(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - By Sheikh Muhammad Mahmud Turi — February 14, 2014
In the name of Allah who states “On those who believe and work deeds of righteousness, will the most Gracious bestow love”. Maryam: 96.
May his everlasting peace and blessings be upon his noble servant our master Muhammad and his pure progeny.
Social changes resulting into significant effects in our societies generally occur. These different changes include coup, reform, revolt, liberation, separation and revolution.
Coup is a sudden, illegal and often violent change of government from within. Reform is a gradual legal movement within the system under social pressure which results in changes. Revolt is an uprising against a political system with no leadership plan for succession. Liberation on the other hand is a movement against foreign domination by the people or rather a kind of independence agitation while separation is a local geographical struggle against a central government.
However, revolution, the subject of our today’s piece is a popular uprising for a complete change in political power and fundamental dominatory values. Historically, only six such significant revolutions were successful: the French, 1789, Russia 1917, China 1949, Cuba 1959 Iran and Nicaragua 1979.
No doubt, revolution involves a lot of struggles and confrontation leading to loss of life, destruction of property but with positive result. For example millions of people were lost in the Russian revolution, twenty thousand in Cuba, 2% of Nicaraguan population and tens of thousands in Iran.
Obviously, the Islamic revolution in Iran was very particular in the way and time it triumphantly occurred bearing the nature of Islam being totally opposed to tyranny and oppression. Discussing this revolution is tantamount to swimming in a boundless ocean, as it has many aspects for justice to be made. However, in a piece like this, I can only stress few lessons for our reflection.
Imam Ruhullah, al – Moosawi al – Khomeini was the leader of the revolution and founder of the Islamic republic of Iran. The young Imam was born to a renowned family of scholarship, devotion and jihad on the 20th of Jimada – thani, 1420 H, equivalent to 24th September, 1902 in Khomein, the central province of Iran.
His father, Ayatollah Sayyid Mustapha Moosawi named him Ruhullah, al – Moosawi al – Khomeini in line with his blessed lineage with the noble prophet (s). After his considerable stay in Najaf in search of knowledge, his father was granted the license to practice for which he returned to Khomein as the religious guide of his people.
However, not long Sayyid Mustapha was assassinated by the regime for his prominent rise against its tyranny. Imam Khomeini’s mother Banoo Hajar was the daughter of Ayatollah Khonsari from the famous family of knowledge and chastity.
Imam Khomeini, blessed with a superlative intelligence had a very long history of scholarship from his parent, elder brother Morteza Pasandideh and later set off for theological assembly of Arak.
Imam later migrated to Qom after grand Ayatollah Hajj Abdul Kareem Haeri Yazdi in 1340 H where he took complementary lessons in rhetoric, jurisprudence, Arabic, spiritual sciences and mysticism, in addition to deep studies in Islamic and western philosophy, ethics, literature, logic, philosophy and astronomy.
At the age of twenty seven, the Imam married Sayyidah Khadija Khanom, daughter of Ayatollah Khonsari and was blessed with several children among who were Sayyid Mustapha, Ahmad and Zahra Mustafawi.
Right from his twenties, Imam has taught various Islamic disciplines in addition to his fearless preaching against the tyrannical leadership of the Shah who was used by the Western powers in suppressing the people and exploiting their resources. As such the Imam and his students were severely persecuted for their faith. Sometimes soldiers would attack the prominent Faydhiyyah School where the Imam taught throwing students down from its top leading to their martyrdom! And many attempts were made on the life of the Imam himself.
The Imam was forced to migrate from Iran to Turkey, Iraq and finally to french for his staunch position against the western backed Shah despotic government for the period of fourteen years from around 1965 to 1979!
On his return from migration from Paris the Imam was warmly welcomed by more than seven million people chanting popular slogans such as “Allahu Akbar” “neither East nor West, but Islamic republic!” “Khomeini is the leader” at the Beheshti Zahra –a graveyard where most of the revolution martyrs were buried. It was there he addressed the nation and no sooner than he had finished things began to change for better especially as the government forces like the Air force began to pay allegiance to him!
