to the home of his eldest sister. He could never remain unoccupied for a moment. Even when he went to call on people, he spent his time reading or writing. He would never sit at a social gathering and waste two or three hours just making conversation.

  “This was also true the last time that he went to his eldest sister’s house. He looked through her books and took one which just happened to be Muntahiil-amal. He opened the book. It fell open at the report of Imam Jafar Sadiq concerning Hurr. He paid no heed to the late Shaykh Qummi’s Persian translation of the report. Instead, he paced the floor, translating the report of Imam Jafar about Hurr from Arabic to Persian himself saying, ‘Hurr (meaning inwardly liberated), in every state is still Hurr. Let the hammer of the times beat down upon him. The anvil teaches him patience. Let every blow bring an onslaught of torments. Never does he break, neither when lashed down and bound in misery nor when comfort flees from him and the very world is his scourge.’

  “Then Ali sat down and began to speak. His niece, who was fa­miliar with his habits, unbeknownst to him, placed a tape recorder in the room. He spoke out loud for well over an hour. Later the tape was transcribed. I do not know if Ali then checked the text and changed it or if it was the exact words recorded in that room.

  “All I know is that later when he returned to Tehran, he called upon Mr. Humayun, may God rest his soul in peace, the man who had funded the establishment of the Husayniyah Irshad. There were a group of scholars there, as well, who asked him to read them the story of Hurr which he did and which was recorded.

  “ Several well known scholars later came to see me in Mashhad—Dr. Mufattah, Dr. Bahonar, etc. I said to them, ‘You are well informed about books and literature.’ Then I asked, ‘From the day of Ashura when Hurr was martyred until today, when we sit here together, has any scholar, any historian, any thinker had such a beautiful realization about Hurr. Has anyone taken this small event in all of history and spoken about it for over an hour without one single extra word appearing and with all of the material being used?’

  “This is something which only my son Ali did. There is not one scholar, writer, thinker or great ulama throughout history, any gathering in which the name of Hurr is mentioned or in all the histories where his name is mentioned who had this beautiful realization about him and could so explain his life from the socio­logical point of view or express the purification of the soul, self-sacrifice, etc. as Ali did in the story of Hurr.

  “I asked them if they knew of any other who had realized this aspect of Hurr’s life, and they all agreed that it was a realization exclusive to Ali.

  “Thus, he had these talents and abilities and realizations. The ability to think in this way was exclusive to him among his contem­poraries or even among society as a whole. His words bear witness to the quality of his intuitions and the quality of his deductions.”4

  Ali wrote about Hurr, “On the morning of Ashura he was an officer in the army of Yazid and after a few hours, he was among the victims in the ranks of Imam Husayn and one of his dearest helpers.

  “How could just one or two hours be sufficient for all of this? Did he change his mind as a result of studying? Did his view of faith and belief change? Did his principles of jurisprudence change?

  “Never. The only change that took place between the Hurr of Tasua and the Hurr of Ashura was the change in his choice of leadership. In this great transformation it is only his choice of leader that changes. It is this change which transforms an individual criminal into the highest station one can attain in life. The change in choice of leadership developed him from one who should have suffered the eternal fires of hell into an inspiring person who is full of nobility and self-sacrifice. The story of Hurr retells this reality: how the change in leadership and the knowledge of a rightful leader can effect a human being” ( CW, vol. 2, pp. 215).

  Appendices:

  A. Guide to the Volume Titles of Shariati’s Collected Works

  1. Volume Titles

  Volume 1: To Familiar Listeners

  Volume 2: Revolutionary Self-development

  Volume 4: Return

  Volume 5: Iqbal and Us

  Volume 6: Hajj: Reflections on its Rituals

  Volume 7: Shiism

  Volume 8: Prayer

  Volume 9: Alid Shiism/ Safavid Shiism

  Volume 10: Class Orientation in Islam

  Volume 11: History of Civilizations (I)

  Volume 12: History of Civilizations (II)

  Volume 13: The Fall into the Desert

  Volume 14: History and Knowledge of Religions (I)

  Volume 15: History and Knowledge of Religions (II)

  Volume 16: Islamology Irshad (I)

  Volume 17: Islamology Irshad (II)

  Volume 18: Islamology Irshad (III)

  Volume 19: Husayn: Heir of Adam<
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  Volume 20: What must be done?

