Manifestation of the Friend

With the People

part 13

Laughter in the bosom of the Imam

One day an Italian woman who was a teacher by profession and was a Christian sent a letter full of expressions of affection and admiration for the Imam and his political doctrine along with a gold necklace. She mentioned in her letter that the gold necklace was a wedding gift and thus she held a special love for it and was presenting it to him as a sign of her affection and admiration for him. We kept it for some time and finally with hesitation in regard to its acceptance by the Imam we took it to him together with the translation of the letter. When the letter was handed to him, he also took the necklace and kept it on the table next to himself. Two or three days later, incidentally a small two or three year old girl was brought in his presence whose father was missing in action on the warfront. The Imam immediately asked that she be brought in his presence. Then he made her to sit on his knees and rubbed his blessed face with the face of the child and ran his hand over her head””something that was unprecedented even in relation to his own children. For a long time in that same position he kept speaking softly with the child and although we were at a distance of less than a meter and half from him, yet we could not hear him very well. The child who was initially depressed finally began to laugh in the bosom of the Imam. Then the Imam took the necklace that the Italian woman had sent to him and with his blessed hands, put it around the neck of the small child. The child who was overcome with happiness left the presence of the Imam and went out.

During the war, very week the Friday congregation prayer would be broadcast by the IRIB. For some time due to indisposition and travel, I did not hold the Friday congregation prayer for about one month. On returning from my journey, I went to see the Imam accompanied with the Friday prayer leaders of Khuzestan province. He stated to me: “You were not present in Abadan for some days; where had you gone?”‌

We decided to give you advice

Letter written by school girls of a primary school to the Imam and his reply:

In the Name of God the Beneficent, the Merciful

Peace to the beloved Imam; we are the fifth grade students of the Fatimiyah Jihad School. Because in our religious text book Imam Muhammad Taqi (A.S) wrote  a  letter  to  the  Commander  of  Sistan  province  and  gave  him recommendations, we too decided to write you a letter and to give you advise. But O Imam, we cannot give you advice because you are honorable and are far removed from all sins. O Imam, we small children want to make a request to you from the bottom of our hearts and hope to be deserving of it. First is that O our honorable father! O the wise sage of Jamaran! O the spirit of God! Please write to us in your own beautiful handwriting and give us advice…

With peace and blessings of God

In reply, the Imam wrote as follows: “O my beloved children! I have read your warm letter. How I wish you my beloved would advise me who is in need of your advice. I hope that you study your lessons well in a spirit of joy and with the same spirit perform your Islamic duties that develops human beings. You must be of good moral behavior and regard obedience and serving your parents as a blessing and favor and make them to be content with you. Accord respect to your teachers and try to be useful for Islam, the Islamic Republic and your country. I pray to the Almighty and Exalted God for the health, happiness and progress in both theory and practice of my beloved children. Peace to all of you.

Ruhollah al-Musawi al-Khomeini1 Safar 29, 1403 A.H.

Humility

I kissed his hand

After the demise of Ayatollah Ha’iri, the Imam never attended the classes of anybody and began to teach. For completion of the stages of jurisprudence and principles of religion, he would hold joint discussions and debates with the prominent theologians of the seminary. For years he participated in the joint debates and discussions held by late Ayatollah Sadr and Ayatollah Zanjani and once stated that: “On one of the days of debate, a fierce argument took place between me and Ayatollah Zanjani. Because of the elder status and greatness of the late Zanjani, I kissed his hand.”‌

Source:

The Book "Manifestation of the Friend: A collection of memoirs about Imam Khomeini (R.A)" 

Other Links:

Manifestation of the Friend: With the People (part 2)