Description:
The following is a translation of an Arabic article by Lebanese academic Dr Muhammad Mohsen Olleik, in which he analyses the roadmap by Iran’s Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei for the building of a new “Islamic Civilization”.
Olleik, a lecturer in Education and Islamic Studies from the Lebanese University, says that the Islamic world today is before a “golden opportunity” that can bring about the revival of the Ummah (nation) based on the comprehensive roadmap put forth by Iran’s Khamenei.
Source: Khamenei.ir (Arabic website)
Date: 29 February, 2020
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Transcript:
“The fate of the region depends on its liberation from the arrogant U.S. hegemony, and the freedom of Palestine from the domination of the Zionist foreigners, God willing. All nations are responsible to help achieve this goal. The world of Islam must erase elements of discord. The unity of Islamic scholars can present Islamic solutions for a new Islamic lifestyle. Cooperation between our universities can improve science and technology, and this cooperation will create the infrastructure for the new civilization. Coordination between our media will correct the culture of the people down to its roots. Communication between our armed forces will push war and transgression away from the entire region. Dealings between our markets will free our economies from the domination of plundering companies. Our people’s travels to one another’s countries will bring us solidarity, affection, unity and friendship”.
– An extract from the Arabic Friday sermon of Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei in Tehran on January 17, 2020
In this unequivocal manner, and during a Friday sermon imbued with the scent of martyrdom, crammed with masses of thrilled and excited people, and in clear, eloquent Arabic language, Imam Khamenei summarized the principles of the ‘Manifesto’ surrounding the necessary transformation of the Ummah (Islamic world) that “must open a new chapter”.
Although Imam Khamenei has already mentioned some of these ideas related to this structural transformation in previous key statements and sermons, nevertheless, this strategic concentration and in-depth description of the actions required to direct and carry out this desired civilizational transformation has paved the way for all scholars, leaders, decision-makers, influential elites in all fields, and every individual seeking to discover his practical (religious) duty.
Furthermore, the words of Imam Khamenei, that “all nations are responsible”, during this delicate and defining (historical) moment, has removed many popular misconceptions and ambiguities. The process of building the new Islamic civilization is not confined to any one country or nation, or even to the Islamic Republic of Iran. We have always heard this “deduction” being suggested or directly stated by influential personalities and officials from some Islamic movements and parties.
The idea of resistance, despite its sanctity, does not amount to a goal and purpose of action for our jihadi nations and (political) movements. Resistance is a (natural) human reaction to occupation, aggression, attempts to dominate, humiliate, and impose political, cultural or economic dependency. Comprehensive resistance is the path to liberation and to quelling injustice and occupation. However, it is neither an aim nor a goal that (can) define all the frameworks of action and thought.
The primary goal is establishing the new Islamic civilization as a prelude to the salvation of humanity by the ‘awaited justice’ (i.e. the reappearance of Imam Mahdi and Prophet Jesus). All the triumphs and achievements of the resistance movements and the Islamic revival and awakening must be employed to reach this comprehensive “positive” goal, in order bring about a fundamental transformation in the project of Islam whose aim is to achieve perfection (i.e. fulfillment of purpose) and happiness for humans and society.
It is useful to draw attention here to a very important issue which is the key difference between the concepts ‘leader’ and ‘leadership’, rather between ‘The Guardianship of the Jurist (Wilāyat al-Faqīh)’ and ‘The Guardian Jurist (Wali al-Faqih)’. To fulfill the lofty hopes and ideals, the Guardian Jurist – whether the divinely-protected Imam or his deputy – is the cornerstone for reviving, perfecting, and leading humans towards prosperity. However, throughout history till our present day, there have always been exceptional leaders – whether from the divinely-protected (Imams) or elite scholars – who have demonstrated unparalleled intellectual, administrative and political capabilities. The ‘leader’ has always been there. However, when we talk about ‘leadership’, it is a (totally) a different story. (Leadership) is the mutual interaction between the guardian leader and those (who pledge) loyalty to him, and the extent to which (this interaction) produces the greatest desired results and achievements in all areas of material and spiritual progress.
