Imam Khomeini’s Lasting Impact on the Contemporary World
By: Kayhan Int’l Staff Writer
With the start of an international conference titled “Imam Khomeini and Palestine” in Tehran with figures from several countries focusing on the ideals of the Father of the Islamic Revolution on the eve of his 36th passing away anniversary, the Jewish community in the Iranian capital held a memorial service in his honour and denounced Israel’s unabated genocide in Gaza.
Rabbi Younes Hamami praised Khomeini for his stance toward Judaism calling him “a major religious figure across faiths,” and hailing the Islamic Revolution as banner of resistance against oppression that unified the people in their struggle against tyrants, including the Zionists.
The Christian and Zoroastrian communities of the Islamic Republic also held memorial services for Imam Khomeini at their places of worship, paying tribute to the person who delivered Iran from domestic despotism and US hegemony.
Iranian officials for their part are making a beeline daily over the past few days to the mausoleum of the Sage of the Age to reaffirm allegiance to his ideals and to demonstrate to the world that the path charted out by him proceeds smoothly in the spectacular progress of Iran.
In fact, the nation owes to the Founder of the Islamic Republic its might, its peace and security, its cultural/political influence on the region and beyond, its technological/scientific achievements, its mastering of the nuclear fuel cycle, its self-sufficiency in defence, its venture into outer space, and its steadfastness against the plots of Global Arrogance.
So all pervasive is the personality of the Late Imam Khomeini that seminars and conferences are in progress on his thoughts and sense of justice almost all over the world, such as African countries, the Subcontinent, Europe, Asia and Latin America.
Besides being an established Source of Islamic Religious Authority (Marja Taqleed), Imam Khomeini was a philosopher, poet, a gnostic, and a statesman of the highest caliber, who understood politics better than all those claimants to be politicians.
He had a deep understanding of global affairs and played a transformative role in shaping modern Islamic political thought.
He taught the values of unity and brotherhood which are more relevant than ever in today’s divided world, as is evident of his declaration of the Prophet of Islam’s birthday as Unity Week to bridge the two dates of the month of Rabi al-Awwal by Sunni and Shi’a Muslims celebrating the occasion.
His another dynamic step was designation of the last Friday of the blessed month of Ramadhan as World Qods Day to awaken frozen consciences and mobilize the world’s conscientious for the liberation of Palestine from the Zionist yoke.