The Poet

Written by ( 作者 ): Marjan Khandan Photos by( 图片来源 ): BigStock

International Women’s Day is not just a day to honor women and the fight for women’s rights around the world, but also a time to remember those who fought bravely for those rights. Táhirih, a renowned Iranian poet and the first women’s rights activist in the country’s history, is one such individual. The following is an essay by local student Marjan Khandan about the life and significance of Táhirih.

Táhirih was the first woman in Iran to take off her veil in public. Born as Fatimih Baraghani, her name was changed three times, each name defining a different part of her life. It is speculated that she was born sometime between 1814 and 1815. She died on August 31st, 1852 at 38 years old, executed for her brave stance towards the rights of women.

Táhirih was born Fatimih Baraghani in Qasvin, Iran into the family of a respected Persian cleric. From a young age she was eager to learn, and her father, breaking from the tradition barring girls from schooling, taught her as one of his own students before finding a tutor for her. Táhirih surpassed her father’s male students, displaying great capacity in writing and poetry, but her learning ceased at 14, when she was persuaded to marry her cousin Muhammad. Her married life was unhappy. Her husband forbid her from writing and instead made her focus on raising their 3 children and taking care of the home.

During her time studying with her father, Táhirih learned much about the practices of Islam, yet she sought out more on her own, a greater truth. It was this truth seeking that brought the Shaykhi Movement, a philosophical movement based in Islam, to her attention. Wanting to learn more, she wrote to the leader of the movement, Siyyid Kazim, who gave Táhirih her second name: Qurratu I-Ayn (Solace of Mine Eyes). Due to her support of the movement, it caused tensions at home and she eventually left her husband at 28.

In 1844, Táhirih discovered the Babi faith and converted. She became a major supporter of the Babi movement and attended a conference in Badasht, Iran in 1848. This would be the first time she went in public without the mandatory veil. Táhirih saw it as unfair for women not to be able to attend meetings and not to be taught, much less to be made to wear a veil in public.

Following the conference, Táhirih was captured and sent to prison in Tehran. Here, she was placed on trial not only for being a member of a renegade sect, but for not wearing a veil, which was a serious offence in the kingdom. She was placed under house arrest in the home of the mayor, Mahmud Khan, and it was here that many people, especially women, came to hear her speak about her faith and denunciation of polygamy, the veil and other restraints placed on women in Iran. It was during this time that she received her third name: Táhirih (the Pure One). Táhirih was called a heretic by the courts and she was sentenced to death. Before her untimely death, she reportedly said to her captors:

An Essay on Iranian Rights Activist Táhirih 伊朗女权活动家塔希瑞

“You can kill me as soon as you like, but you cannot stop the emancipation of women."

Kingdom, wealth and ruling be for thee, Wandering, becoming a poor dervish and calamity be for me. If that station is good Let it be for thee, And if this station is bad, I long for it, let it be for me.

A poem written by Táhirih in response to a marriage request from the King of Persia.

国际妇女节可不仅仅是表彰妇女和全世 界妇女权益斗争的日子，它也是怀念为这些权 益勇敢奋斗过的人的日子。塔希瑞就是其中之 一，她是一位有名的伊朗诗人也是该国历史上 第一位女权活动家。以下是一篇当地学生 Marjan Khandan所写的关于塔希瑞的生平 及其意义的文章。

塔希瑞是第一位公开脱下面纱的伊朗女 性。出生时，她的名字是Fatimih Baraghani。 之后她又改过两次名字，每一个都定义了她生 命中的一部分。人们猜测她出生于1814年至 1815年之间。她于1852年8月31日逝世，享年 38岁。她是因为勇敢捍卫女性权益而被杀害 的。

塔希瑞出生在伊朗Qasvin一个受人尊敬 的波斯牧师家庭，取名Fatimih Baraghahi。 打小，她便很有求知欲。而她的父亲突破了不 让女孩上学的传统，在找到家庭教师之前让 她同自己的学生一起上课。塔希瑞 超越了她父亲的男学生们， 在写文和作诗方面展现 了突出的才华。但是 她的学习在14岁时 停止了，因为她被 劝说嫁给她的表 兄穆罕穆德。然 而她的婚姻生活 并不美满。她的 丈夫不允许她写 作，而只让她专 心抚养三个孩子， 照顾家务。

在跟随父亲学习 期间，塔希瑞学到 了很多伊斯兰教传 统。但她更多的是通过自己的学习去探寻更 大的真理。正是对真理的追求让她注意到了 伊斯兰教国家的哲学运动——Shaykhi运 动。为了了解更多，她写信给运动的领导人 Siyyid Kazim。Siyyid 给了塔希瑞第二个名字， Qurratu I-Ayn (我眼中的慰藉)。她对运动 的支持使得她的家庭关系变得紧张，最终她在 28岁的时候离开了她的丈夫。

1844年塔希瑞发现了巴布教派并转变信 仰。她成为巴布运动的主要支持者，并且于 1848年参加了一个在伊朗Badasht举行的会 议。这是她第一次没有戴规定的面纱出现在公 众场合。她认为不让女性参加会议，不允许她 们接受教育是不公平的，更不用说要她们在公 共场所戴面纱了。

在会议之后，塔希瑞被捕并被送往德黑兰 的监狱。在那儿，她被送上法庭, 理由是她是 叛变教派的一员，而且没有戴面纱。不戴面纱 在该国是一项严重的罪行。她被软禁在市长 Mahumd Khan家中，很多人，尤其是女性，都 来听她讲她的信仰，批判一夫多妻制、面纱和 其他加诸伊朗女性身上的限制。在此期间，她 有了第三个名字塔希瑞（纯洁的人）。塔希瑞 被法官称为异教徒并被判处死刑。在她年轻的 生命终结之前，据说她对抓她的人说：“你可 以很快杀了我，但你无法阻止妇女的解放。”

王国、财富和权力都是属于你的 流浪、苦行和灾难是属于我的 如果是个好身份，就给你 如果是个坏的，我渴求得到，就让给我吧。

一首塔希瑞写的答复波斯国王求婚的诗。

Bio

Marjan Pearl Khandan is 10 years old and has spent 8 years of her life in China, 2 years in the Ningbo area. She is currently living in America and is in the 5th grade. She cares about the world around her and loves animals, especially dogs and horses.

Marjan Pearl Khandan今年10岁，曾经在 中国生活过8年，其中2年是在宁波。她目前 在美国读五年级。她关心周围的世界，也很喜 欢动物，尤其是狗和马。