Holy Prophet has said;

“Allah does not like any drop more than the drop shed in His way.”
That which is greater than the martyr is that which he was martyred or sacrificed for, martyrs are too great to be in need of any tribute, new generations must be acquainted, with the thoughts and beliefs of great men in history like Martyr Mustafa Chamran. History is filled with shining stars like Martyr Chamran through whom it is possible to find the right way. His way is still open; it requires pedestrians to walk on His path…. So let’s embark on this journey together and get a glimpse into the life of this extraordinary personality!

“I search myself so that I will find a point through which I can understand my existence. I do not find anything but a burning heart from which flames flare up. It sometimes illuminates my existence and sometimes I’m buried under its ash. Yes, I do not find anything but a burning heart in myself. I evaluate everything with it. I look at the world through it. Through it all, colours change and the appearance of creatures changes too.”

Dr. Mustafa Chamran was born in 1932 in Tehran city, where he was brought up and received his education. He started his education in school Intesariye, in Pamnar. He attended his high school in Al Borz; later continued higher education in Tehran’s Technical University and graduated with a degree in Electronic engineering in the year 1336 (1957) with first position. After that he worked as a university professor for a year. Then he received a government scholarship from Teheran University for further studies in United States in the year 1958. He was a remarkable student; he earned his Master’s degree within a year, with excellent grades from A&M University of Texas state and after that he went to Berkeley University located in California to get his PhD in Electronics and Plasma Physics. He was a brilliant scientist; when he wrote his thesis in Physics there were very few who were working in that particular area. Berkeley University was one of the most prominent universities of the United States of America in the field of Engineering in those times and the best and the renowned scientists of Physics and Electronics would teach in that University. Mustafa Chamran within three years was able to accomplish the program of Electronics and Plasma Physics and got his PhD degree from this university.

He was only 15 years old, when he began involving with Islamic associations; he attended the Tafseer-e-Quran by Ayatollah Taleghani in Hedayat mosque and also showed interest and attended the lectures of Professor Martyr Murtuza Mutahhari on Logic and Philosophy. He was among the first members of Islamic Association of the University of Tehran.

After the bloody uprising 5th June (15th Khordad) and the fall of the government of Dr. Muhammad Musaddiq, (by the American engineered coup) began the most difficult struggles against despotism and colonialism. It was during this period that Martyr Chamran with the heavy burden of responsibilities became the standard bearer of the Islamic Revolution and tirelessly with all his strength fought against the system of imperialism (Taghut), until his migration from Iran. He accomplished the most dangerous missions in the most difficult of conditions, which exhibits his bravery and steadfastness, and loyalty towards his country.

With the help of his friends, Chamran for the first time established Islamic students association in America which was very active, and was among the founder of the Association of Iranian students in California. Because of these activities, his scholarship was stopped by the regime of Shah. But after the bloody uprising of 5th June (15th Khurdad) and the apparent suppression of the struggles of Muslims, as well as the news of Imam Khomeini’s arrest made him restless he was unable to do anything on foreign lands and so with some of his like minded friends decided to go to Egypt. Despite of having the option to stay in U.S and use its facilities he did not wish to stay there. This migration created a new era in his life.

He rejected all tempting proposals and headed towards Egypt and took training on the most difficult Guerrilla tactics from Jamal Abdul Nassir for about two years and he was the top student in the military camp of Egypt too! It didn’t make a difference for him as he had learned to be the best anywhere, whether it was in plasma physics or commando training! Immediately after that he took the responsibility of training the Iranians to be Guerrilla fighters. He was evasive, due to his deep insight in religion, beyond Muslim Nationalism he saw that the Egyptian-Arabic Nationalism was causing division among Muslims; he showed his concern to which Abdul Nassir gave affirmation and said that this Arabic Nationalism was so strong that it was very difficult to combat it; Chamran also emphasized on their lack of sufficient knowledge in dealing with the propaganda that the enemy used to sow discord among the Muslims. With their selfless attitude and honest opinion they won the hearts of the Egyptians and their views were respected.

Presence in Lebanon:

After the death of Abdul Nassir, independent guerrilla bases to train the Iranian soldiers were required, hence Dr. Chamran headed towards Lebanon to create such a base. With the help of Imam Musa Sadr, leader of the Shia in Lebanon, they formed Islamic resistance battalions that came to be known as “Amal”, which was the military wing of the Mahroomeen movement. [This movement was started in 1974 so that it may be the embodiment of the Shia political entity in Lebanon. Mahroomeen movement means Movement of the Disinherited]. Martyr Chamran became Musa Sadr’s right hand man. He was in charge of monitoring Amal’s military branches before the revolution broke out. He became the leading and founding member of the Islamic revolutionary movement in the Middle East, focused on organizing and training soldiers in guerrilla warfare; all those who had received training from Dr. Chamran later on became the soldiers of the Islamic revolution, they were also strong soldiers of the resident forces of Lebanon. The majority soldiers of Islamic organization of Palestine were trained under Dr. Chamran. These soldiers had immense faith in Allah so much so that in terrible storms of danger they embraced martyrdom, and crushed the bloody flag of the tyrant oppressors of that time, the blood thirsty Zionist occupiers and their collaborators.