With the fall of the Shah government under his stooge Baktiar, Imam said “Islam and the Islamic republic is a trust given to us by Allah, the Most Exalted and Most High”
Then he ordered for the historic referendum of the 1st April, 1979 for the establishment of Islamic republic where more than 98% voted in support, hence, the establishment of Islamic system and republic for the success of the oppressed over the oppressors after many years of struggle and sacrifice.
Evidently, the Islamic system was the only guarantee to freedom and justice in the country. With absolute help of Allah the success was realized despite the countless western and eastern conspiracies under physical execution of their lackeys. This struggle has also encouraged all other people in the world to free themselves from the shackles of western domination and enslavement.
After the success of the revolution, enemies of the Islamic republic used their direct and indirect influences to frustrate the efforts of the Imam but all proved abortive. Use of counter revolutionary groups such as Munafiqun Khalq Organization (MKO), then Iraqi despotic leader, Saddam Hussein, the CIA, the SAVAK and many others who were sufficiently funded woefully failed and rather witnessed the development of the greatest revolution ever in history.
Other plots conspired to undermine the revolution included the assassination of Imam’s revolutionary and outstanding students by the use of terrorist groups like the MKO. Therefore many attained martyrdom before and after the success of the revolution like shaheed Morteza Motahhari, Dr. Rajae, Hujjatol Islam Bahoner and many others.
In fact most of the streets in the capital Tehran were named after these great martyrs of the revolution. Added to these were use of propaganda machinery, blackmailing the personality of the Imam and the eight year imposed war. After lamenting the merciless hand of Saddam in the atrocities, the Imam ascertained that for sure those building Saddam would be the same people to destroy him!
Generally speaking, not only the west and eastern powers fought against the success of the Islamic revolution but even the countries in the Middle East and Persian Gulf sided with the enemies regardless of Islam given their strong diplomatic and economic ties!
However, the greatest slap America and its allies could never forget was the detention of their spies for four hundred and forty four days which they could not escape as the Imam turned a deaf ear to all their requests and threats until his final decision on the conditions he lay! So also his invitation letter to Mr. Gorbachev former leader of the Soviet Union.
On his scholarly activities, the Imam has authored numerous books that are of enormous importance to the ummah. They include his practical jurisprudential fatwas; Tahreerul waseelah, Kashful asraar and hukuumatul islamiyyah – governance of the jurist among others. In the light of the latter, the Imam has emphasized the need for submission to religious authority of the jurist which is a practical solution to the interest of the ummah.
Unlike in the kingdom, sheikhdom and sultanate of the Arab/Asian traditionally and partially shariah – compliant Muslim states, in Iran its application is total. And in the light of the concept of Wilayatul faqih, today’s Iran has replaced shah’s monarchy with absolute Islamic system under leadership of the pious.
Both the state and nation are under a spiritual leader who is the custodian of Islamic rules and values. Directly under him is the all Ulama Guardian council that supervises all laws passed by the national Assembly to ensure strict compliance with Islamic shari’ah.
Apart from the spiritual leader, Guardian council and the Majlis, there are the country’s president heading the executive arm of government as the custodian of its constitution and the independent Judiciary. The five arms work harmoniously and are not only accountable to one another but most importantly to Allah the omnipresent and Most High!
Right from the days of the Imam, the Islamic revolution has achieved a lot in all aspects of the country’s socio – economic life. However, with the twenty five years after the Imam now, the country has tremendously developed not only in scientific, socio –economic and infrastructural development but is already into space technology!
Most interestingly is the simplicity of life led by both political and the working class due to the high example set by the Imam himself. I shed tears during my visit to the small house in northern Tehran rented by the late Imam despite all powers and influence at his disposal! The imam finally died of heart attack in a nearby hospital believed to worsen for Rushdie’s blasphemy against the noble messenger on 6th June 1989! May Allah shower His endless mercy on him.
