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Statement by the Center for Interreligious and Inter cultural Dialogue,  Islamic Culture and Relations Organization in condemnation of US president’s manipulative use of Holy Book

In the Name of God

In today’s world and at a time when humanity is suffering from unbridled insanity prevailing among social relations as well as discrimination, violence and the imposition of racist and unlawful policies, more than ever there is a need to invoke religious teachings. The Messengers of God including Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad (PBUT) along the irrighteous followers, made every effort to prevail justice, love, brotherhood, sustainable peace and security and human salvation.

However, today it is, however, regrettable to witness that religious teachings are either ignored or taken advantage of in order to give legitimacy to extremist, racist and inhumane actions which have eventually led to chaos in human societies, to violations of human rights and have placed them against each other.

Aracist and heinous murder sadly took place in America a few days ago and was observed by the people around the world. We expected the US leaders to unequivocally condemn this inhumane act but not only did the US President not apologize and condemn it but also went on to use the Holy Bible as justification for the violence he and his troops used.

In the past decades, there were terrorist groups who justified their actions with reference to religious scriptures, but now we see the head of a state has used the Holy Bible as a justification for his crimes.

It is our conviction that it falls upon the church officials and leaders of other Abrahamic religions as well as all humans to denounce this ill exploitation and do not allow any group, state or individual to take advantage of the Holy Book.

It is hoped that US leaders would put an end to their divisive actions and would not take advantage of religious teachings but instead listen to people’s rightful demands. It is our hope that they do not impose pressure and discrimination and do not use the Holy Book as an excuse for their continued oppression.

Looking forward to expanding the culture of compassion and friendship.

 

Center for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue

 

 

Tehran

June 2020

‘Resisting, standing up against enemies’, key success of Imam Khomeini: Interior min.

Iranian Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli, in a message on the occasion of the demise anniversary of the founding father of the Islamic Revolution Imam Khomeini [RA], said on Tue. that resisting and standing up against enemies, persisting on beliefs and also relying upon the religious democracy were of the key success factors of the late Imam Khomeini.

In this message, Rahmani Fazli reiterated, “by expressing sublime ideals of humanity, the late Imam Khomeini [RA] revived the liberating song and resistance against the excessive demands of enemies of humanity throughout the world.”

Relying upon the assistance of the Almighty God, the country would overcome difficulties imposed by enemies against the Islamic Republic of Iran successfully through unity, amity and self-credence under the wise leadership of the Leader of Islamic Revolution, interior minister stressed.

MA/

Who is Imam khomeini

In the year 1902 a child was born in Iran who later on changed the destiny of a nation and that of the Muslim World by his divine uprising. He led a revolution against which the world’s entire dominant powers and all enemies of freedom and nations’ independence, lined up since its commencement.

That day no one knew that he would be the one whom the future will know as ‘Imam Khomeini’, one whose name will be heard in every spot of the world and will remain in history, one who, once began an uprising, will resist against the greatest world powers and defend the independence of the country and the dignity of the Islamic nation and will become the reviver of God’s religion in an era when values have undergone a metamorphosis.

A Man for All Ages

The late Martyr Murtada Mutahhari, by way of depicting ‘Ruhullah’ [the spirit of God], says that he was the extract and digest of faith.

It was this very faith which, bravely and intuitively, spoke of the decline of Communism, and of the need of the contemporary critical world for gnostic spirituality, the spirituality which he himself was its actual personification and crystallization.

Why did the imperialism fear from this old man?

He was the man who after centuries, like a spiritual leader and an internal guide for his era, called out to the new Caesars and Emperors to submit to the truth, the wonder of innateness and the conduct of love and faith.

The world has heard, and it will also hear, his voice. Tens of small and large countries in the world testify how great the holy voice of that old spiritual man in its effect was, and how blissful!

Why does a man reach to such a level?

Undoubtedly, the Imam enjoyed the flow of the holy spirit of the Christ’s breath, and thus he could breathe into the dead body of the new century the spirit of faith and love, and to historically carry out the desire of all the prophets.

This is why the Late Pope John Paul II had said: “We should respect and venerate Imam Khomeini for the things he did for his country and the world.”

Why is it that during the revolution, all of Iran no matter old or young, religious or Marxist, and from all different ethnics, only and only saw one man in their perspective?

The Figure of this Age

It seemed that the whole history of a nation was summarized in this man. Somehow that in 1979 he became a figure, reflecting the needs of millions of people.