Implementing the plan of the leader requires a civilizational “mobilization” which is deeper and more crucial than the military and political battles, and even (more crucial) than fighting the soft war(s) and cultural invasion(s). This general mobilization must discover the (true) Islamic lifestyle, “the good life”, or what Imam Khamenei calls “the essence of civilization”. This is the area in which we have not advanced properly in yet.
This plan (of ‘Imam Khamenei’) raises many questions about our social behavior and problems plaguing our current lifestyle, such as weaknesses surrounding collective action, widespread consumerist trends, the divorce phenomenon, weak ties (between family members), the lack of mastery in industry and production, the way we dress, our food, architecture, entertainment and many other plagues and phenomena.
First, we need to determine the causes of these (plagues) and how they are entrenched in our societies; and second, we need to have faith in our abilities to change and move towards a good, genuine and contemporary lifestyle derived from the treasure trove of Islamic thought, sciences and values. This transformation (in our lifestyles) can be achieved directly, or by reproducing and innovating in the field of social trends and behaviors, in a way that does not imitate the anti-human Western-American civilization which seeks to destroy other cultures – through both hard and soft power – as it takes advantage of the lack of self-confidence of some culture producers in Islamic societies.
Accordingly, this highlights the necessity of a revolutionary reexamination, and deeper, bolder modes of thinking regarding the fundamentals and strategies (that guide) our work and management of people’s skills and energies in all fields. (These fields) have witnessed (great) jihadi (military) victories, and the masses are (now) eager to bring about a change in the “roots of (their) overall culture”, and are expecting the scholars and leaders to respond emphatically to the project of civilization building that is being spearheaded by the leader (Imam Khamenei). (By doing this), the scholars and leaders will ensure the process of mutual leadership and ‘Guardianship’.
By the blessings of this civilizational leader, the argument (that calls for the need for a new Islamic Civilization) is now complete and (rationally) binding upon all of us. The current favorable conditions and available opportunities are exceptional in (relation to the potential of) transforming this thought and civilizational proposal into strong and effective strategies. This argument makes this intellectual and cultural challenge a sacred priority. (This argument) oversees (and provides the vision for) the production of knowledge in the field of the Islamic Humanities, and (provides the vision for the production of) the tools for building a new civilization, that is, by solidifying (true) values, by “the production of discourses”, and a new good lifestyle characterized by justice, spirituality, and true human and economic prosperity.
“The world of Islam must open a new page. Awakened consciences and pious hearts must revive the self-confidence of nations. Everyone should know that the only path for the salvation of nations is by (developing) strategies, (practicing) steadfastness, and (enjoying) fearlessness of the enemy.”
This civilizational revival essentially demands first of all, the revival of the authentic intellectual and cultural works; making them the center for all political, social, organizational and planning activities; believing in the ability of good people to bring about change, and their ability to produce real mechanisms that enable people to participate in decision-making and electing responsible managers that truly represent them at all levels.
(These mechanisms) would derive inspiration from the experience of the Guardianship of the Jurist (Wilayat al-Faqih) and the popular religious sovereignty (model) that made the Islamic Republic (of Iran) an invincible power by granting it (various) domains of power, the most prominent of which being the atmosphere of intellectual freedom, and the ability of people to freely elect their representatives, whether at the municipal level, or even electing the Guardian Jurist (Wali al-Faqih ) via the Assembly of Experts.
“Bringing hearts and minds closer together” is another element of the principles of this civilizational “Manifesto”. This is extremely crucial. It requires the scholars, movements and the producers of culture to have the courage to accept the other, (whether he differs with me on) a sectarian, national or religious (basis). This ought to lead to the broadening of the circle of unity based on lofty standards such as justice, serving people, defending the oppressed, and moving away from narrow fanaticism, whether in thought or in practice.
