The twenty third anniversary of the demise of late Imam Khomeini (r.a.) was held in Khartoum, the capital city of Sudan in the attendance of nearly more than one thousand devotees and lovers of Imam Khomeini and supporters of the Islamic revolution and the Islamic republic of Iran, prominent scientific figures, cultural and political personalities.
The ceremony was held with the collaboration of the embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran Sunday 3 June 2012 in Al-Firdous theatre hall under complete media and press coverage. The ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Sudan, the cultural attaché of the Iranian embassy, Ayatollah Hadavi Tehrani member of the Supreme Council of Ahlul-Bait (a.s.) World Assembly and lecturer in the Islamic Seminary and University (Chief guest from Iran), Ahmad Bilal Uthman, advisor to Sudanese president, Sadiq al-Mahdi, head of the Ummah Party of Sudan, Amin Banani, general secretary of Iran and Sudan Friendship Association, many academic personalities, university students and teachers and some resident Iranians were present in the ceremony.
The program began with recitation from the Holy Quran by an Iranian reciter. Thereupon, Hojjatoleslam Malakouti Tabar, the cultural attaché of the embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Khartoum took the rostrum to welcome the guests and deliver his address regarding the life and endeavors of late Imam Khomeini (ra).
He said, “Tonight, if I am to speak about the personality of Imam Khomeini (ra) the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the leader of the oppressed and the weakened, I would not be able to describe him in simple words because he is like a vast and unfathomable ocean. Throughout history many Muslim and non-Muslim intellectuals and scholars have risen up to reform their society politically, culturally and socially but the Islamic revolution of Iran led by Imam Khomeini, may his soul rest in peace, is very much different from other revolutions all over the world.”
At the end of his address he said, “Ladies and gentlemen, tonight we have gathered here to commemorate the ideals which Imam Khomeini (ra) handed to us so that we can stand up like him against oppression, injustice and tyranny. Imam Khomeini (ra) passed away and his departure was a great calamity for us but we will continue to follow his path.”
Mr. Amin Banani, the general secretary of Iran and Sudan Friendship Association was the next speaker. He delivered a passionate speech about the Islamic Revolution of Iran and Imam Khomeini, may Allah bless him. He emphasized that Imam Khomeini (ra) was a unique leader and that his revolution was one of the matchless events in human history. He said that the Imam’s thought was still alive and that his path would be continued by the oppressed and revolutionaries throughout the world. His scholarly thoughts and ideas regarding human and Islamic values and lofty ideals would be recorded perpetually in history.
He further added that Imam Khomeini (ra) had grown in the school of pure Muhammadan Islam and that this feature provided in him all the qualities necessary for a perfect leader.
The next speaker was Mr. Sadiq Al-Mahdi, head of the Ummah Party of Sudan. He said that the Sudanese people were interested in the Islamic revolution of Iran and that they followed the events and news of the Islamic revolution of Iran which was led by Imam Khomeini (ra). Sadiq Al-Mahdi enumerated the most important achievements of the glorious Islamic revolution of Iran under seven categories e.g. the Imam’s confrontation with the Shah (King) about the prevalent and growing Westernization of the Iranian society, emphasis on religious principles and on the rich Islamic culture, peaceful uprising of Imam and reliance on people’s power, underscoring the need for unity among Muslims and various Islamic sects, dealing with deviant ideas about the appearance of Imam of Time (a.s), emphasis on the right culture of ‘waiting’, Imam Khomeini’s permanent presence in society as a Mujtahid and finally independence against the powers of East and West. “These are the seven traits and characteristics which caused the awe of superpowers of the world to be broken by the Islamic Revolution under the leadership of Imam Khomeini (ra),” he said.
He further stressed that Imam Khomeini’s movement made Muslims proud of themselves in spite of the fact that many of them were following different religions.
Leader of the Ummah Party of Sudan also enumerated, under seven categories and in accord with Imam Khomeini’s thoughts and beliefs, the challenges facing Muslims across the world. He underscored the importance of adhering to principles by benefitting from the contemporary advancements and avoiding extremism especially within the Islamic awakening movements in Arab countries. He underscored the need for unity among Shia and Sunni Muslims especially in common areas.
