Main Challenges of the Islamic Civilization

Characteristics of the Religious Government :viewpoints of Imam Khomeini and Ayatollah Khamenei

One of the most important characteristics of religious government - which also distinguishes it from other forms of government based on materialistic cultures (non-religious governments) " is that it is value-based, based on defense of truth and human dignity, and rejection of wrong including inequity, oppression, infidelity, paganism, exploitation, and colonization. Hence the religious government under the leadership of Imam is meant to safeguard right and reject wrong, which is a divine mission.

A review of the ideas of Imam Khomeini and Ayatollah Khamenei as well as foreign and domestic policies of the Islamic Republic of Iran will demonstrate the unceasing struggle of the Islamic system, as the harbinger of right, against the camp of global arrogance, led by the United States.

Establishment of United Islamic Ummah;Unity, Key to Victory and Glory of Muslims

As a Muslim reformer and leader of the Islamic society, Imam Khomeini always considered unity of word, solidarity and utilization of the rich Islamic resources as the only strategy for the victory o the deprived, disinherited masses over the arrogant powers as well as the restoration of the magnificence and glory of the disinherited Muslims and always recommended the Islamic government and ummah to observe these sacred issues:

"I have repeatedly invited the Islamic governments to unity and fraternity vis-à-vis the aliens and their agents who want to dominate our dear territories and colonize them and exploit their spiritual and material resources by diving the Muslims and Islamic governments." 13

Elsewhere, Imam Khomeini clearly states that the main reason for the backwardness and depravation of the Muslims, particularly the Palestinian Muslims, is lack of theoretical and practical unity among the Islamic countries and Islamic ummah and once again underlines the need for unity and solidarity of the world of Islam on the basis of Islamic communalities as the only key to victory and success against the camp of arrogance.

"If the heads of the Islamic countries give up their differences and become acquainted with the sublime Islamic objectives and tilt towards Islam, they will not become captives and slaves of colonialists as such." 14

The Imam painfully warns that depravation, colonization, and exploitation of the material and human resources of the Islamic world will increase and there is no way for getting rid of from this problem except return of the Muslims to the cultural, religious principles and revival of Islamic unity of word.

"I have warned time and again that if the Islamic ummah does not wake up and does not become aware of its duties, if the Islamic ulema do not shoulder their responsibility and do not rise, if true Islam, which is the result of unity and movement of all Islamic sects against the aliens and is the guarantor of the mastery and independence of the Muslim nations and governments continue to remain under the black veil of colonialism, and if the flames of differences and disunity among the Muslims flare up, darker and more miserable days await the Muslim society and a destructive threat will endanger Islam and the Quranic principles." 15

In order to perform its divine mission, the Islamic government of Iran considers the establishment of the universal Islamic ummah as one of its duties and will not spare any efforts in this regard. Article 11 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic states:

"On the basis of the Quranic verse, "Verily, this brotherhood of yours is a single brotherhood, and I am your Lord and Cherisher: therefore Serve Me," 16 all Muslims belong to one ummah and the government of the Islamic Republic is duty-bound to base its policy on the coalition and unity of Islamic nations and make incessant efforts to materialize political, economic and cultural unity of the Islamic world."

Commenting on the unity of Islamic ummah, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Khamenei, states:

"The entire Islamic ummah must remember this profound, precise recommendation of our dear Imam and should not forget unity of word on the basis of Islam. "And hold fast, all together, by the Rope Which God (stretches out for you)." 17

Hold fast to the rope of Allah and get united around the pivot of Islam. This unity is remedy to all illnesses and demolisher of all enemies." 18

Addressing the Islamic ummah in the Islamic world, while elaborating on the role of unity in the glory of the Islamic nation of Iran, the Leader mentioned Iran as a role model for other Muslims:

"Unity of word has been the key to the victory of the Iranian nation in various stages and today it is the best means for the confrontation of our nation with the provocations and plots." 19

Defending the Disinherited and Downtrodden Against the Arrogance

"The founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran paid special attention to the protection of the disinherited masses against the arrogant powers so that only few months after the victory of the Islamic Revolution, he put forth the idea of the establishment of an international party called the Party of the Disinherited." 20

In this regard, he states:

"I hope that one party called the Party of the Disinherited is established in the world and all the downtrodden of the world cooperate in this party to remove the problems existing in their way and rise against the arrogant powers and plunderers of the East and West and will no more allow the arrogant powers to oppress the downtrodden of the world." 21

