Speech [The clergy opposes the Shah's White Revolution]

«۱»- Sayyid Mahmoud Taleqani( ۱۹۱۰- ۷۹/ ۱۲۸۹- ۱۳۵۸ AHS )after having acquired education in Islamic sciences at the madrasahs of Radawiyyah and Faydiyyah in Qum, went to Tehran in the year ۱۹۳۸( ۱۳۱۷ AHS )to preach and lecture in Islamic teachings. In ۱۹۳۹ he was arrested and imprisoned, charged with opposing the Pahlavi regime. From ۱۹۴۸( ۱۳۲۷ AHS )onward, his classes were held at Hidayat Mosque in Tehran which was the central gathering place for religious intellectuals and the religious members of the National Front[ Jebheh-ye Milli ), who later established themselves as the Liberation Movement( Nahdat-e Azadi ). In the years ۱۹۵۱ and ۱۹۵۲( ۱۳۳۰ and ۱۳۳۱ AHS )he traveled to Jordan and Egypt. He participated in the struggle for the nationalization of the oil industry and was arrested following the coup d'etat of Mordad ۲۸( August ۱۹ )accused of hiding Nawwab Safavi, the founder and leader of the Fida'iyan-e Islam[ Devotees of Islam ]in his home. The late Taleqani was repeatedly imprisoned because of his activities and this was the case yet again in ۱۹۶۴( ۱۳۴۳ AHS )due to his support of Imam Khomeini's movement, his release being granted in the year ۱۹۶۷( ۱۳۴۶ AHS ). In ۱۹۷۱( ۱۳۵۰ AHS )he was exiled to Zabol and then to Baft( a town in the province of Kerman ); and in ۱۹۷۵( ۱۳۵۴ AHS ), having been betrayed by one of the Munafiqin( MKO )he was arrested and sentenced to ten years imprisonment. On November ۹, ۱۹۷۸( Aban ۱۸, ۱۳۵۷ AHS )he was freed along with Ayatullah Muntaziri and a group of other political prisoners. Following the victory of the Islamic Revolution he was appointed as head of the Revolutionary Council and selected as a member of the Assembly of Experts; and following the Imam's request he led the first congregational Friday prayer which was held at Tehran University. Among the many literary legacies of the late Ayatullah Taleqani are expositions of the Qur'an and books concerning Islamic teachings and socio-political issues. «۲»- Here, the Imam is referring to engineer Mahdi Bazargan. Mr. Bazargan( b. ۱۹۰۷/ ۱۲۸۶ AHS )held official positions during Dr. Muhammad Musaddiq's government at the Tehran Water Board and the National Oil Company, while also holding posts in education as an academic member of staff and as head of the Faculty of Engineering at Tehran University. He had played a significant role in founding the Liberation Movement of Iran and had spent many years in the regime's prisons. At the height of the Islamic uprising in the year ۱۹۷۸( ۱۳۵۷ AHS ), he was sent by the Leader of the Revolution along with others to attend to the affairs concerning the National Oil Company workers' strike. After the victory of the Islamic Revolution, the chairmanship of the provisional government was consigned to him; and the day after the occupation of the American Embassy( the Den of Espionage )by the Muslim students following the Imam's line, he resigned from his post as Prime Minister. Later, however, he became the Member of Parliament for Tehran during the first session of the Islamic Consultative Assembly. «۳»- The Thabit Pasal and Elqaniyan families were among those mediators of world Zionism who resided in Iran. They engaged in certain joint ventures with the Pahlavi family and with both indigenous and foreign capitalist networks. Elqaniyan was the owner of Iran Leyland Motor Company, Iran Goodrich, the factories of Pars and America, the SRS Company and dozens of other factories, companies and mother companies. See Dawlat va Hukoumat dar Islam, pp. ۲۶۴- ۲۶۷. «۴»- During the Shah's" land reform" program the country's agriculture and dairy farming were gradually ruined and what remained of the oil revenue was spent on the purchase of wheat from America, oranges from South Africa, chickens from Holland, eggs from Israel and other needs from various other countries. The cost of eggs imported from Israel in the years ۱۹۷۶, ` ۷۷ and ` ۷۸( ۱۳۵۵- ۱۳۵۸ AHS )amounted to two hundred and twelve million, two hundred and fifty-four million and one thousand and twenty-two million rials, respectively; figures that had been continually on the rise. See Iran: Taswir-e Amari-ye Bazargani-ye Khariji, p. ۲۶۴. «۵»- It refers to the quarantine and detention of Imam Khomeini. «۶»- Maraji`, clergy, politicians, bazaar merchants, students, and other sectors of society had persistently requested that the Shah and the government grant Imam Khomeini's release from prison. Likewise, prominent religious figures from countries such as Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Kuwait as well as those from several other countries had pressed the Iranian government for the Imam's release, certain personages such as Shaykh Muhammad Shaltout, the distinguished Egyptian thinker and clergyman, making great efforts and actually taking action to secure the Imam's freedom. See