The Cultural Influences of Islamic Revolution in Different Regional Levels

Written by: Mohammad Salar

 

Introduction
The Islamic revolution of Iran caused a great evolution in Iran's political, cultural, social and economical fields and universally had a great impact. Although many revolutions had been happened in the world, Iran's Islamic revolution was a unique one among them due to its religious spirits, defending the oppressed and especially combating with satanic forces.
In this article, we attempted to investigate the deep cultural influences of Islamic revolution in different regional levels through five aspects: 1) reviving the religious essence, 2) the thought plan of Islamic government, 3) defending the holy ideals of Palestine, 4) establishing Islamic unity and harmony, 5) the universal discourse plan.
Under the leadership of Imam Khomeini and as a great phenomenon in the second half of the 20th century, the Islamic revolution of Iran reached the victory in the regional and international scene at the 22nd of Bahman, 1357. Not only this revolution changed Iran's political, economical, social and cultural affairs, but also caused a magnificent change in the world.
In the past, there were also other revolutions like Russia Revolution 1917, France revolution 1789, and the Arab revolution 1954; however, Iran's Islamic revolution, due to its unique features, cannot be compared with others. There were important elements in this movement that caused the destruction of one important dependent government to America. These elements were the eminent character of Imam Khomeini, and his influential power in leading the movement, the obedience of people from their leader, deep faith to Islam and people's unity.
This revolution had such an effect and influence that could attracted many people from the east to the west toward itself. In result, the liberalist and theologian people of the world declared their unity to Iran's Islamic movement and Imam Khomeini. This movement indicated that it cannot be restricted just in borders of Iran, but it focused to extend its influence and achievements throughout the world. The interest and love of millions of liberalist people to Imam Khomeini and Islamic movement indicates the effect of revolutionary thoughts in their souls. It is clearly obvious show Iran's Islamic revolution spiritually influence the Islam world and even the no-Muslim communities. Some of the international cultural influences of Iran's Islamic movement are briefly explained in the following paragraphs:

 

1. reviving religious essence

One of the most important cultural effects of Islamic revolution is the revival of religious nature and the thinking. Relying on the divine authority, faith to God and Islamic ideology, Imam Khomeini's movement created a universal evolution and transformed irreligious nature to Islamic religious one. These evolutions took place in very intolerable conditions in which with irreligious authorities' attempts, religious principles were going to be gradually forgotten and the materialist schools recognized "religion" to lack the required power for revolution; in result, the religious nature became insignificant. In result of this revolution, Iranians and other Islamic countries recognized that the solution of Muslims' problems is to rely on Koran and returning to Islam.
In fact, striking Western social, economical and cultural foundations, the revolution could destroy the majesty of western imperial-cultural world which, indeed, was considered as destructive to the oppressed values.
This Islamic revolution proved everyone the fact that people can save themselves from the domination and influence of east and west and live independent. Imam Khomeini could revive what had been forgotten among the Islamic nation. With bringing Islamic victory to Iran, Imam Khomeini could refresh and revive Islam and brought it back to the scene.

 

2. Islamic government's plan

Most of the experts of Islam world and the non-Muslim thinkers revived their perspectives at the time of Islamic revolution, since they believed that the establishment of Islamic government is an impossible act. Some of them also believed that combating against the tyrannical and impaired governments is a challenging act. Therefore, the victory of Islamic revolution destroyed all the regional and international political affairs and made the route of Islamic government establishment easier for other countries. With this great movement, the late Imam Khomeini proved that with relying on Quran principles and Islamic values, Islam has a political, economical and social role in the establishment of an independent government.
Imam Khomeini had also thought the oppressed people and other Muslims throughout the world to stand against the tyrannical regimes. In result, many Islamic assemblies and movements in universal level derived their combating models in different forms from Iran's Islamic revolution.

 

3. Defending the holly ideals of Palestine

Islamic revolution of Iran achieved its victory at the time when the ominous contract of David Camp was signed by the attempt of America between Israel and treacherous Palestinian authorities. Therefore, the western colonists imagined that they would soon bring other Islamic countries under their influence. The incidence of Islamic revolution destroyed all their plans and with Imam Khomeini's strict leadership and optimism, the combat against Israel changed its basic structure. According to Imam Khomeini's commands, the last week of Ramadan Month is called "the Universal Day of Quads". Therefore, the ministries' of Israel were closed in Tehran and changed to Palestine ministry and Beyt ul-Moghadas became the holy place of Muslims and other divine religions.
Iran's Islamic republic brought self-confidence to the combater and Palestinian and placed the support of intifaze and Palestine's holy ideal as a priority in its plans. Iran called on the world to practically engage in Palestine's political, material, and spiritual affairs. It also brought a good spirit for Palestinian leaders to stand against Israel.
Regarding the effects of Islamic revolution on Palestinians' combat, the martyr, Dr. Fathi Shaghaghi, the previous leader of Palestine's Islamic war organization, states, "this movement made us clear that to achieve victory, we need to follow Imam Khomeini's path; therefore, suddenly, the walls of Palestine's mosques, especially, the  mosque of Al-Aghsa,  were decorated with Imam Khomeini's pictures. Today, we see that Imam Khomeini also follows the policy of Imam Khomeini and considers Palestine's problem as the main problem of all Muslims".
In other contexts, he considers the movement of Palestinians as the main grace of Iran's Islamic revolution and continues, "intifaze is one of the main fruits of Islamic awareness which was become universal by Imam Khomeini especially, in the region. Therefore, Islamic Intifaze progressed publicly and toward the Islamic slogans and horizons. So, we need to participate in acts against the domination of engagers and combat with regard to Imam Khomeini's principles".
Iran's Islamic revolution made this fact clear to Islamic nations, in particular, and to the world, in general, that only Islam and Islamic pure ideology can equip people and the oppressed of the world to act against the super-powers and dominators.

