Revisiting Imam Khomeini’s historic message issued on occasion of Arbaeen in 1979
On Jan. 15, 1979 (25 Dey 1357), on the eve of that year's Arbaeen, Imam Khomeini issued a message that remains distinctive and is widely regarded as having enduring significance.
In the message, he wrote:"The Arbaeen of the Master of the oppressed and the doyen of martyrs—peace and blessings be upon him—has arrived.
Our valiant and enlightened nation has experienced many fruitful Arbaeens. Following more than 50 years of the Pahlavi dynasty's usurping rule, we have endured calamities and profound cultural decline.
Those decades were marked by immense hardship, made even more painful in the final years as our courageous nation rose up against tyranny and colonialism.
This year, the Arbaeen of the Imam of the Ummah coincides with the Arbaeen commemorations observed by the followers and Shi'as of that great figure of Islam.
It is as though the blood of our martyrs continues the pure blood of the martyrs of Karbala, and the recent Arbaeens of our fallen brothers reflect the Arbaeen of those heroic figures. Just as their pure blood brought an end to the tyranny of Yazid, the blood of these martyrs has dismantled tyrannical monarchy.
This year's Arbaeen is unique and exemplary. The marches and demonstrations held on this occasion are both a religious and a national duty.
"The message highlights several key themes.
First, Imam Khomeini refers to Imam Hussein, the Master of Martyrs (Sayyid al-Shuhada), as the "Imam of the Ummah.
"Second, he presents the Islamic Revolution—which advanced through successive Arbaeen commemorations—as a continuation of the legacy of the Husayni Arbaeen.
Third, he describes Arbaeen commemorations as spiritually and socially beneficial.
Fourth, he characterizes the Arbaeen marches of that year as both a religious and national duty, suggesting that Arbaeen processions take on broader significance whenever they serve as a public expression of the values embodied in the uprising of Imam Hussein.
Finally, Imam Khomeini emphasizes that Arbaeen observances should reflect the spirit and message of the Arbaeen of Karbala, keeping its ideals alive within society.
(By Seyyed Hamid Tabatabaei )