The Holy Shrine of Hazrat Abdulazim (peace be upon him) and the city of Rey hold bittersweet memories for Iranians; the name of Rey in the annals of history is intertwined with numerous social and political events and transformations, especially the political incidents and occurrences of the past century in Iran, which once again revived the name of Rey in people's minds. Perhaps fate had decreed that the sacred name of Hazrat Abdulazim (peace be upon him) would be associated with the most destiny-shaping events in Iran's contemporary history, and the most sacred religious site in the capital, in addition to the memories of pilgrimages and worships of its visitors, would become the venue for political actions and the herald of entry into a new era that, for the first time in the enigmatic history of this land, took place and whose continuation over a century ended thousands of years of hereditary monarchy in Iran.
In this section, we describe the famous events at the Holy Shrine of Hazrat Abdulazim (peace be upon him) without considering political undertones and without judging the outcomes of these events:
Preventing the Deviation of the Constitutional Movement Began from the Shrine of Hazrat Abdulazim (peace be upon him)
The Constitutional Movement aimed to legalize the affairs of the country and limit the king's powers, but since it was realized by emulating Western countries, it deviated, and it did not prove as beneficial as the nation had thought. Among those who quickly noticed this deviation was Ayatollah Sheikh Fazlollah Nouri (may God have mercy on him). He played a significant role in achieving constitutionalism, but as soon as he sensed danger, he began his efforts earlier than anyone else to prevent deviations. However, intellectuals who themselves played a major role in creating the deviation, along with other factors, caused not only that Ayatollah Sheikh Fazlollah Nouri (may God have mercy on him) failed to achieve his goals, but he also faced reproach and enmity; to the extent that, to reach his objective, he migrated to the Shrine of Hazrat Abdulazim (peace be upon him) and, along with a number of scholars and his supporters, took bast (sanctuary) adjacent to the Hazrat. They enlightened the people and explained their goals through various methods. These methods included:
A) Speeches
Speeches were mostly given when large crowds were present. Here, we quote part of one speech by Ayatollah Nouri:
"... Due to the oppression and transgressions of the agents of the monarchy and the treacherous ministers, people have reached their limit and their cries have risen; to prevent this oppression and tyranny, they referred to the scholars. Aqa Seyyed Mohammad Tabatabai and Aqa Seyyed Ali Behbahani and two others came to my house and sought help and assistance from me. I asked about their intention for the work; in response, they said: dismissing the Prime Minister (Ain al-Dowleh) and Monsieur Naus the Belgian, and limiting the monarchy is our goal. I saw that the words were correct and the intention was sound. Therefore, I joined the scholars and moved towards Qom. We resisted and persevered until the Shah surrendered, dismissed Ain al-Dowleh and Monsieur Naus, and accepted constitutionalism. I have said this many times and I say it again to all of you that I have no objection to the issue of constitutionalism and limiting the monarchy, and no one can deny this; rather, reforming the affairs of the country, such as financial and judicial matters and reforming other departments, is necessary. If we want to limit the monarchy and determine rights for the government and duties for the ministers, we certainly need a constitution and instructions, as some of these laws have been written. But I want to know, in an Islamic country that has a National Consultative Assembly, should the laws of that assembly conform to Islamic law and the Quran, or oppose the Quran and the heavenly book?
If these laws do not oppose Sharia and Islam and strengthen Islam, accept them with full willingness and desire, and embrace them with heart and soul; and if they oppose or contradict divine law, it is obligatory upon you to refuse to submit to these laws as long as you have life in your body. (At this moment, Sheikh Fazlollah brought out his small pocket Quran and swore:) I am not opposed to the foundation of constitutionalism and the assembly; rather, I was the first one who sought this foundation, and currently I have no opposition; but constitutionalism under the conditions I mentioned: the constitution and internal laws of the country must conform to Sharia... Which constitutionalism allows such freedom of pen and expression?! If you haven't read issue thirteen of Kokab-e Dorri newspaper, read it and see how much insult and abuse it has written against the Immaculate Imams and religious sanctities!
O people! If you are steadfast in the religion of Islam, do not submit to what opposes your religion!"
B) Sending Telegrams
Among the programs of the sit-in participants was sending brief texts to the scholars of Najaf and other cities, one example of which is quoted: Sheikh Mohammad Amoli, one of Sheikh Fazlollah's companions and among the sit-in participants, on the thirteenth of Jumada al-Awwal 1325 AH, sent a telegram to this effect to the scholars of Najaf:
"Anti-religious individuals, without any hindrance, express blasphemous matters in public places and gatherings, and all scholars, except a few, have taken sanctuary in the Shrine of Hazrat Abdulazim (peace be upon him) to preserve Islam and protest these actions."
