Ali Shariati Speech: Father, Mother, We Are Responsible

[Madali]

I'm posting this thread because I know some Iranian posters might have been in the same situation as me, that is, they might have lived outside Iran and not read much Iranian books, either by choice or language issues. While I have lived in Tehran for 5 years now, picking up a book in farsi and reading it bores me because I have to do it slowly. So, I listen to stuff instead.

Anyway, for those that were like me, I recommend you to listen to Ali Shariati's "Father, Mother, We are Responsible" speech. Maybe even we have many Iranians who grew up on Shariati in school, but never actually paid much attention?

Ali Shariati على شريعتى

I'd like to mention, I'm not a religious person and I'm not even a Shia, but this speech of Shariati is extremely important for the Muslim countries. I wish I would find an English translation, but couldn't. Does anyone know of an English translation? This speech is not just for Shias in Iran, but to any Muslim religious community with their heads stuck up in their ***, and the problems Shariati raises are as important today as then.

 

[Madali]

Shariati in this speech points out why there is a distance between generations regarding Islam. The young people are studying western ideologies because there are some answers for them, while in the older generation's religion, there is no answers, since they are more concerned about small things (like wearing or not wearing a tie) or superstitions. Islam should be shown to be relevant. Islam should show to be an answer to the problem's in today's world, not just for after-life.

I enjoy listening to this speech. I think this is the third time I've been listening to it in a year. I like how angry & direct he gets. Listen to most of the professors on TV today. They all usually talk in slow, boring, sleep inducing manner. The only person I enjoy listening today is Raefepoor but unfortunately, he gets in weird conspiracy theories sometimes.

If you are not sure if you should listen to a speech from 50 years back or not, try listening from 'Bakhsh 2" because that part starts with Shariati raging against all the old religious fossils.

 

[Madali]

So anyway, because I didn't want to work in the office and was looking for a way to do something else, I decided to translate a bit of it. From around 8:30 minutes of Second Part in that site to 12:30 minutes. My translation is not perfect, but it might be useful to non-farsi speakers in this site,


“And I, as a contemporary youth, a contemporary intellectual, a contemporary student, am concerned about life before death. And your religion hasn’t told me anything about life before death and you haven’t told me anything and you don’t even know it yourself!

You tell me these religious beliefs, these tenets of my shiaism, its use will be clear when I enter the grave. Its path will be clear. And the merits of what I have done in my life will reach me. I say, it’s true. But for before death, which we live in suffering, poverty, and for necessities give our life for, what does your religion have? Nothing.

Nothing.

Your religion has nothing.

You burn in fire, and your people, and your kind, and the people of the world, and humanity is burning in this fire, and you don’t even feel the heat! And then your nights and days, all your weeping and anxieties, are for the memories and images of the fire after death.

And I wonder, for this fire that I and you are burning in, what solutions and what waters are going to extinguish it!

Father, mother, I was in your privacy and in your home. I saw how you clung, with all your faith and devotion, you prayed to God and Prophet and the Book and Imams and you recited, God, save me. Me! God, give health to MY body. Give wellness to MY life. Clear MY debt. Cure MY sick. Return MY traveler safely home back to ME. Forgive the spirits of MY family. And in the downward slope of the grave, come to MY aid. Save ME from the harsh fires! Place ME in the heavens with your best! I say, what kind of religion is this, that doesn’t speak of humanity, doesn’t speak of society, doesn’t speak of people’s lives, but also doesn’t speak of me, your child! It’s all ME!

It’s all me. Here me, there me. This religion only saves you. I’m looking for a religion, for a belief, that saves humanity, and I’m sacrificed for it! I’m a lot different than you, daddy, mommy."

I'm tagging @SALMAN AL-FARSI because I thought you might find the translation interesting, since I don't think you know, farsi, right?

---

Here is between minute 16:50 & 17:50 from the section part that I translated,

“I was your daughter. The path you showed me, the suggestions you gave me, the shape of the life you portrayed for me, was this. Don’t go! Don’t do! Don’t see! Don’t say! Don’t understand! Don’t feel! Don’t write! Don’t read! This became the Religion of Don’t. I’m looking for the Religion of Do. That will show me what to do, what to read, what to understand, and what should be done. As one writer said, woe to the religion, that it’s No is more than its Yes. And I did not hear one Yes from you. “

 

[scythian500]

The only person I enjoy listening today is Raefepoor but unfortunately, he gets in weird conspiracy theories sometimes.

