Manifestation of the Friend

Role Model of Strength and Patience

part 14

This manner of pilgrimage is not proper

At one time, some of the Iranian clergymen and scholars of religion entered Iraq from the city of Abadan illegally and without obtaining entry permits. Thus sometimes they would be arrested by the Iraqi authorities and put into prison and would also be insulted and thereafter, with the intervention and recommendation of the theologians, they would be saved and allowed to perform the pilgrimage in Karbala and Najaf. One night when I was in the presence of the Imam, his holiness expressed concern on this subject and stated: “Pilgrimage of the mausoleum of Imam Hussein (A.S) is not at all merited if it involves mistreatment and insult.”‌

I have done you a favor and you are indebted to me

In Najaf a person who owed a substantial debt in Islamic taxes, came to visit the Imam. While paying the levies, the Imam presumed from his words that this individual was doing the Imam a favor to which the Imam protested strongly stating: “I have done you a favor and it is you who are indebted to me for accepting a big responsibility on your behalf.”‌

In all my life I never went after money

On many occasions there were people who would come to visit the Imam and would tell him that the pilgrims who went to Mecca acknowledged him as their source of emulation and were his admirers and thus wanted to pay their religious taxes to him. Therefore it was necessary that a person be sent every year to Mecca for this purpose””but he would not agree. Some wanted Haj Mustafa to be sent to Mecca but the Imam would not give his consent till one year Haj Mustafa himself proposed that I go to Mecca on behalf of the Imam and in the role of his empowered trustee to collect the religious taxes from the people. When I was received by the Imam and wanted to take his leave and bid him goodbye, he mentioned a subject that was an extremely great advice for me. The Imam stated: “In all my life, I never went after money. I want that my companions should be likewise.”‌ This was because the Imam had heard that when a businessman came, how some would pursue him or would send people after him in order to meet him and receive his religious taxes. Next he stated to me that: “I must never see you inside the caravans; it is not at all necessary for you to visit a person in the caravans because since you have the power of attorney on my behalf it is likely that some would think that you have come to calculate the people’s taxes and collect their religious taxes. Only if a person comes and asks you to determine an issue, you give the answer whereas if a person wants to pay you money, then accept it and do not reject it.

You must not mention my name at all

Before the Imam was forced into exile, the owner of one of the big industrial units of Tehran built a mosque and requested the Imam to nominate a person to propagate the religion for the people. Initially, the Imam accepted this matter with great reluctance but after nominating a cleric and at the time of dispatching  him,  the  Imam  stated: “In  addition  to  propagation  and enlightenment, your duty is to keep in mind two things. First, that in this mosque there must be no mention of my name; and second, your attitude towards the founder of the mosque should be such that he does not get the impression that you covet his wealth and assets.”‌

I will not make a plea

We continually witnessed the aggressive tactics of the Imam in relation to the oppression of oppressors and the tyranny of tyrants and in relation to the infidelity of the Ba‘athist regime of Iraq on various occasions. A case in point was when the late Ayatollah Hakim went to Baghdad to stage a protest against the Ba‘athist regime. Muslims and Shi‘ites from across Iraq would come to visit him in large groups and this by itself was viewed as an anti-Ba‘athist regime move that would take place. Thus the Ba‘ath regime of Iraq broke into the residence of Ayatollah Hakim and placed a cordon round it, closed the door of the house and arrested all those who went to pay him a visit. As a result Ayatollah Hakim went to Kufah in protest and stopped his classes. Towards the end of his life this global Shi‘ite source of emulation departed from this world in isolation and innocence. The theologians of Najaf, out of fear and horror lest they be inflicted with the wrath and fury of the Ba‘ath regime, would avoid paying visits and being cordial with him. However, it was the Imam who with his characteristic courage would send the late Haj Mustafa everyday to see him at his residence. It was at this juncture  that  the  Ba‘athist  regime  of  Iraq  arrested  Haj  Mustafa  and transferred him to Baghdad. An aura of fear and terror gripped Najaf. All would come in groups to the residence of the Imam and wanted that he officially ask the Ba‘ath regime of Iraq to release Haj Mustafa because everyone feared that they would inflict some disaster on him. However, the Imam responded saying that, “A struggle incorporates these hardships and bitterness; one who steps in this path never makes a request from his enemy; and even if they kill Mustafa, I will not make a plea to them for his release.”‌ For almost a week, Haj Mustafa languished in a prison in Baghdad and no one had any news from him.

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 10)

Manifestation of the Friend: Role Model of Strength and Patience (part 11)