He further said, “People in Syria, Bahrain and other countries have the right of freedom and are entitled to justice and equality. It is necessary for us to help them and not to give a pretext in the hand of the foreign powers to interfere in the affairs of these countries. Especially when it comes to the issue of Palestine, the unity of the Islamic Ummah on the basis of justice is very important because in the absence of justice, peace will not be materialized as well.”
He also pointed out three points concerning the nuclear issue of the Islamic Republic of Iran:
- Islamic has forbidden weapons of mass destruction.
- It is necessary that the region be denuclearized, or else there will be an escalation of arms race in the region as it is in the sub-continent.
- The right of the states to peaceful use of nuclear technology must be officially recognized.
He also stressed on the need to avoid excommunicating the followers of other religions and cursing the companions in order to foil mischief of those who try to create discord among religions. He said that it was high time that the followers of different religions stressed on commonalities and avoided differences.
Speaking about the difference of opinion existing regarding the subject of Mahdaviyyah, he referred to verses 89 of Sura al-An’am and 104 of Sura Aal-e Imran and underscored the need for reforming the existing thoughts on the basis of explicit verses in the Quran. He also said that it was necessary for everyone to wait for the reappearance of the Imam at any time and place.
Mr. Sadiq Al-Mahdi (a.s.) termed the performance of the Organization of Islamic Conference in respect of Islamic unity as weak. He stressed the need for cooperation of states in order to reach unity in common areas.
In continuation, the next speaker to address the gathering was Ayatollah Hadavi Tehrani member of the Supreme Council of Ahlul-Bait (a.s.) World Assembly and lecturer in the Seminary and university who had been invited by the cultural attaché of the Islamic Republic of Iran to several ceremonies which had been held by the embassy with or without the cooperation of public and non-governmental organizations to commemorate the demise of Imam Khomeini (ra), the late founder of the Islamic revolution. Ayatollah Hadavi Tehrani delivered a lengthy speech about the personality and thoughts of Imam Khomeini (ra).
He initiated his speech by saying, “Tonight, we smell the odor of divine blessing in this blessed land and in this ceremony which has been held on the occasion of the twenty third demise of late Imam Khomeini (ra) which also coincides with the birthday anniversary of the Commander of the Faithful, Ali bin Abi Talib, peace be upon him.”
He further said, “If we look carefully at the character and life of Imam Khomeini (ra), we shall see that he is totally different from others because he was the student of a man-making school, the school of divine prophets and pure Muhammadan Islam. He was not a prophet nor a successor or an Imam but a true follower of them. He called people not onto himself but onto his Lord. He invited people to stick to the truth and adhere to the lofty Islamic teachings”
Referring to a verse of the Holy Quran (Verily in the Messenger of Allah you have a good example), he said, “Imam Khomeini (ra) was a good example as he called on people throughout his life to revolutionary ideals, behaviors, meanings and jihad. His movement was based on knowledge and understanding. He was a knowledgeable man in all aspects. Imam Khomeini was a jurisprudent with thorough knowledge of Islam, hadith and Quran. He was a political mystic, a mujahid and a great religious scholar. His reading of Islam was that Islam is a living and dynamic religion. Although all of his views about Islam were not new, he revived most of them. In his movement, Imam Khomeini (ra) had faith in the power of Iranian nation. In fact, his movement and uprising in Iran led to Islamic awakening in the world. It is for the same reason that thinkers call the twenty first century the century of religious awakening. Indeed, it was Imam Khomeini’s revolution that led to the awakening.”
According to Ayatollah Hadavi Tehrani, Imam Khomeini’s reading of the religion was to combine between the fundamentals (traditional principles) and modernity, something which is very difficult. This theory, however, must be taught in the universities from various angles and it must be transferred to the next generation.
He also thanked Amin Banani for the efforts he was making to develop and expand the relations between Iran and Sudan. He described the expansion of the relations between Iran and Sudan in political, economic, social and cultural areas as a good example of unity among Muslims.
He further noted, “The political and geographical borders should not separate Islamic countries from one another because we are from the same nation. All of us believe in One God and in the same prophet and it is necessary for every Muslim to have firm belief in Islamic unity. Muslim nations have been born from a single historical root and they are sharing the same values and foundations. Today, we must quench our thirst from the spring to which Imam Khomeini (ra) guided the Iranian nation and freedom-seekers of the world to quench their thirsts. We must follow the Imam (ra) in terms of standing together and united.
