By Sheikh Muhammad Mahmud Turi
In the name of Allah who states “O soul that art at rest, return unto thy Lord, well pleased, well pleasing (Allah), enter among my servants, and enter my garden” Q89: 27-30.
May his everlasting peace and blessings be upon his noble servant our master Muhammad and his purified progeny.
As noted earlier, Rajab is a very eventful month. Added to the elaborated events were the war of Khaibar on 24th and the beginning of revelation on 27th respectively.
I will proceed by commending the effort of the Sisters’ forum of the Islamic movement in Kano for organizing a well – publicized essay writing competition exclusively for non – members female of the society. The competition was on twenty (20) ahadith (sayings of the prophet) narrated by Sayyidah Fatima al-Zahra (as) from her father.
Based on the elaboration of the technical committee of the competition, all competitors have tried their utmost best through extensive research and consultations and the papers were attentively marked on international standard. The winner of the first position was given a car, 232 Mazda brand while the second and third positions bagged deep freezer and large tailoring machine respectively! Declaration of results and presentations of prizes were merged with the Khatma birthday ceremony of Imam Ali (as) at the Kano central mosque premises last Saturday!
The piece of this week is on the commemoration of the sad demise of Imam Khomeini may Allah have mercy on him. As usual, the Islamic movement in Nigeria is half way in its annual Imam’s week.
No doubt, the Imam was a special gift of Allah to this Ummah. As such the relevance of this commemoration cannot be overemphasized. That is why the Islamic republic of Iran founded by the Imam attaches more significance to this event which calls for sober-reflection.
At the same time the global Islamic movement, human rights groups, humanitarian and resistance organizations have a lot of lessons to learn from the insightful leadership of this great personality.
As the general assertion, the revolution led by Imam Khomeini resulted in a complete change of political power and fundamental values in Iran. Historically, only six such significant revolutions were successful; the French, 1789, Russia 1917, China 1949, Cuba 1959 Iran and Nicaragua 1979.
Revolution involves lots of struggles and confrontation leading to loss of property and life but with positive result. Based on the Islamic teaching of opposition to tyranny and oppression, the Imam led the Islamic revolution in Iran and triumphantly succeeded with the overwhelming support of the masses.
Born to a great religious family of Ayatollah Sayyid Mustapha Moosawi and Banoo Hajar on the 20th of Jimada-thani, 1420 H, equivalent to 24th September, 1902 in Khomein, the central province of Iran, the Imam had a very wide history of scholarship.
He studied various disciplines from prominent Islamic scholars who excelled in their fields and taught same to students of different backgrounds. The Imam was a fearless preacher and spoke the truth against the tyrannical leadership of the Shah who was used by the Western powers.
As such the Imam and his obedient students who refused to recognize the legitimacy of the oppressive regime of the Shah have suffered untold persecution in a multi – faceted dimension which ultimately forced the Imam to migrate to Turkey, Iraq and finally to France from 1965 to 1979!
On his return 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.
The Islamic republic was fully established after the 1st April, referendum of 1979 conducted on the orders of the Imam in which over 98% of the Iranian people chose Islamic republic. As soon as the result was announced, people spread to streets jubilating shouting “Allahu Akbar” for the overwhelming triumph to establish the only Islamic republic in the contemporary world.
In the words of the Imam “Islam and Islamic republic is a trust given to us by Allah, the most exalted and most High”
However, the enemies of the revolution used their direct and indirect influences to frustrate the victory. So they used counter revolutionary groups such as Munafiqun Khalq Organization (MKO), then Iraqi despotic leader, Saddam Hussein, the CIA, the SAVAK and other Arab countries that funded all sorts of opposition.
Most importantly, the Imam focused all attention on the unity of the Ummah, through unity week and liberation of Palestine. After a very successful contribution in safeguarding the interests of Islam and Muslims, the Imam died on Saturday, June 3, 1989 at 10:30 am.
In the light of the concept of Wilayatul faqih, the Imam established a strong Islamic system that totally replaced shah’s monarchy under absolute leadership of the pious. The Imam was succeeded by his very brilliant and audacious student Sayyid Ali Khamne’i as the spiritual leader of the Islamic republic.
Condolence messages were received from world leaders and prominent personalities regarding the irreparable loss of the Imam which attest to the great struggle for justice and emancipation of the weak:
PRESIDENT KIM IL SUNG OF KOREAN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC:
“I express deep condolences on the death of his eminence Ayatollah Imam Khomeini, the outstanding leader of the Iranian nation. His eminence Ayatollah Imam Khomeini had performed shinning exploits in the sacred cause of opposing all manner of domination and subjugation including imperialism, achieving the victory of the Islamic revolution in Iran and bringing about the independent development and prosperity of the country. Although His eminence Ayatollah Imam Khomeini passed away, his name will remain long in the hearts of the Iranian people”.
THE SOVIET LEADER, MIKHAEL GORBACHEV:
“The recent expansion of Tehran-Moscow relations is closely related to the name of Imam Khomeini”.
PROFESSOR AS’AD ALI IN ECHO OF ISLAM 1 – 30TH SEPTEMBER, 1989:
“I believe the cultural values introduced by Imam Khomeini will never disappear, even after his demise. As a matter of fact, the flowering of Imam Khomeini’s cultural values and ideas will begin after his demise. As a matter of fact, I consider Imam Khomeini’s fatwa as a symbol of his movement because in Syria and Lebanon nobody considered Shiites, but when Imam Khomeini issued his fatwa people said that Imam Khomeini is the father of Islam”.
THE SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT ROH TAE – WOO:
“I express sincere condolence and deepest sympathy to your Excellency and to the people of the Islamic republic of Iran on the passing away of Ayatollah Khomeini” the message added; our thoughts are with you and your people in the loss of this great leader of our times. May God comfort and console you and your people in this sorrowful time”.
AL – DIYAR –LEBANON:
“A person who was considered to be one of the great personalities of the present era has passed away. He was a person who, with his simple life, shook the world and brought about a great revolution in the foundations of the world the voice of which will continue to be heard throughout history”.
NORWAY RADIO:
“Ayatullah Khomeini was a steadfast person who calmly made decisions when under difficulties. His words were law and his law was the Qur’an. Imam Khomeini was a leader and a personality who, despite the US, several times showed the world that the oppressed can confront and resist the superpowers”.
TIMES – LONDON:
“Khomeini was a person who attracted the masses with his words. He used to speak in simple words and gave a feeling of self confidence to his poor and deprived followers. This feeling enabled them to confront the enemy. He showed the people that even one can stand against powers such as the US without being frightened”.
Generally speaking, Imam believes in self reliance and is very much opposed to foreign interference which may lead to domination:
“You all should stand against foreigners with all your means. We have stood before the foreigners with all of our power and will never allow anyone to interfere in the affairs of our country, 1979. Adding: we do not need a supervisor. If we administer badly or well, that will be related to ourselves. Who can come and say that no, someone should come and administer your affairs. It is none of your business. This country and its resources belong to us”.
Certainly, many things did not just happen in the way they did by coincidence, rather they were part of the grand design of Allah the creator and disposer of all affairs.
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 sympathize with the Islamic republic and the entire muslim-ummah over the event.
Wassalamu alaikum warahmatullah!