The Funeral of Velayat-e Faqih – & Trump?

There is no doubt that liberal and secular-minded Shia Iranians are not fewer in number than those who hold deeply rooted religious convictions; in fact, they are more numerous. They also enjoy strong support from the large Iranian diaspora living abroad. Their challenge, however, is that they cannot inspire the same level of devotion as the Islamist clerics, nor are they willing to sacrifice their lives in pursuit of martyrdom. Rather than seeking paradise in the hereafter, they seem to aspire to build a better life in this world. They value life and do not wish to lay it down in the manner of the Revolutionary Guards.

Even with this background, the Iranian regime must recognize that it is living in the twenty-first century, not in the seventh or eighth century. How long can the weapon of religious fanaticism continue to serve its purpose? Today, your nation needs peace and prosperity, not bloodshed and extremism. There is no doubt that the recklessness of an irresponsible leader like Trump has worked to your advantage in many ways, but the realities on the ground are far more troubling. It would be wise to abandon the futile ambition of exporting your revolution to other Sunni or Shia societies. Set aside the obsession with hostility toward the Jews or Israel. Support for militant proxy groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah will ultimately bring no lasting benefit. End the hostility toward your Sunni Arab neighbors in the Gulf and begin responding to the realities of the twenty-first century rather than the seventh. Despite their reservations, if they came to Khamenei’s funeral in the hope of opening a new chapter, they should not have been met with sarcasm or messages of reproach delivered through Quranic verses. If your guests are told that they stand with disbelief rather than with the believers, or if the Turks are compared to the hypocrites who remained behind, then it is worth remembering another moment in history. When the surviving members of Imam Husayn’s family arrived in the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus after the tragedy of Karbala, verses of the Quran were similarly recited to suggest that God grants honor to whom He wills and humiliation to whom He wills. Today, you acknowledge that the Umayyads misused the Quran to justify their own political narrative. If such taunts were wrong then, they remain wrong today. You should not follow the traditions of those whom you have criticized for fourteen centuries. They attempted to transform political disagreement with the Prophet’s family into religious hostility. Instead, you should adopt the opposite approach by choosing compassion and reconciliation over resentment and division.

Among the Gulf Arab states, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Bahrain declined to attend the funeral altogether. Most other Arab countries adopted a similar position. Saudi Arabia and Qatar eventually sent official delegations, but they were first confronted with criticism framed through Quranic verses, and later, as their ships passed through the Strait of Hormuz, missiles were reportedly launched toward them. Such actions cannot foster peace, security, or religious and political unity in the region. What has been the result of this short-sightedness? The peace agreement had the potential to deliver economic benefits that might have eased some of the hardships faced by the Iranian people. Those opportunities have now largely disappeared. The Gulf Arab states that had been extending a hand toward improved relations were pushed away. President Trump has now found a reason to begin speaking about abandoning an agreement that he himself had signed. If, God forbid, another war erupts, there is little doubt that missiles will once again be fired toward Israel and that neighboring Arab countries may also become targets. But what will ultimately be gained? What will the ninety million Iranians, who have endured forty-seven years of hardship and suffering, receive in return? Will it simply mean that the Iranian rial loses even more of its value and that economic misery deepens further? When a nation is kept in a permanent state of war and confrontation, the consequences inevitably extend to future generations. Nothing flourishes in an atmosphere of chaos and instability; prosperity cannot grow where conflict never ends.

Today, praise be to God, Supreme Leader Sayyid Ali Khamenei has been laid to rest alongside his family in his sacred city. Yet this can hardly be described as an ideal situation. The manner in which Imam Khamenei and members of his family were killed is a cause for sorrow, not celebration. To glorify such suffering is even more tragic. May God spare everyone from experiencing such pain. The sea of red flags has ignited a spirit of revenge among your people that, in the eyes of many, will not subside until it claims Trump and Netanyahu. More than the awaited return of Imam Mahdi, many will now begin waiting for the emergence of another Mukhtar al-Thaqafi.