Ali Akbar Aboutorabi Fard
Ali-Akbar Aboutorabi Fard | |
|---|---|
| File:AliAkbar Aboutorabi7.jpg Seyyed-e Azadegan
Sir of released war captives | |
| Supreme Leader in Azadegan (released war captives) Affairs Headquarters | |
| Member of Parliament of Iran | |
| Constituency | Tehran (1992–1996) Tehran (1996–2000) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1939 Qom |
| Died | June 2, 2000 in way to Mashhad |
| Cause of death | car crash |
| Nationality | Iranian |
| Education | Kharij Fiqh and Usul |
Hojatoleslam Seyyed Ali Akbar Aboutorabi Fard was born in 1939 in Qom, and after graduating from high school entered Mashhad Seminary. Subsequent to Imam Khomeini’s exile to Najaf, Hojatoleslam Aboutorabi rushed to his presence to attend his Kharij Fiqh and Usul courses. In his return to Iran from a 6-year inhabitation in Najaf and while carrying Imam Khomeini’s statements, he was arrested at Khosravi passing border.
After release from prison he continued political struggle in Iran and accompanied Seyyed Ali Andarzgo to organize armed struggle. With start of the Imposed War, he accompanied Mostafa Chamran in Irregular Warfare Headquarters to organize the militia. He was captured by Iraqi forces on December 17, 1980, and served for 10 years to relieve the sufferings of Iranian POWs in Iraqi prisons.
He became Supreme Leader’s representative to Azadegan (released war captives) Affairs Headquarters and Tehran representative in the 4th and 5th terms of Islamic Consultative Assembly, after returning to Iran.
He was killed on June 2, 2000, in a car crash in his way to Mashhad for Imam Reza pilgrimage. his body were buried in Sahn Azadi (freedom courtyard) of Imam Reza Shrine.
Early life and education
Hojatoleslam Seyyed Ali Akbar Aboutorabi Fard was born in 1939 in Qom. In childhood he saw all Reza khan’s violence against religion and seminaries and clerics of Islam. He also saw women of family stay at home in Kashfe hijab time and found his ancestors in fight path against Pahlavi’s irreligion plans.[1]
He was the champion in swimming event Amjadiyeh in Tehran and was the top player in football and volleyball in high school.[2] In 1957 after finishing high school his uncle insisted that he would go to Germany and continue his education in there. Because he thought with studying in seminaries he will become poor and needy. But after a little hesitation in Qom, in 1958 he went to Mashhad to learning regional science hence he could to escape his uncle's insistence. However he made a covenant with himself never get financial assistance, even from his father. In Mashhad he was living in paltry room in Navvab School and was engaged in teaching and learning.[3]
With beginning of Imam Khomeini’s movement, he found Qom as the center of struggle so he turns back to Qom in 1963. He resided in the Hojjatie School to be engaged in Khomeini's companions activities. in 1965 subsequent to Imam Khomeini’s exile to Najaf Hojatoleslam Aboutorabi rushed to his presence to attend his Kharij Fiqh and Usul courses.[1]
Marriage
In 1967 Aboutorabi came back to Iran and married at the age of 28. Then he turn back to Najaf with his wife.
Before the Islamic Revolution
the Devotees of Islam
He attended the ceremony for the Devotees of Islam and was the spectator of their gatherings, When he was a teenager.[1]
Uprising of 15 Khordad
Abutorabi also was beaten, when police rushed to the Feyziyeh School in the events of 15 Khordad.[4]
Migrate to Najaf
following the suppression of uprising of 15 Khordad and Imam Khomeini's exile to Najaf, he moved to Najaf and attended classes of Imam khomeini and other clerics.[5] he went to Basra secretly through Khorramshahr's port and then he went to Najaf.[6]
The arrest
in 1970, Aboutorabi and his wife and children returned to Iran on the pretext of meeting the family, while Imam Khomeini’s statement about Ayatollah Saeedi, whom was killed in SAVAK's prison, was embedded in his suitcase by himself. Pahlavi regime's security forces, who were awaiting Imam Khomeini's reaction about Ayatollah Saeedi death, strongly controlled the Khosravi border crossing. Therefore they raided Aboutorabi when he was crossing the border, and arrested and took him to SAVAK station in Kermanshah when they found out statements. He was moved to Tehran one day later.
The cunning of Aboutorabi in dealing with SAVAK interrogators and normal response to questions, led to be not very long his prison term, though SAVAK officials did not convince. 6 month later, after much torture and harassment Aboutorabi was released from prison.[1]
After release
He tried to go to Najaf after his release, but he did not succeed. So he continued political struggle in Iran and organized armed struggle along with Seyyed Ali Andarzgo. They were repeatedly prosecuted by SAVAK, but they acted secretly so much that only part of these activities has been recorded.[1] Aboutorabi’s control operation was codenamed “Saghar” means goblet. However, with the spread of Islamic Revolution, SAVAK had no opportunity to arrest him.