C) Publishing a Newspaper
The sit-in participants, to express their thoughts, beliefs, goals, and also to respond to the doubts of opponents, proceeded to publish a newspaper called Laiheh. In one of its issues, the foundations of the demands of the sit-in participants are stated as follows:
First, after the word "constitutionalism" in the constitution, the word "mashru'eh" (in accordance with Sharia) should be mentioned;
Second, the bill for the supervision of scholars, which has been printed and approved by the great scholars of Najaf, must be inserted into the constitution without change;
Third, in matters like freedom in the constitution, exceptions must be made to prevent blasphemies and insults to Sharia and the essence of Sharia, and this should include freedom of the press and newspapers as well.
In another issue of the Laiheh newsletter, in response to accusations by some newspapers against the sit-in participants that said ((they are opposed to the assembly and the opinion of the scholars of Najaf (who have approved this assembly))), it is stated:
"... Great scholars such as Haj Sheikh Fazlollah Nouri, Mujtahid Tabrizi, Seyyed Ahmad Tabatabai, Mulla Mohammad Amoli, Haj Akhund Rostamabadi, and other scholars and clerics taking sanctuary in the Shrine of Hazrat Abdulazim (peace be upon him) have no goal other than this, and they want the same assembly that these great ones wanted; that is, an assembly that strengthens Islam; not an assembly that promotes infidelity and has a number of anti-religious people... The goal of the migrants is to reform the assembly, and this assembly and this constitutionalism that the constitutionalists have in mind is not suitable for our country. This foundation is specific to Arab and European countries, and the assembly of our Islamic country must differ from the assemblies of Western countries."
D) Conversations
During the period of this sit-in, conversations took place between the sit-in participants and various individuals. Among them are negotiations between four representatives of the National Assembly who were commissioned by the National Consultative Assembly to speak with Sheikh Fazlollah, as well as discussions with Seyyed Abdullah Behbahani and Seyyed Mohammad Tabatabai.
The assembly's request was the return of the sit-in participants and a promise to reform affairs, which Sheikh Fazlollah did not accept. During the detailed negotiations, among other things, the Sheikh said:
"I have said many times that I was and am the foundation of this assembly and constitutionalism, and currently I have no objection to constitutionalism, the assembly, and the representatives; I have no objection to limiting the monarchy and restricting government departments and ministers' powers. And this assembly is necessary for us; but the representatives must be Muslims. Individuals outside of Islam and Baha'is should not be representatives of an Islamic country. We are ready to prove that about seven or eight representatives from Tehran are not Muslims and are causing chaos and disrupting the peace of Muslims. One of our demands is the expulsion of these people from the assembly. Our second demand is that constitutionalism must have its laws and rulings not deviate even a hair's breadth from Islamic law and the Quran. We have no objection to this type of constitutionalism. Our third demand is that absolute and complete freedom is incorrect and blasphemous. Is freedom of the pen for the press to write whatever they want about the Imams? Don't you read the newspapers?"
Finally, when the assembly representatives find the Sheikh firm in his positions and cannot convince him, they bid farewell to the Sheikh. It is narrated that upon leaving the room, Mr. Tabatabai turned to the Sheikh, grabbed his waist sash, and said: ((Your Excellency! Let's go to the city, do not cause division among Muslims!)) The Sheikh replied: ((Your Excellency! If you listen to me, stay here. By God! By God! By God! Know for certain that they will kill both me and you. Stay here so we can establish a true Islamic National Consultative Assembly and prevent these blasphemies)). The Seyyed said: ((No, it is not so)). The Sheikh responded: ((For now, be it so, you will see)).
E) Letter Writing
One of the awareness-raising programs of Sheikh Fazlollah during the sit-in days was writing letters to the scholars of Najaf and other cities. In one of his letters, addressed to the scholars, he wrote:
"... To the sacred presence of the great scholars and proofs of Islam! ... A thousand years have passed since the major occultation of Hazrat Hujjat ibn al-Hasan (may God hasten his reappearance). During this long period, great scholars and general deputies in each era have endured hardships and difficulties, sparing no effort in life and wealth to deliver the religion of Islam and the Ja'fari faith hand by hand to you today. You yourselves know better than anyone the details of the efforts, services, written works, and scholarly struggles of those great ones in preserving Sharia and safeguarding the foundations of Islam. In this era, the duties of the general deputies and full responsibility from all aspects are directed towards you. You must deliver the religion of Islam, which is a divine trust, in the same strength, prosperity, and prevalence as you received it from your predecessors to your successors. But today, your enemies in this country, with the assistance of hypocrites, have created a situation that has weakened both your religion and your government and placed them in great danger. The freedom-seekers, through two alluring words—justice and consultation—have deceived our brothers and are driving them towards irreligion, and it is thought that the era of spiritual leadership is ending, the history of the extinction of the Islamic state and the revolution of the best of mankind's Sharia is occurring, and soon absolute freedom will prevail, vices will be permitted, intoxicants will be allowed, veiled women will be unveiled, Sharia will be abrogated, and the Quran will be abandoned, and this ill repute and immense consequences will remain in the description of your conditions forever. You know better that the religion of Islam is the most perfect of religions and the most complete of laws, and this religion conquered the world with justice and consultation. What has happened that today our justice instruction must come from Paris? And our consultation prescription must come from England? If you discover this political secret from the capital and elsewhere that in this great sedition ((Islam entirely confronts infidelity entirely)), then you will respond to the call of Islam and answer our plea for help..."
