Introduction
The inception of the Islamic Revolution in 1979 happened at a time when two methods were popular in the world. Liberalism in the Western bloc and socialism in the Eastern bloc. All the developments in the world were perceived within these two hegemonies and the occurrence of a social and political development outside the realm of those of two was totally unimaginable and unfathomable.
It is due to this reason that the inception of the Islamic Revolution of Iran became unpredictable to the analysts of social events.
In this inconvenient international atmosphere, the inception of the Islamic Revolution caused anxiety and confusion in the Western and Eastern bloc. However, contrary to their wish, a new method with a new identity and standing in opposition to the two popular methods in the world was introduced. The development of the Islamic Revolution in Iran and the establishment of a new political system based on the religious principles and the commencement of social movements in countries such as Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain and so on, marked a new beginning and the opening of a third method to the world that was only controlled by two methods. This third method is the Islamic awakening by using the approach of the Islamic Revolution. The imagination of the existence of a third method in opposition to the West and East was made possible by the inception of the Islamic Revolution. (Omīdvār, 1379: 209)
The significance of the inception of the revolution
The inception of the revolution is a part of the international message of all the revolutions. (Moḥammadī, 1386: 60). The scope of the inception of any revolution depends upon the scope of the goals, aims, backgrounds, the inclusive view of its ideas and the power of the revolutionaries. The confusion of the imperialists was the secret of the victory of the Islamic Revolution of Iran. The imperialists are trying as much as possible to prevent the influence of the Islamic Revolution on countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Indian Subcontinent, Central Asia, China and the United States. (Īzadī, 1361: 217). However, the nature of the inception of the Islamic Revolution is unpredictable.
The inception of this incident shows two features: firstly, the power of the Islamic Revolution and secondly, its authority and appealing nature. All revolutions have new ideas which they intend to pass to the other countries. There are two matters hidden in the Islamic Revolution: returning to the original identity of religious nationalism and Islamic civilization and encountering the Western civilization and liberal nationalism. (Najafī, 1387: 143). The inception of the Islamic Revolution is a demonstration of these two matters and by considering the two features mentioned above in the region and the world. Imām Khomeynī considered the victory or the defeat of the Islamic Republic of Iran to be the victory or defeat of all the Muslims and the frustration, defeat and humiliation of all the believers and betrayal to him, is a betrayal to the human goals and the Holy Prophet (ṣ). (Imām Khomeynī, 1379: 20/331). From the perspective of Imām Khomeynī, the most vital aims of the inception of the Islamic Revolution include the invitation to self-development, oneness of God (tawḥīd), Islam, reviving the human and Islamic identity, establishing justice, alignment of people and fighting against oppression and capitalism. (Jamshidī, 1388: 406-420)
Three perspectives from the inception of the revolution
1- The perspective of the nationalists
This perspective opposed the idea of the inception of the revolution and believed that the revolution is accepted within the boundaries of the political geography of the country. They also believed that the discussion about the inception of the revolution will lead to tension and international sensitivity and the support of the freedom movements is not in line with the principle of non-intervention in the internal affairs of other countries. Therefore, they used to explicitly declare that they do not intend to initiate a revolution. (Moḥammadī, 1387: 151)
2- The perspective of the idealists
The revolutionary radicals like the late martyr Moḥammad Montazerī, believed that based on its ideological nature (religious intolerance and globalization), the Islamic Revolution must necessarily be spread to the other countries even through military intervention. He used to consider the defensive jihad to be related to all the animals and the notable jihad to be the elemental jihad. He also viewed the inception of the revolution by means of spreading information as a deviated technique. Likewise, he also believed that the life system of the early Muslims during the advent of Islam should be the model to be imitated by the Muslims of today, whereby there was no segregation between Muslims in the Muslim regions and they all used to count jihad as a compulsory matter and so they used to participate in them. The Holy Prophet (ṣ) invited the rulers of different countries towards Islam. If they accepted, then the matter would end peacefully and if they refused, the Muslims would launch a jihad. Thus, this method must be revived. (Īzadī, 1361, 190 – 192)
3- The perspective of the idealistic-realists
On one part, this perspective poses the revolutionary society of Iran as an epitome for the rest of the countries and on the other part, it elaborates the necessity of propagating pure Islam, the Noble Qur’ān and the revolution to the other countries and rejects the system of military intervention and violent patterns in the inception of the Islamic Revolution. We shall examine the view of Imām Khomeynī regarding this perspective. This article supports the third perspective; this is because promulgating the goals of the Islamic Revolution and the Islamic Republic being an epitome for the rest of the countries, are both important.
