Imam Khomeini and Islamic Awakening

A month before the victory of the Islamic Revolution in1979, a reporter asked Imam Khomeini in Paris: Do you think that Iran’s events might be felt in Turkey? He Imam answered: the sacred movement of Iran is Islamic and hence it is natural for Muslims throughout the world to feel its impact.

The current awakening in Egypt, Tunisia, Bahrain, Yemen, Jordan, Morocco, Kuwait, and Libya, and earlier the driving of the Zionists out of Lebanon by the Islamic Resistance, and revival of the Palestinians' uprising in the usurped lands on the undefeatable principles of jihad and martyrdom, have unnerved the big powers.

The victory of the Islamic revolution of Iran led by Imam Khomeini showed to the oppressed nations of the world that with trust in God, steadfastness and reliance on the dynamic teachings of Islam one can overcome the most powerful regimes. Yahya Abdul-Aziz Jammeh the former Gambian president referred to the Islamic Revolution as the finest model for all Muslim states for liberation from the yoke of colonialism.

Imam Khomeini by reviving the practicability of Islam and its laws in Iran actually invited the ummah to rediscover its identity so that the hegemony of foreign powers in the economic, political and military fields could be broken. He said: Hopefully, world Muslims would comprehend their problems and by forging solidarity on the basis of Islam get rid of the colonialists. The basic option is that the Muslim nations and governments should try to get rid of their intellectual dependence on the West and strive to regain their culture and originality. He thus promoted scientific self-sufficiency and self-reliance without depending on foreign powers.

The Islamic movement of the Iranian people with its emphasis on spirituality and spread of Islamic culture breathed moral and spiritual identity into Muslim societies. Member of the scientific board of Iran's Imam Hussein University Dr. Hassan Ali Akbari says: despite the West's efforts to ignore Imam Khomeini’s thoughts, today world nations have become better aware of the Imam’s prophetic words.

The uprisings sweeping the Arab world are indicative of this fact. Imperialism is certainly on its last legs and so is Zionism. Once the Zionists had dreamt of a 'Greater Israel' spreading from the River Nile in Egypt to the River Euphrates in Iraq, but thanks to Imam Khomeini’s thoughts, this dream has been shattered and turned into a nightmare. The Late Imam had called for the eradication of the cancerous tumour called Israel.

Today more and more nations are demanding the end of Israel, as is evident by the slogans of the people of Egypt and other countries. In other words, the current of awakening is the real demand of humanity. This current needs a brave and scholar standard barrier and Imam Khomeini initiated this movement in the world. The Imam’s words stemmed from the genuine precepts of Islam and the natural language of the human being. Any person with commonsense who ponders over Imam Khomeini’s words, will naturally be inspired by them.

The campaign against oppression for restoration of the dignity of self-respect of nations and regaining of their rights were all inspired by Imam Khomeini. We keep alive the path of Imam Khomeini which according to the present Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, is the ever-lasting truth.