Manifestation of the Friend

Role Model of Strength and Patience

 part 5

The government of Iran is wrong and you are wrong too

When the Imam was residing in Najaf, the dispute between Iran and Iraq concerning the border strip and the Arvand River occurred. The Ba‘athist regime wanted to take a written statement from the prominent theologians of the Najaf Seminary against the despotic regime of Iran. They were under the impression that because the Imam was exiled and was disgusted at the Shah’s regime, he would definitely issue a thorough pronouncement in favor of the Ba‘ath Party in order to take his revenge on the Shah. However, the Imam categorically declared at a meeting with the provincial governor of Karbala, the head of the secret police, the head of the police services and the governor-general that, “The government of Iran is wrong and you are wrong too. This matter does not concern the Shi‘ite Sources of Emulation and the Theological School that they should come and give a statement in your favor. Go and solve it yourself.”‌ After the angry response of the Imam, the Ba‘athist agents were infuriated and one of them said: “Tomorrow we shall expel him from Najaf.”‌ When the Imam heard these words, he stated: “They think that I am very happy here in a place where Islam is literally being repressed; where the honor of Islam is disregarded and where the sanctity of Islam is not observed; what kind of a place is this to live in? Here is my passport; send me wherever you want to; wherever I go will be better than here. I am comfortable only in a place where the Muslims live in welfare. What has this place got to offer to make me feel comfortable.”‌ This was at a time when some of the senior religious authorities were anxious and worried at the Imam’s attitude with the Ba‘athist regime lest the government in power attack the Holy city of Najaf with armor and well-equipped soldiers and annihilate and destroy them.

Is the door of the theological school open or not?

In those days when the Revolution was on the threshold of victory and we were at the side of the Imam, the qualities and spiritual outlook of the Imam astounded all of us especially his high morale on that day which I shall never forget. It was at the moment when martial law was declared at around 4.30 in the afternoon of February 10 and we were in the presence of the Imam. All of us were suffering from a peculiar anxiety. But the Imam was so composed and in control as if nothing had ever occurred and while he was busy writing the pronouncements for smashing the martial law, he asked: “Is the door of the theological school open or not?”‌ No sooner did we say that the door of the theological school was locked out of security concerns because of existing dangers that he immediately stated: “Go and open the door so that people can move about.”‌

I will not shift from this room

One day I was at the Refah School that we received information that on that night they wanted to break into the Refah School and attack the residence of the Imam. We located a house behind the ‘Alawi School where we planned to take the Imam via the back door of that school to pass the night. Mr. Hashimi and the rest of the friends went and spoke with the Imam. He responded: “Any person who wishes can leave; I will not shift from this room.”‌ Mr. Hashimi said that he again went to see the Imam and told him that it was essential that he live. He again replied: “Any person who is afraid may leave; I will stay in my room alone.”‌ Everybody was horrified but the Imam showed not a single iota of fear and terror and just like on all other nights, he went to bed on time and woke up before dawn.

America cannot do any damn thing

In the incident of the occupation of the U.S. Espionage Den most of the authorities were opposed and everyday they would put forward a new subject. One would say that it was not sensible to fight America while another would claim that America had deployed its armed forces in the region and yet another would claim that American navy had been sent. However, the Imam famously stated that: “America cannot do any damn thing.”‌ Thus when one of the revolutionary personalities complained to the Imam about the conspiracies and plots, the Imam calmly placed his hand on his chest and stated: “Why are you afraid? Nothing will happen!”‌

I don’t know what it is to fear

I heard from members of the Imam’s household that he had said in his private meetings that, “I have never known a phenomenon such as fear and don’t know what it is to fear meaning that what happens to a person when he is overcome with fear.”‌ From the medical viewpoint, we got this impression from the Imam that fear was basically alien to the Imam because when a person is overcome with fear a substance known as adrenalin is secreted and this substance is responsible for the external signs at the time of fear meaning that it causes heartbeat to increase; the color of the skin to pale; the body to tremble and get agitated; to raise blood pressure and create an undesirable condition in the person. We who for the past eight or nine years were monitoring the pulse rate of the Imam, checking his blood pressure and even of late monitoring his heart by means of the television screen or telemonitor while we could check his heartbeat minute-by-minute and see the heartbeat of the Imam with our own eyes throughout his period when a lot of unsavory incidents had occurred that must normally at least raise the heartbeat, yet we never saw the heartbeat rate of the Imam increase in relation to the flood of incidents and difficulties.

There was no distress whatsoever in the person of the Imam

There was never any difference between the last night of the life of the Imam and other nights and basically the Imam””before the physicians could diagnose””knew that his honorable life had come to an end and that there was no return from this path. Despite this, there was absolutely no fear, distress and horror in his honorable personality.

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 ٢)