Youth and islamic awakening2

Scientific chart of the International Conference on Youth and
Islamic Awakening:
Secretary General of the Conference: Dr. Ali Akbar Velayati
Scientific secretary of the Conference: Dr. Abdullah Mobini

Members of the Scientific Committee:
Dr. Ibrahim Motaqi/ Dr. Manouchehr Mohammadi/ Dr.
Seyyed Mohammad Raees-Zadeh/ Mohammad Ruivaran/
Ali Mohammad Fouladi/ Dr. Hamid Reza Akhavan-Fard/
Dr. Asghar Qaedan/ Dr. Mustafa Malakootian/ Dr. Hossein
Sharifi Taraz-Karami/ Dr. Saeed Tavakoli/ Dr. Abdulhamid
Sahrayi/ Ali Sabet/ Dr. Nabiollahi Rouhi/ Seyyed Mehdi
Hosseini/ Dr. Niazi/ Dr. Reza Kalhor/ Dr. Hojjatollah
Izadi/ Dr. Mostafa Izadi

Papers of the International Conference on Youth and
Islamic Awakening

Compiled by the scientiﬁc committee of conference

Editors: Seyed Mehdi Hosseini, Tahereh Zare, Seyed
Kamaloddin Raﬁee, Seyyed Hossein Hosseini, Maryam
Golbaz
Layout: Rouholamini Institute
Cover design: Abna’ Institute
Translators: Abna’ Institute
Publisher: Abna’ Institute
First published in January 2012 (Bahman 1390)
Circulation: 2000

CONTACT
02. An introduction to theoretical
foundations of religious revolution and
its formation and continuation

30. Challenges facing the Islamic
Awakening and role of youth in dealing
with them

60. Designing a Model for Civil and
Islamic Institutions and Speculating
on How to Implement It in Order
to Maintain the Islamic Awakening
Achievements

80. Discourse Analysis of Identity and
the Elements of Islamic Awakening on
the Basis of the Comments of the Leader
of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Ayatollah
Khamenei

116. Effective factors of the Islamic
Revolution of Iran on the Islamic

Awareness as viewed by the
249. The Role of the Youth
Supreme Leader Ayatollah
Khamenei in the Islamic Revolution
of Iran as a Model for
136. Impact of Iran’s Islamic the Youth in the Islamic
Revolution and Iranian Awakening
Supreme Leader’s Thoughts
on Muslim Youth 284. Theoretical and
intellectual discussions and
184. Lebanese poet and fundamental framework of
writer Mustafa Ghalayeeni the Islamic awakening and
(Harbinger of Islamic the youth: Explanation of
awakening in the 20th the factors of authenticity,
century)
preservation and survival of
the Islamic Awakening
206. The Political Fiqh in
Islam and its inﬂuence on the
319. Youth Islamic
Islamic Awakening Process
Awakening - Awaken the
226. THE ROLE OF inner Conscience, Execute
IQBAL LAHOURI IN Fears, Unite, Plan and
AWAKENING THE Organize to Achieve Victory
MUSLIM YOUTH

An introduction to theoretical foundations of
religious...

An introduction to theoretical foundations
of religious revolution and its formation and
continuation

Mostafa Malakootian PhD١

Introduction:
Revolutions have broken out with different natures.
However, no theorist in the field of revolution or
revolutionary leader can claim that a revolution has
occurred only for political, financial, or social state of a
country. The main factor in the occurrence of a revolution
is the society›s opinion, thought, cause, and will (Seyed
Mohammad Bagher Sadr, Traditions of History in the Holy
Quran).
The emergence and representation is more evident
8 and obvious in religious revolutions. In the writing, after
discussing some issues about the philosophy of revolution,
which include some key questions, types of revolutions and
some western theories about revolution, we will explain
what a revolution is and how a religious revolution forms
and finally we will open a discussion about the experiences
of the Islamic Revolution for continuation of religious
revolutions.
Considering that the Islamic Revolution of Iran is an
ideal religious revolution, in the research we will utilize the
revolution to prove the contents.
Key questions about the phenomenon of revolution
What is confined in the field of revolution is not out of the
1.Associate professor, Tehran University, the Faculty of Political
Sciences

International Conference on
Youth and Islamic Awakening

following questions:
1. What is a revolution?
- The answer to the question involves the meaning,
concept, and features of a revolution and recounts the
differences between the phenomenon and relevant concepts
such as movement, reform, civil war, coup-d›état, etc. and
various types of revolution.
In reply to the above question, different views, according
to their philosophies and standpoints, have not reached a
consensus of opinion about the meaning of revolution and
proposed various definitions. Considering the turmoil of
definitions about the phenomenon of revolution, the writer
intends to open a discussion on the common features of
revolutions and believes that in any credible definition of
revolution, the features should be considered. The features
will be mentioned in the writing.

2. Why does a revolution occur? 9
- Most revolutionary theories have been put forward to
answer the above question. In order to answer the question,
any theory concludes with several key factors and conditions
after its examination. In other words, after exploring for the
reason behind the occurrence of a revolution, researcher
finds the emergence of several factors which have caused
the occurrence of the revolution.
For example, Structural-Functionalism theory, after a
sociological examination of variables like social systems,
recounts three conditions for occurrence of a revolution: the
decline of power or imbalance (value-environmental), the
dissension among governing elite and accelerating factors.
The conclusion recounts the reasons behind the occurrence

An introduction to theoretical foundations of religious...

of a revolution from this viewpoint. (Chalmers Johnson
1984 pp 9-134)

3. How does a revolution occur?
- Sometimes differentiating between the two questions,
why and how a revolution occurs, is difficult in action.
However, by saying how the revolutions occur two issues
are raised, first, how the conditions that was mentioned in
the second question — why does a revolution occur? — are
created and second, after the creation of such conditions
the continuation of the developments that is how and by
what means the victory or defeat of the rebellions occurs. In
other words, we should refer to the history of a country in
which a revolution has broken out to find how the revolution
occurred. And by finding a point, in which we can surely say
that the government had enough legitimacy, acceptability,
authority, and stability, we should follow the events that
10 occurred after the point and caused the government lose the
legitimacy and stability, the events that caused the emergence
of main and fundamental reasons behind the occurrence of
the revolution, which were mentioned in the answer to the
second question, and made the revolution inevitable. We
should also take into account the conditions and events that
caused the victory or defeat of the rebellions. It should be
remembered that understanding how a revolution occurs is
more difficult than why it occurs, and in historic analysis
of revolutions, we will find numerous ways in which
revolutions have occurred. Therefore, although we can find
the main reasons behind the revolution in an easier way,
summarizing the discussions concerning how a revolution
occurs and proposing a theory is not that easy because of


the variety of historic routes of different revolutions.

4. What impacts and effects does a revolution have on
the country, in which it occurs, region and the world?
What methods have foreign states used to confront a
revolution which has threatened their colonialist interests?
The works and writings about the phenomenon of
revolution are mainly in the area of the first three questions
mentioned above and the analyses of the fourth question
have relatively been rare. However, the internal effects of
revolutions are numerous and at most times they have been
historic. In an article titled «Revolution and International
Relations,» Holiday criticizes western authors› ignorance of
the international effects of revolutions and comments on the
campaigns of the world›s powers against the revolutions. He
also recounts the different aspects of revolutions› influence
over mutual or international relations and proposes some
writings in this field. However, Holiday himself did not 11
examine the subject perfectly.
This research is centered on questions 1 and 2, i.e. why
and how religious revolutions occur.

Varieties of revolutions:
Considering its long record, the phenomenon of revolution
has emerged with various faces up to now. Authors have
classified the phenomenon as following:

A. The classification of revolutions according to the rate
and type of changes caused by them
From this view, revolutions have been classified into two
groups: political and social revolution (large and great)


In the political revolutions changes are mostly social
rather than political and in the worst state, the type of
political regime changes. In these revolutions, the power
of governmental structures may change and the political
regime remains unchanged with the same name and form.
Of course, there is no political revolution that does not cause
any social changes. For example the Iranian Constitutional
Revolution in 1906 is a political revolution.
In the social revolutions, in addition to political changes,
evident changes occur in the official culture, economic and
political structures as well as foreign relations of a country.
Revolutions in France (1789), Russia (1917), China (1949)
and the Islamic revolution of Iran are instances of social
or large revolutions. Of course, the Islamic Revolution of
Iran, which can correctly be named great revolution, has
had tremendous influences at national and international
levels compared with other contemporary revolutions. At
12 the national level, the revolution caused the formation of a
government based on divine causes with reliance upon the
people›s votes. The revolution proceeded to make serious
efforts to achieve quickly self-sufficiency and development
in various areas. At the international level, the nature of the
revolution and its leadership, the similarity between the
political cultural situation of the Muslim world and that
of Iran before the Islamic Revolution, the importance and
strategic position of Iran and some other reasons caused
the emergence of an exclusive model of reflection of a
revolution on the regional and international issues.