- Ayatollah Seyyed Hassan Modarres in the Shelter of Hazrat Abdulazim (peace be upon him)
The Qajar era, especially its final years, is one of the most bitter periods in Iran's history; to the extent that it is unparalleled in chaos, lawlessness, and foreign interference. In such conditions, Samsam al-Saltaneh received a vote of confidence from the National Consultative Assembly as Prime Minister. But after a short time, his incompetence and severe managerial weakness became evident to everyone. When Ayatollah Modarres observed that none of the compassionate reminders had any effect, he proposed a sit-in at the Shrine of Hazrat Abdulazim (peace be upon him) and, along with a group of people, took sanctuary in the shrine in protest against Samsam al-Saltaneh. Finally, the pressure from opponents and public dissatisfaction caused the fall of Samsam al-Saltaneh's cabinet, and Vosough al-Dowleh became Prime Minister.
Sheikh Mohammad Taqi Bafghi in the Vicinity of Hazrat Abdulazim (peace be upon him)
Hostility towards Islam, despotism, and bullying are characteristics of the dark era of Reza Khan's rule. During his governance, many fighters and mujahids were imprisoned or exiled, and even shamefully martyred. "Unveiling" is just one of the clear examples of his antagonism towards Islam, which faced opposition from scholars and the people. Reza Khan began unveiling from his own family; to the point that his wife appeared in public without hijab. For instance, once, Reza Khan's wife came to the Shrine of Hazrat Masoumeh (peace be upon her) under the pretext of New Year's delivery without hijab and entered the courtyard. The divine scholar Sheikh Mohammad Taqi Bafghi (may God have mercy on him), upon seeing this situation, first sent a message telling her: "If you are Muslim, why have you come without hijab to the Shrine of Hazrat Masoumeh (peace be upon her), and if you are not Muslim, why have you come here?" This message, which was essentially a recommendation to preserve hijab, had no effect. Therefore, the Sheikh himself moved towards her and criticized her inappropriate covering, and this courageous criticism caused Reza Khan's family to leave the shrine. The news reached Reza Khan. The next day, Reza Khan came to Qom and personally arrested the Sheikh (may God have mercy on him), imprisoned him in Tehran, and after some time, exiled him to Rey for life. The Sheikh (may God have mercy on him), who was prohibited from any political activity and even had a security agent assigned to monitor him constantly, chose a house adjacent to the shrine. It did not take long for him to become known among the lovers of Islam, and many people established contact with him. The fame of Sheikh Mohammad Taqi Bafghi (may God have mercy on him) spread, and those who came to Rey for pilgrimage also sought to meet him. At that time, this couplet became popular:
How pleasant it is with one gesture to fulfill two desires: pilgrimage to Hazrat Abdulazim (peace be upon him) and meeting the friend.
Mohammad Taqi Bafghi (may God have mercy on him), in addition to courage and political acumen, possessed high mystical power, and many miracles have been seen and narrated from him.
The Holy Shrine and the Islamic Revolution Movement
Rey, thanks to the presence of the Shrine of Hazrat Abdulazim (peace be upon him), has nurtured religious and revolutionary people and passionate youth in its bosom. Hazrat Imam Khomeini (may God have mercy on him), at the beginning of the seminary lesson on December 4, 1962 CE, in detailed speeches about the necessity of continuing the movement and standing against the brutal Pahlavi regime, mentioned several cities whose people had written letters to him and declared readiness; among them, he said: "From Rey, they have written a letter and five thousand shroud-wearers have declared readiness." But it is obvious that the Shrine of Hazrat Abdulazim (peace be upon him), from the very starting point of the Islamic movement in Iran led by Imam Khomeini (may God have mercy on him) on June 5, was the constant meeting place for the people of Rey. In that year, due to the month of Muharram, numerous mourning assemblies were formed adjacent to Hazrat Abdulazim (peace be upon him), and famous speakers from Qom and Tehran went to the pulpit in Rey; for example, in the Tekyeh Abul Fazlian (guilds on the shrine street), Ayatollah Vahid Khorasani (one of the current maraji' taqlid) went to the pulpit daily. One day before June 5, during his speech, he mentioned that due to threats, he must not go to the pulpit anymore. The next day, while a large crowd was present in the assembly, after mourning and the first speaker's words, they faced the absence of Mr. Vahid. At this time, the news of Imam's arrest also spread. As a result, the crowd poured into the shrine street in protest and caused shops to close. On the other hand, a number of people also moved from the Shrine of Hazrat Abdulazim (peace be upon him), after passing through the market, forming a large crowd on the street, and slogans began. But it did not take long before they encountered security agents. Shooting towards the people started, and a number were injured and many arrested. Some people, especially youths who did not see continuation possible, quickly joined the demonstrations in Tehran and merged with the people of Tehran in Qiyam Square, the market, and Ark Square.