He used his strongest power against history in order to deny the empty-handedness of the spirit of the present era.

Perspective of a Nation

Bishop Capuche says: “Iran’s victory against the world’s greatest powers was due to Imam Khomeini’s leadership and people’s powerful faith.”

It is these particularities which distinguishes Imam Khomeini’s revolution from other contemporary revolutions.

The age of united disbelief is over, and now it is time for monotheism and a new era is starting. Imam Khomeini gave everything the color and smell of holiness. The earth got a heavenly appearance, and the soil got the color of the orbits.

World in Sorrow

On June 3rd 1989, he prepared himself to see one who he yielded to attract, his satisfaction in all his lifetime. He bowed nobody and cried for none except his beloved. Now this was the glorious time for him and an intolerable time for his disciples.

Nothing can describe what went on that day to the people. The glory of people’s presence in January 1st, 1979 was again repeated with great intensity in the day of Imam Khomeini’s death. As the world testifies the presence of almost 6 million people in 1979 when Imam was returning to Iran and a mass presence in Imam Khomeini’s funeral ceremony of 9 million people.

As Bishop Capuche says: “Imam Khomeini was the father of the world’s Weak and his absence is a great sorrow for the bereft of world.”

Imam Khomeini’s memory and mode became eternal since he was the actual real and the reality is always immortal and alive.

Imam Khomeini proved that superpowers can be defeated: The Supreme Leader of Iran

The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said here on Wednesday that “What is being witnessed in US cities today is a result of realities that had always been kept concealed. However, today these have been revealed leading to the disgrace of the US government.”

The Leader made the remarks while addressing the nation live on TV on the occasion of the 31st demise anniversary of Imam Khomeini.

He hailed the charismatic character of the Late Founder of the Islamic Republic Imam Khomeini and said he managed to initiate the greatest changes in his time.

The Supreme Leader further commented on the demise anniversary ceremonies and, noting that the content, not the form is the most important item in holding tributes to the Late Imam Khomeini, said the Late Imam is still very much alive in the minds and hearts of people despite lapse of many years since his passing away.

He highlighted “appeal for change” as the most basic characteristics of the Late Founder of the Islamic Republic Imam Khomeini and said that “Imam caused the U.S. presidents to say themselves that Khomeini had humiliated them.”

Outlining the most outstanding characteristics of the Late Founder of the Islamic Republic, he highlighted his multi-faceted character the most notable of which the Leader described as his search and appeal for change.

Ayatollah Khamenei further stressed that the Late Imam was not a mere instructor or rhetorician but functioned as a commander who went to the very heart of operations and was a “leader” in the true sense of the word.

He further pointed to the new methods the Late Imam Khomeini used in changing people’s minor and insignificant demands into more important ones regarding the country’s most basic issues like non-independence on any world powers.

He further outlined many other changes the Late Imam initiated like the way people regarded world powers and the superpowers.

At that time, no one even imagined questioning the US power and never thought of doubting its power. Or, doing things which could go contrary to the US will, he said.

While, the Supreme Leader stressed, Imam Khomeini acted in a way that even the US presidents themselves admitted that he had humiliated them. And that was the true reality. The Late Imam and his young followers and admirers managed to humiliate the superpowers in the true sense of the word. They managed to break the authority of the superpowers, defeat them and expel them from the scene.

The late Imam showed everyone that superpowers are easy to defeat, easy to break. And the future too proved this notion. Everyone saw what became of the Soviet Union. And this is what is happening to the US today and the events going on there, he added.

The Supreme Leader further noted that “Imam caused the U.S. presidents to say themselves that Khomeini had humiliated them,” as quoted by his official website Khamenei.ir

“Nations resemble an ocean. Creating a storm in an ocean is not something anyone could do. Imam Khomeini created a storm in the ocean of the Iranian nation, turning the Iranian nation that had abandoned self-determination into a determining, influential nation in the world.”

“During the Pahlavi rule, the Iranian nation had a contemptuous outlook towards itself, not only before world powers but also before govt officials. It didn’t occur to people they could rise up against the Pahlavis and global powers. Imam Khomeini inspired this belief in people,” the website wrote.

“The Iranian nation regarded a despotic government to be a natural matter. Imam Khomeini turned such a nation into a nation that determined their own type of government. People’s demands progressed from trivial, limited requests to great, global demands.”

“Imam Khomeini revolutionized people’s view of religion. Religion developed from being a personal matter limited to prayers and fasting into being a matter for building a civilization, a society and human beings. Such a change was even produced in the jurisprudents.”