B. Geographical-Cultural classification
One of the authors in the 20th century has divided the


revolutions into two groups: Eastern revolutions and
Western revolutions.
In this classiﬁcation which is mostly geographical and to
some extent cultural, the priority of three issues is different.
The three issues are as follows:
1. The breakup of power
2. The revolutionaries› entrance to the scene
3. The foundation of new political order

Western revolutions Eastern revolutions
1. The breakup of power 1. The revolutionaries› entrance
(governing system) to the scene
2. The revolutionaries› entrance 2. The institutionalization of new
to the scene political order
3. The institutionalization of 3. The breakup of power
new political order (governing system)

According to the author, in the western revolutions, 13
everyone at once ﬁnd that the government has no power
and its political, military and managing power is declining.
At this juncture, revolutionaries, who are mostly moderate,
enter the scene and then move away because of their
inability to meet the revolutionaries› demands and hand
over the power to the radicals. And then the new political
order is institutionalized.
While in the Eastern revolutions, due to the power of
government which has not collapsed, rebellions who are not
generally moderate, take actions against the government
from jungles and mountains and if they occupy a place, they
will institutionalize the new political order and when they
capture the capital, the governing system collapses (Samuel
Huntington 1991).


Revolutions in France (1789), Russia (1917), China
(1911), are among Western revolutions, and revolutions in
China (1949), Cuba (1959), Vietnam (1975), and Algeria
(1962) are among Eastern revolutions.
As you see, the classification is geographical at first sight.
But a revolution can occur in the East on the basis of a
Western model, and a revolution in the West on the basis of
an Eastern model.
The Islamic revolution of Iran, which is a religious
revolution, cannot be placed in those classifications,
because at the time of its occurrence the government
had not collapsed, and did not begin by the entrance
of revolutionaries to the scene (moves in jungles and
mountains).

C. The classification of revolutions according to the
nature of revolutionaries› demands
14 From the viewpoint of the nature of the revolutionaries›
demands and requests, revolutions have divided into three
groups: political revolution, economic revolution, and
ideological (religious) revolution (Morteza Motahari, the
surroundings of the Islamic Revolution, pp 23-43).
For example the revolution occurred in France in 1789 is
a political revolution due to its emphasis on liberalism and
the revolution occurred in 1917 in Russia is economic due
to its emphasis on the element of economics and the Islamic
revolution of Iran, which occurred with an emphasis on the
role of religion which itself includes political, economic,
cultural, and social elements, is an ideological (religious)
revolution.
In this classification, the nature of revolutionaries›


demands is the criterion for placing revolutions in one of
the three groups and an ideological (religious) revolution
means a revolution in which leaders and the masses intend to
put their religious beliefs into practice rather than insisting
on only achieving freedom or equality like a number of
previous contemporary revolutions. In addition, their cause
has a political, social and economic nature.

The classification of revolutionary theories
Considering the multiplicity of the revolutionary theories,
some theorists have classified revolutions according
to their scientific approach or time of occurrence and
recounted famous examples for them. Two classifications
are mentioned as follows:
1. Stan taylor has divided the theories about the occurrence
of revolutions into four groups: sociological, psychological,
economic and political.
In the sociological theories there is an emphasis on 15
sociological factors like social classes and stratifications,
for instance, Structural-Functionalism theory by Chalmers
Johnson. In psychological theories there is emphasis on
the psychological factors like personality of individuals,
the mental conditions of society and issues like an increase
in the expectations or feeling deprivation, for instance,
‹J-curve› theory by James Chowning Davies and Relative
deprivation theory by Ted Robert Gurr.
In the economic theories and in the Marxists› ideas, the
economy is considered foundation or is a key factor, and
finally in the political theories there is an emphasis on the
political factors, for instance, Resource mobilization theory
by Charles Tilly.


The Islamic Revolution of Iran as a genuine religious
revolution was a challenge for theories about revolutions
because the roles of cultural factors were outstanding
compared with social, political and economic factors.
Cultural factors like the clerics and mosques had independent,
conceptual and coordinator roles in the revolution.
2. In the other famous classiﬁcation, Jack Goldstone has
divided theories about revolutions in the 20th century into
three generations and after the Islamic Revolution of Iran
and other revolutions in late 20th century proposed the
fourth generation.
A. First generation includes years between 1900 and 1940
and persons like Pitirim Sorokin, Crane Brinton, Samuel
P. Huntington, Charles A. Ellwood. What was important to
the generation was description of a revolutionary process
and explanation of the signs of a revolutionary situation
(Goldstone, 1980: 425-427). The theorists focused on
16 the description of past famous revolutions like the French
Revolution and did not make any effort to provide a
theoretical explanation of the phenomenon of revolution.
B. Second generation theorists sought to develop detailed
theories of why and when revolutions arise, grounded in
more complex social behavior theories. They can be divided
into three major approaches: psychological, sociological
and political.
The works of Ted Robert Gurr, Ivo K. Feierbrand, Rosalind
L. Feierbrand, James A. Geschwender, David C. Schwartz
and Denton E. Morrison fall into the ﬁrst category. They
followed theories of cognitive psychology and frustration-
aggression theory and saw the cause of revolution in the
state of mind of the masses, and while they varied in their


approach as to what exactly caused the people to revolt (e.g.
modernization, recession or discrimination), they agreed
that the primary cause for revolution was the widespread
frustration with socio-political situation.
The second group, composed of academics such as
Chalmers Johnson, Neil Smelser, Bob Jessop, Mark Hart,
Edward A. Tiryakian, Mark Hagopian, followed in the
footsteps of Talcott Parsons and the structural-functionalist
theory in sociology; they saw society as a system in
equilibrium between various resources, demands and
subsystems (political, cultural, etc.). As in the psychological
school, they differed in their definitions of what causes
disequilibrium, but agreed that it is a state of a severe
disequilibrium that is responsible for revolutions.
Finally, the third group, which included writers such
as Charles Tilly, Samuel P. Huntington, Peter Ammann
and Arthur L. Stinchcombe followed the path of political
sciences and looked at pluralist theory and interest group 17
conflict theory. Those theories see events as outcomes of a
power struggle between competing interest groups. (Ibid,
428-429).
C. Third generation of theories was formed in mid-1970s
and with writers such as Theda Skocpol, Barrington Moore,
Jeffrey Paige and others expanding on the old Marxist class
conflict approach, turning their attention to rural agrarian-
state conflicts, state conflicts with autonomous elites and
the impact of interstate economic and military competition
on domestic political change. Particularly Skocpol›s States
and Social Revolutions became one of the most widely
recognized works of the third generation; (Eisenstadt, 1978:
86/ Godstone, 1980: 435-437)


The 1970s was a decade during which the third generation
became prevalent. Between the years 1970 and 1990 a
number of revolutions occurred which were indicative
of the fact that the theories had serious problems. In the
Iranian and Nicaraguan Revolutions of 1979, multi-class
coalitions toppled dictators that were backed by Western
superpowers. In Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union big
changes occurred in the systems on the basis of public
demonstrations and protests rather than class struggle, and
dictatorial regimes were overthrown. None of them could
be explained by theories based on the few occasions in the
history of Europe and China (Geldstone,2001/ Farhi, 1990).
The occurrence of the Islamic Revolution questioned the
theory of Skocpol in her book titled “States and Social
Revolutions” in such a way that in 1982 in an article titled
“Rentier State and Shi›a Islam in the Iranian Revolution,”
she retracted her words that said revolutions are not made;
18 they happen, and wrote that if there was only one revolution
in the world that was made by a conscious revolutionary
movement, the Iranian Revolution would be that revolution,
and in this way emphasized the roles of leadership and the
causes (Skocpol 205-206, 189-190).
Problems of third generation theories in analyzing new
revolutions, paved the way for the fourth generation of
theories which are now in the making. Undoubtedly, the
Islamic Revolution of Iran was one of the most important
revolutions that challenged the third generation theories.
The signiﬁcant role of culture, leadership and the cause in
the Islamic Revolution is the most important addition to
the discussions over revolutions. The Islamic Revolution
of Iran also challenged the enlightened theories of wisdom


(the spread of liberal freedom).
Not using weapons in the Islamic Revolution and moving
through protests, rallies and public protests dissociate the
revolution from other revolutions.
In the new situation, Jack Goldstone, who divided theories
about revolutions into three generations, talked about the
eruption of the fourth generation of theories in scientific
and academic circles in a paper titled «Towards a Fourth
Generation of Revolutionary Theory».
Goldstone says it seems that the third generation of
revolutionary theories is over; however the dominance of
the fourth generation has not occurred yet. The generation
has regarded stability as the main issue and focused
on the conditions that regimes preserve over time. The
generation proves the significant role of issues on identity,
ideology, gender, networks and leadership and regards the
revolutionary processes and output data as the outcome of
interaction among multilateral actors (Goldstone: 2001, 19
175-176).
According to Foran, the two revolutions occurred in Iran
and Nicaragua prepared the way for the emergence of the
fourth generation. A generation which dissociates itself from
sheer structural and determinism viewpoints and values
the roles of culture, ideology, mobilization of resources,
unbalanced development and so on (Moshirzadeh 34 -1995,
Foran 1993).

