In His Most Exalted Name
His Eminence Sayyid al-A`lam wa Hujjat al-Islam wal-Muslimin Mr. Haj Sayyid `Izzuddin Imam, may his blessings last long:
I would like to inform you that I am grateful for your kind letter indicating your health and inquiring about my health. I beseech the Exalted God to grant you health. For sometimes I have been thinking to request you not to leave Zanjan which is a very sensitive place void of your honorable presence. Now that the struggle of the honorable `ulama' and people of Zanjan, may God assist them, has become a turning point and striking Islamic activities are going on there, this idea has become stronger. Of course the excuse you have mentioned was justifiable and under the circumstance it was not appropriate, but now that the tyrannical regime is tending towards its annihilation and foundation of that order has been destroyed, it seems that your presence there is more useful for Islamic activities.
The war-ravaged Iran of today needs reconstruction which in turn depends on the cooperation of all the strata of the nation which should be arranged with the efforts of the luminaries and the honorable `ulama'. The negligence of the `ulama' and trustable people in supervising the affairs of the cities by the support of the people will cause irreparable damages. Hence, you are requested to go to Zanjan if you do not have serious excuses and improve the affairs through your guidance and solve the problems through cooperation with the honorable `ulama' and other respected people. I beseech the Exalted God to rectify the affairs of the Muslims. I hope you pray for me. May God's peace and mercy be upon you.
Rouhullah al-Mousawi al-Khomeini
19,1399 AH