The Basiji lifestyle, a pattern for the Jihadi movement

An investigation of the parameters of the Basiji lifestyle in the Islamic Revolution discourse
The turbulent events following the first few months of the formation of the revolution had created the necessity for the public mobilization of the nation in order to defend the country against the tensions made by the enemies of the revolution. Meanwhile, occupying the espionage nest by the students who followed Imam and being clear that this embassy is used as a base for espionage and conspiracy against the Islamic Republic, set the Islamic revolution in a unique circumstances directly confronting the USA. The Americans’ threat of doing a military operation to free the spies was a concern which paved the way for establishing a coherent, trained military and revolutionary force for defending the Islamic revolution. In that condition, the Mobilized Forces of the Oppressed was established by Imam Khomeini’s order in Azar 5th 1358 (1980). While he was visiting a number of the revolutionary guards in those days, Imam had this to say about the necessity of defending the country: “The Islamic country must be a military as a whole. It must have military training….a country which turns into a country with a youth population of 20 million who all have military training. It must have an army of 20 million and such a nation is not vulnerable.”
Ever since, Basij has been successfully present in various areas and undoubtedly no other combination could replace it. The supreme leader of the revolution, while visiting the commanders of the Basij Ashura groups from all over the country, described this magnificent era of the presence of Basij in safeguarding the revolution as such:
“If there were no mobilized forces, if there was no Basij, this great force of Hezbollah – we lost the war; and we also lost against many enemies over that past few years and would have been vulnerable. They wanted to close down our factory; the Hezbollah forces created factories from the inside. They wanted to set our farm on fire during the first years of the Revolution; the Hezbollah forces created farms in the middle of the deserts and villages to their surprise. They wanted to set the streets on fire; the Hezbollah forces came out to safeguard and take the bullet to the chest and make a stand against them. And the war is very clear! This is the main force of the country. The Islamic regime relies on this force.”
The end of the eight years of the Holy Defense and the full resistance of the nation against the invaders was the beginning chapter of a new season for the Islamic revolution: “The age of restoration and construction”! Meanwhile, there were some whispers that by the end of the war condition and the coming of peace, it is time for some of the revolutionary institutes, such as the mobilized forces of the oppressed, to cease existing and be annulled. In other words, the end of the imposed war was interpreted as the end of the life of Basij. These inauspicious calls were made and heard from three different sources:
1-The enemies of the Islamic revolution, and America in their center, which had received the severest blows from the Basij and the Basijis and they followed this line through their media wars and their propaganda.
2-The second source rooted in individuals who were not directly involved in the turbulent scenes of the revolution over the first decade since the revolution and were only observing the events from afar. Some hedonistic individuals who had not touched the problems and hardships and in line with the foreigners repeated the same words.
3-The third group were some of the political forces which looked at the revolutionary institutes as an obstacle in realizing their political intentions and goals in taking the most advantage of the power and thus posed their plan for the Basij dissolution. In such circumstances, the leader of the revolution as an ideologue and the great interpreter of the Islamic revolution said so:
“In reply to that question, what is the position of Basij in our country after the war era? I would say, that Basij must maintain the same rigor, passion, and morale which had during the war years and the youth must be trained, organized and be prepared to act”.
“Many wanted to pretend that by the end of the war, the Basij also comes to the end of the line. This was an evil indoctrination and perhaps the enemies had a hand in it. But I say to you, that there is no end to Basij. It must be developed and empowered each day. The Basiji morale and knowledge must become commonplace so that this country can fulfill the mission and carry the heavy weight on its shoulders which is the divine guidance and the happiness of humankind. Therefore, there is no end to Basij”.
Elsewhere, the supreme leader has said:
“Some assumed that by the end of the war, there will be also an end to Basij. And some also thought that there will be no need for Basij to exist after the war! Such thoughts have no spiritual wisdom and cannot be any better. That day, Basij safeguarded the geographical borders of the country in the battle-field and showed itself; but are the defensive lines of the revolution exclusive to the geographical borders only?”
The wise position of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic revolution was an end of the psychological war that had been started and continued against the organization of Basij. However, on an even more important scale, what is still challenged by words and actions is the Basiji mentality and lifestyle. The Basiji outlook was born with the Islamic revolution and is indeed a lifestyle that the Islamic revolution has presented to human beings living in the 20th century based on the Islamic and Koranic teachings. This mode of lifestyle reached its apex during the eight years of the holy defense and the Islamic revolution utopia was realized in the Basij camps in the battlefield with the enemy. The ideal community in which all the human virtues were manifested and showed the proof for their reality and being achievable.
Who is a Basiji?
Again, we come to defining the Basiji identity and character, meditating over its concept is one of the most important duties of the present generation of the Basijis at the threshold of the fourth decade since the revolution without which Basij would be exposed to threats, risks and new challenges. There is no question that since Basij is the dear and decent child of the great leader of the Islamic revolution, Imam Khomeini and his true disciple Ayatollah Khamenei, to get a true understanding of the meaning of Basiji and the features and qualities of the Basiji identity, we must turn to his words and opinions and review the words from these two great men.
