The Greatest Jihad: Combat with the Self

Imam wrote several works which treated mystical topics, or which treated topics in a way characteristic of the mystical tradition. Their titles are suggestive: Commentary on the Supplication before Dawn (Sharh ad-Du'a as-Sahar), The Lamp of Guidance to Vicegerency and Guardianship (Misbah al-Hiddyat ald'l-Khildfat wal-Wildyah), The Countenance of Allah (Liqa' Allah), The Secret of Prayer: Prayers of the Gnostics or Ascension of the Wayfarers (Sirr as-Salat: Salat al-

'Arin yd Mi'raj as-Salikin), Annotation to the Commentary on 'Bezels of Wisdom' (Ta 'liqat aid Sharh al-Fusus al-Hikam),

Annotation to the Commentary on 'The Lamp of Intimacy' (Ta liqat aid Sharh al-Misbdh al-Uns), two books of commentaries and annotations to another commentary on a collection of reports regarding the Prophet and Imams called Ras al-Jdlut, Lectures on Surah al-

Fdtihah, Marginalia to 'The Journeys' (Hdshiyeh ald'l-Asfdr),

Disciplines of the Prayer (Adab as-Salat), Commentary on Forty

Sayings of the Prophet and Imams (Chehel Hadith).

Ater he became a marjd '-e taqlid, political events dominated the life of Imam Khomeini. In 1963, the Shah's forces massacred

thousands who protested against the dictatorship. Imam Khomeini was arrested for his inflammatory speeches and was taken to Tehran. Later he was released with the announcement that he had agreed to refrain from further political activity. He denied that he had made any such agreement and was picked up again. He was taken to an unknown destination by car. When the car turned off the main highway, it is reported that Imam imagined that he would be assassinated in a remote quarter of the desert. He felt his heart to see if it was racing, but found out that it was calm. He narrated that he was never afraid. He was taken to a small airstrip where a plane waited to take him to exile in Turkey. The following year his place of exile was changed to the

shrine city of Najaf in southern Iraq. Imam Khomeini remained in Najaf for fourteen years, and it was during these years that the lectures collected under the title, Jihad al-Akbar were delivered. In 1978, the Shah put pressure on the Ba'athist government in Iraq to expel Ayatullah Khomeini. Ater being refused asylum at the airport in Kuwait, Imam commented that he would spend his life traveling from one airport to another, but that he would not be keep silence. Finally, he was admitted to France, where he resided at Neauphle-le-Chateaux, outside Paris. In February 1979, he returned triumphantly to Iran and the Islamic Republic was launched.

Imam Khomeini was revered for the simplicity of his life-style and for his rigorous attention to even supererogatory details of Islamic ritual. He is said to have always faced Mecca when he performed ablutions. He preferred to purchase the less expensive shoes. If he drank half a glass of water, he would put a piece of paper over it to keep the dust out and save the rest for later. Some claim that he had a special relation with the twelth Imam, the Mahdl, peace be upon him, the awaited one who will defeat injustice prior to the inal judgment. Such claims are also part of the mystical tradition of Shi'ite Islam.

Source:”‌ The Greatest Jihad”‌ by imam khomeini