REFLECTIONS ON IMAM KHOMEINI'S (QS) STRUGGLE
Highlight of Sheikh Zakzaky's speech on Imam Khomeini during Imam Week held in Zaria recenlty. A Report by Muhammad Isah Ahmad
The annual Imam's week organized by the Academic forum of the Islamic movement in Nigeria came to an end with a closing lecture from the leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky (H) on Thursday 4th June 2009 (11th Jumadal Thani 1430) at the FIC Dan Magaji Zaria.
Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky (H) in his introductory remarks expressed that the overall objective of the annual Imam's week conducted not only in Nigeria but the world over is directed towards commemorating and reflecting upon the Imam Khomeini (QS) and his struggle with the view to learning and imbibing lessons from such reflections for the task ahead. Imam Khomeini (QS) brought back hope to Muslims the world over by bringing back this great religion of ours Al-Islam back to live where Muslims began to publically be proud to be associated with after the world attention has been focused on sorting for alternative solution to Islam.
Sheikh Zakzaky during Imam Week Programme in Zaria recently
Today the revolution is in its thirtieth year, ten year within the life time of Imam and in its twentieth year after the demise of Imam (QS), but has remained stronger proving critics and enemies of Islam wrong. They have postulated the collapse of the revolution ten years afterwards but failed, again postulated its collapse ten years after the demise of Imam (QS) with scramble for leadership but yet again failed. The revolution is now in its twentieth year after the demise of Imam (QS) recording development in various human and physical fields. Sheikh expressed
Sheikh Zakzaky (H) reiterated one of the last sermons of Imam (QS) that he has done his duty and employ on all to uphold and stand put on to the straight path Al-Islam. Thus the task that is before the entire ummah is to heed to the call of Imam (QS) in reviving Al-Islam wherever one finds himself within various domains (States/Countries/nations). Thus despite the fact that the revolution took place in Iran, Islamic revolution is never an Iranian affair because Al-Islam is heedless of boundary limits of the contemporary state/countries. It is because of this fact what is needed in all countries is reviving the struggle made by Imam which is in contrast to the thought of some that every Muslim state requires a leaders of its own (its own Imam Khomeini (QS)) to spearhead a revolution. What will be the outcome of having more than one leader? Chaos of course! The centaury has witness Islamic revolution under the stewardship of Imam Khomeini (QS) and we remain his followers that follow his footsteps.
Sheikh Zakzaky presenting a gift to a brother during Imam Week programme in Zaria
Imam's struggle and the revolution that came brought with it a vibrant and positive change to the "world order" expressed Sheikh Zakzaky (H). The contemporary order has seen the influence and domination of the western countries with the so called super powers and their allies (America and their allies, Soviet Union (Russia) and their allies) at the helms of affairs. This is so with no country in the world in a position to voice out or carry out any activity without having their go ahead or backing, with contraveners facing the consequences. The story of the faith of Manuel Noriega abducted and imprisoned by America in America is not farfetched, likewise the story of the invasion of Yugoslavia, Afghanistan and the episode of Entebbe is also always fresh when recalled. More so the so called super powers are the ones that have assumed the status of dictating the measures or standards to be followed and must be abided by others. What they consider as right and lawful should be considered as an icon and yardstick with a different approach and yardstick considered as extremism, retrogression and what have you. Their building of nuclear facilities for all reasons including war is considered as progress, the development of nuclear facilities for peaceful purpose by Iran is considered as illegal, the camping and torturing of innocent civilians in Guantanamo bay is considered as legal and ideal, while the arrest and prosecuting of dissident is against fundamental human right and so on. The field of technological advancement was only attributed to the so called powers with machinery put in place to check all upcoming states, or at most if your servitude is attested some gadgets are supplied with their personnel's in the control.
However the struggle of Imam (QS) brought to the world a positive change, a shift from the contemporary convention with a renewed and revived teachings of the Rasool (S). Instead of aligning to the West or East the concept of "La Sharkiyan wala Gharbiyan", Neither West nor East, Al-Islam!! Al-Islam!!! is the answer. This very teachings of Imam brought life back to Islam which year by year Muslims that have fallen asleep have woken up to uphold the clarion call and are proud to be associated with Islam. Despite all plots within and outside Iran to weaken the revolution it had ever remained firm and in control, the activities of the "MKO", the 8-years Iraq-Iran imposed war, the various economic sanction and blockades have done little to destabilize Iran but made it wax stronger, vividly showing abiding by the teaching of Al-Islam does not tantamount to retrogression and underdevelopment.
The so called Eastern Block super power under the former Soviet Union is today only found in the achieves of history, likewise the western capitalism is today facing different form of predicament awaiting its eminent collapse. Despite their echoes of technological advancement they are today faced with the security bottle necks with each citizens and the state arming themselves for protection, what sort of advancement is this scenario of living without peace and comfort in live, always with the fear within the next minute you could be killed with an intended or stray bullet?
Sheikh further expressed it is now evident to the critics and enemies of Al Islam that the revolution in Iran has come to stay despite all plots and has a profound impact on the Muslim world and humanity. The theory now put in place with intent of containing the revolution within the boundaries of Iran is the conspiracy theory of depicting and branding the revolution to be "Shia revolution". They plan, but Allah (T) is The best of Planners, the branding has made more people worldwide to quest knowing what is Shia and what has Imam (QS) brought and called the Ummah onto.
In his concluding remarks Sheikh Zakzaky (H) highlighted while reflecting on the struggle of Imam (QS) it is evident despite all attempts and efforts by the infielders to crush the revolution, they have all failed to stop the acceptance of the clarion call of Imam (QS) and no such effort is successful. Iran today has progress in human and physical fields with Iran leading the mantle in protecting and standing by all oppressed people of the world. The key to the success of Imam's (QS) struggle has being voicing out the truth and standing by it.
Muhammad Isa Ahmad