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by Kamal Fazlollah

The Islamic Revolution of Iran has certain peculiarities making it applicable to all geographical eras and all times and preventing from facing the fate of other revolutionary or reactionary movements, which have flashed like comets and then quickly disappeared into the night.

One peculiarity is that the policy and line of the statesmen and founders of the revolution has always been specific and clear cut. Generation after generation has followed the same path since the advent of Islam. If any changes are necessary, they are effected on the basis of Ijithad (Islamic legal reasoning) and in accordance with the expediencies of the time, not on the basis of personal style.

Ayatollah Khomeini

This is because Islam is based on the higher celestial teachings of Prophet Muhammad (S) and the Sharia, and the unchanging. Divine tradition like the earth and the moon which have for millions of years been in fixed orbits without any change or deviation. What actually changes is the direction of light which moves every moment in different places. There is at the time sunshine and at other times shade. This indicates that the essence of faith is constant and only its manifestations are subject to change at different times and ages.

Ijma (consensus) and Ijtihad can change in every period in the manner in which laws are enforced. Islam's basis and foundation, however, remains unchanged. This also applies to the revolution, its path, and its caretakers. Statesmen abiding by this movement endeavour to elevate human spirituality and nobility on the basis of Islamic values and teachings in a bid to establish love, charity, nobility and generosity to the extent that God has willed for them; by utilising these teachings every society can become an exemplary community.

The Islamic Revolution brought to light a reality that the new world's social and economic symbols wanted to hide from human beings. The great flow of the Islamic movement, however, displayed its hidden nature in the souls of men.

This is why its cry penetrated the ears and hearts of men, enlightened their souls with faith, and called them to the strong Divine bond and the unchanging and everlasting teachings of Islam - teachings which are formulated by the Creator and the Heavens and the Earth and which face no change, decline or decay.

A solid proof of this reality is the personality of the late Imam Khomeini whose philosophy remained unchanged even when faced with opposing views and thoughts and varying reactions in the world.

This philosophy, emerging from the depths of the Imam's soul and awakened conscience, attracted the East and the West, the North and the South; it declared the shakiness and flimsiness of manmade systems, standards, and criteria. This was a call to all people to proceed toward light, toward the Unrivalled Creator, and toward unity.

This movement emerged as a great and extensive revolution after fourteen centuries in which man was lost. It aimed at eliminating ignorance, breaking idols, uniting humanity, establishing brotherly love amongst them, and guiding mankind toward light and enlightenment. Now this movement is spreading all over the world.

A single religious personality, about eighty years of age, without lifting a weapon or organising an army for invasion (as done by other conquerors and eminent men of history), attracted millions of supporters merely by telling the truth, differentiating it from falsehood, and relying on the Book of God. He had million of disciples whom he guided.

He was faithful to what he uttered. He was patient and steadfast for the realisation of his aims. Not long after cries could be heard from most parts of the world in support and praise of him.

Some have been perplexed and astounded, as they do not know what has happened and what will happen. They only ask why and how this happened. There is a decisive answer telling them that this is a spark from an eternal school whose light is never extinguished and that whatever the human contracts and covenants may be, they can never meet the demands of human nature and natural human needs.

Sociologists, analysts, and theorists also desire to get to the roots of this idol-breaking lightning. They find that all their own social and economic standards are confined to a limited time and space and that it is only the celestial and heavenly commands which are everlasting and eternal.

The positive response to Imam Khomeini's call to launch a revolution was spontaneous, very quick, and active. Very soon, the storm spread to the enter international community. Everything obeyed the Imam's teachings and advanced on their basis, as though all movements, despite their distances, were joined to follow a single direction and to move toward a single source.

Naturally, the evil powers made efforts to repudiate and limit this movement. But malicious efforts to blot out a light which cannot be put out by any power are fruitless. Nevertheless, they continued to dream and theorise with their limited thinking but even so, they got nowhere. Even with the absence of the late Imam Khomeini nothing changed. The great movement started by him continued to go forward with the same speed, the same resistance, the same faith in victory, busting every barrier in its way and spreading its light of guidance on the face of the globe.

Whenever the question of right and wrong, virtue and vice, is raised the believer never fears death; he knows that falsehood is not everlasting and that all through history the message of struggle in the way of truth will be transmitted from one generation to another. Human history has always prove the ultimate victory of the oppressed and the meek over the oppressors and tyrants.

The stability of the Islamic Republic of Iran is strengthened by its constant and continuous contact with other human societies. It tries to establish relations even with communities which are very distant from Islam, because this Divine invitation is for all mankind. Men are all equal in principle, in nature, in liberty, and in humanity. Islam addresses man with all his desires and his material and spiritual demands. Man naturally desires a just system in which no one is superior over others except through piety.

The Islamic Republic of Iran will always rend the air with the cry of righteousness against tyrants and oppressors; it will always shake the foundations of tyrannical regimes; it will always give honour to hearts, by inviting them to worship the One God.

Despite the absence of the leader these everlasting and eternal values remain. The great spiritual teachers will always remain alive for humanity. They will be like minarets of light resisting all storms and tempests; these teachings will always continue to enlighten man's life. The spirit of the late Imam Khomeini has spread the world over. It leads, and inspires the pious toward betterment and perfection.

The huge waves of humanity that have been set in motion as a result of the Islamic Revolution are mourning his absence; however, they will always keep their pact and covenant with him. They will always be inspired by him to proceed toward greatness.

When the light of guidance spreads throughout the earth, and the right becomes victorious over falsehood, even the oppressors and tyrants who are lost in their ignorance will realise that there is no will as powerful as that of God.

(Echo of Islam)

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