Imam Khomeyni’s speech on the Day of Ashura and the 15 Khordad uprising

Imam Khomeini
Imam Khomeyni’s speech on the Day of Ashura and the 15 Khordad uprising

A few days before Ashura, Imam Khomeyni, during a meeting with the authorities and scholars of Qom, suggested that on Ashura day, each of them would deliver speeches before people who attend the mourning ceremony at the Feyzieh Seminary and expose the crimes committed by the regime. At that meeting, everyone welcomed the proposal and then the religious lecturers in Tehran and many other cities informed people about this matter which caused them to be filled with excitement. Therefore, on the Day of Ashura, tens of thousands of people of Tehran and other cities came to Qom to hear the historic remarks and speeches of sources of emulation and the scholars. In order to dissuade the sources of emulation and scholars of Qom from delivering speeches, the regime sent a number of seemingly benevolent clerics to stop them from doing so. Eventually, describing the situation as being dangerous, they managed to persuade some of the scholars to not give a lecture. Yet, they did not dare to meet with Imam Khomeyni.

On the Day of Ashura, a mourning ceremony was held in the house of Ayatollah Shariatmadari in which he gave a speech in front of hundreds of people. He denied the rumours that sources of emulation have contacts with Abdul-Naser and receive assistance from him, criticized the newspapers that do not mention the views of the sources of emulation and lamented the infiltration of the Israeli agents (Baha’is) into the country as well as forcing the clergy to carry out military services and other acts of the government. He also said: “We do not oppose the government, and it is the government that has begun to confront the clergy.” While Shariatmadari’s sharp criticisms levelled at the government and the press, he did not object to the Shah’s repressive actions and the regime’s extensive relations with Israel.

Knowing that Imam Khomeyni, in case of finding the opportunity to deliver a speech, would sharply criticize the Shah, the regime tried to dissuade him from speaking. Therefore, in the Day of Ashura, while Imam Khomeyni was in his house participating in a mourning ceremony, one of the senior officials of the SAVAK came to Imam Khomeyni and said: “On behalf of His Majesty, I will inform you that if you deliver a speech at Feyzieh Seminary we would send commandos there to kill the attendees and set the whole place on fire.” Imam Khomeyni replied: “We also order our commandos to confront the agents of His Majesty!” Imam Khomeyni also firmly rejected the suggestions of the political opposition parties about establishing cooperation and hence those groups or the regime could not misuse the position of Imam Khomeyni for their own benefits. Ayatollah Shariatmadari also tried to dissuade Imam Khomeyni from criticizing the Shah and going to the Feyzieh Seminary, but Imam did not pay attention to his request.

At about 4 pm on June 4, 1963, that coincided with the Day of Ashura, Imam Khomeyni left for Feyzieh Seminary to deliver a historic speech to a large group of people and clerics of Qom and other cities who were eager to listen to his remarks. A vast crowd had gathered in the streets, the schoolyard of the Feyzieh and Dar al-Shafa seminaries, the large courtyard of Lady Fatimah al-Ma’sumah and the Grand Mosque courtyard as well as the rooftops and the Astana Square. The population was estimated at 200,000, which was unprecedented at that time. Some people who thought that probably tensions will be escalated and so the security agents will start shooting people had made a will and left the house. Also, some people who had either cold weapons or firearms lied in ambush in different areas of Feyzieh Seminary to encounter any attack. In addition, there was a powerful electric engine ready to be used in the case that the agents of the government cut off the electricity. Twelve speakers were installed at the Feyzieh Seminary, the Grand Mosque, the courtyard of Lady Fatimah al-Ma’sumah shrine, and Astaneh Square, and dozens of large and small audio recorders were ready to record Imam Khomeyni’s speech.