Appreciably, the Imam is highly remembered with significant measures of paramount importance to the umma such as the international Quds day, last Friday of every Ramadan fast set aside in solidarity with the Palestinians, the unity week between twelfth and seventeenth Rabi’ul – awwal annually for shi’ah and Sunni to come together to strengthen their brotherhood, in addition to his prophesies on the collapse of communism and global rise of Islam!
His strongly encouraged women to strive and reach perfection as human beings have no limit is also well known. Thus a woman can serve her society as a scientist, philosopher politician, teacher and public figure. The Imam said “the Iranian sisters made a significant contribution to the Islamic revolution and compared to men were in forefront and gave strength to them”
However, the Imam was totally against corrupting women as in the western and eastern cultures in the name of liberation stressing the role of Sayyidah Fatima al –Zahra as the ultimate pattern for them.
The Imam was succeeded by his very brilliant, audacious and pious student Sayyid Ali Khamne’i as the spiritual leader of the Islamic republic.
Certainly, many things did not just happened in the way they did by coincidence, rather they were part of the grand design of Allah the creator and disposer of all affairs.
Allah says “….if ye turn back (from the path), He will substitute in your stead Another people; then they would not be like you” Qura’an:47:37
In a hadith narrated by Abu Hurairah, as recorded by Imam al – Tabari the companions asked the messenger; with whom should we substituted if we turn back? He touched the shoulder of Salman and said this and his people!
It was recorded in volume two of Bihar al –Anwar pages 445 and 446: Imam Jaafar al –Saadiq has said “A great man of Qom will invite people towards truth and freedom, and they will accept his call resolutely and with an iron will gather round him. They are individuals who fear no calamities and unpleasant happenings and never tire of combat and endeavor. Their only hope and refuse is Allah. Ultimate victory and success belong to chaste and virtuous people and those who follow the way of Allah”
As we pray for Allah’s bountiful mercy on the great Imam, safety of the revolution, we congratulate the brave Iranian nation on the great anniversary!
Wassalamu alaikum warahmatullah!
/149
In the name of Allah who states “On those who believe and work deeds of righteousness, will the most Gracious bestow love”. Maryam: 96.
May his everlasting peace and blessings be upon his noble servant our master Muhammad and his pure progeny.
Social changes resulting into significant effects in our societies generally occur. These different changes include coup, reform, revolt, liberation, separation and revolution.
Coup is a sudden, illegal and often violent change of government from within. Reform is a gradual legal movement within the system under social pressure which results in changes. Revolt is an uprising against a political system with no leadership plan for succession. Liberation on the other hand is a movement against foreign domination by the people or rather a kind of independence agitation while separation is a local geographical struggle against a central government.
However, revolution, the subject of our today’s piece is a popular uprising for a complete change in political power and fundamental dominatory values. Historically, only six such significant revolutions were successful: the French, 1789, Russia 1917, China 1949, Cuba 1959 Iran and Nicaragua 1979.
No doubt, revolution involves a lot of struggles and confrontation leading to loss of life, destruction of property but with positive result. For example millions of people were lost in the Russian revolution, twenty thousand in Cuba, 2% of Nicaraguan population and tens of thousands in Iran.
Obviously, the Islamic revolution in Iran was very particular in the way and time it triumphantly occurred bearing the nature of Islam being totally opposed to tyranny and oppression. Discussing this revolution is tantamount to swimming in a boundless ocean, as it has many aspects for justice to be made. However, in a piece like this, I can only stress few lessons for our reflection.
Imam Ruhullah, al – Moosawi al – Khomeini was the leader of the revolution and founder of the Islamic republic of Iran. The young Imam was born to a renowned family of scholarship, devotion and jihad on the 20th of Jimada – thani, 1420 H, equivalent to 24th September, 1902 in Khomein, the central province of Iran.
His father, Ayatollah Sayyid Mustapha Moosawi named him Ruhullah, al – Moosawi al – Khomeini in line with his blessed lineage with the noble prophet (s). After his considerable stay in Najaf in search of knowledge, his father was granted the license to practice for which he returned to Khomein as the religious guide of his people.