Clearly the Islamic system of Iran, in the light of its divine mission, cannot keep silent against inequity and oppression and considers campaign against oppression and support of the disinherited and oppressed people of the world particularly the oppressed Muslims as one of its objectives in the world and has full faith in the divine promise on the rule of the disinherited over the world: "And We wished to be gracious to those who were being depressed in the land, to make them leaders and make them heirs." 22

Commenting on the same issue the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei states:

"Whatever we have, we owe to the blessings of genuine, revolutionary Islam, which is concerned about the fate of the oppressed and disinherited classes… the Islam of the weak and barefooted. The Islam that grants dignity and mastery to the low classes of the society and rescues them from lowliness and wretchedness. The Islam that overthrows the bullying thugs and powerful oppressors from their seat of power. The Islam for whose spread our honorable Imam spent his entire life." 23

All-Out Independence and Rejection of Dependence on Arrogant Powers

Genuine Islam is capable of guiding the Muslims towards dignity and felicity and is able to empower them to confront the dominant materialistic powers of the world without any dependence on the Eastern and Western poles. The victory of the Islamic Revolution, which was a manifestation of this concept of Islam, demonstrates this truth for the entire world. Commenting on this issue, Imam Khomeini states: "If instead of relying on the Eastern and Western blocs, the Islamic governments and nations rely on Islam and hold fast to the illuminating, liberating teachings of the holy Quran… they will not be frightened by the United States nor will they fear the Soviet Union." 24

Commenting on the comprehensive independence of the country and its preservation as well as its impact on the political insight of the Muslims, and their faith and awareness of the capabilities of Islam, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, states:

"Up to the establishment of the Islamic Republic, the Muslim masses were told that Islam was not capable of bringing about dignity and honor for them and that in search of felicity they should go after Western models and European and American cultures or tilt towards imaginary hollow Marxist theories; but after the victory of the Islamic Revolution and establishment of the Islamic Republic in Iran, the honor and dignity the materialization of Islam granted to the Iranian nation,

thwarted all the longstanding achievements of the colonial powers and showed in practice that Islam can rescue a nation from indolence and oppression and direct it towards the apogee of dignity, courage, and self-confidence and also it is able to grant them a firm, independent system, capable of challenging the materialistic powers of the world." 25

Once again it should be borne in mind that the formation and victory of the Islamic Revolution, the establishment of an Islamic government in Iran, its honorable resistance against various plots of the global arrogance and its internal and external agents, in fact, demonstrated the unlimited capabilities of Islamic thought and culture in establishing the most perfect form of government system (Islamic government) which meets the demands of various societies with their indigenous cultures in all times and is capable of directing the societies towards perfection and felicity.

On the other hand, the formation of the Islamic government could represent the most prefect practical model of government for the disinherited and oppressed peoples of the world, particularly the Muslim masses, preparing the grounds for the revival of religious thought and culture and putting forth the need for return of the Muslim masses to the foundations of Islamic culture.

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Khamenei has a clear remark on this topic:

"The impacts of the victory of the Iranian nation in the face of the world challenges did not remain confined to the Islamic world, rather, the Islamic breeze started blowing even in the non-Muslim countries where the iron cage systems of party dictatorship or ethnic oppression had not allowed the Muslims of those countries to even feel being Muslims; their dormant faiths started simmering and the herald of Islam disturbed the tranquility of the evils… This is an Islamic resurrection which has enlivened the dead souls and is preparing the grounds for the day when in response to the question "Whose will be the Dominion?", it is said: "That of God, the One, the Irresistible." (The Holy Quran, 40: 16). 26

Hajj, Symbol of Unity and Islamic Might

The divine religion of Islam appeared in the form of a complete religious culture from the very beginning of its emergence. It succeeded to establish a society with Islamic identity and an Islamic government under the leadership of the Messenger of Allah and in the shortest possible time it prepared the grounds for its spread across the globe.

A cursory look at the early years of the development of Islam shows that the main divine mission of the Prophet (PBUH) was to implement the Islamic culture and ideas and establish a religious society in order to lead human beings towards felicity and perfection. As the founder of the Islamic culture and religious, and given human-oriented nature of Islam, 27 the Prophet (PBUH) of Allah based his endeavors and struggles on cultural activities and by relying on the principle of the call, he tried to guide the people directly or indirectly (dispatch of representatives to other territories).

The history of human civilization shows that propagation of a new culture, particularly a new religious culture and advocacy of a new method of life, which calls for fundamental changes in the principles and pillars of the previous culture and civilization does not recognize the traditional power structures of the society, always faces certain problems and the first followers normally endure lots of hardship, particularly inflicted on them by the power-wielders, who found their interests endangered by the new religion.