Basiji means:
1-A faithful heart;
2-A thinking mind;
3-Being prepared for all the fields which human duties necessitate;
This is what is meant by the word ‘Basiji’
A-The essence and features of Basij:
1-Feelings merged with intellectuality;
2-actions and movements together with intellectual rudiments;
3-Pragmatism coupled with idealism
4-Observing the distant horizons
“These are a combination of what makes up the Basiji mentality and identity”.
5-A combination which frightens the enemy and makes the friends hopeful and assured. This is the meaning of Basij.
6-A very profound movement based on the needs of the Islamic world: Basij is not a rootless and superficial movement solely based on emotions. Basij is a reasonable and profound Islamic movement based on the demands of the Muslim world and – in a basic way – the Islamic society. The Holy Koran says: “O’ prophet, God made you successful and assisted you both by his own grace and by the believers. The vast numbers of the believers who are mentioned here is another way of mentioning what we call today "the Basijis".
7-Being present in the scene: Basij means being present in the fields which are demanded and called upon by the Islamic regime, by human duty, divine duty and the needs of the country. Basiji is any member from the population of the nation who is ready wherever his presence is needed.
8-The Basiji morale: it is a morale which, if created in any class or at any point, leads to more activity, content, movement and liveliness; this is the meaning of Basij.
9-The presence of the most faithful in defense of the country: Basij means the presence of the best and most energetic and the most faithful forces of a great nation in the fields needed for the realization of the national interests and for the superior goals of the country. The best, the noblest, the most honest and the most honored human beings always possess these qualities. Basij in a country points to the group who are prepared to carry this flag of glory and invest for it which is not going to be easy.
10-An unofficial combination at the service of the revolution: Basij means that the authorities and systems of the nation should not just rely on official and governmental organizations to defend the country and take huge steps. During the war, we have powerful armed forces, we have the army and the revolutionary guards but when the field for safeguarding the national borders or the independence and honor of the nation are intended and are opened, the official organizations are not the only bodies that enter the arena but the masses also help and enter the field just as they did before and after the war. This is the meaning of Basij.
B-The identity-giving features of the Basiji lifestyle and thought:
1-Profound faith;
2-Honest endeavor;
3-Being alert in knowing the enemy;
4-Forgiving and making sacrifices for a friend;
5-Invincible and courageous resistance….
“And this is the ultimate truth for which our great Imam was proud for being a Basiji.”
6-A clear mind;
7-Wise and logical moves
8-Meticulous calculations, works and scientific results;
“This is one of the qualities that has been manifest since the first day until now among the Basiji mobilized forces.”
9-Awakening
11-Having an incentive
12-Faith
13-Hope
14-reliance upon divine guidance and trust into divine help
“This is the main feature of Basij, this is a culture.”
The Basiji culture:
1-Spirituality
2-Courage
3-Zeal and spirit
4-Independence
5-Free-mindedness
6-Not being enslaved by demeaning desires
C-The field where Basij is active
Basij means coming to the scene and coming to the field. The field of major and vital challenges.
1- Not restricting Basij to the battlefield: when we look at Basij analytically and carefully, we see that the military battlefield was not the only area where Basij was active. It was the will of god that the mobilized forces of the country showed such a power in the hardest fields that were the battlefields and even the pessimists believed that Iran is a powerful nation.
2- The man for all the national fields: all the fields in which Basij has been active were national fields; the areas which were related to all the people such as the Holy Defense, public service and construction. The country would always need such a great combination of the best children of our country.
3- The country’s efficient task force for every aspect: Basij means the country’s efficient force for all the aspects. There was the question of war and Basij proved its efficiency. If other aspects come up, which has been the case so far, again Basij will prove its efficiency. The same young man who was overwhelmed by love and passion and was all ears for the commander and amazed the commander for his honesty, sacrifice and love would come to a university and amazes his teachers; and it is the same when he enters a science laboratory; and also the same when he enters the area of political analysis.
4- The man for all the hard fields: among the masses of our 65 million nation, those who will sacrifice their lives if necessary; if money is needed, they will give, if there is need for their bodies, they will be prepared; if there is the question of construction, they set foot in the field, if there is the question of defense, they come forward; if it is necessary for them to be prepared scientifically for the country’s goals, they would be prepared; whatever ultimate goals they are being asked, they are ready to give; the group that has this feature is called the Basij.
5- The Basiji’s power at the service of the country’s public Jihad: Basij means a combination of humans who bring their powers to the field to be active in their country’s public Jihad in achieving the goals and cooperate with them and have a share in their work; this is the meaning of Basij.
6- Basij feels responsibility for the revolution in all areas: even today, the Basiji feels responsibility for the country and works to make it prosper. To preserve its national independence, he would do anything and even makes sacrifices and, even today, when he feels that the enemy wants to influence the country from a vacuum he would make a stand again the enemy.
7- The Basiji culture is a guarantee for the country’s progress: if any of the systems in our country acquire the Basiji culture, their success would be greater….it is the Basiji culture which can prevail over all the changes in this country and guarantee its progress.
8- The man who stands against the enemy: if, one day, an enemy attacks the country, who is going to fight against it?
-One who is more interested in his country than anyone else;
-One who is interested in his nation.
-One who is less interested in material possessions.
-One who feels greater responsibility and is more committed. Such a person goes to defend the country. During the war, who went to the fronts? The majority of the battlefield was filled by the Basij.