Islamic Revolution in the eyes of thinkers (3)

The Islamic Revolution is undoubtedly the most important event of the 20th century and one of the greatest events of the past millennium. This revolution has made great thinkers of the west and the east to venerate and glorify it.

Even the opponents of the Islamic Revolution have not been able to ignore the magnanimity of this peerless phenomenon. The victory of a nation with bare hands against a regime which had the best military equipment and enjoyed the support of a power like the US astounded the thinkers and politicians in the world. The Islamic Revolution of Iran was the incarnation of the power of faith over all vestiges of materialism and ungodliness. What preoccupied the great thinkers and scholars of the world was the cause and manner of shaping of this revolution. They have praised this revolution many times while most of them have failed to understand the dimensions of this grand phenomenon.

Professor Bernard Lewis, famous Jewish American specializing in West Asian studies, in his book, »Allah’s Breath, The Islamic World and the West: Battle of Cultures«, comparing the successes of modern movements in the revival of religious thought in the Islamic countries, writes, “Egyptian extremists have merely succeeded in destroying their ruler; but the Egyptian regime was saved and continued its policy.” Then he calls Iranian people as extremists who got more success and destroyed the regime and made such a prevalent revolution triumph that its fame spread throughout the Islamic world.

Professor Andrea Meier, Islamologist and expert of Christian Theology writes in the book, »The Political Mission of Islam«, “With the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran which is the outcome of the Islamic Revolution, the political mission of Islam has internalized in such a way that has been unique so far. For the first time, political system emerging from Islamism replaced a secular west-inclined regime in a revolutionary manner. This great development, in the view of many Muslims, was a victory over supremacy of the colonial and post-colonial power. By supremacist western power, I mean the US. Thus, the Islamic Revolution in Iran turned into a model for Muslims across the world toward complete materialization of ‘Islamist Ideal Government.’”

Dr. Fosbury, a priest and President of Latin American Catholic universities, believes that, “Imam Khomeini, using cultural roots of Islam, staged the historical movement of his nation. He succeeded to create a great move in the Islamic countries by a politico-religious revolution. He opened a path before us whose most important message is the possibility of restoring spiritual nature and divine power and the faith in God. The Imam, by opening this path, jolted the spiritual conscience of the west intensively; though the western corporate media are trying to cover and hide it.”

Michel Foucault, French historian and thinker, is considered one of the acclaimed thinkers of the 20^th century because of his famous opinions on society, politics and history. He traveled to Iran twice in October and November 1978, in the heat of the Iranian people’s struggles and a few months before the victory of the Islamic Revolution. He traveled to Tehran, Qom and Abadan and met with some of the religious leaders and different groups of people. Foucault wrote a series of articles in these trips which were published in the book, “What are Iranians dreaming of?” Michel Foucault venerated the Islamic Revolution and wrote, “Negation of the Pahlavi regime in Iran is a great social phenomenon; but it doesn’t mean to be perplexed and sentimental or unaware of itself. On the contrary, the way of its spread is very effective- from strikes to demonstrations, from bazaars to universities- and the medium for its spread were the people of bazaar, clergymen, workers, professors and students. In a political system, this movement has neither a peer nor a manifestation and pretence”.

The French thinker of the 20^th century, Michel Foucault, writes on Imam Khomeini’s unmatched character, “The role of Imam Khomeini’s personality was like a legend. Today, no head of state or political leader, even with the support of all media of his country, can claim that his people have such a personal and strong bond with him. Imam Khomeini doesn’t say anything but ‘no’ to the Shah, to the regime and to dependence. He is not a political person; there is no party by the name of Khomeini and no government by the name of Khomeini. What does the willpower which nothing can block its way pursue? His movement is the movement whose goal is both riddance from foreign hegemony and release from internal policy.”

Of course, Foucault, due to staunch loyalty to post-modernism, failed to perceive all dimensions of the revolution later on; hence he wrote critiques which indicate his failure to grasp the Islamic Revolution as a post-modern phenomenon.

Anthony S. Black is a western writer and thinker who has dealt with the Islamic Revolution in a book titled, » Political Thought of Islam«. He writes that Imam Khomeini’s political thought is different from other revolutionaries in the world in that he insists on the rule of righteous persons. In late 1960s and early 1970s, the Imam and some others raised the idea that when the government is actually in the hand of usurpers and oppressors, it is necessary for the just and mujtahid jurisprudent to take the rein of the Islamic rule and set up order and justice among Muslims if it is possible.

Professor Rade Bozovic, Serbian orientalist, saying that the Islamic Revolution has captured the hearts of the world Muslims, stressed, “The Islamic Revolution, under the leadership of Imam Khomeini, turned Iran into the great power in the region and the factor of global peace. It caused great developments in the world order that have been displayed in different arenas like peace and respect for nations.”

In addition to thinkers, politicians and leaders of countries have expressed views on the Islamic Revolution that are worth hearing. Former US president, Richard Nixon, who was an opponent of the Islamic Revolution, had said, “What the Islamic Revolution has proved and expressed to the world is that Islam is qualified enough to rule the society because it is a celestial religion. Thus, it has affected the Arab Islamic countries and the revolutions that have taken shape in the Arab countries are nothing but the fruit of the Islamic Revolution’s tree.”

Mikhail Gorbachev, the last Soviet leader, said, “Imam Khomeini thought beyond the time and couldn’t be confined in place. He succeeded to leave a great effect in the world history.”

Sheikh Abdul Aziz Awda, spiritual leader of Islamic Jihad in Palestine, believes that the most important cultural effect of this revolution was the awakening of Muslims in many countries. He emphasized that the Islamic Revolution inserted the spirit of faith in the hearts of youths and made them familiar with the teachings of Islam. He said, “The Islamic Revolution under the leadership of the late Imam and Ayatollah Khamenei, revived the lost hope in the hearts of Muslims. After the victory of the Islamic Revolution, other Muslims in the world are not orphans. A grand power emerged and supported them and has always been their real support. The Islamic Revolution of Iran has revived this hope in the hearts that Muslims can be victorious once more and will restore their old magnanimity and majesty and will defeat the enemies.”

Late Seyyed Mohammad Hussein Fazlollah, leader of the Lebanese Shias, described the Islamic Revolution as the creator of a new course in the political move in the region. This revolution belongs to all Muslims and downtrodden in the world.

 Let us wrap up this article with what Imam Khomeini said on the Islamic Revolution in his last testament, “We shouldn’t doubt that the Islamic Revolution of Iran is separate from all revolutions: both in emergence and the way of struggle and the motive of the revolution and uprising. No doubt, this is a divine and unseen gift which has been bestowed by Merciful God to the oppressed and plundered nation.”      

RM/ME