As the world gathers to reflect on “Imam Khomeini’s Ideology on Global Justice”, we find ourselves once again confronting many of the same global injustices he stood against: Western domination, exploitation of the Global South, double standards on Palestine, and suppression of authentic liberation movements.

Justice and Spirituality in Imam Khomeini’s Thought

For Imam Khomeini, justice was inseparable from spiritual consciousness. His vision was not limited to legalistic or political definitions of justice but rooted in an Islamic metaphysics that recognised oppression (zulm) as a violation not just of human rights, but of divine order. In this framework, the oppressed have both a duty and a divine mandate to rise, not in hatred, but in moral clarity.

Imam Khomeini once stated,“Our movement is not only against a tyrant. It is against tyranny itself.”This universalism set him apart from narrow nationalists and political opportunists. It is the same spiritual and moral clarity that Malcolm X discovered in his Hajj pilgrimage, and that Steve Biko expressed when he said,“The most potent weapon in the hands of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed.”For Khomeini, resisting oppression was a spiritual obligation.

This spiritual foundation is what gave the Iranian Revolution of 1979 its uniqueness; it was not only political, but civilisational. It called into question the Western-imposed order in Iran and rejected both Eastern and Western blocks during the Cold War, advancing the now-famous slogan:“Neither East, nor West—Islam is our direction.”

In the face of today’s spiritual emptiness under global capitalism, where human life is commodified and mass culture is driven by consumption, Khomeini’s call to reclaim morality, simplicity, sacrifice, and God-consciousness is more relevant than ever.

Global Awakening and Liberation Movements in Africa

Imam Khomeini’s impact reached well beyond Iran. His solidarity with liberation movements across Africa, Asia, and Latin America placed him in the continuum of global revolutionary leaders who viewed the struggle of the oppressed as a shared moral battle. He aligned himself with the struggles in South Africa, Palestine, Zimbabwe, and Angola, among others.

In the context of Africa, Imam Khomeini strongly condemned apartheid, colonialism, and puppet regimes controlled by Western interests. He recognised that Africa’s chains were not only external but internal—comprador elites, handpicked and protected by former colonisers, who betrayed the dreams of Kwame Nkrumah, Patrice Lumumba, and Amílcar Cabral.

Today, across Africa, youth are reawakening. From the EndSARS movement in Nigeria, to pro-democracy protests in Sudan, and anti-French uprisings in Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, we are witnessing a new generation reclaiming its sovereignty. This “Global Awakening”, as articulated by Imam Khomeini, is not merely political; it is a spiritual revival of dignity, identity, and truth.

His emphasis on self-reliance (khod-kafa’i) and cultural resistance challenges African states today to reject economic dependency, IMF-driven austerity, and Western narratives of “development” that serve the interests of foreign investors rather than the people. Iran’s model, despite severe sanctions, of surviving through innovation, cultural rootedness, and strategic resilience, offers inspiration for African nations seeking to carve out an independent future.

A Critical View on Western Double Standards on Palestine

Perhaps no issue illustrates the moral bankruptcy of Western imperialism more clearly than its hypocrisy on Palestine. Imam Khomeini was among the earliest leaders to declare the last Friday of Ramadan as Al-Quds Day, a global day of solidarity with the Palestinian people. For him, Zionism was not just a threat to Palestinians, but to all humanity, because it represented a colonial ideology masquerading as a religious movement, armed and funded by imperial powers.

Today, as we witness the relentless bombardment of Gaza, the massacre of civilians, the destruction of hospitals and refugee camps, and the use of starvation as a weapon, the so-called “civilised world” remains largely silent or complicit. The United States and European powers, which claim to uphold democracy and human rights, finance and justify the very occupation and ethnic cleansing they claim to oppose elsewhere.

The double standard is blatant. When Ukraine was invaded, Western governments rushed to support the resistance. But when Palestinians resist decades of occupation, they are labelled as terrorists. Imam Khomeini warned of this hypocrisy long ago. He taught that resistance is a right, and that global citizens must reject media narratives designed to dehumanise the oppressed.

His call for Muslim unity against Zionism and imperialism remains unfulfilled, but its necessity is clearer now than ever. Importantly, Khomeini always emphasised that Judaism as a faith is not the enemy, but Zionism as a political, racist project is.

Relevance in the Contemporary Anti-Hegemonic Struggle

In today’s geopolitical landscape, new alliances are forming that echo Imam Khomeini’s anti-hegemonic vision. The emergence of multipolar powers like China, Russia, and the Global South through BRICS, the growing de-dollarisation movement, and resistance to Western cultural imperialism all point toward a shift in global consciousness.

Iran remains central in this axis, not as a superpower, but as a symbol of cultural defiance, revolutionary resilience, and spiritual clarity. It is no coincidence that Iran continues to be demonised, sanctioned, and isolated—because it refuses to bow.

Moreover, the Iranian model of resistance—through self-sacrifice, unity, and innovation—has inspired movements like Hezbollah in Lebanon, Ansarullah in Yemen, and even ideological currents in Latin America’s Bolivarian movements.

As countries like Zimbabwe, under illegal Western sanctions, struggle for economic justice and sovereignty, the spirit of Khomeini’s teachings offers a reminder: independence comes at a cost, but that cost is far less than the price of continued servitude.

The anti-hegemonic struggle is also intellectual. Imam Khomeini criticised Western philosophical arrogance and called for a revival of Islamic thought, rooted in both tradition and ijtihad (independent reasoning). In today’s world, where Western epistemologies dominate everything from economics to education, decolonising knowledge is part of the resistance.

A Call to Global Citizens

The 36th anniversary of Imam Khomeini’s passing is not a moment of mourning—it is a moment of mobilisation. It is a call to revisit the ideals of global justice, rooted in spirituality, dignity, and revolutionary struggle. For those fighting for Palestine, for African sovereignty, for economic justice, for cultural liberation, Khomeini’s teachings are a reservoir of strength.

In an age of drones, debt traps, surveillance capitalism, and cultural manipulation, we need moral clarity. We need ideological discipline. We need courage grounded in faith. Imam Khomeini’s life and legacy remind us that revolutions are not won through weapons alone, but through hearts, minds, and an unshakable belief in the truth.

Let this commemoration be more than an event. Let it be a commitment to speak truth to power, to defend the oppressed wherever they are, and to continue the long, sacred march toward global justice and human dignity.