However, not long Sayyid Mustapha was assassinated by the regime for his prominent rise against its tyranny. Imam Khomeini’s mother Banoo Hajar was the daughter of Ayatollah Khonsari from the famous family of knowledge and chastity.
Imam Khomeini, blessed with a superlative intelligence had a very long history of scholarship from his parent, elder brother Morteza Pasandideh and later set off for theological assembly of Arak.
Imam later migrated to Qom after grand Ayatollah Hajj Abdul Kareem Haeri Yazdi in 1340 H where he took complementary lessons in rhetoric, jurisprudence, Arabic, spiritual sciences and mysticism, in addition to deep studies in Islamic and western philosophy, ethics, literature, logic, philosophy and astronomy.
At the age of twenty seven, the Imam married Sayyidah Khadija Khanom, daughter of Ayatollah Khonsari and was blessed with several children among who were Sayyid Mustapha, Ahmad and Zahra Mustafawi.
Right from his twenties, Imam has taught various Islamic disciplines in addition to his fearless preaching against the tyrannical leadership of the Shah who was used by the Western powers in suppressing the people and exploiting their resources. As such the Imam and his students were severely persecuted for their faith. Sometimes soldiers would attack the prominent Faydhiyyah School where the Imam taught throwing students down from its top leading to their martyrdom! And many attempts were made on the life of the Imam himself.
The Imam was forced to migrate from Iran to Turkey, Iraq and finally to french for his staunch position against the western backed Shah despotic government for the period of fourteen years from around 1965 to 1979!
On his return from migration from Paris the Imam was warmly welcomed by more than seven million people chanting popular slogans such as “Allahu Akbar” “neither East nor West, but Islamic republic!” “Khomeini is the leader” at the Beheshti Zahra –a graveyard where most of the revolution martyrs were buried. It was there he addressed the nation and no sooner than he had finished things began to change for better especially as the government forces like the Air force began to pay allegiance to him!
With the fall of the Shah government under his stooge Baktiar, Imam said “Islam and the Islamic republic is a trust given to us by Allah, the Most Exalted and Most High”
Then he ordered for the historic referendum of the 1st April, 1979 for the establishment of Islamic republic where more than 98% voted in support, hence, the establishment of Islamic system and republic for the success of the oppressed over the oppressors after many years of struggle and sacrifice.
Evidently, the Islamic system was the only guarantee to freedom and justice in the country. With absolute help of Allah the success was realized despite the countless western and eastern conspiracies under physical execution of their lackeys. This struggle has also encouraged all other people in the world to free themselves from the shackles of western domination and enslavement.
After the success of the revolution, enemies of the Islamic republic used their direct and indirect influences to frustrate the efforts of the Imam but all proved abortive. Use of counter revolutionary groups such as Munafiqun Khalq Organization (MKO), then Iraqi despotic leader, Saddam Hussein, the CIA, the SAVAK and many others who were sufficiently funded woefully failed and rather witnessed the development of the greatest revolution ever in history.
Other plots conspired to undermine the revolution included the assassination of Imam’s revolutionary and outstanding students by the use of terrorist groups like the MKO. Therefore many attained martyrdom before and after the success of the revolution like shaheed Morteza Motahhari, Dr. Rajae, Hujjatol Islam Bahoner and many others.
In fact most of the streets in the capital Tehran were named after these great martyrs of the revolution. Added to these were use of propaganda machinery, blackmailing the personality of the Imam and the eight year imposed war. After lamenting the merciless hand of Saddam in the atrocities, the Imam ascertained that for sure those building Saddam would be the same people to destroy him!
Generally speaking, not only the west and eastern powers fought against the success of the Islamic revolution but even the countries in the Middle East and Persian Gulf sided with the enemies regardless of Islam given their strong diplomatic and economic ties!