Nature of a religious revolution
Professor Morteza Motahari has defined revolution as
a revolt and rebellion against governing system to create
a favorable system which is associated with the sense


of oppression, aggression and the spirit of rejection of
oppression and unfavorable situation. According to his
words, the orientation of divine movements is toward the
deprived but its origin is not only the deprived. In this
regard, he wrote that the Islam addresses all social classes
and groups, whether the haves or the haves-not, because
within each Pharaoh, there is a good human in shackles, of
course, the poor usually say yes to God›s invitation, because
the oppressor should give back the poor’s rights and ignore
their own interests if they say yes to God›s invitation, but
the poor by doing this say yes to their nature and also gain
something.
On the features of an Islamic revolution, Professor
Motahari says «We know that Islam is not pure spirituality,
as the westerners’ notion about religion. This fact not only
applies to the current revolution (the Islamic Revolution of
Iran), but it also applies to the revolution of early Islam.
20 The revolution of early Islam was a political and religious
revolution. While it was a spiritual and political revolution
it was also an economic and ﬁnancial one. It means that
there are the concepts of freedom, justice, the absence of
discrimination among social classes and social gaps in the
context of Islamic teachings.
It was thanks to the replacement of these concepts in the
minds of the masses that our recent movements became
epidemic and comprehensive. The movement was both
rural and urban. Urban and rural, rich and poor, workers and
farmers, open-minded and ignorant, all and all, participated
in this movement. And it was also thanks to the Islamic
nature of the movement that all groups joined together.
The more important fact than the coordination is that our


movement could tell people that they have their own school
and independent thought and that they can stand on their
own feet, and rely only on themselves.»

If we suppose that the following features of a society can
lead to the occurrence of a revolution, all the features will
have a religious origin in a religious revolution:
1. The alienation of society from current situation
2. The spread of new alternative causes
3. The leadership role and its structures
4. The role of the masses
5. The spread of the revolutionary spirit and the sense of
aggression
6. The change in cultural political and economic conditions

Because:
1. Considering the intellectual contents of a religious
society, dissatisfaction with the current situation occurs 21
when individuals ﬁnd that what occurs in the political, social
and economic areas in their community are in consistent
with their thoughts and intellectual contents which are the
product of the religious culture of their country.
2. In a religious society, people are generally and rapidly
attracted by those revolutionary causes that are more
compatible with them which are religious causes.
3. In these communities, religious leaders occupy the role
of leadership of revolutionary movements and pave the way
for the victory of the revolution with less casualties and
damages through devising special strategies.
4. In a religious society, religion plays a substantial role in
the formation of revolutionary causes, and its contents like


opposing to oppression, seeking martyrdom, and complying
with religious duties play important roles in creating the
revolutionary spirit and leading the revolutionary movement
toward its victory.
5. Religious revolution has the support of religious
people who are ready to devote themselves to their causes.
The purpose of these revolutions is not only political or
financial, but people want to put their religious causes into
practice which has also political and economic dimensions.
At this juncture, the elements of religion and faith create an
astonishing power which pushes aside the political power
and its foreign supporters and prevent them to pursue any
initiative. The situation was evident during the occurrence
of the Islamic revolution which could achieve victory
despite the enormous power of Pahlavi regime.
In summary we can say that a religious revolution - that
has a historical-religious culture, religious causes, religious
22 leadership and faithful people – is possible to occur at the
time of the regime’s contempt for the people and its anti-
religious behaviors in cultural, political and economic areas,
the backwardness of the country, and so on. The conditions
are currently seen in the Arab Middle East countries.

Formation and success of the religious revolutions
For the formation of a religious revolution with the
mentioned features some issues are necessary. What
has been seen in every revolution is the bipolarization
of the society, i.e. a conflict between two forces and the
impossibility of resolving the conflict: political power and
social (revolutionary) power (Manouchehr Mohammadi
1986 – pp 71-72)


In addition, the total power of a society should be much
more than that of political power in order that a revolution
achieves victory. Of course, by power here we do not mean
only the material and tangible factors such as number of
partners in power, military power, economic power and
or external support. The intangible factors of power like
the power of faith and the cause, inﬂuence and leadership
strategies and competencies, and depth of the revolutionary
spirit, etc. should be taken into account in examining the
power.
1. The role of political power’s features and measures
A dependent, authoritarian and inefﬁcient political power
takes some social, cultural and political measures which
are not accepted by the society and in this way lead the
community into bipolarization.
The sense of alienation from the current situation in a
religious revolution is much more than that sense in a secular
revolution. In a secular revolution, demands, which mostly 23
relate to wealth, prosperity, and participation in political
power and the like, may end in reformist compromise
after the withdrawal of the government. And possibly even
secular triumphed revolutions, accept to return to previous
conditions after the revolution due to accepting the global
rules and lack of vigilance against pseudo-friends.
In a religious revolution, the national humiliation, political,
cultural, economic dependencies, wide gaps between
social classes and westernization of the government are
much more outstanding thanks to the religious cultural and
historical public views.
Of course, the role of the revolutionary leaders at this
stage is crucial, in such a way that it is dangerous to trust


demagoguery and efforts of the enemies.
2. The role of social power’s features and measures
Social power in religious revolutions includes the causes
of religious revolution, leadership of religious revolution,
and faithful people.
The combination of the three elements, which have the
same origin, causes unity and a tremendous power in a
revolutionary situation, and can lead to the victory of the
revolution. The causes of a religious revolution, which are
combined with the element of religious faith, are genuine
and their holders rarely give up to the worldly promises of
dependent regimes. Similarly, religious leaders prefer to
achieve spiritual objectives rather than worldly affairs due
to their piety.
When the religious masses are added to the two elements,
and when the concepts martyrdom seeking, sacriﬁce and the
sense of religious duty enters the revolutionary movement,
24 political power is weakened and becomes feeble facing the
revolution.
In religious revolutions (or any other revolution) the
best result will be achieved only when the leadership has
unity within itself and exude self-conﬁdence as well as a
strong will, and choose right strategies based on the current
situation.
3. Counterrevolutionary measures of foreign powers
As soon as a revolution occurs, especially a religious
one, the hegemonistic powers begin to make every effort to
preserve their colonialist interests according to the current
situation. As we can see in the Islamic awakening current,
in the Arab revolutions occurring in the North Africa and
the littoral states in the Persian Gulf region, the efforts


by the foreign powers include a range of measures from
military intervention for seemingly humanitarian reasons
(such as in Libya, the powers entered the political game in
order to preserve their interests) to the measures like asking
the leaders of a country to assign the power to the military
forces (such as in Egypt and Tunisia in order to have time
for making changes in favor of themselves) as well as
measures like paving the way for military interventions of
neighbor countries (such as in Bahrain and Yemen). The
foreign domineering powers facing the revolutions may
also take other measures like direct military intervention if
national and international conditions allow them to do so,
for instance the direct military intervention of the United
States in Vietnam (1965-1975) which ended in infamous
failure. They also make efforts to penetrate weak elements
among revolutionaries, to impose economic sanctions after
the victory revolutions and so on, although they mostly
fail. The failures, especially in the religious revolutions, are 25
broader and more intense, because there is no element of
faith in their political terminology, and they are unaware of
its power.
4. The experiences of the Islamic Revolution for
continuation of religious revolutions
The Islamic Revolution of Iran as an excellent model
of religious revolutions, which is unique in the features
mentioned for revolutions, has been able to preserve its
dynamics, remove the enemies› masks and witness their
growing weakness with its ever-increasing power.
Considering the history of developments after the victory
of the Islamic Revolution, It can be said that the key factors
of the victories of the revolution are as follows, excluding


the prominent role of the powerful leaders of the revolution
over the past 33 years:
1. Writing and adopting a religion-oriented constitution
After the victory of a revolution, writing a constitution is
one of the first measures of the revolutionaries. Obviously
the ideals and causes of a religious revolution can be
achieved only through a religious constitution, and any
effort by revolutionaries to evade the issue may prepare
the ground for a return to the previous conditions and the
surrender to the hegemonistic powers.
2. Establishment of revolutionary institutions
In order to mange affairs during the occurrence of a
revolution, avoid returning the previous conditions, and
achieve the causes and objectives of the revolution, it
is necessary to establish revolutionary institutions. For
instance, Imam Khomeini (RA) stated that if the Islamic
Revolution Guards Corps did not exist, the country would
26 not exist either. Generally, in a religious revolution, the
future of the revolution should be guaranteed though
establishing such institutions as circumstances may allow.
3. Maintaining and sustaining the objectives and slogans
of the revolution
Constant attention to the slogans means enlivening
the revolution and preparing the ground for achieving
objectives. Among the slogans, the slogan of the role of
religion in government and the slogan of independence
is very important and vital. Countries that have lost their
independence after their revolutions had no significant
progress.
The religious revolutions have global messages. In case
of ignorance to the principle of Export of revolution, find


themselves surrounded by the global counter-revolution.
The revolutions, which have gained their driving force from
unity based on religious causes, if move toward dissension,
will face serious problems in promoting and preserving the
revolution.

