Imam Khomeini Documentary - 'Ruhullah' with English Subtitles

Sunday, 05 August 2007 19:00

The world community was first introduced to Imam Khomeini towards the end of 1978 after he was exiled to France for his opposition to the monarchy of Iran. It was from Neauphle-le-Chateau, on the outskirts of the French capital Paris, that Imam Khomeini attained worldwide media coverage while he delivered his severe statements in opposition to the United States of America and orchestrated his final strike against the Shah of Iran, Mohammed Reza Pahlavi. He was acclaimed as one of the greatest pioneers of Islamic revival in the 20th century. His pictures filled the front pages of newspapers and took the headlines in news bulletins; pictures that were unknown to millions around the world beforehand, especially in the West - with his white beard and black turban - as if someone from the depths of time, from a book of history or an ancient tale, everything about him was unique and new; even his name -- Ruhullah, Spirit of God.

The question that every politician and journalist was asking was: What kind of revolutionist is Khomeini?

In a world that saw the likes of men such as Abraham Lincoln, Lenin, Churchill, Hilter, and Mussolini; also glimpsing over Abdul Nasser, Nehru, Castro and Che Guevara; Khomeini was different he led the only Islamic revolution in the 20th century that was destined to succeed. He was not a Communist, Capitalist or Nationalist, rather he was an Islamic Leader before anything else, his slogan was 'No East and no West, Islam is for us'.

More than 100 years have passed since the birth of Imam Khomeini. In this time, his name has spread far and wide amongst peoples mindsets for his leadership in a revolution that was the first to bring an Islamic government in the 20th century and arguably since the early advent of Islam 1400 years ago. It would seem his character as a revolutionary was the most known factor in his personality, whilst other aspects did not attain as much emphasis. Imam Khomeini is known amongst Islamic circles as a reformiing jurist, and through his movement he was able to revolt against 1400 years of a tendecy for Jurists of Islam to abstain from political activism, as opposed to dealing soley with religious enquiries, distributing finances and awaiting the return of the Saviour (atf). Imam Khomeini revived the importance of one of the disputed jurisprudential theories in the history of the Islamic Seminaries - Wilayat Al-Faqih; the theory which invests power in the Islamic jurists defining them as guardians of the affairs of the people, and scraping the idea that political affairs can be administered without the acceptance of Islamic Jurists. Imam Khomeini abolished unequivocally any idea of separating Religion and State, such that it has become unacceptable in today's world for Islamic Jurists not to partake in giving guidelines in the political affairs of the people.

Imam Khomeini succeeded where many others failed, such that for the first time in almost 1300 years, since the occultation of Imam Mahdi, the 12th Imam of Shi'a Islam, Imam Khomeini through the concept of Wilayat Al-Faqih was able to establish a government led by the Islamic jurists - it is the Islamic Government, the Government which was a dream. A Government which Islamists have tried to establish for centuries. This government is but the biggest heritage and achievement of Imam Khomeini.