Revolutionary Tactics: Strengthening SAVAK after the June 5 incident and pressure on free individuals and fighting groups forced them to refrain from any overt opposition and action against the regime. Thus, it was necessary to use various tactics and strategies to protect themselves from SAVAK's harm and the regime's secret agents. In such conditions, revolutionary individuals and aware, passionate youths of Rey benefited more from the Shrine of Hazrat Abdulazim (peace be upon him) and its surroundings than other places, pursuing their goals through various ways, some of which we mention:
In the Form of Chest-Beating Groups: The youths of Rey, infiltrating one of the religious groups of Amir al-Mu'minin Mosque (peace be upon him) on Ashura day of 1976 CE, moved towards the shrine with placards adorned with Imam Khomeini's (may God have mercy on him) fiery words, but after covering some distance before reaching the shrine, the placards were collected by regime agents. In the afternoon of Ashura, one of the individuals who played a greater role in this was arrested and imprisoned for about six months. Also, on Ashura of 1977, a stronger group moved from Chahardah Ma'sum Mosque (peace be upon them) with pounding slogans and placards, but in the middle of Rey Square, they faced an attack by agents and were dispersed.
Rawdah Khani and Mourning: Some groups or individuals who did not feel secure in holding their sessions gathered in the form of mourning groups in the mausoleums around the shrine and, alongside rawdah khani or chest-beating, also dealt with political and revolutionary matters. Among the most famous of them can be mentioned the sessions of the Islamic Nations Party.
Hiding Announcements and Weapons: Since the mausoleums around the shrine were away from SAVAK's view and only a few people came and went for visiting graves, these mausoleums were the best place for hiding announcements and even weapons. For example, the Tawhidi "Badr" group used the Khosrow Khani mausoleum for this purpose.
Distributing Imam's (may God have mercy on him) Risalah: Considering that printing and distributing Imam Khomeini's (may God have mercy on him) risalah, especially its appendices, was prohibited and considered a crime, using the prayer and Quran shelves installed in various parts of the shrine was utilized by revolutionaries. They placed Imam's risalahs among prayer books and Qurans to reach the people.
Distributing Announcements: Distributing announcements among people was one of the major problems for revolutionary youths; because initially, people even feared taking announcements, as it was rumored that security agents were distributing announcements to identify people. In this regard, the book shelves in the shrine were a suitable means for distributing announcements, which was well utilized.
Ziyaratnameh: Ziyaratnamehs were printed that contained phrases inside them with the meaning of "curse on the Pahlavi dynasty" and "disavowal of their shameful acts" and "salutations to Imam Khomeini (may God have mercy on him) and his companions." This method, at a time when all overt ways of awareness-raising were blocked, could be effective to some extent.
Meeting Places: Considering that all public places were somehow under SAVAK's supervision, meeting places for revolutionaries were very difficult, but since controlling the shrine premises was not much possible for SAVAK, it was considered a safe place for revolutionaries' appointments and meetings.
The Holy Shrine and the Event of January 8 (18 Dey)
Gradually, the movement of Hazrat Imam Khomeini (may God have mercy on him) encompassed all of Iran; as the waves of the revolution penetrated all cities and villages of the country, and every day that passed added to its depth of popularization, and Rey was no exception to this movement. In January 1979, scattered demonstrations took place in Rey, sometimes starting from the courtyard of Hazrat Abdulazim (peace be upon him) and sometimes ending there; until in a joint meeting of the fighting clergy of Rey with some revolutionaries, it was decided to hold a magnificent march on January 8 to strengthen the popular movement in other cities through its reflection in the media. For this purpose, on January 8 at 9 AM, a large crowd gathered in the courtyard of Hazrat Abdulazim (peace be upon him) and, after chanting slogans, moved towards the city center; while the city's scholars were also present at the forefront of the crowd. The passage of the crowd through the market and shrine street caused all guilds to close their shops and join them; the marchers' movement, whose ranks became denser and more crowded every moment, after reaching the central square, was stopped by agents, and the direction of movement continued towards 24 Metri Street (Zakariya). But less than half of the marchers were in 24 Metri Street and the other half still in the shrine street when shooting by the Pahlavi SAVAK regime agents began, and a number of people were wounded and martyred. The blood-stained martyrs of that day are: 1- Martyr Qasem Sabzali; 2- Martyr Abbas Maleki; 3- Martyr Asghar Tarqverdi; 4- Martyr Ali Kouhi Nejad; 5- Martyr Azam Soltani. May their memory be cherished and their path followed!
