By Zafar Bangash
[Courtesy: Crescent International, February 16-29, 2000]

The multi-dimensional personality of Imam Khomeini was highlighted at an international conference in Canada’s capital, Ottawa, on February 5. Scholars, academics, ulama and Islamic activists from around the world defied the weather to join this one-day conference and pay tribute to this great man of the twentieth century during his hundredth birthday celebrations. Such celebrations have been held in different parts of the world including Tehran, Beirut, Damascus, Moscow, Islamabad, Karachi and Johannesburg.

Imam Khomeini’s was a unique personality, unlike any in this century. Indeed, there have been few personalities like him in history. Most people, including many Muslims, know him only through the great revolution he brought against the tyrannical regime in Iran. That in itself is an impressive achievement.

When the Revolution unfolded in 1978-79, the shah’s regime was not weakened by any external military defeats; he was fully backed and supported by the United States government, and Washington made every effort to protect its client in Tehran, even contemplating a military coup if all else failed to thwart the success of the Revolution. The Imam was living in exile — in fact during the last few months of the Revolution the shah (through the US) even persuaded Saddam Husain to exile the Imam from Iraq — and had no direct contact with Iran’s people. Yet somehow he transcended all these barriers.

All America’s machinations and plots came to naught. The Imam led a successful revolution and established an Islamic government. These are impressive achievements and would earn any person an honoured position in the gallery of remarkable personalities. But the Imam did not bring about a revolution for publicity or personal glory; his mission was at once higher and more noble. Following in the footsteps of the noble Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace (Imam Khomeini was a Sayyid, a member of the family of the Prophet), the Imam came to demolish a taghuti government in order to establish Islamic rule and Shari’ah in society.

But his was not merely a political change. This point was highlighted by a number of speakers in Ottawa. Khanum-e Fatemeh Tabatabai, daughter-in-law of the Imam and one of his most prominent students, as well as Dr Tauba Kermani, professor at Tehran University and advisor to the head of Culture and International Relations Organisation, touched upon the spiritual dimensions of the Imam’s character that guided all his actions.

Khanum-e Tabatabai reflected on how the Imam rejected the simply notion that a Sufi is an isolationist; for the Imam, tasawwuf and erfan are much more noble. He insisted that spirituality without action leads to lethargy and action without spirituality leads to tyranny. The Imam blended in his personality the qualities that made him unique. He lived in this world but was detached from it, yet he cared deeply for the well-being of the downtrodden people (the mustad‘afeen) whose service he considered a great act of worship.

Dr Tauba Kermani addressed the aspects of ethics in the Imam’s personality and how these were utilised in the service of his political and social mission. Without ethics, all actions lead to oppression and tyranny. For the Imam, morality, honesty and integrity were essential to his socio-political work. It is such qualities that are missing in the world today.

The political dimensions of his life were touched upon by a number of speakers. Dr Liakat Takim, Seyyed Muhammad Rizvi, Dr Ghada Ramahi, Dr Yusuf Progler, Dr Dhiaa Ahmed al-Mukhtar and Imam Mohammad al-Asi all discussed various aspects. Some discussed his role in bringing about change in the political thinking of Muslims in Iran and successfully challenging western hegemony, both in the political and intellectual fields; others highlighted the impact of the Revolution on the global Muslim Ummah, especially the Islamic movement.

Dr Ghada Ramahi and Dr Yusuf Progler discussed the current efforts at islah (reform) underway in Iran as well as the policy of ‘dialogue’ with the west. Dr Ramahi pointed out differences in the islah that the Imam had ushered in and how they were intended to take society closer to the laws of Allah in the service of the people; some trends today talk about islah in terms of political parties, and use it a propaganda tool to advance their own narrow agenda.

Dr Progler drew attention to the dialogue according to the Imam’s formulation and how it is framed today, coming especially as it does from the west. He said that the west has historically taken the position of "dialogue or die", leaving no choice for the other side. He also pointed out that the west insists on determining the framework for dialogue: it is always one-on-one, for instance, rather than a trialogue or a discussion among numerous participants. Dr Progler took Samuel Huntington’s notorious notion of the "clash of civilizations" argument to pieces and then pointed out that even the Imam had dialogues with various parties— Mikhail Gorbachev and the Pope, for instance — but did so in an Islamic framework and always with the intention of highlighting Islamic truths and principles. The dialogue fad today is intended to obfuscate these fundamental precepts.

A similar note was struck by Imam Mohammed al-Asi of Washington, in a characteristically dynamic presentation. He lamented the fact that the zeal with which the Imam took a stand on various issues appears to be missing today. Recognizing that perhaps diplomats may be constrained by the "diplomatic" nature of their work and may have to adopt certain positions, he still asked why the ulama are silent today. He drew a sharp contrast between the firm positions the Imam had taken on various issues, and the resounding silence of the vast majority of ulama on these burning issues today. He reminded the audience that Muslims everywhere used to wait for the Imam’s position on an issue in order to adjust their own thinking accordingly. Today, there is no such guidance coming from the ulama. He challenged this silence, pointing out that this clarity of perception was a key element of the Imam’s greatness.

While speakers highlighted the various dimensions of his personality, it was also clear that a single, one-day conference was not enough to do justice to the true character of this great man. Fortunately, this was just one of a number of conferences organised in different parts of the world to highlight his great contribution.

The best tribute the Muslims can pay to the Imam is to follow in his footsteps, because he closely followed the Sunnah and Seerah of the noble Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). Muslims in Iran and outside, especially in North America, can start with their own lives by adopting a simple lifestyle. The Imam lived a very frugal existence; he left behind nothing of this world because he lived here as a traveller, passing through it but not being possessed by it. This is perhaps the key starting point for Muslims to show a better understanding of the world around us in order to adopt the correct strategy to change it.

Zafar Bangash is Director of the Institute of Contemporary Islamic Thought (ICIT).