  Volume 21: On Women’s Issues

  Volume 22: Religion vs Religion

  Volume 23: World View and Ideology

  Volume 24: The Human Being

  Volume 25: Selfless Human Being

  Volume 26: Ali

  Volume 27: Study of Iranian-Islamic Identity

  Volume 28: Approach to Understanding Islam

  Volume 29: Appointment with Abraham

  Volume 30: Islamology Mashhad

  Volume 31: Characteristics of the Contemporary Century

  Volume 32: Art

  Volume 33: Conversations in Loneliness (2 vols)

  Volume 34: Letters

  Volume 35: Miscellaneous Works (2 vols)

  2. Detailed Guide to the Contents of the Volumes of the Collected Works

  The dates of the year the lecture was given is first given in CE dates and then in Persian dates. The pages numbers given refer to the page numbers in the Collected Works.

  Volume 1: To Familiar Listeners 356 pp

  To his father

  1972/1351 pp 3-41

  1977/1356 May 16 (Ordibehesht) pp 42-47

  His last major writing.

  To his wife

  1958/1337 pp 41-49

  Unknown pp 52-53

  To his son

  1972/1351 (Aban 24) pp 54-63

  1976/1355 July 29 (Mordad 7) pp 64-66

  1976/1355 December-January (Dey) pp 67-76

  1977/1355 January-February (Bahman) pp 76-80

  1977/1355 January-February (Bahman) pp 81-90

  1977/1355 January-February (Bahman) pp 91-93

  1977/1355 March-April (Esfand) pp 94-98

  1977/1355 March 19 (Esfand 28) pp 99-104

  1977/1355 March 21 (Esfand 29) p 105

  1977/1356 March-April (Farvardin) pp 106-111

  1977/1356 April-May (Ordibehesht) pp 112-115

  1977/1356 April-May (Ordibehesht) pp 116-117

  To friends

  ca1971-71/1350-51 pp 121-123

  n.d. pp 124-125

  ca1971/1350 pp 126-127

  n.d. pp 128-133

  1972/1351 November 25 pp 134-148

  See V. From Husayniyah to Zaynabiyah for English translation.

  1975/1354 pp 149-150

  ca1976/1355 pp 151-157

  ca1976/1355 pp 158-162

  ca1976/1355 pp 163-199

  ca1976/1355 pp 202-215

  To two martyrs

  1977/1355-56 March-April (Esfand) pp 219-23

  1977/1355-56 March-April (Esfand) pp 233-238

  Two testaments

  n.d. pp 241-255

  ca 1977/1355 pp 256-258

  Last writings

  1977/1356 April-May (Ordibehesht 26) pp 260-261

  To his son

  1977/1356 April-May (Ordibehesht) pp 262-263

  To his daughters

  1977/1356 May-June (Khordad 29) pp 264

  In the publishers notes, explanation is given about the arm or logo of the Husayniyah which comes from a calligraphy in Jalal al-Din Rumi’s place of burial which says, “Oh Master Mulana.” The la comes from Mulana.

  Volume 2: Revolutionary Self-development 328 pp

  2.1 Preface pp 3-9

  1970/1349 April-May (Ordibehesht)

  Text written for Iqbal and Us but repeated here. First time printed in Persian. Title by editors.

  2.2 How to Remain pp 11-57

  1977/1355 January 2 (Muharram 11th 1397AHL)

  Tape. Also called “Conversations with the 11th Night.” Recorded in a private gathering. Among those present on the 11th of Muharram were Hejazi, Khamenei and Mutahhari. Issues were presented by Shariati. The group expressed its views and Shariati spoke seeking an answer. Title from the text by editors. First time printed in Persian.

