Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani, Chairman of Expediency Discernment Council
His role during the war
During the war we had a lot of difficulties, like when I was in Khoozestan, the problems which we had there were all solved by a phone call or a message from Sayyid Ahmad. Not only me but also others were getting help from him, even the government used to seek for his help. Also when I was at the parliament. We all owe him. He used to deliver Imam’s opinions to the authorities and the authorities to Imam, and also he helped to the execution of this opinions.
This is why we wanted him to join the high council of defense sessions. Because the war issues were important and he was also a wise and clever man. He really had good ideas, and his knowing all details, was important for us, so we didn’t have to go to Imam every time and discuss the issues. He would go to Imam whenever was needed himself.
Hojatoleslam Sayyid Mohammad Khatami, former Iranian President
He had impacts on the revolution
I don’t want to talk about that great person only as the son of Imam Khomeini, because this way reality won’t be said completely. Sayyid Ahmad was the most trusted path between Imam and his followers. Not only he delivered announcements and tapes of Imam to the people but he also delivered special messages of Imam to those he had to and I confess that he was trustee and accurate in doing his job. He was also one of the strongest bases of the connection between the revolutionaries of Tehran, Qom and other places especially the Hawzah with outside of it, all these were done by his great political wisdom and bravery and stability and of course also because of his great connection to the Imam. This is why I say no one could have replaced him during the revolution.
Another important thing that I want to talk about is his personality, morality, ethic and social behavior, during his loneliness before the revolution and also at the peak of the revolution and at the establishment of the Islamic Republic, when he held one the most sensitive positions beside his father. In 1979 he was as simple and friendly as in 1972 and 1976. What I said shows his high spirit and soul. I have known him for more than 50 years, and I could confess that this great person never used the power he had for his own benefits, somehow that even those who don’t like his view would always acknowledge his riotousness towards Islam and Imam. Sayyid Ahmad was a wise, scientist, politician, counsel, and good wiling person that he was mostly concerned about the revolution and preserving Imam’s path.
Dr. Fatima Tabatabae, Sayyid Ahmad’s Wife
What wasn’t told about Ahmad…
It was his encouragement and denotations that gave my life meaning and spirit. I was indeed floating like a dust on water and he was the one who guided me. He was like a compassionate and kind friend to me. Whenever I had sorrow or a problem, I talked with him and he gave me the best solution. I believe that his political features and his sensitive role during the revolution has remained unspoken, and indeed his close friends will talk about them. He was like a powerful arm to Imam, and held the most important and sensitive roles in the revolution. I believe that he was a treasury of Imam and the revolution’s secrets and he will remain as a sealed secret.
Hojatoleslam Sayyid Mahmoud Doai, former Iranian MP, Editor of Ettela'at Newspaper
He kept his oath with his father
The oath that Sayyid Ahmad had with his father was a fate making oath, both in Imam Khomeini’s fightings during the revolution and his own individual movements. He had promised to be in service of Imam and to be his companion forever. Meaning not to have any separate and deciding personality for himself that would be against the aspiration, thoughts and will of Imam. In any of his decisions if he would have thought that it may be in opposition of Imam’s path he wouldn’t have done it. Until the last hours of Imam’s life he was fateful to his oath and never issued a goal, path or idea that were in opposition of his father’s thoughts. He always tried to speak and walk exactly in his father’s path. He defended his father’s aspirations and never let those who weren’t proper to speak in the name of his father.
Dr. Hamid Ansari, Deputy Head of the Institute for the Compilation and Publication of the Works of Imam Khomeini
It was only capable of Imam’s son
One of Sayyid Ahmad’s specifications was that during Imam’s eleven years of leadership, after the revolution’s victory, he used to visit different cities of Iran anonymously, especially the poor cities. Because of being busy in Tehran and being sensitive about his works and also his love towards Imam, which he never wanted to depart from Imam, usually his visits were short, but they were all done anonymously. At times he disguised him self as a Basiji and went to the poor parts with his friends and after returning he reported to Imam about his visit. There are letters from him that contain reports about people’e issues and talks, as he had seen and heard him self, to Imam Khomeini.
Sayyid Ahmad lived quite simple. Where he attended, was a place that who ever entered it for the first time would feel the simpleness easily. He insisted on simplifying so that the person in front of him could speck easily.
At the work place there were some unpleasantness at times and he solved all the problems with his generosity and there are even some writings that he has generously written: “I apologize!” though it was our fault and we had caused the problems. This kind of behavior was only expected from Imam’s son.
He never ordered for any thing. Where he worked, he pore his tea himself. He did his own works and the environment in his office was quite friendly. Imam and Sayyid Ahmad weren’t just a father and son, but they were a master and a devotee. He knew Imam as the augment from God and always used to say that the explanation of my being is being besides Imam Khomeini. Actually all his gladness was working beside a man and trying for the goals of a man, a man who had revived the religion of God.
Even in his writings before the revolution, he signed his letters like this: “Your fully servant, Ahmad”, and these letters are available.
He always wanted to be anonymous.
He saw himself deeply in service of Imam. He didn’t see himself without the existence of Imam. He used to say: “Being the son of Imam, is the highest honor which will make me needless.”
Among Imam’s specifications was that there weren’t any secrets about his life, except about the oppositions and their political documents that revealing them would have harmed themselves, but because being confident was a principle for Sayyid Ahmad he never revealed anything.
He mostly emphasized on serving the poor. He always wanted to have a volunteer card from Imam Khomeini's Relief Foundation and the Foundation of Martyrs and Veterans Affairs. He used to say that if you are seeking prosperity in this life and the other, always serve the poor and he stressed on doing it directly so you could feel the sorrow of the poor.
During the last 2 or 3 years of his life, especially in 1995, he was some where else. When I was with him in private, I felt he’s ready to leave. What he used to say, the mystic poems he used to read and explain from Hafez, Saadi and Imam Khomeini, made me feel like this. An unknown feeling which I can’t describe and I could only say that I felt it clearly that he knows he’s leaving.
Homayoun Behzadi, former National Football Player
Sayyid Ahmad had a great interest in football, an interest that made him a football player. He started his football from the grounds of Qom, and then joined the Shahin of Qom football club.
Homayoun Behzadi, one the best football players of Iran, which was a friend of Sayyid Ahmad Says: “Once, Shahin of Qom came to Tehran and played against our team, Shahin of Tehran. Sayyid Ahmad was the captain of the Qomi team and he leaded his team to a victory all by himself. His body strength was notable and he scored three goals against us in that match. The interesting fact is that he was playing as a defender in that game. But he was dribbling with his unique technique and he also had great long distance shoots. It was after that game that he became famous among people.”
He continued: “He was a left food, and being a technical left foot was more needed this days. He was known as a good thinker, technical, and a good striker. He was invited by Shahin of Tehran, one the most famous football teams then, to play for them, but after 5 or 6 days of training with this team he left the club and football forever. This was at the time that Imam Khomeini was exiled from Iran.”