In the year 1902 a child was born in Iran who later on changed the destiny of a nation and that of the Muslim World by his divine uprising. He led a revolution against which the world’s entire dominant powers and all enemies of freedom and nations' independence, lined up since its commencement.
That day no one knew that he would be the one whom the future will know as 'Imam Khomeini', one whose name will be heard in every spot of the world and will remain in history, one who, once began an uprising, will resist against the greatest world powers and defend the independence of the country and the dignity of the Islamic nation and will become the reviver of God’s religion in an era when values have undergone a metamorphosis.
A Man for All Ages
The late Martyr Murtada Mutahhari, by way of depicting ‘Ruhullah’ [the spirit of God], says that he was the extract and digest of faith.
It was this very faith which, bravely and intuitively, spoke of the decline of Communism, and of the need of the contemporary critical world for gnostic spirituality, the spirituality which he himself was its actual personification and crystallization.
Why did the imperialism fear from this old man?
He was the man who after centuries, like a spiritual leader and an internal guide for his era, called out to the new Caesars and Emperors to submit to the truth, the wonder of innateness and the conduct of love and faith.
The world has heard, and it will also hear, his voice. Tens of small and large countries in the world testify how great the holy voice of that old spiritual man in its effect was, and how blissful!
Why does a man reach to such a level?
Undoubtedly, the Imam enjoyed the flow of the holy spirit of the Christ’s breath, and thus he could breathe into the dead body of the new century the spirit of faith and love, and to historically carry out the desire of all the prophets.
This is why the Late Pope John Paul II had said: "We should respect and venerate Imam Khomeini for the things he did for his country and the world."
Why is it that during the revolution, all of Iran no matter old or young, religious or Marxist, and from all different ethnics, only and only saw one man in their perspective?
The Figure of this Age
It seemed that the whole history of a nation was summarized in this man. Somehow that in 1979 he became a figure, reflecting the needs of millions of people.
He used his strongest power against history in order to deny the empty-handedness of the spirit of the present era.
Perspective of a Nation
Bishop Capuche says: "Iran's victory against the world's greatest powers was due to Imam Khomeini's leadership and people's powerful faith."
It is these particularities which distinguishes Imam Khomeini’s revolution from other contemporary revolutions.
The age of united disbelief is over, and now it is time for monotheism and a new era is starting. Imam Khomeini gave everything the color and smell of holiness. The earth got a heavenly appearance, and the soil got the color of the orbits.
World in Sorrow
On June 3rd 1989, he prepared himself to see one who he yielded to attract, his satisfaction in all his lifetime. He bowed nobody and cried for none except his beloved. Now this was the glorious time for him and an intolerable time for his disciples.
Nothing can describe what went on that day to the people. The glory of people's presence in January 1st, 1979 was again repeated with great intensity in the day of Imam Khomeini's death. As the world testifies the presence of almost 6 million people in 1979 when Imam was returning to Iran and a mass presence in Imam Khomeini's funeral ceremony of 9 million people.
As Bishop Capuche says: "Imam Khomeini was the father of the world's Weak and his absence is a great sorrow for the bereft of world."
Imam Khomeini's memory and mode became eternal since he was the actual real and the reality is always immortal and alive.
Imam Khomeini was symbol of Islam
Islamic Revolution Leader Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei Monday morning in a meeting with members of the committee of holding commemoration ceremonies for the 20th demise anniversary of Imam Khomeini said that the late Imam was symbol of Islam and key to independence, dignity and unity of Iran, adding that the precious heritage of Imam must be preserved by all means and his memory must be kept alive as a divine blessing.
The IR Leader said that it was a sign of greatness of Imam Khomeini's personality that despite the passage of many years from his demise, new dimensions of his personality are being understood now.
"The great architect of the Islamic Revolution was so competent that God manifested His blessing and will through him and Imam became the most important means to materialize the great miracle of God which was the Islamic Revolution," the IR Leader said.
Ayatollah Khamenei said Imam was the bright center of unity of nation so that even his opponents respected him in mind and appreciated his greatness.
Ayatollah Khamenei said the Imam turned into symbol of Islam through reliance on Islam, adding even after twenty years from the demise of Imam, the Iranian nation and the Muslim world continue to consider him as symbol of Islam.
The IR Leader said the deep and heartfelt affection of the Iranian nation to Imam has helped his thoughts to dominate other thoughts in society, adding that it was a notable reality that all political inclinations even those which do not believe in some of Imam's thoughts introduce themselves as supporters of Imam because they know that for the Iranian people on whose votes the Islamic system is based, it is a value to support Imam.
Ayatollah Khamenei then said that the nations and world intellectuals support Imam Khomeini because the principles of his thoughts had been taken from true Islam, adding that Imam Khomeini without any reservations stated the principles of true Islam in a prideful manner.
The IR Leader considered Imam Khomeini as true symbol of independence and national unity, adding that God has created and trained his pious servant in a way that without any shame he stood against the aggression of political bullies of the world and against the flood of their accusations that the principles are fundamentalist, he defended the true Islam in a prideful manner and for the same reason he turned into the symbol of dignity of the Iranian nation.
Ayatollah Khamenei said that the unity of Iranian people of different religious, ethnic or political groups showed the capacity of Imam Khomeini to create unity in the country. He then warned that some are trying to destroy the blessed unity.
Pointing to Zahedan bombing, Ayatollah Khamenei said that following the incident the enemies tried to disturb the situation. He urged people to be vigilant and do not allow the dreams of enemies of independence and progress of the country to be fulfilled. Ayatollah Khamenei added however that the people are vigilant and would take decision through their special understanding.
Ayatollah Khamenei urged all Iranian people of different religious, ethnic or political groups to preserve and consolidate their national unity as the precious heritage of Imam Khomeini.