Day of February 11 (22 Bahman) and the Holy Courtyard
During the tyrannical monarchy era, many brave and aware sons of Rey were arrested due to active participation in political events and sentenced to short and long-term imprisonments and life sentences. Some of them were arrested in June 1977, who, due to the heaviness of their files and participation in armed uprising against the regime, were sentenced to life imprisonment. These brave men and revolutionary sons of Hazrat Abdulazim (peace be upon him) were freed on February 11 by the capable hands of the revolutionary people of Tehran and entered the Shrine of Hazrat Abdulazim (peace be upon him) on the shoulders of the people of Rey who had rushed to welcome them; while the holy courtyard of Hazrat Abdulazim (peace be upon him) was filled with crowds. They were: 1- Hossein Fadaei; 2- Hossein Eslami Mehr; 3- Seyyed Mohsen Akhavvat (martyr); 4- Abdolali Ali Asgari; 5- Seyyed Abbas Haji Moeini; 6- Akbar Maddahi; 7- Hossein Hashemi.
Not many minutes had passed from the speech when the sound of gunfire echoed in the space of the holy courtyard... and that magnificent assembly fell into chaos.
The Wilted Tulips in the Holy Shrine
In the western side of the holy courtyard of Hazrat Abdulazim (peace be upon him), a luxurious and lofty building as Reza Khan's mausoleum, like a thorn in the eyes of the people of Rey, constantly tormented people's memories; because guards strictly performed their duties to protect it. Until the last hours, this building was under the protection of the imperial guard, and this made the people of Rey more angry; because they observed that the police station and military centers of the city were evacuated, but these still resisted. Therefore, in the afternoon of February 11, while the revolutionary people of the city had received news of the surrender of many barracks and sensitive points in Tehran, they attacked that place with weapons obtained from barracks, and after several hours of conflict and the martyrdom of a number of people, that place also came under the people's control.
The Event of the Assassination of Naser al-Din Shah Qajar Near the Shrine's Grille of Hazrat Abdulazim (peace be upon him)
"If there is the eye of insight, one realizes that in the same place where they dragged and took the Seyyed, in the same place, the Shah was shot."
The above sentence was uttered by Mirza Reza Kermani in the court formed after the killing of Naser al-Din Shah. Mirza Reza Kermani (may God have mercy on him), son of Mulla Hossein Aqrabi, was a disciple of Seyyed Jamal al-Din Asadabadi (may God have mercy on him). His wife, in interrogations after the Shah's killing, said: "Mirza was infatuated with Seyyed Jamal, and when Seyyed was expelled from Iran, he cried day and night and became like a madman." Mirza Reza later joined Seyyed Jamal al-Din in Istanbul, and after a while, influenced by Seyyed Jamal's new positions against the Shah, decided to return to Iran and, in his own words, "cut down the tree of oppression that had turned into a dry, fruitless tree under which all kinds of noxious and predatory animals had gathered." He well knew that admonition was useless; because well-wishers were either exiled and sent to prison or killed. So, these must be erased from the face of time. Mirza Reza, with difficulty, procured a weapon to achieve his goal. He first thought of assassinating the Viceroy; because he had suffered much oppression from him, but apparently someone inspired him: why have you left the source? Yes, he must be targeted; but is access to him possible? Rey where, and the Qajar court with all those guards where! Of course, he knew that one of the tricks of the Qajar rulers was pretending to be religious, and for this reason, to deceive people, they attended religious assemblies and pilgrimage sites. Here, Mirza sat in the shrine day and night waiting for the people-deceiving Shah to step into the holy shrine. Finally, this time arrived, and it was when the Shah wanted to start his fiftieth year of reign with a pilgrimage to Hazrat Abdulazim (peace be upon him). Mirza, after assassinating Naser al-Din Shah, was arrested. During interrogations, he explained his action as follows: "I went home and took the pistol. Before the Shah's arrival, from the door of the Shrine of Imamzadeh Hamzeh, I went into the shrine; until the Shah entered the Shrine of Hazrat Abdulazim (peace be upon him). Upon entering the shrine, Naser al-Din Shah ordered not to remove people from the shrine and himself engaged in reading a brief ziyaratnameh. Then he proceeded towards Imamzadeh Hamzeh (peace be upon him). Here, Mirza Reza extended a letter towards the Shah. The Shah turned towards him. As he extended his hand to take the letter, his eyes fixed on Mirza Reza's piercing gaze, he shuddered, and placed his hand on his heart. Mirza's bullet was fired exactly at the center of the Shah's chest and at the height of his overcoat. The Shah's Chancellor quickly ordered to announce to the public that the Shah was only wounded and quickly seated him in the royal carriage, which seemed as if he had raised his hand in salute to the onlookers. The royal carriage quickly moved away from the shrine while Iran no longer had a Shah.
