Brief history of Ayatollah Mahmoud Taleqani’s life

Ayatollah Mahmoud Taleqani was born in Taleqan City in 1282. His family was a religious one and his father was a clergyman. His father “Abu-al-Hassan” whose Imam Khomeini (Rh) remembered him as the best pious one, had the political and revolutionary ideas.

During his childhood, his father taught him Islamic sciences, then for continuing his studies went to Qom. Ayatollah Sayyed Mahmoud Taleqani (1910 - 1979) after having acquired education in Islamic sciences at the Razaviya and Fayziya schools in Qom, went to Tehran in the year 1938 (1317 AHS) to preach and lecture in Islamic teachings. He had political and Islamic ideas which were against Pahlavi regime.

In 1939, he was arrested and imprisoned, charged with opposing the Pahlavi regime. From 1948 (1327 AH) onwards, his classes were held at Hedayat Mosque in Tehran, which was the central gathering place for religious intellectuals. In the years 1951 and 1952 (1330 and 1331 AH) he traveled to Jordan and Egypt.

He attended in Shu’oob-al-Moslemin Congress hold in Karachi city. He also traveled twice to Jerusalem as the head of an Iranian delegation for attending in the Islamic Congress of Quds which was held once a year.

He participated in the struggle for the nationalization of the oil industry and was arrested following the coup d’etat of Mordad 28 (August 19) accused of hiding Navvab Safavi, the founder and leader of the Fidaiyan Islam.

Although all of his life was full of political activities and was imprisoned or exiled several times, but he never left his activities ideas.

Also he was the first leader of Friday Prayer after the victory of Islamic Revolution. And finally he died on 1358 (1979) after the years of combat against despotism for gaining Iran’s Islamic Revolution.

The news of the Ayatollah Taleqani’s demise was blown in the early morning hours in Tehran. Consequently the people who had heard about it, rushed to the streets. While mourning, they moved to his home. The large population was there so that one could breathe so hard in the house of such a great man.

Another group, who was also mourning, was going to Tehran University where Tehran’s Friday prayer was held. Finally, the body of this brave scientist was carried from Tehran University to Behesht Zahra Cemetery. The funeral ceremony was postponed to the day after because of the large numbers of the crowd. The body of this great interpreter of the Holy Quran was buried in the part where thousands of martyrs of the Islamic Revolution had been buried. This was done according to his own will.

Right now his shrine is visited by so many lovers of the revolution and those who are loyal to Imam Khomeini (Rh).

Having been released from jail in November 1978, the late Ayatollah Taleqani had a great role on formation of the great demonstrations of Ashura and Tasooa (ninth and tenth of Moharram) of that era. He did not give up his socio-political activities till the very end of his fruitful life. Even in the last night of his life, he took part in a meeting as the chairman of the Islamic Revolutionary Council, with the Ex-Russian ambassador which lasted for about 2hours and a half.

Imam Khomeini addressed Ayatollah Taleqani shortly after he was released from prison, which comes next:

“In The Name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful

To Ayatollah Mahmoud Taleqani whose life may be lengthened. It is something natural that some figures like you who have devoted their invaluable lives to freedom and independence of Iran as well as the continuous campaign with the dictatorship and the international plunderers. He had been tortured and taken as prisoners and deprived of freedom. The freedom of the people like you is in contrast with Shah’s policy and also the government’s laws. “