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Rasheed Ahmad Chughtai

The Islamic Revolution of Iran became successful on February 11, 1979, which was unprecedented of its kind. Besides creating a significant change in Iran, it was also a source of great regional and international evolution. According to Imam Khomeini (RA), the Revolution of Iran was the “Miracle of Century” and a “flare”.

The Islamic Revolution of Iran wrapped in the scroll of 2500 years of the monarchial system in Iran and replaced it with a government that is based on the teachings of Islam.

Imam Khomeini (RA), who revived political Islam and called it a pure Mohammedan Islam, harmonized between politics and religion and brought Islam back to the heart of society and politics. As a result, he revived abandoned literature and culture of Islam such as martyrdom, the struggle for God, resistance, and combat against tyranny. The Islamic Revolution of Iran is an amazing phenomenon in the modern world that intended to revive Islam’s dignity in the Muslim World.

A mandate was established by the people. People and leadership were instrumental to the victory and continuation of the Iranian Revolution. Relation between the people of Iran and the great leader of the revolution was cordial, candid, and mutual that was of no precedent in the contemporary world. It is enough to explain this relationship by pointing out that during the success of the Islamic Revolution and the arrival of Imam Khomeini (RA) in Iran, six million people in 33 km route welcomed him and after 11 years more than 10 million people participated in his mourning procession with great sorrow and grief. Hence, after 45 years of the Iranian Revolution, the system of the Islamic Republic of Iran, under the great leadership of Ayatollah Khamenei and with the mandate of the people has become an established, empowered, and unique system. Roger Garaudy, a French Muslim scholar, describes the Islamic Revolution of Iran as under:

“Verily, the Islamic Revolution led by Imam Khomeini (RA) does not have any precedent in the past. The various social revolutions that took place in various parts of the world over the past course of time intended to change just certain political systems. Most of these revolutions were stemmed from poverty and economic problems. The national revolutions were also mostly triggered by the anger of nations from the exploiters and plunderers. The Islamic Revolution of Iran included all these reasons, but it also carried new concepts and meanings as well. These new concepts not only forced out the government of exploiters but also presented a particular worldview and revolutionized the theory of confrontation between religion and science.”

According to several experts and researchers, the Islamic Revolution was one of the major events that influenced the awareness of Muslims and enhanced Islamic activities in different Muslim societies. The tendency of Muslim societies had concentrated on confrontation and opposition to the West and its allies during the 1980s and 1990s. These developments should be dealt with as normal outcomes of revival movements and consequences of confrontational policies of the West against the Muslim World.

This Revolution, which revived Islamic thoughts, has made the role of Islam and Muslims in various social arenas prominent and has placed the components of the Islamic identity as an accepted reality against the western identity. Imam Khomeini (RA) addressed Muslims in these words: “Muslims should find their identity and they must understand that they have an independent culture. The exploiters have promoted a culture for us so that we become unaware of ourselves. This provided them a chance to plunder our possessions and undermine our personalities.”

By displaying the potentials of the Islamic civilization, the Islamic Revolution presents a comprehensive and multi-dimensional system in religious, political, economic, social, and cultural areas and also an ideology and a perfect political model in domestic and international arenas. It has also created awareness among the oppressed and deprived people and created suitable seedbeds for self-awareness, self-reliance, self-confidence, and the Islamic awakening among the Muslim nations. The Islamic Revolution also emphasizes the significance of freedom movements, including Islamic and anti-colonial struggles, as new players in the international system. It also insists on freedom ideals, social justice, the negation of external interference, and the necessity of dynamic management to handle the political and social changes.

Some characteristics of the Islamic Revolution are as under:

1. Freedom and People-backed Religious System

According to Imam Khomeini (RA), seeking freedom from suppression and creating institutions, which can guarantee liberation and public contribution in determining their political destiny, are the major objectives of the Islamic Revolution. Therefore, based on Imam Khomeini’s ideals, the Islamic Revolution of Iran exemplifies people’s choices and selections.

Imam Khomeini (RA), the leader of the Islamic revolution, had frequently emphasized – in his pre-revolution speeches, interviews, and letters – that the reason for our struggle against the Shah regime was due to his wrong anti-Islamic agenda, lack of legitimacy, and unpopularity among the public. He insisted that the Iranian nation had joined the Islamic movement not only to form an Islamic government but also to have access to freedom and democratic government.

The Iranian people, with all their power, intended to relieve themselves from suppression and oppression of the Shah regime, and wanted to have access to real practical freedom and experience national sovereignty. Of course, people deemed it all possible only through the establishment of the Islamic government. Therefore, the people did not forget such slogans as “independence, freedom and the Islamic Republic” in even a single of their rallies. Emphasis on freedom and the formation of a democratic Islamic government was a common demand in all these declarations.

