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Draft:Organization for Mobilization of the Oppressed

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Organization for Mobilization of the Oppressed
Logo of the Organization for Mobilization of the Oppressed
Established1979
FounderImam Khomeini
TypeParamilitary organization
PurposeDefending the Islamic Republic and providing relief in incidents

Basīj (Persian: بَسیج), fully known as the Organization for Mobilization of the Oppressed (Sāzmān-i Basīj-i Mustaḍʿafīn), is a volunteer paramilitary organization operating under the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). It was established in 1979 by the order of Imam Khomeini.

The organization is mandated to protect the achievements of the Islamic Revolution of Iran, train and organize volunteers for the defense of the country, and enhance public preparedness for natural disasters.

The Basij played a prominent military role during the Iran-Iraq War; more than 92,000 of its members were martyred, while tens of thousands were disabled or captured. In the cultural and social spheres, the organization maintains an active presence by establishing Salehin circles, organizing Rahian-e Noor caravans, promoting the principle of Enjoining the good and forbidding the evil, and participating in construction and civil relief projects.

As of 2019, the Basij maintained approximately 190,000 bases across Iran. Its membership is structured into three categories: regular, active, and special. Gholamreza Soleimani has served as its commander since July 2019.

In the Iranian calendar, the period from November 20 to November 26 is designated as Basij Week.

Status and Objectives

The Organization for Mobilization of the Oppressed is a popular paramilitary institution subordinate to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and operates under the ultimate authority of the Supreme Leader of Iran. The organization follows a hierarchical command structure that extends from central headquarters to provincial, municipal, and local levels. Its membership is classified into regular, active, and special groups.[1] Furthermore, to effectively organize its diverse membership, specific branches have been defined for various sectors of society, including students, clerics, women, artists, and workers.[2]

The stated objectives of the Basij include safeguarding the achievements of the Islamic Revolution of Iran, recruiting and training volunteers for national defense, and fostering public readiness for disaster response.[3]

Imam Khomeini

The Basij is a pure, robust, and fruitful tree whose blossoms bear the scent of the spring of union, the freshness of certainty, and the hadith of love. The Basij is the school of love and the school of unknown witnesses and martyrs, whose followers have chanted the adhan of martyrdom and bravery from its lofty minarets. The Basij is the miqat of the barefooted and the ascension of pure Islamic thought, whose trainees have achieved renown through anonymity. The Basij is the sincere army of God, whose formation document has been signed by all mujahideen from the first to the last. I always envy the sincerity and purity of the Basijis and pray that God resurrects me alongside them, for my pride in this world lies in being a Basiji myself.[4]

According to Gholamreza Soleimani, a commander of the organization, the success of the Basij model has inspired the creation of similar popular institutions in other Islamic nations, including Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, and Yemen.[5] Basij Week is observed annually in Iran from November 20 to November 26 to commemorate the organization's founding.[6]

Imam Khomeini described the formation of the Basij as a divine gift,[7] while Mohammad-Taqi Mesbah-Yazdi defined it as a collective, self-sacrificing movement dedicated to achieving lofty goals.[8]

History of Formation

The organization was established on November 26, 1979, by the order of Imam Khomeini. It received legal recognition in January 1981 following approval by the Islamic Consultative Assembly.[9] In 1982, responsibility for planning, organizing, and training Basij members was assigned to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and in 1990, the Basij was formally integrated into the IRGC structure.[10] On October 4, 2009, its official name was changed from the "Basij Resistance Force" to the "Organization for Mobilization of the Oppressed".[11] By 2019, approximately 190,000 Basij bases had been established throughout Iran.[12] The organization has been led by ten commanders up to 2025, with Gholamreza Soleimani serving as commander since July 2019.[13]

Basij Activities

Military Activity

Basij members gathering as part of the Muhammad (s) Corps at Azadi Stadium in Tehran prior to deployment to the front lines of the Iran-Iraq War in 1986

The Basij played a critical role in the Iran-Iraq War, with reports indicating that approximately two million members served on the front lines.[14] The number of Basij casualties during the conflict is estimated at 92,000 martyred, with tens of thousands more disabled or captured.[15] Additionally, during the 12-day war between Israel and Iran, Basij forces assisted security agencies by establishing checkpoints.[16]

