Hezbollah of Iran
Encyclopedia
The Hezbollah, or Party of God, (also HizbAllah or Hizbullah) is an Iran
ian movement formed at the time of the Iranian Revolution
to assist the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini
and his forces in consolidating power. References in the media or writing are usually made to members of the group — or Hezbollahi — rather than Hezbollah, as Hezbollah is/was not a tightly structured independent organisation, but more a movement of loosely bound groups, usually centered around a mosque.
Hezbollahi are said to "generally act without meaningful police restraint or fear of persecution," and initially attacked demonstrations and offices of newspapers that were critical of the Ayatollah Khomeini. They are said to have "played an important role on the street at crucial moments in the early days of the revolution by confronting those the regime regarded as counter-revolutionaries."
Once political challenges to the regime had died down, Hezbollahi attacks expanded to include a wide variety of activities found to be undesirable for "moral" or "cultural" reasons, such as poor hijab, mixing of the sexes
and consumption of alcohol. Mojtaba Bigdeli is a spokesman for the Iranian Hezbollah.
in any town "to surround themselves with a band of the town's ruffians, known as lutis, to their mutual benefit". The ulama had "a ready band" to take to the street to oppose what the ulama opposed, while "the lutis in turn had a protector with whom they could take refuge if the government moved against them." The Hezbollahi which appeared after the Islamic revolution, according to Momen, were "in fact only an new name for the street roughs who had always had a close relationahip with the ulama."
The name Hezbollah, or party of Allah
, is generic, coming from the rallying cry used by its "members": "Only one party - of Allah; only one leader - Ruhollah." The phrase party of Allah came from a verse in the Quran ...
... and Ruhollah was the first name of the Islamic Revolution
's leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini
In the early days of the Revolution, Khomeinists — those in the Islamic Republican Party
— denied connection to Hezbollah, and maintaining its attacks were the spontaneous will of the people over which the government had no control.
In fact, the Islamic Republican forces did supervise Hezbollah. Hojjat al-Islam Hadi Ghaffari, "a young protegee of Khomeini," being in charge of them.
Hezbollah was instrumental in the Islamic Cultural Revolution against secularists and modernists at Iran's universities.
The "membership" of Hezbollahi is said to be "essentially the same group of persons" who surrounded prominent members of the ulama during the Qajar dynasty, and "who would take to the street and create agitation when it suited the ulama to call them out."
These were known as town toughs or luti.
and in particular Western
fashion. Hezbollahi favor simple, non-fashionable, collared shirts that are never tucked into their pants; plain slacks (never jeans), and plain black shoes or slippers. A black and white Palestinian-style scarf is commonly worn in the winter. A beard or three-day growth is almost always worn.
report describes Ansar-e Hezbollah as an "offshoot" of Hezbollah.
and Middle East International describes it as the "vigilante associate" of Hezbollah. Journalist Afshin Molavi
describes them as "a small fringe group" with "perhaps 100 Tehran members at most," but with influence disproportionate to its numbers thanks to "links with police and security services and high-level conservative clerics." Ansar-e Hezbollah was known for its attacks against "popular Islamic philosopher" Abdol Karim Soroush.
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian movement formed at the time of the Iranian Revolution
Iranian Revolution
The Iranian Revolution refers to events involving the overthrow of Iran's monarchy under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and its replacement with an Islamic republic under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of the...
to assist the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini
Ruhollah Khomeini
Grand Ayatollah Sayyed Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini was an Iranian religious leader and politician, and leader of the 1979 Iranian Revolution which saw the overthrow of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran...
and his forces in consolidating power. References in the media or writing are usually made to members of the group — or Hezbollahi — rather than Hezbollah, as Hezbollah is/was not a tightly structured independent organisation, but more a movement of loosely bound groups, usually centered around a mosque.