4. Making efforts to build an advanced and self-sufficient
society
Advances in science, technology and industry and having
developed and self-sufficient economy are an authentic
religious value. Islam has advised Muslims to avoid affairs
causing the dominance of infidels and polytheists over them.
The Islamic Revolution of Iran proved that it is possible to
withstand pressures and imposed sanctions and to prepare
the grounds for being at the height of your success and
self-confidence with reliance upon your independence and
capabilities.
27
Conclusion:
From the four questions concerning the phenomenon of
revolution, the analysis focused on two questions: what is a
religious revolution? And why does occur?
The writing also regarded a religious revolution as a great
revolution in which the leaders and the masses are seeking
to put their religious thoughts and ideas into practice.
In the research, the Islamic Revolution of Iran, whose
occurrence challenged the revolutionary theories and
changed their generations, was also regarded as an excellent
model of religious revolutions.
Recounting the conditions which lead to the occurrence
of a revolution, the research highlighted the religious


nature of the conditions in a religious revolution. On the
formation of a religious revolution, It also explained that
bipolarization of society and dispute between social power
and political power is the main condition for the occurrence
of a revolution and the superiority of social power (tangible
and intangible) over the political power is the reason behind
the victory of revolution. It also emphasized that the power
of faith can create a complete unity among the forces.
In the end, the writing proposed four examples of the most
important experiences of the Islamic Revolution to serve as
strategies for sustaining religious revolutions.

References:
1. Skocpol. Theda, States and Social Revolutions, translated by Seyed
Majid Rointan, Tehran, Soroush, 1997.
2. Johnson. Chalmers, Revolutionary Change, translated by Hamid
Eliasi, Tehran, Amir Kabir, 1984.
3. Sadr. Seyed Mohammad Bagher, Traditions of History in the Holy
28 Quran, translated by Seyed Jamal Mousavi, Qom, Islamic Publications
ofﬁce, Bita
4. Green. Gerald, «Mobilizing the Opposition in Iran,» Comparative,
Theoretical Historical Studies on Revolution, Jack Goldstone (Editor),
translated by Mohammad Taghi Delafrooz, Tehran, Kavir, 2006.
5. Mohaamadi. Manouchehr, an Analysis of the Islamic Revolution,
Tehran, Amir Kabir, 1986.
6. Moshirzadeh. Homeira, «A Brief Look at the Revolutionary Theories
in Social Sciences,» series on the Islamic Revolution and its roots, Qom.
7- Motahari. Morteza, the Surroundings of the Islamic Revolution,
Qom, Islamic Publications Ofﬁce, Bita
8 - Malakootian. Mostafa, «Revolution from Beginning to End; Review
of Seven Common Features of Revolution», Journal of Law and
Political Science, No. 57, October 2002.
9- Eisenstadt, Revolution and the Transformation of Societies, New
York: Free Press, 1978.
10- Farhi. F, States and Urban - based Revolution: Iran and Nicaragua,


Urbana & Chicago, University of Illinois Press, 1990.
11- Foran. John, «Theories of Revolution Revisited: Toward Fourth
Generation?» Social Theory, 11, 1993.
12- Goldstone. Jack, «Theories of Revolution: The Third Generation»,
World Politics, 32, 1980.
13- Goldstone. Jack, «Toward a Fourth Generation of Revolutionary
Theory», Annu. Rev Sci: 2001, 4:XX, Copyright 2001, by Annual
Reviews.

29

Challenges facing the Islamic Awakening and
role of youth in dealing with them

By Salman Karamian
Ismail Hemmatian

Introduction and significance of the problem:
Emergence of the Islamic awakening wave, triggered by
nations’ will and guided by committed Islamic intellectuals,
has caused a tremendous evolution among international
governing systems in the early 21st century.
Islamic awakening, which had previously led to weaken
world powers and had caused great movements in Islamic
world, has entered into a new phase of evolvement and
growth now. It is of an Islamic, cultural, social and political
nature that on the one hand has developed fundamental
changes in international, regional and global equations
31
and on the other hand, its reflection has led to new Islamic
movements coming out in the region as well as all over the
world. The influence has been so much that a new literature,
named theory of Islamic awakening, has been created. This
is not a political or nominal theory, but a multidimensional,
precise, scientific which is one based on facts and functions
as a serious reaction against Western colonialism.
The Islamic and revolutionary nature of Islamic awakening
wave will lead to fundamental changes in future structure
of international system. The spread’s moving forward and
picturing its future desirable perspectives is so difficult as
the influences of these revolutions are enormous.
In the awakening movement and its deconstructionist
directionality, we can observe recognition of colonialism,


moving away from modern political culture and approaching
a new political culture.
Therefore, identifying challenges and newly emerged
problems in national, regional and global context is
essential. In such situation, a new discourse is needed to
present solutions and create revolutionary directions at the
appropriate time.
The process of determining challenges, with which Islamic
awakening movement is faced, has been done through
identifying weak points and strong points in domestic
context, foreign opportunities and treats and ultimately
considering them altogether as well as the effect of social,
cultural, political and economical stimulants. This process
is evolved by developing a strategic management, picturing
a desirable future perspective, recognizing the influences of
the awakening movement and having a thorough knowledge
of its capacities. So in this paper, the most important problem
32 is identifying challenges with which Islamic awakening
movement is faced. We will introduce these challenges and
will present some solutions for them.
Challenges encountering Islamic awakening movement:
The third wave of Islamic awakening is a result of Marxism
and liberalism inefficiency and empowerment of Islamic
groups. As supreme leader of Islamic revolution says,”
Talking of Islamic awakening was previously regarded
as a kind of exaggeration and judged as out of reach, but
today it is not surprising because of all Moslems’ being
awakened and substantial deficiencies of world powers
being revealed.”
He has pointed out somewhere else that,” Islamic
awakening will lead to developing an Islamic and


international government which is one of the important
features of future third wave of awakening.” In his point
of view, the third wave of Islamic awakening in the world
occurred after Islamic revolution of Iran and thereby gave
hope to Moslem people in the region. It collapsed the false
idea of United States and Soviet Union, two superpowers
in the world, being unbeatable and showed people that they
can stand against them independent from Western or Eastern
blocs. Hence, after first wave of Islamic awakening, the next
waves subsequently happened. At the present condition, we
see the third wave of Islamic awakening which is a result
of strengthening theoretical basis and developing Islamic
groups in the region. As we move forward from the first
move to the third one, three main issues in theoretical and
practical context manifest themselves more:
● Increase in power of Islamic groups
● Emerging movements calling for Islam in the region
● Elimination of rival ideologies i.e. Marxism, liberalism, 33
etc.
The abovementioned issues become intensified with
Islamic movements moving forward. However, since
Islamic awakening wave has challenged all equations of
colonial powers in the region, it has been considered as
a serious threat to world powers and we will deal with
the most important challenges encountered in Islamic
awakening movement.
• Cultural invasion of the foreign and identity crisis
After collapsing Soviet Union regime and subsequent
stopping cold war between west and East blocs, Western
countries, having six years of military experience in all
over the world, changed their tactics in order to reach


