Memoris ...

The role of women in social fields
The view of Hojatoleslam Sayyid Mohammad Khatami to the position of women in Islam and the role of Imam’s wife in the revolution
Hojatoleslam Sayyid Mohammad Khatami because of being close to the founder of the revolution has always talked about his aspirations. He who had a good and close relation with Sayyid Ahmad has talked about Lady Khadijah Saqafi, Imam’s wife, and her role in the society and Imam’s life. Here are parts of what he has said:
It is usually said that women are the axis of the family and they play a great and important role in training their children. If the condition for both women and men was the same to appear in the society then we could have judge the capability of them both. I think this way we might have another opinion about women. As in the recent years that the filed for women to appear in the Iranian society is more open we see their good eligibility. So we should differ between what the society has dictated and what the religion says. As Islam based on social conditions introduces women as a human being with a lot of capabilities, at the same time Islam talks about women’s aspects as a mother and training their children but doesn’t consider these issues as an obstacle for them being present in the society.This is why we see a lot of differences between the history of Islam and other religions.
As the social condition was never quite prepared, meaning that women weren’t much present in social events, but in some sensitive points in the Islamic history, a role of a woman is sensed somehow that if that woman wasn’t there that event wouldn’t have happened as it was.
The prophecy of Prophet Mohammad and the role of Khadijah al-Kubra is an example of this issue. Her role is in a way that we feel the prophet and his wife submitted his prophecy together. Also we can point to the role of Hazrat Fatima Zahra in the government and life of Imam Ali, that in some points her role is even more felt that Imam Ali’s role. Another example would be the Karbala incident, and the role of Hazrat Zaynab. I referred to these example to show that we have had and have women had a great and effective role in social movement, though they have had their personal responsibilities as well.
Now with this introduction I want to reach to the role of Lady Khadijah Saqafi, the honorable wife of Imam Khomeini, in the Islamic revolution and basically in forming Imam’s character.
Firstly she was a virtuous woman from a prestigious family, she used to read a lot of books especially about religion, literature and social topics. She read book until the last days of her life.
Imam Khomeini, with all his glory, had a wife, some to talk and a companion. Her capacity and being along with Imam are viewed in her social appearance. It wasn’t necessary for Imam to tell her that these difficulties are in our way and we should bear them all, because she knew it herself and was ready for it. Her view was the same as Imam’s. And this is quite effective in the revolution.
For sure if this collaboration and empathy didn’t exist, rather Imam wasn’t able to come to the scene or if he would have come, some of his every would be spent to solve his own problems. During the time that Imam was prisoned and afterwards when he was exiled this generous lady had a difficult time. This collaboration strengthened the morale of the revolution leader, though Imam had capacities that he could have bore the difficulties but that collaboration helped him too. Then she bore the difficulties of being in Paris until the revolution was victorious.
For sure if want to define her role in the revolution, her role will be notable. Her resistance showed her personality. She never forgot Imam and her too sons until the last days of her life.

Praising a lady from Sun
A note by Mrs. Leili Boroujerdi, Imam’s granddaughter
Until I was 15 I had just seen my grandparents twice, and I only heard about them while they were in exile.
When I was 15 and near the revolution, different incidents gave me the opportunity to gain knowledge. I’m not trying to make a superhero out of the lady and I know that there are a lot of women among Iranian’s that have been aside their husbands and paved the way for them. But I think it’s necessary to talk about some of her behaviors so we could introduce a good model and sample for our youth.
I heard from the lady that a midnight before the morning prayer she woke up with a noise. She looked out of the window and saw 4 of the regime’s commandos are entering their house and at the same time a number of soldiers were breaking the door to enter. They were looking for “Khomeini”. Then Imam with a strength said: “There are women here, don’t enter, I am “Khomeini”.” Then he just gave his seal to the lady and went with them.
You know, seals were as a signature then, having ones seal was like having a plane paper from someone with his signature on it, you could have done anything with it. After that day every one was looking for the seal, but the lady told no one that she has it. She gave it to Imam one year later to Imam in Najaf.
I saw in the lady that, what is the meaning of respecting your husband’s dignity. The lady had a good taste in wearing and life but she always respected Imam’s dignity as a Marja and after the revolution as a leader.
I saw it in the lady that superiority in a family doesn’t mean intervening in the life of others. She only asked about our programs. If she had an idea for changing our mind, first she waited the with more thinking she gave her idea which mostly was the best. This is why the family always consulted with her.
I saw it in the lady, that she never did ostentation and gave her ideas with a perspicacity. In a meeting with an authority, the lady asked about people’s condition and she received this answer: “There a lot of work to do, what ever we do a new expectation is made”. So she said:
“Don’t nag about the people, this is needed for development, they see the developments in life and technology so they want newer things, and of course they have the right to ask for it, if these requests aren’t made then you won’t have any tendency for development.” Her great mind and ability to deliver her idea for a lady with 90 years was surprising for me and others. What she had said is a principle and basic in development and growth.
I saw that the lady kept herself updated with the news and world events. Whenever I visited her she talked about the country’s political condition and the positions of politicians, she analyzed them and their decisions. She read new books, like a book that I bought it for her about the memories of a person from the previous regime.
I saw wisdom, clever, speed and understand in the lady.
I saw in the lady that a woman can be a good support for her husband with a good spirit.
I saw it in the lady that she would fit herself to any environments though it wasn’t as her desire.
Her behavior was a symbol if independency and fitting in the environment for me.
I saw in the lady that being influenced by Imam what a great life she had made for herself in other world.
After Imam’s demise, the lady saw a dream again. This is how she told me about it: “In the same room in Qom, I saw Imam going to the skies, I tried to go to him, there was stare between us, I looked at him, he pointed me to come, I looked at the water, then lilies appeared on the water. Each step I took a lilly would opened and I stepped on them, until I reached to Imam.”

