The Impact of Imam Khomeini’s Political Islam vis-à-vis the Salafi-Takfiri Islam of Wahhabism on International Peace and Security

Security constitutes one of the fundamental aspects of interaction among humans begins on which a large number of research works have taken place. The ideological deviation and the growth of deviant intellectual trends have always been the major factors in undermining security at national and international levels. From among these deviant trends mention should be made of the Wahhabi school of thought, which - by outlining a Salafi-Takfiri interpretation of Islam - has been supporting radical terrorist groups such as Al-Qaeda, Taliban and the ISIS, causing insecurity in the Muslim world and being recognized as threat to international security. On the other hand, there is the political Islam of Imam Khomeini (RA), which - by relying on true Islamic foundations and teaching - has been trying to create an awareness in world public opinion that what the biased media projects about Islam is false and contrary to the real values that Islam stands for. Moreover, Imam Khomeini’s political Islam is also indicative of the true Islamic teachings vis-à-vis what the deviant Wahhabi-Takfiri trend stands for and projects. The aim of this paper is to make a comparative study of Imam Khomeini’s understanding of political Islam and the Wahhabi interpretation of Islam and the role these two schools have been playing in spreading peace and security and/or being a threat to it at the regional and international levels. The findings of this text-based research work indicate that not only the Salafi-Takfiri interpretation of Islam has not contributed to peace and security, but has, to the contrary, resulted in the formation of terrorist groups by spreading deviated thoughts and encouraging hatred and animosity towards those who do not approve of their views and thoughts. Contrary to what Wahhabism and it Salafi-Takfiri interpretation of Islamic teachings has been trying to spread, Imam Khomeini’s politicalIslamstands for such principles and values as confronting terrorism, human rights, human dignity and peaceful coexistence, etc. as well as promoting peace and security among state-nations.