Hadis Najafi: Preparing for battle.

 

Just a few seconds before she was gunned down by security forces in the city of Karaj during a peaceful protest, Hadis Najafi is seen in a video tying back her hair in a ponytail.

This is an excerpt from my book, "Uprising: We Are The Revolution," on Amazon.com

     Hadis Najafi ended her shift at the Takata Fast Food Restaurant at 5 pm and clocked out. It had been a very busy afternoon for the lead cashier in one of the most popular cafes in the city of Karaj. The city of Karaj lay nestled up against the majestic foothills of the Alborz mountain range, a distance of just six miles from the capital city of Tehran. Karaj city was a haven for young students studying art and medical science at Azad University. For Hadis, being a student was not her passion in life. Instead, she was a dedicated “social media geek.” She loved to display the latest fashions on her Instagram account and treat her fans to Persian dancing on TikTok. Politics and religion didn’t interest her. She spent her money investing in VPN, to overcome the filtering of the internet, so she could talk to her friends online every night. The Islamic Republic of Iran along with the help of the cyber police had blocked the major social media platforms, Facebook, Twitter, Telegram, Youtube, etc. The only way to overcome government censorship was to purchase the virtual private network app.

 

     As Hadis left the restaurant and stepped out onto the sidewalk, she looked carefully in both directions, to see if she could spot the Morality Police Van and then ripped off her hijab and threw it down on the ground

     “I hate that damn thing!” Hadis muttered to herself.

     This evening, Hadis was not her cheerful self. She was not in a good mood. The tragic death of Mahsa Amini had tormented her mind all day. Dealing with impatient customers paying for their meals and complaining about the prices had pushed her to the limit. She wasn’t in the mood to listen to them, especially when a young Kurdish girl had been beaten to death by the Morality Police. Hadis had never been outspoken or political, but tonight was different. Every time she gazed at the picture of Jina Mahsa on her cell phone, lying comatose in a hospital bed, she couldn’t hold back the tears. Deep down in her soul, she felt an irresistible urgency to see justice for Jina. Hadis felt it was her duty to humanity to be Jina’s voice and scream loudly against the government‘s unjust murder of an innocent young woman.

     Hadis arrived at the bus stop and broke away from the crowd of people for a few moments. She quickly speed-dialed her friend Farzad.

     “Dorood, Farzad (Faris for hi) Chetori?” (Farsi for, “How are you?”)

     “I’m good. You just get off work, Hadis?”

     “Yes. I’m on my way home. Listen, I wanted to tell you. I am going to join the protest tonight. I heard they will be out on Eram Boulevard.”

      ”Hadis, are you crazy? You’ve never been political.”

     “I know. I know,” Hadis replied, stepping onto the arriving bus, “But I must do this for Jina. I believe we must be her voice. Women have got to rise and let this damn government know that we will not be oppressed anymore. We have the right to wear what we want to wear!”

    “Please be careful, dear friend,” Farzad cautioned Hadis.

     Hadis clicked off her cell phone and relaxed back in her seat, taking a deep breath. Tonight, was Wednesday, September 21. Wednesday was her usual night for doing live Persian dancing for her fans on TikTok, but that would have to be postponed. She would celebrate with her fans later, but tonight was reserved exclusively for Jina. “Justice for Jina” weighed heavily on Hadis’s mind, and nothing would stop her!

 

*****************

     Hadis walked through the front door of her home, exhausted, but energized to go back out. She decided to change her clothes and grab a quick bite to eat before joining the protest.  As soon as she entered the kitchen, her mother noticed her flowing blonde hair draping down over her shoulders and a frustrated look in her brown eyes.

     “Where is your hijab, Hadis? Didn’t you wear it today?  You must be so careful now these days.”

     Hadis flopped down in a chair at the kitchen table and grabbed an apple to eat.

     “I threw that damn thing away. I hate it!” Hadis answered back while munching on her apple.

     Mrs. Najafi sat down at the table across from Hadis with a worried look on her face.

     “Hadis! Don’t say that! You worry me! Look what happened to that Kurdish girl just last week!”

      Hadis set the apple down in front of her and stared back intently at her mother.

     “That’s why I threw my hijab away, Mom. I did it for Jina. I did it for every Iranian girl. We are tired of being oppressed and told what to do!” Hadis shouted back, banging her fist on the table.

    Mrs. Najafi sat quietly and took a nervous deep breath. There was no arguing with her daughter. She was very high-spirited and independent. Hadis quickly stood up from the table and dabbed her lips with a napkin.

