Exemplary Teacher

Ibrahim used to say, “If we want this revolution to remain stable and for the next generations to be revolutionary people, we have to work in the schools; because, the future of the revolution will be in the hands of people who haven’t felt the era of tyranny!” When he saw that people who were not revolutionary entered the schools as teachers he became very upset. He used to say the best and most elite revolutionary forces should work in schools; especially in high schools! So he left his job which had few difficulties and went into a troublesome job with a lower income! The only thing he never thought about was his material life. He used to say, “God provides our sustenance. The blessings from the money are important. A job which is for God has blessings.” Anyway, he started teaching in two schools. He was a Physical Education teacher in the Abu Rayhan High School (District 14), and an Arabic teacher in one of the disadvantaged middle schools (District 15) in Tehran. His teaching Arabic didn’t last too long. He didn’t go to the middle school from the middle of that year! But, he wouldn’t say why he was not going to that school! One day the headmaster of the middle school came to me. He spoke with me and said, “For God’s sake! You, who are Mr. Hadi’s brother, talk to him for him to come back to the school!” I asked him, “What has happened?!” He paused a little, and then he said, “The truth is that Ibrahim gave one of the students his own money to buy bread and cheese for the class for the first session every day! Mr. Hadi believed that these were students from deprived areas. Most of them were hungry in class. A hungry child couldn’t understand the lessons.” The headmaster continued, “I reproached Mr. Hadi. I told him, ‘You have disrupted the school discipline.’ In fact, there was no problem in the school discipline at all. Then I shouted at him and said, ‘You are not allowed to do these things here.’ Mr. Hadi has gone and filled his hours by going to another school. Now all the students and parents have asked me to bring him back. Everyone praises his morals and teaching. During this short period, he has provided school supplies for many of the poor and orphan students from the school which I didn’t know about either.” I spoke with Ibrahim. I told him the words of the headmaster; but, it was useless. He had filled his time by going to another school. In the Abu Rayhan High School, Ibrahim was not only a Physical Education teacher; he was also a teacher in morals and good behavior for the students. The students, who had heard how their teacher was a hero and champion, loved him. At that time most revolutionaries didn’t care about their appearance; but, Ibrahim went to school with a good appearance and wearing a suit. His beautiful and bright face, impressive speaking, and correct behavior made a complete teacher out of him. He was very good at administrating the classroom. He laughed at the right time and was serious at the right time. He went into the yard during break times. Most students gathered around Mr. Hadi. He was the first person who came to school, and the last one who left. There were always many students around him. Ibrahim chose the best place to serve the revolution at that time when the political currents were active. I won’t forget that some of the students were under the influence of different political groups. One night he invited them to the Mosque. He held a Question and Answer Meeting with the attendance of a few revolutionary friends who were experts in these issues. That night all of the student’s questions were answered. When that night’s meeting finished it was 2 a.m.! Mr. Hadi was chosen as the Exemplary Teacher in the academic year of 58-59 AHS, although it was the first and last year of his teaching. In the beginning of the month of Mehr in the year 59 AHS, Ibrahim’s conscription was issued. Due to the war conditions he couldn’t teach anymore. In that year Ibrahim had been very busy; teaching in schools, working in the Committee, doing traditional sports and wrestling, going to the Mosque and reading eulogies in the religious meetings, and participating in many other programs of the revolution. Each of these activities required several people!