According to Margaret Thatcher, the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, “The West is not afraid of the USSR. This is because, in opposition to the weapons of the USSR, we are also armed with modern weapons. Nevertheless, we are afraid of the Islamic culture of the Islamic Revolution of Iran.” (Khorramshād, 1381: 72).
While analyzing the events of the Middle East Region after the victory of the Islamic Revolution in 1359, Henry Kissinger, the foreign political strategist of the United States, says that the biggest threat to the Middle East Region and the Western and American interest is the Shī’ah radicalism, Islamic fundamentalism and the Islamic Revolution of Iran. (Moḥammadī, 1387: 207). If in 1359 people had the notion that the Islamic Revolution is a threat to the interests of the West in the Middle East Region and that it is influencing the Muslim countries, today the influence of the Islamic Revolution is not only confined to the Muslim countries. Rather, it has also influenced the non-Muslim countries and has mobilized the people in the oppressed world against the world of imperialists. The anxiety of Thatcher and Kissinger is clarified even further by Imām Khomeynī:
“The major issue of the Western and Eastern imperialists is Islam which can unite the Muslims in the world under the magnificent flag of ‘oneness of God’ (tawḥīd) and chase away the imperialists from the Muslim countries and remove their control over the oppressed world and present to the world the progressive and divine religion.” (Imām Khomeynī, 1379: 15/ 171)
Imām Khomeynī emphasizes on the issue of realism and being an epitome and says: “We have severally warned that we must make our country (Iran) to be a country that gets its political, military, cultural and economic independence without relying on the United States, the USSR, United Kingdom and so on and stand on its feet and present its original identity to the world.” (Imām Khomeynī, 1379: 9/ 25)
This expression ‘being an epitome in different areas elaborates the preliminary for the revolution. On the other side, Imām Khomeynī has a special approval for the idealists and insists on the purpose of fighting against international communism, the Western imperialists led by the United States, Zionism and Israel. (Imām Khomeynī, 1379: 12/202). He considers a happy day to be the day of the defeat of the imperialists’ control over the oppressed world and that the sovereignty of all the countries is on their own destiny. (Imām Khomeynī, 1379: 14/226). Nonetheless, the idealism of Imām Khomeynī is based on logic and not on the weapon. He emphasizes on transition in the society concurrently with the transition of people. However, he views spiritual transition in people to be the source of all the other transitions:
“Transition in the system and transition in the people that want this system to progress will have no benefit at all if there is only transition in the system and not in the people. The reason being that as long as there is no transition in the people, even if now a person establishes a transition in the system, it is the same people that wanted this system to progress who will destroy it; they will do the opposite. The importance of the spiritual transition in people in the morale of people is the criterion. (Imām Khomeynī, 1379: 9/17).
According to Imām Khomeynī, the political, economic, educational, the judicial system, the function of the system and the morale of people must be transitioned together. (Ūra’ī, 1369: 103). By using different expressions, he considers the anthropological transition to be greater than the sociological and political transitions and changing of the regime. (Imām Khomeynī, 1379: 6/229). Based on his principles, a violent and military approach is not considered due to fear, or due to non-intervention in other people’s affairs or any other excuse. Rather, it is because it yields no results at all or it has a very insignificant benefit that can be viewed as non-existent.
