Today is the martyrdom anniversary of the distinguished Iranian thinker and reformist Morteza Motahhari.

A lot has been said about Motahhari, and many books and essays have been written in order to shed light on unknown aspects of the intellectual life of the great thinker.

One of the most unique characteristics of Motahhari’s religious and philosophical outlook was the language he used to communicate with people.

There have been a great number of contemporary Iranian thinkers and philosophers, who, if not as greatly revered as Motahhari, still had very refined thoughts.

However, none has been as influential as Motahhari, largely because they used such complicated language and ideas that they were unable to clearly communicate their views.

Yet, due to his deep understanding of his culture and society, Motahhari was able to speak in a language which everyone could comprehend. In this respect, he can only be compared with the other Iranian reformist and philosopher, Dr. Ali Shariati.

Shariati was also concerned about establishing proper relations with various social strata, and thus he, too, used language that was easily understandable.

For the same reason, in addition to writing scholarly and philosophical books, Motahhari also wrote some books for children, such as “Dastan-e Rastan” (Tale of the Veracious).

One can not speak about Motahhari’s philosophical outlook and school of thought without discussing his views on the role of religion in the modern world.

Just like his predecessors al-Ghazali, Mullah Mohsen Faiz, Mulla Sadra, Master Na’ini, and Iqbal Lahori, Motahhari was also concerned about the revitalization of religious philosophy and could not remain indifferent about the relationship between religion and modernity.

Many of his writings address this key issue.

In fact, Motahhari sought to find solutions to the crises of the Islamic civilization by refining religious teachings and philosophy whenever he commented on issues like hijab, principles of realism, Islamic philosophy, history, or the philosophy of history. Thus, Motahhari is not only an Islamic thinker but also an Islamic reformer.

One of Motahhari’s most significant characteristics was his strong belief in dialogue among religions. And his connection with various thinkers has given him a unique status in Iranian culture.

The promotion of Marxism in Iran encouraged Motahhari to write a book entitled “Principles of Realism and Methods of Philosophy” with the help of his instructor Allamah Tabatabaii.

Motahhari believed that university professors should be allowed to teach their own views and schools of thought in universities and also believed that Iran’s academic atmosphere could only develop if it was calm and free.

Unfortunately, since Motahhari’s departure, no new Iranian philosophers have arisen to continue his path. Yet, people with both the insight and knowledge of Martyr Morteza Motahhari are sorely needed to resolve the intellectual crises of our society.