Letter [to Sayyid Ahmad Khomeini]

«۱»- It refers to Ayatullah Rabbani Shirazi whose plan and that of Haj Ahmad Khomeini was to gather a number of scholars, by any means possible including money, in the house of the Imam so that the Imam's messages and stances would be speedily sent to Qum and other theological centers. The Imam opposed the idea. Haj Ahmad wrote another letter to the Imam by means of his mother and the Imam reprimanded him again and Haj Ahmad admitted the rightful position of the Imam. «۲»- It refers to Ayatullah Sayyid Muhammad Sadiq Lavasani. «۳»- Sayyid Ahmad Khomeini narrates:" There were reasons for letters not reaching the Imam: a) Bashfulness of the carrier who took the letter and automatically, the money for its carriage, but inspite of his own will, being shy to refuse, had to tear it; b) Sometimes the matter was discovered and the SAVAK got hold of the letters. However, the names that Mr. Lavasani and the Imam's attorneys in the cities supplied the Imam with mere fictitious names. For example, they would tell someone whose name was Mahmoud Taqawi that you are Taqi and receipt for him read Taqi and in the account books they would write: Paid to Taqi, say, ۱,۰۰۰ tumans and when Mr. Lavasani was asked by the SAVAK who Taqi is he would answer," I am Mr. Khomeini's attorney and do not know the individuals, whoever comes and collects the receipt." When the danger was over they would inform the man concerned to come and get the receipt. Of course, most of Imam Khomeini's followers did not want receipts. «۴»- Ahmad Khomeini has narrated:" Following severance of the Imam's Qum stipend we decided to pay the stipend any way possible. We sent Aqa Haj Shaykh Hasan Sani`i and Aqa Haj Shaykh Mahallati to the house of Ayatullah al-`Uzma Haj Mirza Ahmad Ashtiyani (Tehran's preeminent clergy on the level of Ayatullah Khwansari) saying, `Money is available but they do not let us give it to the theological students; we are ready to send the money in your name and it will be your stipend from this month. ' After a long discussion, he said that he must make an augury. Ayatullah Haj Baqir Ashtiani, his son, made the augury and the response was favorable and then they asked for the Imam's written permission. The Imam wrote a very respectful letter to Grand Ayatullah Ashtiyani, who is a philosopher and faqih, and twenty years senior than the Imam and had permitted the funds to be accepted and cash on hand to be paid out in his name. This action reverberated in Tehran centers like the sound of an explosion and it was obvious that the anti-Imam clergy would not remain quiet. Many went to him saying that his prestige was beyond his becoming an attorney of Mr. Khomeini but he paid no attention and for sometime stipends had been paid in his name. Haj Shaykh Hasan Sane'i, former director of the ۱۵ th Khordad Foundation, who at that time was next to the Imam's attorney and was fully empowered to manage the house of the Imam in Qum, was giving the Imam's stipend. It was agreed that when it was time to give the stipends he would go and sit among the distributors so that the few students who were unaware of the matter learn that it was the Imam's stipend that was being given. He did this during the month. The SAVAK files state:" Aqa-ye Haj Shaykh Hasan Sani`i who has been paying the stipends of Mr. Khomeini's students had sat in the place where the stipend of Mr. Khomeini has been given in the name of Ashtiyani so that it would become clear that the stipends belong to Khomeini." During the second month the SAVAK of Qum via Aqa-ye Haj Mirza Abou'l-Qasim Ashtiyani who was the Imam's attorney and was assigned by the late Ashtiani to pay the Imam's stipend in the name of Mr. Ashtiyani, wrote a note to Mr. Sani`i:" It is not necessary that you would be here and must leave the meeting!" He consulted me and it was agreed that he should not leave because all knew that it was the Imam's stipend and we had better not give an excuse to the SAVAK. Ayatullah al-`Uzma Haj Ahmad Ashtiyani was not feeling well then and was about to pass away. The Imam wrote to Mr. Lavasani and enquired whether he thinks fit that power of attorney be given to Ayatullah Aqa-ye Haj Baqir Ashtiyani who was about the same age of the Imam. The Imam liked Mr. LAvasani so much that he consulted him lest he, as a fully empowered attorney of the Imam be offended. Thereafter, Ayatullah Haj Muhammad Baqir Ashtiyani paid the Imam's stipend to the end and as such, the Imam's stipend was not cut off in Qum. The role of shahriyyah or stipend in the theological centers is very crucial in the stabilization of the Reference Authoritativeness [marja`iyyah] as well as the struggle."