by: Dr. Hamid Ansari, Deputy Head of the Institute for the Compilation and Publication of the Works of Imam Khomeini
One of Sayyid Ahmad’s specifications was that during Imam’s eleven years of leadership, after the revolution’s victory, he used to visit different cities of Iran anonymously, especially the poor cities. Because of being busy in Tehran and being sensitive about his works and also his love towards Imam, which he never wanted to depart from Imam, usually his visits were short, but they were all done anonymously. At times he disguised him self as a Basiji and went to the poor parts with his friends and after returning he reported to Imam about his visit. There are letters from him that contain reports about people’e issues and talks, as he had seen and heard him self, to Imam Khomeini.
Sayyid Ahmad lived quite simple. Where he attended, was a place that who ever entered it for the first time would feel the simpleness easily. He insisted on simplifying so that the person in front of him could speck easily.
At the work place there were some unpleasantness at times and he solved all the problems with his generosity and there are even some writings that he has generously written: “I apologize!” though it was our fault and we had caused the problems. This kind of behavior was only expected from Imam’s son.
He never ordered for any thing. Where he worked, he pore his tea himself. He did his own works and the environment in his office was quite friendly. Imam and Sayyid Ahmad weren’t just a father and son, but they were a master and a devotee. He knew Imam as the augment from God and always used to say that the explanation of my being is being besides Imam Khomeini. Actually all his gladness was working beside a man and trying for the goals of a man, a man who had revived the religion of God.
Even in his writings before the revolution, he signed his letters like this: “Your fully servant, Ahmad”, and these letters are available.
He always wanted to be anonymous.
He saw himself deeply in service of Imam. He didn’t see himself without the existence of Imam. He used to say: “Being the son of Imam, is the highest honor which will make me needless.”
Among Imam’s specifications was that there weren’t any secrets about his life, except about the oppositions and their political documents that revealing them would have harmed themselves, but because being confident was a principle for Sayyid Ahmad he never revealed anything.
He mostly emphasized on serving the poor. He always wanted to have a volunteer card from Imam Khomeini's Relief Foundation and the Foundation of Martyrs and Veterans Affairs. He used to say that if you are seeking prosperity in this life and the other, always serve the poor and he stressed on doing it directly so you could feel the sorrow of the poor.
During the last 2 or 3 years of his life, especially in 1995, he was some where else. When I was with him in private, I felt he’s ready to leave. What he used to say, the mystic poems he used to read and explain from Hafez, Saadi and Imam Khomeini, made me feel like this. An unknown feeling which I can’t describe and I could only say that I felt it clearly that he knows he’s leaving.
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