Dr. Chamran, from the heart of the burned and broken Beirut to the high mountain peaks of Jabal till the occupied territory of Palestine, left many heroic memories and conquered the hearts of many oppressed Shia. The pure blood of the martyrs of Lebanon, has written the history on hot streets and mountains of the border of Israel which gives testimony of their glorious battle.

Dr. Chamaran and the Islamic Revolution of Iran:

In the wake of the victory of Islamic revolution of Iran, he returned after 21 years of absence to his country to place all of his revolutionary and scientific experience at the revolutions disposal.

Quietly but actively and strongly, he begins with the work and spends all his efforts to train the first group of Iranian revolutionary guards in Sa’d Abad. Being the Deputy Prime Minister, he quickly engrossed himself in solving the issue of Kurdistan; day and night he was exposed to danger; with courage and determination he moved forward to liberate Kurdistan.

After that the Revolutionary command was issued by Imam Khomeini (RA), in which Martyr Chamran undertook the responsibility of Commander in Chief and ordered the army so that they could reach Pave within 24 hours. He was in complete charge of that area. The desperate Revolutionary fighters that included both soldiers and the guards were relying on the experiences and leadership qualities of Dr. Chamran, and with the help of these courageous soldiers and his expertise in handling the situation he achieved the most outstanding success within 15 days, all the cities, roads and strategic position of Kurdistan were seized. When the crisis intensified, Martyr Chamran wore the military uniform and he fought against the anti-revolutionary militants in the villages of Kurdistan province. He was the plenipotentiary representative of the government in solving the crisis. Kurdistan was liberated from the clutches of the enemy, and the Muslims of Kurd embraced the victory with joy.

Chamran was appointed as the Iranian government’s first Minister of Defence and became Ayatollah Khomeini’s personal military aide. Without any delay he started implementing reformative plans to bring about transformation in the army. During the first round of Islamic Parliamentary elections, he represented the people of Tehran and decided to develop a new system of rules, especially for the army and made maximum efforts to alter the structure of the army.

After getting elected in the Parliamentary elections by the people, he gives thanks to Allah, and says, “O Allah, people have shown me so much kindness and have done many favours so much that I’m really ashamed. I do not think highly of myself so much that I cannot return their favour. O Allah, give me opportunities and abilities so that I will be able to return it and befit all this kindness and affection.”Voted as a Member of Parliament by the capital’s people, he did not become haughty. He always bore Allah in his mind.

He was the representative of Imam Khomeini (RA) at the supreme council Defence, to give him military advice. Martyr Chamran was a stunning example during the Iran-Iraq war, he exhibited bravery and was an inspiration for everyone around him he possessed a multidimensional personality; was a lion heart in the battle field but at the same time felt the pain of the needy and the oppressed, he served his country in the midst of oppression, his continuous efforts were only for the sake of Allah.

The Islamic revolution led by the great Islamic scholar, gnostic, godly and the pious politician Imam Khomeini (R.A) with the help of great personalities like Martyr Chamran, finally attained victory in the year 1979, which collapsed the most significant, secure and trusted base of American imperialism. America and its supporters witnessed the power of Islam and the untiring struggles of the Iranian people and realized that it cannot be suppressed like other revolutions and started its wrath and launched all sorts of intrigues for shattering this Islamic revolution. Among the intrigues hatched by west and the east and their allies against the newly born Islamic revolution were numerous plots for coup d’état, supporting and helping the enemies of the Revolution inside and outside the country, indulging in false and misguiding propaganda against the revolution through radio, publications and other media of propaganda and the most important of all, the imposition of a long eight year war( Iran-Iraq war) upon the Islamic Republic of Iran for the purpose of depletion of the forces of the Revolution, weakening the military and armament power of the country, and inflicting economic damages upon its reserves and industries. It was in these times; when Saddam’s army cowardly attacked the border of Iran and started destroying cities and villages attacking the defenceless people that Martyr Chamran was unable to relax and reached to serve Imam Khomeini (R.A), with his permission and along with the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei who was another representative of Imam in the Supreme Council of Defence and the representative of the people of Tehran in the Islamic council, left for Ahwaz, he started his work on the very first night; with the help of Ayatollah Khamenei he used the technique of guerrilla attack against the tanks of enemy. They gathered a group of volunteered soldiers and by organizing and training them, formed an irregular warfare campaign. This group gradually became strong and consistent and did many services. Active engineering unit for irregular warfare campaign was one of these programs; military roads were constructed rapidly at various points. Installation of water pumps in the river basin and establishment of a channel about 20 kilometres long and 1oo meters’ short, they constructed a flowing river basin towards the enemy’s tank, which forced them to retreat a few kilometres and allowed them to build a massive barrier; this tactic kept the enemies away from Ahvaz forever.

Another of his major works from the early days was making a co-ordination between the volunteered army, cops and the military forces that were present in that region, this co-ordination between the forces, backed by the local people was almost a new war tactic, something which the superpowers did not think of previously. But unfortunately, this harmony could not be established in the city of Khurram and the forces were left alone. Martyr Chamran had planned to go to Khurram city but due to the risk of serious fall of Ahvaz, could not succeed in reaching there. Still he managed to organize the forces several times, with his continuous help they were able to resist against the successive attacks of enemy for long.