The Sit-in of Tehran Merchants in the Shrine of Hazrat Abdulazim (peace be upon him)
The freedom-seeking movement that led to Iran's constitutionalism initially began with protests against Ain al-Dowleh. The governor of Tehran flogged a number of famous individuals and merchants on the pretext of hoarding sugar. In protest against this act, a number of merchants took bast in the Shah Mosque, to which some dignitaries and clerics also joined. The official imam of the mosque, who was the Friday Imam and the Shah's son-in-law, opposed this protest and, at Ain al-Dowleh's request, expelled the troublemakers from the mosque; but this group immediately moved towards Rey and took sanctuary in the Shrine of Hazrat Abdulazim (peace be upon him), and while their number increased daily. Sa'd al-Dowleh, the Minister of Commerce, although he tried several times to return the merchants to the city so that the news of the sit-in would not spread to other cities of Iran and cause public excitement, the merchants were not convinced and replied that they would not end the sit-in except by achieving their rights. Even when Mozaffar al-Din Shah sent a representative and ordered the people to disperse, the people insisted on their demands. In the end, the Shah surrendered and wrote a letter to them, promising to dismiss Ain al-Dowleh and establish a house of justice.
The Event of the Arrest and Expulsion of Seyyed Jamal al-Din Asadabadi in the Shrine of Hazrat Abdulazim (peace be upon him)
Among the important events that occurred in the Shrine of Hazrat Abdulazim (peace be upon him), and many consider it the main reason for the killing of Naser al-Din Shah Qajar, was the insulting expulsion and arrest of Seyyed Jamal al-Din Asadabadi in the shrine, by direct order of the Qajar Shah. Seyyed Jamal al-Din Asadabadi believed in the awakening and unity of the Islamic world and played a prominent role in the movement that directed Muslim nations towards unity and integration. Seyyed Jamal traveled to most Islamic lands and many major European capitals and established political relations, sometimes friendly or hostile, with prominent figures of his time. During this time, Naser al-Din Shah, in one of his trips to Europe and during a meeting with Seyyed Jamal in Munich, insistently asked him to return to Iran. Seyyed returned to Iran in the company of the Qajar Shah, but the honesty of tone and decisiveness of Seyyed Jamal al-Din in rejecting foreigners on one hand, and Naser al-Din Shah's inability to administer the country's affairs and the court's dependence on Britain and Russia on the other, caused the presence of that valuable scholar and tireless fighter to become intolerable, to the point that the Shah asked him to leave Tehran. But this indefatigable mujahid did not deem compromise and silence permissible even for a moment; he was thinking about what to do? Where to go? And how to enlighten public opinion? He concluded that the most suitable way to awaken the people was to take sanctuary in protest adjacent to the Holy Shrine of Hazrat Abdulazim (peace be upon him), which also caused his enmity with the Qajar Shah to become evident, and thus he began a new round of his programs. At this time, people from every class and group visited him, and Seyyed Jamal al-Din there proceeded to deliver speeches and write letters that indicated Seyyed's support for deposing the Qajar Shah. The Shrine of Hazrat Abdulazim (peace be upon him), which had now become a center of fervor and excitement and the nucleus of resistance against Qajar despotism, was no longer tolerable for the Shah, and he saw the solution in removing this valuable scholar and indefatigable mujahid from adjacency to that Hazrat by any means possible. For this reason, he commissioned Mohammad Hossein Khan Yuzbashi with several cavalrymen to remove Seyyed from the Holy Shrine; they first tried to execute the Shah's order gently, but due to Seyyed's resistance, they finally dragged him out of the Shrine of Hazrat Abdulazim (peace be upon him). Then, mounting him on a horse, they hastily sent him to Iraq. It is narrated: when they mounted Seyyed on a horse without a saddle and tied his feet under the horse's belly, he said to the farashs: "Deliver this message to the Shah: 'Both you and I have revived the actions of our past ancestors; you will suffer revenge.'" A few years later, one of Seyyed Jamal al-Din's disciples exactly in the place where they dragged Seyyed after his seven-month stay in the Shrine of Hazrat Abdulazim (peace be upon him) and arrested him, shot Naser al-Din Shah Qajar and brought him down.
