An interview with Molla Mohammad Ghasem and Jalal Omar al-Hamid from Kenya

foreign guests attending the International conference on the Islamic Unity, Tehran, january 2013

Please introduce yourself and tell us where you are from?
M.: My name is Molla Mohammad Ghasem from Kenya, right now I am the head of a religious institute called Sharia Family Association dealing with the family affairs and problems.
J.: My name is Jalal Omar al-Hamid, head of the Muslims Supreme Council in Kenya.

 

 

How many times you have travelled to Iran and how did you come to know about Imam Khomeini for the first time?
M.: At first, I was a student in Iraq. Then I got the chance to travel to Iran and be informed of the political atmosphere before the revolution. I remember that we were constantly pursuing the News broadcast by radio about the Islamic revolution events. Then Imam Khomeini returned home after living about fifteen years in exile. The revolution led by the Imam was a unique historical event throughout the history. We always pray for the Imam and martyrs of the Islamic Revolution.

J.: Giving thanks to God, we are now following the ideas and the path of Imam Khomeini. There is also unity between Muslim people as they are now together and we are very happy that our knowledge has been increased about the current movements. Benefiting from the precious thought and ideas of the Imam, we know ourselves the student of His eminence yet.

 

 

Can you tell us about your memories of Imam Khomeini in 1978?
M.: yes as I said in that time I was in Iraq. We were excited about the Islamic Revolution's victory, because everybody knew that Imam Khomeini was going to be the leader of both the Iranian nation and the Islamic ummah. America was against his leadership so that the US authorities made a lot of efforts to change the newly established system. But they failed to do so. Inspired by the dynamic thought of Imam Khomeini Muslims try to assist their religious brothers all over the world. Now we are very proud of the Iranian nation who gives assistance to their Lebanese and Palestinian brothers to defend against the Zionist regime and the oppressors. We know that all of these supports take roots from the advices of Imam Khomeini who was a great leader for Islamic Ummah.

J.: We all owe Imam a great debt of gratitude; he led a great revolution and preserved Islam. The Islamic Revolution actually guaranteed power for the Muslims.

 

In your idea does Imam Khomeini believe in fundamentalism?
M.: First of all I have to explain the slogan which passed right now through my mind “neither East, nor West, [only] the Islamic Republic” this is something that we should bear in mind, he supported none of them. Imam emphasized on preserving unity especially among the Muslims. In his idea an ideal state was an Islamic republic, because the extremists had seriously damaged the societies across the world. They had targeted Muslim people for implementation of their subversive plans. Even now the western and eastern superpowers try to diminish power among Muslim communities by murdering and killing innocent people.

J.: we are very happy that Imam Khomeini neither followed the west nor the east. He in fact promotes the pure teachings of Islam.

If you remember Imam had issued a Fatwa (religious decree) about Salman Rushdie. What is your opinion regarding that fatwa?

M.: Yes that's true. I have to say that not only Salman Rushdie but also many others after him insulted the holy prophet Mohammad (s) and his book of guidance, I mean the holy Quran. In the time when Salman Rushdie created the atheistic work of "Satanic Verses", almost the majority of Islamic leaders remained indifferent towards his sacrilegious act and nobody dared to condemn him and his disgusting deed but Imam Khomeini.
The Imam sentenced Rushdie to death not because of a personal enmity, but for the sake of his blasphemous behavior, and ignoring all Muslims as well as standing against God. Although Imam was a follower of Prophet Mohammed (s) and his households, and in the position of a religious authority he never showed a misjudgment in his decisions.

I.: Thank you for joining us and performing this interview.