Imam Khomeini believed that: ‘during the previous regime of Shah, women were suffering from much more agonies than they did in pre-Islam period. In both periods women were suffering and it was Islam that saved them.
Imam Khomeini rejected the current view and negative propaganda that Islam will isolate women, and this new approach encouraged women to retrieve themselves and their standpoints.
The late founder of the Islamic Republic put strong emphasis on the key role of women before and after the revolution as an important strategy and consequently focused attention on cultural activities related to women.
Imam Khomeini’s ideas and viewpoints expressed during and after the establishment of the Islamic Republic system on the women’s cooperation is a milestone and turning point in the topics related to this important issue.
In recent year, international speakers and analysts have addressed different aspects of his personality of Ayatollah Roohulla Mousavi Khomeini – the founder and spiritual leader of the Islamic Revolution. They belive that Imam Khomeini had raised status of women at sensitive juncture of history and encourage their participation in all arenas of life
In an 2016 summit which was held at the Islamic Centre of England. Hujjat ul-Islam Dr Mohammad Ali Shomali, the head of the ICEL, emphasised the lofty status of women in Islam and in the speeches and declaration of Imam Khomeini.
Dr Shomali began by comparing the status of women before the advent of Islam and afterwards. ‘A girl having no love even in the heart of her own father in the Jahiliyya period reached a point where the Messenger of God used to stand up [out of respect and love] before Hazrat Fatima (peace be upon her) his daughter and out of respect, he would call her the Mother of Her Father (Umm Abiha)’.
He added that Imam Khomeini would ignore the edicts of the conservative clerics in favour of bringing about more participation of women. ‘I remember there was a much respected scholar who had mystical leanings. He wrote an essay in which he said women should not serve in the parliament. But this was not the idea of Imam Khomeini. Women were allowed to serve in the Parliament, judiciary, army and police force,’ Dr Shomali added.
He said; Imam Khomeini would almost equate women with the Holy Qur’an in some of his writings. ‘Imam Khomeini said that the Holy Qur’an builds the character of the human beings and women build the character of human beings, in effect equating women with the Holy Qur’an.’
He concluded by stating that a number of factors influenced Imam Khomeini’s position on women. ‘I think his understanding of Islamic philosophy, mysticism, and shari’a in its enlightened form played a significant role in his approach. Finally being looked after as a child by his great aunt following the martyrdom of his father really influenced his views on women,’ he said.
Hujjat ul Islam Abbas de Palma from Italy stated that the Islamic Revolution in Iran introduced the Italian people to a new type of revolution. ‘Many people in Italy saw a revolution in which demonstrators were chanting “God is Great!” and they were not protesting for bread or other material things,’ he said. De Palma added: ‘We needed a revolution in which people would return to the purpose of the creation. God says: “I did not create the human beings and the jinns except for worshipping me.” ’
He added that Imam Khomeini led this revolution so that human beings would return to the purpose of their creation and would fashion their lives on the basis of spirituality.
Umm Farwa, from Labaik Ya Zahra Foundation, said in her address that ‘Imam Khomeini was the greatest personality of the 20th century. He spoke like a prophet with the people. He should never be compared with the average person. He was a far-sighted, progressive, multi-faceted leader.’
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