The Islamic awakening is a means of liberating a Muslim from insignificance that he has imposed on himself. The insignificance in terms of lack of perception, courage and struggle and the slogan of the Islamic awakening ‘it is possible’ and ‘we can’. Under the effects of insignificance, a Muslim feels that he cannot determine his own destiny without the intervention and aid of a foreign country. As a result, the puppet rulers and foreigners feel like masters. One of the major reasons for this historical insignificance is the presence of tremendous wealth and natural resources in the Muslim countries which has led to the laziness and incapacitation of the Muslims. Imām Khomeynī views the elimination of internal problems, cutting the dependency on the superpower countries, being independent and having self-confidence as signs of the Islamic awakening. (Imām Khomeynī, 1379: 13/281). He also views the inception of the Islamic Revolution as the means of transmission of the experience of the awakening of Iran to the other countries:
“We want this awakening... that has happened in Iran and the distance it has taken from the superpower countries… to happen in all countries. The meaning of the inception of our revolution is that it should happen in all countries and all regimes should be awakened.” (Imām Khomeynī, 1379: 13/281).
He examines the real awakening, that is exiting the constraint of the imperialists and dependency in returning to the pure Islam and says: “Unless we return to the Islam of the Holy Prophet (ṣ), our problems will remain unsolved.” (Imām Khomeynī, 1379: 13/89). “This return will either take place with the regimes and the countries which is the best mode and if the regime does not return, the countries must separate their own affairs from the regimes. (Imām Khomeynī, 1379: 13/281).
The levels of the Islamic awakening
Imām Khomeynī considers the center of Islamic awakening to be amongst the Shī’ah, its location to be Iran but its nature to be Islamic. “The Iranian revolution has led to the awakening in other places and Arab countries.” (Imām Khomeynī, 1379: 4/126). He views the anthropological and religious transition in the other countries as the criterion of the inception of the Islamic Revolution and the fall of the imperialist systems. Likewise, he counts the readiness for sacrifice and togetherness as a sign of revolutionary and Islamic thinking. (Imām Khomeynī, 1379: 13/91). Apart from the Muslim world, most of the goals of the oppressed world are similar to the Muslim world. Goals such as seeking justice, freedom, independence, liberation from the imperialistic control and so on whereby the revolution can influence the oppressed world and lead to a global convergence and global awakening. “These people are afraid that this issue of Iran may spread to the other countries.” (Imām Khomeynī, 1379: 14/500)
According to Imām Khomeynī, the final victory is the victory of the oppressed countries against the imperialists. (Imām Khomeynī, 1379: 10/181). In another place, he explicitly says: “The superpower nations are the major threat to the inception of revolution and human rights in the Muslim world and in fact, it is horrified in the oppressed world.” (Imām Khomeynī, 1379: 15/238)
In a meeting with Imām Khomeynī, the representatives of the Native Americans said: “Your victory, leadership, determination, deep perception and insight is an inspiration to us and we shall use that to attain victory in the United States.” (Īzadī, 1361: 215). These words are signs of the inception of the Islamic Revolution and the Islamic awakening in the oppressed world. Anyway, despite the wish of the imperialists, the Islamic awakening has turned into a reality in the Levant, the horn of Africa, the Indian Subcontinent, the Persian Gulf countries, Central Asia and the Middle East Region.
Perhaps the strategies of the inception of the Islamic Revolution which is a preliminary for the Islamic awakening might be many whereby in this article we shall only mention three transitions as the major strategies.
The strategies
1- The anthropological transition.
2- The sociological transition.
a. Theoretical epitome
The expression ‘Islamic Republic or religious democracy’ is still paradoxical to some people and needs to be explained and its exact aspects, components and characteristics clarified. Nevertheless, a group of people within the Islamic Republic or outside it and even the people who love the Islamic Republic, have a major concern. Of course, the major part of this mentality stems from the ‘foreign poisonous words, articles, press and mass media’. (Imām Khomeynī, 1379: 13/95) Another part stems from the lack of theoretical and systematic discussions, a logical analysis of the theory of the Islamic Republic and religious democracy. Presenting an epitome of a popular Islamic system in the inception of the revolution is a necessary matter. It seems that in elaborating the theory of the Islamic Revolution it is essential to give significant importance to the description of Islamism, republicanism, the role and position of people, the role and position of the Guardianship of the Jurisprudent (Wilāyat al-Faqīh) and civil liberties and privileges and people’s rights.
