Iran And Iranians,2nd Edition Poem by Matloob Bokhari

IRAN AND IRANIANS
Matloob Bokhari
Cleanliness
The importance of cleanliness and hygiene cannot be overlooked by any society. Every faith and civilisation stresses the importance of cleanliness. Cleanliness has been considered one of the important factors by which to judge a civilisation's or society's development.
In the Quran, worship and seeking Allah's love is conditioned with cleanliness and purity as the Holy Book says, ' Allah loves those who make themselves clean and pure" (9: 108) . Furthermore, in one of his sayings, the Holy Prophet (PBUH) has termed cleanliness as half of faith. This fundamental and powerful tenet of the faith is reflected in Iranians' society. I think Iranians as individual as well as collective are practicing this valuable principle of Islam.
No matter which time of the day, you venture out, no matter which city of Iran, you visit, you will find it clean. I am sure the administration and the Iranian people are ensuring the cities are clean during the day and night.
Even in the extremely busy Bazaars, which have thousands of visitors , it is difficult to find any dirt, garbage, cigarette butts or plastic packets in the streets. I could not see any feral cats or stray dogs anywhere nor I saw cockroaches and mosquitos in the hotels.
I was impressed with the cleanliness in public toilets too.
Iran is richer than many Muslim countries and is cleaner than the entire middle east combined.
Its cleanliness standards if not better but are not less than England.
Hotels in Iran
The hotels in Iran are neat and clean and smelt fresh. The bathrooms are clean and smelt good. The sparkingly clean rooms and gleaming bathrooms impact the guests satisfaction. The housekeepers visit the rooms regularly to make the rooms tidy. The percentage of employees in hotel industry is female dominated.
Persian Cuisine or Iranian Food is one of the world's finest. The foundation of most Persian dishes is rice, meat, and salad, often served with a side of fresh herbs, cheese and yogurt.
The waiters and waitresses always wear gloves while serving ready -to - eat foods.
The glove wearing etiquettes are must for the diners. Waiters and waitresses don't allow you to take food with out wearing gloves
People stand in queues patiently to take foods.
Waiters and waitresses in the hotels have proper dress code.
Hotel furniture of elegant shape and finest material, beautiful curtains that dress the windows and persian carpets of rich colours and spectacular artistic designs- all contribute to the feeling of warmth in a hotel room.
Civic sense
I have never seen any Iranian peeing against the wall as is a common practice in our country. There is no concept of urinals as the toilets are available for attending to nature's call. I have never seen anyone throwing garbage on road. They throw their garbage carefully in the dustbins which are placed almost everywhere even in the bathrooms. No pressure horn, no wall chalking nor they spit while walking in the streets. They greet the visitors with a friendly smile first by welcoming as Khushamdeed. They have rich tradition of sharing dry fruits and sweets which is a symbol of sharing happiness and love. By sharing with others and caring for others, promote a very sound value and create a very good impression on the visitors.
I don't know whether teaching civic sense is part of their school curriculum or being ingrained these values and manners by the families or there is a strict Govt policy in this regard is an interesting subject of study for the researchers.
Education in Iran
Education being the spine of every nation is also the key to development. Realizing this fact, Iran is making great efforts to educate its youth.
I think parents, teachers and religious leaders in Iran are focusing a lot on manners and etiquettes of their youth. They are paying particular attention on developing social skills, teaching them how to interact in a polite manner with people and treat others with respect.
I could not get formal chance to study indepth the education system of Iran, however, my empirical study on education system of Iran is based on my observations of young men whom I interacted in the streets, in the masques, in the holy shrines or in the graveyards or in the hotels. Good etiquettes and manners of Iranians youth reflected that the schools are not producing crammers or memoriters. The young men whom I interacted during my stay reflected the basics of fundamentals of etiquettes, as they were considerate, respectful, polite, moderate and kind. They behaved, talked, listened and responded politely. They were well dressed, and were having trimmed beard and decent hair cut. Mostly don't smoke. They waited in line for taking food in hotels, walked properly and ate food decently. These all showed the good etiquettes, taught to the Iranians youth by the teachers and parents.
