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Hafiz is the most loved and popular classical Persian poet in Iran. His
Divan is put side by side with the Quran; the people read or refer to Hafiz
even more than the Quran. They find that Hafiz talks their language and
reflects their feelings and aspirations. Both literate and illiterate find
something to think about or cling to in the poems of Hafiz. Even the Western
elite and great writers and poets such as Goethe found their idol and a long
sought meaning and definition of imagination or poetry in Hafiz Shirazi.
Hafiz spurns the dogmatic believers' concept of a remote, all powerful God
in the sky, believing rather the power of creative genius or divine power in
man. Here is a translation of part of one of his poems:
For many years my soul was searching for a mirror in which it could see the
world,
And was begging from strangers the very thing it had itself.
The elusive pearl which cannot be found in the shell of time and place,
My soul was requesting it from those who were lost on the sea-shore.
Last night I took my problem to the old man who solved problems with the
help of visions.
I saw him full of joy and laughing,
Holding his bowl of wine which gave back the sight of hundreds of different
visions.
I asked of the wise old man: "When was this bowl given to you?"
And he replied: "When this blue dome was unfurled".
(From the Divan by Hafiz.)
Before I started at Firdausi School I had met two final-year medical
students, Mr Chaichi and Mr Madani. I met Mr Chaichi in the bus which ran
between Amir Khiz and the city centre, and I met Mr Madani through Mr
Chaichi. Both had been among the first group of students who entered the
medical school during the period of Pishavari's government, when the
University of Tabriz was founded. They were interested in politics; most
students from Tabriz University were politically minded, supporting either
Mossadeq or the Tudeh Party. Mr Chaichi was pro-Mossadeq and defended him
passionately and I learnt from him a lot about this man. Mr Madani also
thought well of Mossadeq, but supported the Tudeh Party. They both talked to
me about politics and also visited my sister Sakineh and my brother Ismail
when they were ill. Indeed, they used to help and treat poor people and
friends without charge.
Handicrafts on sale at a bazaar in Esfahan.
In later years Mr Chaichi (now Or Chaichi) opened a private clinic serving
the people in the Amir-Khiz district, and charged them very low fees. I once
visited his clinic. After seeing a patient, he turned to me: "Mr Sabri, most
of my patients are not really ill, but need proper food. They are poor and
often instead of prescribing medicine I give them some money to buy food."
Or Chaichi became well known in Tabriz for his good treatment of the people.
Mr Madani (now Or Madani) worked in the military hospital until 2 p.m. and
held his private clinic in the evening. He also treated the poor without
charge. My friendship with Dr Chaichi was much closer. We visited each
other's houses, dined together and discussed politics. Indeed, meeting him
before going to Firdausi School helped me to find my way in the intense
political atmosphere there. Among the students there were different groups,
some supporting Mossadeq, some of the Tudeh Party, some Ayatollah Kashani,
some the neo-fascist party, SOMKA, and some Dr Baqai.
Mossadeq, by this time, was premier and leader of the National Movement
Uibhe-ye Milli), which stood against British imperialism. The Tudeh party
was Marxist-Leninist, supported Mossadeq and was pro-Soviet. Ayatollah
Kashani was the leader of the religious zealots who were supported by the
bazaar. He had initially been a supporter of Mossadeq, but later turned
against him. Baqai, who was the leader of the workers' party, had also
initially been a supporter of Mossadeq. Later, when I was at Firdausi
School, his supporters attacked the Mossadeq government and were fanatically
against the Tudeh party. The fascist groups were active under the name of
SOMKA (I did not know the meaning of the word), who wore the Nazi swastika
and clashed with other groups, especially the Tudeh Party and the National
Movement. I remember on one occasion that the SOMKA supporters threw their
opponents from the second-floor balcony on to the school yard. They were
armed with knives and sticks. The supporters of Ayatollah Kashani, Dr Baqai
and SOMKA frequently united to attack the supporters of Mossadeq and the
Tudeh Party. I remember the students from the latter group being badly
wounded.
The SOMKA members were mainly from land-owning and military backgrounds,
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