She was the great and patience lady of Iran
Hojatoleslam Morteza Eshraghi, Imam’s grandson
The lady had a great patience attitude, and along with her patience and resistance she was quite sensitive too.
She was a mixture of tradition and modernity. Along with being a complete religious person, she was enlightened and up to date. She didn’t have a conservative view, but her view wasn’t different from an Islamic view.
She didn’t have any problems with up to date issues. She was educated, she was interested in poetry. And I think these issues are important for the wife of a Marja and not just the wife of a political leader.
She never pretended, I mean her inside and out side was the same, even about her house, she lived like normal people. Simple living had become part of her life, but the important part is that she didn’t pretend to live simple and she actually did it. I never found anything luxe in her life.
She regarded social custom and was very polite in her visits and when she was the host. Her manner was quite socialistic. She’s attitude to one she didn’t know was the same with those she knew. And when meeting officials, well of course she did say her opinion but she never interfered in there works, ad she always supported the revolution.
If I want to summarize the lady in one sentence, I should say : “She was the great and patience lady of Iran, because her patience was amazing”.

Qods of Iran, a unique model for women
Dr. Hamid Ansari, Deputy Head of The Institute for Compilation and Publication of Imam Khomeini's Works
Women as half of the human society in the ups and downs of history have had an effective and important but hidden role. Undoubtedly all the achievements and experiences of human life and all the social and historical developments and changes, were accomplished when women were beside men and in some they were all alone.
Iran’s Islamic revolution which was leaded by a forward thinking person like Imam Khomeini, actually revived the Islamic noble thought. So, the discussion of defending women’s rights and them playing roles in different scenes of the revolution and the Islamic republic was among the great achievements of our revolution.
The Islamic revolution’s great lady, the wife of Imam Khomeini, Mrs. Khadijah Saqafi known as “Qods of Iran” is a unique sample for women. What makes the life of her as a unique sample or model for Muslim girls and women, isn’t just being the wife and companying Imam Khomeini, the great leader of the century’s greatest revolution, but it's her virtues and personality and a lot of realities in her life.
Imposed deprivation from official studies an a lot of other limitations didn’t stop “Qods of Iran” from gaining knowledge, intelligence, virtue and social activities along with being compliance with ethical principles. Meanwhile she learned French, which was the languid used by educated and intellectual persons and Persian literature, also she learned Arabic literature, Logics and Fiqh and Religious laws from Imam Khomeini along with studying political and social books.
Having tolerance and patience and perseverance against the difficulties during the fightings, prison and exile of Imam, training intellectual children such as Martyr Ayatollah Sayyid Mustafa and the unforgettable companion of Imam, Hojatoleslam Sayiid Ahmad, organizing the family issues despite all the pressures from the Pahlavi regime and the Iraqi government, managing the residence of the great leader of the Islamic revolution during his exile to Paris and his eleven years of leadership after the victory of Iran’s Islamic revolution, preparing a calm environment for Imam Khomeini, keeping her patience at the martyrdom of her son and the demise of her other young son and bearing ten more demises such as the passing of her great husband, at the same time preserve the spirit of vitality and freshness and performing her role as a mother and a revolutionary and social activist until the last moments of her life; and her moral personalities such as generosity and freedom, kindness and dignity along with respecting others and preventing from self-glorification because of the unique position she had and being along with the great nation of Iran during the revolution are just samples of the features of Imam Khomeini’s wife.
Lady Khadijah, because of being the closest person to Imam, and because of her huge amount of services inside Imam’s household during the revolution and because of her unique patience in difficulties and also because of other moral services of her, is among the first true companions of Imam Khomeini and attendants of freedom and independence of Iran.

