Our website has conducted an interview with a Pakistani intellectual, who is a physician and surgeon by profession. What comes following is a rough transcript of the interview.
Question: Would you like to first introduce yourself to our readers and audience?
Interviewee: My name is Ataurrahman. I am a doctor and surgeon by profession, and works as an advisor in several universities and also appear on Pakistani TV shows.
Question: How did you become familiar with Imam Khomeini?
Dr. Ataurrahman: I came to Iran for the first in 1983 to attend the anniversary celebrations of the Islamic Revolution. Imam Khomeini established a genuine, divine and pure Islamic administration in contemporary history. Several centuries after the early days of Islam, it was for the first time that an administration reflecting the Islamic values was established. It was unprecedented and there has been no match of it over the past centuries.
Another distinguished point was that Imam Khomeini also did not assign none of high-ranking posts to his family members.
The current Islamic Revolution leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has also been of great caliber and qualities.
Question: What is your opinion about Imam’s personality?
Dr. Ataurrahman: Late Abul Ala Maududi and Mohammad Tofail, two senior Pakistani clerics had once told me that Imam Khomeini, several decades ago, during a pilgrimage to the holy site of Mina near holy city of Mecca had voiced concerns about the worsening conditions and circumstances surrounding the entire Muslim Ummah. Abul Ala Maududi was deeply impressed by Imam Khomeini personality during the Hajj occasion.
At that time, several of Imam Khomeini's works were also being published in the Pakistan media. The Shah regime had voiced its uneasiness that Imam’s views and interviews were being published and becoming popular in Pakistan at the time.
Question: Which one of Imam Khomeini’s attributes and qualities attracted you the most?
Dr. Ataurrahman: Imam was manifestation of the following verse which indicates that “we have decided to do favor to those who been subject to oppression on the earth”, and another major quality of Imam’s leadership has been that he revived relation between politics and region.
Question: What kind of differences do you feel between Iran’s before and after the revolution?
Dr. Ataurrahman: Iranians have adopted and abided by the essential Islamic values and principles following the victory of the Islamic revolution. Imam revived all basic Islamic values and signs.
Another point which can be highlighted that women’s role and contribution was enhanced after the triumphant of the revolution and it just seems like a miraculous change.
The most significant change has been a dynamic approach to the Islamic regulations, decrees and laws. The procedure is all inclusive and include views of all jurists. The current leader of the Islamic Revolution has also described extremism and backward thinking as a great obstacle and destructive factor.
Today’s Iran has been absolutely changed and is moving forward and paving the way to progress.