their strategic goals. They knew that after collapsing the
communist Soviet, it is the power of Islam that stand against
their wills, because this power had increased after Islamic
revolution of Iran. Western countries focused on finding a
way to standing against Islamic movements in Middle East
region and Islamic world.
Western countries, United States in particular, that
regarded themselves as the absolute superpowers on the
world adopted a policy of military and weaponry blockage
as well as cultural war. The latter, named cultural invasion
by supreme leader became the most important strategy of
them. It refers to software-related measures with the aid
of hardware such as media in order to gain the dominant
culture of the world and prevent noble cultures such as
Islamic culture to enter international arena. So Western
world has tried to gain cultural dominancy based on its
military power (NATO) with the aim of: firstly to restrain
34 noble cultures (Islamic culture) and secondly introducing
Western culture as the superior and dominant culture of the
world. Undoubtedly, their primary tactic to stand against
Islamic awakening wave in intellectual dimensions was
cultural invasion, as named by supreme leader, and making
use of Moslems’ ignorance. However, gradually and after
power of Islam being revealed in West and East, cultural …
has turned to a phenomenon which is no longer evident and
tangible. It refers to a series of policies adopted by West,
especially United States, which aim is to oppose against
Islamic awakening movement and the Islamic nature of
recent movements. They attempt to annihilate the youth
identity and neutralize their influence on the movement.
Therefore, the most important challenge encountered


in Islamic awakening movement is cultural invasion of
imperialist powers and lack of a strong strategy on an
Islamic basis with an interacting approach to culture. In this
regard, the most important aims of enemies are as follows:
●annihilation of national identities of freedom-seeking
nations, particularly Islamic countries, and weakening their
hope in becoming independent
●strengthening global Zionism and at the same time
weakening Moslems and Islamic awakening wave
●expansion of false religions and sects such as Vahabiat
and other made up heresies in Islamic countries in order to
… among them
●intellectual and moral deviation of youth through
importing ruinous and unethical products
●strengthening Western capitalist system through
contemptuous means and behaviors towards Moslems
●distorting religion and pushing Moslems away from
noble and pure knowledge of Islam 35
●presenting Western astray models in individual and
social contexts
●intellectual and cultural permutation
2. Making Islamic movements democrat
Increasing changes in the region as well as the world,
which has started since two or three decades ago, has been
accelerated by occurrence of Islamic awakening wave
in Moslem countries. Meanwhile, domination-seeking
of imperialist powers has increased. Avarice of world
arrogance and international Zionism with the aim of making
Islamic movements democrat, is one of their strategic
and long-term policies to annihilate Islamic principles.
Therefore, the importance and necessity of studying and


following these changes has been reminded repeatedly
by supreme leader. As he says,” one of the new concepts
in political discourse of imperialist powers dominating
international system is wealthy power-seeking stratum’s
attempt to take control of vital and economical resources of
the world which is a preface to ultramodern colonialism.”
He points out somewhere else that,” The very important
issue is increasing dominance of United States on Islamic
countries’ political, economical and even military reserves.
This cruel and dominance-seeking superpower, after
collapsing of Soviet Union and elimination of this powerful
rival, aims to turn all over the world and also rich region of
Islamic countries to its own absolute arena.” So we should
notice that colonialism and imperialism goals have so far
demonstrated that they have many clear and hidden faces
tangled with all dimensions of subaltern societies. In most
cases, these faces are philanthropic, peace-seeking, and
36 freedom-seeking and promotion of prosperity in surface
which are truly snarls in the way of nations. It is crystal
clear that by being aware of the appearance of these tricks
we can release from these snarls and by following efﬁcient
and provident policies we can make keep colonial countries
away from reaching their goals. As one of the methods of
ultramodern colonialism is constant and indirect occupation
with passing political governors by and without protest of
people.
Now because of spread of Islamic awakening wave and
inclinations toward political and revolutionary Islam, many
of colonial structures in the region and in also in the world
have undergone drastic changes. Islamic awakening, i.e.
revival of true Islam which is one of the earlier outcomes


of revolutions happened in the region, create basis for
emergence of Islamic movements after a period of inactivity
and quietness.
Intellectual-political streams are happening in an unknown
and surprising condition. So there are various interpretations
in recognizing and analyzing the phenomenon of Islamic
revolutions and the way to treat them. Thus, strategic and
policy-making centers in powerful governments have
presented various and changing solutions and have tried to
conceal their failure in standing against Islamic awakening
and its consequences as well as their concerns about
drastic changes in the structure of imperialist system and
international exploitation. Besides they have attempted to
make a new complicated policy in the post-Cold War era
and follow it intensively in order to develop global modern
discipline.
Reviewing Western colonialism history in both old and
modern colonial era indicates that colonialism has followed 37
the way to reach its goals in economical, political, cultural,
social, confidential and scientific dimensions and has
had influences on other societies. Knowing ultramodern
colonialism necessitates a comprehensive look at ultramodern
methods applied by possessors of power and wealth in the
world. So we can say that this kind of colonialism, which
has started with a sense of domination of liberalist ideology
on other ideologies, is a new all-embracing structure that
seriously threatens intellectual and structural dimension of
Islamic world. Dimensions of this structure are threatening,
devastating, widespread and various. Imperialism seeks
its dominance and superiority on Islamic world and tries
to achieve this goal in any possible way. For this goal to


be achieved it needs to eliminate its rivals and enemies. It
has found the main cause of its problems in Middle East
region and Islamic world; thus with occurrence of Islamic
movements in the region, their influence on global equations
increases. Consequently, Imperialism , in order to reach
dominance over Islamic movements, apply methods some
of which are as follows:
●priority of cultural dominance over military dominance
●infiltrating Western agents to temporary transitional
governments
●inspiring inefficiency of religious democratic system in
controlling Islamic countries’ affairs
● creating social and cultural crisis as well as individual
and cultural alienation
●making standards and presenting Western models
●creating more inequity and more social, ethnic and
religious gaps
38 ●focusing on new capitalist centers in Islamic nations for
realization of colonialism
●increasing individualistic activities, seclusion of
influential figures and minimizing social participation of
committed elites
●creating economical dependence and expansion of
market in Islamic awakening wave countries
●changing people taste and making them consume more
●managing public thoughts and changing their direction
towards the benefits of Imperialism
3. stopping, deviating or slackening the Islamic awakening
movement
Onset of Islamic movements in north Africa and
Southwest Asia, their passing from emergence phase to


reach stability and establishing temporary transitional
governments, is indicative of the profoundness of Islamic
thoughts and noble nature of revolutions made by people in
the region. Continuity of these movements, their influence
on outside geographical area of Islamic world and other
freedom-seeking societies following this trend leads to
fomenting fear of Islamic awakening wave among other
puppet regimes and governments representing Imperialism
and Western liberal-democracy in the region. Hence,
endangering situation and benefits of imperialist systems
in the region (and their supporters/ counterparts) has led
to adoption of preventing and defensive policies in order
to impede the accelerated movement of Islamic awakening
wave.
Hence, imperialism is trying to impede the awakening
movement through hidden and apparent measures,
propaganda, sanctions (economical, military, political,
etc), military operations, enticing and persuading former 39
dictator regimes remaining in the region, subversion and
entering to vital infrastructures of countries. As supreme
leader says,” Their main goal is to assassinate influential
figures of us. They want to seclude Islamic values and
suppress the Islam-seeking wave. The United States and
other imperialist countries are using all their propaganda
opportunities to delay, or suppress if possible, Islamic
awakening movement.” But since these revolutions are
derived from intellectual values and aware nature of
freedom-seeking Moslems who are subjects of cruelty and
injustice, it is impossible to stop it. It will be accelerated
and intensified. , committed intellectuals, politicians and
all influential figures in Islamic movements should be


cognizant in order to guide the movement properly and
manage it in its right path.
4. Creating ethnic, racial, religious and tribal gaps
One of the inﬂuential challenges encountering Islamic
awakening wave is creating ethnic, racial, religious and
tribal gaps done by imperialist powers to make divisions
and alter Islamic integrity among different groups in Islamic
countries. Religious identity, history and civilization and
national honors all are ultra-national identities that affect
individual identities of warriors and prepare a ground
to unite Islamic world in its movements on the basis of
religious, intellectual, cultural, political, revolutionary
identity. Undoubtedly it is not ignored by imperial analysts
and as supreme leader points out,” Quran pays attention
to integrity and warns us that if we lose our integrity, we
will lose our respect and identity too. Unfortunately, this
problem exists in Islamic world today. There are lots of
40 conspiracies against Moslems and it show that they are
afraid of Islamic awakening wave and integrity among
Islamic world.” Imperial theorists and analysts attempt to
alter the essence of movements happened in the region and
show their nature something apart from Islamic identity and
thereby create ethnic quarrels among Islamic groups. They
try to achieve their goal through presenting Islamophobia
and Iranophobia projects, exaggerating the danger of
fundamentalism and making Moslems despondent in their
movement.
Therefore, all social classes, tribes and ethnicities in
Islamic societies should understand the sensitivity of the
present condition and forget about their differences and
personal beneﬁts to incorporate in continuity and success