Barrasi va Tahlili az Nahdat-e Imam Khomeini, vol. ۱, pp. ۵۱۶- ۵۵۵. «۷»- Having undergone ten months detention, the Imam eventually entered his home in Qum at ۱۰ pm on Tuesday, April ۷( Farvardin ۱۸, ۱۳۴۳ AHS ). He did so under the watchful eye of the regime's officers who were concerned to ensure that no one yet found out about his release. Later that night, cars and taxis repeatedly beeped their horns and by doing so informed everyone of the affair. Once informed, people immediately advanced toward the Imam's home and they, along with the theological center in Qum and people of Tehran and other cities, held celebrations for his homecoming which in fact lasted for several days, people actually traveling from all quarters of the country to Qum to visit their leader. «۸»- The editorial of the Ittila`at newspaper dated April ۷, ۱۹۶۴( Farvardin ۱۸, ۱۳۴۳ AHS )carried an article entitled" Holy Alliance" in which was written:" It was the Shah himself who personally engineered the" six- point program" on the basis of which a new society was to be formed according to modern ideas and traditional cultures. This program in fact deserved to be carried by twenty million votes, for it was for everyone; for people from all walks of life. Everyone has a part to play in this national endeavor, no matter what sector of society they are from, or what class they belong to. How fortunate it is that the clerical community has also now joined forces with the people in executing the programs of the Shah-People Revolution, for indeed this revolution has been founded on the most worthy ambitions of the early leaders of Islam. It is also fortunate that the present government is fully aware of the public's support, and it spares no effort in achieving" national unity for the national program" and in attaining the mutual understanding of different sections of society." «۹»- It is to be noted that the present speech was delivered at the Imam's home in Qum, in the presence of a group of Tehran University students, among others. «۱۰»- Thabit Pasal, the renowned Baha'i capitalist who was also responsible for the television's executive affairs at the time of the Shah. «۱۱»- After the event of Khordad ۱۵, ۱۳۴۲ AHS( June ۵, ۱۹۶۳ )the Shah ordered for certain insulting remarks against the Imam to be written on the walls. However, when confronted by the people's anger he was forced to order for their erasure! Barrasi va Tahlili az Nahdat-e Imam Khomeini, vol. ۱, p. ۵۶۵; also certain instructions given by the SAVAK in this regard can be found in the file compiled on the Imam at the offices of the SAVAK. «۱۲»- The article," Religion and Politics" printed in the Ittila`at newspaper of August ۴, ۱۹۶۳( Mordad ۱۳, ۱۳۴۲ AHS )reads:" Some believe that the government is out to weaken the position of the clergy and they have thus based their judgments accordingly; but this is not the case. The Shah himself holds a special respect for the clergy. He worships Almighty God and is proud of the fact it is the clergy who have exchanged their true mission to guide and lead the people with the sordid world of politics. That is to say, instead of offering people leadership and guidance they become involved in matters well below their station and dignity one hundred and fifty years ago in certain countries it was rightly realized that religion and politics should be separated and hence His Imperial Majesty, the King of kings, the sole Shi`ah Muslim ruler in the world, warned the clergy to dissociate themselves from those clergymen who are involved in non-religious activities. Therefore, it is essential that the eminent `ulama and fuqaha, and in particular their eminencies Ayatullah Khomeini, Ayatullah Qummi and Ayatullah Mahallati, who have now agreed to compromise, accept this point and ensure that others accept it for the sake of glorifying the standing of both the clergy and Islam."! «۱۳»- Pakravan, the commander of the army and head of SAVAK, during an audience with the Imam on August ۲, ۱۹۶۳( Mordad ۱۱, ۱۳۴۲ AHS )at `Ishratabad garrison said:" I took great pains to obtain a document confirming the relationship between a great marja` and a foreign country; and to this end I even sent an Arab person to see you but I didn't find the least evidence of a relationship between your great eminence and foreign agents Your eminence is about to be released, but before this I have to tell you that politics means cheating and deceiving; politics means lies, hypocrisy and trickery. In brief, politics means chicanery. These matters are our concern and the leaders of the clergy must not soil themselves with these things; they must in no way indulge in politics." The Imam in response to the latter part of Pakravan's comments said:" From the very beginning we played no part in the kind of politics of which you speak." See Barrasi va Tahlili az Nahdat-e Imam