The lady
Memories of Ali Eshraghi, Imam’s grandson
It was in February 1967 that I was born in Tehran, my grandparents exiled to Iraq then. So my first real meeting with the lady was in Neauphle-le-Château. During the time I was there, she managed every thing inside the house. I enjoyed living beside my grandparents. Inside Imam’s house they didn’t talk about political issues much. The lady there tried to be in contact with Iranian citizens and their neighbors. And she tried to improve her french.
Imam respected her and even for me as a 12 years old boy this was obvious and this extraordinary respect remanded till the end. Because there was a beautiful and great feeling in the lady’s soul.
As I remember, rather in Paris, Qom or Tehran, Imam’s house was always calm and political issues weren’t discussed there at all and this was because of the lady’s intelligence, foresight and management. Well, Imam was old and needed that calmness and if his house was to be as outside it would have effected his soul. She was always a good help of Imam and though they had a lot of difficulties in their life but the lady was able to keep Imam’s house calm and peaceful especially during Imam’s exile to Iraq.
The lady had interest in art and environment. During the first days after the revolution, she used to take me to museums . Though Imam never left his residence in Jamaran, during the time he lived in Tehran, but the lady used to visit people.
The door of Imam’s house was always open in Jamaran, and whenever we went there the first question he asked was that have you seen the lady yet? And if our respond was no, he would’ve said to go and see her first.
After Imam passed away, though all of us were always around the lady but she felt lonely and this was obvious from her sayings and acts. During these days I went and visited her always and I used to ask her about her youth, it was interesting that she had a great memory and she remembered most of the things.
May God keep her in peace

The lady was concerned about respecting Imam’s dignity
A note by Ali Saqafi about his sister
Mrs. Khadija Saqafi undoubtedly has been an eternal treasure to Imam and we should accept that whatever Imam gained was because of her, as he had said himself: “Whatever I have, I have it from the lady.”
The main point of her being a good spouse is appreciation of the divine mysteries.
Her secret for bearing all the displeasure and difficulties, being away from her homeland, loosing her children, and then her husband and finally her patience during her illness is only and only relying on God and her love towards the Infallibles (Imams). That is why she never complained.
She bore everything only because of her belief in God and religion.
Her hospitality was amazing and she never got tiered of visiting people. Her love and kindness towards her family was unique.
During the time Imam lived and after his demise, her most important concern was preserving Imam’s respect and dignity. She never did anything against Imam’s dignity and position. Even in her personal life she always kept Imam’s dignity in her life.
All that I have told until now is because that she believed to a divine marriage with Imam Khomeini and all her patience was for that. Even when she saw the body of her son, Sayyid Ahmad, during those days she said: “Ahmad was a trusted gift from God, and now God has chosen that he shall no longer exist, it is God’s will, what ever it is we should accept it and be patience. Maybe there is something lying beneath this demise. I have no complains, what ever comes from God, I will accept it.
May God bless her and place her in the heavens beside Hazrat Fatima Zahra and Khadija al-Kobra who had the same name as hers.