Dozens of people were ready to write down and record Imam Khomeyni’s words. Given the events that occurred in the past few months including the Feyzieh incident, insulting remarks made by the Shah, the fake news reported by the press, making abusive comments by the statesmen and most importantly the significance of that sacred day in which the people’s religious sentiments were being intensified, everyone was waiting for Imam Khomeyni’s exciting, revealing and historic remarks. Imam Khomeyni came out of his house amidst the passionate welcome extended by the revolutionary people who were chanting Allahu Akbar and Allahumma salli ala Muhammadin wa aali Muhammad (Oh God, send blessings upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad).” It took him half an hour to arrive at the Feyzieh Seminary where he settled down and began his lecture. After describing the heartbreaking catastrophes of Karbala, Imam Khomeyni likened the attack of the Shah’s agents on Feyzieh to the event of Karbala, after which people started crying. Imam stated that Israel had incited the regime to commit such a crime and that the Shah is a puppet of Israel.

“Israel is against the Muslim scholars of this country. Israel does not want Islamic laws to be implemented in this country... through its agents, Israel has attacked the Feyzieh Seminary and it would kill the whole nation. For the interests of Israel, the Iranian government, while following the Israeli plans, would insult and defame us.” Then, Imam Khomeyni while referring to the order given by SAVAK that the religious lecturers are not allowed to criticize the Shah and Israel and say Islam is in danger, stated:

“All these disagreements and tensions lie in these three issues. If we stop saying that Islam is in danger, it means it is not? If we do not talk about the Shah’s crimes that would not change the reality and nature of his actions. If we do not say, Israel is dangerous for Islam and Muslims, then Israel would not be considered as a threat? And what is the relationship between the Shah and Israel that the security agency asks us not to talk about them! Does it mean that the security services regard the Shah as pro-Israel?”

While describing the referendum as “false” and “ignominious,” Imam Khomeyni referred to the malicious propaganda launched by the regime and compared the simple life of the clerics to the luxurious and glamorous life of the Shah and the government. He warned the Shah of the demagoguery and relying on the foreign powers and said:

“Shah! Dear Shah! I advise you to stop doing such actions. I do not want to see a day when you have to leave, because your masters had asked you, and people would thank God for that! I do not want you to go through the same experience and fate that your father did! Pay attention to my advice, consider the opinions and advice of the clergy and the Muslim scholars, they seek the good of the nation and the country... Do not listen to Israel, Israel will not help you! What a miserable person you are!”

The religious lecturers in other cities of Iran also exposed and condemned the crimes committed by the Shah’s regime. In Tehran, in front of more than 100,000 people who were sitting in and outside the Tork Mosque, Ayatollah Falsafi delivered an important speech in which he impeached the Alam administration and called for its overthrow.

The mourning ceremony of the Day of Ashura and the day after turned into a political demonstration of millions of people against the Shah’s regime. Mourning processions were held in Tehran while people were carrying numerous images of Imam Khomeyni and chanting slogans. They crossed the central streets of the city and chanted slogans in front of the Shah’s palace. On the eleventh day of Muharram, the students of the University of Tehran also joined the demonstrators, adding vigour to the demonstrations by chanting slogans in favour of Imam Khomeyni and Dr. Mosaddeq. 

Law enforcement and military forces were only monitoring and observing the demonstrations and tried not to engage in a fight with people or arrest the clerics. They were told to just warn people or clerics somewhere else and provide a list of their names. The radio also partly broadcasted the mourning ceremonies of the Tasua and Ashura days held in Tehran which had no political inclinations. Although such action aimed to dismiss the accusation levelled against the regime of being anti-religious, it was viewed by the religious people as well as the political opposition parties as to the regime’s retreat from confronting the clergy.

In fact, the events of the 10th and 11th of Muharram, (June 4th and 5th) were occurred in response to Imam Khomeyni’s call and were reflecting a type of general referendum against the Shah’s regime.

Imam Khomeyni’s significant and revealing remarks made the Shah more humiliated and ignominious. On the other hand, Imam Khomeyni became the only irreconcilable and revolutionary religious-political leader for the people. The Shah, who considered the continuation of the demonstrations as a major threat to his regime, sought to arrest Imam Khomeyni and many revolutionary clerics throughout the country.