If we do not have a conscious, strong mind, and firm social, developmental and cultural views that are able to solve our enormous problems, we will neither be able to reflect and manifest “The Guardianship of the Jurist”, nor the “Leadership of the Leader”. The age of defending ourselves, and sufficing ourselves with resisting the enemy and being obsessed with the idea of preserving our existence has ended. In addition to these initial steps (i.e. defense, resistance, and preservation of existence) which (can) be referred to as ‘the minor jihad’, his excellency (Imam Khamenei) introduces the concept of the “the great jihad”, which refers to (seeking) independence, and developing ‘capabilities’ in all its forms, with the aim of preventing dependency upon the West on all levels. This in turn will lead to ‘the greater jihad’, and the road to spiritual perfection.
The “new chapter” which the nation (Ummah) – with all its youth, scholars, elites, mujahideen, and members of society, including men, women, and even children – comes under the title of ‘The cultural, social and economic challenge’. This (chapter) will be written by the strong members (of our nation), by those who will be able to produce great, creative ideas, those who will manage to produce new (forms) of knowledge and sciences (that facilitate) the administration and management of the desired transformation in our societies, organizations and movements.
(New forms of knowledge and sciences) from education, to art and media, to management and economics, to jurisprudence, wisdom/philosophy and mysticism, to all skills and crafts that contribute to ‘the happy life’. (Such knowledge) would be rooted in and derived from the two ‘precious’ sources (of Islamic thought), the Holy Qur’an and the traditions of the divinely-protected (leaders of Ahlul Bayt), peace be upon them. (These sciences) will also be rooted in the blessed principles of the revival of the great Imam Khomeini and his successor, the second Khomeini (Imam Khamenei), away from being captured, dazzled and fascinated by the West, or from calcification and fatal apathy.
Today is the period of great transformations, which will not come about unless we carry them out ourselves, and if we turn away, God will replace us with another people. It is a golden opportunity for the birth of a new Ummah (nation). Our leader is calling upon us. Will we respond to his call and help in building the great (Islamic) civilization, and by doing so preserve our victories which we produced through our struggle and martyrdom? (Will we) achieve the conquests of civilizational progress? Will we (succeed) in the (great) cultural battles? Will we be able to create the new ‘good life’ that is full of hope, energy and creativity?
For every leader, leadership and (loyal) helpers, and for every ‘Guardian Jurist’, ‘Guardianship’ and (steadfast) followers, the law of God, the All-Wise and the Bestower of Mercy, is clear: “And if you obey him, you will be [rightly] guided” (Holy Qur’an: Surat An-Nur, Ayah 54).
The Iranian Revolution took place in 1978/79. What exactly has been accomplished by Iran since that date?
An immensely wealthy country that is strategically located has achieved almost nothing. They are trapped in their Socialist thinking. Anyone who has some wealth speculates in property in Tehran.
The population of Tehran has increased from 5 million to 9 million. To what purpose? Do they export anything other than oil or gas? Why do they import so many things from China while they suffer from overwhelming underemployment? Why do they need the Chinese to build refineries, ports, roads and railways? There are plenty of skilled Iranians who can do these things.
IMHO, there is a mental problem in Iran. They are quite incapable of generating growth internally – despite a vast domestic market. Their leadership does not trust its engineers and technical people. It is almost as bad as Saudi Arabia.
You’re assuming they want to follow the western capitalist model of growth, with all its attendant problems. Given their encounters with the US, I seriously doubt that they do. Good for them. But of course, as you allude to here, large population increases present a problem for that mindset. The exponential growth model has to be rejected in entirety or not at all. That’s the devil’s wager that western capitalism thrives on.
Alfred youre one of those people who believe everything you see – without question – on the zionist American’s Rupert Murdoch’s FOX ‘news’ – without ever realizing youre being indoctrinated (brainwashed)
Your claim that Iran’s problems stem from having a socialist government is patently false.
The whole point of being a free and independent sovereign nation is to live by your *own rules. If the Iranian government wants to spend its oil revenue on its own people instead of profits being repatriated to foreign shaeholders – is nt that a good thing?
Imagine if countries like Australia, Canada, the US owned their own nations’ resources and spent the proceeds from their sale on their respective populations. What do you think the poverty rates in those countries would be – if their governments did the same?