  2.3 Mysticism, Equality, Freedom pp 59-90

  Tape. Date unknown. Also in letters (vol. 1, p. 143). First time printed in Persian. Translated into English and published in Marxism and Other Western Fallacies (Berkeley: Mizan Press, 1980).

  2.4 Love-Monotheism pp 91-113

  Text. Date unknown. Also called Love. First time printed in Persian.

  2.5 Freedom, Auspicious Freedom pp 115-128

  Text. Date unknown. Title by editors. First time printed in Persian.

  2.6 Revolutionary Self-development pp 129-184

  1976/1355 Summer

  Text.

  2.7 Knocking on the Door of Truth pp 185-196

  1976/1355 December-January (Dey)

  Tape. Private. Title from a verse in Jalal al-Din Rumi’s Mathnawi based on a Tradition from the Prophet. First time printed in Persian.

  2.8 Peace (salam) in the Ritual Prayer pp 197-210

  Private meeting. Date unknown. Written after 18 months in prison. First time printed in Persian.

  2.9 Hurr: Man Caught Between Tragedy and Salvation pp 211-247

  1976/1355 Fall

  Text. Read in a private session in Muhammad Humayun’s home. Ashura night 1397/ December 31, 1976/ Dey 10, 1355. Most complete text here. Includes notes in the margin of the manuscript.

  2.10 Night of Power (qadr) pp 249-254

  Text. Date unknown. No title.

  2.11 The Night Journey (miraj and isra) pp 255-263

  In response to Questions and Answers. Date unknown. First time printed in Persian.

  Volume 3: Abu Dharr 286 pp

  Book One

  3.1 Abu Dharr Ghifari pp 1-200

  1954/1334

  First time printed in Persian. Translation of a text in Arabic by Jawdat al-Sahar. Shariati’s Introduction to the translation has been translated into English and published in And Once Again Abu Dharr (Tehran: Abu Dharr Foundation, 1985).

  Book Two

  3.2 And Once Again Abu Dharr pp 201-263

  1972/1351 July-August

  Text. Husayniyah Irshad. Text consists of a speech given before the play. He had been told that a bomb had been planted to kill the players. He then continued his Introduction so that if anyone be killed, it would be him. English translation published (Tehran: Abu Dharr Foundation, 1985).

  Volume 4: Return 477 pp

  Book One

  4.1 Return to Self pp 3-33

  Speech at Jundi Shapur University. Date unknown. Printed along with other speeches:

  4.2 When the Ranks are Clear

  4.3 The Miracle of Faith and Consciousness

  Book Two

  4.4 Return to which self? pp 35-401

  Text. Date unknown. First time printed in Persian. Written during his last years. Shariati edited the typed version.

  Contains:

  4.5 The Fate of Thoughts

  4.6 Contemporary Reformers

  4.7 Revolutionary Political Leftists

  4.8 Society and History

  4.9 Where are we in history?

  4.10 Philosophy and Science of History

  4.11 Marxism and the Course of History

  4.12 The Responsibility of Intellectuals

  4.13 Determinism of History

  4.14 The Mission of the Intellectual

  4.15 Assimilated

  4.16 Discontinuity of History

  4.17 Historical Conscience

  4.18 Feeling for the Past and Coming to Know Historic Self in the East

  4.19 Pretending to be Modern

  4.20 Colonialism and Assimilation

  4.21 Serving and Reforming

  4.22 Intellectual vs Pseudo-Intellectual

  4.23 African Colonialization

  4.24 Incompetence of the Marxist Western View with a Colonialist Analysis

  4.25 Marxism and Analysis of Infrastructure

  4.26 Nationalism and Marxism

  4.27 What I Infer from Religion

  4.28 Manifestation of Islam

  4.29 Sociology and Commitment

  4.30 Technique of Becoming an Intellectual

  4.31 Three Bases

  4.32 Relation Between Knowledge and Action />
  4.33 Years of Decision-making. What should be done?

  4.34 Critical View of the Intellectual

  4.35 Scientism

  4.36 The Geography of Words

  4.37 The Responsibility of the Intellectual in Our Present Society