The Migration of Scholars from Tehran and Sit-in in the Shrine of Hazrat Abdulazim (peace be upon him)
The increasing influence of foreigners like Naus the Belgian, who during Mozaffar al-Din Shah's time openly took control of affairs, the despotism of Ain al-Dowleh, Mozaffar al-Din Shah's Chancellor, the exile of scholars and humiliation of dignitaries, and failure to fulfill the Shah's promises in the Tehran merchants' sit-in by Ain al-Dowleh, awareness of court corruption, and clashes in Shah Mosque and Sepahsalar Mosque, caused Ayatollah Tabatabai to propose migration to Hazrat Abdulazim (peace be upon him), which was accepted by most scholars. This migration later became known as the Minor Migration. The role of this sit-in in the history of awakening and the Constitutional Movement is so important that all who have written about the history of constitutionalism have mentioned it. Here, we refrain from describing the events and incidents of the migration and only address points directly related to the Holy Shrine of Hazrat Abdulazim (peace be upon him).
1- The scholars' sit-in began on Wednesday, the sixteenth of Shawwal al-Mukarram 1323 AH, and ended on Friday, the sixteenth of Dhu al-Qa'dah of the same year.
2- The overwhelming majority of scholars and students from Tehran joined this sit-in.
3- Among the prominent scholars, Ayatollah Seyyed Mohammad Tabatabai (may God have mercy on him) and Ayatollah Seyyed Abdullah Behbahani (may God have mercy on him) led the sit-in participants.
4- The number of sit-in participants reached over two thousand; to the extent that on nights and Fridays, around the shrine and courtyards, there was no space for pilgrims.
5- Amir Bahador, the court minister commissioned to return the scholars to Tehran, entered the courtyard with two hundred soldiers to forcibly remove Ayatollah Tabatabai (may God have mercy on him) from his room; but the "Nafari" clan and the shrine's servants and residents of Rey, who were monitoring the situation, said: As long as we are alive, we will not allow the gentlemen to be taken. The situation became so critical that the Rey market closed, and people chanted "O Mohammad! O Sharia!" around the courtyard and shrine, creating such an uproar and commotion that with the telegraphic transmission of news to Mozaffar al-Din Shah, Amir Bahador's mission was canceled.
6- Speech and exposé sessions were held daily in the holy courtyard, and famous preachers such as Haj Sheikh Mohammad Va'ez (may God have mercy on him) and Sheikh Mehdi Soltan (may God have mercy on him) went to the pulpit in the courtyard and invited people to unity.
In an important and private meeting that Malek al-Motakallemin and Nasreh al-Soltan, as representatives of the freedom-seekers, held in one of the rooms around the shrine with the leaders of the sit-in participants, after long discussions, they concluded that the only way to salvation from all this backwardness, oppression, and despotism is to demand from the Shah a parliament of the nation's elects and constitutional government, as Ayatollah Tabatabai (may God have mercy on him) agreed with this opinion.
At the end of the said meeting, Ayatollah Behbahani (may God have mercy on him) said: "We must complete the path we have taken and save the nation from misery and establish constitutionalism in Iran like advanced countries."
The final form of the sit-in participants' demands, which was prepared and drafted adjacent to Hazrat Abdulazim (peace be upon him) and conveyed to the Shah, is briefly as follows:
1. Elimination of the new tax (one toman and ten shahi)
2. Lifting the exile of Haj Mirza Mohammad Reza (one of the great scholars of Kerman)
3. Dismissal and exile of Asgar Garichi, the manager of the Tehran-Qom line
4. Establishment of a house of justice in all cities.
With the announcement of the sit-in participants' victory on the sixteenth of Dhu al-Qa'dah, during the reading of the Shah's letter addressed to the scholars, shouts of "Long live the nation of Iran," for the first time in the history of this country, echoed from the holy courtyard of Hazrat Abdulazim (peace be upon him); in such a way that it astonished and stunned the courtiers present in the assembly.