of Islamic awakening wave and maintenance of national
benefits.
5. Provoking differences and making the influential
figures of the movement want their own share
Islamic awakening wave, which is based on evaluative,
intellectual and revolutionary ideology, has turned into the
main discourse of Moslems and has changed the faces of
the countries involved which were previously captives in
poverty, corruption and discrimination of their apparently
everlasting governors. The role of people in these
movements is undeniable; because Islamic movements
are rooted in presence and will of people. The eternal and
main asset of a democratic society is the presence of people
in different arenas of revolution. Because it is under this
condition that happening revolutions will be immune from
interventions of aliens.
We should bear in mind that the supreme leader asks
people to be present and influential in managing the 41
country; because it is their presence that is considered as the
main power of system in eliminating problems and barriers.
Therefore, the integrity among people in Islamic revolutions
is one of the serious concerns of regional countries.
Undoubtedly, agreement on defined goals and intellectual
grounds as well as considering national benefit of the system
not only will lead to achieve national goals, but also will
affect global equations very much. Therefore, differences
and divisions and also influential figures’ demanding their
own share will impede desirable acting in international
arena. So the benefits should be organized and common
wishes have to be inspired among people in the following
ways:


●trying to ignore sectarian and individual benefits for the
sake of national benefits of Islamic movements
●moving public thoughts towards national benefits and
away from individualism
●trying to reduce the gaps between influential groups in
the society on the basis of mutual respect and rejection of
suppression
●creating a sense of welcoming criticism and allowing
thoughts to flourish to the extent that it doesn’t damage the
system principles and national benefit
●making people aware of enemies’ tricks to stop Islamic
awakening movements and deviate people
●strengthening the ties between people, groups, streams
and transitional government
●commitment of all groups, wings and parties to noble
Islamic principles as a common criterion
6. Lack of a organizing and uniting leadership
42 Emergence of Islamic awakening wave in the 21st
century world which escapes from religion and fight against
it, is indicative of a new crisis in the dominant trend of
secularization of people individual and social life. Though
the most important influence of such movements is making
change in political system and establishing temporary
transitional governments, no need to mention that without
firm intellectual grounds their happening was impossible.
In other words, recent Islamic movements in the region are
prefaces to revolution of other Moslem countries against
corrupt and dictator regimes. One of the main challenges
encountering Islamic awakening wave is lack of a uniting
and organizing leadership.
An organizing leadership is the major basis for ruling


Islamic countries and thereby revolutions happened in
the region can annihilate false grandeur of imperialism,
unite people in standing against its invasion and bring
prosperity to Islamic societies. As Imam Khomeini made
all impossible possible in the period of Islamic revolution
of Iran, the youth duty is to keep Islamic awakening wave
immune from deviation with the aid of clergymen and
religious men. Violating leadership’s orders and eliminating
committed clergymen from the system is a sinister plan of
West and a country without leadership is like a country
without physicians. It is worth-mentioning that Islamic
principles and thoughts are not just religious insights, but
a state system of which political and legal theory has been
carried out in different ways. In other words, the idea of
Islamic government is a theocracy and a religious-political
theory based on the fact that religious governing is the only
legitimate governing and the right law is what Prophet had
stated. According to this theory, religious and politics as 43
well as government and clergymen are not separated from
each other and divine laws should be applied in the society.
“Application of this theory in contemporary era means
integrity of politics and religion which was followed by
Seyyed Jamal al-din Asadabadi and later by Modarres. It
has been resurrected in recent decades and the main figure
involved was Imam Khomeini in late decades of 20th
century.”
7. provoking intellectual extremism and solidity of
thought among influential figures
It is a long time that studying Islamic awakening
movement and analyzing its dimensions has been a concern
of international powers. They try to identify the challenges


and weak points and thereby stop or seclude it. They aim to
keep societies way from noble Islamic principles through
altering its messages, spoiling people spirit and happiness
and presenting false and extremist ideas instead of
evaluative ones (such as justice, freedom, etc.). “Enemies
have believed that their passage to survival is eliminating
Islam from the societies or having a nominal Islam. Though
they have been unsuccessful in achieving the first goal, they
have managed to achieve the second.”, Imam Khomeini
says.
Examining extremism and sanctimoniousness is very
essential in understanding Islamic awakening and its
challenges. Imam Khomeini considers knowing provokers
of extremism and ignorance as well as standing against
them as being essential in expansion of Islam and maintains
that,” United States and world arrogance have agents
everywhere. I have warned you repeatedly that they have
44 sanctimonious agents in universities that are supporters of
religion in appearance, but they have hypocrisy and it ruins
Islam and revolution.”
Studying this issue shows that such people has caused
hugest losses and damages to Islam throughout the history
and now they want to repeat it in Islamic awakening wave.
Because this wave is a phase in flourishing noble Islam
by which freedom-seeking and aware nations find their
right path in standing against manifestations of deviation
and extremism. Consequently, it is the duty of committed
intellectuals and thinkers to distinguish intellectuality
criteria from Western theories and to introduce noble Islamic
principles as an appropriate model to societies and have
concerns regarding alienation, seclusion and ignorance.


8. Undermining the presence of committed religious
intellectuals
Establishment of Islamic movements in recent century has
been an ascendant procedure and committed intellectuals
and clergymen could guide the movements properly. Their
role in preventing deviation from primary goals and hence
victory of movements is undeniable; as they have had an
important role through acquiring spiritual and political
power, inﬁltrating to thoughts and beliefs of people and
awakening their revolutionary nature. They have proved
that whenever they have fought against corrupt powers, the
governing political system has failed and has surrendered
the political power.
Committed intellectuals and clergymen have power
because of enjoying social and political bases and living
among people. Their power is not comparable to the
power of non-religious leaders and this fact provokes the
politicians’ jealousy and betrayal towards them. Therefore, 45
imperialist leaders are aware of the importance of committed
intellectuals and clergymen and try to remove them from
the Islamic awakening context and its inﬂuences on the
future world.
With emergence of Islamic awakening movements in the
region, the duties of committed intellectuals and clergymen
have become more. As supreme leader points out,”
Fortunately, there has been created a widespread awakening
in Islamic world and it is the task of clergymen and Moslem
intellectuals to guide it towards a right direction. They
should act in a way that this awakening lead to governing
and domination.” Another important duty of them is to solve
problems of people. It is not a minor task. It’s a fundamental


issue related to an Islamic society. Here some functions and
responsibilities of committed intellectuals and clergymen
are presented:
●standing against cruel and corrupt regimes and their
remaining agents in temporary transitional governments
●exercising liberality and intellectuality with people in
order to make them know that intellectual deviations are
injected in the form of Islamic principles
●establishing deep ties with people and accompanying
them in different arenas
●presenting solutions based on Islamic principles in order
to eradicate encountering challenges
9. Brain drain in countries involved in Islamic awakening
wave
Two centuries of dictatorship and political, social,
economical and military dominance of corrupt governments
in countries involved in Islamic awakening wave has
46 led to emergence of a sense of alienation among elites,
thinkers and their indifference towards their countries and
remaining inactive in the process of progressing. Their
not participating in managing a country and domination
of a dictatorship atmosphere caused activating imperialist
intelligence services in order to recognize and invite them
to Western countries and International Zionism. As Tailor
believes,” Persuading propaganda of United States has
caused immigration of thousands of Islamic countries’
elites and genius thinkers to America.” Joseph Nay also
emphasizes that,” more than half of the talented university
students in America are from Islamic countries; they never
return to their own countries or if they return, they have
acquired secular positions.” Imperialist countries prepare


grounds and opportunities for these students, strengthen a
sense of alienation among them, use them in key positions
in scientific fields and provide them with financial resources
and thereby decrease their interests to their countries and
annihilate their will to return there. Through this procedure
which is a pre-planned sinister program, world powers
cause a lack of committed and expert human sources in
Islamic countries.
Therefore, the politicians in temporary transitional
governments have to carefully consider strategic variables
in international context and remember that efficient and
revolutionary elites play a crucial role in compensating
scientific, social and economical lags in their societies. So
we should prepare attractive grounds for elites to return
and resurrect noble Islamic thoughts in them to prevent
empowering secular and western agents whose way of
thinking is not flexible.
10. A weak perspective for future harmonious with global 47
changes
One of the fundamental challenges encountering Islamic
awakening wave is globalization which is happening as
main variable in modern global discipline theory proposed
by economical and political powers. This variable is not
a natural process; but a planned one. It is, in fact, the
hegemony of Western liberal capitalist system to dominate
the world, especially the world of Islam. Since recent
movements in Islamic world has led to alteration in global
equations and establishment of new political discourses of
which influences have gone beyond the region, this theory is
regarded as a fundamental and promoter theory by colonial
theorists. It is followed by them in different branches;


however their main concerns are economy, politics and
culture. In the field of economy, globalization refers to
domination of Western capitalist companies over sources
and capacities of Islamic world and also changing people
taste and making them consume their products more. In the
fields of politics it refers to political domination of them
over all other countries. In the field of culture, it refers to
making people consumption-driven, diversity-seeking and
enjoyment-seeking. Globalization, in its third meaning,
is spreading under the title of “modernist culture”. It is
imposed on Islamic countries and imperialist powers aim to
globalize their own values and human rights.
The globalization project in the fields of economy, culture
and politics proposed by imperialist system aims to cultural
and economical domination over countries. Globalization
necessitates elimination of geographical borders between
common-wealth societies and other societies. So Islamic
48 countries should understand the false hegemony of Western
democracy and picture a perspective based on reality
for themselves to act influentially in the international
environments.