The mourning ceremonies of the people of Qom continued through the night. But when people gradually left the mosques, streets and alleys and returned to their houses, the militiamen at 2:30 AM on June 6th, without being noticed, entered the house of the Imam by jumping over the wall. They searched the yard, rooms and basement but they did not find him. Hence, they began to beat a few of the people who were in the house so that they would tell them where the Imam is. Because from the beginning of the month of Muharram the mourning ceremonies were held in the Imam’s house so had decided to stay in the house of his son, Mostafa, which was across the Imam’s place of residence. Therefore, while they were beating the people who were in Imam’s house he heard their voices because at that time Imam was about to perform the night prayers. So he immediately got dressed, walked out of the house and addressed the officers: I am Ruhollah Khomeyni, why are you beating them? Why you are showing such barbaric behaviour? Why did you, like thieves, jump into the house from the wall?”

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The officers, being aware that if people know about their presence they would not let them arrest Imam Khomeyni, acted in complete secrecy: they were dressed in black and pushed the car across the alley into the street so that its noise would not waken up the neighbours. Throughout the way, Imam Khomeyni did not speak to the officers until the flames of the Tehran refinery were seen. 

Then he told them, “We are going to be sacrificed for this oil! Everything is being taken away from us because of this oil” because the agents were worried that if people find out probably there would occur a fight so they even did not allow Imam Khomeyni to perform the dawn prayer and hence he did the prayer in the car. Imam Khomeyni was directly taken to a solitary cell at the Tehran Officers Club and then he was transferred to the Qasr garrison.

Soon after Imam Khomeyni’s arrest, neighbours found out and so a later a large group of people went to the shrine of Lady Fatimah al-Ma’sumah to show their objection. On June 6th, early in the morning, a vast crowd who were so angry about the arrest of Imam Khomeyni and were chanting slogans such as “down with the Shah” went to the houses of sources of emulation and then along with Mostafa, the eldest son of Imam, went to the Holy Shrine of Lady Fatimah al-Ma’sumah.

The prominent scholars and sources of emulation of Qom held a meeting in Ayatollah Golpaygani’s house and issued a statement denouncing the arrest of Imam Khomeyni and demanding his immediate release. When the demonstrators left the shrine, while women were walking in front of the men, the security and armed forces began shooting them and therefore people were massacred in some of the main streets and alleys.

Some people who had weapons attacked the armed forces. Clashes that continued until about 5 pm left hundreds of innocent people dead or injured. The regime’s military aircraft also flew over the sky in order to intimidate people and broke the sound barrier.

On the same day, the people of Tehran found out about Imam Khomeyni’s arrest. Muslim students from the University of Tehran cancelled the classes and joined the demonstration. The Tehran merchants also began their demonstration from the center of the city and, along with the growing flood of angry people, marched to the Marble Palace, the Radio Station in the Arg Square, and the Army Weapons Department in the Toupkhaneh Square. But they encountered the barrage of gunfire from the armed forces who had been placed in the city’s central parts and hence many innocent people were killed. Subsequently, people attacked the governmental buildings, police stations and military vehicles. Also, after hearing about Imam Khomeyni’s arrest a group of people of Varamin while wearing shrouds decided to go to Tehran but along the way the armed forces massacred them. Demonstrations continued the following day to which the armed forces responded violently.

Eventually, the regime suppressed the demonstrations by killing thousands of people and starting a bloodbath. Also, vast demonstrations were held in Shiraz and Mashhad that led to the clashes with the police. During three days, dozens of clerics, scholars and religious lecturers were arrested in Tehran and other cities. However, there was no large demonstration in Tabriz since Ayatollah Shariatmadari had suggested that people should “refrain from holding demonstrations” and “avoid insulting and disrespecting His Majesty.” Therefore, only a few prominent clerics and followers of Imam Khomeyni were arrested.

It seemed that by committing those heinous crimes and killings, the regime has been able to defeat its opponents and suppress the movement which had shaken the foundations of the Shah’s monarchy.

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