The next speaker who took the rostrum to address the gathering was Mr. Jawad Turkabadi the ambassador of Islamic Republic of Iran to Sudan.
He welcomed the gathering and said that the coincidence of the occasion with 13th of Rajab the birthday anniversary of Imam Ali (a.s.) added further spirituality to the ceremony. He said that attaching importance to holding such ceremonies was tantamount to attaching importance to religion and faith.
The ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Sudan further said, “In a world in which the rules of the religion and Islam were put into oblivion and there was no one to enjoin the good and forbid from bad, Imam Khomeini picked up the flag of Islam and Quran which had been left on the ground and he was not afraid of any threats as he believed firmly in the power of the nation and religion of Islam, the religion that has been brought down for people. Yes, it was Imam Khomeini who warned about the danger of Zionist regime more than sixty years ago. He called Israel a cancerous tumor which must be removed. He described Zionists and colonialism as two shoulders of the dominant system in the world as he began his historical uprising by awakening the Iranian nation, an uprising which began in Iran today and which will begin tomorrow in Palestine and will take over all the dominant system until the victory of the weakened and downtrodden nations of the world over the entire arrogant powers.
Mr. Turkabadi further continued, “Imam Khomeini (r.a) explained the wilayat-e faqih system, a system in which a qualified jurist is considered eligible for governance. It is a system in which the Shari’ah law is applied, a system run on the basis of council and justice. As the Quran says, “Have you not considered how Allah sets forth a parable of a good word (being) like a good tree, whose root is firm and whose branches are in heaven, Yielding its fruit in every season by the permission of its Lord? And Allah sets forth parables for men that they may be mindful”[1] Imam Khomeini set up a structure on the basis of divine promise.
Addressing his brethren in faith, Mr. Turkabadi said, “Today, Iran is following the same path under the leadership of late Imam Khomeini’s righteous successor, Imam Khamenei who treads the way on the basis of divine invitation and divine laws. All of us are in an important period of time and we have a great responsibility on our shoulders to fulfill. In order to fulfill our duties and in order for the divine promise to take place, we need to take action in the light of the Quran.
At the end, Mr. Turkabadi once again welcomed the guests and dignitaries to the splendid gathering.
The last speaker to deliver his speech was the ceremony’s chief guest and advisor to the Sudanese president, Dr Ahmad Bilal Uthman. He stated that one of the wonders of the Islamic revolution in Iran was the way Imam Khomeini (ra) sent out his messages to his supporters and lovers inside Iran. It was at a time when there were no advanced communicational gears and facilities such as the internet. It was through simple tools such as an audio cassette that these messages spread out and it was due, largely, to the strong motives in the leadership and the main body of the uprising.
He further said, “Before the Islamic revolution in Iran, the Sudanese nation rose and fought against injustice and oppression under the leadership of Muhammad Ahmad Mahdi and it is for the same reason that the Sudanese people are supporters and devotees of Imam Khomeini’s movement and the Iranian nation who overthrew the Shah’s tyrant government.”
Dr Ahmad Bilal Uthman stressed on the need for Muslim unity and said, “Today, Shiites and Sunnis should be united and should benefit from all the opportunities and let not their enemies harm them. The enemies of Islam always want to divide and rule and they are always in search of their vested interests. Today, we are witnessing that the arrogant powers are denying Iran the right to peaceful nuclear technology. That is because they want Iran to be permanently under their domination and control.”
He added, “We are Sudanese and we love the family the Holy Prophet (pbuh) more than all other Muslims. Tonight we have gathered here in this place to hold this ceremony so as to respect and revere once again the values which Imam Khomeini (ra) set up. We want to carry on this Islamic moral movement.
At the end, the guests were served with Iranian dinner.
Office of Ayatollah Hadavi Tehrani
[1] - Ibrahim, 24: لَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ ضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلًا كَلِمَةً طَيِّبَةً كَشَجَرَةٍ طَيِّبَةٍ أَصْلُهَا ثَابِتٌ وَفَرْعُهَا فِي السَّمَاءِ، تُؤْتِي أُكُلَهَا كُلَّ حِينٍ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهَا