Society of Muslim Warriors

Not to be confused with Movement of Militant Muslims.

Society of Muslim Mojaheds (Persian: مجمع مسلمانان مجاهد, romanized: Majmaʿ-e mosalmānān-e mojāhed) or Society of Mojahedin of Islam (Persian: مجمع مجاهدین اسلام, romanized: Majma'-e mojāhedin-e eslām), alternatively translated as Society of Muslim Warriors, was a Shia Islamist organization in Iran founded in late 1948. Led by Abol-Ghasem Kashani, the organization served as his multi-task religious, political, cultural, and social executive arm and mouthpiece.^[1] It was adept at mobilizing crowds for street control, gang fights, strikes and demonstrations.^[2]

Society of Muslim Warriors
Leader	Abol-Ghasem Kashani
Founder	Shams Qanatabadi and Mahmoud Shervin[1]
Founded	December 1948[1] 3 February 1949 (Official)[2]
Dissolved	1955[3]
Headquarters	Sarcheshmeh, Tehran[2] Imperial State of Iran
Militant wing	Fada'iyan-e Islam (1948–51)
Membership (1948)	~2,000[2]
Ideology	Islamism Pragmatism[4] Pan-Islamism[5] Islamic nationalism[5] Social conservatism Nationalization of the oil industry
Political position	Right-wing[6]
Religion	Shia Islam
National affiliation	National Front (1949–52)
Parliament	National Movement faction[7]
17th Majlis[7]	2 / 79
Politics of Iran Political parties Elections

The society was founded after Kashani decided that his original militant Fada'iyan-e Islam, was too single-minded and inflexible to act as a suave enforcer who could negotiate with various people.^[1][2] Unlike its ally Fada'iyan-e Islam, Society of Muslim Warriors was not dogmatically fundamentalist and also differed in base of support, drawing its support mainly from wealthy bazaaris, guild elders, small shopkeepers and seminary students.^[4][8] The two organizations revoked alliance in 1951.^[4] Society of Muslim Warriors called for the implementation of sharia, repeal of secular laws, protection of national industries and unity of Muslims against the West.^[8]

The group supported nationalization of the Iranian oil industry^[8] and was part of the National Front.^[5] It supported government of Mosaddegh from 1951 to late 1952, when it turned against the government and formed an alliance with the Toilers Party of the Iranian Nation lasting until 1953 coup d'état.^[2]

The society won two seats in the 1952 Iranian legislative election by Kashani and Qanatabadi.^[9]

References

1. Ali Rahnema (April 24, 2012) [December 15, 2011]. "KĀŠĀNI, SAYYED ABU'L-QĀSEM". In Yarshater, Ehsan (ed.). Encyclopædia Iranica. Fasc. 6. Vol. XV. New York City: Bibliotheca Persica Press. pp. 640–647. Retrieved March 15, 2016.
2. Rahnema, Ali (24 November 2014). Behind the 1953 Coup in Iran: Thugs, Turncoats, Soldiers, and Spooks. Cambridge University Press. pp. 57–59. ISBN 978-1-107-07606-8.
3. Ghasempour, Davoud (8 February 2010). ""جمعيت فداييان اسلام" و "مجمع مسلمانان مجاهد"" (in Persian). Fars News Agency. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
4. Ervand Abrahamian (1982). Iran Between Two Revolutions. Princeton University Press. pp. 258–259. ISBN 0-691-10134-5.
5. Samih K. Farsoun; Mehrdad Mashayekhi (2005). Iran: Political Culture in the Islamic Republic. Routledge. p. 59. ISBN 978-1-134-96947-0.
6. James A. Bill; John Alden Williams (2002). Roman Catholics and Shi'i Muslims: Prayer, Passion, and Politics. University of North Carolina Press. Chapter 6. ISBN 978-0-8078-7492-9.
7. Ervand Abrahamian (1982). Iran Between Two Revolutions. Princeton University Press. pp. 427. ISBN 0-691-10134-5.
8. Fadaee, Simin (2012). Social Movements in Iran: Environmentalism and Civil Society. Routledge. pp. 48–49. ISBN 978-0-415-69357-8.
9. Ervand Abrahamian (1982). Iran Between Two Revolutions. Princeton University Press. p. 269. ISBN 0-691-10134-5.