     “I must go out tonight, dear mother. There is going to be a protest on Eram Boulevard. I need to go for Jina.”

    Mrs. Najafi rubbed her hand across her forehead and bowed her head in fear for a few moments. Then she stood up and hugged Hadis.

    “I understand Hadis. But I am so worried. I am so afraid. It is so dangerous.”

     Hadis gave her mother a reassuring look and kissed her softly on the forehead.

     “I must do this, Mom. I will be careful. I promise I won’t stay out very long.”

     Hadis left the kitchen and hurried into her bedroom. She quickly changed into a pink tank top and put on a fresh pair of blue jeans. She flopped across her bed and turned on her cell phone. The first picture that appeared was that of Jina Mahsa Amini, sitting in her living room last year, in front of a chocolate cake, celebrating her 22^nd birthday. Hadis smiled. It was one of the happiest moments for Jina. Hadis was also 22 years old, just like her hero, who was cruelly murdered just a week before her 23^rd birthday. Tears filled her eyes. She blew a kiss toward the picture on her cell phone screen.

     “Tonight, I will be your voice, dear Jina and I won’t stop shouting until you get justice!”

 

 

***************

     “Death to the dictator! Woman, life freedom!”

      The angry loud shouts of protesters filled the cool night air on Eram Boulevard.  It was just a few minutes before 8 pm as Hadis turned on her cell phone. She aimed the camera toward the protesters filling the streets. Just up ahead she noticed a bonfire in the center of the street and watched several women setting their headscarves on fire. Running swiftly toward the scene, Hadis began narrating the live video she was creating for her friends.

    “This is a scene of women burning their hijabs,” Hadis shouted out loud in laughter. “You go girls!”

     In the distance, she heard sirens and more angry shouts of protesters chanting. Tonight, she felt energized and unafraid. She had never been to a protest before. Hadis remembered back to 2019 when more than 1500 peaceful protesters were gunned down in the streets. At that time, she vowed never to be political and just mind her business. But all of that suddenly changed with the death of Jina. Tonight, was personal. Tonight, she had to make a stand for the women of Iran. She regretted her decision for being so selfish and passive a few years ago, but that had all changed.

    Passing a local hardware store, Hadis paused, catching her breath, and spoke directly into her cellphone continuing to film the protest.

     “I hope in a few years, when I look back, I will be happy that things have changed for the better. I like to think that, when I look back at this a few years later, I’ll be pleased that I joined the protest.”

     A few women, following close behind her, began chanting, “Woman, life, freedom.” They were carrying signs with a picture of JIna Mahsa Amini. At the bottom of the sign, it read, “We are all Mahsa.” Hadis was excited to see that that two young men were in the crowd of women chanting along with them. It was so encouraging for her to see men involved in the uprising and defending the rights of women.

     Suddenly, the sounds of security forces yelling for protesters to halt or they would shoot startled Hadis. Beads of sweat began rolling down her face. She took an angry deep breath and vowed once again to not be afraid. Putting her cell phone in her pants pocket, Hadis stood still for a moment. She tied back her blonde hair into a ponytail and twisted a rubber band around it to hold it into place. An exhilarating feeling of courage surged through her body. Tying back her hair was like preparing for battle. Tonight, Hadis was making a bold statement to the government that she refused to comply with the man-centered Hijab Law. This was her hair, her body, and no man had the right to control it or tell her what to do.

   The security forces began clashing with the protesters, beating some in the head with their batons. Instead of cowering in fear, Hadis closed her eyes and in her mind’s eye, she remembered back to her favorite movie, “Braveheart.” She could see the chilling scene, where William Wallace was lying across a torture rack and the King pleading with him to recant and beg for mercy. She smiled, remembering the famous last shout from William Wallace’s lips, when he screamed, “Freedom!”

     The first shot terrified Hadis! She clutched her abdomen in excruciating pain. A barrage of shots immediately followed the first one, sending frightened protesters scrambling for cover. Hadis collapsed backward on the hard pavement, struck by five more bullets in the neck, chest, and face. The beautiful blonde freedom fighter lay dead on the street in a massive pool of blood. She had made her courageous last stand on Eram Boulevard in the city of Karaj, unafraid and unashamed to die as a martyr for freedom in the never-ending struggle against gender apartheid in Iran.

                                                        

                                                                 ******************

                              

     A few days after her tragic death, a video surfaced showing a young woman tying back her blonde hair and preparing to join the protest in Karaj. The video was attributed to Hadis, just seconds before she was fatally shot. Although there is some controversy concerning the video being that of Hadis, nevertheless, it had been unanimously attributed to her as showing the final seconds of her life.