They are not extremists, but are quite religious minded as I saw in the Imam Raza shrine in Mashed and in the Shrine of Fatima Masumeh in Qum and in Masjid Jamkaran, they were offering smilingly biscuits, juices, water, sweets and tea to the visitors.
Iranian youth, as I experienced, fully believe in their religion with conviction and content. They are sincere to Allah, follow the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and seek the guidance from his life. They are in deep love with Aala e Bait AS. Their soft and soothing recitation of the holy Quran at the Imam Reza Holy Shrine, Mashed and at the
Shrine of Fatima Masumeh, Qum pleases the listeners. They wear pant, shirt and coat and are quite moderate in approach towards life. I have never seen any young men smoking in the streets. You will find hardly any traffic police in Iran but they strictly observe traffic rules religiously and smilingly allow the pedestrians to cross the road. Iranians strictly obey stop signs and traffic lights. I saw only two traffic police officers in Qom during my stay.
Surprisingly, there was no strict restriction on hijab of women. Most of them were wearing scarf. I think strict dress code for women has been relaxed. I saw women in hotels and bazars with out wearing the required headscarf. Iran recently has allowed female spectators to attend football matches. During my visit, I didn't see any moral police anywhere.
As I noted, the mosques, graveyards and shrines are a center for education. Their environment is playing an active role in the guidance of the Iranian youth and developing their attitudes and values. These places are a venue for the Iranians to meet one another. I have seen their graveyards are beautifully maintained with flowers and trees.
It makes the visitors feel that Iranians are more connected to their people, to the past, and to life especially with their martyrs who sacrificed their lives in Iran- Iraq war and the war in Syria. While visiting these beautifully maintained graveyards and seeing children playing and families relaxing on the benches, placed in the graveyards, I remembered famous lyrical ballad of Wordsworth, We Are Seven. Like the little Maid, the children were decorating the graves with roses and mothers were
watering with their tears. I had seen the graves of lot of Pakistanis in the permanent resting places who sacrificed their lives in Syria.
At the cemetery, photographs of the dead are framed in glass cases at each grave, together with flowers and copies of the holy book, Quran. Some were just teenagers when they embraced martyrdom.
I think graveyards, shrines and masques are their best teachers.
These places are the most important institutions for developing the Iranian youth. After the home, schools and the workplace, these are the most frequented places. They rekindle their spirituality, strengthen their relationship with their Creator, meet their Muslim brethren, and renew their sense of belonging. I saw the young children who visited masques were being given balloons and sweets as gift by the masques management.
In fact, the shrines and masques are fulfilling, in one way or the other, their basic task ie grooming and educating the Iranian youth, in accordance with the vision of the role of religion in life.
Leadership of Iran
Unlike many other theocratic nations, Iran does not have its leaders living in obnoxious luxury and its people rotting in poverty.
My tourist guide, Mr Hussain, told me that he had visited the house of Khamenei three times. The Supreme Leader is living in a modest house.He said that our leaders are pious men who care little for worldly goods.
Mr Hussain told that in a country where owning many carpets is considered a status symbol, Khamenei owns just a single carpet. Since he is a source of emulation, therefore, there is no sign of luxury in his house. He is leading a decent life without being luxurious.Like him, other leaders are also living frugally. He was full of praise of the simple life style of Ahmadinejad and Qasim Sulaimani.
He told that after the revolution, Khomani, the founder of revolution, was requested times and again by our leaders to build a magnificent house for him but he strongly rejected their idea and passed his entire life in an ordinary house in a very simple way.
I have seen that Iran is not only rapidly developing technologically but is also outperforming Western nations, in terms of spirituality and ethics. The western societies have become corrupt in terms of morality and empty - headed in terms of spirituality.
Khamenei believes that one day, by using the knowledge and philosophy of Muslims, the people of Europe will manage to build a civilization for themselves. Of course, this civilization will not be a material one. Khamenei yearns for the return of a civilization untouched by the Crusades, Mongol invasions, or Western colonization and imperialism.
I believe that much like a Persian rug, the Iranian society is woven together with strands from all Iranians regardless of religion, ethnicity, or language.
