Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Echo | April
May 2010
2010 1 1
Index
Cover Story Middle East
14 | Palestinians ark
4 | Obama ‘Catastrophe’ Day
Administration
Response to the Gulf
Oil Spill Late 18 | Imam Khomeini’s
Political Thought From
jurisprudential point
of view
PAGE | | | 4 | | | | | | | | | | 12 | 14 | | | | | | | | |
Echo of Islam
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Design: Seyyed Amir Mohammad Moosavi 12 | MP: ‘Tehran Declaration’
Email address: s_am_moosavi@yahoo.com Indicates Iran’s Diplomatic
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26 | Egypt: Nuclear-free
Mideast Key to Settling Iran
Standoff
28 | Saudi Blasts US
Double-standards
Over Nuclear
Mideast
| | 24 | | | | | 30 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 50 | | | |
International
30 | Unrest in Kyrgyzsan
Obama
Administration
Response to
Gulf Oil Spill
Late
The oil that is still leaking from
the well can seriously damage the
economy and the environment of our
Gulf States, and it could extend for
a long time. It could jeopardize the
livelihoods of thousands of Americans
who call this place home. That is why
the federal government has launched
an all-hands-on-deck, relentless
response to this crisis from day one.
President Barack Obama May 2, 2010
O
n May 11, President
Obama tried to
sugarcoat his
administration’s inadequate
and tardy response to the
worst oil spill in our nation’s
history. His claim that the
administration has been
“all-hands-on-deck…from
day one” is laughable. The
Deepwater Horizon well
exploded on April 20, but
the President did not make
his first remarks on the
incident until nine days later
and finally visited the region
May 2, twelve days after the
incident. In fact, the Coast
Guard Commander for the
region initially had stated
that the incident would not
result in a major oil spill.
Prior to addressing the
Gulf disaster, the President
found time to blast Wall
Street and the Governor of
Arizona, advocate Earth
Day awareness, meet with
Rev. Billy Graham, pitch
racial politics in his weekly
radio address, prepare his
jokes for the White House
Correspondents’ Dinner,
make a racially divisive
video to activate his political
coalition for the 2010 election
and hold an impromptu
news conference on a range
of topics. In this news
conference, the President
discussed everything from
the Supreme Court to
immigration, but did not
mention the disaster in the
Gulf.
It was not until April
containment problem became barrels — a day, a figure that has BP-owned Atlantis, which is
a clean-up nightmare. since been questioned by some stationed in 7,070 feet of water
Obama’s response to the scientists who fear it could be more than 150 miles south of
oil explosion was so tardy that far more. BP executives have New Orleans.
he actually accomplished the stood by the estimate while The Associated Press
impossible. He made Bush’s acknowledging there’s no way learned that an independent
response to Hurricane Katrina to know for sure. firm hired by BP substantiated
seem downright timely. BP also owns a rig that the complaints in 2009 and
operated with incomplete found that the company was
Huge spill and inaccurate engineering violating its own policies
documents, which one by not having completed
threatening ecology official warned could “lead to engineering documents on
of Gulf catastrophic operator error,” board the Atlantis when it
records and interviews show. began operating in 2007.
Oil has been spewing since Two months before the Word of huge submerged oil
the rig Deepwater Horizon Deepwater Horizon accident, plumes, meanwhile, raised the
exploded April 20, killing 11 19 members of Congress specter of more damage to the
people and sinking two days called on the agency that ecologically rich Gulf. It also
later. The government shortly oversees offshore oil drilling adds to questions about when
afterward estimated the spill to investigate a whistle- large amounts of crude might
at 210,000 gallons — or 5,000 blower’s complaints about the hit shore.
MP: ‘Tehran
Declaration’ Indicates
Iran’s Diplomatic
Creativity
Iran’s agreement with Brazil and Turkey on swap
of nuclear fuel and the declaration issued in this
regard showed the strength and creativity of Tehran’s
diplomacy, a senior legislator said on May 22.
Palestinians Mark
‘Catastrophe’ Day
Protesters demand right of return of hundreds of
thousands of refugees driven from their homes.
By Adel Zaanoun
P
alestinians marked on and many joined a battle with the enemy.
May 14 the 62nd anni- demonstration in the Nuseirat Children were among the
versary of the Naqba, camp staged by the Islamic Gaza protesters and carried the
the “catastrophe” of Israel’s Jihad. keys to homes their relatives
creation, demanding the “We will never give up the had lost after the creation of
right of return of hundreds of right of return” of refugees Israel. An estimated 700,000
thousands driven from their to their towns and villages, a Arabs were expelled from
homes. Hamas leader, Muin Mderes, their homes.
Protests were staged in the told the crowd in Jabaliya. In a message to mark the
Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip and Israeli governments have anniversary, Erakat insisted
in Lebanon, home to around refused to allow Palestinian that the refugees, who together
400,000 Palestinian refugees, refugees to return to homes with their descendants now
as chief Palestinian negotiator they fled in 1948 over fears a number 4.7 million, have the
Saeb Erakat blasted Israel for massive return would threaten right to return.
its “disregard of international the state of Israel and its 5.7 “In other conflicts, refugee
law.” million Jewish population. rights have been honored
Some 3,000 people Top Islamic Jihad leader and respected, including the
demonstrated in Gaza’s Mohammed al-Hindi urged right of return, restitution
Jabaliya refugee camp in all Palestinians, Arabs and and compensation. In stark
a protest organized by the Muslims to back the resistance contrast, however, Israel
Islamist Hamas movement, and be ready for the next refuses to even recognize the
but complain they are treated as second class infrastructure and government and municipal
citizens. services,” the report said.
“The Israeli Palestinians have nothing to do The office of Nir Barkat, the Israeli mayor
with (the two-state plan),” said Benvenisti. of Bait-ul-Muqaddas (Jerusalem), said it had
Moreover, Hamas, now controlling the no immediate comment on the report.
West Bank, is opposed to the talks because of Israel has expropriated more than one-
the Israeli betrayal of the Palestinian cause in third of occupied East Bait-ul-Muqaddas
the past. (Jerusalem) land which was privately owned
At the same time a study finds Israeli by Palestinians, on which it has built more
neglect, discrimination against Palestinians in than 50,000 units for illegal Jewish settlers.
occupied East Bait-ul-Muqaddas (Jerusalem). Virtually no permits for Palestinian housing
Most Palestinians in occupied East Bait-ul- construction have been issued for decades,
Muqaddas (Jerusalem), including three out of there is a shortage of about 1,000 classrooms
four children, live below the poverty line, an and rubbish collection is sporadic at best, as
Israeli rights group said on Many 10, accusing are postal services, the report said.
Israel of neglect and discrimination. The annual budget allocation per elementary
“A unified Bait-ul-Muqaddas (Jerusalem) school child in occupied East Bait-ul-Muqaddas
does not exist,” the Association for Civil Rights (Jerusalem) was 577 shekels (152 dollars)
in Israel (ACRI) said in a report released as compared with 2,372 shekels (627 dollars) in
the Jewish state begins celebrations to mark west Bait-ul-Muqaddas (Jerusalem).
the 43rd anniversary of its 1967 occupation About 160,000 Palestinian residents have
of Palestinian East Bait-ul-Muqaddas no suitable and legal connection to the water
(Jerusalem). network and 50 kilometres (30 miles) of main
“The truth is, two cities exist side by side,” sewage lines are lacking, the report said.
the report said, challenging Israel’s claim that At the end of 2009 approximately 303,429
it unified the Holy City after occupying the Palestinians lived in East Jerusalem, which
Palestinian territory in a move slammed by the has been under illegal Israeli occupation since
international community. 1967.
Seventy-five percent of Palestinian children
in occupied East Bait-ul-Muqaddas (Jerusalem)
live in poverty compared with 45 percent of
the city’s Jewish children, the report said.
“Over 95,000 children in East Bait-ul-
Muqaddas (Jerusalem) live in a perpetual state
of poverty,” ACRI said.
Despite the rampant poverty, only 10
percent of occupied East Bait-ul-Muqaddas
(Jerusalem)’s 300,000 Palestinians have
access to social services, it added.
The neglect extends to just about every
sector of life in the Palestinian sector, and
ACRI blamed this on the authorities.
“Israel’s policy for the past four decades
has taken concrete form as discrimination
in planning and construction, expropriation
of land, and minimal investment in physical
World’s
Largest
Head-dress
Marks
Palestinian
‘Catastrophe’
Giant keffiyeh
highlights UN
Resolution 194 on right
of Palestinians to return
to their homes.
L
ebanese and Palestinian activists on
May 16 marked the “catastrophe” of
Israel’s creation on their land by set-
ting a record for the world’s largest keffiyeh,
or Arab head-dress.
The 6,552-metre (21,496-foot) chain of
scarves was laid out on the grounds of the
Sport City Stadium in Beirut to mark what
Arabs call the Naqba, the “catastrophe” of
Israel’s creation in historic Palestine in 1948.
The feat, overseen by a Guinness World
Records official, breaks a previous entry of a
2,932-metre (9,619-foot) scarf set in Spain in
August 2009.
We want to affirm
that Resolution
194... calling
for the return of
Palestinians to
their land must be
implemented.
More than 100 volunteers “On the anniversary of and Fatah, the two principal
placed the giant scarf to form the Naqba we want to affirm Palestinian political parties.
the number 194, signifying that Resolution 194... calling In the West Bank, sirens
the 1948 United Nations for the return of Palestinians wailed through the Israeli-
Resolution that grants to their land must be occupied territory as residents
Palestinians the right to implemented,” he said. marked a minute’s silence.
return to their homes. A sign next to the giant More than 760,000
“A group of independent keffiyeh, which was made Palestinians -- estimated
Palestinian and foreign with more than 6,500 scarves today to number 4.7 million
activists got together to stitched together, read: “194. with their descendants --
reach that record,” said We will return.” were pushed into exile or
Jamal Kurdi, a member of Some 4,000 people driven out of their homes
the Campaign 194 group marched in Gaza City to in the conflict that followed
that organized the record- mark the Naqba, in response Israel’s creation 62 years
breaking event. to a joint appeal by Hamas ago.
Unrest in Thailand
W
ho and what is causing the Thailand
confrontation?
The following questions are
normally asked about the cause of confrontation
in Thailand. Answer to these questions sheds
light on the nature of the unrest in the Southeast
Asian country.
What are the origins of this confrontation?
Put simply, Thailand’s rural poor are
protesting for the right to have a greater say
in the government of their country. The
move is being resisted by the Bangkok elite
– the wealthiest families, the military, the
bureaucrats – who have controlled Thailand’s
affairs for generations.
Although the issue is complicated by the
influence of people such as the former prime grew out of a loyalty to Thaksin, it has become
minister Thaksin Shinawatra, at the heart of broader than him, with its leaders claiming
the conflict lies a struggle for, or a defense of, their campaign is about bringing a more
a greater say in the running of the country. representative democracy to Thailand.
Who are the redshirts? While Thaksin’s face is still on much of their
The redshirts are drawn largely from monochromatic merchandise and his billions
Thailand’s rural poor, mainly from the north are still bankrolling many protests, he does
and north-east of the country. They are the not appear by videolink very often anymore
electoral majority. Many are still supporters of – nor is he mentioned by the leaders in their
the fugitive Thaksin. Although their movement speeches very much. The movement has now
Leading
Intellectual:
French Anti-burka
Law ‘Won’t Work’
Tariq Ramadan says
‘restricting freedom’ not the
right way to make women stop
wearing niqab
F
rance’s proposal to ban the burka
is not the right way to get Muslim
women to stop wearing the full
veil, one of Europe’s leading Muslim
scholars Tariq Ramadan said in Wash- welcome in France.
ington on April 28. France’s National
“The French... are responding to the Assembly will begin debate
burka, the niqab by restricting freedom in early July on a bill banning
and I think that’s not going to work,” Muslim women from
Ramadan said during one of his first wearing the full veil, Prime
visits to the United States since a travel Minister Francois Fillon told
ban imposed on him by the administration of President George lawmakers in France on April
W. Bush was lifted. 26.
“We have to be very cautious not to translate every sensitive A final draft of the
issue into a legal issue,” said the professor of Islamic studies at legislation outlawing the
Oxford University. face-covering veil from all
“Don’t go that direction, speak more about education, public spaces as well as
psychology, changing mentality. It takes time but... for me, we state institutions was to be
can do the job as Muslims by saying the burka and niqab are not approved by the cabinet on
Islamic prescriptions,” he said. May 19, said aides to Fillon.
President Nicolas Sarkozy has declared the burka not Ramadan also had a
Egypt:
Nuclear-free
Mideast Key to
Settling Iran
Standoff
J
ust few days before the nuclear prompt implementation of the
Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) resolution, including the accession by
review conference in New York, Israel to the treaty as soon as possible”
Egypt said establishing a Middle as a non-nuclear weapon entity.
East nuclear-free zone was the key Israel should also place all its
to resolving the nuclear standoff with nuclear facilities under the full scope
Iran. of International Atomic Energy
“Success in dealing with Iran Agency safeguards, it adds.
will depend to a large extent on He expressed hope that Israel,
how successfully we deal with the widely believed to have an arsenal
establishment of a nuclear-free zone” of several hundred nuclear bombs,
in the Middle East, Egypt’s UN would take part in the NPT review
Ambassador Maged Abdel Aziz told conference which ran from May 3 to
a luncheon briefing with reporters in 28.
New York. Abdel Aziz said setting up a Middle
“We refuse the existence of any East nuclear-free zone would be a
nuclear weapons in (the Middle East) “good step”.
whether it is in Iran or whether it is in Israel is not party to the NPT in order
Israel,” he added. to avoid international inspections.
Egypt presented a working paper The US, meanwhile, has politicized
at the NPT review conference, Iran’s nuclear case baselessly accusing
which opened on May 3, urging Iran of using its uranium enrichment
implementation of a 1995 resolution program as a cover to acquire nuclear
calling for establishment of a nuclear- weapons. Tehran insists its nuclear
free Middle East. program is entirely peaceful and
The paper called on NPT members geared toward electricity generation.
to “renew their resolve to undertake, Iran is a signatory to the NPT and all its
individually and collectively, all installations are under the inspection
necessary measures aimed at the of the International Atomic Energy.
F
ormer Saudi intel- play on one level while you support for the idea.
ligence chief Prince allow Israel, India, Pakistan, “Alas... Clinton then
Turki al-Faisal faulted and North Korea to play on voided the issue of its value by
on May 16 the US and Eu- other levels.” stating that the conditions do
ropean approach in trying to Turki said a successful not yet exist for establishing
halt Iran’s alleged efforts to strategy toward Iran requires the zone,” he said.
build a nuclear weapon. even-handedness, a “universal “Why, then, did she join
“The discussions on Iran’s nuclear security umbrella” the other members of the P5
nuclear ambitions started off for the countries in the area, in issuing their statement?”
Saudi Blasts US
Double-standards
Over Nuclear Mideast
on the wrong foot. The carrot and “a good military option” Turki said he hoped US
and stick approach does not against any regional country President Barack Obama
work,” he said. which does not cooperate. “will find the way to correct
For one, he said, the US He said US Secretary of his secretary of state’s
and Europe have had double- State Hillary Clinton had nullification of making our
standards in dealing with undermined efforts to move area free of weapons of mass
Iran on the one hand, and toward a regional nuclear-free destruction.”
other nuclear countries on the zone, after the UN Security The ex-ambassador to the
other. Council’s five permanent United States also challenged
“You cannot ask Iran to members recently expressed Washington to produce
Unrest in
Kyrgyzstan
K
yrgyzstan unrest leased Manas Air Base, a Bishkek.
casts light on U.S. major logistical hub for the The U.S. opened Manas in
policy in the region war in Afghanistan. 2001, choosing Kyrgyzstan
Political unrest resurfaced It is the second time in five for its strategic location near
this week in this Central years that political instability Afghanistan as well as its
Asian country, raising fresh has put the strategic U.S. seemingly stable leadership.
questions about U.S. foreign military base at risk. While Since then, however, two
policy in the region. some analysts say that the successive governments have
On Thursday and Friday, presence of U.S. forces in the been knocked from power in
opponents of the interim rulers region is key to maintaining violent revolutions.
stormed regional government some semblance of security, In 2005, protesters angered
headquarters in the southern others argue that the U.S. by alleged vote-rigging in
part of the country. A month focus on the base has blinded parliamentary elections
ago, violent protests toppled it to serious human rights stormed the presidential
Kyrgyzstan’s government, abuses in the region. compound and ousted Askar
leaving 84 protesters dead. “U.S. policy here is the Akayev, a former Communist
If the protests this week base,” said Paul Quinn-Judge, who took power after the
spread to Bishkek, the fallout the Central Asia Project fall of the Soviet Union.
could again raise questions director for the International His successor, Kurmanbek
about the future of the U.S.- Crisis Group, who lives in Bakiyev, threatened to shut
down Manas before later a year in rent to Kyrgyzstan. 9/11 and foster democracy
relenting, and was ousted in The current one-year lease — and it just didn’t happen,”
a nearly identical revolution signed after Kyrgyz officials said Ahmed Rashid, a Central
last month. won a substantial increase Asia expert who has written
Also in 2005, security from $17 million a year — extensively about the region.
forces in Uzbekistan, a expires in July. Some say “These countries in Central
regional U.S. ally, opened the jobs and money the base Asia had an enormous
fire on protesters, killing brings to the country are too amount of goodwill toward
thousands of civilians, important to give up, but the Americans, which has
by some estimates.Islam others are angry about U.S. largely been wasted in this
Karimov evicted the U.S. support for Bakiyev and obsession with using Central
from a key base that was the millions of dollars he is Asia purely in the fight for
being used for the war in thought to have siphoned for Afghanistan.”
Afghanistan. himself and family members As the West focuses on
Many on the streets from U.S. contracts. Afghanistan, al-Qaida has
of Bishkek say they see “It’s very sad because grown in Central Asia,
American policy in the region the Central Asian people especially in the volatile
as driven by military interests are very welcoming to the Fergana Valley, a region that
at the expense of democracy. Americans and expected the spans parts of Kyrgyzstan,
The U.S. pays $60 million Americans to come in after Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
A
Lib-Con deal was Conservative coalition been too fragile to tackle
the only responsible that defies the rules of old the political and economic
choice. And our politics. challenges ahead.
shared aim is to build a fairer I know the birth of this So, given that the people
society by a radical dispersal coalition has caused much told us, explicitly, that they
of power. surprise, and, with it, some didn’t want just one party
The third runway at offence. There are those on in charge, we had a duty to
Heathrow has been cancelled. both the left and right who find a way for more than one
ID cards have been scrapped. are united in thinking this party to govern effectively.
There will be no more child should not have happened. And we have.
detention. And reform is now But the truth is this: there That’s the pragmatic
under way to make taxes was no other responsible analysis. But what I think
fair for millions of ordinary way to play the hand dealt has surprised all of us in the
people. to the political parties by government this week is the
These are some of the the British people at the strength of the agreement on
early achievements of a election. The parliamentary principle, too. No government
government that had its first arithmetic made a Lib-Lab – whether it’s a coalition
cabinet meeting just two coalition unworkable, and it of parties, or a coalition
days ago. A new government would have been regarded of rivalries as in the Blair-
but, more important, a new as illegitimate by the British Brown governments – is able
kind of government: plural, people. Equally, a minority to survive without a core set
diverse; a Liberal Democrat- administration would have of common assumptions and
Shanghai Expo
2010 Opens
36 Echo | May 2010
International
T
diplomat in Beijing, Contemporary and Future
he Iranian pavilion Nazeri, Iranian consul in sections, as well as the
in Expo 2010 was Shanghai, Akbarpur Higher business part decorated
opened for visitors Iranian Representative with valuable Iranian
on Saturday May 1 st . The in Shanghai Expo rugs. All sections enjoy
Public Relations and participated along with facilities for visitors.
Information Office of many other visitors. Reportedly more than
the Culture and Islamic The gathered crowd 4 thousand people have
Relations Organization during the first hours was visited Iranian pavilion
reported that Iranian so great that astonished during the first day.
will visit it every day. media reported 550 thousand declared for Expo visitors
But the number on the people for the first three which were exaggerated,
opening day was declared days. the numbers for Iranian
to be 300 thousand which is So during normal days pavilion (5000 daily) are
not reliable like many other fewer visitors are expected underestimated.
statistics. to show up and with an Based on accurate
The number on the second optimistic estimation 200 numbering on the main gate
day was declared 240 thousand thousand people will visit of Iranian pavilion, about
people which was expected daily which add up to 36 250 to 300 visitors entered
to be more considering the million during the whole six the gate every 10 minutes.
weekend and May 1st official months. This crowd continued from
holiday. Although some Contrary to numbers 9am to 5pm and during
these 8 hours, about 24500
to 26000 visitors has entered
the Iranian pavilion which
means between 735 to 780
thousand people will visit
Iranian pavilion monthly
adding up to 4100000 to
4700000 visitors for the
Iranian pavilion in Shanghai
Expo 2010 during the whole
period of six months.
Visitors Crowded in
Iranian Pavilion
Figures show that more
than 7 thousand people visit
the Iranian pavilion in China
Expo 2010 every day. They
are from different countries;
among them also there are
Iranians who have traveled to
visit our pavilion.
Various Sections of
Iran Pavilion
Iranian National the capabilities of Iranian as well as illness treating
Laser Science and young scientists as well as tools like laser cutting tool
the nation’s scientific and for kidney-stones. This
Technology Center technological potentials. Center has the potential to
T
Narrow Disc Laser compete with similar centers
he Iranian National Machine which has a in modern countries through
Laser Science and powerful emission and is only its skilled and expert human
Technology Center has produced in a limited number resource.
initiated extensive programs of countries.
aimed at better utilization of This machine was finalized
laser technology. Using Kaixin001.com
from research phase only
The main goals include during three years.
to Advertise Iranian
providing for Iranian The other machine is the Pavilion
essential needs (Industry and Fiber Laser which is also one
Physics), introducing the of the most moderns tools in The Iranian pavilion has
laser technology and utilities the world. prepared for its introduction
to Iranian industries. This However the achievements in this social network site
Center has participated in of the National Laser Science which works like Twitter
China Expo 2010 with two and Technology Centre is not and has more than 4 million
of its newest research and limited to these two machines visitors every day.
technology achievements and the center has developed The Japanese have also
which could compete with many tools to provide for used this site to promote their
their foreign counterparts. the needs of Iranian industry pavilion.
These achievements including the metal cutting Foreign Visitors Pleased
are presented to introduce and disease welding tools, with Expo
Low Carbon
Criteria Met in
Shanghai Expo
Low carbon standards
were considered during
preparation and opening
of Shanghai Expo, John
Chuan, head of Environment
Preservation Organization in
Shanghai said on Wednesday
May 5th.
During a news conference
he said since the early life”. and 9 million and 150 thousand
preparations of this Expo and group tickets. Considering gift
finding the location for it, More than 33 Million
tickets for urban families of
272 polluting factories were Expo Tickets Sold Shanghai, the total visitors
closed and during pavilion have reached 40 million.
buildings, new technologies The Tickets Center of the
Though the Expo will last
like solar energy were used Shanghai Expo 2010 reported
for 184 days, the authorities
and economical use of water that until Wednesday May 5th
suggest that those who have
and energy has always been a total of 33 million and 110
tickets should consider visiting
in mind. thousand tickets have been
the fair in a proper time since
The motto for the Expo sold including 23 million
most of these vast ticket holders
2010 is “better city, better and960 thousand individual
decide to visit at last days, the
focused his programs, for China, Saudi Arabia, Chinese and non-Chinese
through the Ministries of Australia, and Austria. visitors. Their activities
Foreign Affairs and Culture include:
and Islamic Relations, on Opening of Trade A 4-minute film about
more extended international Development Section trade, economy, technology,
interactions and activities, he engineering and tourism
added. There were reports that capabilities of Iran.
About the economic after arrival of representative Presenting trade
and trade effects of this of the Iranian Trade information including
international fair, he said: the Development Organization information on better
common Iran-China Chamber as well as the Iranian Trade export companies, export
is seriously active in this fair Attaché to the Shanghai Expo communities, investment in
where trade relations with 2010, a section of Iranian Iran, and trade informative
other countries are considered pavilion was prepared and centers of Iran through CDs
too. We have a 400 square opened as the Section of Trade and PC presentations, as
meters space for trade section Development Organization. well as introducing the Site
which is the Iran-Chian The Iranian Trade of Iranian Trade Attaché to
Chamber. Development Organization Beijing in Chinese language.
We received the Best Prize is the greatest authority for Presenting Iranian Trade
during the designing and development of country’s information in Chinese
preparation of pavilions, he non-oil exports and now seeks language through a brochure
said. to utilize its section inside the including introduction
He added, now the best Iranian pavilion to promote of Trade Development
decorated pavilions are trade possibilities among Organization, introducing
the organization’s portal,
presenting technological
and engineering capabilities,
introduction of better export
companies of 2009 along with
a CD of these information.
Presenting books and CDs
on trade and foreign business
potentials in Iran.
Opening of Iran
Section in Expo
Online Site
Based on a preplanned
program, the Iranian pavilion
was emptied for some minutes
so the Expo photographers
could took necessary photos
to open the Iran section in the
Expo’s site which will include
a 360o view of the pavilion.
Imam Khomeini’s
Political Thought
From jurisprudential
point of view
By: Mehdi Goljan (PhD)
I
mam Khomeini belongs ijtihad mutlaq (individual connected to Shaikh Mortada
to the usuli approach. inference). Rationalism has Ansari through his teachers
The Shia thought from been a dominant trend in and belongs to this school of
the very beginning, under Shia school of jurisprudence jurisprudence. With regard to
the influence of the teachings except for two short period: political thought, Shiism has
of infallible Imams, tended one, in the early centuries connected religion to politics
towards rationalism and when the Qum Ikhabari through the doctrine of
theologians like Shaikh School was known by Shaikh Imamat. With the beginning
Mofid and his disciples Sadduq (died 383 hegira) and of the era of occultation of
continued this approach. the second time, during the the Twelfth Imam different
Rationalism in Shia thought Safavid era when thinkers discourses emerged on
became profounder with such as Mohammad Amin political life during the time
the contribution of Farabi, Astarabadi (1036 hegira) tried of occultation. The Shias
Avicenna and Khawja this trend. Overall, the anti- were politically isolated until
Nasiruddin Tusi through rationalist Ikhbari approach the time of the Safavid when
their practical philosophy. has not had a significant a Shia state was established.
In the early decades of the place in Shia thought. During the period of political
major occultation of the Vahid Behbahani rejected isolation, the jurisprudential
Twelfth Imam, the rationalist their claims and revived the approaches mainly focused
discussions of Shaikh Mofid rationalist tendencies in Shia on the ways to confront the
(355-436) led to the formation jurisprudential school which oppressive rulers and hence
of the Baghdad School and culminated in the efforts of the works on responsibility
his disciple, Shaikh Tusi the renowned jurisprudent of the ruler, management and
(385-460), according to Shaikh Mortada Ansari. leadership of the society by
Abulqasem Gorji, founded Imam Khomeini is the jurisprudents were scanty.
The reason was the absence of period, two major trends as representatives of the
practical conditions to discuss surfaced: the proponents of Imam of Time during the
the domain of authority the first one maintained that time of occultation and
of the jurisprudents and there should be a separation hence the legitimacy of the
establishment of a political between the political (sultani) government during the time
system. Although discussions affairs and the canonical or of occultation was subject to
about the Wilayat-e Faqi religious affairs (separation their guardianship or at least
and representation of the of state and church); the their permission. This trend
Infallible Imam can be traced advocates of the second has been discussed by Kashif
back to the early centuries trend maintained that all ul Ghita (1106-1228) in his
of the occultation, during qualified jurisprudents are book Kashif ul Ghita and
this period the Shia scholars the appointed representatives Shaikh Mohammadi Najafi
focused mainly on the of the Occulted Imam. Some known as the author of Jawahir
modality of interaction with of the jurisprudents such in his book Jawahir al-Kalam.
the oppressive rulers. as Naraqi maintained that In the School of Shaikh
With the establishment the key concept in both the Ansari (1214-1281 hegira),
of the Safavid Shia state trends was the concept of there is strong tendency
grounds were prepared for Wilaya. The advocates of in negating the political
the discussion of political the second trend, relying on wilaya (guardianship) of the
conditions during the jurisprudential arguments jurisprudent, for the Shia
occultation. During this considered the jurisprudents rulers during the time of
occultation are labeled as The advocates of this school Imam Khomeini was the
usurping rulers. After the led by the religious leaders outcome of a synthesis of
death of Ansari, the Schools of such as Allama Naini Najaf and Samara schools
Najaf and Samara continued and Akhund Khorasani of thought. Hence he may be
his political thought. supported the Constitutional termed as the founder of the
Mirza Shirazi was the Revolution and tried to adjust Qum School.
founder of the School of Constitutional monarchy Imam Khomeini too, while
Samara. He believed in with the jurisprudential believing in the originality
jurisprudential monarchy, that principles. This political and centrality of Sharia and
is, commitment of the king to theory of this school is called the rule of jurisprudents in
the jurisprudential teachings the Constitutional monarchy. the political arena during the
of Islam. The advocates of This school tries to find time of occultation, tried to
this school led by Shaikh religious, jurisprudential incorporate modern political
Fazlullah Nouri called for interpretations for the theories in his political
jurisprudential monarchy doctrines of the modern thought. The School of Najaf
during the constitutional world such as legislation, while very innovative in
revolution in Iran. constitutional monarchy, adopting modern concepts,
The School of Najaf majority rule and containment believed in the usurpative
followed a different trend. of political power. nature of the rule by other than
the infallible Imam during the
time of occultation. But in
Imam Khomeini’s viewpoint,
Islamic government during
the time of occultation of
the Infallible Imam is the
continuation of the wilaya of
the Infallible
Imam and
hence is quite
legitimate. Overall , Imam
Khomeini owes his method
to the tradition of ijtihad in
Shiism which has provided
for creativity and coinage of
new concepts and elements.
Status of Imam
Khomeini’s discourse
in contemporary
Islamic discourse
The discourse of Imam
Khomeini can be categorized
in the rational-usuli School
of Jurisprudence whose
called political Islam in Iran. the form of leaders who have Khomeini’s discourse
Hence proper understanding helped the consolidation of was its effectiveness
of the contemporary Iranian new discourse to dominate and its influence on the
history is not possible over the existing discourse transformation of Islamic
without paying due attention provided that the two political thought as well as
to Imam Khomeini’s conditions of actability and establishment of a genre of
discourse, for the present validity are in place. Drawing political Islam in Iran, which
era and the Islamic Republic on this argument one can is based on Shia teachings.
system are the heritages of explain Imam Khomeini’s Imam’s discourse brought
Imam Khomeini. As, Ernesto role in the form a political about significant changes in
Laclau and Chantal Mouffe subject who through his the Islamic political thought,
have explained, contrary to leadership prepare the for it is based on the notion of
determining nature of the grounds for the domination guardianship of jurisprudent
structure of discourses, some of the Islamist discourse and (Wilayat-e Faqih). Although
opportunities are provided its victory over the Pahlavi the notion of Wilayat-e
for the emergence of social discourse in Iran. Hence, Faqih had existed in the
actors independent of the Imam Khomeini played an Shia teachings, it had not
discourses. Regarding the important role in the realm yet been incorporated into
role of political subjectivity, of dominant discourses in the political-social life of the
Laclau and Mouffe state that Iran. Islamic society before Imam
political subjects appear in Another aspect of Imam Khomeini. In other words, the
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