By: Kayhan Int’l Staff Writer

The recent death of Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev, the last head of state of the USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics), at the ripe old age of 91 years, has made analysts recall the prophetic words of the Father of Islamic Revolution in his famous epistle to the leader of the Communist World on the approaching end of Godless communism and the need for spiritual reforms in the post-Marxist era for the betterment of mankind.
Though Gorbachev, who is credited for his domestic policies of “glasnost” or openness to allow freedom of speech in the repressive Soviet system, as well as “perestroika” or decentralization of the economy to loosen the suffocating state-control, received with full honours Imam Khomeini’s (RA) epistle and the Iranian delegation led by prominent Islamic scholar Ayatollah Jawadi Amoli, he failed to properly grasp its enlightening contents.
This was evident in his courteous reply that was delivered with due respect to the Imam in Tehran by the Soviet Foreign Minister, Eduard Shevardnadze (later president of the independent Caucasus republic of Georgia), with expressions of gratitude and good-neighbourly political will that was, however, silent on the proposal for philosophical discussions and exchange of scholars to help free the Soviet peoples from 70 years of Godless rule.
Nonetheless, Imam Khomeini’s epistle has withstood the test of time and as the relaxed atmosphere in Russia is encouraging scholars to minutely analyze its contents, in the near future people in Moscow and St. Petersburg or anywhere in the world, will realize Gorbachev’s missed opportunity that would have spared the world of the present evil domination of the Americans.
It is worth noting that after receipt of Imam Khomeini’s epistle, Gorbachev ended ten years of the occupation of Afghanistan, allowed religious freedom in the Muslim majority republics which finally became independent in Central Asia and the Caucasus, brought the Cold War to its end indirectly reunified Germany with the fall of the Berlin Wall.
He could have done much better if he had carefully studied the golden advices of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution to save the world from the US clutches.
Parts of the Late Imam’s epistle read:
“Mr. Gorbachev. The main problem confronting your country is not one of private ownership, freedom and economy; your problem is the absence of true faith in God, the very problem that has dragged, or will drag, the West to vulgarism and an impasse. Your main problem is the prolonged and futile war you have waged against God, the Source of existence and creation.
“It is clear to everybody that from now on communism will only have to be found in the museums of world political history, for Marxism cannot meet any of the real needs of mankind. Marxism is a materialistic ideology and materialism cannot bring humanity out of the crisis caused by a lack of belief in spirituality—the prime affliction of the human society in the East and the West alike.
“The leader of China struck the first blow to communism and you have struck the second and, apparently, final blow. Today we have no such thing as communism in the world.
“I earnestly call on you, however, not to get trapped, while tearing down the walls of Marxist illusions, in the prison of the West and the Great Satan (the US)… When after 70 years the call “Allah-o-Akbar” (God is Greatest) and the testimony to the mission of the Seal of the Prophets, Muhammad (SAWA) were heard from the minarets of the mosques in some of your republics, all the followers of the pure Muhammadan Islam were moved to tears out of ecstasy.
“Therefore, I have found it necessary to remind you to reflect once again on the materialistic and theistic worldviews. Should Your Excellency desire further information on these matters, you may instruct those scholars of yours who are well-versed in this field to study, in addition to the works of Western philosophers, the writings of Islamic philosophers, such as al-Farabi and Abu Ali Sina.
“Let me call on you to study Islam earnestly, not because Islam and the Muslims may need you but because Islam has exalted universal values which can bring comfort and salvation to all nations and remove the basic problems of mankind. A true understanding of Islam may forever release you from the problem of Afghanistan and other similar involvements
“In conclusion, I declare outright that the Islamic Republic of Iran as the greatest and most powerful base of the Islamic world can easily fill the vacuum of religious faith in your society. In any case, our country, as in the past, honors good neighborhood and bilateral relations.”