It is the US/Israel’s aggression that are the *real reasons for Iran’s economic malaise :
– staging the 1953 coup d’etat (regime change operation) of a democratically elected government to install the Shah of Iran
– targeted assassinations of Iranian citizens: military generals, nuclear scientists, politicians
– crippling economic sanctions preventing the country from trading & earning foreign exchange
– preventing the country from developing a self defense to Israel’s aggression
– keeping Iran surrounded by US invasions and occupations in Afghanistan (east) & Iraq (west)
– shooting down of passenger airliners (see Flight 655 killing 290 people)
– releasing biological weapons against its people: Hussein in the 1980-88 Iraq-Iran & more recently COVID – (Iran was the 2nd country to be hit badly after China) – a Crime Against Humanity, btw.
Don’t believe everything you see & hear in the Western ‘lamestream’ media.
You mean that if they had followed the example of the West, assuming that the satanic and amoral US and it’s subservient vassals ( including that pathetic colony, Australia ) had not strangled the country with crippling illegal sanctions, famine and other forms of indirect warfare, they should now be like the said US etc and be stumbling into a third world cesspit of civil war, astronomical debt, piracy and international theft and have achieved the status of the most loathed and destested pariah on the planet.
You would be amazed at what they have achieved; they have activated an arc of resistance to Zionist occupation, that is now solidly embedded in place from Lebanon to Iran. They have pretty much fully defeated the Zionist Jews and Western alliance in the Middle East. lots of efforts were made to thwart them: violent assassinations of top Irani officials, massive bombings, wars, covert operation were conducted in Iraq and Syria both of whom are fully in Iranian camp, the proof lies in the fact that all the western alliance troops have taken off in defeat.
Only small contingents of US remain to save face but even they are on the run. Yet neither the Israeli cowards nor the western have been able to achieve any of their long term goals, the defeat of Israelis at the hands of Hizbollah in 2006 is legendary, shattering all Israeli fake myth of invincibly which is in ruins. All this time Iran was under crippling western sanctions. Primarily this was the period when Iran broke the back of the hegemony of the west, otherwise the west y would be bombing them to Stone Age, the western savagery is well known in this part of the world.
Iran has made sure that the resistance forces are awash will modern missilery that can strike each and every US and Israeli base/facility in the region, both parties know this. Now then; the big clincher was revealed last month where Russia, Iran, China, Pakistan have formed couple of trillion dollar alliance via one belt one road projects ensuring complete cut off from western alliance economically. Thats a lot of Achievement for a recent revolution in historic context, you need to some reading on fast paced geo-political developments in the region.
“The Iranian Revolution took place in 1978/79. What exactly has been accomplished by Iran since that date?”
Before the revolution, most Iranians lived in rural areas, and yet the average Iranian village did not have gas, electricity or running water. Dirt roads everywhere. Iranian villagers worked in the fields from dawn to dusk, for one flat bread. The average height of Iranians back then was around 20-30cm shorter than today, because everyone was malnourished. The revolution happened, because everyone was hungry. Back then Iran did not produce much. Everything was imported. Opportunities for young Iranians were very limited.
Today, there is gas, electricity and running water just about everywhere in Iran. The Iranian government built most of the infrastructure during the Iran-Iraq war, which just shows how much wealth Iran had. Wealth that the Zionists/USA were plundering, not even leaving enough for Iranians to be properly fed.
Today, in the same village where 50 years ago a man worked a whole day for one bread, every family has their own plot of land, given to them by the government, to cultivate. Pretty much everyone has at least one car. No one is hungry. No one is thinking of another revolution, no matter how much western media tells them to.
Today, Iran produces everything, from tooth brushes to automobiles to fighter jets. Self-reliance, courtesy of US-Zionist sanctions. The reason Iran does not export anything is not because they do not produce anything. I myself, it just so happens, have attempted to start an import-export business between Iran and Australia. Many things can be sourced in Iran for very cheap, especially considering the dollar exchange rate, and they can be sold in Western countries for a huge profit. But as soon as big retailers in Australia hear that our product is from Iran, they refuse to do business with us.