He further said: “Imam Khomeini caused the US leaders at that time to admit that Khomeini had humiliated them. Imam Khomeini proved that superpowers can be broken and beaten. You saw how the USSR collapsed, and you can see the status of the US today.”

“Khomeini was an Imam of change but believed all this to be from God. He saw the spiritual evolution of the youth as God’s doing. He believed in “You didn’t throw when you threw, it was God who threw.” [8:17] He said the youth’s evolution was greater than the Pahlavis’ defeat.”

“What is being witnessed in US cities today is a result of realities that had always been kept concealed. However, today these have been revealed leading to the disgrace of the US government.”

“The crime committed against this black man is the same thing the US govt has been doing against all the world. They have done the same in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Vietnam, and many other countries in the world. This is the US govt’s nature and character that is being exposed today.”

Referring to the slogan of “I cannot breathe”, which the American people have been chanting in recent days, the Supreme Leader stated, “This is what the nations that have been the victims of US’ oppressive usurpation want to say from the bottom of their hearts.

“By God’s favor and grace, the US has been disgraced as a result of its own actions,” Ayatollah Khamenei said, adding, “Their management of the Coronavirus brought them to disgrace, and their weak handling of the situation caused them to have several times as many casualties as other countries. The American people feel embarrassed and ashamed of their government.” “In dealing with its people, the US government has behaved in the worst manner. They kill people and yet claim they advocate human rights. Was not the black man whom you murdered a human being?”

Ayatollah Khamenei said that the people of the United States have every right to feel embarrassed and ashamed by their governments, particularly the current government.

In addition to different channels of the Iranian state television, the Leader’s speech is also available on his official Instagram page and Twitter account as well as his website (KHAMENEI.IR).

Ayatollah Khamenei has given a speech every year for the large crowd of people who gathered at the mausoleum of the late Imam Khomeini to pay tribute to the founder of the Islamic Republic. But this year, the ceremony at the mausoleum is canceled due to the restrictions imposed to contain coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Imam Khomeini, who led the Islamic Revolution of Iran to victory (1979), passed away in 1989 at the age of 87.

His charismatic character and political approach inspired many leaders and popular uprisings against dictator powers across the world. / IRNA/

Imam Khomeini brings message of hope for Muslim Ummah: Filipino Prof.

In an interview with Mehr news, the Filipino professor, who lived some years in Iran, told of his understandings about the personality of the Late Leader of the Islamic Revolution Imam Khomeini, underlining the message of hope he transmitted to the Muslim world.

Following is the full text of the interview with him:

Please introduce yourself to our readers.

I am Dr. Henelito A. Sevilla, Jr, a Filipino, and working as an Associate Professor at the University of the Philippines Asian Center. I am handling graduate courses in West Asian Studies and Foreign Relations. I got my Masters from Shahid Beheshti University and Ph.D. at the Faculty of Law and Political Science, Tehran University. I currently served as President of the Philippine-Iran Cultural and Scientific Society (Friendship council ), Incorporated based in Manila.

Would you please let us know if you have ever met Imam Khomeini (ra)?

In my entire life, I have not met Imam Khomeini (ra), except that I was privileged to visit his tomb in Behesht Zahra way back when I was a student, but his idealism, his works, and his vision to have a world far away from injustices and where everyone and every nation has to be respected and treated equally no matter how big or small, no matter what status they have in life, and no matter what race they belong to, are important lessons I have heard and learn from him. As I always look into this idealism in my venture for a better understanding of complexities of life as a person, a scholar on the Middle East, and as an individual, It seemed therefore that I have met him.

How did you find his personality?

Imam Khomeini (ra) is a humble religious scholar who lived in simplicity and who had accepted his fate during his time for the sake of truth and justice for his own nation-Iranian nation. In spite of being politically exile abroad, he maintained his personal composure by helping Iranian people to emancipate them from a corrupt and ugly images of governance and policies which had dominated in the economic, political, security, and socio-cultural wellbeing of Iran during his time. His call for an Islamic revolution was made not from a conventional way in which tanks and bullets defined people’s protests but that of a soft, bloodless and peaceful one. His use of cassette as a critical mode of informing and teaching his countrymen reverberated in various areas in the country that even people in small villages would be able to listen to his teachings. While he was in exile, Imam Khomeini did not stop from his traditional role as an Islamic scholar and a clergy. Indeed a significant source of inspiration to his people and to those who followed his works and thoughts.