I agree with you although Shariati was a semi-communist, Semi-Islamist thinker and his thoughts are not that much appreciated these days...

Raefi pour is the best option we got today in my personal opinion. Those conspiracy theories seems like it is conspiracy as he talks about very unlikely issues... He was the only researcher who predicted the emergence of DAESH and other thugs in Syria and Iraq almost 6 years ago before any such moves. He predicted it when Syria was a safe and sound piece of land and there were no signs of ISIL in Iraq. I remember back then, most of opposing faces in Iranian media, used to laugh at RAefi pour for his predictions about Black flags rising in Syria and Iraq, having fed by secrect services and Arab countries in an effort to hit Resistance Axis, Islamic rise as an attractive religion for conversion, Shia-Sunni shhhit that will consume Islamic power locally hense leaving ISrael safe and sound...

Despite what many think, most of today's chaos is totally related to messianic end of time theories and the way some groups in US and Israel is making these prophecies HAPPENING!!

so, based on what Raefi pour is saying, a big part of current chaos comes from evangelist-end of time, apocalyptic, Anti-Christ prophecies that ARE BEING MADE by them rather than seeing them come true!

Another big part of the reason is how Resistance, anti-Zionism will be be attacked using childish Takfiri, Sunni-Shia game, making Israel in a better position, weakening whoever opposes them and all these without a single shot fired by the main hands behind the curtain or WEST...

 

[Madali]

I agree with you although Shariati was a semi-communist, Semi-Islamist thinker and his thoughts are not that much appreciated these days...

Raefi pour is the best option we got today in my personal opinion. Those conspiracy theories seems like it is conspiracy as he talks about very unlikely issues... He was the only researcher who predicted the emergence of DAESH and other thugs in Syria and Iraq almost 6 years ago before any such moves. He predicted it when Syria was a safe and sound piece of land and there were no signs of ISIL in Iraq. I remember back then, most of opposing faces in Iranian media, used to laugh at RAefi pour for his predictions about Black flags rising in Syria and Iraq, having fed by secrect services and Arab countries in an effort to hit Resistance Axis, Islamic rise as an attractive religion for conversion, Shia-Sunni shhhit that will consume Islamic power locally hense leaving ISrael safe and sound...

Despite what many think, most of today's chaos is totally related to messianic end of time theories and the way some groups in US and Israel is making these prophecies HAPPENING!!

so, based on what Raefi pour is saying, a big part of current chaos comes from evangelist-end of time, apocalyptic, Anti-Christ prophecies that ARE BEING MADE by them rather than seeing them come true!

Another big part of the reason is how Resistance, anti-Zionism will be be attacked using childish Takfiri, Sunni-Shia game, making Israel in a better position, weakening whoever opposes them and all these without a single shot fired by the main hands behind the curtain or WEST...

The thing is, I think his (Raefipoor) more grounded and social talks are more useful for the people. He had a recent talk about Transparency (shafafiyat) which I think it's more important for Iranians to know than some world conspiracy

 

[Full Moon]

I'm posting this thread because I know some Iranian posters might have been in the same situation as me, that is, they might have lived outside Iran and not read much Iranian books, either by choice or language issues. While I have lived in Tehran for 5 years now, picking up a book in farsi and reading it bores me because I have to do it slowly. So, I listen to stuff instead.

Anyway, for those that were like me, I recommend you to listen to Ali Shariati's "Father, Mother, We are Responsible" speech. Maybe even we have many Iranians who grew up on Shariati in school, but never actually paid much attention?

Ali Shariati على شريعتى

I'd like to mention, I'm not a religious person and I'm not even a Shia, but this speech of Shariati is extremely important for the Muslim countries. I wish I would find an English translation, but couldn't. Does anyone know of an English translation? This speech is not just for Shias in Iran, but to any Muslim religious community with their heads stuck up in their ***, and the problems Shariati raises are as important today as then.