That is how we, as Iranians, discovered that the Zionists rule the world. Our revolution offended the Zionists, and as a result, no company in the world will do business with us, even when it is in the interest of the country where the company is located. We already knew that the big companies don’t care about the interests of the countries they work in, from when they were plundering our country.
Iranians have been building their own roads, ports, refineries and railways for 40 years now. The new deal with China is simply oil for services. Iran has to get around sanctions somehow. We simply take what the Chinese have to offer.
You are right, there is a mental problem in Iran. But it has nothing to do with generating economic growth. If you had been to Iran 40 years ago, and you saw it today, you would not say such a preposterous thing. Growth in Iran is out of control right now. There is too much development happening, too fast. Everything you hear about recession in Iran and currency devaluation and GDP shrinkage, is absolute BS. The facts on the ground are here for anyone to see.
The mental problem is caused by the Zionist Western media. They are constantly bombarding Iran with Persian language programs that they create and stream via satellite tv. What they say to Iranians in these tv shows is basically, “your country sucks”, “your country is getting more poor everyday”, “you were so much better off before the revolution”, “the West is your friend”, “Israel is your friend”, “the mullahs that run your country are your enemy”, “the US cares about you more than your own government cares about you”, “Iran is hell”, “everywhere else is heaven”, “the mullas are stealing from you”, “your government is stealing your resources”,
“Israel is a good guy”, etc. etc.
I will leave it up to you to imagine what this does to the psyche of a nation. Brain drain is the least of our problems. Corruption is the biggest problem in Iran.
The Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province gas company executive, Mr. Abdol Rasul Javam, with the help of corrupt executives from the electricity, water, agriculture and natural resources departments from his province, is buying cheap almond plantations that the government set up as a means for rural people to have an income, illegally annexing neighboring national lands, getting gas, water and electricity for his land on the hush hush, illegally re-zoning it as residential, and developing luxury villas. He bought his plot of land for $4000 USD. His villas are going to sell for $40,000 USD each. And his accomplices at the other government agencies are all going to get their own individual villa.
Mr. Javam has a son and a daughter studying abroad, because of course, the media says Iran is the worst place in the world. The more the Iranian currency devaluates, the more he needs to steal to support his children. And of course, the media says it’s ok to steal from Iran. I have wondered if this guy would be such a crook if he could just start a business exporting almonds to Europe. It would be much more lucrative, to say the least. This is just a small example of corruption in Iran. There are cases where hundreds of millions of dollars are embezzled from the government and wired to Swiss bank accounts. The perpetrators escape the country. The Zionist empire offers them amnesty, will not extradite them back to Iran to face justice, will not return the money to Iran. The West has become a safe haven for anyone who steals from Iran.
And FYI, the devaluation of Iranian currency compared to the dollar is not a gauge of how the Iranian economy is doing. The US dollar is a commodity in Iran. Because sanctions will not allow US dollars to get into Iran, it is becoming an increasingly scarce commodity, but demand for it is on the rise constantly. This causes the price of the US dollar to rise. It has nothing to do with Iranian economic growth compared to US economic growth. It is a trick of the empire to subdue nations that will not bow down. They are doing the same to Lebanon and Venezuela.
Now I have a question for you, what has Australia accomplished in the last 40 years? What does Australia make? Do they make cars? Ballistic missiles? Handmade silk rugs? Why does the Australian government keep giving away mining rights in Australia to foreign companies? What would happen if Australian resources were nationalized?
When Iran nationalized its resources, it became wealthy enough to build civil infrastructure all across Iran while fighting a war with Iraq. Iran became so wealthy that it set up and funded Hezbollah, which fought off Israel in Lebanon, while Iran was fighting Iraq. Iraq had the full backing of the entire empire, just so you know. So, Iran was not fighting just Iraq, they were fighting everyone, just like they are now.
Iran is the only real threat to the Zionist empire. Russia and China are simply competing for the privilege of being the next host for the Zionist entity, after the US collapses. And the US trying to bring down Russia and China, to keep on hosting the Zionist parasite. So, you ask what Iran has achieved? Iran has shown the world, by example, that nationalizing your resources (ie. taking them away from Zionist corporations) will make you wealthy enough to stand up to the whole world, but it will also make you the enemy of the empire, and by extension, the whole world.