Recommended solutions:
Undoubtedly, Islamic awakening wave is one of the
unique events happened in contemporary history. Recent
events have had great influence on domestic equations
of countries as well as international equations and have
resurrected the Islamic identity and originality among
Moslems. As supreme leader says,” With the will of God a
new movement is starting in the region. It is the movement
of nations and Islamic world under the title of Islam aiming


Islamic goals. It is indicative of public awareness and God
has guarantied the absolute victory of such movements.”
Islamic awakening wave was established based on the fact
that the only way to solve existing problems is returning
to noble Islamic concepts and principles. This wave has
passed from the phase of emergence and crisis to stability;
where free elections, with all people participating, are
held and Islamic groups win. Since the future perspective
of the countries involved in Islamic awakening wave is
in contrary to beneﬁts and goals of international Zionism
and imperialism, imperialist countries do all that they can
to intervene in the occurring events and deviate freedom-
seeking people. Regarding this fact, young generation
act as promoter motor and motivator in continuity of
Islamic awakening movement. They should understand
the sensitivities of present time and stand against avarice
of imperialists and Zionists and thereby help to realize the
ideals of their revolutions. They play a crucial role and 49
their acting at appropriate time will guarantee the Islamic
movement. They should learn from the youth in early Islam,
Islamic revolution in Iran, Hezbollah groups in Lebanon
and resisting groups of Moghavemat in Palestine.
So we should carefully examine occurring events to
overcome probable problems and challenges encountering
revolutions. Some recommended solutions that can move
Islamic revolutions in the region towards stability are as
follows:
• Demanding establishment of a new political system
based on renewal of Islamic respect
Now that Islamic awakening wave has happened in an
era in which postmodernism is entering into a new phase,


Islamic revolutions in the region try to pay attention to people
demands and return their sense of originality. Therefore, it is
necessary that in the era, which is named “era of spirituality”,
a system based on new evaluative atmosphere be created
and introduced to the world. Supreme leader of Islamic
revolution has repeatedly reminded inﬂuential leaders to
establish such system. Now that Islamic awakening wave
has endangered all theories of making global systems, it
should propose a new discourse which answers all human
demands. In this regard, following consideration should be
met:
●preparing a perspective for political system according to
the mentioned models
●not separating the new political system from noble
religious principles
●structuring the system on the basis of cosmopolitan
principle and its generalization to other political systems
50 ●considering the principle of gaining political power
based on justice
●considering standing against cruelty and defending the
suppressed (e.g. Palestinian people)
●emphasizing on inﬂuential leadership as the ideological
center of political system
●considering the principle of nation independence-
readiness to defend the country
●aiming to a new political system on the basis of Islamic-
revolutionary principles and avoiding application of laic,
liberal, nationalist or Marxist stereotypes in the structures
of new government
2. Gaining cultural independence and standing against
cultural invasion


One of the important concerns which plays a key role in
guarantying prosperity of societies and realizing their future
perspectives is gaining independence and cultural identity.
As Imam Khomeini, the founder of Islamic revolution,
pointed out,” If a society has a dependent culture which
is feed by opposition cultures, other dimensions of the
society will move towards the opposite direction too and
ﬁnally the society will lose its identity in all dimensions.
Independence and identity of any society is derived from
independence in its culture and it is naive to think that it
is possible to gain independence while being culturally
dependant. That’s why the main goal of colonials is to
invade the culture of subaltern societies.” And the supreme
leader also maintains that,” Independence of a nation is
not achieved unless through independence in political,
economical and cultural ﬁelds. If the culture and morality
and beliefs of alien countries is prevalent in a society, it can
not demand independence; because the real domination of 51
powers is cultural domination.

Some solutions are presented here:
●preparing a cultural perspective based on Islamic values
●developing and presenting religious models in cultural
and social arenas
●identifying cultural measures taken by enemies and
planning to neutralize them
●learning from cultural achievements of Islamic
revolution in Iran
●having active, continuous and effective presence in
media to stand against media imperialism
●generating variable cultural products in accordance with


Moslems’ needs
3. Designing a model of development based on Quran
and religion
In this regard, supreme leader says,” Nations, whether
Moslem or not, need Islamic orders today. It is because of
being away from Islam that some countries are suppressed.
Islamic awakening will save nations and that’s why the
alertest people in different countries have turned towards
Islam which is the way the holy Quran shows us; the way
to survival and prosperity.” He adds somewhere else that,”
The main issues that imperialist powers emphasize on them
are: cultural, economical and scientific domination. That is
enough for them not to allow the subaltern country to reach
independence, progress and believing in itself.” Considering
supreme leader’s point of view, the countries involved in
Islamic awakening wave can prepare a perspective to act
upon through adopting following approaches:
52 ●designing domestic and Islamic models in order to
eradicate economical, military, cultural and scientific
dependence on aliens
●promoting productivity
●lessening class gaps
●promoting Islamic revolution ideals in cultural,
economical and political dimensions
●eradicating poverty and deprivation; and development
of the country
●making the country’s culture and economic efficient
●eradicating scientific, economical, political, military,
cultural and social dependence through jehad-like measures
4. Preventing religious, ethnic and racial differences to
become significant and relying on religion as a criterion


Now that Islam-seeking wave has turned into one of
the main discourses in global theories and has violated
all international equations and Zionism’ beneﬁts, the only
possible way for enemies to deviate this trend is to create
ethnic and religious quarrels among people. So the young
generation in the Islamic countries should maintain the
achievements of happened revolutions through following
measures:
●aknowledgement of ethnic and religious differences
●managing existing differences
●maintaining integrity on the basis of religion
●maintaining integrity on the basis of saving country
from the barraters
5. identifying rival models in the region as well as
international arena
It can be concluded form supreme leader sayings that,” The
enemy has prepared a comprehensive and planned scenario
for Islamic system and Islamic awakening movements. 53
But fortunately, using our philosophical and evaluative
capacities we will be able to stand against these scenarios.”
6. Increase in awareness, cognizant presence in different
arenas at appropriate time
The role of people in emergence and continuity of Islamic
awakening trend is undeniable. It was seen in Islamic
revolution of Iran too; where presence of people in different
scenes neutralized all the enemy’s plans against Islamic
system. So the main treasure of awakening movements in
Islamic countries has been presence of people at appropriate
times. As supreme leader, in a question and answer session,
says to the youth that,” Awareness of young generation is
one of the three pillars in guarantying their own success in


future and prosperity of the country.” He advised them to
feel responsible, to build their own future and not to rely
on chances, to have faith, which is the key component in
making progress and gaining achievement in all fields,
and finally to have awareness and distinguishing power.
Because if they have these characteristics, they can become
successful in all fields.”
7. Constant reviewing the principles of revolution
Islamic awakening movement has emerged on the basis
of people’s will and Islamic principles and its continuity is
bound to commitment to its fundamental principles, a deep
understanding of its different layers and avoiding simple-
mindedness for the sake of keeping revolution achievements
immune from deviations. Hence following items should be
considered:
●maintaining and strengthening fundamental principles
and directionalities of Islamic awakening wave
54 ●focusing on the principles of revolution of which
ignorance will lead to gradual changes
●the only way to prevent deviation from Islamic
revolution principles is to making main indexes of system
more prominent
●independence, freedom and justice-seeking
●not giving up to dictatorship and colonialism
●rejection of ethnic, racial and religious differences
●explicit rejection of Zionism
●maintaining originalities with a high sensitivity
●not allowing the enemy to determine future principles
of the system
●not victimizing the principles in favor of passing benefits
●pessimism towards Europe, United States, NATO and


not believing their promises
●gaining solutions from Islamic origin and giving alien
versions back
●pessimism towards any advise or measure proposed by
America
8. Using the achievements, advances and valuable
experiences of other Moslem nations
Islamic awakening wave has started since decades ago
and after victory of Islamic revolution in Iran. It has been
accelerated and turned to the main discourse in political,
economical and social arenas. Islamic revolution, acting
as a stereotype, has gained lots of achievements and is
gaining more power in the region. Therefore, the elite
and intellectual youth should use different experiences of
Islamic Republic of Iran and reach to their goals through a
crosscut according to these items:
●using the principles of Islamic Republic of Iran
constitutional law as a model for developing their own laws 55
and regulations
●using Iran’s achievement in the field of Nano- technology
●applying fundamental researches of Islamic Republic of
Iran in cultural and social fields
●using the capacities of young generations in Islamic
countries
●believing young generation
●revival of self-confidence in the youth
●the youth’s application of older people experiences
●considering “Islamic democratic system” as desirable
●not confusing Islamic democracy with democracy
9. Aiming to release noble Qods (qodse-sharif) from
Zionists


International Zionism and imperialism use all their
capacities to occupy and annihilate noble Qods; the ﬁrst
Qibla of Moslems. Therefore, one of the future goals of
Islamic awakening wave should be releasing it from Zionist
regime to create an integrated Islamic unity. Following
items should be considered:
●aiming to release Palestine from Zionists
●continuity of great movement in Egypt to Palestine and
Rafah passage
●taking big steps to overcome all barriers
●considering true treasures of Moslem nations (not being
arrogant after victory)
10. Establishment of mobilizations of people (Basij) and
Islamic organs
Islamic awakening wave, while gaining stability, is facing
different threats from international system. Imperialism and
Zionism use all their capacities to challenge this trend and
56 neutralize its achievements. So it is duty of all Moslem
young people to maintain these achievements and learn
from Islamic revolution of Iran and establish mobilizations
of people (Basij) and Islamic organs. As Imam Khomeini,
the great leader of Islamic revolution, says,” defending
Islam and Islamic countries is a religious and divine task of
people and it is due to them.”
Basij is an eternal source for Islamic revolutions and
guarantees the prosperity of developing societies. Its
importance is to the extent that Sublime God emphasizes on
its necessity in Holy Quran. Reviewing the history of Islam
also conﬁrms this point that whenever people were present
in different social scenes, there came fortunate outcomes
for the society.


The role of Basij in Islamic revolution is another proof for
the fact that it is of a revolutionary and constructive spirit.
The existing bureaucracies in the societies are not barriers
to achieving its goals. Hence, the young generation of
the countries involved in Islamic awakening wave should
provide a ground for flourishing and development through
establishing mobilizations of people. The following items
should be considered here:
●scientific mobilization and organizing the elites and
influential figures in the trend
●defending revolutions through closing the ways of
enemies’ infiltration to managing layers in new political
systems
●deepening culture in the society
●comprehensive defending against software and hardware
threats
●making stereotypes and presenting evaluable,
revolutionary models in different arenas of new political 57
systems
●neutralizing security and disciplinary threats in the
society
●creating jobs and eradication of poverty
●identifying violators in new political systems
●construction and building appropriate infrastructures in
the country

Conclusions:
The influence of the events happened during recent months
is so great that the Islamic awakening wave has turned to
a new political discourse in the 21st century. It caused a
new power, called power of Islamic world, to emerge and


to become the center of attention for many political and
nonpolitical analysts, who have presented different analysis
of current changes. With spread of Islamic wakening wave,
we should ask that “is it possible to consider an absolute
ending to these changes? Is international imperialism
and Zionism able to challenge these movements again?”
Examining this issue demonstrates that this wave will be
continued because of its expanding outcomes; Intervention
of international Zionism and world arrogance will not
impede it and will face with anger of revolutionary
people and their justice-seeking stream. It is expected that
intervention of imperialist system leads to spreading and
fastening the cycle of changes and awakening movements
and going their influence beyond the region. As supreme
leader of Islamic revolution predicts, this wave will be
expanded to other parts of the world and not only the
Middle East and Africa, but also Europe will experience the
58 outcomes of this movement.
We should accept that international imperialist and
Zionism have been weakening with emergence of Islamic
awakening wave and with adopting different approaches and
made up scenarios as well as creation of deviating models,
they try to decrease the power of the countries involved
in the Islamic awakening wave and their people. That’s
why the responsibility of influential figures, committed
youth, experts and leaders becomes more important and the
necessity of taking needed measures is undeniable. These
measures should be taken in order to overcome encountering
challenges and making the best use of all capacities and
capabilities of Islamic societies.
Islamic nations and their people’s concentration on


Imam Khomeini, supreme leader of Islamic revolution and
other committed influential figures’ thoughts in the first,
second and now in the third wave of Islamic awakening,
is an important and great responsibility of of them to stand
against international imperialism and Zionism as well as
their alliances and counterparts in all phases of emergence,
crisis and gaining relative stability. Thereby they can defend
Islam and Islamic identity with the aid of all intellectuals,
thinkers and young people of Islamic awakening movement
and use all political, economical and cultural capacities
of Islamic world to dictate the abilities and potentialities
of Islamic societies to heads of global infidelity and
imperialism. Therefore, young generation in the countries
involved in Islamic awakening movements have a huge
responsibility in standing against enemies’ conspiracies. As
supreme leader points out,” The youth should take most of
the responsibilities for the future and have a regeneration.
Do not let the enemies annihilate nation hopes through 59
propaganda, conspiracy and lying. Do not let them make
divisions and create gaps between people and heads of the
governments. They want you to become divided; because
they are afraid of your integration. They have a fear of your
firm slogans and the serious and firm will of the responsible
people in the Islamic governments. They aim to unstable
this will. When people of a country stand beside the heads of
their government, nobody hesitate and they move forward.”

Designing a Model for Civil and Islamic Institutions...

Designing a Model for Civil and Islamic
Institutions and Speculating on How to Implement
It in Order to Maintain the Islamic Awakening
Achievements

Roqayyeh Bahrami1

Introduction
Many sociologists believe that as long as social
revolutions and movements are opposed to the existing
situation, they can result in motion, but when they attain
a political structure and system, they adopt an inactive
and justiﬁcationary, and it is at that very moment that the
revolution and the movement expire and cease to attain
their goals. According to this viewpoint, the process of
transformation of a movement to a system, in a manner that
leads to the maintenance and growth of ideals and revival of 61
the revolutionary values resultant from Islamic Awakening,
is one of the most important efforts which should be taken
into consideration after a revolution. On the other hand,
organizing the revolutionary passion of people, which
has aimed at disarranging the previous system, is either
impossible and might result in anarchism; or if achieved,
leads to the extinction of this revolutionary passion.
Formation of various civil circles is all the outcomes of these

1.Junior Student, Third Level, Department of Fiqh and Usul, Qaba
Hawzah 'Ilmiyya, Tehran
09366447962 Email: rosarosa408@yahoo.com
"Muslim Ummah has sensed the breeze of awakening and has smelled
the aroma of returning to Islamic Knowledge."
-Hazrat Imam Khamenei, Supreme Leader of Islamic Revolution

Designing a Model for Civil and Islamic Institutions...

approaches which have reached the "institutionalization"
phase, and each has found a speciﬁc work in the system
and the executive constitution of that approach. As a more
elaborate instance, Imam's emphasis on the formation of
a "Global Mobilization" illustrates Imam's high ends and
endevours on one hand, and his determination to manage
this revolutionary passion in an intelligent manner and
spread it globally. This should be accomplished in a way to
assure that the revolutionary passion does not extinct, and
remembrance of the foreign adversary results in homeland
unity and integration, so that a territorial order is achieved
to establish a system.
Constitution of such civil and revolutionary institutions,
is illustrative of the strategic depth of the doctrinal leaders
and proper understanding of the important point that
revolutionary spirit can only last in civil institutions, rather
than the structure of administrative and political systems
62 where it fades gradually. "One of the key essentials in
every social movement and upheaval,is that there must be
'word-making' and 'institutionalization' based on the ideas
and the underlying basics of that movement," states Imam
Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution,
elaborating on this speciﬁc issue, "When a new concept,
like the concepts of Islamic rule, Islamic system, and
Islamic Awakening are introduced, the movement which
is based on this new idea must have its own appropriate
terms and words. If it borrows its words from outsiders, the
atmosphere will get troubled, leaving subjects untold. The
same is true about institutionalization. When a revolution
and a movement is realized, it must form its own operational
systems - mechanisms to follow its intentions.

Youth and islamic awakening2

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