Hezbollahi are said to "generally act without meaningful police restraint or fear of persecution," and initially attacked demonstrations and offices of newspapers that were critical of the Ayatollah Khomeini. They are said to have "played an important role on the street at crucial moments in the early days of the revolution by confronting those the regime regarded as counter-revolutionaries."
Once political challenges to the regime had died down, Hezbollahi attacks expanded to include a wide variety of activities found to be undesirable for "moral" or "cultural" reasons, such as poor hijab, mixing of the sexes
Sex segregation in Islam
Islam discourages free mixing between men and women when they are alone but not all interaction between men and women. Interaction between men and women is prescribed to be maintained at a healthy and modest level, to the extent where they can socialize in order to know each other as ordained by...
and consumption of alcohol. Mojtaba Bigdeli is a spokesman for the Iranian Hezbollah.
History and activities
According to scholar Moojan Momen, the association of toughs and clerics became common during the era of weak government of the Qajar period, when "it became normal for the prominent" members of the ulamaUlama
-In Islam:* Ulema, also transliterated "ulama", a community of legal scholars of Islam and its laws . See:**Nahdlatul Ulama **Darul-uloom Nadwatul Ulama **Jamiatul Ulama Transvaal**Jamiat ul-Ulama -Other:...
in any town "to surround themselves with a band of the town's ruffians, known as lutis, to their mutual benefit". The ulama had "a ready band" to take to the street to oppose what the ulama opposed, while "the lutis in turn had a protector with whom they could take refuge if the government moved against them." The Hezbollahi which appeared after the Islamic revolution, according to Momen, were "in fact only an new name for the street roughs who had always had a close relationahip with the ulama."
The name Hezbollah, or party of Allah
Allah
Allah is a word for God used in the context of Islam. In Arabic, the word means simply "God". It is used primarily by Muslims and Bahá'ís, and often, albeit not exclusively, used by Arabic-speaking Eastern Catholic Christians, Maltese Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox Christians, Mizrahi Jews and...
, is generic, coming from the rallying cry used by its "members": "Only one party - of Allah; only one leader - Ruhollah." The phrase party of Allah came from a verse in the Quran ...
And whoever takes Allah and His apostle and those who believe for a guardian, then surely the party of Allah are they that shall be triumphant.
(italics added)
... and Ruhollah was the first name of the Islamic Revolution
Iranian Revolution
The Iranian Revolution refers to events involving the overthrow of Iran's monarchy under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and its replacement with an Islamic republic under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of the...
's leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini
Ruhollah Khomeini
Grand Ayatollah Sayyed Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini was an Iranian religious leader and politician, and leader of the 1979 Iranian Revolution which saw the overthrow of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran...
In the early days of the Revolution, Khomeinists — those in the Islamic Republican Party
Islamic Republican party
The Islamic Republican Party was a political party in Iran, formed in mid-1979 to assist the Iranian Revolution and Ayatollah Khomeini establish theocracy in Iran...
— denied connection to Hezbollah, and maintaining its attacks were the spontaneous will of the people over which the government had no control.
The Hezbollahi is a wild torrent surpassing the imagination. He is a maktabi [one who follows Islam comprehensively], disgusted with any leaning to the East or West. He has a pocketful of documents exposing the treason of those who pose as intellectuals. He is simple, sincere and angry. Stay away from his anger, which destroys all in its path. Khomeini is his heart and soul . ... The Hezbollahi does not use eau de cologne, wear a tie or smoke American cigarettes. ... You might wonder where he gets his information. He is everywhere, serving your food, selling you ice-cream.
In fact, the Islamic Republican forces did supervise Hezbollah. Hojjat al-Islam Hadi Ghaffari, "a young protegee of Khomeini," being in charge of them.
Hezbollah was instrumental in the Islamic Cultural Revolution against secularists and modernists at Iran's universities.