If Iran’s resources weren’t being wasted on wars with the empire, Iran would be the wealthiest country in the world today. If Australia’s resources weren’t being plundered by the empire, Australia would be the wealthiest country in the world.
Iran is not a socialist state. Nationalizing your resources does not mean socialism. It simply means taking them away from the empire and committing them to your own cause. For Iran, it meant feeding the Iranian people. It meant providing opportunities for Iranian youth. Everyone in Iran goes to school now. Anyone who wants to, can go to university. Many Iranians have migrated away from rural areas, and live in cities now, which is why the population of Tehran and other major cities have increased, as you said. I know many young Iranians from rural backgrounds who have successful startups in Tehran.
To argue that things have gotten worse for Iranians since the revolution is absurd. But things could be a lot better if the US and the Zionists were not doing everything in their power to destroy Iran. You are right, Iran has gotten nowhere. Because everything they try to do is obstructed. And here we have the crux of the issue. Iran must defeat the combined strength of the entire Zionist empire, otherwise they will get nowhere. And the Zionist empire must crush the Iranian uprising, aka the resistance, otherwise it will spread, as it has been spreading. If the Zionists do not defeat Iran soon, more and more nations will realize that they too can attain freedom and independence. Sovereignty even.
A truly excellent articulate and accurate comment.
Thank you for your honest and enlightening comment.
It’s difficult to know where to start with your comments.
If you care to look up any English defintion of ‘ignorance’ these words would stand as being applicable to your comment: unaware, uninformed, not being cognizant.
On population alone you are ‘out’ by a factor of around x10. The current population of Iran is around 83 million. Even allowing for typos, where you to say 50 million to 90 million, you are still factually wrong.
‘Their leadership does not trust its engineers and technical people’. I guess they do when it comes to advanced missiles, missile defence systems, ship construction, satellite manufacturing and rockets to put them into orbit, to mention only a few of the engineering and technical achievements of Iran. Either your comments show unawareness or you are, in spite of these facts, well aware. In the latter case, the key phrase ‘trapped in their Socialist thinking’ in your post is the clue to your motivation.
So much to Learn. If only Cairns were willing to learn. Instead of which, Alf spouts complacent ignorance you have already pointed to, like this:
“Their leadership does not trust its engineers and technical people.”
In the early 1970s it was my good fortune to know the distinguished Communist biologist, Guido Pontecorvo, brother of the equally distinguished Communist physicist, Bruno Pontecorvo. Each brother gave Uncle $cam a black eye.
Bruno blacked Uncle $cam’s first eye. He gave Stalin enough atomic info to break Uncle’s monopoly on nuclear weapons.
Then Guido blacked Uncle $cam’s other eye. He was invited by the Guardians of the Islamic Communist Revolution to advise on Iran’s scientific policy. When Guido returned, he told me that Iran had good scientists but were short of technicians and engineers; he advised the Iranian govt to set up technical high schools.
The results are what we see today: Iran’s precision missiles. So precise that the Iranian military coolly named exactly which base of the U$ Army of Occupation in Iraq they intended to strike. Then the Iranian govt gave the Trump regime 24 hours advance notice to get ready with their air defense services, Patriot aka Iron Dome. The Yanks were ready. Iran sent only ten missiles; each one hit its target. Uncle blustered but dared no respond because he knows that the Islamic Communist Revolution has better military engineers.
The only other country in history that managed to fight a major war yet improve the health and nutrition of its people was Britain 1939-1940 thanks to Socialist Vice-Premier Clement Attlee. That was only a short war and Britain was facing only one enemy. Islamic Socialist Iran has been actively resisting attack by the entire Anglo Zionazi Capitalist “Western” world for more than 40 years. Still standing. Has stood for more than 3,000 years. Shach Mat! (Check Mate! from the game that Iran invented).
Shach Mat! — Sorry mate. You have to look a little more eastward for its origins.