    Security forces refused to hand over Hadis’s body to her family at the hospital until they signed a pledge stating that she died of natural causes. Devastated over her tragic death, a family member, who was enlisted in the Basij (Iranian paramilitary) was finally granted permission to make a formal identification of the body. He verified that it was indeed Hadis and was horrified upon examination, that she suffered at least 20 gunshot wounds to her body at very close range.

    Mrs. Najafi, even though being warned by security not to speak publicly about her daughter’s death, declared, “My daughter was murdered for the hijab, for Mahsa Amini. She wanted to keep Masha’s name alive. Mahsa is also my daughter and all those killed are my children. She died for Mahsa. She sacrificed herself for Mahsa.”

   Shortly after her death, Hadis’s sisters, Afsoon and Shirin, published her photos and told people that she was shot, defying the government ban.

 

*****************

 

Reflection 

     Understanding the great risk, Hadis Najafi bravely took to the streets and proudly declared her right as a woman, to display her beauty, rejecting the mandatory Hijab Law. She died for the right to choose and the freedom to say no to a dictatorship government. In the last seconds of her life, she spoke up for Mahsa Amini and all Iranian women, when she tied back her hair and faced the firing squad.

    Jesus proclaimed in John 10:10:

     “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”

    For more than 40 years, The Iranian people, especially women, have suffered greatly at the hands of a corrupt and controlling government. They have had their dignity stolen, their freedom suppressed, and their lives destroyed by satanic forces. Jesus is the Good Shepherd. He desires to gently lead and guide us. Satan desires as his core mission, to kill and destroy us. In contrast, Jesus promises to protect and provide for his people. His mission is to bring us life and life to the fullest. He came to bring you true hope and freedom. He promises to remove the shackles of your oppression and give you a life filled with meaning and purpose.

 

"Shervin Hajipour's Grammy Award-winning protest anthem."

 

 

     Iranian artist, Shervin Hajipour, never dreamed that his two-and-a-half-minute ballad would be watched on Instagram by more than 60 million viewers. Gathering comments from online tweets, Shervin composed an emotional song about Iranians angry at an oppressive government and desperately yearning for a better life whose children were forced to “pick through the trash in search of their dreams.”

     Just eleven days after the unjust death of Mahsa Amini, Shervin posted a video of himself singing, “Baraye” on Instagram. The video immediately went viral! He was arrested just two days later and forced to remove the popular video and shut down his Instagram account. The 25-year-old singer was summoned to the police station and charged with encouraging riots and acting against national security.

     Despite being arrested and forced to remove the video, his song, “Baraye” refused to die in the hearts of Iranians and people all over the world. “Baraye” soon became an anthem song for worldwide protests and rallies. By October 1, crowds of Iranians around the world in over 200 cities, marched through the streets singing along to the lyrics of the song.

        “But it didn’t stop there!”

     People began calling for Hajipour’s song to be nominated for a Grammy in the “best song for social change,” category. Almost immediately, “Baraye” received 95,000 submissions for a Grammy award, according to the Recording Academy. Shervin had found a profound connection in the hearts of millions of people putting a “face” on the sufferings of Iranians.  Recording Academy CEO, Harvey Mason Jr, declared in a public statement, “The Academy steadfastly supports freedom of expression and art that’s created to empower communities in need. Because music serves the world, and the Recording Academy exists to serve music.”

     Responding to intense worldwide pressure, Shervin Hajipour was released on bail on October 4, facing charges of spreading propaganda against the regime and encouraging and inciting people to acts of violence. The Islamic Republic of Iran is notorious for squelching freedom of expression in the arts and has in the past imprisoned musicians, film directors, and dancers. Shervin Hajipour is one more example of this regime’s desperate attempt to control the minds of talented musicians who threaten their existence.

     Since “Baraye” was written and sung in Farsi, there was a demand that the song be translated into English so it could enjoy a greater reach among the people. Iranian-American singer, Rana Mansour, composed a popular version in English on YouTube, entitling it, “Woman, Life, Liberty.”

     On February 5, 2023, Shervin's anthem for the "Woman, life, freedom" uprising won a Grammy Award for best song in a "social change category., presented by First Lady, Jill Biden. A few months after receiving the award, He was sentenced to three years and eight months in prison for "spreading propaganda against the Iranian regime, and inciting unrest against national security. In addition to the sentence, Hajipour has been ordered to write an anti-US song as punishment for his very popular award-winning anthem that took the world by storm.  Shervin must craft his song about the atrocities committed by the U.S. It is blatantly obvious that this evil regime is seriously jealous of the overwhelming support that his anthem protest song received across the globe. By writing his song, Shervin Hajipour has "put a face" on every suffering Iranian, becoming a powerful voice for their human rights, something that is absolutely forbidden by this dictatorship government!

