In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
Committee for Follow-up of Judiciary and Administrative Offenses
Recently, I have observed a number of books on the subjects of religious questions and Islamic ideology and was very disturbed at the contents of a booklet on developing religion- for general placement and they have been made a criterion for acceptance or rejection of individuals. The writings that contain questions, which are unrelated to Islam and religion and are probably harmful and obscene considering that they are being published in the name of the religion of Islam and are among the deviant books and booklets that are damaging for the reputation of Islam and the Islamic republic. I have recommended to the Minister of Islamic Guidance to remove these kinds of books immediately and to ban their sale and purchase on religious grounds. Perhaps many of the individuals who had a hand in their compilation were sincere but the possibility of infiltration of devils in such kinds of matters is strong. This is done in order to smear the radiant face of Islam or the Islamic Republic. Therefore, I request the respected committee to observe the following:
1. I hereby announce the dissolution of all the committees, which was formed in the name of placement throughout the country, whether in the armed forces, in the ministries and administrative bodies, or in the education centers reaching up to the universities- all of them are dissolved and the committee should announce their dissolution.
2. The committee is obliged to direct as soon as possible for the formation of committees to replace the dissolved commissions and be composed of devout, pious, prudent and of good moral behavior and wise and informed of the current issues so that in placement of deserving individuals without regard to relations. The placement should take place under their supervision and care is to be taken to ensure that these individuals are not narrow-minded, ill-tempered, negligent, and indifferent persons. As I have mentioned previously, the criteria for placement is the present circumstance of individuals unless they belong to the deviant groups and are of the corrupt or their present circumstance is to create corruption and cause disorder. But those who in the previous regime have committed some improper acts because of the ruling environment or under compulsion of the tyrannical regime but are currently returned to normal behavior and proper conduct, no extremist reaction is to be taken against them for this is injustice and is opposed to the teachings of Islam, and must be forbidden.
3. Considering that, many of the Islamic questions of these booklets are from uninformed sources, which perhaps the hard-working theologians and men of religion are rendered incapable of answering, and also some of them are wrong and some of the questions and answers are conflicting, these manner of questioning can under no circumstance be a criteria for placement of individuals. Not to know their answer is not a flaw or shortcoming for them. It is necessary that the respected committee delegate some persons to see whether individuals because of the religious questions whose knowledge is not necessary for these persons or irrelevant questions that are unrelated to Islam, were expelled from offices, ministries, or other centers or were not considered for employment because of them. Should they judge that the dismissal or lack of acceptance was simply because of these matters or mistakes, they are to reinstate them to their former jobs. This is because this kind of action taken against them is blatant injustice and is to deprive the country of useful persons, all of which must be prevented. In addition, the proper individuals that were in the placement commissions should be rewarded while the other individuals are counseled so that such kind of actions does not occur in the Muslim country.
4. The respected headquarters is to order the compilation of concise booklets consisting of religious matters that the public should know and ideological questions whose knowledge is necessary in Islam in a plain language and without the riddles that are present in these misleading books and publications. Some questions should be provided compatible to the person's job and with the supervision of individuals informed of the commandments of Islam and aware of the political and social issues surrounding them and should place them at the disposal of individuals. In case of necessity, they should teach the persons and they should not question them without being taught. The criteria for failing or passing should be the Islam and humanitarian criterion for to guide the ignorant is the main intent and purpose.
5. It is absolutely forbidden to investigate the circumstance of individuals other than the corrupters and terrorist groups. To question individuals on the number of sins they have committed as mentioned according to some of the reports on the type of questions is opposed to Islam. The investigator is a wrongdoer. These types of affairs that are contrary to Islamic behavior and contrary to the pure religion must be forbidden.
6. According to reports received, some of the teaching classes, which are formed in the Army, the Guards Corps, and the rest of the centers, are extremely obscene and cliched. Knowledgeable, prudent and devoted persons must manage these classes and the representatives of this person in the armed and security forces should undertake to reform them and to continue with their job. This committee is obligated to arrange libraries for every ministry or other centers, commensurate with their job in a reasonable and Islamic way and to forestall imprudent and possibly anti-Revolutionary teachings. I pray to the Exalted God for the success of the officials in the task entrusted to them and its continued progress. May God's peace and mercy be upon you.
Rouhullah al-Mousawi al-Khomeini