Nope, that’s unclear. India, somewhat other game, Persia, more like our current game, Egypt, again more like nowadays chess… Thus ‘Persia’ or Iran, Check Mate just as well!
Shah mat means king cannot move.
But the Iranians did not invent chess. The Indians did.
Well I just caught a few minutes of Queen, no, not the bitch, the rock band movie………funniest bit I caught was Freedy on his teefh, and why he didn’t get ’em fixed, ’cause I’d look like an American and wouldn’t fit in here(England)……………………..right, but the telling story was how Muslims forced the Farsi to flee to India from Iran to escape persicussion, which might explain the conundrum of where, or who, invented chess.
Cheers, M
I start understanding the neo-Ottoman agenda of Erdogan. He knows there is a race and one competitors accepted it. Iran and Turkey are on a collision course. They can’t have both countries like Lebanon under their “benevolent” rule.
I’m very curious about the bolder ways of thinking, new forms of knowledge, and so on. I want to see them at work. I want to hear about their formulation. I want to understand them.
Now I’m in doubt.
There is one thing, I wish, I could discuss with the Ayatollah, and that is the practice of mixing politics with religion. History has proven that politics tend to capture (hijack) religion when they move into that space. The result of such a mixture are historical events like the inquisitions, crusades, the Ottoman empire, slavery etc. So when the esteemed Ayatollah speaks about the “new Islamic civilization”, one wonders, what’s new about it ?.
First of all, you are equating Shia Islam with what you have been told about the Catholic Church.
When the Islamic empire, centered in Baghdad, was at its peak, the Islamic world was experiencing a golden age of prosperity. Arts and sciences were flourishing as they had not since ancient Greece.
When the Catholic Empire, centered in the Vatican, was at its peak, Europe was experiencing the dark ages.
So, to say that the history of Europe under the Catholic Church proves anything about Islam is not correct.
The Zionists saw religion as an obstacle to taking over the governments of Western countries. So they did away with it. One must ask oneself, how much of the history they have told us is even true?
If Christianity is as bad as the Zionist Jews keep telling us through the liberal media, how did it lead the Germans from crude savagery to the peak of European cultural refinement?
How did Islam take the Arabs from chasing locusts in the wastelands of Arabia to ruling the world from the Imperial capital of Cteisphon-Baghdad?
The Achaemenid kings that created and ruled the largest empire the world had ever seen, were Zoroastrian. And they ruled according to their religious beliefs. And they were successful. The bureaucratic system that you see in the world today was created by them.
The idea that religion must be kept separate from politics is exactly where the world went wrong. Politicians without morals are one of the major problems of the world today, courtesy of the Zionist protocols.
Daniel,
I hope Jamshyd’s response is satisfactory, I just want to remind you some one or two contributions Religion guided people have achieved in Europe during the so-called Dark Ages.
Certainly, there were some powerful people within the Church who were corrupt, power-hungry and greedy. But to blame the whole religion for their weaknesses, it is not just unreasonable, it is completely unjust. It’s like blaming the Constitutions of secular countries because of corrupt leaders.
Many Hospitals that were also called Domus Dei (Houses of God) were founded in the twelfth century after the first Crusaders returned from the ME.
Hospitals were religious institutions. Monasteries and convents had infirmaries where sick and elderly members of the community were cared for, FREE OF CHARGE.
They could be hostels for pilgrims, hospices for the dying, almshouses for the aged poor, or a hospital for the sick poor. They were founded as acts of charity by Religion guided people.
In the hospital the poor, the wounded and the sick were considered masters and those who looked after them their servants. Please see France under the reign of Louis IX.
Hospitals were part of a religious community and contrary to the thinking of today of the “Dark Age”, hygiene was strictly observed, beds, sheets and floors were constantly washed and cleaned to prevent new patients from being contaminated with worse disease than what they already had.
Even today most of hospitals in the Western countries are named after Saints or their names have religious connotations.
We care safely call that Free Universal Healthcare…during the so-called “Dark Age”. Is this the case today ?