Iranian rapper, Toomaj Salehi escapes the death penalty

 "Iranians are living somewhere horrific. You are dealing with a mafia that is prepared to kill an entire nation in order to keep its power, money, and weapons."

     Thirty-three-year-old, Iranian rapper, Toomaj Salehi, can breathe a sigh of relief. Iran's supreme court has overturned the death sentence, imposed on him back in April, after being charged with "corruption on earth," assistance in sedition, propaganda against the state, and calling for riots. Back in November of 2023, Toomaj had been temporarily released on bail but then was re-arrested two weeks later after producing a video describing his torture in prison.

     Toomaj's fiery lyrics have put him constantly on the "radar screen" of the Iranian government. He is unafraid to speak out and confront the corruption of the Islamic regime. His 2021 breakout hit, "Rat hole," gets in the face of the government, "Forced officer, forced executioner, one who just follows orders, go find a rat hole."

     Toomaj gained his celebrity status and worldwide following by speaking out and supporting the people of Iran during the violent 2022 "Woman, life, freedom" uprising, after the unjust death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who was murdered in custody after being arrested on a Hijab violation, accused of showing too much hair. While in solitary confinement, Toomaj was brutally tortured by regime forces, who repeatedly hit him with electric batons and fists in the head, causing him to lose consciousness for 20 days. They also jumped on his stomach and ribs with their boots, breaking his fingers, ribs, and legs.

    My dear friend, Heather Joy, co-author of my book, "Uprising" We Are the Revolution," describes Toomaj in her article as a "truth teller, a voice that cannot be silenced." Heather believes, like I do, that Toomaj has a prophetic calling on his life, a strong leader with a compassionate heart. She describes him as a trailblazer forging a new path towards freedom for the people of Iran with his "in your face" rap lyrics!

    Heather and I meet every Sunday evening and spend up to two hours in prayer for the oppressed people in Iran. We had been storming the heavens in intercessory prayer that God would intervene and cancel his death sentence. This morning, we were overjoyed to discover that our faithful God had answered our prayers. Prior to news of Toomaj's death penalty being overturned, Canadian human rights activist, Nazanin Afshin-Jam, had been successful in persuading the House of Commons to sanction 31 regime officials in the judicial system, that were implicated directly in sentencing Toomaj. The international outrage and rallies in several cities, combined with artists like Sting and Coldplay, calling on the government to stop Toomaj's execution, have all played a significant role in putting pressure on the Islamic Republic of Iran.

     As vitally important as all of the activism behind the scenes is, Heather and I know without a doubt, how the incredible power of prayer has shifted this desperate situation. The Bible declares in James 5:16, that "the earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results," (NLT) What an encouraging promise from the Word of God that should motivate every Christian to engage in prayer regularly! The Bible portrays God as being sovereign over all of the evil actions and acts of sinful man. Daniel 2:20 (NLT) says, "He controls the course of world events."

     God is not finished with Toomaj. He has a plan for his life. He stepped in as the sovereign Lord of the universe and canceled his death sentence. While it's true, that Toomaj is certainly not out of the woods, yet one thing is for certain. The government tried but could not silence this truthteller's powerful voice!

"In defense of her honor."

 Writing the tragic story of Reyhaneh Jabbari was an incredible honor for me to scream loudly to the world about the horrific injustice that was done to this beautiful Iranian woman!

“I, Reyhaneh Jabbari, am 26 years old. With a hanging rope in front of my eyes, that I am not afraid of, I write to tell the tale that I lived...

I want to tell you everything that I said in court, which they did not understand, and everything that I cried out under torture, which was not heard. Everything that I screamed out while I was brutally kicked by four forceful interrogators, who regarded themselves as “Almighty.”

“Perhaps someone in this world would hear my cries and feel my pain…”

 

Reyhaneh Jabbari

(Prison letter #1)

Reyhaneh on trial, December 2008.

     In the Persian language, names have specific meanings that relate to life. The name, “Reyhaneh,” means, “flower, fragrance.” Ironically, my name, in the English language, “Randy” means, “defender.”

