Imam Khomeini, Ethics and Politics
Epilogue
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In the course of the foregoing discussions we started from ethics going
toward politics and its connection to ethics. Then, we reverted to
ethics and its station in politics. As we have seen, the Imām’s view on
politics is an ethical one, and he regards it as an extension of ethics
on a broader level.
From this perspective, precepts and moralities for politics that are
separate from the general precepts of Islamic ethics cannot be found.
Any attempt to make politics independent from ethics is, in effect, and
in the long run the annihilation of not only ethics, but also results in
obliterating politics. As such, from the Imām’s viewpoint, it is not
only the other-worldly interests that require the statesman to be bound
by ethics; even practical reason and political reason demand from him
this abidance by ethics. Thus, in admonishing the lawmakers of the
Islamic society, he says:
You ought to be the teachers of ethics of the society and the entire
society ought to rally behind you… and if, God forbid, deviations arise
and selfish motives appear… this, first of all, constitutes a grave
moral degeneration and degeneration in the presence of God, and
secondly, there is the fear that you will not be able to take this load
home.[597]
Therefore, to behave ethically in all spheres, political spheres in
particular, leads to emotional and spiritual loftiness and progress of
man apart from being a requisite and demand of reason. One of the duties
of the political authorities in the Islamic society is the preservation
and promotion of Islamic values and slogans, and the best way to this
end is for the authorities to observe these values, mottos and ethical
principles and to reform themselves.
Today is the day when you ought to preserve Islam; you ought to
preserve Islam. Preservation of Islam is that you should modify your
actions, you should behave well with the people; be brothers to the
people; you should not look upon the people in such a way.[598] * *
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