Education will be another long explanation. But briefly, while secular lords of the manor did not build schools and neither contributed to the education, they even had laws prohibiting the people under their control, including serfs, from getting an education. The religion guided people built schools, please think of Christian cathedral schools and monastic schools.
Thanks for reading and please excuse my English, I am done ranting :>)
Let me first state that most of IRI’s difficulties stem from the sanctions, isolation and wars in neighboring countries that the US and its allies have imposed.
However, as much as I approve of IRI’s support of the Syrian Arab Republic’s fight for survival, I deplore the fact that it was America’s secret helper in the agenda to destroy Iraq’s nonsectarian Arab social and political consensus after 2003.
I also can’t morally or intellectually support any theocratic system, because all such systems negate freedom of conscience and make individual equality impossible. While the leadership of the Shia scholars works for Iran – which is nearly 90% Shia – sectarianism has proven to be disastrous for the generally much more religiously diverse Arab countries. It may have escaped the notice of some who love Iranian theocracy that Western imperialism has promoted sectarianism in the Arab Middle East. Israel, originally a British colonial entity and now a US imperial protectorate, is a sectarian entity. The sectarian system of Lebanon was designed by imperial France, which cherishes its own enlightenment secularism. Saudi Arabia and the other Gulf monarchies, which are second only to Israel as US imperial protectorates are Sunna theocracies. The point that I am trying to make here is that anti-imperialism in the Arab world is consonant with traditional secular Arab nationalism – the only surviving exemplars of which are Algeria and Syria. It is not mere coincidence that three of the most egregious aggressions commited by Western imperialism in its wars for terrorism since 2001 were aimed against the most secular Arab govts: Syria, Libya and Iraq.
I’v yet to read a post of a proper religious sermon by Imam Khamenei. I wish the Imam can speak more about the individual inner jihadi instead of jihadi nations. I wish the Iman could speak about the realized mujahideen who have assimilated the notion that “all ownership belongs to Allah” and are totally dedicated to building the “temple of the lord (Jesus)” instead of warfare. If the Imam were to concentrate on the above then talk about the “new civilization” would be plausible.
Jika
Sorry but you will have to continue waiting because you will never get have baked Islam from Imam Khamenei, that is what Imam Khomeini called America Islam.
Imam Khamenei used to address both the spiritual and material aspects of Islamic development from time to time, you are free to check is website.
Yk
I have a lot of respect for Imam Khamenei. He is an educated capable leader who has done a lot for Iran,the axis of resistance & the world at large
In this instance I was just expressing a wish, that If the Imam could give more messages about inner work to his adherents , than politics, then perhaps more good can be realized. I hope, you Yk understand what I mean by inner work.
–“The individuals inner connection to the IMAM, in other words, his or her “realization of the IMAM”, and the degree that this has become part of his being, daily life, and Jihad. Not all Muslims have to attain this connection all at once, as a small percentage is enough to “activate” or influence the rest of the nation in the direction and into auspice of a New Islamic Civilization (that is truly unlike any other before.) I would say if about the square root of 2 percent of any Muslim nations population is connected, that is enough to move that nation in this direction. If it rises above 5 percent, then that nations influence crosses borders and there is propaganda that exists that can no defend against it.”
There is no country in history, ever, who has achieved what Iran has under the most hostile external pressure. my contention is that if the 50 military bases surrounding it are removed and all sanctions lifted, Iran will surpass Germany and Japan in all fields of endeavor in less than a decade.
The end of Western hegemony and the disintegration of the EU and USA are inevitable and every interference in the region, from Afghanistan to Yemen and Libya turned out in the favor of Iran. Distinct from the Midas Touch, I call it the Mertas Touch, everything the Anglo–Zionist Empire touched turned to SH1T!
I’ve been living in Iran for most of the past 5 years, lived in many other countries, and there is no safer, cheaper or less fascist country in the world
What do you make of the hanging of those wrestlers then, not that i’m disagreeing with your points.
Um, just one wrestler, and he murdered someone.
I’m surprised you answered the twerk.
“Iran will surpass Germany and Japan in all fields of endeavor in less than a decade.” I can confirm for you in my field, CINEMA, this is done.