After Friday prayers on 18 April 1980, Khomeini harshly attacked the universities. `We are not afraid of economic sanctions or military intervention. What we are afraid of is Western universities and the training of our youth in the interests of West or East.` His remarks served as a signal for an attack that evening on the Tehran Teachers Training College. One student was reportedly lynched, and according to a British correspondent, the campus was left looking like `a combat zone.` The next day, hezbollahis ransacked left-wing student offices at Shiraz UniversityShiraz UniversityShiraz University , formerly known as Pahlavi University, is a public university located in Shiraz, Iran. It is one of the major universities of Iran....
. Some 300 students required hospital treatment. Attacks on student groups also took place at Mashad and Isfahan UniversitiesUniversity of IsfahanUniversity of Isfahan is a state-operated university in Iran. It is one of the most prominent science and engineering schools in Iran and is the largest university in Isfahan Province in Iran. The university is located in the southern section of the city of Isfahan...
"`
Attacks continued April 21 and "the next day at the Universities at Ahwaz and Rasht. Over 20 people lost their lives in these university confrontations. ... The universities closed soon after the April confrontation for Islamization`. They were not to open for another two years."
The "membership" of Hezbollahi is said to be "essentially the same group of persons" who surrounded prominent members of the ulama during the Qajar dynasty, and "who would take to the street and create agitation when it suited the ulama to call them out."
These were known as town toughs or luti.
Appearance
The Hezbollahi do not wear uniforms, but are said to be recognizable to Iranians by a familiar "look" that ignores fashionFashion
Fashion, a general term for a currently popular style or practice, especially in clothing, foot wear, or accessories. Fashion references to anything that is the current trend in look and dress up of a person...
and in particular Western
Western culture
Western culture, sometimes equated with Western civilization or European civilization, refers to cultures of European origin and is used very broadly to refer to a heritage of social norms, ethical values, traditional customs, religious beliefs, political systems, and specific artifacts and...
fashion. Hezbollahi favor simple, non-fashionable, collared shirts that are never tucked into their pants; plain slacks (never jeans), and plain black shoes or slippers. A black and white Palestinian-style scarf is commonly worn in the winter. A beard or three-day growth is almost always worn.
Ansar-e Hezbollah
Ansar-e Hezbollah was formed in 1995, A 1997 Amnesty InternationalAmnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
report describes Ansar-e Hezbollah as an "offshoot" of Hezbollah.
and Middle East International describes it as the "vigilante associate" of Hezbollah. Journalist Afshin Molavi
Afshin Molavi
Afshin Molavi is an Iranian-American author and expert on global geo-political risk and geo-economics, particularly the Middle East and Asia. He is a senior fellow at the New America Foundation, where he is co-director of the World Economy Roundtable, an ambitious exercise to re-map the global...
describes them as "a small fringe group" with "perhaps 100 Tehran members at most," but with influence disproportionate to its numbers thanks to "links with police and security services and high-level conservative clerics." Ansar-e Hezbollah was known for its attacks against "popular Islamic philosopher" Abdol Karim Soroush.
See also
- Islamic Republican PartyIslamic Republican partyThe Islamic Republican Party was a political party in Iran, formed in mid-1979 to assist the Iranian Revolution and Ayatollah Khomeini establish theocracy in Iran...
- Iranian RevolutionIranian RevolutionThe Iranian Revolution refers to events involving the overthrow of Iran's monarchy under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and its replacement with an Islamic republic under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of the...
- Islamic Revolutionary Guards CorpsIslamic Revolutionary Guards CorpsThe Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution , often called Revolutionary Guards, is a branch of Iran's military, founded after the Iranian revolution...
- Organizations of the Iranian RevolutionOrganizations of the Iranian RevolutionMany organizations, parties and guerilla movements were involved in the 1978-9 revolution in Iran. Some were part of Ayatollah Khomeini's network and supported the theocracy of Islamic Republic, others did not support theocracy and were suppressed. Some were created after the fall of the Pahlavi...
- BasijBasijThe Basij is a paramilitary volunteer militia established in 1979 by order of the Islamic Revolution's leader Ayatollah Khomeini. The force consists of young Iranians who have volunteered, often in exchange for official benefits...