Manifestation of the Friend

With the People

part 16

I am indebted to the people

On the route to migration to Iraq and refusal of Kuwait to accept the Imam, the Imam stayed in Baghdad for one more night because he was supposed to fly to Paris the next morning (Friday) at 9 A.M. On that Thursday, we were sitting in the presence of the Imam worried and anxious about the situation and the events but the Imam was extremely composed and determined as if nothing had happened. In fact he would even give us consolation. From Tehran there were reports that the people were extremely troubled and many demonstrations and protest rallies had taken place and all were worried about the situation.

Truly wasn’t is amazing that a person in a state of uncertainty, who is exiled and taken from the border to the airport; from Basrah to Baghdad and from there to a destination that was unknown and the unknown fate that awaited him should regard himself to be in absolute comfort despite this dilemma and is worried that the people have put themselves in trouble for his sake.

He would express his affections profoundly

In 1969, one of the theologians of Tehran by the name of late Ayatollah Chaploqi who was among the students of the late Ayatollah Ha’iri-Yazdi in Qom, arrived in Najaf and came to our house. I told late Haj Aqa Mustafa that he had come to stay at my house. The following night late hajj Aqa Mustafa sent a message to me saying that the Imam wanted to visit my house and meet Ayatollah Chapqoli which came as a surprise to me and I immediately relayed the news to Mr. Chapqoli.  I had a small three by four meter room which I gave to him to stay. After the dusk and night prayers that he would recite at the Ayatollah Borujerdi Theological School, the Imam came to our house and sat down next to Ayatollah Chapqoli in that humble room.  He  expressed  his  warm  affections  profoundly  for  this  man  of spirituality such that after the Imam returned I noticed an amazing spiritual state in the late Chapqoli who was intensely affected by the greatness and humility of the Imam.

Who am I?

On several occasions the foreign and domestic enemies would launch an extensive propaganda campaign that for example, the Imam was very ill. Some people would request the Imam to hold a meeting at such moments or broadcast a message so that the morale of the fighters of Islam was not weakened at the warfront. However, the Imam, would state that: “Are the people fighting the war for me that they should be weakened; they are fighting for the cause of God and for Islam and will never become sluggish. Who am I that with my passing away Islam and the Revolution would be destroyed?

I hope it does not affect me

During the first term of the Islamic Consultative Assembly when I held a meeting with the Imam, one of the representatives (Fakhruddin Hijazi) who was present showered a lot of praises on the Imam. I saw his face become pale on hearing those words of praise and at the end of the meeting he said: “I hope that these words do not have an effect on me as I am not more than a servant.”‌

He showed a lot of humility

The Assembly of Experts chose a delegation from among its members to be in  the  presence  of  the  Imam  in  connection  with  Article 111  of  the constitution. I too was among the delegates. The members of the delegation held a session with the Imam and stated that they were open to any solution put forward by the Imam. However, the Imam showed such a lot of humility in relation to us that the conversation of the chosen members after the meeting hovered entirely round the humility and dignity of the Imam that truly was extremely astonishing for all of us.

How we should express our gratitude to the nation?

One day I went to visit the Imam. He stated: “I don’t know how we should be grateful to the nation and express our gratitude. When I see these youths, I feel humbled by them.”‌

I resolved to kiss his hands

One night when we were in the presence of the Imam, he stated: “An old man had come to see me and with absolute confidence told me that two of his sons had been martyred in the path of Islam while the body of his third son who was also his last son (and was only 18 years old and was martyred in the Wal-Fajr 8 offensive) was brought for burial today and because he too was on his way to the warfront he had come to take leave from me.”‌ The Imam continued: “The courage and spirit of valor of this man had such an impact on me that I resolved to kiss his hands but because he was on the floor of the courtyard and I was upstairs, my lips could not reach his hands.”‌

His countenance changed dramatically

In the presence of the Imam I mentioned to him that before the “Bloody Friday”‌ of Mecca, everybody was amazed and astonished that his holiness had selected such an apt verse from the glorious Qur’an for the opening of this year’s Haj pilgrimage message. Then when the tragedy happened we understood the meaning of the verse while at the same time it multiplied astonishment and amazement of one and all.

Until before this part of my statement the Imam with his queries, gazes and hearings, was attesting to my statement and welcoming it while he sought fresh news and information of the observations of the tragedy. However, when I spoke of the verse and the Haj message and wanted to make a statement testifying to his greatness, he lowered his eyes and his countenance changed dramatically as if this topic was neither fresh nor worthy of mentioning. It appeared as if he did not want to disclose anything on this subject even by his gaze and the look in his eyes.

Source:

The Book "Manifestation of the Friend: A collection of memoirs about Imam Khomeini (R.A)"

Other Links:

Manifestation of the Friend: Subtle Spirit (part 14)