My observation (which could be inaccurate) is that Iranians are getting more and more secular. All the Iranians I saw in the countries I visited look and act as very secular folks, and sometimes with deeply rooted hatred of Islam. I rarely like to initiate a conversation about politics or religion without a good cause, especially with people that I just met. But, I have always felt that Iranians want to start that type of conversation with me as an Arab Muslim. I could be wrong again, but the feeling I got is that they want to show me some indirect blame for their country being an officially Muslim country.

 

[Madali]

My observation (which could be inaccurate) is that Iranians are getting more and more secular. All the Iranians I saw in the countries I visited look and act as very secular folks, and sometimes with deeply rooted hatred of Islam. I rarely like to initiate a conversation about politics or religion without a good cause, especially with people that I just met. But, I have always felt that Iranians want to start that type of conversation with me as an Arab Muslim. I could be wrong again, but the feeling I got is that they want to show me some indirect blame for their country being an officially Muslim country.

Personal observation is generally inaccurate. It's like a person going to a bar and thinking, "Everyone I meet is generally the sort of person who drinks, so everyone must drink" or a person who is always at the mosque, and thinks, "Everyone likes to pray!".

The best way to understand societies is to gathering information from various sources to see if one can understand the society better. One way is opinion polls, however, that also will not give the full picture. But various data, such as these play a part.

 

[macnurv]

It’s all me. Here me, there me. This religion only saves you. I’m looking for a religion, for a belief, that saves humanity, and I’m sacrificed for it! I’m a lot different than you, daddy, mommy."

These are some thought provoking words indeed.

My observation (which could be inaccurate) is that Iranians are getting more and more secular. All the Iranians I saw in the countries I visited look and act as very secular folks, and sometimes with deeply rooted hatred of Islam. I rarely like to initiate a conversation about politics or religion without a good cause, especially with people that I just met. But, I have always felt that Iranians want to start that type of conversation with me as an Arab Muslim. I could be wrong again, but the feeling I got is that they want to show me some indirect blame for their country being an officially Muslim country.

I might have to agree with that observation but only slightly. One of my very good Iranian friend is as secular as me but his wife is very religious, so I think every country/ nation have such diversity. My experience with Iranians in Malaysia is starkly different when compared with UK ones, to me it seems the Iranians in Malaysia are far more westernized when compared with those in UK. But one trait all Iranians have common is love for everything Persia, nothing wrong with it. In no way or form I am trying to generalize here, but younger generation of Iranians might be as fed up of the religious bigotry as youth from other muslim nations. That is just my POV.

 

[scythian500]

My observation (which could be inaccurate) is that Iranians are getting more and more secular. All the Iranians I saw in the countries I visited look and act as very secular folks, and sometimes with deeply rooted hatred of Islam. I rarely like to initiate a conversation about politics or religion without a good cause, especially with people that I just met. But, I have always felt that Iranians want to start that type of conversation with me as an Arab Muslim. I could be wrong again, but the feeling I got is that they want to show me some indirect blame for their country being an officially Muslim country.

Most of (not so unrealistic if say %90 of them) all IRanians outside Iran are somehow that layer of Iranians who never had any religious roots so that they lose it now! Some of them belong to the Shahanshahi pre-revolution elite system (as they call themselves) or Monarchists with false theology about democracy and religion. Some of them are newly-became rich people who can not enjoy the most out of their mostly unfair wealth inside Iran...

In short, almost all Iranians with some religious bonds are and preferring to stay inside the country. They find Iran as the best place to live to religious, nationalistic and cultural reasons.

So, it is not your fault that you met Iranian outside Iran. IRanians in general have some level of Iman... The hot hit basijis and hizbullahis are not the majority. Most of Iranians are somehow moderate in religion. Secular minded people are mostly up town boys and girls whom a big part of them change their life style back to more religious type when get older.

If you ask me, I would rate them as follow:

- Hot head Super Religious = ~%10 or less

- Moderately religious with regular prayer every day = ~ %35

- Not that practicing but still respect Islam and its related sacred phenomena, sometime attend Majalis al Aza'a or Ashura or Qadr night ceremonies (including Prophets, Imams, Holy places, Ashoura, Muharram, etc) = ~ %40

- Harmless Non believer= %10

- Anti-Religion and Islam with a belief that Arabs and Islam are Iran's first enemy and should be get rid of = %5