S.M. Jafar Waezzadah
شهید سید محمد جعفر واعظ زاده
شهید سید محمد جعفر واعظ زاده
Sayyed M. Jafar Waezzadah was the second son of Ayatollah Waez. He was born on1948 in Behsud, a town about 150KM west of Kabul. The early years of Waseq and Jafar are very similar, hence there is a common history in the first half of their lives as summarized in both biographies. It is worthy to note that these two close brothers shared many physical and personal characteristics that sometimes people mistook one for the other even though they were few years apart.
Sayyed M. Jafar Waezzadah was a revolutionary scholar who always stood by his ethical and moral standards and refused to bargain his beliefs for the sake of wealth, power and political positions. He did not allow the harsh realities of life distract from his moral duties and worked tirelessly to help bring justice and freedom to his beloved homelan. Although he became alienated with the diluted politics of Afghanistan, he did not separate himself from his social obligation to the innocent people. As a scholar he continuously worked to teach the importance of human characteristics and its relation to spiritual and physical understanding of existence. He worked endlessly to bring unity between different schools of thoughts within Islam as well as other faiths. People who met him described him as a person of integrity who glowed with humbleness. He enjoyed a simple life, never worried about financial stability, worked very hard and relied on the grace of Allah for his livelihood.
Alongside his brother, Jafar worked on the family farm. He was inseparable from Waseq and followed him everywhere from farm to school. In the absence of his father, he was second-in-command so he made sure to help his younger sisters around the house giving them a chance to rest.
From the start of his young life, Jafar was a very confident young boy and had little fear of anything. In rural life in Afghanistan, dangers from thieves and wild animals lurked at every corner. He was blessed with a level of courage that allowed him to stand his ground against dangerous animals and robbers with a slingshot as his only weapons. Both brothers reminisced that in their early teen years as long as they were together, they feared nothing even in the most dangerous situations.
Hard farm work and being far from his father were heavy weigh on his young shoulders. In his mid teen years Jafar was devastated by the loss of his mother who was only in her mid thirties. The distress caused by the sudden loss of his mother led him to leave Behsood and head to Kabul with his older brother and two younger sisters.
Kabul provided Jafar several opportunities, hence alongside traditional schooling he was eager to learn other skills. He enrolled in a typing class and excelled quite quickly. Not long after, he attained a position in an offices and within a short period of time he became one of the fastest typists. Even when he was not working his fingers would move and gesture in typing manner. His friends and family recall pointing towards his moving fingers as Jafar stood to pray. This was a defining characteristic in Jafar—when he set a goal, he dedicated himself to it and strived to become the best. Of course it is important to note, the desire behind his aspiration was not about prestige, but rather an emphasis on application of himself to a goal.
After several years, Jafar and Waseq opened a general merchandise store together. The store did not last long because Jafar sold to poor customers on payment terms. When these types of customers could not afford to pay their debt, he forgave them and wiped their slate clean. When Anwar asked why the financial books don't add up, he would respond by saying that, he did not have the heart to demand debt payment from the poor and less fortunate. Waseq recalled saying to him brother that we are not made to be businessmen. They closed the store and fate steered Jafar back towards his true calling.
Jafar’s first teacher was his brother which is why he for the majority of his life he called Waseq, Ustaad (meaning respected teacher). He also studied under his father before packing and heading to Hawza in Qom. Jafar immediately blossomed and became one of the top students in Hawza. He studied under several respected scholars, but his most prominent mentor was Ayatollah Mortaza Motahhari. Ayatollah Motahhari was very impressed with Jafar's ability to simplify complicated topics for the everyday person. He used to jokingly say, “Jafar you make things sound so painless and simple, you’re going to put us out business.” After several years he returned to Kabul and worked alongside his father and brother in Mohammadia. He began to speak at various academic and religious institutions in Kabul and surrounding towns. Before long, he made a name for himself and took the surname Waezzadah (son of Waez).
