The Impact of the Islamic Revolution of Iran and Imam Khomeini’s | ||||
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Just as with the advent of Islam the light of hope shone on the pure hearts of the seekers of truth and the oppressed and downtrodden people of that time, so also the Islamic Revolution of Iran awakened the divine innate natures and what the Holy Qur’an refers to as the original nature endowed by Allah according to which He originated mankind”. (Surah Al-Rum: 30) The popular movement led by Imam Khomeini (RA) gave a new life to the lifeless and dying body of the “Muslim female community” and the Imam of the nation eradicated the immoral motives and values of age of ignorance of the monarchial regime from the Muslim female community. What attracted the women of the subcontinent and Pakistan most to Imam Khomeini’s thoughts was his emphasis on following in the footsteps of Hazrat Fatemeh (SA) and his heroic daughter, Hazrat Zainab (SA) who are greatly honored by the women community of the Subcontinent. The Impact of the Islamic Revolution and the Late Imam’s Thoughts on Women and the Family Life in the Subcontinent The Indian Subcontinent is the largest in the world in which the population of the Muslim community is vast and somewhat obscure. Like other God-seeking and free women of the world, the Muslim women of this subcontinent have been profoundly affected by the Islamic Revolution. Considering vulgarity, promiscuity, and viewing women as a commodity to be a painful insult to their dignity and status, and witnessing the degeneration of the family and the moral anomalies of the youth every day in the Hollywood and Bollywood film industry, they consider the way to salvation to hold fast to the cord of Allah and following the revolutionary and divine leadership (of the late Imam Khomeini) guiding them to the true path of salvation and attaining the pleasure of God. The Islamic awakening that we are witnessing today among Muslim mothers and women of the subcontinent is largely the result of Imam Khomeini’s revolutionary thinking, the same thinking that has been derived from the true teachings of pure Muhammadan Islam. The Effect of Imam Khomeini’s Sayings on the Clothing of Muslim Women in the Subcontinent Some people think that the Islamic Revolution has imposed some limitations on women in terms of social rights, hijab, and their presence in society, but with his view on the position of Muslim women in society the founder of the revolution disproved this suspicion and made such views obsolete and rejected. And the opposite of this view is true in the case of Muslim women of the subcontinent. Women in Pakistan and India have retained their traditional and national dress at various times, and even the long British colonialism has not been able to change the dress code of the people of this region and in this regard maintaining public modesty among Muslim and Non-Muslim women is a good thing and it has been and is considered necessary. The influence of the late Imam on female students regarding the full hijab, i.e., covering themselves with “Chador” (veil) in the space of Karachi University, was very interesting to me. Although women’s dress code in Pakistan is quite covered and the long sleeves and the wide and long shawls - made of thick fabric - they wear is sufficient to observe religious hijab, however, those who have more faith and adherence to religious laws wear long black Arabic gowns with shawls and niqabs, and this type of covering, which is called “hijab”, is quite common in the subcontinent. Another type of hijab, known among Urdu speakers as the “Iranian Chador”, was introduced by the students of the ISO (Imamia Students’ Organization, which is similar to the Islamic Association or Basij Student of Iran). The female university students of the ISO group usually wear the Iranian chador in the Pakistani society, in order to honor the thought of the founder of the revolution and observe the full hijab. This group is the perfect representative of Imam Khomeini’s thoughts in Pakistani society. The Influenced by Iranian Revolutionary Organizations Organizations such as ISO engage in attracting like-minded people, especially the youth in universities, mosques, and other bases in different cities, and by organizing programs such as mourning ceremonies for Imam Husain (AS), honoring the martyrs, and speeches endeavor to strengthen religious beliefs of the Muslim community. The selection of mosques as bases for religious activities is also a symbol of the implementation of the suggestion made by the late Imam, who had introduced the mosque as a stronghold. The formation of these groups was inspired by Imam Khomeini’s suggestion to the Iranian youth to form the Basij group. These groups engage in such activities as organizing Quds Day rallies on the last Friday of the month of Ramadan, commemorating the anniversary of Imam Khomeini’s demise in universities and mosques on the third of June every year, and pledging commitment to the ideals of the founder of the Islamic Revolution. Among the academics of the “Karachi Society” in which girls attend wearing Pakistani clothes of different colors, there are some girls who are seen wearing black Iranian chadors and even Basiji keffiyeh. This is especially so on such days that were named as “Ayyamullah” (days of God Almighty) such as the anniversary of the late Imam’s demise, 22 Bahman (the anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution, International Quds Day in which most of the lady participants were Iranian black chador and headbands and keffiyehs bearing the pictures of Imam Khomeini and/or martyrs of the Revolution. The Influence of the Founder of the Revolution on Women Poets and Writers Urdu-speaking women have a lot of talent in composing poetry and there have been some learned ladies like Faezeh Zahra Mirza (a descendent of the late Mirza Kalich Baig, popularly known as Shams al-Ulam, who was one of the renowned contemporary poets of the Subcontinent) who, being a professor of the Persian Language and Literature in the University of Karachi, composed a lengthy poem in praise of Imam Khomeini (RA) and the Islamic Revolution deploying Persian words that are common in the Urdu language. Most Muslim women in this region are familiar with the books of Imam Khomeini. Most of the Imam’s works have been translated into Urdu and put at the disposal of the women of this land. They use his statements and orders extensively and use the Imam’s sayings in their books and writings. A Culture Inspired by the Islamic Revolution of Iran Since Eastern and Western foreign television and media networks are