Cultural and Educational

The Basij pursues educational and cultural initiatives through the formation of Salehin circles, Rahian-e Noor caravans, the Student Basij, and the Pupil Basij. These activities aim to strengthen faith, ethics, and social skills, as well as to promote the culture of self-sacrifice and martyrdom.[17] The Basij Cyberspace Organization also operates within this sphere with the goal of generating soft power.[18]

Social and Construction

Basij members participating in pious help to the needy during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Basij is active in construction, poverty alleviation, and social services.[19] For instance, in 1994, approximately 320,000 Basij members participated in a national polio eradication campaign. Basij bases have also facilitated the distribution of livelihood and health packages[20] and have conducted screening operations and disease management, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.[21]

In 2018, the Basij Construction Organization launched approximately 40,000 poverty alleviation projects focused on rural development and water supply.[22] According to the head of the Basij in 2022, the institution partnered with the government to supply water to 7,138 villages, construct 130,000 rural homes, and implement various other development projects.[23] The Basij has also participated in relief efforts for areas affected by earthquakes and floods over the years.[24]

Under the law regarding judicial support for the Basij, members are authorized to act similarly to judicial officers in cases of flagrant offenses and are empowered to submit necessary reports to competent authorities.[25] The organization also enjoys legal backing for its cultural activities and the enforcement of Enjoining the good and forbidding the evil.[26]

Ayatollah Khamenei:

The Basij is exciting for the youth; it is hopeful for friends; it is fearful for enemies.

[27]

Basiji Culture

Ayatollah Khamenei at a farewell ceremony for 100,000 Basij members deploying to the Iran-Iraq War in 1987

Ayatollah Khamenei views the Basij not merely as an organization, but as a culture and a mindset characterized by commitment to the Islamic Revolution of Iran, responsibility, lawfulness, and discipline. In his view, a segment of the population has embraced this culture without formal membership and are thus considered Basijis.[28] The roots of this ideology are traced back to Early Islam and the mobilization of Muslim forces by the Prophet Muhammad (s) for the advancement of religion and resistance.[29]

The Chafiyeh is a symbol of resistance in general Iranian culture, and its use is typically recognized as a sign of membership in, or affinity for, the Basiji culture.[30]

Bibliography

Image of the book Basij; Qalb-i Imam
  • Nigahi guzara bih Basij wa Basiji (A Brief Look at Basij and the Basiji): A collection of articles, interviews, and speeches by Mohammad-Taqi Mesbah-Yazdi concerning the culture and functions of the Basij, published in 2008 by the Imam Khomeini Education and Research Institute.[31]
  • Basij; Qalb-i Imam (Basij; The Heart of Imam): A work by Sayyid Hassan Firouzabadi, published in 2009 by the Foundation for the Preservation of Works and Publication of Values of the Holy Defense.[32]
  • Basij dar partow-i qanun (Basij in the Light of Law): Authored by Mustafa Torabi and Nabiollah Rouhi and published in 2000, this book examines the laws, regulations, and bylaws related to the Basij, as well as the legal protections afforded to its members.[33]