The incessant struggles of the Prophet (PBUH) and his companions for the propagation and introduction of Islam as well as the establishment of the first bases of the Muslim communities and finally the establishment of the first Islamic society and Islamic government along with the hardships and difficulties they endured in this way bear eloquent testimony to this very fact.

At this stage we witness that the efforts of the holy Prophet (PBUH) and his companions for the establishment of the first perfect government structure (Islamic government) bears fruit. However, with the passage of time and as we go farther from the time of the departure of the Prophet (PBUH), the government systems in the Islamic territories gradually become alien to the religious government and get closer to monarchical dictatorial systems.

Also simultaneous with the decline and deterioration of the Abbasid dynasty and emergence of local governments which did not enjoy any religious legitimacy (they were neither based on Imamate of Shiism nor were they attributed to the Quraish " legitimacy in Sunnite school) 28 and hence the Islamic society and Muslim scholars started putting the legitimacy of the government into question and the ruling sultan was considered as an oppressor and usurper of the rulership in the Islamic world. 29

By isolating and distorting the Islamic teachings, isolating the Muslim thinkers from amongst the masses and interpreting the religion to justify their own interests, the despotic rulers tried to consolidate the pillars of their rule and in the process presented a distorted image of religion to the society. However, by enduring hardships, the veracious Muslim thinkers and scholars tried to preserve the Islamic sources and spread Islamic teachings. Commenting on the role of the veracious ulema of Islam in preserving the perimeters of the religious principles, Imam Khomeini states:

"If the dear ulema were not there, it would not be clear what would have been presented to the people today as the Quranic sciences, Islam and the Household of the Prophet (PBUT). The collection and preservation of the Quranic sciences and the sayings and traditions of the honorable Prophet and the precept of the infallible Imams; as well as their record and preservation at a time when … the sultans and oppressors had mobilized all resources to eliminate them was not an easy task." 30

In the contemporary era too the invading Western governments and some ruling systems spread a poisonous atmosphere 31 against the Islamic world and level charges and accusations against Islam by relying no their propaganda means. They also try to inculcate the idea that the main reason for backwardness and shortages in the Islamic world is the people’s commitment to religious principles. Therefore the committed Muslim scholars and thinkers, particularly Imam Khomeini, shouldered a heavy responsibility.

They had to purify the principles of religion and eliminate superstitions in order to revive religious thought and hence launched their cultural, propagation struggle in order to introduce genuine Islamic culture and thought. They therefore had to innovate new value-based intellectual concepts.

Among the most important, profound concepts which was created and whose theoretical elaboration left an outstanding impact on the beliefs of the Muslims and made them realize the need for return to religious principles was genuine Mohammedan Islam which was introduced by the greatest and most pious disciple of the school of Islam, Imam Khomeini, that indeed introduced a new meaning of Islam to the world.

In this approach, Islam has been introduced as an anti-arrogance school which rejects all manifestations of oppression and tyranny, supports all the disinherited and oppressed peoples of the world, preserves independence, rejects any kind of dependence, and safeguards such human rights as freedom and social justice.

Without any doubt in the light of such an image of Islam, all religious principles and decrees find a clear meaning, the rust of superstition is wiped out from religious principles, and the clear image of Jamiat un Nabi " the utopia of the Muslim in all stages of the Islamic civilization " becomes clearly visible.

Among the Islamic decrees, which underwent a change in the light of the introduction of sociopolitical thought of genuine Mohammedan Islam, was Hajj ritual. Imam Khomeini introduced Abrahamic Hajj instead of the "American Hajj", which in effect transformed Hajj ceremonies from mere ritualistic ceremonies to a political-ritualistic ceremony. Thus the Hajj occasion became a platform for the expression of the message of the oppressed and wretched of the world and a manifestation of the Islamic unity, cry of deliverance from the pagans and the arrogant camp and ultimately a platform for the demonstration of the power of the Islamic world in confronting the camp of arrogance.

Characteristics of Abrahamic Hajj in Viewpoints of Imam Khomeini and Ayatollah Khamenei

In viewpoints of Imam Khomeini and Ayatollah Khamenei, religious rites and rituals have various aspects. The raison d’etre of Islamic principles can be studied from various aspects including individual, social, ritualistic, and political ones. In other words, within the framework of genuine Mohammedan Islam, Imam Khomeini depicted a sociopolitical image of Islam.

Thus he rescued Islam from social isolation and changed it into a dominant culture and idea in the society and elaborated on it theoretically in order deepen religious concepts among the Muslims. In this line, in the opinions of Imam Khomeini and Ayatollah Khamenei, Hajj rituals have individual, social, ritualistic, and political aspects and Hajj is rightly the manifestation of great power of unity of Islamic ummah.

