Manifestation of the Friend

Role Model of Strength and Patience

part 4

You cannot take photographs

Once, an official fourteen-member delegation consisting of Iraqi authorities paid a visit to the Imam. Because a four-member delegation had arrived previously and returned displeased, the Imam stated that the person who was the interpreter to come for interpretation. When we asked him to come, he was overcome with fear. At first he did not come; next he made some excuse and later spoke ill about the person who was supposed to meet the Imam then and that he was a mean provincial governor and so forth and asked me to tell the Imam to beware of him. I told him that he was talking nonsense because way back in 1963, the Imam had in his own residence addressed the president of America and told him that he was the most hated individual on earth and so how could he be afraid of these people! I added that if I conveyed this to the Imam he would throw me out! That interpreter also left the place laughing. When the Ba‘athist Iraqi delegation entered the residence of the Imam, I was standing in the front yard and they probably either did not see me or were certain that I did not speak Arabic otherwise they would not have said what they did. The provincial governor was despondent and asked the agent accompanying him what he must do when he went in? To which the agent replied that he should kiss the Imam’s hand. Then they entered and were seated.

They spoke a single sentence which meant that they wanted to take just one photograph but the Imam declined stating: “It cannot be done.”‌ Then they collected all their equipment and departed after their meeting was over. The Imam was so much in control of the situation that he was not willing to give them any leeway.”‌

You cannot call that a government

The speech of the Imam and his stance vis-à-vis the Ba‘athist Iraq regime was a cry in the wilderness. It was for the first time and perhaps the last time that a spiritual-political personality had in the sphere of dictatorship Ba‘ath regime of Iraq broke the atmosphere of repression and cried out against them stating: “This government cannot be called a government at all; it does not have the strength of resistance vis-à-vis the nations…”‌

You are worse than the Jews

When the first program of exile of Iranians residents of Iraq began, the Baathists would imprison and torture a large number of fellow-citizens everyday. They would confiscate their wealth and properties and throw them out in the most shameful manner until the Ba‘ath government of Iraq announced that all Iranians must leave Iraq within six days. It was winter and people were busy preparing to leave. The Imam also decided to leave Iraq but the Ba‘athist Iraqi government because of its policies did not want him to leave Iraq. Thus they informed that in this connection some persons including one named Ali Reza who was Saddam’s deputy had arrived in Najaf from Baghdad in order to meet with the Imam and negotiate on this issue. The Imam declared that he would not allow them to come into his house and that none of them had the right to meet with him and that he too had sent his passport to be stamped so that he could leave with his compatriots. Because Ali Reza was a dangerous and tyrannical person, the people were horrified by this decision of the Imam. Thus the theologians and people requested the late Sheikh Nasrullah Khalkhali that because Ali Reza was extremely dangerous and it was impossible not to allow him inside, he should ask the Imam to receive them. He conveyed the people’s concerns to the Imam. In reply the Imam stated: “I have planned to meet him but I must shatter his pomp and power. He should not be under the impression that since he is arriving here from Baghdad, he can meet with us easily. Let his pomp be shattered and then I will let him in.”‌

Then when this group were received by the Imam, he stated to them with absolute candor that: “You are worse than the Jews; even the Jews have not done what you have done because when they threw the Jews out of Iraq they gave them six months time and after the expiry of the six months also they gave them time to complete their tasks whereas you did not give the Iranians more than six days to leave.”‌

Source:

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

Other Links:

Manifestation of the Friend: Role Model of Strength and Patience (part ١)

Manifestation of the Friend: Role Model of Strength and Patience (part ٢)