See Also

Notes

  1. ↑ ʿAmīd Zanjānī, Fiqh-i siyāsī, 1421 AH, vol. 1, p. 497.
  2. ↑ "Khayl-i ʿaẓīm-i Basīj dar ʿarṣahā-yi inqilāb", Hawzah News Agency.
  3. ↑ "Lāyiḥa-yi qānūnī-yi tashkīl-i Sāzmān-i Basīj-i Millī", Majlis Research Center.
  4. ↑ Khumaynī, Ṣaḥīfa-yi Imām, 1389 Sh, vol. 21, p. 194.
  5. ↑ "Murūrī bar kārnāma-yi mutafāwit-i Basīj dar Bahāristān/paygīrī-yi 40 hizār purūzha-yi iqtiṣādī dar kishwar", Quds Online.
  6. ↑ "Basīj tadāwum-i nahḍat-i khidmat-rasānī wa maḥrūmiyyat-zidāyī", IRNA.
  7. ↑ Khumaynī, Ṣaḥīfa-yi Imām, 1389 Sh, vol. 21, p. 194.
  8. ↑ Miṣbāḥ Yazdī, Nigāhī guzarā bih Basīj wa Basījī, p. 15.
  9. ↑ "Sāzmān-i Basīj-i Mustaḍʿafīn", Tasnim News Agency.
  10. ↑ "Nīrū-yi Quds-i Sipāh chigūna shekl girift?", Fars News Agency.
  11. ↑ "Chigūnagī-yi shekl-gīrī-yi Sāzmān-i Basīj-i Mustaḍʿafīn", YJC.
  12. ↑ "Basīj tadāwum-i nahḍat-i khidmat-rasānī wa maḥrūmiyyat-zidāyī", IRNA.
  13. ↑ "Barrasī-yi farmāndihān-i Basīj dar guzar-i zamān; az taʾsīs tā taḥawwulāt-i jadīd-i sākhtārī", SNN.
  14. ↑ Khisht-zar & Dāneshī, "Barrasī wa taḥlīl-i naqsh-i bī-badīl-i Basīj dar difāʿ-i muqaddas", p. 19.
  15. ↑ "Murūrī bar kārnāma-yi mutafāwit-i Basīj dar Bahāristān/paygīrī-yi 40 hizār purūzha-yi iqtiṣādī dar kishwar", Quds Online.
  16. ↑ "Az īsthā-yi bāzrasī tā maḥāfil-i shiʿr/ naqsh-i chand-buʿdī-yi Basīj dar jang-i 12 rūza", IRNA.
  17. ↑ "Ḥalqa-yi Ṣāliḥīn-i Basīj, bīdārī-yi Islāmī wa rāhkārhā-yi muqābila bā chālishhā-yi muʿāṣir dar jahān-i Islām", Basij News Agency.
  18. ↑ "Sāzmān-i Faḍā-yi Majāzī-yi Basīj", Basij Cyberspace Organization.
  19. ↑ "Murūrī bar kārnāma-yi mutafāwit-i Basīj dar Bahāristān/paygīrī-yi 40 hizār purūzha-yi iqtiṣādī dar kishwar", Quds Online.
  20. ↑ "Yak mīlyūn basta-yi maʿīshatī bayn-i niyāzmandān dar hafta-yi waḥdat tawzīʿ mī-shavad/ dushmanān insijām wa yekpārchagī-yi millat-i Īrān rā hadaf giriftand", Basij News Agency.
  21. ↑ "Basīj tadāwum-i nahḍat-i khidmat-rasānī wa maḥrūmiyyat-zidāyī", IRNA.
  22. ↑ "Khayl-i ʿaẓīm-i Basīj dar ʿarṣahā-yi inqilāb", Hawzah News Agency.
  23. ↑ "Basīj-i Sāzandegī kārnāma-yi dirakhshān-i Sipāh ast", Basij News Agency.
  24. ↑ "Basīj dar guzar-i zamān | riwāyat-i 40 sāl khidmat", Hamshahri Online.
  25. ↑ Fāteḥī-zāda Kalkhūrān, "Darāmadī bar jāygāh-i ḥuqūqī-yi Basīj-i Mustaḍʿafīn / Basīj mī-tawānad ḥallāl-i bisyārī az mushkilāt-i kishwar bāshad", Guardian Council Website.
  26. ↑ Fāteḥī-zāda Kalkhūrān, "Darāmadī bar jāygāh-i ḥuqūqī-yi Basīj-i Mustaḍʿafīn / Basīj mī-tawānad ḥallāl-i bisyārī az mushkilāt-i kishwar bāshad", Guardian Council Website.
  27. ↑ Khāmeneʾī, "Bayānāt dar marāsim-i ṣubhgāh-i radahā-yi mukhtalif-i Nīrū-yi Muqāwamat-i Basīj", The Office for the Preservation and Publication of the Works of Grand Ayatollah Khamenei.
  28. ↑ Khāmeneʾī, "Bayānāt dar dīdār-i Basījiyān", The Office for the Preservation and Publication of the Works of Grand Ayatollah Khamenei.
  29. ↑ "Basīj; yādgār-i māndigār-i Imām Khumaynī (ra); nahād-i rāhburdī wa namād-i iqtidār-i kishwar", Supreme National Defense University Website.
  30. ↑ "Hama chīz darbāra-yi Chafiya", Mehr News Agency.
  31. ↑ "Nigāhī guzarā bih Basīj wa Basījī", Ketab.ir.
  32. ↑ "Basīj; Qalb-i Imām", National Library and Archives of Iran.
  33. ↑ "Basīj dar partow-i qānūn", Ketab.ir.

References

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