 

4. The creation of Islamic unity

One of the positive cultural effects of revolution was the Islamic brotherhood among the followers of Tohid School. While the Muslim Iranian founded the holy system of Islamic republic under the Islamic brotherhood and Imam Khomeini's leadership, its foreign policy was also planned based on the unity of Islamic nation. Iran called on all people from the east to Africa and from the Middle East to Europe and America who believed in the principles of Tohid (monotheism), prophecy, resurrection, Koran, Hajj, and prayer to come for the support of Islamic unity.
Before the Islamic victory, the leadership of unity had separated capabilities in the world of Islam and, in fact, was not what should be in the minds of unity messengers. From one hand, the ignorance of communities from Islamic high values, and from the other hand, the attempts of enemies in making disputes among the Muslim took back the innovative acts of Muslims.
The most important influence of Islamic revolution in that condition was the establishment of Islamic unity leadership throughout the world and attracted the attention of the entire world toward its importance.
The Islamic revolution could assemble and invite the Islamic nation throughout the world, in spite of their disputes, and warn then about the outcomes of separation and invited them to become united under the flag of لا اله الا الله .

 

5. The effective role of discourse in universal level

The freedom in speech and discourse is one of Islamic features which was common from the beginning of the prophet's prophecy. It was also general after the prophet. For instance, we can mention the prophet's discourse with the majors of Qoraysh, Imam Zeyn ul-Abedin's conversations with Hasan Basri, Imam Shadegg's disputes with the Ulema and other religion's followers, Imam Reza's conversations with Christian scientists and…
There were held many meetings with other religion's thinkers especially the Christian ones from the beginning days of Iran's Islamic revolution up to now. These meeting have positive roles in the establishment of peaceful coexistence, the real knowledge of religions, cultures and civilizations, the mutual respect of religious authorities, the universal justice and peace, spiritually, ethical and religious values throughout the world.
Regarding the effectiveness of these meetings and the establishment of relations with Christian communities, the bishop Khalil Abinader, one of Christian leaders in Lebanon states that "Imam Khomeini put a great influence on me. Although, I cannot leave my religion, as a Christian spiritual, my thoughts are influenced by Imam Khomeini's religious mission".

 

He believes that this influence can be indicated as the following:

1. he reached this fact that the main cause of Muslim's retardation in the era of decadence is their not being correctly understood Koran. It was the reason why he called on people and awakened them. His words and practices were always originated from the holy Koran.

2. He wanted to bring unity among the Muslims and united Iranian with their will and ideals. His weapons were the poor oppressed people and he was always the one who wined. If he was one of the Christian spirituals, the faithful would always call him a holy man. Out of Iran, Imam Khomeini was always the messenger of coexistence between the Christian and the Muslims. As a Christian spiritual, h have understood Iran's Islamic republic. If I had the chance to have a meeting with Imam Khomeini, I would take the same rout of the Christ and Mohammad".

 

In the final part, in addition to the five issues presented in the present article, we can add the main influence of Iran's Islamic revolution universally in the following cases.

1. Reviving the religious nature and religion's release from isolation and its presents in the social scene.

2. The establishment of scientific, cultural, and religious movements in the world.

3. The development of Muslim's awareness and the revival of Islamic revolution.

4. Other countries' modeling in combat aganst the tyranny.

5. The thought plan of Islamic government and practicing what has been experienced in Iran's Islamic system.

6. The development of anti-colonist combating and the increase of self-confidence among the Muslim.

7. The design of new discussions in scientific, intellectual and cultural assemblies like the theory of Velayet Faghih (Jurist Guardianship), freedom, and democracy, social justice, Islamic international rights, Islamic political thought, the juristic principles of political participation, …

8. Cooperation  with Islamic liberal movements and supporting the Palestinian oppressed nation (Intifaze)

9. Establishing the scientific unity and coherence in Islam world

10. Other religions welcoming to know Islamic principles and the prophet's family

11. Welcoming the discourse plan of civilization, cultures, and religions

12. Translation and the publication of Imam Khomeini and other religious intellectual leaders of Islamic revolution works to other languages in the world.