The Iranian Revolution of 1979 as a Root of Extremism - Essay Example

To what extent can the Iranian Revolution of 1979 be considered the root of Extremist Islam in Iran Today? Iran is country located in the Middle East. The country is oil rich country, which categorized it among the top world countries blessed with Petroleum resource. Since the Islamic Revolution of 1979, when the then ruler of the country Reza Pahalavi was toppled by the Islamic Militants Revolutionary’s under the commandment of the spiritual leader Ayatollah Ruhullah Khomeini. Since 1979 to date, Iran’s government is steers under an Islamic system of Presidential system Cabinet, Judicial Branch, and Legislative Branch. However, in today’s’ Iran, International Communities especially the Western World refers the country as an Islamic Extremist, where religion fundamentalism stands. As a result, the Western Countries accused the Iranian people of spreading terrorism across the world. The 1979 Revolution can also be seen as the root to the emergence of the revolutionary’s Militants groups across the globe, such like Hamas, Hezbollah, of Lebanon, and many others. Since the Victory of the Iranian Revolution in 1979, it’s marked a turning point to the Iranian people. They continued to remain firmed to their ethic based on the foundation led by Ayatollah Ruhullah Khomeini of Islamic extremism. On this note, comes the question of how the 1979 Iranian Revolution is considered the root of extremist Islam in Iran today. Social and religious factors contributed immensely to make the Iranian people being extremist after the revolution to present time. Before the Islamic revolution of 1979, Iranian people were under the yolk of the capitalist and injustice, as at the time of Shah Phalavi. “Numerous symptoms led to the crumbling downfall of Shah Phalavi, ruler of Iran until 1978. One of these symptoms is rising expectations which can be seen during the 1960s and 70s. The rich Shah cleared the way for the land reform law, enacted in 1962. The land minority had to give up its land to the government, and among those stripped of land, were Shi’a Muslim”. (The Iranian Revolution) However, Ayatollah the leader of the Islamic Revolution, during that time of Reza Shah Phalavi, was the spiritual leader of the Iranian people, especially the masses. Though he is Muslim, but the struggled he undergone against Shah has benefited the entire masses of Iran, both Muslim and Christians. Khomeini continued to condemned Reza Shah Phalavi and his policies. He had also motivated the poor Iranians that the only way they will have a peaceful living is to adapting to Islamic extremism. Ayatollah’s words had encouraged the people of Iran to waged uprising against Shah whom they regarded as an oppressive leader. Thy therefore joined the Ayatollah crusade against Shah under the Islamic platform. The continuous hatred against the West today by the Iranian government and its people today, their hatred against Jews, and the spread of Islamic extremism across the world they embark, was rooted since the 1979 Islamic Revolution led by Khomeini. In an interview with James Wasserman, where in his statements had made mentioned what he described as the root of extremism and terrorism in today’s Iran and other part of the world. He has this to say: “The Iranian revolution of 1979 heralded the emergence of fundamentalist Muslim State and the proclamation of religious Jihad against the unbelievers and infidels. Wasserman further added: “Ayatollah Khomeini, the Shiite leader of Iran, must be seen in some measure as a successor of Hassan-i-Sabah. He was able to organize a band of powerless, stateless religious rebels into a group capable of overtaking one of the most powerful Militant machines of the Middle East that had the full support of the west. Khomeini also accomplished something that Hassan did not-the union of fundamentalist Shi’is and the fundamentalist Sunnis. When the modern Islamic terrorism Network was born, in large part directed Tehran, a thousands year-old dream was realized”. (Exploring the Root to Terrorism). The Iranian Revolution of 1979 has a very significant effect to the Islamic extremism in today’s Iran. Ayatollah during the led revolution, had trained the Iranian that Islam is a religion of struggle against oppressors, and through it mankind will wiped away injustice and reach to supremacy. He also engineered his followers that Islam does not only teach its followers to pray and prostrate. And Islam does not allow its followers to fold their hands for the oppressive leaders to reign peacefully. He engineered them to adapt to extremism for the sake of their religion. As a result of Ayatollah words of Islamic extremism, he gained popularity. “Throughout the 1970s, Khomeini gained tremendous popularity with the masses, and he became the symbol of opposition toward the Shah. As Khomeini gained popularity, many religious groups grew in numbers and in status”. (The Iranian Revolution) After many years of struggles, included exile, Ayatollah Khomeini successfully overthrown the Shah’s regime, and forced him to left Tehran on 16 January 1979. Khomeini was to become the new ruler when he returned to Iran on February 1979. He then occupied prominence position among Iranian Islamic Scholars. He began to explore a new dimension to eradicate the old system of Shah’s regime, which he described as devilish. On April 1, 1979 Ayatollah Khomeini declared an Islamic Republic, with a new change. After the success recorded during the Iranian revolution, an Islamic Government established, the spiritual leader Ayatollah continued to made social, political and economic reforms. “Yet in 1979 the lean figure of the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini towered malignly over the globe. As the leader of Iran’s revolution, he gave the 20th century world frightening lessons in the shattering power of irrationality, of the ease with which terrorism can be adopted as a government policy”. (Open Letter to My Danish Friend). Since 1979 to date, the spirit of Iranian revolution that placed its people to Islamic extremism still exist from the then generations to the present Iranian people Shortly after the success of the revolution, some Iranian students, among whom included the present Iranian President Ahmadnajad, captured some Americans hostages, and were as spies by Khomeini revolutionary court. “Unifying a nation behind such extremist position is a remarkable achievement for an austere theologian, who little more than a year ago was totally unknown in the West, he now menaces. But Khomeini’s carefully cultivated our of mystic detachment cloak an iron will, an inflexible devotion to simple ideas, that has preached for decades and finely tuned instinct of articulating the passion and rages of his people. Khomeini is no politician in the Western sense, yet he possesses the most awesome—an ominous—of political gift: the ability to rouse millions to both adulation and fury”. (Open Letter to Danish Friend). Work Cited The Iranian Revolution James, Wasserman. Exploring the Roots of Terrorism Stephen, Zune. An Open Letter to My Danish Friend The Time Archive. Person of The Year Read More