Khomeini conceives of the journey towards Allah SWT as a wayfaring; indeed, he describes the first step of this wayfaring as “yaqzah” (awakening), one in which the human being is still asleep. “Your eyes may be open, but your hearts are asleep.” 1 This journey towards God must result in an awakening of the heart as well. Khomeini references a “true Muslim” and also the “human being” in the two revolutionary works under discussion. There is to be found in these two works the concept of the true Muslim as the “human being”, with an explanation of the attributes of this person. This is the person that Khomeini has in mind as propagating Islam, as rejecting the imperialist ideologies of the West and East, and as contributing to the formation of an Islamic government.
“If you take steps for the sake of God, God the Almighty is the turner of the hearts. He will turn hearts in favor of you.” 1
“Surely for those who believe and do good deeds, the Merciful (ar-Rahman) will bring about love.” (Qur’an 19:96)
Awakening the heart is to be done through purification. Purification can only take place when the human being purifies his or her intentions, when the deeds are good deeds, and when love of everything other than God is expelled from the hearts. Love of self, love of position, material chattels must all be abandoned. When this is achieved, a high station is prepared for the believer. An aid in this process is to nurture the belief in the hellfire and the terrible sufferings a person is subjected to there, if that person is deemed to have to pass through the hellfire. “At least believe in hell. If a man believes in the perilous events which take place after death, he will change his way of life.” 1
Khomeini regards this process of purification as essential for the true Muslim. It is only when purification, the major jihad, has been achieved, that the believer is ready for the “minor jihad”: “Take a step for the sake of God. Dispel the love of the world from your heart. Then you will be able to engage in combat.” 1 The minor jihad is one vital element in the journey towards Allah SWT, and a necessary part of being a true Muslim, a “human being”. A devoted turning towards God necessitates a striving for Islam, a combat to promulgate it, and to safeguard its future. “It is our duty to preserve Islam. This duty is one of the most important obligations incumbent upon us…It is for the sake of fulfilling this duty that blood must sometimes be shed.” 2 “Make Islam known to the people, then, and in so doing, create something akin to ‘Ashura.” 2
A consequence of believers having been truly purified is that this Islamic society is one in which conflict no longer exists. The impure intentions, words and deeds which bring about calamities and strife, are gone. “The people of God, who have expelled the love of this world from their hearts, have no aim but God, never fight with one another, and never cause such calamities and corruption.” 1 Khomeini specifically spells out that only a Muslim from whose “hands, tongue and eyes” other Muslims are safe, be called a “true Muslim.” 1
Khomeini has already established that the true Muslim is the person who has been purified of all worldly attachments, and who strives to spread and protect Islam. Islam is the religion of people who fight imperialism with all their energy, as all forms of imperialism and hegemony are inimical to Islam, the faith which seeks to bring justice to all of mankind. “It is the religion of those who desire freedom and independence. It is the school of those who struggle against imperialism.” 2
When Khomeini writes that “they (meaning the Imperialists) do not want us to be true human beings” 2, he equates the true Muslims with true human beings. In fact, he states that the imperialists are afraid of true human beings, because they are well aware that even one true human being will have others that follow him, “and he will have an impact that can destroy the whole foundation.” 1
A very clear summons to mankind by Khomeini is “Become a human being! The colonialists are afraid of human beings. They are afraid of man.” 1
So, become a human being, become a true Muslim!
1. https://www.al-islam.org/jihad-al-akbar-the-greatest-jihad-combat-with-the-self-imam-khomeini
2. https://www.al-islam.org/islamic-government-governance-of-jurist-imam-khomeini