However, the greatest slap America and its allies could never forget was the detention of their spies for four hundred and forty four days which they could not escape as the Imam turned a deaf ear to all their requests and threats until his final decision on the conditions he lay! So also his invitation letter to Mr. Gorbachev former leader of the Soviet Union.
On his scholarly activities, the Imam has authored numerous books that are of enormous importance to the ummah. They include his practical jurisprudential fatwas; Tahreerul waseelah, Kashful asraar and hukuumatul islamiyyah – governance of the jurist among others. In the light of the latter, the Imam has emphasized the need for submission to religious authority of the jurist which is a practical solution to the interest of the ummah.
Unlike in the kingdom, sheikhdom and sultanate of the Arab/Asian traditionally and partially shariah – compliant Muslim states, in Iran its application is total. And in the light of the concept of Wilayatul faqih, today’s Iran has replaced shah’s monarchy with absolute Islamic system under leadership of the pious.
Both the state and nation are under a spiritual leader who is the custodian of Islamic rules and values. Directly under him is the all Ulama Guardian council that supervises all laws passed by the national Assembly to ensure strict compliance with Islamic shari’ah.
Apart from the spiritual leader, Guardian council and the Majlis, there are the country’s president heading the executive arm of government as the custodian of its constitution and the independent Judiciary. The five arms work harmoniously and are not only accountable to one another but most importantly to Allah the omnipresent and Most High!
Right from the days of the Imam, the Islamic revolution has achieved a lot in all aspects of the country’s socio – economic life. However, with the twenty five years after the Imam now, the country has tremendously developed not only in scientific, socio –economic and infrastructural development but is already into space technology!
Most interestingly is the simplicity of life led by both political and the working class due to the high example set by the Imam himself. I shed tears during my visit to the small house in northern Tehran rented by the late Imam despite all powers and influence at his disposal! The imam finally died of heart attack in a nearby hospital believed to worsen for Rushdie’s blasphemy against the noble messenger on 6th June 1989! May Allah shower His endless mercy on him.
Appreciably, the Imam is highly remembered with significant measures of paramount importance to the umma such as the international Quds day, last Friday of every Ramadan fast set aside in solidarity with the Palestinians, the unity week between twelfth and seventeenth Rabi’ul – awwal annually for shi’ah and Sunni to come together to strengthen their brotherhood, in addition to his prophesies on the collapse of communism and global rise of Islam!
His strongly encouraged women to strive and reach perfection as human beings have no limit is also well known. Thus a woman can serve her society as a scientist, philosopher politician, teacher and public figure. The Imam said “the Iranian sisters made a significant contribution to the Islamic revolution and compared to men were in forefront and gave strength to them”
However, the Imam was totally against corrupting women as in the western and eastern cultures in the name of liberation stressing the role of Sayyidah Fatima al –Zahra as the ultimate pattern for them.
The Imam was succeeded by his very brilliant, audacious and pious student Sayyid Ali Khamne’i as the spiritual leader of the Islamic republic.
Certainly, many things did not just happened in the way they did by coincidence, rather they were part of the grand design of Allah the creator and disposer of all affairs.
Allah says “….if ye turn back (from the path), He will substitute in your stead Another people; then they would not be like you” Qura’an:47:37
In a hadith narrated by Abu Hurairah, as recorded by Imam al – Tabari the companions asked the messenger; with whom should we substituted if we turn back? He touched the shoulder of Salman and said this and his people!
It was recorded in volume two of Bihar al –Anwar pages 445 and 446: Imam Jaafar al –Saadiq has said “A great man of Qom will invite people towards truth and freedom, and they will accept his call resolutely and with an iron will gather round him. They are individuals who fear no calamities and unpleasant happenings and never tire of combat and endeavor. Their only hope and refuse is Allah. Ultimate victory and success belong to chaste and virtuous people and those who follow the way of Allah”
As we pray for Allah’s bountiful mercy on the great Imam, safety of the revolution, we congratulate the brave Iranian nation on the great anniversary!
Wassalamu alaikum warahmatullah!
/149