     I don’t believe that it’s a coincidence that I am writing this blog for Reyhaneh. I am not merely writing out of sympathy. It is much bigger than that! I believe I have the “God-ordained” task to live up to the meaning of my name. I want to be a “defender,” a defender of Reyhaneh’s honor as a woman. Reyhaneh was the helpless victim of a man’s uncontrollable sexual advances and she did what any honorable woman would do by defending herself.

     In Iran, the unfortunate reality is that women are the property of men, in a society that elevates the status of a man because of the Sharia Law. According to the Quran, Men are superior to women and the testimony of a woman is only worth half that of a man’s” (Surah 2:282, Surah 4:34)

     Reyhaneh grew up in this kind of culture and because she defended her honor against a former intelligence agent, her fate was sealed. The Iranian Regime would do everything in its power to protect the reputation of a government man, which meant that Reyhaneh had no hope of surviving, but instead would be sacrificed on the altar of convenience so that the Sarbandi name would not be tainted.

     Right before her execution, the Regime brought in cameramen and reporters to pressure Reyhaneh into changing her story.

     “Just say he did not try to rape me!”

     In the midst of great pressure to preserve her life, Reyhaneh refused to lie and compromise the truth, but instead she stood strong and tall as a majestic mountain and looked in the face of her accusers and responded, “ I will not lie!”

     The reason I chose the name, “a beautiful fragrance” as the subtitle of my book is because Reyhaneh exemplified and lived up to the meaning behind her name. She was a beautiful fragrance of honor, kindness, mercy, and courage. She forgave her interrogators shortly before her execution and showed kindness and compassion to the many women political prisoners who came from destitute and filthy walks of life.

     This blog is about a remarkable, extraordinary and inspiring woman who suffered greatly at the hands of an evil dictatorship and illuminated a dirty prison with the beautiful fragrances of her wonderful character.

     It is my honor and pleasure to be a voice for her honor!

"Hey, you who are silent, the next Mahsa will be yours!"

 *This is the latest blog written by my dear Iranian friend, Paymaneh Sabet. Paymaneh is an Iranian journalist and human rights activist living in exile in Malaysia, forced to leave her homeland by a dictatorship government that would sentence her to life in prison for speaking out

  The next Mahsa will be yours

“Hey, you who are silent, the next Mahsa will be yours.”

     

     This was the slogan that Iranians chanted in the streets after Mahsa Amini, a young woman, was brutally killed by the morality police in Iran. Her death sparked a wave of protests and outrage among the Iranian people, especially women, who have been suffering from oppression and violence for decades under the Islamic regime. In this article, I want to tell you why the world should not ignore the plight of the Iranian people and why we should stand with them in their struggle for freedom and dignity.

     I was born and raised in Iran; a country that has been ruled by a dictatorship since 1979. I have witnessed many atrocities and injustices committed by the regime against its own people. I have seen many of my relatives, friends, and fellow citizens being arrested, tortured, executed, or exiled for expressing their opinions, beliefs, or desires. I have seen many women being harassed, beaten, or killed for not obeying the strict dress code or for demanding their rights. I have seen many children being deprived of education, health care, or a bright future because of poverty, corruption, or sanctions.

     I have also seen many people who chose to remain silent or indifferent to these crimes. Some of them were afraid of the consequences of speaking out or taking action. Some of them were selfish or greedy and cared only about their own interests or benefits. Some of them were ignorant or naive and believed that the regime would change or reform itself. Some of them were hopeful or optimistic and thought that things would get better someday.

     But they were all wrong. The regime did not change or reform itself. It became more brutal and oppressive. Things did not get better. They got worse. The fire that the regime had ignited in Iran spread to other countries and regions. The regime supported terrorist groups and militias in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, Gaza, and elsewhere. The regime provoked conflicts and wars with its neighbors and rivals. The regime threatened the security and stability of the whole world with its nuclear ambitions and ballistic missiles.

     The fire that the regime had ignited in Iran also burned many of those who had remained silent or indifferent. The next Mahsa was Kian, a young boy who was shot dead by security forces while he was returning home from his grandmother’s house in his father’s car. The next Mahsa was Armita Gheravand, a teenage girl who was attacked to death by three women who were paid by the regime to enforce the hijab on other women. Also, there were others before Mahsas. Neda Agha-Soltan, a university student who was shot dead by a sniper while she was watching a peaceful demonstration.

     The next Mahsa could be anyone. It could be you or your loved ones. It could be me or my loved ones though I lost my beloved cousin Saeed Tahmasebi and his lovely wife on Ukraine plane 20 days after their wedding, the couple who were not even living inside Iran.  It could be anyone who cares about human rights, democracy, justice, peace, and love.