Matloob Bokhari
Cleanliness
The importance of cleanliness and hygiene cannot be overlooked by any society. Every faith and civilisation stresses the importance of cleanliness. Cleanliness has been considered one of the important factors by which to judge a civilisation's or society's development.
In the Quran, worship and seeking Allah's love is conditioned with cleanliness and purity as the Holy Book says, ' Allah loves those who make themselves clean and pure" (9: 108) . Furthermore, in one of his sayings, the Holy Prophet (PBUH) has termed cleanliness as half of faith. This fundamental and powerful tenet of the faith is reflected in Iranians' society. I think Iranians as individual as well as collective are practicing this valuable principle of Islam.
No matter which time of the day, you venture out, no matter which city of Iran, you visit, you will find it clean. I am sure the administration and the Iranian people are ensuring the cities are clean during the day and night.
Even in the extremely busy Bazaars, which have thousands of visitors , it is difficult to find any dirt, garbage, cigarette butts or plastic packets in the streets. I could not see any feral cats or stray dogs anywhere nor I saw cockroaches and mosquitos in the hotels.
I was impressed with the cleanliness in public toilets too.
Iran is richer than many Muslim countries and is cleaner than the entire middle east combined.
Its cleanliness standards if not better but are not less than England.
Hotels in Iran
The hotels in Iran are neat and clean and smelt fresh. The bathrooms are clean and smelt good. The sparkingly clean rooms and gleaming bathrooms impact the guests satisfaction. The housekeepers visit the rooms regularly to make the rooms tidy. The percentage of employees in hotel industry is female dominated.
Persian Cuisine or Iranian Food is one of the world's finest. The foundation of most Persian dishes is rice, meat, and salad, often served with a side of fresh herbs, cheese and yogurt.
The waiters and waitresses always wear gloves while serving ready -to - eat foods.
The glove wearing etiquettes are must for the diners. Waiters and waitresses don't allow you to take food with out wearing gloves
People stand in queues patiently to take foods.
Waiters and waitresses in the hotels have proper dress code.
Hotel furniture of elegant shape and finest material, beautiful curtains that dress the windows and persian carpets of rich colours and spectacular artistic designs- all contribute to the feeling of warmth in a hotel room.
Civic sense
I have never seen any Iranian peeing against the wall as is a common practice in our country. There is no concept of urinals as the toilets are available for attending to nature's call. I have never seen anyone throwing garbage on road. They throw their garbage carefully in the dustbins which are placed almost everywhere even in the bathrooms. No pressure horn, no wall chalking nor they spit while walking in the streets. They greet the visitors with a friendly smile first by welcoming as Khushamdeed. They have rich tradition of sharing dry fruits and sweets which is a symbol of sharing happiness and love. By sharing with others and caring for others, promote a very sound value and create a very good impression on the visitors.
I don't know whether teaching civic sense is part of their school curriculum or being ingrained these values and manners by the families or there is a strict Govt policy in this regard is an interesting subject of study for the researchers.
Education in Iran
Education being the spine of every nation is also the key to development. Realizing this fact, Iran is making great efforts to educate its youth.
I think parents, teachers and religious leaders in Iran are focusing a lot on manners and etiquettes of their youth. They are paying particular attention on developing social skills, teaching them how to interact in a polite manner with people and treat others with respect.
I could not get formal chance to study indepth the education system of Iran, however, my empirical study on education system of Iran is based on my observations of young men whom I interacted in the streets, in the masques, in the holy shrines or in the graveyards or in the hotels. Good etiquettes and manners of Iranians youth reflected that the schools are not producing crammers or memoriters. The young men whom I interacted during my stay reflected the basics of fundamentals of etiquettes, as they were considerate, respectful, polite, moderate and kind. They behaved, talked, listened and responded politely. They were well dressed, and were having trimmed beard and decent hair cut. Mostly don't smoke. They waited in line for taking food in hotels, walked properly and ate food decently. These all showed the good etiquettes, taught to the Iranians youth by the teachers and parents.
