Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – December 17, 1992

Early in the morning, we went to Sadabad and flew toward Qom with several helicopters. Mehdi and Mohsen were also with me, along with a group of office staff and members of the government. Near 9:30, we landed at the Golzar-e Shohada of Qom next to the shrine of Ali ibn Jafar (S).

A massive hall has been built there for ceremonies for the martyrs and other events. Families of the veterans were gathered. They gave a warm welcome. Beside the shrine of the Imamzadeh, I performed the pilgrimage prayer. I also recited the Fatiha for the martyrs while walking among the graves, but the crowd of people prevented me from seeing properly.

In the ceremony hall, there were anthems, welcomes, and recitations. Then I gave a short speech. Some teachers had requested that the first program be at the shrine and not elsewhere, but following this recommendation was not possible. We moved toward the courtyard [of Hazrat Masumeh (S)]. The crowd of people in the street blocked the movement of the car. We were delayed a lot. Finally, by changing the welcome route, we reached the shrine through other streets. Mr. [Ali Akbar] Masoudi [Khomeini] and the representatives of Qom welcomed us at the entrance of the museum building. A group of teachers had gathered there to welcome us. Mr. Masoudi gave a welcome speech and presented a framed gift. We visited the shrine. I performed the greeting prayer and visited the graves of the scholars in the Balasar Mosque.

After renewing my wudu, we went to the large courtyard to participate in the gathering of the people and students. It was a magnificent gathering. In addition to the courtyard being full, there was a massive crowd in Astana Square. Out of respect for my entry into the courtyard, the Naqareh Khaneh played. They announced that it was the first time the Naqareh has performed in a welcoming ceremony. After the people's slogans, Mr. [Mohammad Ali] Shari, [representative of Qom], gave a welcome speech and I spoke about the virtue of the city of Qom and the people of Qom and the Seminary and their role in the revolution and their great rights over the system.

From there we went to Feyziyeh School. The courtyard of the school has been excavated by the order and expense of the leadership to build a large basement. In the hall next to the library, members of the Society of Seminary Teachers [of the Qom Seminary] and other scholars were waiting for me. We talked and exchanged greetings for a bit. We performed the Noon and Afternoon prayers led by Ayatollah Meshkini.

We went to have lunch. Then I rested for a bit and participated in the meeting of the Society of Seminary Teachers [of the Qom Seminary]. Messrs. [Ebrahim] Amini, [Mohammad] Momen, [Mohammad] Fazel [Lankarani], and [Naser] Makarem [Shirazi] spoke. It was mostly welcoming and raising demands, which had nothing new; the water and sewage of Qom and housing for students and more emphasis on values and giving official status to a part of the studies of the Qom students. I also made a short speech appropriate to the issues raised.

I rested a bit again. Then we moved toward Dar al-Shafa School to participate in the "Day of Unity between Seminary and University Students and Seminary and University" ceremony. After the recitation of the Quran and the chanting of slogans, a warm welcome was given by the program director. In my remarks, I also raised the necessity of a new understanding for the unity of the seminary and the university.

We returned to the headquarters, which was a chamber next to the library. We had a meeting with city officials and representatives. They raised the demands of Qom. Water, sewage, housing, and finalizing the status of the plan around the shrine and the expansion of schools. The opinion of Mr. [Mohammad Ali] Shari, [representative of Qom], is that we should place the commercial centers on both sides of the highway and the river.

We performed the Evening prayer with the commanders of the division and brigade [Imam Sadiq (A)] of the IRGC. After the prayer, I gave a short talk to them. In the early evening, we went to meet Ayatollah [Seyyed Mohammad Reza] Golpayegani; it was a good meeting. I asked him to state his demands and views. He only recommended resolving the problems of the poor and said we should make bread cheaper. When he heard how cheap bread is compared to the finished cost and that the government provides flour to bakeries at less than the cost of transportation, he became passive and the rest of the conversation was pleasantries. He sits on a bed and is able to walk with difficulty using underarm crutches. He has suspended his teaching and discussions, but his general health is good for this advanced age.

After negotiations with Agha Seyyed Javad and Agha Seyyed Baqir, his sons, they raised some demands; such as paying the real price for the endowed lands of their hospital in Tehran that the Metro company has occupied.

From there we went to the house of Ayatollah [Mohammad Ali] Araki. In the narrow alleys, the men and women of Qom had gathered along the path and were expressing their affection. Mr. Araki is very frail; slightly bent and with little or no movement on a chair in a very small room. I sat next to his chair and kissed him. I had also kissed Mr. Golpayegani; very quietly, he said affectionate things. It could hardly be heard; it was not recorded. He answered questions well; he is over 100 years old.

We returned to the headquarters and after resting a bit, we went to Dar al-Shafa School.It has been reconstructed. It has three floors, with numerous well-equipped halls and good chambers. They have not yet admitted students.

In one of the halls, I participated in a massive gathering of the great figures and scholars of the Hawza. The new management of the Hawza was the host. First, Mr. Meshkini spoke; affectionate words and praise toward me, and the presentation of some requests that mostly emphasized values more. Then I gave a detailed speech and stated my expectations from the Hawza.

Then we participated in the dinner banquet. A large group of Ulama and students were present. Along the way, I ran into Ayatollah Mousavi Ardebili who was coming to see me. He said

he returned from his Tehran trip in a hurry. He expected that now that I am scheduled to visit the Judicial-Educational Higher Education Complex tomorrow, I should go to his complex as well; I said we cannot disrupt the schedule.

We went to the headquarters. First, I caught the 10:30 PM news on Channel 2. Then Ayatollah Golpayegani's children came for a return visit. They had brought a list of requests that, due to exhaustion, I told them to come to Tehran so we could talk in detail.

Near 11:00 PM, with exhaustion, I slept with a painkiller pill; because of a severe cold.