During Islamic Revolution, he was commander of group of people who seized Sa'dabad Palace and protected the facility in the palace until delivered to competent authorities.[7]
He in collaboration with his brothter, Hojatoleslam Sayyed Mohammad Aboutorabi, played important role in seizing of Qazvin Army garrison and prevented from leaving weapons and war equipments. He had close relationship with Mohammad-Ali Rajai, Mohammad Beheshti, and Ali Khamenei, and participated the welcoming committee on the arrival of Imam Khomeini in Iran.[4]
After Iranian Revolution
He formed and directed the Islamic Revolution Committee in Qazvin, his ancestral city, for organizing and to avoid anarchy. After a while following a popular vote he became a member of the City council and afterward undertook the presidency.[4]
The Imposed War
Soon after the Islamic Revolution, the Imposed War began. With start of the War, he accompanied Mostafa Chamran in Irregular Warfare Headquarters to organize the militia. He was going on difficult exploration mission himself. Liberation of “Dobb-e Hardan”, the adventurous and dangerous area, is one of his actions as a commander of a group of 100 fighter.[4]
Captivity
Eventually, on December 17, 1980, when he was going back from a reconnaissance mission he was identified and captured by enemy while his distance from friendly forces was 7 km and had gone forward to 200 meters of the enemy.
Aboutorabi says about the early days of his captivity:"several time in jail they took me to the gallows and counted 1 and 2 for extracting confessions but each time they took me back. During the day, they took and brought me several time. Eventually at night they took me to Al-Amare school. An Iraqi general told those who were there: he has not right to sleep; we come back at midnight for extracting confessions, if he did not have enough information, we would nail his head. They came back at midnight and nailed my head, but it was not such a hit to die."[3]
When Abutorabi was totured in Iraq, it was rumored in Iran that he has been martyred. Commemorations, lectures by prominent persons such as Mohammad-Ali Rajai, day-off and mourning in the city of Qazvin, participation of Hashem Rasuli and Yousef Saanei and Mohammad-Ali Nezamzade at his commemoration on behalf of Imam Khomeini to convey the message of condolence made clear the dimensions of character of Aboutorai. So Iraqi government recognized him as a prominent cleric.
Iraqi officials wanted to kill him, but an Iraqi generals rejected since he was Sayyid and descendants of the Islamic prophet Muhammad.Iraqi officials repeatedly moved him from camp to another, including Camp Anbar, Camps Mosul 1, 2, 3 and 4, Camp Romadie, Camp Tikrit. Iranian captives loved Aboutorabi very much because of his way in leadership of captives.[2] He was nicknamed “Seyyed-e Azadegan”, means sir of released war captives, because of his way to deal with captivity and encouraging the captives.[8] Even Iraqi soldiers were impressed by his personality. For example an Iraqi Major told Aboutorabi: "if Khomeini is like you, I will follow him."[9]
After captivity
Finally, after ten years of captivity, he returned to the homeland and were welcomed by the people. He was appointed as the representative of the Supreme Leader in Azadegan (released war captives) Affairs Headquarters. In the fourth and fifth sessions of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, he was the second and third representative from Tehran.[2]
Death
Eventually he was killed on June 2, 2000, accompanied by his honorable father Haj Seyyed Abbas Aboutorabi, in a car crash in his way to Mashhad for Imam Reza pilgrimage. Their bodies were buried in Sahn Azadi (freedom courtyard) of Imam Reza Holy Shrine, on the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Reza.[5]
Pictures Gallery
References
- ^ a b c d e "A review of the biography and activities of Seyyed Ali Akbar AbuTorabi, the proud freedman of Islam". Islamic Revolution Document Center. Retrieved June 1, 2011.
- ^ a b c "The Iranian captives ceremony's candle". Tebyan. Retrieved June 2, 2010.
- ^ a b Abd-ol-Majid Rahmanian (2002). be pure and server. Omid-e Azdegan. ISBN 964-92006-3-0. Cite error: The named reference "disrel" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- ^ a b c d "A few steps with conqueror of summit of theosophy and jihad". Shahed-e Yaran: 13–14. 2006.
- ^ a b "Demise of Seyyed Aliakbar Abutorabi". Islamic Revolution Document Center. Retrieved June 2, 2000.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help) - ^ Amini, Samie. "Azadegan tenacious, Seyyed-e Azadegan". Tebyan. Retrieved June 2, 2013.
- ^ "Hojatolelam Haj Seyyed Ali Akbar Aboutorabi". hawzah.net.
- ^ "Remembering the martyr AbuTorabi". Tebyan. Retrieved June 2, 2009.
- ^ "If Khomeini is like Abutorabi I follow him!". Fars news agency. Retrieved June 3, 2014.