A) Characteristics of Hajj and Its Spiritual Status

Commenting on the spiritual and ritualistic aspects of Hajj, Imam Khomeini emphasized on the interconnection of this aspect with other aspects:

"Spiritual position of Hajj, which is an eternal asset and brings about closeness of man with horizon of monotheism and purity, will not be achieved unless the ritualistic principles of Hajj are properly performed and its political aspect is not fulfilled unless its spiritual and divine aspects are accomplished.

... your labaiks (yes O Lord) should be a response to the call of the Almighty God and wear the pilgrimage garment in order to get close to the threshold of the Court of the Lord. While chanting labaik migrate from self " a great source of infidelity " towards the Lord, glorified is He." 32

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, describes Hajj as an eternal source, a divine spring and a clear rivulet for the Islamic ummah:

"Thanks be to Allah Who has ordained Hajj as an eternal source, a divine spring and a clear continuous rivulet for the eternal ummah." 33

Elsewhere, he comments on the interrelations between spiritual, ritualistic aspects of Hajj and its political, social dimensions: "Hajj is a worship and chanting of prayers and repentance, but it is a worship and a repentance aimed to resuscitate the pure life of the Islamic ummah and liberate it from the chains of colonialism, dictatorship and mammons of wealth and power... It is a Hajj which is among the pillars of religion and in the Nahj ul Balagha, the Commander of the Faithful has called it the banner of Islam, the holy war of every powerless, remover of poverty and destitute, and a source of proximity of the believers to each other." 34

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Khamenei and Imam Khomeini both lay emphasis on the importance of the city of Mecca and the House of God (Bait ullah al Haram) " where the greatest culture and civilization of the history of mankind was formed. Commenting on the issue, Imam Khomeini stated:

"The holy Mecca and the holy sites are the mirror of great events of the movements of the prophets, of Islam and mission of the holy Prophet of Islam. Every spot of this territory is a place of emergence of great prophets, the trusted Gabriel and reminder of the years-long sufferings and hardships the Prophet (PBUH) endured in the way of Islam and humanity. Presence in these holy sites while bearing in mind the difficult, intolerable conditions of the appointment of the Prophet acquaints us with the responsibility of preservation of the achievements of this divine movement and mission."

Commenting on the same issue, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Khamenei, states:

"In this place, the pivot and center of every sanctity is God and circumambulation, running between Safa and Marva, and staying [in holy sites] as well as other rituals of Hajj each is a demonstration of attraction to God and rejection, denial and deliverance from the enemies of God." 35

________________________ 13 Ibid., Vol. 1, P. 139. 14 Ibid., Vol. 1, P. 186. 15 Ibid., Vol. 1, PP. 195-196. 16 The Holy Quran, 21: 91. 17 The Holy Quran, 3: 103. 18 Hadith-e Wilayat, Vol. 1, PP. 290; 298. 19 Ibid., Vol. 4, P. 255. 20 Mohammadi, Manoucher, Islamic Foreign Policy: Principles and Problems, (Tehran: Nashr Dadgostar, 1998), 1st Ed. P. 34. 21 Sahifeh-e Nour, Vol. 8, P. 250. 22 The Holy Quran, Chapter Qisas: 5. 23 Hadith-e Wilayat, Vol. 4, P. 20. 24 Sahifeh-e Nour, Vol. 1, P. 186. 25 Hadith-e Wilayat, Vol. 4, PP. 244-245. 26 Ibid., Vol. P. 245.

27 Man’s status and the necessity of safeguarding his natural desires such as freedom, and enjoying the right to elect, social justice, and social participation in the Islamic culture, are so sublime that the divine law giver has left the acceptance of Islam to the discretion of human beings, recognizing their rights to elect. The Verse 256 of the Chapter Caw states: "Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from error…"

28 According to Islamic teachings sovereignty belongs to God alone and after Him only those who have been directly or indirectly granted the right to rule by God enjoy such a right (the Prophet, or those who have been recommended by him to rule the Islamic society). In the Shia philosophy they are called Imams of the ummah. Also after the Prophet those who had the greatest record of rendering services to Islam had a right to rule (the Guided Caliphs), or those who were closest relatives of the Prophet or were closest members of his tribe, who are called the righteous Caliphs in the Sunnite political philosophy.

29 Ibid., PP. 65-66. 30 Sahifeh-e Nour, Vol. 21, P. 88. 31 See the Introduction of the present study. 32 Sahifeh-e Nour, Vol. 5, P. 42. 33 Hadith-e Wilayat, Vol. 7, P. 144. 34 Ayatollah Khamenei, Hajj Message, July 1987. 35 Hadith-e Wilayat, Vol. 7, P. 146.