Imam Khomeini, the contemporary mystic of Muslim world, gives preference to reforming the self over reforming others..Imam also reckons the interior as more important than the exterior.
In this perspective, the essence is the interior and not the external conditions.
If man be free from all external entanglements but has a feeling of inner bondage, he is then not truly free.
If man possesses the whole world but internally feels indigence, he is still destitute.
According to Imam, basically, everything originates internally.So, while quoting a hadith which expresses, “The freeman is free in all circumstances,” Imam says:
Let it be known to you that contentment comes from the heart and the absence of neediness is a spiritual state, unrelated to external matters that lie outside the human self. I have myself seen certain persons among rich and wealthy classes who say things which no honorable poor man would say.
This point is not restricted to wealth alone. All other conditions are like that. For this reason, the Imam invites all, particularly the theology students, to begin with and reform themselves, saying that:
The first thing that the learned in religious sciences and the seekers of this perilous road must take into consideration is self-reform during the period of studies, counting it as far as possible to be the foremost of their duties, for this is harder and more obligatory than all the duties and obligations.
Imam Khomeini has left several precious theological works which contain treasure of mysticism for faithful people and truth seekers.