Martyr Avini, an Iranian thinker worth knowing; a look at his life and thoughts
Apr 9, 2024 - 14:55
Seyyed Morteza Avini was an Iranian documentary filmmaker, photographer, journalist, writer and “Islamic cinema” theorist whose life and thoughts are discussed in this article.
Seyyed Morteza Avini was born in Shahrivar 1326 in the city of Ray in Iran. After finishing primary and secondary school, he entered the Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Tehran, Faculty of Architecture.
Childhood photograph of martyr Avini
After the victory of the Islamic Revolution, he abandoned architecture and began making films in accordance with the need of the revolution. He began his press activities at the end of 1362, while simultaneously participating in the war between Iraq and Iran and creating documentaries about the war.
Youth photo of martyr Avini
During this period, he thought about cinema, art, world culture and its confrontation with various problems. Avini's collection of research, discussions and writings was published in the monthly art journal Sura and later collected in the book Aine Jadu (The Magic Mirror), which is the first volume of his essays and film reviews.
Avini was martyred on April 20, 1372 at Fakka while filming a documentary and television series about the sacred defense, having suffered from mines left over from the war.
The moment of martyrdom of Martyr Avini
Using a critical eye, he created famous works in the fields of philosophy, art, cinema, etc., among his works are three famous books:
The book “Bloody Conquest” is about the analysis of the martyrdom of the freedom-loving and justice-loving grandson of the Prophet of Islam, Imam Hussein (peace be upon him).
The book “Development and Foundations of Western Civilization” on the analysis of the fundamental challenges of the West
The book "Magic Mirror" about media analysis
Here we look at some of his analyzes of art and the West, all of which relate to the years before 1990.
Books of the martyr Avini
Art in the Thought of Martyr Avini
Language of art
Martyr Avini writes, describing the language of art:
The artist is the secret treasure of the invisible, and his language is the language of allegory. Therefore, one should know the secret of the emergence of transcendental truths and the quality of the emergence of holy matter in the world. This finding is not necessarily related to self-awareness; rather, the soul of the artist should become the home of the revelation of occult secrets and truths.
Art, thinking and mysticism
Martyr Avini explains the connection between art, mysticism and thinking:
“In theme and content, art is the same as thinking, wisdom and mysticism, and differs from them only in the way of expression and manifestation. The main source of art is love and mysticism.”
Artist
He says:
“An artist is one who is not only passionate about the truth, but has also received the power to express it from Almighty God.”
Western art
The wonderful thinker and martyr Seyyed Morteza Avini, presenting the characteristics of modern Western art, writes:
"Western art is a hadith about itself; it is not a hadith-mania about law. Western art is an expression of the egoism of modern man."
Elsewhere he writes: "Western civilization is looking for an earthly paradise. The historical course of art in the West was carried out with this goal."
Wonderful thinker martyr Avini
Art and Commitment
In his words: “The artist must be free from egoism, but at the same time, art is the same social responsibility; because human existence is the same as obligations, and art, as a manifestation of man, cannot be free from obligations.”
“An artist must be a man of pain, and this pain is not only the source of beauty and purity of art, but also the measure of humanity. A person without pain is not an artist or a person at all.”
The West through the eyes of the martyr Avini
Seyed Morteza and Western Studies
Judging by the accuracy of the various aspects of the personality of Martyr Avini, it is well known that he possessed a complete and proper knowledge of Islamic matters and teachings, and years of study and research in the field of literature made him an able writer, whose pen and mature prose are the best witness. In addition, Seyyed Morteza had an excellent command of mysticism and philosophy and was fully familiar with the philosophical schools of the world. Avini compared Islamic views and compared them with those of other schools. In Western studies, explaining its basics, he listed its weaknesses and showed ways to combat it and its negative consequences in various areas.
Global factors in the development of arrogance
Martyr Avini, explaining the totality of factors that realize the global dominance of arrogance, points out some things and says:
“Among the factors that have helped America in this world domination, three factors are of fundamental importance: modern technology must be considered the most fundamental factor in the global development of arrogance... The second factor is that people are often weak-minded, clingy to habits and they are attached and lured by appearances, and this made them willingly join the minions of this global system. The third factor, which somehow falls under the second factor, is fear, especially the fear of death. People who are weaker are more afraid of the power of America, but godly people, such like Imam Khomeini, may God have mercy on him, who put an end to differences in all respects and killed fear in his existence, speaks the truth that America cannot do anything."
