Marzieh Hashemi, senior journalist and documentary filmmaker
I had just finished Fajr Prayer when I started remembering where I was about to go. There was a feeling of anticipation and excitement that overtook me. This feeling immediately took me back to another time long ago. The year was 1988 and it was the first time I had ever come to Iran. I had just received some exciting news that I was invited to see and listen to the Founder and Leader of the Revolution, Imam Khomeini (ra). I couldn’t believe it! I was going to see the person who had inspired me to study about Islam. I was going to see the man whose revolution changed my world.
And then on Wednesday, I knew I was going to see my Leader once more. Again, I thought about how fortunate I am that I would be in the presence of Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei. When I know that there are millions of people around the world who wish they could be in my place. I felt so grateful and overwhelmed.
It was the same 35 years ago when I was going to see Imam. I couldn’t believe it as I was walking up the mountain towards Jamaran. I was thinking, me? Am I going to see Imam? How can I be this lucky? Just 10 years prior to that time, I had not even heard the name of Ayatollah Khomeini, nor was I a Muslim and here I was visiting the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, which would change the world.
And now 35 years later, it was the occasion of the approaching birth anniversary of Hazrat Fatimah Zahra (pbuh), which is also known Women’s Day in Iran and women from around the country had been invited to the Imam Khomeini Hussainiyah.
As we gathered outside of the venue, there was so much anticipation as the women were waiting in line to enter. Then women started flowing in to sit and wait for the Leader of the Revolution to enter. I didn’t sit for long and got up to mingle with some of the guests. I was interested in knowing who they were.
And I wasn’t disappointed as I met some interesting women, like Mrs. Ghasghavie from Firoozkooh who is the mother of a martyr and the mother of a disabled veteran. She talked about her son’s martyrdom and how he had been a border guard and what had happened to him. I listened intently to her story as this martyr’s mother, like so many others whom I have had the opportunity to talk to over the years, spoke so lovingly about her child and was adamant about the importance of his sacrifice. However, she said it is difficult to lose a child and it is natural for a mother to miss her son, but she is happy for the status he has achieved and she is happy to be at this meeting where she would hear the words of the Leader.
When I stepped away from her, I was thinking of the many sacrifices that have been made to establish and sustain this Revolution. So many mothers have sent their kids off to protect Islam, to protect the nation and to ensure the security of Iranians and beyond. So many wives have lost husbands at young ages and so many kids have to grow up without their fathers. Nothing worthwhile comes with ease and definitely there have been many sacrifices and challenges in order to sustain this 44-year-old Revolution. This is the reason I have special respect for the martyr’s families. May Allah bless and help them, as all of us who are freedom loving people around the world are indebted to them.
Next, I met an athletic gold medalist in para-kayaking. Roya from Zanjan who is a five-gold medal holder and a two-silver medal holder. Her most recent accomplishment is bringing home two bronze medals from the recent Asia games in China. She talked about how proud she is to represent her country and I asked if she felt that being a woman in Iran had limited her ability to achieve in her field. She said it had not and she believes that Iranian women can achieve anything they strive for in the country. She said of course there are some problems which also need to be addressed, but that is the reality of any society.
I moved on as the anticipation was growing in the room and I knew that I didn’t have much time left to meet many other women. I got to talk to Maryam from Shahrood, who is a very energized activist. She is working on supporting families who don’t want to have kids for various reasons from financial to the fear of the responsibility. She has formed a team of volunteers, which provides various types of services and support for these individuals and she says she has seen the results. This group was formed after Ayatollah Khamenei’s speech on “Jihad Tabeen” [Jihad of clarification] meaning the struggle to clarify subjects that have been misconstrued in the society.
As I left Maryam, I was thinking that from the Leader’s speech, these women had created a way to implement what he was saying. This is it! This is ground zero of the Revolution. This is the place where people from all walks of life meet and get inspired and energized. This is where optimism is rampant and catapults people into action and encourages a belief system that anything is possible with the help of the Exalted Allah, good intentions and hard work. And this is the place where the Leaders’s message is broadcast globally to the millions who follow him.