A visit
It was Febrauary 2007 when a group of female reporters from ISNA were permitted to visit Mrs. Khadijah Saqafi, Imam Khomeini’s noble wife, being at the fourth anniversary of her demise was an excuse for us to have a quick review on the memories of that visit.
“Being present in the Jamaran streets and visiting its great citizens has always had a good feeling, but waiting to meet Imam’s wife was something else.
We were eleven women from ISNA, based on the regulations they got our cameras and cell phones at the entrance. We entered the house, it had a big yard, Mrs. Zahra Mostafawi, Imam’s oldest daughter was there to receive us, she welcomed us in. We entered a room, it was quite simple but designed somehow peacefully. There was a simple sofa, two normal lamps and a gas heater.
I hadn’t seen Mrs. Saqafi before this, but I was pretty sure that the beautiful lady with a decent look who was sitting on the sofa and returned our greeting kindly must be her.
We were served tea, sweets and fruit.
It was the time of the Fajr decade and so we started by asking her about 1979 and her entrance to Iran.
Imam’s wife had a good memory, for example she had in her mind that Imam had stressed on returning to Iran using Homa airlines.
She told us that she came to Iran one day after Imam.
She remembered that when she traveled to Iran without a passport, and because of the huge crowd in the airport no one recognized her.
She said: “A man came to me and looked at me accurately and asked me are you Imam’s wife? And I said yes, then he was shocked and panicked and said then why are you here? And took me to the house which was rented for us.”
Dr. Mostafawi, her daughter, told us: “Imam respected his wife. I remember that one day my mother pore tea for herself, after that Imam told us that why should your mother pore tea for herself? Imam preserved a lot of rights for women.”
We found the opportunity suitable and we asked about Imam’s famous letter to his wife, the letter was written in Beirut in 1933 by Imam:
“To my beloved wife,
O' I die for you. I have always remembered you when you, the light of my eyes and strength of my soul, have been away from me. Your pretty face is shining in my heart like in a mirror. My dear, I hope God will protect you in health and felicity. I can handle any condition whether good or bad, but many thanks to God, whatever has occurred to me so far have been good and I'm spending my time in the city of Beirut. I really miss you here. You can find a lot of beautiful places to visit in the city and at the seaside. What a pity that my dearest is not with me so that I can enjoy these beautiful scenes. Anyway, this is the second night that we're expecting a ship. Based on the arrangements, there's going to be a ship tomorrow morning, however we can't get on board because we were a little late and should wait for another one to come. I pray to God that by the dignity of my pure ancestors, all and every pilgrims of hajj will be successful in completing their rituals. I'm a little worried about this, however, thank God, I have no health problem. This is a very nice trip where you’re really and truly missed. I miss our son, Seyyed Mustafa. I wish you both health and happiness and hope God the Almighty will protect you both. I wish you a lengthy and successful lifetime and love you so much.

Rouhallah Khomeini”
Mrs. Mostafawi read the letter for her mother, then we asked her, “How much did you love Imam?”
And she proudly responded: “Like other women. How much do they love their husbands?”
It was getting dark and I felt she is getting tiered, we didn’t like to leave her and her sweet talks but we should’t bother her more.”

Imam’s wings
An interview with Mrs. Seddiqeh Mostafawi, Imam’s older daughter
When Imam’s older daughter talks about her mother calls her as Imam had always asked them to call her “the lady” and name her as the wings of Imam through the ups and downs of his political life, and when she talks about her memories she considers her mother a patient women that gained Imam’s love and respect.
Here you can find parts of this interview:
Has your mother told a memory about her marriage with Imam?
My mother lived with her grandma who was from a family with origins and modern thinking, her grandfather was the minister of treasury during the Qajar dynasty, and her father’s family were all clergymen all known as scientists in Qom. When she was at her grandma’s, my father had proposed to her several times, and this proposal took more than nine months, during these months the lady refused to mary him and said that she doesn’t like Qom at all.
She also told me a dream about her marriage, she said: “I dreamed that I was in a room, there were three men sitting in that room, a man was in the middle and in the other side was another man, at the other side was a clergy student, and there was a crowd in front of this room, I asked who are these guys? and a servant told me one of them is Prophet Mohammad and the other is Imam Ali and the third one is a clergy student, I went closer to see them, there an old lady pushed me away and said: but you don’t like these guys. I responded: I don’t hate them, I like them a lot, but she didn’t let me to go further. At the other morning my father told me that Mr. Lavasani ( the person who had introduced me to Imam) is here for your answer, and because of my dream still in my mind I kept silence, and my father said that this silence means you are willing and he gave a positive response to the proposal.”
What was her position in the sight of the founder of Islamic republic of Iran?
Imam stressed on respecting the house and family and he respected his wife. He didn’t let her do cooking or wash the dishes. I remember once he told me that I’ve lived sixty years with her and never heard her backbite and maybe it was because of her personality that Imam respected her until his last days.
How did the lady react when Imam was arrested and later prisoned and exiled?
I remember when she told me about arresting Imam in 1963 and I asked about her reaction she told me that I did nothing. She was patience in these issues and she was Imam’s wings.
When they took Imam to prison, she went to meet him there, when she returned and we asked about Imam’s conditions, she said that Imam didn’t like the food their, so she cooked for him every day and took it to the prison.
How did she react after Imam’s demise?
I think it’s obvious how she was, but she usually controlled herself, and didn’t let any one to find out about her inner feelings, like after Sayyid Ahmad’s demise she felt pain in her stomach and we took her to a doctor and they said it’s because of her nerves which is caused for bearing a lot of difficulties. She had a lot of sorrow and was very sad when Imam passed away but she kept her patience, this patience was given by God.