When the communists imprisoned his father, Waezzadah and his trusted circle of colleagues started to organize their resistance activities and more supporters followed. Waezzadah knew that the communist secret police and snitches were after him, so he avoided coming home and kept a very low profile. A new government order which called for his arrest left him with no other choice but to leave the country. The normal routes out of Afghanistan were full of secret police and informants. He arranged for fake documentation under a different name, shaved his beard, disguised himself as a businessman and took the smuggle route to Iran. The journey took several days due to constant detours and stops in the rough Afghan terrains.
In Iran, Waezzadah was heavily involved with resistance activities in various roles, such as a fundraiser, diplomat, political and military advisor. To carry out his duties he traveled between Iran and Pakistan and was a regular speaker in rallies, demonstrations, and academic institutions. He had a certain fire in his words that captured even the most passive participants and audience members. His speeches were never empty rhetoric as he maintained a balance between revolutionary tone and scholarly style. During his stay in Iran, he managed to find time to pursue his Islamic studies and was one the youngest students who had started the Ijtihaad program. However he was not able to bring this portion of his academic aspiration to completion. The time, physical and mental pressures of work tore him away from his studies. After seeing, resistance movements becoming diluted with personal ambitions and influenced by money and power, he decided to leave it all.
In New York, Waezzadah started to work with local elders and inspired the youth to organize a community association. The community gathered on a weekly basis at an temporary location in Queens. He delievered weekly sermon and addressed the community’s religious issues and questions. Before long their numbers grew and it was time to look for a larger and permanent location. In the early part of 1990 with the help of a few affluent businessmen and community support, the association purchased a spacious church in Paterson, New Jersey. In the memory of Ayatollah Waez’s Kabul institution, the board of directors agreed to name the association Mohammadia Islamic Association. In the new location the association thrived and attracted participants to its regularly held religious and cultural programs. Waezzadah even started to publish the monthly Burhaan (reason) journal that his father started in Kabul.
In the latter part of 1990 while Waezzadah was on a short trip to Iran, few of the board members decided to remove him from his position without any justification, however it is believed that the direction came from elsewhere. They deceivingly convinced the remainder of the board except one person to sign a declaration calling for Waezzadah's removal. Waezzadah was very disappointed as the betrayal came from the people he trusted. He did not allow the interests of a few actors stop him from his mission. As soon he returned to America he continued his work from Al-Khoei Center in Jamaica, New York and the majority of community followed. In the fall of 1991 he traveled to Medina, New York to teach at a newly established seminary and returned home once every few weeks.
In summer of 1992 several of his old friends asked him to relocate to Northern Virginia. They wanted his help to establish a similar organization. Having no good memories of New Jersey he agreed. For the next three years he tried endlessly to organize the community in order to raise enough funds for purchasing a property without success. Regardless, he was regular speaker in Shia and Sunni religious and cultural institutions throughout the Washington metropolitan area such as Afghan Academy (now called Mustafa Center) and Islamic Education Center in Maryland. Like his older brother he was big proponent of unity among schools of thoughts and his sermons were always flavored with that philosophy. In those last remaining years he traveled to many cities throughout the country to speak. He rarely declined invitations and went where he was needed—New York, Chicago, Detroit, Denver, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, and many other cities in between. In his final year he drafted a book called Answers for Youth which focused on discussing the questions facing young adults in the eastern and western worlds. Unfortunately due to financial restrictions and other obligations the book remained unpublished.
In April of 1995, Waezzadah was anxious to make it to Hajj which started in the first of May. After performing all the Hajj rituals and requirements, he celebrated Eid-ul-Adha with his friends who had joined him. In the following day on the 11th of Dhul-Hajja which coincided with the May 11th he answered the final call, bid farewell and joined his forefathers. Efforts by some of his old political colleagues to transfer to him to Afghanistan for burial were respectfully turned down by his family and older brother. Waciq noted that after completing Hajj, Waezzadah would not want to be anywhere else. He lays next to his ancestors in Jannatul Mualla also known as Abu Taalib Cemetery, a short walk from the the House of God.