Draft:Mohammad Esmaeil Moballegh

A picture of Mohammad Esmaeil Moballegh. Date of it is unknown.

Mohammad Esmaeil Moballegh was born in 1936 in the Qolakhesh district of Maidan Wardak province in Afghanistan, and in 1979, he became a martyr in Pul-e-Charkhi prison. He is considered one of the most well-known writers and intellectuals of the latter half of the twentieth century in Afghanistan.

Teaching and instruction

Mohammad Esmaeil Moballegh extensively taught the meanings and expressions of the work "Al-Iqtirah fi Usul al-Nahw" by Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti, and the unique work "Aisaghooji" by Taftazani. He also taught "Ishaghoji," an introduction to Aristotle's "Organon," and the famous logic book "Al-Hashiyah fi Tahzeeb al-Mantiq" by Mullah Abdullah. Furthermore, he delved into the philosophical, ethical, Sufi, and theological topics of "Gohar Morad" in the works of Abdul Razzaq Lahiji, a student of Mullah Sadra. He engaged in discussions and debates in Persian on philosophical encyclopedias like "Durrat al-Taj li-Ghurrah al-Dibaj" by Qutb al-Din al-Shirazi.

Later on, some of his students engaged in discussions on philosophy and Marxist economics, as well as lessons from "Nahj al-Balagha."

Research

Research was one of Mohammad Esmaeil Moballegh's lifelong pursuits, but in the inhospitable environment of Afghanistan, only a few of his research endeavors saw the light of publication. This was because, at that time, aside from one government printing press, there were no other printing facilities available in Afghanistan. In fact, there was no conducive environment for the dissemination of ideas. Therefore, most of his works that were published during his lifetime were articles and dissertations that appeared in government-sponsored journals.

Mohammad Esmaeil Moballegh's published writings appeared in publications such as Anjoman Jami, Aryana Magazine, Encyclopedia Aryana, and scholarly and university journals like "Aryana," "Erfan," "Adab," "Jondoon," "Sarwat," newspapers like "Rozgar," and "Payam-e-Vijdan."

In 1343 SH (Solar Hijri), on the occasion of commemorating the five hundred and fiftieth anniversary of Mawlana Abdur Rahman Jami, the renowned poet and mystic in Kabul, the Jami Society was established. Khalilullah Khalili Adib, a well-known poet of Afghanistan, assumed the presidency of the society. Being familiar with Moballegh's research background and depth in the philosophical and mystical aspects of Islamic culture, he invited Moballegh to collaborate in understanding Jami. Abdul Hai Habibi, a university professor and renowned historian of Afghanistan, was also one of the officials of the Jami Society.

During this time, Moballegh presented four detailed research works on Jami: "Jami and Ibn Arabi," "Critique of Philosophy from Jami's Perspective," "Innovations from Jami's Perspective," and an essay titled "Explanation of the Symbols and Aphorisms of Jami." The latter work is a commentary on Abdul Hai Habibi's "A Glance at Salman and the Aphorisms of Jami."

Speeches

Considering the chaotic situation regarding the publication and printing of writings in the suffocating political conditions of that time in Afghanistan, speeches were a very suitable means for Moballegh to relatively connect with the people and intellectuals and present his views. However, these speeches also had their limitations for him in terms of using them solely for social critique overall and avoiding specific scientific and philosophical topics because his audience included not only intellectuals but also ordinary people.

The religious gathering places or Husseiniyahs, originally spaces for Shiite mourning ceremonies, provided a very suitable venue for Moballegh to enlighten and criticize the social disarray. Common people and intellectuals from various political factions listened to Moballegh together. In Pahlavi, criticism of bureaucracy, financial corruption in the administrative system of the country, social hierarchy, privilege-seeking, critique of the misuse of religion, and social equality were among the topics of Moballegh's speeches. All of this led to Moballegh facing accusations from the traditional clergy, and some even labeled him as an apostate.

Mohammad Esmaeil Moballegh was elected as a representative of the people from the first district of Behsud (from Maidan Wardak Province) in the twelfth term of the Afghan Parliament (1964/1969 ), and he also devoted himself to defending the people's rights through this institution. The speeches of this period were published in "Wolasi Jirga" (the parliamentary weekly) of this period.

Moballegh solidified his academic position in Afghanistan to the extent that he was invited to scientific-academic conferences throughout the country for scientific lectures. For example, conferences honoring the renowned Islamic scientist Al-Biruni and the famous poet and mystic Jami included him as a speaker. During his parliamentary term, he traveled to India and his speech at Aligarh University was well received.

In the winter of 1978, Moballegh was imprisoned by the "People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan." In 1978, when this party released the names of more than twelve thousand victims, Mohammad Esmaeil Moballegh's name was also among them. He did not live more than forty-three years.

Moballegh's books, articles, and translations can be divided into five categories: literary, historical, mystical, philosophical, and political.