     That is why I decided to speak up and take action. That is why had no choice but seeking asylum after I was marked and threatened by the members of Iranian embassy here in Malaysia. The asylum that has not been granted to me after 10 years as the UN is still pending my case for being an Iranian.  That is why I write books, blogs, and articles for radio programs to expose the crimes of the regime and to support the Iranian people. That is why I urge you to do the same.

     Do not remain silent or indifferent to the plight of the Iranian people. Do not let the regime get away with its crimes. Do not let the fire that the regime has ignited in Iran burn you or your loved ones.

     Stand with the Iranian people in their struggle for freedom and dignity. Support their demands for human rights, democracy, justice, peace, and love. Put pressure on your governments to stop dealing with the regime and to impose sanctions on its leaders and their children. Help the Iranian refugees and activists who are living in exile or under threat.

     The next victim will be your if you do not act now.

     The time to act is now.

     The time to stand with Iran is now.

     But the regime does not want you to stand with Iranians. The regime wants you to be distracted and divided by its plots and provocations. The regime wants you to forget about Mahsa and the Iranian people. The regime wants you to focus on the conflicts and violence that it has created or fueled in the region and the world.

     The regime is behind the chaos and bloodshed that is happening in Israel and Gaza. The regime is supporting Hamas and Islamic Jihad, two terrorist groups that are firing rockets at Israeli civilians and causing death and destruction. The regime is also inciting hatred and violence among Palestinians and Israelis, who have been living together peacefully for years. The regime is exploiting the suffering and anger of the people to advance its agenda and interests.

     The regime is also behind the attacks and threats that are targeting innocent people in Europe and America. The regime is sponsoring or inspiring terrorists and extremists who are carrying out bombings, shootings, stabbings, or kidnappings. The regime is also spreading propaganda and misinformation to sow discord and distrust among the people and their governments. The regime is trying to undermine the values and principles that are shared by the free and democratic nations.

     The regime is doing all this to divert the attention of the world from its crimes and failures. The regime is doing all this to weaken the resistance and solidarity of the Iranian people and their supporters. The regime is doing all this to escape the accountability and justice that it deserves.

     Do not fall for the regime’s tricks and traps. Do not let the regime deceive you or divide you. Do not let the regime make you forget or ignore Mahsa and the Iranian people.

     Remember Mahsa, Remember Armita. Remember their courage and sacrifice. Remember their voice and message. Remember their slogan: Hey, you who are silent, the next Mahsa/Armita will be yours.

     Remember Mahsa and Armita, and stand with Iran.

     Stand with Iranians before it is too late!

"Hasti Panahi, Awaken!"

 

"Open your mouth with a mighty decree, I will fulfill it NOW, you'll see. The words that you speak, so shall it be!"

                               (Psalm 81:10, The Passion Translation)

      Every Sunday evening, I meet with my Christian friend, Heather on the internet and we spend up to two hours praying for the oppressed people in Iran, especially women, who are specifically targeted by the Morality Police for refusing to wear their hijab. Since September of 2022, we had been very busy praying and being a voice for Iranian women, after the unjust murder of 22 year-0ld Mahsa Amini, who was beaten while in custody for wearing an improper hijab. Her death sparked the #Woman,life,freedom uprising in Iran, which by January of 2023 had already claimed the lives of over 700 peaceful protesters and the arrest and torture of thousands of others.

     During one of our prayer sessions in January of 2023, I distinctly remembered sharing with Heather, the tragic story of a young Iranian school girl, who had been severely beaten in the head by security forces while at school. 16 year-old, Hasti Hossein Panahi, was confronted by the school principal and shown a video of her taking part in an anti-government protest rally and ripping up a picture of the Supreme Leader. A few minutes later, Hasti and her classmates were taken away from the school to an undisclosed location and reportedly beaten by security forces. Hasti suffered severe brain trauma and lapsed into a coma. The doctors told her family that she had very little chance of recovery. It was at the same time in January that hundreds of young school girls had been rushed to the hospital suffering from some unusual type of toxic poisoning. It was suspected that the government was behind their deliberate poisonings, since videos of the schoolgirls protesting against the Supreme Leader, had been uploaded to the internet and now The Islamic Republic of Iran was exacting revenge on them!

     As Heather and I began praying, I cried out to God to heal Hasti and miraculously awaken her out of her coma!