The fundamental matters for elaborating the structural conditions and the agency of the Islamic Republic and the religious democracy can be found in the works of Imām Khomeynī whereby it is necessary for the writers to offer a theoretical and systematic elaboration for them. The theoretical elaboration of the Islamic Republic and religious democracy as a theoretical epitome in governance in opposition to the two methods of socialism and liberalism in the domestic and international arena is very important in the inception of the ideology of the Islamic Revolution.
b. The practical epitome
The actualization of the wishes and goals of the revolution has presented to the people the inception of the revolution from the perspective of inviting people towards actions. Practical consideration of the Islamic morality, etiquettes and deeds, reformation, self-development and staying away from carnality lead to the attraction of people towards Islam and revolution which eventually leads to its inception. (Imām Khomeynī, 1379: 13/486)
“If the carnal desires lead the quarrels into complaints and complaints reaches disagreement, then we must mourn for all the countries and we must take the blame for that sin as we have not taken control of our carnality.” (Imām Khomeynī, 1379: 17/534)
Imām Khomeynī considers the functions of the officials to have a direct relationship to the safeguarding or decline of the dignity of Islam and revolution and says: “In any job that any person has, one must realize that he is dealing with the dignity of Islam.” (Imām Khomeynī, 1379: 10/180)
Islam and its liberation are just a claim and the Islamic Republic is the ground for examining it and the experimenters are the officials. (Imām Khomeynī, 1379: 10/180). The actualization of the Islamic Republic with its Islamic content and the establishment of Islam in its real sense in Iran will make the other countries to catch up with this procedure one after the other. (Imām Khomeynī, 1379: 10/180). The importance of invitation towards actions comes before talking.
Economic self-sufficiency, development, construction and all-round and balanced progress are among the main factors of the inception of the revolution. Economic dependency on foreign countries, especially the Hostile countries in the distribution of essential and basic commodities leads to the loss of national pride and hopelessness in the Muslim and oppressed countries. According to Imām Khomeynī, all the areas for development and self-sufficiency in terms of nature and human scopes are present in Iran. (Imām Khomeynī, 1379: 12/77). Forgetting any of the strategies of the inception of the revolution and becoming a practical epitome is the same as forgetting any other strategy. (Eivazī, 1386: 41)
The inception of the revolution depends upon actions and morality in the domestic arena. According to the constitution, the conducive environment for the development of moral virtues depends upon faith, piety and fighting against corruption and destroying (the third principle) both regionally and internationally. “Propagate through actions and not by lecturing.” It is not just enough to shout “Islamic Republic.” Rather, people must adhere to Islamic deeds that correspond to the Islamic Republic:
“People will only believe that we are the ones calling for the establishment of the Islamic Republic when our actions correspond to that. Our actions should not be tyrannical but our words and actions should both be Islamic. The words should be Islamic for this Islamic Republic to be established in other countries. Inception by a military means is not inception.” (Imām Khomeynī, 1379: 13/488).
The demonstration of human and Islamic manners by the Islamic Republic in foreign countries will lead to the influence and the inception of the ideology of the Islamic Republic. Likewise, demonstrating manners contrary to the Islamic teachings, even though by influential people, will serve as a tremendous blow to the Islamic Republic. (Imām Khomeynī, 1379: 13/489). Propagating Islam through actions and invitation of people through good deeds and Islamic morals will lead to the attraction of more people. Now after converting to Islam they will gradually act according to it. Step by step, this revolution will be conducted in other foreign countries. (Imām Khomeynī, 1379: 13/490). Being an epitome to the other countries with the tag of the Islamic Republic which is exposed to people’s sight will lead to their attraction towards it. “In your actions and manners behave in such a way that it will be an epitome of the Islamic Republic and the Islamic Republic will make you achieve other things by the will of God. (Imām Khomeynī, 1379: 16/81).
The approach of becoming an epitome prevents the creation of a disturbing mindset from the inception of the revolution as a warmonger, chaotic and radical in actions. (Eivazī, 1386: 44). In reality, the approach of the inception of the revolution through becoming an epitome pays more heed to the intellectual and educational development, economic and political and domestic contentment. He considers an individual to be more capable of reforming himself than reforming others and the international reforms come in the second stage after the domestic reforms.
