Chapter 4

Features and Characteristics of the Islamic Revolution

The Islamic Revolution of Iran was an exceptional, unique phenomenon of
the twentieth century. The inherent features and its specific messages as well
as its sphere of influence turned the Islamic Revolution into a bright, firm
revolution that became the focus of attention of the world. Both the Islamic
world and other nations, including the peoples and the politicians, were
influenced by this revolution and became acquainted with new aspects of Islam
as a state religion. The Islamic Revolution of Iran was a development that was
carried out by the people and was based on their religious principles and
pillars. Hence, the Islamic Revolution had two major features that were
manifest in the name of the political system it founded, that is, "Islamic
Republic".

"I am going to discuss these two features, which have left major
impacts on the image of this revolution in the world as they did in the victory
and perpetuation of the revolution in our Islamic country. One of these two
features was that the foundation of this revolution was based on religious
values, ethic, and spirituality; and the other was that the revolution was
based on the people's will and determination who wanted to play their role in
the formation and administration of the revolution. In other words, in the
post-revolution era, people's role was not undermined and they remained in the
scene of the revolution as a significant element. These two features exist in
our revolution."^[32]

Before the victory of the Islamic Revolution, the politicians, scholars
and peoples of the world were acquainted with the name of Islam, but they had
knowledge of an Islam, whose features were grossly different from what happened
in the Islamic Revolution. The best explanation in this regard was given by
Imam Khomeini, the founder and leader of the Islamic Republic. He classified
Islam into two categories: one, what is known in the world as "American-style
Islam" and, second, what was introduced by the Islamic Revolution as "genuine
Mohammedan Islam".

The genuine Mohammedan Islam is the Islam of justice and equity; Islam
of dignity and Islam of protection of the downtrodden, barefooted and
disinherited; Islam of defense of the rights of the oppressed and wretched;
Islam of jihad (holy war) against the enemies and uncompromising with the
bullies and plotters. It is Islam of ethic, virtue and spirituality.
American-style Islam is something in the name of Islam which is in the service
of the arrogant powers and justifier of their acts; it is a pretext for the
isolation of a major chunk of the believers and evasion of attending to the
affairs of the Muslims and the fate of the Muslim nations; it is a tool for
separating a great chunk of the social-political decrees of Islam from the
corpus of religion and confining the religion to the mosques (of course, mosque
not as a base for running the affairs of the Muslims as it used to be in the
early years of the development of Islam but as a corner for renouncing from
the worldly life and separation of the this world from the hereafter).

The American-style Islam is the Islam of indifferent people, who do not think of
anything except their own animal-like welfare and consider God and religion as
a capital for trade and a means for accumulation of wealth or gaining power and
would shamelessly forget, or give a biased interpretation of, all the Quranic
verses and traditions that are against their interests or will. The
American-style Islam is the Islam of the kings and rulers who sacrifice the
interests of the their deprived, oppressed nations in the altar of their
deities, the United States and Europe, as a quid pro quo for their support of
their government and stigmatic power. It is the Islam of the capitalists who trample
upon all the values and virtues in order to preserve their own interests. Ye,
this is American-style Islam which invites the people to keep away from
politics, understanding, discussion and political action. But the genuine
Mohammedan Islam considers politics as an inextricable part of religion and
calls on all Muslims to political understanding and action. And this is what
the Muslim nations should always remember from their late Imam and the
impressive tongue of Islam."^[33]