    The powerful promise of Psalm 81:10 echoed in my mind during my prayer time and I clearly remember declaring, "Awaken Hasti, awaken! I speak life unto you. Awaken from your coma!" God promises us in Psalm 81:10 to "Open your mouth with a mighty decree, I will fulfill it now, you'll see. The Words that you speak, so shall it be." 

     The powerful promise of Psalm 81:10 gave me incredible boldness to decree Hasti's healing and confidently expect that she would awaken from her life-threatening comatose condition.

     Months passed by and there were no updates about Hasti's condition. Heather and I continued to meet and pray for her recovery. In March of that same year, I published my newest book, entitled, "Uprising: We are the Revolution," that told the tragic stories of  young Iranian women who had been killed by the government for peacefully protesting in the streets. Being a voice for the oppressed women of Iran is the passion of my life and I wanted to educate readers about their daily struggles for freedom under a dictatorship government.

    The last news item that I had read about Hasti's condition was that the doctors sadly informed her family that she was brain dead and had no hope of recovery. But doctors don't have the final word! When doctors say there is no hope, that's when Jesus steps in and declares, "I am writing your story, dear Hasti. I will have the final say. I am writing the next chapter of your life and no demonic force in hell can stop your miracle!"

     Three months after our passionate prayer for Hasti's recovery, Jesus miraculously awakened Hasti from her coma! You cannot begin to imagine the absolute joy that Heather and I experienced when we read the incredible news! Hasti emerged from her coma after six months and was released from the hospital in a wheelchair. She is unable to move her arms and legs because of the severe brain injury, but Heather and I know that God is not finished with Hasti's miracle. We are overwhelmed with joy at what God has done in response to our decree, one January night, when we cried out in prayer, "Hasti awaken!" God didn't revive Hasti from a life-threatening coma to leave her confined to a wheelchair for the rest of her life. We are praying and fully expecting our great God to finish writing Hasti's miraculous story, by raising her up out of her wheelchair so that she can finish school. Our prayer now is that God will open a door for Hasti and her family to escape from Iran and find a host country with a doctor that will treat her for her paralysis. No 16 year-old girl should have to live under such oppressive conditions with the fear of being beaten for not wearing a hijab when she goes out publicly. The young women of Iran are now under video surveillance by the government and small business owners will be shut down if they allow them to inside without wearing a proper hijab.

     I regularly use Psalm 72 when praying for my dear Iranian friends. Psalm 72 is a powerful promise that God will rescue the oppressed when they cry out to him. Verse 12 declares that "He will redeem them from oppression and violence, for their lives are precious to him," (New Living Translation.)

     Hasti's life is precious to our compassionate God. He has not finished writing her story. He has a plan and purpose for her life and very soon, Heather and I expect that we will hear the amazing news that she can finally walk again!

Toomaj Salehi: Truth teller, a voice that cannot be silenced.

 

Heather Joy, my co-author from our book, "Uprising: We are the revolution," writes a powerful plea to be a voice for imprisoned Iranian rapper, Toomaj Salehi.

Toomaj Salehi

Truth-teller: a voice that cannot be silenced.

“If you’re not in the fight {for freedom} with us, then don’t bother

fighting for my release.”

Heather Joy

 

     Toomaj woke up at the sound of his alarm. It was 8am in the beautiful city of Isfahan. Toomaj pulled back the covers, went to his closet, and picked out his outfit for the day. Then, he walked to the bathroom where he brushed his teeth and took a shower. Fifteen minutes later, he put on his clothes and walked to the dining room. He pulled out one of the chairs from the dining room table and put on his favorite pair of sneakers. Toomaj grabbed his keys and wallet before heading out to his day job where he worked as a welder at a metal factory. Although Toomaj was a top-notch employee and enjoyed the company of his fellow co-workers, his truest passion is music. His rap lyrics speak of the injustice and oppression that Iranians have suffered under such a corrupt and notoriously wicked regime.

 

     In addition to his musical career, Toomaj has maintained a strong social media presence. When you listen to his words, he makes you think about things from a different perspective. It is not surprising that Toomaj has a large following and thousands continue to be inspired by him. He is a strong leader and has a compassionate heart. I personally believe, deep in my heart, that Toomaj has a prophetic calling upon his life. He has yet to discover it but in due time, he shall step into it. On his personal accounts, he sought to bring encouragement to his fellow Iranians. He would stress the importance of unity and caring for one another. One day, I randomly stumbled upon one of his videos, and in it, Toomaj proclaimed that “this country is ours; it belongs to the people.” I decreed these exact words!!! What a prophetic confirmation to the things that the Lord has spoken to me, concerning Iran and her precious people! The land of Iran has been prophetically claimed for good things! Like Toomaj, many Iranians are trailblazers, who are forging a new path towards freedom.  Behind the scenes, I believe that the Living God is creating a new future for the Iranian people that is more glorious than what is seen in this current season of turmoil.

