about Sayyed Hasan Modares

Sayyed Hasan Tabataba, known as Sayyed Hasan Modares, is one of the few theorists of the era of constitutionalism and is a prominent intellectual of Iranian political and social history. His ultimate goals were to oppose the ruling of one person to all, to fight against the dominance of foreign powers such as Russia and England, to seek independence, to Modernize Iran, and to increase general knowledge and awareness on the unsatisfactory condition of that period. His political life began at the age of 31 while he was teaching at the School Jeddah-ye Kouchak in Isfahan. By establishing Anjoman-e Velaayati, Modares began fighting against some clergymen and rulers of Isfahan and its suburb, who overtaxed people for their own benefits. He also stood against the clergies who took advantage of endowments. Modares’s braveness gave courage to the people of Isfahan to endeavor for defending their rights. 

This was one of the steps taken to create sensibility about constitutionalism among the majority of the people in Isfahan. When Samsaam al-Saltaneh’s officers issued Modares his bench warrant, he walked toward Takht-e Foulaad (Isfahan’s cemetery) on foot to let people know about his arrest. People joined him in groups and sat in Takht-e Foulaad demanding Modares’s release. To prevent people from rioting, Samsaam al-Saltaneh had to abolish the bench warrant and ordered his officers to respectfully take Modares back to Jeddah-ye Kouchak School. 

Sayyed Hasan Modares survived five attacks and assassination attempts during his political activities; and, each time people arrested the attackers, he asked them to release the shooters. He believed that the ones who ordered the assassinations should be questioned not the assaulters, whom were merely following orders and were innocent.

Modares spent a large portion of his income to repair a windmill, to build a shelter for farmers to have a place to rest, to build a aqueduct, to aid orphans and underprivileged people, and to plant trees. He worked alongside the workers himself. While being a member of the parliament, he was also in charge of the Sepahsaalaar School in Tehran and began repairing and renovating some parts of the building. His simple way of living, being unenthusiastic to the financial welfare, and spending a large portion of his income to aid people is admirable. Modares and his family lived a very simple life with the least comfort possible for a person with his status.

After the victory of constitutionalists and the establishment of the National Council Parliament, Modares entered the parliament as a high-profile clergyman and later as the representative of Tehran. He participated in the meetings from the session no. 195, second period of Majles (December 12th, 1910). He started his first speech in the session no. 200, during the second period by stating: “A wise person does not speak unless he/she has reached insightfulness in affairs.”

Many of his speeches demonstrate his focus on the development and modernization of Iran. The subject of some of his speeches, only in the 6th period of Majles, sessions no. 50 to 150, are mentioned here as examples:

Assigning tax on selling alcoholic beverages instead of the prohibition of selling them, Opening an airplane manufacturing company and educating experts to direct, control, and repair airplanes, The establishment of the school of political sciences, A systematic training plan for the Army, Creating a water supply network, Budget allocation, A pension law for the army personnel and clerks, Providing electricity for the whole country, Creating village and city councils, Customs laws, Follow up with the needs of the Iranians living abroad, Supplying healthy drinking water, Encouraging the youth to study technical sciences, Respecting personal ownership, Providing accommodation for the underprivileged individuals, Establishing air post, Consuming domestic goods instead of the imported ones, Developing agriculture and wilderness, Establishing telegraph all over the country, Prioritizing the use of Iranian experts, Using modernized ways of extraction and exploitation of underground resources, especially petroleum, Improving the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Iran’s relationship with other countries, Freedom of speech and writing, Prohibiting borrowing money from other governments, Balancing incomes and expenses of the country, Increasing the production of silk, Establishing mortgage banks, Building dams, Creating factories and companies using domestic capital, Building roads, West-East railways, Building Adult Schools and portable schools for Bakhtiyari, Lore, … tribes, Increasing the salary of the clerks, Publishing books on science and technology, Rules and regulations for sending students abroad, and Employing non-Iranian teachers.

According to the published reports, Modares attended 830 of the whole 1100 parliament meetings during the second to sixth period and he delivered speeches for 137 hours and 32 minutes. This amount of time is 8.5% of the whole speeches made by all parliament members in those periods. His efforts and wishes for the progress of Iran and Iranians should be noted and appreciated.

During the five periods that Modares was a member of the parliament, Iran faced the most devastating incidents, and the parliament had to tackle with momentous decisions. Modares and his fellows played a crucial role in this regard. 

During the First World War, Modares was a member of the provisional government. He led the oppositions of the Russian Ultimatum when Nasser-al-Molk was the Prime Minister. Later, when the Ottoman government claimed some parts of the northwestern regions, Modares, as the head of Iran’s representatives, traveled to Istanbul to talk to Sultan Mohammad Khames to persuade him not to invade the Iranian borders anymore.

Modares and his fellow’s disagreement with the 1919 Treaty at the time of Vosugh al-Doleh’s premiership and preventing Iran from disintegration are one of the most important historical events. In the fifth period of Majles, he led the impeachment of Reza Mirpanj, serving as the top military commander. And, Modares openly opposed the interference of The Great Britain and its allies in the political and economic affairs of Iran. 

Moshir al-Doleh, Khoe’ei, and Modares wrote the Principals of the Justice Commandments as a part of Iran’s first constitution.

His well-known theory, Movaazeneh-ye Adami (the alliance with all nations without accommodating their imposed dominance) versus Movaazeneh-ye Vojoudi (the acquiescence of foreign domination), which was later paraphrased by Mohammad Mosadegh, the great Iranian political figure, as Movaazeneh-ye Manfi and Movaazeneh-ye Mosbat (negative vs. positive Equilibrium toward other nations). Modares’s theory even became known to some European politicians. 

However, there was one negative deed by Modares. In the second period of Majles, he was one of those who opposed women’s rights to vote and to be elected as a member of the parliament.

Modares was not only an informed, patriot, honest, and devoted politician but also a liberal and an elevated person. It is hoped that Sayyed Hasan Modares, a key figure of the Iranian political history, be recognized in a manner that he deserves.

A letter from some members of Majles (the Parliament) including Sayyed Hasan Modares, Mohammad Karim Vakil al-Ro’ayaa, and Moa’azed al-Molk suggesting the formation of the Senate. They explain that a Senate could create balance between legislative and executive branches and aid Majles to avoid immoderation when authorities decide about the administration of the nation. 

Second Period of Majles، 1909-1911 (1288-1290 SH, 1327-1329 H)