Terms & Concepts
Sacred Defense Literature
Written by: Masoumeh Abedini
Translated by: Hadi Qorbanyar
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Sacred Defense literature refers to a body of works that artistically portray the values, dimensions, and lived realities of the Eight-Year Sacred Defense (1980–1988), along with the events and experiences of that period, using literary and expressive language.
This literature is usually divided into two phases. The first includes works produced during the war. The second phase, which is still ongoing, consists of works created after the acceptance of the ceasefire resolution and the official end of the war.
This genre is also known as resistance literature or war literature. What sets it apart, however, is its strong religious and sacred character and its deep, sustained connection with Islamic tradition—especially the culture of Ashura.
Thematic features of works produced during the eight years of the Sacred Defense include:
1-Encouraging the people towards defense, patience, and total resistance against aggression and the aggressor: This motivational tone was especially prominent in poems, slogans, and stirring texts broadcast by the media, particularly during troop deployments and military operations.
2- Honoring the fighters at the frontlines and the supporters working behind the lines: Literary works were filled with depictions and admiration of the sacrifices, bravery, selflessness, and dedication of Basij volunteers, ordinary people, tribes, the Army, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and women and men active at the frontlines or in support roles.
3-Calls for unity, solidarity, and collective empathy, alongside warnings against division.
4-Honoring and venerating martyrs: One of the central themes was the commemoration of the martyrs. A defining aspect of this praise was the symbolic association of those who were killed during the Sacred Defense to the martyrs of Karbala; for instance, martyred children were likened to Ali-Asghar (as), teenagers and young men to Qasim (as) and Ali-Akbar (as), commanders to Abbas ibn Ali (as), and the elders to Habib ibn Mazahir.
5-Use of religious symbols, Quranic verses, and hadith: The religious atmosphere of society deeply shaped literary production. Quranic figures and symbols—such as Satan, Abraham (pbuh), Ishmael (pbuh), Ababil, and Abu Lahab—along with the themes of verses and traditions, were widely used, sometimes forming the basis of entire stories or serving as the central motif of a work.
6-Denouncing aristocracy and worldliness: These works frequently condemn material comfort, avoidance of engaging in the war, and profiteering, often with satirical overtones.
7-Introducing role models from Islamic history: Early Islamic figures known for struggle and resistance—such as Abuzar, Malik Ashtar, Ammar, Yasir, and the companions of Imam Hussain (as)—along with battles like Badr, Uhud, Khandaq, Siffin, and Ashura, were frequently depicted. Also, national and religious figures such as Seyyed Jamal al-Din, Mirza Kuchak Khan, Sattar Khan, and Baqer Khan were portrayed in literary works.
8-Drawing on myths and heroic figures based on the Shahnameh and ancient Iran history: While deeply religious, Sacred Defense literature also made extensive use of epic myths and heroic characters such as Rostam, Sohrab, Siyavash, Arash, and other symbols of Iranian heroism.
9-The integration of religion, the people, and Iran: These three elements—religion, the people, and Iran—form what is often described as the “triangle of literary identity” in Sacred Defense literature. Their fusion reflects how closely intertwined they were in the minds and imaginations of its creators.
10-Praising Imam Khomeini (ra) and loyalty to his leadership: Imam Khomeini (ra), as the central figure of the Revolution, was often portrayed in literature through a mystical lens—as a spiritual guide, master, and mentor.
11-Hope for the future and confidence in victory: Visions of a bright future, unwavering belief in eventual victory, trust in divine help, and the presence and support of Imam Mahdi (as) were powerful sources of motivation and inspiration for Iranian fighters.
12-Depicting the spiritual atmosphere of the war fronts: Descriptions of prayer, supplication, night vigils, and the fighters’ mystical devotion and passion became especially prominent themes in works of the later phase.
In literary works produced after the war, beyond honoring fighters, martyrs, prisoners of war, and veterans, additional motifs have emerged, including:
1-Concerns about the loss of the war’s moral and cultural legacy.
2-Neglecting and being indifferent towards the creators of the epic struggles of the Eight-Year War.
3-The sense of injustice suffered by martyrs, fighters, and the values they embodied.
4-A tone of longing and sorrowful farewell to the frontlines and those who had engaged in the war.
Literary forms and genres within Sacred Defense literature include:
1-Poetry, which initially appeared mainly in free verse and blank verse, and later expanded to forms such as quatrains, couplets, four-line stanzas, mathnavi, qasida, and ghazal.
2-Short stories and novels.
3-Memoirs.
4-Narrative biographies—a form that stands between memoir and fiction, combining factual testimony with storytelling elements.
5-Wills, letters, and writings produced directly in the context of the battle.
6-Battle chants and slogans.
7-Inscriptions and poems on graves.
8-Signs and wall writings (inscriptions on fighters’ clothing also formed a distinctive artistic and literary expression).
9-Headbands worn by fighters.
10-Letters sent by people to fighters, including greetings, notes, and small tokens such as cards for Nowruz or messages attached to packages of sweets, nuts, or clothing.
Those who produced literary works for the frontlines during the eight years of the Sacred Defense can broadly be divided into two groups. The first consists of largely unknown or lesser-known combatants and home‑front supporters. The second group includes well-known and professional poets and authors, who became well‑known and influential with the outbreak of the war, and some continue to be influential today. Second- and third-generation poets and writers have also since emerged.
Alongside adult Sacred Defense literature, a substantial body of children’s and young adult literature—both poetry and fiction—has also been produced in this field.[1]
[1] [1] Daerat al-Maaref-e Defa Muqaddas (A Summery of the Encyclopedia of the Sacred Defense), Vol. 1, Tehran: Markaz-e Daerat al-Maaref-e Pazhuheshgah-e Olum va Maaref-e Defa Muqaddas, 1390, Pp. 406-409.
