Bismi-Llah, Al-Rahmani, Al-Rahim
In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate

The martyred professor, Murtadha Mutahhari, was born in A.H.S. 1299 (1920 A.D.) in Fariman, a town in the northeastern Iranian province of Khorasan. His father, the late shaykh Mohammad Hossain Mutahhari, was a chaste: God-fearing man and, consequently, the object of great reverence of all social strata throughout Khorasan as well as other parts of the country.

Our author began his preliminary studies at the Maktab Khanah (traditional primary school) in the town of Fariman. From early childhood, he showed astounding talent and a great love of knowledge. He demonstrated astounding intelligence and enthusiasm, especially for the acquisition of Islamic theology.

He moved to the holy city of Mashhad in A.H. 1311 (1932 A.D.), at the age of twelve, and started studying the preliminary Islamic sciences. In his seventeenth year, he travelled to Qum and, while the love fore Islamic studies inflamed his soul, he derived full benefit from the scholarly presence of such ulema as Sayyid Mohammad Mohaqqiq, Sayyid Mohammad Hojjat and Ayatollah i Sadr (on all of whom be God's peace). In A.H. 1319 (1940 A.D.), he began studying the highly sophisticated teachings of the great figure whom he calls, my lost one. This divine heavenly spirit, as he called him, was the leader of the newly conceived Islamic Revolutionary movement-Imam Khomeini.

Mutahhari also enjoyed an association with Ayatollah-i Burujerdi, beginning his discipleship under the Ayatollah in A.H.1323 (1944 A.D.) and continuing it for almost eight years. In A.H. 1329 (1950 A.D.), he began the acquisition of Avicenna's philosophy, attending the class tutored by Sayyid Muhammad Hossain Tabataba'i, the most distinguished master of philosophy at Qum. Mutahhari later wrote a notable commentary on his teacher's five volume Principles of Philosophy' (Usul al-Falsafah).

In A. H. 1331 (1952 A.D.), Mutahhari changed his place of residence to Tehran. From this time on, he became highly prolific both in delivering lecture at public and intellectual centers and in the writing of myriad books and pamphlets. In both these areas, he attempted to illuminate the darkened corners of Islamic thought and to hoist the banner of pure Islamic reasoning against the threat of materialistic views becoming widespread among Iran's youth.

He strugglcd in his Jihad, sometimes as an honorary professor at the School of Theology of the University of Tehran, sometimes as public lecturer at mosques and Hussainiyyahs (religious centers) until the climax of Islamic Revolution. After the victory of the Revolution on Feburary 11, 1979, and even before, he was a member of Islamic Revolution Council, continuing his struggle in the way of God and the people with the purity of intent.

His martyrdom by the pseudo-Islamic group, Forqan, occurred on Ma y 15, 1979 when he was leaving an arduous night session of the Revolutionary Council.

Some of Mutahhari's books are as follows:

1. Reasons for embracing materialism

2. The system of women's rights in Islam.

3. Ali's attractive and repulsive forces.

4. An introduction to the world view of Islam (seven volumes.)

5. A recognition of Islamic sciences (three volumes).

6. Irfan and fate.

7. Hidden helps in human life.

8. The martyr.

9. Sexual morality in Islam and the Western world.

10. A search Into Nahj ul-Balagha.

H.V. Dastjerdi
April, 1983