2. Strengthening Unity

One of the outcomes of the Islamic revolution in Iran was the reinforcement of brotherhood among all Muslims. From the very beginning of the Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini (RA) called on people across the Muslim World to get untied against their enemies. He considered unity as a guarantor for the honor and endurance of the Muslim nations. He said in one of his statements:

“O, Muslims of the World! Who have faith in the reality of Islam, you must rise and get united under the flag of monotheism and teachings of Islam, and cut the treacherous hands of foes and the so-called superpowers from rich resources of your countries, and revive Islam and put an end to differences and selfishness.”

3. Justice Seeking

Imam Khomeini (RA) considered the establishment of justice, expansion of individual and social justice, prevention from the dictatorial system, creation of the rule of law, and execution of justice-based regulations as major objectives of the Islamic revolution. By the same token, the Imam considered the establishment of the rightful pro-oppressed government and global government of Imam Mahdi (May God hasten his appearance) a necessity for the implementation of those principles. Offering favor and support for oppressed people, rendering services to oppressed ones and their delivery from clutches of suppressors, eradicating poverty, and reducing the gap between rich and poor were, according to Imam, the vital steps for implementation of justice and accession of oppressed people to their truthful rights.

4. Seeking Independence

According to the late Imam, independence has two dimensions. One of these is to eradicate colonial components and another aspect is considered as a prelude to the performance of a government, which means it should not be associated with East or West.

The great Imam exemplified these great objectives by using expressions such as cutting off the hands of foes from the Islamic states, abandoning friendships with the arrogant powers, removing dominance of the colonial powers, and giving up laziness and weakness against these powers.

The above-mentioned expressions reflect a sense of independence against the colonial powers. Imam Khomeini (RA) believed that the objective of the Islamic revolution is to relieve the country from the axis of association with imperialism and to defeat the aims of the superpowers. He not only placed special emphasis on cutting off the hands of criminal powers and isolating them but also insisted on countering the regional agents of imperialism.

5. An independent Identity (Neither East nor West)

Imam Khomeini (RA) believed that the independent identity of the Islamic Revolution distinguishes it from other movements. The Islamic Revolution was not associated with power camps of the East or the West and could resist all powers through reliance on God Almighty; despite shortages of military tools and weapons. The great Imam made the following statement in this regard: “The other revolutions were associated with the East or the West, but the Islamic Revolution of Iran relied on Islam and carried out signs of prophets and had not been associated with any power except God.”

The Islamic Revolution has gained great achievements in domestic and international arenas. It has accomplished freedom, justice, democracy, and a republic for its own people. The revolution also revived Islam and motivated the Islamic movement in different parts of the Islamic world. The Islamic Revolution fulfilled the Imam’s ideals as it removed sectarian and ethnic tensions and instead raised awareness among the Muslims across the Islamic world.

Whereas in the present times in some countries of the Middle East region, people have no role in governance and are still ruled in the shape of hereditary and regality, the Islamic Republic of Iran is proud that it has held more than 30 elections during the past 43 years; the fact that shows the sovereignty of democracy and participation of people in governance.

The present authority of the Islamic Republic of Iran system has not been achieved easily and inexpensively. The Iranian Revolution, during its existence, has faced many sabotage acts, conspiracies, and intrigues and foreign powers have taken many steps to fail and undermine the Iranian Revolution. But none of these hostile foreign acts could come in the way of this great revolution of the people and the sovereignty of Iran is constantly flourishing. Iran has shown resistance despite a number of crises like coup plots and unjust sanctions and has overcome all of them with extraordinary vigor and authority. Iran had to face eight years of imposed war launched by Saddam Hussein supported by the United States of America and many countries of the region. However, in spite of being alone and without the support of other Iran withstood the invasion and, with the help of the power of its Muslim nation, came out victorious from the imposed war.

In the post-sanctions period, the Islamic Republic of Iran has made it a point to promote its trade, industrial and economic ties with all neighboring countries, and political and multilateral cooperation as its priorities. The Islamic Republic of Iran does not want tension with any of the countries of the world, especially with neighboring countries. Today, Iran invites the world community to step forward for friendship and cooperation in various areas; – instead of the causeless option of “coalition for war”.

Iran has always been against terrorism and believes in a “World Free from Extremism and Violence” and one of the priorities of its foreign policy has been readiness to have a close collaboration with the countries of the world and region, especially neighboring countries to do away with terrorism, extremism, and violence. It is a matter of pleasure for Iran that Muslims of the region from Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine to Pakistan Afghanistan, and Yemen have stood against extremism, violence, and terrorism and are making new achievements every day.

The Islamic Republic of Iran has shown its diplomatic power in resolving its nuclear issue with the world powers. Undoubtedly, it intends to utilize this soft power for establishing peace, stability, tranquility, growth, and development in the Middle East. It goes without saying that Iran can have a significant role in resolving regional conflicts and achieving peace and tranquility.