Opposition to Nowruz is Prohibited
Opposition to Nowruz is Prohibited Unfortunately, most Islamic countries have forgotten the issue of Gaza, and in Iran, we are all preoccupied with Nowruz during these days, and generally, everyone has forgotten the issue of Gaza. In my opinion, due to the oppression of the people of Gaza, we should not have celebrated the New Year at all.
These are the words of Mr. Ali Motahari, who was approved in the recent elections, unlike before, to perhaps increase the participation rate a bit, because with his radiant cultural beliefs, it was clear he was not capable of attracting the votes of the gray segments of society and changing the lineup, and he had no chance of success. He also declared that he is not a reformist. This writing aims to examine Mr. Motahari’s claim from nine perspectives and refute it.
1. Before and after Nowruz, the attacks by Israel on Gaza started in mid-October 2023, which means almost six months before the New Year and Nowruz 2024. This means that Nowruz did not interfere with any action to condemn and stop it. If you had an idea or plan about Gaza, you had five and a half months before the New Year, and of course, if, God forbid, it continues, you have time after Nowruz too, and Nowruz is never a hindrance to you. Here is the ball and the field unless your only idea is to turn the celebration into mourning.
2. Identity Celebration, Not a Feast Against Death They have said that we should not have celebrated New Year at all this year. This very sentence shows that he does not have a precise understanding of Nowruz and only perceives it as a celebration against mourning, while Nowruz is an identity celebration that Iranians have long insisted on preserving to say that although our ancestors accepted Islam, they did not lose their cultural identity, and we preserve our cultural independence and heritage.
Ali Motahari’s perception of Nowruz, however, is like childish joy against mourning and probably stems from his ideological perspective and the limitation of his cultural studies to reading ideological works, especially those of his late father, of which he is also the exclusive publisher. But it would be better for him to become familiar with other cultural aspects of this land, the most important of which is Nowruz, as reflected in the beautiful and brilliant article by Professor Dr. Parviz Natel Khanlari, published in the year of his birth, 1957, in the Sokhan magazine. The conversion of Iranians to Islam seemingly severed their ties with their long and glorious past. Everything in this country changed and took on the color of the new religion and customs.
Everything that was a sign and relic of the past was burned in fire and vanished into thin air, but the memory of the past, like a salamander, rose from those ashes and flew in the air of Iran. More than the Iranians taking on a foreign color, the foreigners became Iranian, wore Iranian clothes, accepted Iranian customs, celebrated Iranian festivals, and knelt in respect before the God of Iran.
Apart from great figures like Ferdowsi, who seemed to embody the resurrection of the Iranian spirit in one person, others who outwardly showed no excitement or movement all had a spark of love for Iran beneath the ashes of indifference. Nezami, a Muslim who considers ancient Iran to be fire-worshiping and their customs undesirable, expresses his involuntary regret and pain for Iran’s past history when he narrates the story of the justice of Hormoz Sasanian and says, ‘The world became so warm from fire-worshiping that may you be ashamed of this Islam.’
3. The Celebration at Azadi Stadium Amidst the heated discussions of Gaza and Israel, just yesterday, April 7, 2024, a grand celebration of the Mid-Ramadan birth was held at Azadi Stadium. What is his stance? Shouldn’t they have celebrated for the second Imam of the Shiites because of Gaza, or is it just Nowruz that he has in mind?
4. Qatar’s Efforts The claim that Islamic countries have forgotten the issue of Gaza is also incorrect because on the same day this statement was made, Qatar was mediating for a ceasefire.
5. Haft-Sin Table on the Frontlines Nowruz is so important to our people that Abolqasem Khazali’s efforts to replace the Eid of Ghadir with Nowruz never succeeded, and fortunately, his children are not pursuing it either. Mr. Motahari is not seeking a replacement, but only mentioned it for this year, although this is doomed to fail.
6. First Eid Iranian Tradition When someone is mourning, they visit them during Eid and say it is their first Eid, meaning they do not cancel Eid. This is something he should know.
7. In the Pre-Atmosphere Ali Motahari’s problem is that he cannot free himself from the cultural cocoons he has woven around himself, while the cultural atmosphere of society has completely changed, which is clearly visible in the way women and girls dress and the complaints of Sadegh Koushki about people’s behavior during this year’s Ramadan. There is no blame on Koushki, but Mr. Motahari, who considers himself the voice of the nation, should pay more attention and not be a critic of the nation.
8. Pretending Joy Under Inflation Pressure Mr. Ali Motahari should not think that people are very cheerful. All these travels are actually more about moving on the roads and visiting relatives and hometowns, otherwise, with these prices, the opportunity to stay in hotels and go to restaurants has been denied to many Iranians, and they are not truly happy and are pretending to be. With this view, Mr. Motahari’s intention is fulfilled. Instead of these words, they should have built a few places to stay. Turning Eid into mourning is not an art; making depressed people and those struggling with the bread of life happy is an art.
9. When Peyman Jebeli and Vahid Jalili Have Also Relented and the TV Has Stirred, What Does Ali Motahari Say? Imagine if Eid 2024 was declared mourning and the TV broadcasted elegies from morning till night, people wore black clothes and cried before the TV, or turned to other channels. With this view, Mr. Ali Motahari’s idea is not compatible with security interests either, because if they watch domestic TV for the sake of Eid, they will be informed about Gaza in the subtitles, but Jam, Shabkhiz, and Iran International do not do this.
Let’s return to Dr. Natel Khanlari’s article, which 60 years ago was the cultural guide for the children of Iran. Which other nation do we know that is more committed and loyal to its past, to its ancient history, to its past customs and traditions than this? This Nowruz celebration, which has remained and persisted in this land for two to three thousand years with all its customs and traditions, is it not a sign of the stability and perseverance of Iranians in maintaining their national customs? Nowruz is one of the symbols of our nationality. Nowruz is one of the days of the manifestation of the Iranian spirit. Nowruz is the proof of this claim that Iran, with all its antiquity, is still young and strong.