My thoughts were interrupted by the increased energy in the room. I returned to my seat and happened to be sitting near a young woman who is from Brazil. I started talking to her and I found out that she had become Muslim four years ago after reading about Islam online and that she has been Shia for only three months. She picked the name Khadija for herself. She talked about the many challenges she had faced with her family after becoming Muslim and just living in a majority non-Muslim society and in a city where there are no halal stores. Ultimately, she had married a fellow Brazilian and they ended up in Qom at the Hawza (seminary). She says she is very happy to be in Iran and extremely happy to be seeing Ayatollah Khamenei for the first time.
Then suddenly everyone stood up and started saying slogans welcoming the Leader. He had entered! There was so much excitement! So much disbelief by some and tears from others. Tears swelled up in my eyes and I had a déjà vu moment from 36 years before when Imam Khomeini (ra) had entered the Hussainiyah in Jamaran and the tears flowed. How lucky am I for these experiences.
The meeting would start with a beautiful Quranic recitation, and it was followed by several women from various sectors of the society who would speak. I had already met some interesting women in the audience and now these women who had been chosen due to their accomplishments should be a treat to listen to.
First, we heard from the wife of Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky, the Leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria. Zeenah Ibrahim is also the mother of 6 martyrs! She gave her salaams to the Leader and reminded the audience that the leadership of Ayatollah Khamenei is a continuation of the line of Imam Khomeini (ra). She reiterated the importance of this Revolution, its leadership and our responsibility not to let this Revolution fail. It is the hope for people all over the world.
There were several other speakers including a university professor, a journalist, a doctor, an economist, an athlete, a student and a theatrical writer. We heard from Al-Alam journalist in Gaza, Esra Al-bohaisi who thanked the Leader for his support of Palestine and thanked Iran for being the only country which has supported the Palestinian struggle in the way it had. She talked about the terrible conditions in which the Palestinians are enduring but that the victory is for the Palestinians.
Then other speakers talked about their areas of expertise and covered the developments as well as challenges. Some whom had specific criticism of an issue, the Leader took great notice and was writing down their concerns. From what we are teaching in our schools to social media challenges to the type of movies or programs that we are making and showing in our society to artificial intelligence and so many other issues were discussed.
Time ran out for everyone to speak and then to be honest, the moment all of us had been waiting for had arrived. The Leader of the Islamic Revolution was about to address us.
He congratulated everyone on the occasion and said how Hazrat Fatimah Zahra (pbuh) was the best example for women and that we could not find a better role model. He thanked the women who had spoken and he said their talks were beneficial, intelligent and on point.
He talked about the accomplishments of women in the Islamic Republic and how far they have come. The education level of women has soared since the Revolution, along with women being very active in many different sectors of the society. He also reiterated the high status of motherhood and that it is the ultimate job. He added that in the Islamic Republic women can be very active in the society and in certain cases it is “wajib Kifa'i” for them to be in certain fields. Islam brings dignity to women.
And then the Leader talked about the way the West addresses women and how the family is increasingly under attack. Women are experiencing less security in these countries and are used as a mode of profit. The Leader pointed out that the West does not want to get in a discussion with anyone about the way women are treated there. They don’t want intellectual debate, but they just want to shove their propaganda on everyone and stifle any kind of critique. They make films, TV shows and various other forms of art to control the narrative.
He said that we must work hard to improve ourselves and improve our society, which is still not fully Islamic.
Listening to his speech, I felt inspired and fortunate to be a part of this Ummah and to know that I am listening to one of the best strategist and religious guides in the world. And I left the Imam Khomeini Hussainiyah in the same way I had left Jamaran Hussainiyah, 36 years earlier—determined to work hard for the Revolution, energized and optimistic about the future.
(The above is Marzieh Hashemi's personal account of her participation in Imam Khamenei's meeting with women from across the country, which was held on December 27, 2023.)
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