Sayyed Hasan Ayat

Sayyed Hasan Ayat was born in 1938 in Najafabad, Esfahan. After completing elementary and high schools, he entered University of Tehran. First, he got a bachelor’s degree in Persian literature in 1959, and two years later, gained his master’s in social sciences from the same university. In 1966, Hasan Ayat received a bachelor’s degree in law from University of Tehran. He also attended a course on journalism and studied religious sciences during his studies at university. Then he started teaching in schools and higher education centres.

At the same time as the Nationalization Movement of the Oil Industry started, Ayat engaged in the political movements under the leadership of Ayatollah Kashani.

Believing in the organization of the people for saving the country, Ayat joined the Toilers Party of the Iranian Nation – affiliated with Mozaffar Baghaei-Kermani – in 1960 with a group of Kashani supporters, and could play a prominent role among these religious forces. However, after a few years, he realized the incorrectness of that Party’s campaign methods and tried to make a reform. His efforts to reform the Party were unsuccessful and his opposition to the party’s ideals led to his dismissal in 1973. In 1966, along with a group of his like-minded people, Ayat created a political-military organization that, by penetrating into the regime, especially the army, established a secret military force for carrying out the struggle, which were contributed to the victory of the Islamic Revolution. After the victory of the Islamic Revolution, Ayat joined the Islamic Republican Party and became a member of its Central Committee, where he played the role of political secretary. In the elections of the Assembly of Experts, he represented by the people of Esfahan province. Ayat and some of the representatives played the central role in adding the principle of Wilayat al-Faqih (Guardianship of the Jurisprudent) in the constitution. In the text of the draft constitution, which was prepared and compiled by the order of Imam Khomeini (ra), the lack of such a principle was felt. Ayat’s act caused him to be subject to subsequent objections and oppositions, especially when presenting his credentials in the National Consultative Assembly.

In 1980, Ayat ran for the presidential elections, but later on in the election-day he withdrew. In the first term of the National Consultative Assembly election – which was later renamed to the Islamic Consultative Assembly – he was elected as a member from Tehran. Although some of his opponents opposed the approval of his credentials, he gained a vote of confidence to fulfill his representative duties in the Islamic Consultative Assembly.

The unstable situation during the first years after the victory of the Islamic Revolution and the expansion and influence of political groups made the country face with numerous crises in such a way that it was very difficult to determine the accuracy of the claims of individuals. During this period, Hasan Ayat published articles and books, and made speeches about those who, albeit expressing apparent support, opposed the Islamic Revolution, including Nationalists, and based on the documents he had, sought to eliminate them from the political scene. Ayat in his book “Chehreh-ye Haqqiqeh-ye Mosaddeq al-Saltaneh,” severely criticized the Nationalist leaders and considered them as the forces of colonialism that the British had brought to implement their plans.

The peak of his opposition to the movements and currents that were relying on and subjecting to the foreigners, goes back to the government of the then president – Abolhasan Banisadr – and liberal groups. On August 5, 1981, Ayat was assassinated by People’s Mojahedin of Iran. “Darsha-ye az Tarikh Siyasi-e Iran” and “Negareshi Koutah bar Nehzat-e Melli-e Iran” are among other published works of Ayat.

Reference: The Encyclopedia of the Islamic Revolution