Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – June 5, 1983

I was at home before noon. I was reading and resting. Effat and Yaser, along with the families of the Imam and the president, Martyr Beheshti, Martyr Motahari, and several others, went to Karaj. On the way back, they were complaining about the condition of the cars and the guards and the newly built building of the garden where they had been guests.

At two in the afternoon, we set off for Qom by car. We arrived in Qom at four in the afternoon; the Qom-Tehran freeway is very good. I went to Ayatollah Montazeri's home. We talked for half an hour. Then at the home of Mr. Yazdi, the deputy speaker of parliament, we met with the Society of Seminary Scholars [of Qom]. I raised the bill on Article 49; it was decided that they would look at it as well. Some criticisms were raised by them, and they also had some points to make. We had a good meeting. It was decided that it would be repeated. Then I went to the home of Ayatollah [Shahab al-Din Najafi] Marashi. He is ill and suffers from severe old-age weakness; he prayed. From there I went to the home of Ayatollah [Mohammad Reza] Golpaygani; they received me warmly; he had some general advice; observing the primary injunctions of Islam and avoiding pride and acting before promises are fulfilled and... and I also asked him to conduct the discussions and lessons with realism and in accordance with the daily needs of the Islamic government; so that they would be transferred from the school environment to the environment of society.

I came to the large courtyard of the shrine of Hazrat Masumeh (PBUH). A large crowd had been waiting since four in the afternoon. I arrived at seven in the evening. Along the way, people had gathered and were chanting welcoming slogans. This delay was very bad and an inexcusable mistake. The times had been scheduled unrealistically. From four to six in the afternoon; four important meetings. I spoke for an hour. The loudspeaker was very disturbing.

Then I went to Ayatollah Montazeri's home. We talked about the condition of his home and those around him and the Guardian Council and [the situation of] the prisoners and [the bill on] agricultural lands and [the events in] Isfahan and the [Islamic Republic] Party. The discussion was very useful. Then I met with the members of the Islamic Republic Party in Qom. I spoke to them. Then we came to Tehran. I arrived home at eleven-thirty at night. I was very tired. I ate a simple dinner and went to sleep.