Mohammad Hussein Kazerouni, known as Hajkaka Hussein, son of Haj Muhammad Jafar, was born around 1231. He entered the business as a teenager and worked in Bushehr for about 20 years. Kazerouni came to Isfahan around 1266 and settled in this city to expand his business there.
Some believe that he was the first to sell strings at the Isfahan market. There is still much speculation among Isfahan's peoples about the great wealth that has given him the ability to equip Isfahan's elite businessmen to cope with foreign embezzlement. Mohammad has built some old houses in Isfahan with beautiful architecture.
Others believe that he was selling stuff in bazar at the beginning of his work; when he came from Shiraz to Isfahan and sold stuff on the street of Isfahan. There is nothing in the sources or references to the early stages of Mohammed Hossein Kazerouni's economic activity that made him one of the greatest contemporary men of Isfahan's constitutional from Pahlavi era.
In 1270, Kazerouni created the Masoudieh Company in Isfahan in collaboration with Haji Agha Mohammad Qazvini, Haj Mohammad Ali Tabrizi, Mohammad Mehdi Samsar and Mohammad Saleh Arab. Benefiting from the involvement of Isfahan tobacco traders, he founded the company with the aim of supporting farmers and tobacco traders in combating the monopolies of English traders. He mostly liked to stay in a luxury hotel in Isfahan or other luxury hotels in Iran.
Although comprehensive information about the company is not mentioned in the source, we know that it was active until 1296. In the last three decades of the nineteenth century, the trend of importing English and Russian textiles to Iran was accompanied by a dramatic increase that would undoubtedly increase the economic influence of Russian and British powers in Iran.
At this time, "the Iranian textile industry, which was generally workshop, home, and non-machine, hand-held and small, was in danger of being destroyed by increased imports; so many Iranian reformers and modernists felt threatened." There are some paintings in Iranian traditional houses which refers to this matter.
To counter such a danger, the Islamic Society was founded by Mohammad Hossein Kazerouni to promote homeland fabrics. This action paved the way for the establishment of the Esfahan Islamic Company in 1277. The company, which started with 15,000 Tomans of initial capital, provided the foundations for the creation of new knitting industries in Isfahan by using textile machines.
According to Chapter 21 of the Code of Conduct, the company had to refrain from trading in foreign goods, merely promoting its domestic goods, bringing in useful furniture and factories, and, depending on the need, to carry goods abroad and cooperate.
It is noteworthy that all components of that time were required to make their own clothing from textiles and domestic goods. Pursuant to Article 24 of the Company's Special Rules of Procedure, arrangements were made for the establishment of a spinning mill.
At a meeting held at the home of Suleiman Khan Rakn al-Molk Shirazi-Esfahani, Nurollah Najafi Esfahani, one of the top scholars of Isfahan, encouraged others to buy shares. At the same meeting, Mohammad Hossein Kazerouni was elected as the CEO of Islamiyah Company. The company established a branch in 17 cities including Tehran, Mashhad, Shiraz, Bushehr, Rasht, Tabriz, Kashan, Sanandaj and more cities in Iran.
Representatives of Islamic Company in Isfahan was Haji Mirzam Mohammad Tajer Esfahani, Haji Mohammad Jafar Esfahani, Haji Mirzaasadullah Tajfar Esfahani (Naghshineh), Haji Mohammad Kazem Esfahani (Mesqali) and Haji Mohamadineh. Although Mahdavi suggested that Mirza Ali Adib-e-Tajar works as CEO of the company, Torabi-Farsani nominates Haji Mirza Ali Nakhineh as the company's preferred director. Islamic Company later expanded its operations outside of Iran too.
In this regard, Haj Zeinabedin Taqiyove, a prominent Caucasian capitalist, took charge of the company, and Arifa Doduleh, Iran's ambassador in Russia, circulated news to all Iranian consulates in Russia in a short time. The company was also established in cooperation with some Egyptian businessmen residing under Mr. Mirza Mohammad Hossein. Aside from Egypt, the company is said to have branches in England, India, Ottoman and Russia too.
Aside from the support of Sheikh nurallah, the company has the support of the Clergymen famous of such Sheikh Mohammad and Sheikh Mohammad Taqi Agha Najafi and his brothers Haj Agha Nurullah Madal eslam and Haj sheikh mhmdly Seqhatoleslam and a number of literary and political figures such as Zele Sultan (Governor of that time of Esfahan), Daryabeigi, Adybalmalak Farahani, SJ Vaez esfahani And Mohammad Taqi Shourideh.
It should be noted that the establishment of the company was supported by the widespread supporters of the Najaf scholars. As Haji Mirza Mohammad Hossein Nouri, Sadr Isfahani, Arab Sheikh resident Najaf, Mr. Mirza Mohammad Hasham Charsui and Haj Mirzah Hussein Tabari personally wrote to Haj Agha Nurollah Najafi Esfahani and thanked him for supporting this company.
Other great scholars and authorities at that time, namely Sayyid Ismail Sadr, Hajmir Mirzah Hussein, Hajir Mirza khalil, Seyyed Mohammad Kazim Tabatabaei Yazdi, Mohammad Gharavi Sharbiani, Akhund Mohammad Kazim Khorasani, Mohammad Hassan Ashe Mizani, Haji monir; considered it equal to the fight against infidelity. In this regard, this politicians issued fatwas approving the company and persuading the Shiites to buy the company shares.