How far do you think his personality impressed the world?

The exiles of Imam Khomenei from Iraq to France, his return to Iran and his continued works and opposition to the injustices that many Iranian experiences from the hands of the Pahlavi’s regime as well as that from foreign countries who exploited and exerting influence on Iran’s political, economic, and security wellbeing were few critical selling points of his impressive personality to be given attention not just by his own countrymen but by many scholars and leaders in the world arena.

While Imam personified a living figure that could unite his own nation from decades of mismanagement, he had also brought an important message of hope for the Muslim Ummah as well as non-Muslim nations and communities who suffered the same fate with Iran, such as countries in Africa and Asia. In addition, Imam also carried a serious message to world leaders both in East and the West that the power of the people coupled with their faith to God can shake governments if they continue to remain anti-people and remain blindfolded from the emerging demand for a change of the majority of the people they govern. Finally, the triumph of the Islamic revolution in 1979 and the succeeding official establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran through peaceful means certainly caught the attention of the world on Imam’s impressive personality.

If you have read the books written by him, please share with us your opinion about them.

I have read some of his works especially the one that talks about the Islamic Government and the role of the jurist which I believe is the foundation of the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

MNA

Book fairs commemorate death anniversary of Imam Khomeini

The Art and Cultural Organization of the Tehran Municipality has organized 25 book fairs across the capital to commemorate the 31st anniversary of the passing of Imam Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic.

Twenty-five book fairs underway at Tehran’s libraries and cultural centers are offering a large, well-chosen selection of books, which are mostly about Imam Khomeini and the Islamic revolution.

The book fairs, which opened on May 28, have been organized in collaboration with Oruj Publications, which is affiliated with the Institute for the Compilation and Publication of Imam Khomeini’s Works.

The exhibitions running until June 4 are being held based on the health protocols required by the Coronavirus Combat and Prevention Headquarters for cultural events.

The 31st anniversary of the death of Imam Khomeini will be commemorated across Iran on Thursday.

Photo: A poster for Art and Cultural Organization’s book fairs for the 31st death anniversary Imam Khomeini.

T.T/

Iran exports face mask production machinery to Denmark: Sattari

For the first time, the Islamic Republic of Iran has exported face mask production machinery to Denmark, said Vice President Sattari.

Vice President for Science and Technology Sorena Sattari revealed the news while speaking in a session of Strategic Headquarters for Implementing Comprehensive Scientific Outline of Iran on Wednesday.

He also noted that the country has already exported coronavirus diagnostic kits to some countries.

Iran exported the first batch of test kits to Germany in early May. Iranian authorities say exports of diagnostic applications from Iran to other countries is a sign of success for home-grown efforts to fight the pandemic.

Also, the test kits are becoming increasingly popular as several more countries are placing bulk orders for the diagnostic tools, according to Mehdi Qalenoei, a deputy head of the Iranian presidency’s office for scientific affairs. He said in early May that Iranian companies are set to export serological test kits to eight more countries after a first successful shipment was made to Germany.

MA/

Leader to deliver speech on 31th demise anniv. of Imam Khomeini

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Khamenei is to deliver a speech on June 3, on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of Imam Khomeini’s passing.

In previous years, the speech was delivered at Imam Khomeini’s mausoleum in Tehran but due to the coronavirus pandemic, this year the Leader will address the nation via a televised speech.

Ayatollah Khamenei delivered his latest televised speech on May 22, on the occasion of the International Quds Day. He spoke with the Muslims around the world on the issue of Palestine and the Israeli regime’s crimes against humanity.

MA/

Iran’s non-oil exports vol. up 13.5% last year: official

Head of Iran’s Mine House Mohammad Reza Bahraman on Wed. put the export volume of non-oil commodities in the last Iranian calendar year [ended March 20, 2020] at 133.9 million tons, showing a 13.5 percent hike as compared to the year before.

Under the tough US sanctions imposed against Iran and the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, in the country, it is expected that the Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade would facilitate the process of exports and export activities.

He also called on responsible officials at the Ministry of Industry to make every effort to remove the barriers facing the exports sector of the country.

Based on the statistics of the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration [IRICA], Iran’s total trade value hit $85 billion last year [ended March 20, 2020].

Accordingly, the Islamic Republic of Iran exported 133.9 million tons of non-oil goods, valued at $41.3 billion, last year, showing a 13.5 percent growth as compared to a year earlier.

MA/