 

      As a prominent figure with a significant platform, media outlets would request interviews with him and Toomaj would often discuss the plight of his nation, the barbarity that Iranians have suffered and continue to endure, and ways in which people {or other nations} can stand in solidarity and press {with international pressure} for regime change. In one of his interviews with a Canadian news outlet, when asked about his thoughts regarding the regime, Toomaj boldly stated, “We are dealing with a mafia that is willing to kill the entire nation to keep their power, money, and guns.” Yet the regime has continued to fail in their efforts to silence Toomaj. Stretching all the way back to 2021, he would have encounters with security forces who wanted to confront him on the basis of his rap lyrics.

 

     The following year, they subsequently arrested him on January 12, 2022, charging him with “activities of propaganda, and inciting the Supreme Leader.” Toomaj’s sentence would be deferred for 6 months and he would be released on bail as his supporters condemned his arrest. During that six-month period, Toomaj was summoned to court but he skipped his court date to write another song entitled, “Tanabe Daar” {Gallows Noose} Toomaj continued to create more song lyrics and conduct more interviews until he was arrested on September 12, 2022. The IRGC traveled to the province of Chaharmahal {in Isfahan} and barged into Toomaj’s home, placing handcuffs on his wrists and shoving him outside to one of their vans. He faced the same charges but they would not stand. Nine days later, on September 21, 2022, the outcry of his supporters combined with increased international pressure led to his release, though it would be short-lived. After the unjust murder of Mahsa Amini, Toomaj joined his fellow countrymen in the streets. Between his rap lyrics, and joining the protests, the IRGC tried to paint Toomaj as a terrorist, saying “he’s a leader of the riots, and he incites violence.” I posit that the regime is fearful of truth-tellers like Toomaj. He is a leader but not in the way that he has been painted. Just a month later, Toomaj was re-arrested on October 30, 2022. They blind-folded him, placed handcuffs on his wrists, and shoved him back into one of their vans.  The state media claimed that Toomaj was fleeing the country in order to tarnish his reputation even further and paint him as not only a terrorist but a coward.

 

     Toomaj is no coward; he would not abandon his fellow Iranians as they continue to fight for freedom. After all, freedom is not a crime!

 

      On November 26, 2022, after he had been sitting in a prison cell for some time, the Revolutionary Court held Toomaj’s trial behind closed doors where he would face a different set of charges. His lawyer was barred from seeing him or providing any sort of legal defense. Instead, Toomaj was charged with “Moharebeh” {enemy of God} and corruption upon the earth. He is in imminent danger of being executed. As of this writing, his family has not heard from or spoken to Toomaj since his latest arrest. He is currently being held in Dastgard Prison where he has undergone severe physical and psychological torture. It has been over 100 days since Toomaj was placed in solitary confinement and he has wavered in and out of consciousness since the start of his sentence. His body has been wracked with pain. At this point in time, they have broken his ribs, making each breath nearly unbearable. They have broken one of his legs, leaving him unable to walk. Other injuries include a broken nose and fingers. Toomaj has also lost his eyesight in one eye. He has gone on a hunger strike to protest the unjust and downright cruel ways in which the regime continues to treat political prisoners.

 

     Security forces have denied Toomaj from receiving any level of medical care, of which he is in urgent need. They are doing everything they can to break his spirit but he continues to be strong in the face of it all. To fight for his life and not back down from speaking the truth, it must be noted that psychological torture is no joke. Though he is a freedom fighter and has a strong will to survive each hardship that is thrust upon him, he is also a human being. Toomaj is struggling with the battle going on in his mind. The mental scars he carries will require much healing. Toomaj knew the risks but he has always stood his ground. He exemplifies courage and truth is important to him. Do not believe any false confessions that the regime would seek to extract from him and use as another means to promote fear. I do not believe that he would compromise the truth. In this age and hour, every evil thing will be exposed and brought to the light. For close to four decades, the regime has set themselves up as “God.” However, in the {ongoing} fight for freedom, the people's courage and their bravery speaks more powerfully.

 

      Join in this fight for freedom, for freedom is worth fighting for. Be Toomaj’s voice, as he has been a voice for the voiceless and has inspired positive change all over the world.  As for this regime, they are being exposed for everything that they are and for everything that they stand for. Their time will soon come to an end!