Examples of Bast-Neshini (Sit-in) in the Shrine of Hazrat Abdulazim (peace be upon him)
1- During the Atabak Park clash, which occurred after Mohammad Ali Shah Qajar's defeat and the victory of the constitutionalists, and in it government forces besieged the mujahids inside the park to disarm them, Zargham al-Saltaneh Bakhtiari, one of the mujahids' commanders, due to fear, fled from Atabak Park and took refuge in the Shrine of Hazrat Abdulazim (peace be upon him) (1326 AH)
2- Refuge and bast-neshini of Haj Mirza Abolhasan Khan Shirazi, known as Ilchi (Foreign Minister during Fath Ali Shah Qajar), who after Fath Ali Shah's death and the fall of his son Shahzadeh Ali Shah Zoll al-Soltan's ninety-day reign, and Mohammad Shah's ascension to the throne with the help of Mirza Abolqasem Qa'em Maqam Farahani, due to supporting and favoring Zoll al-Soltan's succession and reign and fear of severe and harsh punishments by Qa'em Maqam, took refuge in the Shrine of Hazrat Abdulazim (peace be upon him) and remained in that state until Qa'em Maqam's murder by Mohammad Shah's order (1238-1239 AH)
3- Bast-neshini of Mirza Abbas Beyat Iravani, known as Haj Mirza Aqasi, Mohammad Shah Qajar's Grand Chancellor, who after his death, due to fear of his thirteen-year chancellorship background and his governmental and court opponents, as well as the failure of his plot to make Abbas Mirza Molkara, Naser al-Din Shah's half-brother and younger, the Viceroy (which faced opposition from Abbas Mirza Molkara's mother), fled from Abbasiyeh Palace in Shemiranat to Tehran and then by going to the Shrine of Hazrat Abdulazim (peace be upon him) took sanctuary there, which finally, with forgiveness from Naser al-Din Shah and his permission, went to the holy sites and resided there until the end of his life (1264 AH)
4- Seyyed Jamal al-Din Asadabadi (may God have mercy on him), the enlightened and freedom-seeking cleric, during his second trip to Iran, despite invitation from Naser al-Din Shah Qajar, after a while faced opposition from him and his Grand Chancellor, Ali Asghar Khan Amin al-Soltan. Leaving Haj Mohammad Hasan Amin al-Zarb's house, he went to the corner of Hazrat Abdulazim (peace be upon him) and for seven months and a few days propagated against despotic monarchy and disseminated his thoughts and beliefs, which finally, by the Shah's order and through five hundred cavalry, was exiled nocturnally from that place to Kermanshah and then Baghdad.
5- Mirza Reza Kermani, disciple and follower of Seyyed Jamal al-Din Asadabadi (may God have mercy on him), who in 1313 AH killed Naser al-Din Shah Qajar by firing a bullet before the start of the fiftieth anniversary ceremony of his reign in the mausoleum of Hazrat Abdulazim (peace be upon him), took sanctuary in the same place under the pretext of seeking justice and delivering a petition to the Shah.
6- In 1905 CE, a large group of scholars, students, and freedom-seekers of the country, led by two famous mujtahids of Tehran, namely Seyyed Mohammad Tabatabai (may God have mercy on him) and Seyyed Abdullah Behbahani (may God have mercy on him), and with widespread support from the people of Iran, in the first step towards establishing constitutionalism under the name of justice-seeking and demanding the establishment of a house of justice, chose sit-in in the Shrine of Hazrat Abdulazim (peace be upon him), which ultimately Mozaffar al-Din Shah Qajar and his Chancellor submitted to their demands, and this one-month bast-neshini, known as the Minor Migration, and which can be considered the most important sit-in in that mausoleum, ended with the victory of the sit-in participants.
It is worth mentioning that shortly after and at the peak of the first constitutionalism, a more extensive sit-in known as the Major Migration was held by the same individuals along with Haj Sheikh Fazlollah Nouri in the Holy Shrine of Hazrat Fatemeh Masoumeh (peace be upon her) in Qom, which finally forced Mozaffar al-Din Shah Qajar to accept constitutional monarchy.
7- Among the unfortunate events of bast-neshini and sit-in in the Shrine of Hazrat Abdulazim (peace be upon him) is the incident of the killing of Mirza Mostafa Ashtiyani, who was a staunch supporter of constitutionalism, along with three of his companions by a group of Tehran louts and by order of Sani' Hazrat, which occurred on April 4, 1909 CE, during the Minor Despotism period.
8- During Mohammad Ali Shah Qajar's era and the activity of the first period of the National Consultative Assembly, and when debates on constitutionalism and mashru'eh (Sharia-based) and how the country's laws relate to sacred Sharia intensified, the late Haj Sheikh Fazlollah Nouri (may God have mercy on him), who emphasized the necessity of aligning approved laws in the assembly with Sharia rulings and establishing mashru'eh constitutionalism, went to the Shrine of Hazrat Abdulazim (peace be upon him) to express his views extensively and took sanctuary there. This event, whose detailed description is lengthy and requires much time, occurred in 1325 AH and lasted for three months..
