The Foundation of Imam Khomeini"s Relief Committee

 

(The Day of Kindness and Benevolence)

(14 Esfand, 1357 / 4 March, 1978)

 After the Islamic Revolution, supporting the needy was treated as the task of primary importance. On March 4, 1978 (Esfand 14 ,1357 ), 22 days after the victory of the Islamic Revolution , the Relief Committee was founded  through a command from Imam Khomeini, as the second revolutionary organization.

The origins of Imam Khomeini’s Relief Committee dates back to the years before the Islamic Revolution took place, it was about 1963-1964 (1342-1343) during which some of the revolutionaries were assigned by Imam Khomeini to help the families of prisoners, the needy and the fighting groups. Those help rendering attitudes were continued in the climax of the revolution 1977-1978 (1356-1357), the time when the strikes and gatherings were widespread everywhere, to support the strikers and the prisoners.

The organization is directly controlled by the Supreme Leader. It is actively involved as a public institution and non-profit organization whose article of association was approved and endorsed by Imam Khomeini.

The association provides services in the following domains:

1-Financial aids

2-Donations in kind

3-Health care

4-Education and recreation

5-Social

6-Orphans

7-Emergencies

8-Income generating programs

9-Donations

Since the Muslims are considered as one nation and also one cannot consider a geographical territory for the issue under discussion, the Relief Committee has increased the field of its activities in some Islamic countries such as:

Lebanon, Afghanistan, Azerbaijani Republic, Tajikistan and Bosnia

In a society, which is on the basis of the Islamic pattern, every Muslim is responsible toward the problems and the needs of his Muslim brothers. Therefore; delivering services to the deprived ones is considered as one of the sweetest prayers and it has been the custom of the Holy Prophet (SW) and the Innocent Imams.

So, about this matter God the Almighty states in the Holy Quran:

“Those who hold it dear, give sustenance to the poor, the orphan and the captive saying ‘We feed you for Allah’s sake only; We seek of you neither recompense nor thanks.” Taken from Man Surah (8 &9)

And the honorable leader (Ayatollah Khamenei) has also described to help the needy and the starving people as the main and important task of the committee: “Our main point is that no one in the country is to suffer starving.” And he has stressed on vanishing the poverty in the country.