A prominent intellectual says the institute for compilation and publication of Imam Khomeini's works has played a significant role in shielding and promoting the intellectual and academic heritage and legacy of the founder of the Islamic Republic over the past few years.
What follows under is an exclusive interview with Dr. Hamid Ansari, the deputy head of the institute for complication and publication of Imam Khomeini. The interview was conducted by our website staff members on the occasion of founding anniversary of the institute. The intellectual highlights the importance of founding such an institute some year back in a bid to focus on the cultural and intellectual works of Imam Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic and great religious and spiritual leader of the Muslim world. Dr. Ansari also explains some of the institute's significant future plans, programs and academic researches and productions. .
The initiative and proposal of founding the institute was put forward by Seyyed Ahamad Khomeini, the late son of Imam Khomeini and Dr. Hamid Ansari played an active role in all stages of formation of the institute and its development.
Question: Please mention the significance of founding such an institute that could merely and exclusively focus on Imam's works?
Answer: Imam Khomeini's role of guidance is stretched and extended towards the coming and future generation. His dynamic thought form the very basic principles of the movement and his stances towards the events, happenings and occurrences become criterion for the masses, officials and intellectuals. Therefore, guarding his legacy and protection of his works will guarantee the continuation of the Islamic revolution for the coming periods and eras.
In addition to that, the great Imam and his valuable conduct are decisive factors in determining the success of the Islamic system which proclaims the revival of civilization and divine-human values.
His works and thought can also help us in recognizing the pathology or diagnosing the factors which either strengthen or harm the Islamic movement through the course.
No doubt, Inaccuracies in recording the historical events or negligence towards stances of the religious leaders have been a source of tensions and controversy in our past history. These controversies and uncertainties are also shifted to the next generations.
Imam's undeniable and unprecedented role in leading the Islamic Revolution towards climax of series of successes made the establishment of such an academic platform necessary, which could gather and publish the works and documents regarding the great imam and the Islamic Revolution.
The necessity for founding a center which could publish Imam's works and documents and differentiate between the real and fake, and take stance in favor of original and against forge statements attributed to the great Imam soon became vital. This necessarily was brought to the notice of Imam by Hajj Ahmad Agha, the obedient son of Imam, who was right-hand of Imam and had stayed with imam during all stages of the Islamic movements. Imam also agreed and over handed the all affairs and process regarding the great responsibility of establishment of the institute through a decree to Ahmad Agha.
Question: Almost 25 years have passed since the establishment of the institute of such a great importance and significance. Have you been successful in promoting thought and objective of great Imam?
Answer: The institute has had certain responsibilities, charter, plans and programs. One of the areas where institute achieved satisfactory progress was to conduct researches about thought and works of Imam.
Another responsibility of this center of great significance is gathering and guarding works, documents, speeches, decrees, messages and other relevant pieces of information about the founder of the Islamic Republic. We have experienced significant progress in this field over the past two decades. The center has also produced 22-volume series known as Sahifeh-ye Imam which contain speeches, decrees, messages, letters and several other documents which has been translated into English and Arabic languages.
Moreover, the institute has also reached out to Imam's devotees around the globe through translating dozens of Imam's works and thousands of pages into several languages over the past few years.
By the advancement of technology, several of Imam's works have been presented in forms of multimedia, audios, videos, movies, films and electronic books in recent years. The institute has also produced academic and cultural works in form of books, magazines, annual calendar and multimedia for all age groups. We have also published collection of Imam's poetry and translated it into different languages which has been appreciated by Imam's devotes from around the world.
The institute also protects and does maintenance works on places and sites attributed to the great leader.
Its has also responsibility of monitoring the books, articles, memoirs and other publications written about this great historic figure and personality. The institute has also been successful in maintaining close coordination with the universities and religious seminaries and Iranian cultural centers abroad to promote the works by great Imam.
The institute has produced a booklet which contains details of dozens of published works of Imam Khomeini into various languages.
International Department of the institute undertakes a variety of activities at home and abroad. Some of its activities are as under:
- It coordinates and supports thesis and dissertation projects presented at Iranian and international universities regarding the great imam.
- The department holds international competition and contest of articles, book reviews, and poetry regarding the founder of the Islamic Republic.
- The department has also purchased a rented house of Imam Khomeini in the holy city of Najaf and converted it to a cultural center.
- It performs correspondence and conducts interviews with the world's intellectuals, academic and professors about Imam's dynamic thought and legacy. The institute publishes annual calendar in different languages which contains Imam's sayings and highlights the special Islamic events.
- The department also has translated dozens of Imam's works into several languages and promotes it around the globe.