A martyr with 2 graves

Ayatollah Ataullah Ashrafi Isfahani, the fourth martyr of the Islamic revolution, is one of the figures whose life and martyrdom have a deep connection with the contemporary history of Kermanshah. A jurist who was present from the cells of the seminary to the bastions of holy defense and was finally martyred in the altar of Friday prayers.

According to Ambassador Arjan, today (October 23), on the 44th anniversary of the martyrdom of this mujahid scholar, we sat down with Dr. Alireza Shahrashtani, a university lecturer and researcher of Persian language and literature, to talk about the long-standing connection between Martyr Mehrab and Imam Khomeini (RA), his personal and social dimensions, the less-heard story of two mausoleums in Isfahan and Kermanshah, the destruction of the historical house of this martyr, and the need to read his scientific and spiritual legacy.

If we want to know the personality of Ayatollah Ashrafi Esfahani beyond the title of the fourth martyr of Mihrab, where should we start?

The recognition of Martyr Ashrafi Esfahani should begin with the truth of his servitude and spiritual conduct. We are facing a personality whose science, faith, piety and social responsibility were not separated from each other in his life.

Ayatollah Ashrafi Isfahani, born in 1281, after years of studying and teaching in the seminaries of Isfahan and Qom, in 1335 he went to Kermanshah on behalf of the authority and on the order of Imam Khomeini (RA). His presence in this country was not just a religious and preaching mission; Rather, it was the beginning of a deep connection between a pious scholar and people who considered him their spiritual refuge and patient rock for nearly twenty-five years.

After the victory of the Islamic Revolution, they assumed the responsibility of the Friday Imamate of Kermanshah by order of Imam Khomeini (RA).

If I want to describe his character in one sentence, I must mention the long expression "Mukhalifah Ali Hawaah, obedient to the command of the Lord"; It means a person who opposes carnal desires and is obedient to the command of his Lord.

From this point of view, Martyr Ashrafi Esfahani was a clear example of a scholar who brought his knowledge to the fore in his behavior and life.

What was the relationship between Imam Khomeini (RA) and Martyr Mihrab?

The connection between these two great personalities should not be analyzed only in the framework of political relations or revolutionary responsibilities. This relationship, above all, was formed on the basis of faith, knowledge, trust and sharing in divine ideals.

We read in the Holy Qur'an: "Those who believe and do righteous deeds will be granted to them, the Most Merciful." It means that God puts love in the hearts of those who believed and did good deeds.

In my opinion, the love and loyalty of Martyr Ashrafi Isfahani to Imam Khomeini (RA) should be understood in such a perspective; A love born of faith that did not fade with the passage of time and in the most difficult historical conditions.

For them, loyalty to the covenant was not a slogan or a linguistic claim; It was a truth that manifested throughout his life, from scientific and social activities to his presence in the Jihad field.

One of the amazing aspects of Martyr Ashrafi Isfahani's life is his presence in the sacred defense fronts despite his old age. What was the message of this presence?

This part of his life is one of the most brilliant manifestations of the mujahidan behavior of a religious scholar. At an age when many people choose comfort and withdrawal from difficult activities due to old age, Martyr Ashrafi Esfahani put on a combat uniform and took a weapon on his shoulder at the age of 80.

He was present with the fighters from Fatah Al-Mobin camp and Bostan and Abadan lines to Khorramshahr Jame Mosque and Somar heights.

After the liberation of Khorramshahr, they performed the prayer of thanksgiving in Ahvaz and went to the Jame Mosque of Khorramshahr. Also, in the western fronts, they were present among the warriors of Muslim bin Aqeel's operation.

This presence was not merely symbolic; Rather, it showed his deep understanding of social and religious responsibility.

In the eyes of Martyr Ashrafi Esfahani, mihrab and sangar were not two separate realities. The altar was the place of prayer and covenant with God, and the fortress was the field of faithfulness to the same covenant.

In other words, they showed that the religious world cannot be indifferent to the fate of the people and the suffering of their society.

It is said that Martyr Ashrafi Esfahani had wished to become the fourth martyr before his martyrdom. What was the story of this speech?

After the martyrdom of Ayatollah Sadouqi, the third martyr of Mehrab, Ayatollah Ashrafi Esfahani, in a conversation from the last days of his life, raised a wish that today, after reviewing his fate, finds a deeper meaning.

He said: "We hope that we will also be the fourth martyrs of Mihrab." For someone who has studied his life, this phrase is not just an expression of a wish; Rather, it shows the mental and spiritual preparation of a person who had spent his whole life on the path of faith and struggle.

Some time later, on October 23, 1361, this wish came true in the Friday prayer altar of Kermanshah Jame Mosque.

In my opinion, his life can finally be understood in the light of this noble verse: "Minna al-mu'minin- rajjal-sadaqwa ma aahadwa Allah alaihe"; Among the believers, there are men who stand faithfully on the covenant they made with God.

Martyr Ashrafi Esfahani was one of the personalities who continued his loyalty to the covenant until the last moment of his life.

During the 12-day war, the historical house of Martyr Ashrafi Esfahani in Kermanshah was also destroyed. From a cultural point of view, what is the importance of this event?

The destruction of the historical house of Martyr Ashrafi Esfahani during the American-Zionist attacks was not just the destruction of a building. This house was considered a part of the historical and spiritual memory of Kermanshah; A place that witnessed the presence of people for many years, their meetings, conversations and shared memories with one of the most prominent religious and revolutionary figures of the province.

Such places cannot be evaluated based on the material value of the building alone. Each of their bricks and walls carries a part of the social and cultural history of a city. However, we must distinguish between the body of a historical monument and the spiritual truth of the person who lived in it.

Walls may collapse and buildings may be destroyed, but the name and human thought rooted in people's hearts will not disappear with the destruction of a building.

The Holy Qur'an says: "And God is perfect in His light, even if He hates the disbelievers." From this point of view, although the destruction of that house is a loss for the historical heritage of Kermanshah, it cannot destroy the spiritual connection of the people with the Martyr of Mihrab.

Of course, this incident increases the responsibility of cultural institutions to document the history of this place, collect works and memories related to it and preserve the heritage of Martyr Ashrafi Isfahani.

The leader of the Martyr of the Islamic Revolution also honored his character in a meeting with the family of Martyr Ashrafi Esfahani. Which part of those words do you consider more important?

In the meeting with the family of Martyr Ashrafi Isfahani on October 25, 1368, Grand Ayatollah Khamenei mentioned him as "a religious scholar, a pious mujahideen and a lover of the Imam".

This description, in fact, places the three fundamental aspects of Shahid Mihrab's character next to each other: science and spirituality, struggle and piety, and loyalty to the ideals of Imam Khomeini (RA).

But in my opinion, another part of those words is also very important. He emphasized: "The memory of these nobles should never be erased from the history of the Islamic Revolution and the minds of the people, and they simply passed by."

This phrase brings a historical responsibility to all of us. We should not imagine that the preservation of great personalities is realized only by holding anniversary ceremonies, installing pictures or naming streets and places.

The real commemoration happens when the thought, character, works and way of life of these characters are transferred to the future generations.

One of the less heard stories about the fourth martyr of Mehrab is the existence of two tombs for him in Isfahan and Kermanshah. How does a martyr have graves in two cities?

This issue is one of the most amazing and at the same time the most thought-provoking chapters in the life and martyrdom of Ayatollah Ashrafi Isfahani.

We are facing one martyr and two graves; One in Isfahan and the other in Kermanshah. These two tombs are not just two marks on the soil; Rather, they narrate the emotional and spiritual bond of a great world with two lands.