Because of its historical significance, digital copies are often archived for academic study:
Perhaps the most striking element of Kashf al-Asrar is its tone. At a time when most clerics avoided direct political confrontation, Khomeini named names. He directly targeted Reza Shah and his son, referring to them as "wretched" agents of foreign imperialism. This combative language foreshadowed the 1963 protests and the 1978 revolution.
A disciple of Kasravi named Ali Akbar Hakamizada published a polemical, 30-page pamphlet in 1943 titled Asrar-i Hazarsala ( The Thousand-Year Secrets ). The pamphlet fiercely attacked traditional Shia practices—labeling them superstitious—and challenged the authority of the clerics.
: The book was written at the behest of Ayatullah Burujirdi to systematically refute a tract that challenged the necessity and authority of the Shia clergy.
In the political vacuum that followed, secularists and modernists gained a platform to criticize traditional religious institutions. The most notable critic was Ahmad Kasravi, an anti-clerical historian and intellectual.
The text contains sharp polemics regarding early Islamic history. Khomeini offered deep criticisms of the first three caliphs—Abu Bakr, Umar, and Uthman—arguing that they deviated from the Prophet Muhammad's intended political succession. This specific dimension of the text makes it a subject of extensive study in sectarian polemics and historical analysis.
Kashf al-Asrar: Understanding Ayatollah Khomeini’s First Political Work