16 Facts About Navvab Safavi

Mojtaba Mir-Lohi, better known as Navvab Safavi, was a Shia cleric of Pahlavi Iran and founder of the Fada'iyan-e Islam group.

Navvab Safavi played a role in assassinations of Abdolhossein Hazhir, Haj Ali Razmara and Ahmad Kasravi.

Navvab Safavi's father, Javad Mir-Lohi, was a cleric who spent many years in jail for having slapped Reza Shah's minister of justice, Ali Akbar Davar, in the face, and thus the young Navvab was raised by his maternal uncle, Mahmood Navvab Safavi, whose name he eventually adopted.

Navvab Safavi staged a demonstration against the prohibition of hijab in the same school when he was not more than 18 years old.

Navvab Safavi escaped and left Abadan for Basra and then Najaf in Iraq by boat at night.

Navvab Safavi decided, to pursue religious studies at Najaf in 1943.

Navvab Safavi learned jurisprudence, principles and interpretation from masters such as Abdolhossein Amini, Hossein Qomi and Agha Sheikh Mohammad Tehrani.

Navvab Safavi is said to have been known for his striking looks and his "mesmerizing" speaking ability, and compared his own charisma and magnetism over the masses to that of Hasan-i Sabbah, the leader of the Assassins.

Navvab Safavi founded the Fada'iyan-e Islam organization in 1945, and began recruiting like-minded individuals.

Navvab Safavi believed that Islamic society needed to be purified.

Amir Taheri claims that Navvab Safavi was "the man who introduced Khomeini to the Muslim Brotherhood and their ideas," who "spent long hours together" with Khomeini in discussion, and visited him in Qom on a number of occasions during 1943 and 1944.

Navvab Safavi worked with Kashani, helping organize bazaar strikes against Premier Ahmad Qavam, public meetings in support of Palestinian Arabs, and a violent demonstration in 1948 against Premier Abdolhossein Hazhir.

Navvab Safavi demanded the government drive the British out, and that it release "with honour and respect" the assassination of Razmara.

Navvab Safavi questioned him about the robberies that his organization committed at gunpoint, Safavi replied:.

Navvab Safavi called for excommunication of Borujerdi and the defrocking of religious scholars who opposed Shi'i Islamism, a practice realized after establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran for Ayatullah Mohammad Kazem Shariatmadari and other clerics through Special Clerical Court.

Navvab Safavi should be benevolent and fatherly in ruling the people.