Imam Khomeini (R.A.) listed several reasons why Islamic government is necessary:
-To prevent "encroachment by oppressive ruling classes on the rights of the weak," and plundering and corrupting the people for the sake of "pleasure and material interest," (p. 54)
-To prevent "innovation" in Islamic law "and the approval of the anti-Islamic laws by sham parliaments," (p. 54) and so
-To preserve "the Islamic order" and keep all individuals on "the just path of Islam without any deviation," (p. 54) "it is because the just fuqaha have not had executive power in the land inhabited by Muslims ... that Islam has declined." (p. 80)
-And to destroy "the influence of foreign powers in the Islamic lands" (p. 54),[10]
In its operation, Islamic government is superior to non-Islamic government in many ways. (Though Islamic government is to be universal, and Khomeini sometimes compares it to (allegedly) un-Islamic governments in general throughout the Muslim world, more often he contrasts it specifically with the Shah's government in Iran—though he doesn't mention him by name.)
Non-Islamic government
Imam Khomeini (R.A.) spends a large part of his book explaining why Islamic government had not yet been established, despite the fact that the need for governance of the faqih is obvious to "anyone who has some general awareness of the beliefs and ordinances of Islam." (p. 27)
The "historical roots" of the opposition are Western unbelievers who want
The enemies of Islam target the vulnerable young: "The agents of imperialism are busy in every corner of the Islamic world drawing our youth away from us with their evil propaganda." (p. 127)
This imperialist attack on Islam is not some ad hoc tactic to assist the imperial pursuit of power or profit, but an elaborate, 300-year-long plan.
-To prevent "encroachment by oppressive ruling classes on the rights of the weak," and plundering and corrupting the people for the sake of "pleasure and material interest," (p. 54)
-To prevent "innovation" in Islamic law "and the approval of the anti-Islamic laws by sham parliaments," (p. 54) and so
-To preserve "the Islamic order" and keep all individuals on "the just path of Islam without any deviation," (p. 54) "it is because the just fuqaha have not had executive power in the land inhabited by Muslims ... that Islam has declined." (p. 80)
-And to destroy "the influence of foreign powers in the Islamic lands" (p. 54),[10]
In its operation, Islamic government is superior to non-Islamic government in many ways. (Though Islamic government is to be universal, and Khomeini sometimes compares it to (allegedly) un-Islamic governments in general throughout the Muslim world, more often he contrasts it specifically with the Shah's government in Iran—though he doesn't mention him by name.)
Non-Islamic government
- is mired in red tape thanks to "superfluous bureaucracies," (p. 58),
- suffers from "reckless spending", and "constant embezzlement," in the case of Iran, forcing it to "request aid or a loan from" abroad and hence "to bow in submission before America and Britain," (p. 58)
- has excessively harsh punishments, (p. 33)
- creates an "unjust economic order" which divides the people "into two groups: oppressors and oppressed," (p. 49),
- though it may be made up of elected representatives does not "truly belong to the people" in the case of Muslim countries. (p. 56)
Imam Khomeini (R.A.) spends a large part of his book explaining why Islamic government had not yet been established, despite the fact that the need for governance of the faqih is obvious to "anyone who has some general awareness of the beliefs and ordinances of Islam." (p. 27)
The "historical roots" of the opposition are Western unbelievers who want
to keep us backward, to keep us in our present miserable state so they can exploit our riches, our underground wealth, our lands and our human resources. They want us to remain afflicted and wretched, and our poor to be trapped in their misery ... they and their agents wish to go on living in huge palaces and enjoying lives of abominable luxury. (p.34)
"Foreign experts have studied our country and have discovered all our mineral reserves -- gold, copper, petroleum, and so on. They have also made an assessment of our people’s intelligence and come to the conclusion that the only barrier blocking their way are Islam and the religious leadership." (p.139-40)These Westerners "have known the power of Islam themselves for it once ruled part of Europe, and ... know that true Islam is opposed to their activities."(p. 140) Making people think that "Islam has laid down no laws for the practice of usury, for banking on the basis of usury, for the consumption of alcohol, or for the cultivation of sexual vice" and wishing "to promote these vices in the Islamic world", (p. 31-2) Westerns have set about deceiving Muslims, using their "agents" to telling them that "that Islam consists of a few ordinances concerning menstruation and parturition." (p. 29-30)
The enemies of Islam target the vulnerable young: "The agents of imperialism are busy in every corner of the Islamic world drawing our youth away from us with their evil propaganda." (p. 127)
This imperialist attack on Islam is not some ad hoc tactic to assist the imperial pursuit of power or profit, but an elaborate, 300-year-long plan.
The British imperialists penetrated the countries of the East more than 300 years ago. Being knowledgeable about all aspects of these countries, they drew up elaborate plans for assuming control of them. (p.139, also p.27-28, p.34, p.38).
