The Story of Parvin: Reflections on Hope in an Age of War and Intervention

     "I realized of course that they wanted to kill us," says Parvin. "I'd heard that two members of Mojahe-deen Khanegh in Isfahan had recently been killed this way, just taken to some place outside the city and murdered, hacked to death. I was sure this would also be our destiny."

     What Would Mohammed Do?

     But then something extraordinary occurred. As they drove the main road between Isfahan and Lenjan, Parvin searched the faces of the two guards. In desperation, she thought perhaps there was some way to appeal to the conscience of these young men. One of the guards had a more sympathetic look about him, so Parvin decided she would try to talk to him. She asked his name. Muktari, he responded.

     "Muktari, do you consider yourself a true believer of Islam?"

     "Of course," he responded. "What kind of question is that?'

     "What about Imam Ali [the first Shiite Imam]? Is he your role model?"

     "Of course. Why do you ask this?"

     "'The prophet Mohammed, do you take him as your role model?" Again, yes.

     "Muktari, do you remember the story we learned as children in mosque about the Jewish woman who every morning would throw ashes and dirt at the Prophet Mohammed, mistreat him? But when she got sick how Prophet Mohammed went to her house with flowers asking after her health? Do you know this was how Prophet Mohammed treated people who believe differently?"

     The guard did not answer. Parvin thought she better keep talking. "Do you remember how Imam Ali as caliph had sent instructions to all his generals and governors that if he heard that any of them had taken even a ring off the hand of a Jewish woman or a Christian woman because they were not of the same faith, how he would dismiss them and tell them that they were not of his faith?"

     Muktari nodded his head. Yes, he knew the story. Parvin thought it was time to ask the question that was really on her mind. "Muktari, do you think Prophet Mohammed would agree with these people who want to kill us? They say we think differently, but we have not even being tried or convicted of any crime. Would Prophet Mohammed agree we should be killed just because they say we are infidels?"

     What happened next Parvin says will remain forever burned in her memory. "I was so nervous. This guard was averting my gaze, so I wasn't sure what he was thinking. But then he just turned toward me. 'No,' he said. 'You are right. I am not going to let them touch you. I swear to you I will not.' Then he yelled to the driver to stop the bus. I'm sure the vigilantes thought now they were going to get their hands on us. But Muktari opened the door of the bus and from the steps loudly ordered the men to leave. We were his pris-oners, he declared, and he was not going to allow them to touch us."

      The thugs were not easily dissuaded. "They started arguing with him, insisting he hand us over," Parvin recalls. "They tried bargaining, saying they were just going to kill one of the men and myself. But Muktari was absolutely adamant now that they leave. Some of them protested loudly that the agreement was to hand us over. Muktari shouted that he would shoot anyone who made a move toward the bus. Then he cocked his weapon to fire. I looked over at the other guard, worried that he would oppose Muktari. But he just looked confused and made no move. Then Muktari ordered the driver to go. So we took off again with this gang following us. Fortunately, we made it safely to the security office in Lenjan where we were told to call someone to come for us. Some of the vigilantes were still outside the Committee headquarters. So Muktari went up on the building's flat roof and again threatened to shoot anyone who didn't leave immediately. Fi-nally, they left."

     Another World is Possible

     Parvin says she still reflects often about the incident in Isfahan. "We were saved by the humanity of this young man who was our guard. I tell everyone I owe my life to Muktari." Notably, the same circumstances a year later would almost certainly have found them dead, she says. In time idealistic people like Muktari would be purged from the security ranks. As the Islamic Republic consolidated its power, it would become far less likely that an individual would act on his own conscience in such circumstances. Parvin adds that she never saw Muktari again.

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