Baath regime of Iraq had their hearts attached to the victory of Susangard so that they could achieve their dreams and for the second time they attacked this innocent city, for three days they seized the city with tanks, on third day some of them could enter the city. The report of the month was as follows: Dr. Chamran was seriously upset with the blockage; he along with few of his friends and courageous soldiers with the help of Ayatollah Khamenei prepared an army in order to combat the situation. He himself organized the military forces and the Iranian revolutionary guards alongside the army and with this new game plan attacked the enemy from the road of Ahvaz to Susangard. Eager to help his fellow brothers who were captives in Susangard, headed to this city which was surrounded by enemy tanks. He himself moved forward toward the blockade and dispatched some soldiers towards the other end; it was then that the battle ensued. The commando forces of the enemy attacked him from behind the tanks; running from one trench to another his battle was on with the aggressive enemy. The commando forces of the enemy showered bullets on him, tanks were shooting at him but boldly amidst the hordes of enemy with their heavy firing responded with lightening speed and changed the trenches. His left leg was injured, but still he managed to attack one truck and capture it, with the help of an agile young man he reached inside the truck and exited from the blockade, and reached the hospital but he did not stay there for more than one night, and went to the headquarters staff of the irregular warfare, and began his work with his injured hand and painful leg. With his critical condition that same night, he called a consultation meeting of the military commanders [Commander of division 92; Brigadier Martyr Fallahi, Martyr Kallahdoz, official of the cops and Colonel Muhammad Sulaimani, chief of the staffs, Governor of Khuzistan and the representative of Imam in the Iranian Revolutionary guards Martyr Mohlati] where he proposed to attack on the heights of Allahu Akbar.

Martyr Chamran despite of the suggestions from the officials and friends did not withdraw his irregular warfare campaign from Ahvaz. With his bad condition he did not go to Tehran for further treatment, spent all his time in front of the military maps which he had kept in front of him, equipped with information about the enemy and their movement since he did not have the strength to go to the front. He constantly studied these maps and offered interesting and productive ideas which helped the soldiers a lot. After his injury, for the first time he headed towards Tehran to meet Imam Khomeini with his detailed report. He presented before him the summary of the military operations and the events that had occurred and offered his suggestions on the matter at hand, to which he received a fatherly welcome and necessary guidance. He suffered on account of his absence on the front, but made efforts of getting the act together with the help of innovative programs and valuable suggestions. He wanted to interrupt the continuous communication between the southern and northern forces of Iraq, for that reason he wanted to attack the heights of Allahu Akbar and bring his forces near the border. Finally on 21st May 1981, with a coordinated attack conquered the heights of Allahu Akbar while the enemies were still in the state of resistance, this was the biggest victory after Susangard. Together with his brave warriors of Islam and his courageous commander Iraj Rostami they were able to capture the hills of Shahsavand.

Martyrdom:

A month after the victory of the heights of Allahu Akbar on 20th June, Martyr Chamran participated in the session of the Supreme council of defence in Ahvaz, in the presence of late Ayatollah Ashrafi, he pointed out the serious lack of mobility and composure within the forces and proposed solutions to it. This was the last session of the Supreme Council of defence that he participated, before his martyrdom. On the dawn of 21st June 1981, Iraj Rostami, commander of the area of Dahlaviye got martyred; Martyr Chamran was deeply depressed by this incident. This tragedy profoundly affected Rostami’s friends and the soldiers who were very attached to him. Now Martyr Chamran summons another commander and accompanies him to the front to introduce him to the soldiers of Dahlaviye in place of Rostami; the soldiers who were yet to overcome the loss of Rostami, admired the bravery of their new commander who would put his life in jeopardy knowing the fate of Rostami. One of the soldiers beautifully compares this situation, “On the day of Ashura helpers of Imam Hussain (a.s) were martyred one after another, and his flag bearer Abbas was also martyred and finally Imam himself went to the battle field….. In this same manner our flag bearer Rostami sacrificed his life and now our brave commander will move to the front as well.” On their way to Susangard, Martyr Chamran met the late Ayatollah Ashrafi and General Fallahi; they saw each other for the last time and moved on…. He gathered all the soldiers in the canal behind Dahlaviye and gave his condolences on the martyrdom of Rostami, while addressing his pensive face illuminated the love that was filled in his heart for martyrdom, the joy that he would experience on witnessing his Lord, he congratulated the soldiers and said that, “Lord loved Rostami and so honored him with martyrdom, if He loves us He will honour us with martyrdom as well.”

And soon enough His desire to meet His Lord was fulfilled; He was finally martyred by a bomb fragment in the village of Dahlaviye on June 21, 1981.

“In the hard and stormy arena of events and in death and life’s battle between truth and falsehood , I wished to shoulder the gory flag of Hussain, I also wished to add a link to the long chain of martyrs of the right path by sacrificing myself so as to approximate humanity to perfection.”
-Mustafa Chamran.