Imām Khomeynī pays heed to the structure and agency in the arena of practical epitome. The Islamic Republic becoming a practical epitome will lead to both the domestic victory and will also be conveyed to other countries. (Imām Khomeynī, 1379: 10/181)
3- Communicational transition
The awakening of countries
The inception of the Islamic Revolution with the aforementioned strategies will lead to the awakening of countries and will take them to the goals of the Islamic Revolution. The success of the Islamic Republic in solving political, social and economic problems and gaining public support domestically and the victory over the challenges at the international level has incited a general uprising amongst the countries.
“When people saw that Iran had revolted and advanced even though people were killed, the thought of revolting also came up in the minds of other people. Other countries also seek to achieve this.” (Imām Khomeynī, 1379: 11/336)
The experience of the actualization of the ideas of the Islamic Revolution pulls away from the curtain of historical silence of countries and annihilates the shadow of the imperialists and changes the historical mental myth of ‘it is impossible’ into the realistic idea ‘it is possible’.
“The first step of any war is examining whether it is possible or impossible to achieve victory. And you people have proved that ‘it is possible’. It is possible to stand against the United States.” (Imām Khomeynī, 1379: 11/337)
The real awakening of a country is the spiritual, psychological and anthropological transitions that come before the sociological and historical transitions.
Conclusion
The meaning of the inception of the Islamic Revolution is a reflection of the dynamism of the political system of Iran amongst the Muslim countries and the international system. Three perspectives regarding the meaning of the inception of the Islamic Revolution have been elaborated; the first one is the violent and military epitome which defines the inception of the Islamic Revolution as a military intervention and even when the need arises, launching a military attack to the neighbouring countries and countries where a military attack is possible. This view led to comprehensive global propaganda against the Islamic Republic of Iran as a warmonger country. Perhaps a part of the reactions of international powers to the issue of Iran’s nuclear stem from the correct or wrong effect of this perspective.
The second one is the strict realistic epitome which believes that no measures and steps should be taken in the direction of the inception of the Islamic Revolution. Rather, all the energy should be directed at improving the internal affairs of Iran. According to this analysis, a revolution is a domestic phenomenon within the political geographical boundaries and should not be a thing that leads to the harassment of other people. However, there is no problem if the people of other countries revolt due to the attraction of the good things in our country. Supporting such freedom movements and actions is considered to be an intervention in the internal affairs of other countries.
The third one is the realism and idealism epitome which emphasizes upon presenting a regime that is an epitome to the Muslim world and the oppressed world and at the same time, it emphasizes on promulgating and informing the people and regimes regarding the goals of the Islamic Revolution.
In this article, the view of Imām Khomeynī has been examined in relation to this third perspective and in order to achieve that, three strategies under the title of communicational, sociological and anthropological transitions have been emphasized. According to the third view, the principle matter is to safeguard the revolution and the Islamic Republic and the matter of the inception of the Islamic Revolution is discussed in the second level. Therefore, the idea of the inception of the Islamic Revolution should not be considered as something that weakens or poses a threat to the Islamic Republic.
The idea of Imām Khomeynī emphasizes on the spiritual matters and oneness of God. For the sake of promulgating this idea, on one side, the Islamic Republic requires active diplomacy in the regional and international arena with the other countries, forming relationships with scholars around the world and people. On the other side, it must possess strong media that has logical, rational and spiritual contents. This is in order to go hand in hand with the general ideology of the Muslim and the oppressed world while reducing the (political, economic and military) tension. According to Imām Khomeynī, the human and spiritual transition should be achieved and the ground for social transition and Islamic awakening to be prepared.
This article has examined the most important crisis of the inception of the Islamic Revolution and the Islamic awakening in the three aforementioned realms. By way of illustration, he considered differences to cause hopelessness and the root cause of this is seeking the world and being negligent. Differences cause social alienation and questioning the legitimacy of social unity and the result of this is overcoming disappointments. Discovering the sociology of the Muslim and the oppressed world depends upon historical self-discovery. Social disconnection in a new society due to any reason leads to the destruction of talents. The collapse results from self-alienation. Therefore, due to this, the self-discovery leads to the general discovery of Islamic society.
[1] A faculty member at Zanjan University
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