Khomeini, vol. ۱, p. ۵۷۵. «۱۴»- Another part of the article," Religion and Politics" printed in the Ittila`at newspaper of August ۴, ۱۹۶۳( Mordad ۱۳, ۱۳۴۲ AHS ), reads:" The truth of the matter is that His Imperial Majesty has realized that the foundations of religion have become weak in this country. The mosque and the pulpit have both been forgotten and in comparison to other Muslim nations, the Muslim nation of Iran is in a( spiritually )distressed condition. The Shah has realized that part of this moral and spiritual backwardness and depression is due to the fact that some individuals among the clergy have sacrificed their true mission of leading and guiding the people for politics and the sordidness which accompanies it Thus, to rescue both the country and the nation from this group, he has adopted an approach to achieve that which the churches actually achieved one hundred and fifty years ago and that is to separate the Church from politics. As a result of this measure, no Christian now slights the fundamental precepts of his religion. They all attend church and perform their prayers and they listen with enthusiasm to the preachers' sermons and act accordingly"! «۱۵»- Among the serious problems faced by the people of Qum was the severe shortage of water, the high salt content of the water, the unhygienic state of water held in reservoirs and the ill health which ensued from that very situation. Although this city is densely populated, is significant from both a geographical and a religious point of view and caters for many visiting pilgrims, it nevertheless lacked a current drinking-water supply. «۱۶»- Indication is made to a student. «۱۷»- The winter of ۱۹۶۳( ۱۳۴۲ AHS )in Iran was extremely severe and many lives were lost due to the acute poverty and hardship faced by the people as well as road obstructions resulting from bad weather conditions and the neglectfulness of the regime's functionaries. At the same time, however, the governmental officials and their coworkers in these districts were in fact supplied with their needs by helicopter. See the press reports of winter ۱۹۶۳. «۱۸»- The splendid ceremonies of jubilation and festivity were meant to beguile and divert the Iranian people. The year ۱۹۶۶( ۱۳۴۵ AHS )witnesses the commemorative ceremony of a quarter of a century of Muhammad Rida's reign; in ۱۹۶۷ the royal coronation ceremony was held; and four years later we saw the celebration of two-and-a-half millennia of monarchical rule as well as other festivities. Great expense was afforded for each of these affairs, but the actual figures involved were never published. Moreover, these celebrations were in addition to the routine galas and parties of the Royal Court. A major item of expense in these celebrations was having the most expensive flowers flown in from Holland. In his description of the two-thousand-five-hu festivities, Pierre Blanchet, the French author, writes in his book entitled, Iran: La Revolution Au Nom De Dieu:" Private Boeing airplanes made daily deliveries of fresh flowers from Holland." «۱۹»- With regard to the health and material conditions of Iranian villages at the time of the Shah-People Revolution, a report by one of the head supervisors of the organization established for the program of the Shah's regime reads:" In the villages, the father, mother, daughters, sons, grandfather, grandmother, groom, and bridegroom, all live together in one small room. The centre of this room is reserved for the cattle whose filth and putrid stench permeates everyday village life facilities include: a few dirty, torn quilts which have never seen soap and water, a metal kettle and teapot, a few tumblers and a copper saucepan Food at the best of times is merely bread with milk, yoghurt or even watered-down yoghurt boiled millet and sometimes cooked turnips In most of the villages things like doctors, medicine, shops, and bathing facilities just do not exist. The villagers' income is extremely low and the best part of this is handed out to brokers, intermediators and pre-emptors. As a result, the village population comprises a wretched group of ailing and backward people who have neither food nor clothes." For the details of this report refer to Iran va Tarikh, pp. ۱۷۹- ۱۸۲; also refer to the Ittila`at newspaper of July ۱۹, ۱۹۶۷( Tir ۲۸, ۱۳۴۶ AHS )(" Five Years after the White Revolution" )in which an open letter to the Shah can be found that was written by a group of villagers from northern Iran describing their way of life.