easily available to the people of the region and are of great ethical danger to children and adolescents, most religious and believing families support and use local networks, such as SUCH TV, Hadi TV, Ahl-e-Bait TV, PCN, etc., which produce and broadcast programs with religious contents. A major part of the programs of these networks comprises Iranian films and serials on such subjects as the sacred defense and revolution dubbed in the Urdu language, which in addition to the network, are also broadcast in mosques, religious bases, and Islamic schools. Part of the programs of these networks is also dedicated to broadcasting lectures, conferences and competitions, and various programs on religious topics, hijab, freedom, truth-seeking, etc. for women and girls. Mothers support such Islamic programs because they are concerned about the pure and innocent minds of their children. Translation of the Works of the Imam and the Revolution The translation of Persian books and articles and the achievements of the four decades of the Islamic Revolution as well as the late Imam’s thoughts and sayings into the Urdu language are also done by educated people who have graduated from the Iranian universities and are fluent in both languages. Women translators have also excelled in this field. Iranian Style Magazines There are also some women’s magazines and periodicals the contents of which are cultural and religious in essence and are inspired by the Iranian religious magazines, such as Tahereh Magazine for Women, which is distributed and used throughout Pakistan. Revolutionary Songs Inspired by the Sayings of the Late Imam Khomeini (RA) Revolutionary-minded eulogy reciters and singers translate the Persian revolutionary poetry into Urdu and perform it with the same melody and rhythm that is widely welcomed in society such that some of Imam Khomeini’s sayings have become very popular among the people through these revolutionary songs, including Hymns sung during the Quds Day march. The Popularity of Imam Khomeini’s Personality among the Women of the Subcontinental The revolutionary-minded women of the subcontinent introduce their children and the new generation to the image of a history-making man who created a revolution and place pictures of the late Imam in their houses and in front of the eyes of the family so that the love of this man of God remains in the hearts. Al-Irshad Urdu Magazine, which is published in Pakistani Kashmir, has described this phenomenon in these words: “Imam Khomeini (RA) and his enlightened revolution have affected the hearts and souls of the people of this land so much that a picture of Imam Khomeini (RA) has been installed in all their houses and husseiniyahs. This issue has even attracted the attention of Western news agencies such that a correspondent of the BBC Urdu News Agency has reported that even though there is no electricity in some houses in Kashmir, there is a picture of Imam Khomeini in all of them.”One of the names that have become popular among the Muslims of the subcontinent after the Iranian Revolution was “Ruhollah”, which the mothers of this land give to their children out of love for the leader of the revolution, hoping that they will follow in the footsteps of Imam Khomeini (RA) in their way of life. Another way that women use to familiarize their families with Iran and revolutionary channels is to install special satellites for the use of Iranian television channels. And when asked how do they benefit from these channels without knowing Persian, they say that they grasp the feelings of the Persian-speaking people and enjoy it. Such TV serials as Yusuf-e Payambar (Prophet Joseph) and Mokhtarnameh, which have been translated into Urdu and broadcasted many times, are two of the most popular serials in this region. Teaching Persian as the Second Language of Islam in the Subcontinent In addition to the Iranian cultural centers, which are the main center for teaching Persian to non-Persian speakers, the Persian language is also being taught on a large scale in religious centers institutions, and seminaries. Persian is considered the language of transformation and before that, it is also the language of religion, because the religious books written by scholars and thinkers of the subcontinent are mainly in the Persian language. Subcontinent poets have mostly composed their poetry in Persian. Mothers are very much interested that their children learn the language of the revolution. In addition to the commonalities between Urdu and Persian languages - Urdu being considered the daughter of Persian - they believe that reading books and poems in Persian is of special pleasure. Participation of ladies in Persian language classes has usually been more than men. Call for Articles and Papers Related to the Iranian Revolution and the Personality of Imam Khomeini (RA) and the Widespread Participation of Women At times cultural centers across the subcontinent invite people to write articles about Imam Khomeini’s personality and thoughts, and lovers of the revolution and the Imam participate in them. The collection of articles on the anniversary of the demise of Imam Khomeini or the collection of articles on the anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution, which have been published by the cultural centers proves this. Sisters’ Seminaries and Graduates from Iranian Seminaries Are the Beating Heart of the Islamic Revolution in Religious Families of the Subcontinent Girls in women’s seminaries in different cities of the subcontinent are trained by capable teachers who have graduated from Iran and received the message of the revolution. There are several schools in different cities of the subcontinent for the religious education of girls, who study the Islamic way of life for five years and return to their homes after completing their course. The points that have been pointed out are a part of the deep influence of the Islamic Revolution of Iran and it’s the thoughts of its founder on the women of the subcontinent. Generally speaking, the existence of strong factors of convergence between Iran and the people of the subcontinent, including religion culture, language, geography, etc., has been and is one of the influential and attractive elements of the influence of the Islamic Revolution on the inhabitants of this region.
The popular movement led by Imam Khomeini (RA) gave a new life to the lifeless and dying body of the “Muslim female community” and the Imam of the nation eradicated the immoral motives and values of age of ignorance of the monarchial regime from the Muslim female community. | ||||
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