They are not extremists, but are quite religious minded as I saw in the Imam Raza shrine in Mashed and in the Shrine of Fatima Masumeh in Qum and in Masjid Jamkaran, they were offering smilingly biscuits, juices, water, sweets and tea to the visitors.
Iranian youth, as I experienced, fully believe in their religion with conviction and content. They are sincere to Allah, follow the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and seek the guidance from his life. They are in deep love with Aala e Bait AS. Their soft and soothing recitation of the holy Quran at the Imam Reza Holy Shrine, Mashed and at the
Shrine of Fatima Masumeh, Qum pleases the listeners. They wear pant, shirt and coat and are quite moderate in approach towards life. I have never seen any young men smoking in the streets. You will find hardly any traffic police in Iran but they strictly observe traffic rules religiously and smilingly allow the pedestrians to cross the road. Iranians strictly obey stop signs and traffic lights. I saw only two traffic police officers in Qom during my stay.
Surprisingly, there was no strict restriction on hijab of women. Most of them were wearing scarf. I think strict dress code for women has been relaxed. I saw women in hotels and bazars with out wearing the required headscarf. Iran recently has allowed female spectators to attend football matches. During my visit, I didn't see any moral police anywhere.
As I noted, the mosques, graveyards and shrines are a center for education. Their environment is playing an active role in the guidance of the Iranian youth and developing their attitudes and values. These places are a venue for the Iranians to meet one another. I have seen their graveyards are beautifully maintained with flowers and trees.
It makes the visitors feel that Iranians are more connected to their people, to the past, and to life especially with their martyrs who sacrificed their lives in Iran- Iraq war and the war in Syria. While visiting these beautifully maintained graveyards and seeing children playing and families relaxing on the benches, placed in the graveyards, I remembered famous lyrical ballad of Wordsworth, We Are Seven. Like the little Maid, the children were decorating the graves with roses and mothers were
watering with their tears. I had seen the graves of lot of Pakistanis in the permanent resting places who sacrificed their lives in Syria.
At the cemetery, photographs of the dead are framed in glass cases at each grave, together with flowers and copies of the holy book, Quran. Some were just teenagers when they embraced martyrdom.
I think graveyards, shrines and masques are their best teachers.
These places are the most important institutions for developing the Iranian youth. After the home, schools and the workplace, these are the most frequented places. They rekindle their spirituality, strengthen their relationship with their Creator, meet their Muslim brethren, and renew their sense of belonging. I saw the young children who visited masques were being given balloons and sweets as gift by the masques management.
In fact, the shrines and masques are fulfilling, in one way or the other, their basic task ie grooming and educating the Iranian youth, in accordance with the vision of the role of religion in life.
Leadership of Iran
Unlike many other theocratic nations, Iran does not have its leaders living in obnoxious luxury and its people rotting in poverty.
My tourist guide, Mr Hussain, told me that he had visited the house of Khamenei three times. The Supreme Leader is living in a modest house.He said that our leaders are pious men who care little for worldly goods.
Mr Hussain told that in a country where owning many carpets is considered a status symbol, Khamenei owns just a single carpet. Since he is a source of emulation, therefore, there is no sign of luxury in his house. He is leading a decent life without being luxurious.Like him, other leaders are also living frugally. He was full of praise of the simple life style of Ahmadinejad and Qasim Sulaimani.
He told that after the revolution, Khomani, the founder of revolution, was requested times and again by our leaders to build a magnificent house for him but he strongly rejected their idea and passed his entire life in an ordinary house in a very simple way.
I have seen that Iran is not only rapidly developing technologically but is also outperforming Western nations, in terms of spirituality and ethics. The western societies have become corrupt in terms of morality and empty - headed in terms of spirituality.
Khamenei believes that one day, by using the knowledge and philosophy of Muslims, the people of Europe will manage to build a civilization for themselves. Of course, this civilization will not be a material one. Khamenei yearns for the return of a civilization untouched by the Crusades, Mongol invasions, or Western colonization and imperialism.
I believe that much like a Persian rug, the Iranian society is woven together with strands from all Iranians regardless of religion, ethnicity, or language.