«۲۰»- ECAFE is the United Nations' acronym for the Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East. This commission was set up by the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations Organization in the year ۱۹۴۷. Its function was to bring about integration between the governments of Asia and the Far East in order to raise the level of their economic activities and to step up relations both between the countries of this region and between these countries and the rest of the world. The members of this commission are from the Far East and Asian member-countries of the United Nations. Other regional commissions of the UN include the economic commissions of Europe, Latin America and Africa. In the twenty-fifth edition of the journal Pasdar-e Islam, a close associate of the Imam is quoted as saying:" Colonel Pakravan( commander of the army ), who at that time was the head of SAVAK in Tehran, would visit the Imam from time to time while he was in Qaytariyyah. One evening, Pakravan's visit to the Imam coincided with the time when the ECAFE economic conference was in progress in Tehran. I distinctly remember the Imam's words to Pakravan on that evening and I hereby relate them to the reader. The Imam stated: `These economic delegates who have gathered here from all over the world, without exception spoke of the economic difficulties suffered by their home countries. The Iranian representative, however, who was the Minister of Economic Affairs( Dr. `Alikhani )had said: `Thanks to His Majesty(! )all of our economic problems have been solved! ' The Imam then asked Pakravan, what exactly had been solved and continued by saying: `Which part of the country's economy is healthy? Where is this healthy economy of ours? What do we have that can be called an economy? '" «۲۱»- In ۱۹۶۳( ۱۳۴۲ AHS ), after twenty-two years of monarchical rule, at a time when the Shah could see that his ambitions were being fulfilled, many world leaders were invited to Iran to experience the stately banquets of Iran's Royal Court. These leaders included figures such as Heinrich Luebke, the West German President; De Gaulle, the President of France; and Leonid Brezhnev the Soviet Union's Head of State. Whenever any of these guests visited Iran the world's press, radio and television were filled with reports, pictures and accounts of after-dinner speeches which were invariably given in recognition of the progress achieved by Iran and the leading role played by the Shah. In addition to the world's leaders, American consultants and experts in various fields also traveled to Tehran on a regular basis, and whilst receiving and entertaining them, the Shah made efforts to change his administrative systems to their liking. Az Sayyid Diya ta Bakhtiyar, p. ۴۸۵. «۲۲»- According to the precept" Reforming the Electoral Law"- one of the underlying principles of the Shah's" White Revolution"- both the right to vote and the right to be elected to the Majlis had been given to women. In the first election to follow the" White Revolution" a number of women from the Royal Court and upper-classes entered the Majlis as parliamentary representatives. These included: Shawkat Jahanbani, Farukhrow Parsa( the wife of General Shirinsokhan ), Hajar Tarbiyyat, Mehrangiz Dawlatshahi, and several others. Az» uhour ta Suqout, publications of the Muslim Students Following the Line of the Imam, p. ۱۳۰. «۲۳»- After `Alam's dismissal, Dr. Sadr the Interior Minister of the former's replacement Hasan `Ali Mansour, visited the Imam at Qaytariyyah. At this meeting, as well as announcing the Imam's imminent release, Dr. Sadr, in order to please the Imam, strongly criticized `Alam's government, blaming it for the periods of the Imam's detention and incarceration; whereas he spoke highly of Mansour and described the new government as completely different to the previous one. In reply the Imam offered him a few words of advice and added:" We were neither the enemy of that government nor have we signed a contract of fraternity with this one. If you behave as the government before you did, then we will oppose you also." «۲۴»- On Tuesday evening, April ۷, ۱۹۶۴( Farvardin ۱۸, ۱۳۴۳ AHS )Imam Khomeini entered the city of Qum after a lengthy period of detention and imprisonment. His return was celebrated in such a way that some historians have reported it as being beyond description. People from the capital city and elsewhere hastened towards Qum to meet the Imam, and both the Khan and Faydiyyah madrasahs held non-stop celebrations for three days and three nights. These historic festivities culminated in the reading of a ten-point declaration in the presence of the Imam and `ulama' from the theological center. Matters stressed in this declaration included the making of necessary changes in the theological centers; the implementation of both the Islamic and constitutional laws; the abrogation of the Provincial and District Councils Bill; the annulment of both the upper- and lower-Majlis; the release of all political prisoners; the elimination of corruption; and the arrest of the regime's anti-Islamic campaigns. Programs similar to this were also held in other cities of Iran. For further information refer to Nahdat-e Rouhaniyyoun-e Iran, vol. ۴, p. ۲۷۴ onward.