Abdalsattar

''Imam Khomeini Was the Inspiration for Nelson Mandela''

An interview with Abdalsattar from South Africa, who runs a spiritual ministry in South Africa in the field of social work and is a specialist in teaching about Ahlul Bayt.

ID: 31674 | Date: 2012/08/14

Abdalsattar evaluated the Islamic awakening and presence of Imam in Islamic revolution: "My prospect goes to a country like South Africa you must be aware of Nelson Mandela and you know that country was in a republic regime and it was nelson Mandela who saved that country and in many of his speeches he came to Imam Khomeini and now South Africa is a democratic country. In the speech of Nelson Mandela himself it was the Islamic revolution in Iran that inspired awakening in Africa as well it was not Islamic awakening but it was an awakening and the use of examples of Imam Khomeini that is what Imam Khomeini’s revolution did for south Africa."

He then told us how and when he got familiar with Imam’s view and Imam’s attitude: "Let me start from the beginning when I found the Islamic revolution I didn’t understand very much but as time went on; you know in South Africa we have very Wahhabis and all we knew of Islam was Saudi Arabia and the king and the monarchy and it was what we knew of Islam and when the Islamic revolution took place we see different perspective of Islam and then you know the revolution showed us that Islam is a democratic religion and that is what we learned from Imam Khomeini and to this point he is my hero because I come from home of Sunnites and for the last seven years I’ve accepted Ahlul Bayt just by the teachings of Imam Khomeini and thanks God my wife, my mom and my dad all accepted Ahlul Bayt by teachings of Imam Khomeini."

Abdalsattar compared Imam Khomeini’s point of view and Nelson Mandela’s attitude as two famous leaders and said: "Imam Khomeini was a spiritual leader and Nelson Mandela was a political activist but his inspiration that he derived from Imam Khomeini for his country and for his people is something that is similar in Imam Khomeini and Nelson Mandela is that they both thought for their country and their people but Imam Khomeini in the other hand is a spiritually leader that you cannot compare Nelson Mandela to Imam Khomeini on spiritual level but on a political level yes, Nelson Mandela by his own admission that he was inspired by Imam Khomeini and the  Islamic revolution of Iran."

He continued: "It is that Mandela used quotation of Imam Khomeini he was inspired by Islamic revolution of Iran and the way Imam Khomeini carried out his revolution so actually Imam Khomeini was the inspiration for Nelson Mandela to do the same for his country and to his people."

This social activist mentioned the Islamic awakening and said: "Where I come from, I am living in a country that is a suppressing country and as far as the Islamic awakening is considered, it doesn’t actually happen in South Africa but generally watching what’s happening in Syria and other countries the intervention of west in countries like Syria. And I think it is procedure."


He added: "I think they should stay on their belief and as this is happening in Arab world there will be some good outcomes as far as Islamic awakening is concerned."

Abdalsattar mentioning that the simplicity of Imam and his way of handling the politics should be introduced to the peoples of South Africa said: "I think the people of South Africa have to get books in regards to the ethics and politics of Imam Khomeini."

He then talked about the effect of media: "As far as western media is concerned if you watch them I mean they always say things against Iran and Iran’s position about nuclear power. They say that Iran is a terrorist country and wants to ruin the world by nuclear power. You know they said bad things and they are going to misuse the world. This entire negative thing that they say is Western propaganda. It doesn’t have great impact in South Africa because our country the president and government which is the “African National Congress” in that time the party was called a terrorist organization so the government of the country so people in south Africa do not look down upon Iran simply because we faced the same situation."

Abdalsattar mentioned the role of women in the Islamic awakening and said: "Women also have an important role to play in Islam and they need to attend as well because people of the West believe that women in Islam are oppressed and by woman having active role in this awakening it actually goes to show that the women are not oppressed as the West think I mean due to their Hijab. They always say that women in Islam are oppressed."

He pointed to Imam Khomeini's point of view about supporting the oppressed and added: "Imam Khomeini wanted unity for everybody and that the oppressed should always be protected and the philosophy of Imam Khomeini is that we should support everyone and there is not much in the world who believes such and this statement makes the Imam a man that remains for eternity. And people remember him and his teachings."

"Those who cause the differences among Shia and Sunnite they are the tools of the West." said Abdalsattar mentioning Imam's point of view about Shia and Sunnite unity.

At the end Abdalsattar recommended to the Institute for Compilation and Publication of Imam Khomeini's Works: "International distribution of the works of Imam Khomeini is good to start with, so if you have international distribution of his works so the people will benefit on this announcement the works of Imam should not be just for Iran but for the world. People should have information on Imam Khomeini as well as on his books."