Western freedom
Martyr Avini says: “The freedom that is spoken of in the West is the acceptance of slavery to habits and relationships, and this is the same as slavery. Humanity today is fleeing from freedom, and this flight from freedom is called freedom, so that water can be poured on the fire reproaches of his conscience. The practical result of the acceptance of this concept is that man does not submit to the desires of his soul; without realizing that in doing so he limits himself to the limits of his animal existence."
Martyr Avini and his colleagues are preparing a documentary about the narrative of the conquest
Ethics in Western Civilization
Martyr Avini writes about the state of morality in the Western world: “Morality in the new world is subordinated to a technological educational system that places everyone in the service of the world government, regardless of self-awareness, individuality.”
Western democracy
Martyr Avini, speaking about democracy and its truth, says:
"One of the contradictions that existed in the essence of Western civilization and has now been revealed is democracy. Democracy means the rule of the people, but in practice, even in the best examples of democratic government, the rights of the people are a mask behind which the rich hide. The idea of democracy, that is, government people, is very deceptive and attractive, but in practice a small number of people always seize power using hypocrisy and deception... Western democracies are the most complex and developed types of totalitarian systems (authoritarian) and for this reason the totalitarianism within them is hidden behind social and political institutions , the appearance of which does not indicate the truth of their existence."
Western development
According to Avini: “A developed society is a society in which everything is defined around the material axis and the enjoyment of as many pleasures as possible available on the planet.”Martyr Avini and his colleagues are preparing a program on sacred protection in war zones
Western advertising
Speaking about the truth and methods of propaganda in the West, Martyr Avini writes: “Advertising in the world today has acquired the meaning of propaganda and has sunk to the lowest levels of existence. But the divine purpose of preaching is the same duty that is entrusted to the prophets and saints of God... and it is based on the consciousness of the listeners and their human prudence. There is a phrase from Hitler that best describes the propaganda content of the West. He said: “If you want to force people to do something, aim your propaganda at their basest instincts.” Stimulate her sexual instincts to buy a sock. This sentence is the basis of Western propaganda."
The function of Western propaganda media
Martyr Avini, speaking about the function of the new propaganda tools, writes: “Governments are trying to reduce their problems in propaganda, also trying to continue to stabilize their government in the name of freedom and democracy, but depriving the people of reason, discretion and freedom.”
Expecting intellectual jihad with the West
Martyr Avini mentions with particular harshness the future of the struggle with the West:
"In the future, there will be an all-out struggle between us and the West. No more than ten years have passed since the victory of the Islamic Revolution, and its consequences are visible throughout the world. This struggle is not only military, although the military struggle is in fact a manifestation of the cultural struggle that is being waged among us, but also an intellectual and philosophical struggle. The military struggle is only the appearance of this struggle, but inside there is a much larger war, which I interpret as an intellectual jihad. It is necessary to survive this struggle so that we know the nature of the West and find the connection between the works and the instruments of Western civilization with their roots, and this is only possible through philosophy; because the West and the civilization attributed to it is the birth of philosophy."
The Promise of the Decline of Western Civilization
Martyr Avini says about this: “If the Renaissance brings man's attention back from heaven to earth, then this evolution of the human spirit will again direct man to heaven.” ...The West has survived its historical period and is now on the verge of decline and collapse. ... Now man has again turned away from the earth and his soul and turned his attention to the world of meaning and heaven, and this requires a new revolution and transformation; in contrast to what happened during the Renaissance. Man was born again, a new era began, and the earth entered the last stage of history before the end of the world.
The Islamic Revolution and the Western World Order
Explaining the truth of the world order, Martyr Avini writes:
“This system of global dominance, economically together with the global banking system based on Wall Street, controls all economic processes in the world, and the dollar is the standard of all money. From a political point of view, this system of world domination is a unified system with American rule. The system of world domination deceives humanity through spiritual and sensual tendencies."
In the introduction to the Islamic Revolution, Avini says: "The Islamic revolution is the historical rebirth of humanity after centuries of decline. This revolution is a historical repentance. Therefore, its goals are never economic, social or political; rather, it is a cultural revolution. ... This revolution is taking place from thinking based not on rationalism (the primacy of reason), but on revelation."
