167:44
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[HQ] Prophet Yusuf (a.s) Movie - Part 01 of 10 - Farsi sub English
Prophet Yusuf (a.s.) - 1/10
(یوسف پیامبر) The life of Prophet Yusuf (a.s.) in an epic 45 episode(10 DVDs) series directed by Farajollah Salahshoor....
Prophet Yusuf (a.s.) - 1/10
(یوسف پیامبر) The life of Prophet Yusuf (a.s.) in an epic 45 episode(10 DVDs) series directed by Farajollah Salahshoor.
Yousuf-e-Payambar or Joseph the Prophet is an Iranian television series from 2008 which tells the story of Prophet Joseph from the Quran and Islamic traditions. It is also set in the historical context of the Amarna period of ancient Egypt.
http://www.voiceofunity.com/prophet-yusuf-as-series
[The videos were recorded from Jame-Jam, an IRIB channel that implements the English subtitles. They are inaccurate translations but sufficient to follow the story line.]
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Description:
Prophet Yusuf (a.s.) - 1/10
(یوسف پیامبر) The life of Prophet Yusuf (a.s.) in an epic 45 episode(10 DVDs) series directed by Farajollah Salahshoor.
Yousuf-e-Payambar or Joseph the Prophet is an Iranian television series from 2008 which tells the story of Prophet Joseph from the Quran and Islamic traditions. It is also set in the historical context of the Amarna period of ancient Egypt.
http://www.voiceofunity.com/prophet-yusuf-as-series
[The videos were recorded from Jame-Jam, an IRIB channel that implements the English subtitles. They are inaccurate translations but sufficient to follow the story line.]
71:28
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(Full Speech) Supreme Leader on demise anniversary of Imam Khomeini (ra) - 4 June 2014 - [ENGLISH]
Supreme Leader\\\\\\\'s Speech on 25th Demise Anniversary of Imam Khomeini (r.a.) Print
06/06/2014
Hotuba ya Kiongozi Muadhamu katika Maadhimisho ya Mwaka wa 25 wa Kufariki Dunia Imam...
Supreme Leader\\\\\\\'s Speech on 25th Demise Anniversary of Imam Khomeini (r.a.) Print
06/06/2014
Hotuba ya Kiongozi Muadhamu katika Maadhimisho ya Mwaka wa 25 wa Kufariki Dunia Imam KhomeiniThe following is the full text of the speech delivered on June 4, 2014 by Ayatollah Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, on the occasion of the demise anniversary of Imam Khomeini (r.a.). The speech was delivered at Imam Khomeini\\\\\\\'s shrine.
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, and peace and greetings upon our Master and Prophet, Muhammad, and upon his immaculate household, especially the one remaining with Allah on earth.
\\\\\\\"Our Lord, forgive us and those of our brethren who had precedence of us in faith, and do not allow any spite to remain in our hearts towards those who believe. Our Lord, surely You are Kind, Merciful\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, 59: 10]. \\\\\\\"Our Lord, surely You have given to Pharaoh and his chiefs finery and riches in this world\\\\\\\'s life. To this end, our Lord, that they lead people astray from Your way. Our Lord, destroy their riches and harden their hearts so that they believe not until they see the painful punishment\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, 10: 88].
Allah the Omniscient said in His book: \\\\\\\"Have you not considered how Allah sets forth a parable of a good word being like a good tree, whose root is firm and whose branches are in heaven, yielding its fruit in every season by the permission of its Lord?\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, 14: 24-25]
On this unforgettable and important day, I would like to divide my statements to you dear brothers and sisters into three parts. In the first part, I will speak about an important reality which exists about the Islamic Republic. Today, paying attention to this reality is very important. In the second part, I will provide a brief explanation of our magnanimous Imam\\\\\\\'s (r.a.) permanent and eternal school of thought. Although we have said and heard many things about Imam\\\\\\\'s (r.a.) school of thought, it is necessary to provide a brief explanation at this point in time. I will provide a short portrayal of all the things that our magnanimous Imam (r.a.) created as a unique phenomenon in the contemporary world. The third part is about two important challenges which lie ahead of the people of Iran and the Islamic Republic. It is important for us to pay attention to these two challenges in order to move forward in the right way and on the right path.
As for the first part, the reality that I referred to is that 25 years have passed from the demise of our great Imam (r.a.), but people\\\\\\\'s enthusiasm and excitement to hear and know about him has not diminished. And this is not particular to our country. Rather, this reality exists in the world of Islam and even beyond that.
Not only in our country - where the third generation of the Revolution is growing and blossoming - but also in the entire world of Islam, the youth of the age of communications and Internet are after gaining more information about the issues of the Revolution, about the Islamic Republic and about the architect of this great structure. And these youth can easily familiarize themselves with the issues which occur far away from their own environment. The phenomenon of religious democracy and the theory of Wilayat-e Faqih are issues which are significant and attractive for the intellectual environments of the world of Islam.
From the first days, our enemies began making a comprehensive effort and the more we moved forward, the more comprehensive this effort became. They used hundreds and thousands of television, radio stations and Internet sites to abuse the Islamic Republic, its great founder and its supporters. Of course, this issue has been helpful to us because it has aroused the curiosity of listeners and viewers throughout the world.
These listeners and viewers want to know the reason behind all these enmities, hostilities and mudslinging. They want to know the nature of the truth which has been the target of these enmities. So, our enemies mentioned our names and they spoke about our Imam (r.a.) and our system with the purpose of showing their enmity, but \\\\\\\"...surely they will scheme, and I too will scheme\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, 86: 15-16].
This is what Allah the Exalted says. They started this widespread movement with such an intention, but it eventually created an opportunity for us because the sense of curiosity of the listeners to these stations was aroused throughout the world. Islamic Awakening - in which anti-arrogant feelings were dominant more than any other phenomenon - in Islamic countries and our region is the sign of this curiosity and search for the truth and it continues to exist.
It is possible that western and American intelligence services report to their seniors that they have managed to suppress Islamic Awakening in our region. If they have such a notion, then this will be another strategic mistake and another wrong interpretation on the part of our enemies. Islamic Awakening might be suppressed for a while in part of the world of Islam, but it will undoubtedly not be uprooted. On the contrary, it will develop.
This understanding, this perception and this awareness in all countries and among Muslim youth in the region is not something that can be destroyed easily. Of course, they will make certain efforts in order to destroy it and these efforts may seem to be successful in some areas in the short run, but in the end, they will prove to be fruitless.
The curiosity that exists in today\\\\\\\'s young generation all over the world - particularly in the world of Islam - about the phenomenon of religious democracy is rooted in the fact that the Islamic Republic is a phenomenon from whose birth 35 years have passed. And during all these 35 years, it has faced the violent and hostile reactions of the dominant powers in the world. They showed military reactions, they showed propaganda reactions, they showed economic reactions - which began from the beginning of the Revolution and which have been reinforced on a daily basis - and they showed political reactions.
It is 35 years now that this powerful western camp has been doing whatever it could against the Islamic Republic. It has made military efforts, it has helped the aggressors who attacked our country, it has supported the enemies of the Islamic Republic in any area, it has used widespread propaganda and it has made perfect and unprecedented efforts in the area of sanctions and economic siege. But in the face of all these invasions and all these violent and unscrupulous hostilities, the Islamic Republic was not destroyed, it did not adopt a conservative outlook, it was not blackmailed by the west and it made progress on a daily basis. This is what forms the essence of this curiosity.
Despite the fact that the primary military, political and economic powers of the world joined hands against a country and a government and despite the fact that they made efforts for 35 years, not only was this government not destroyed, but it also became stronger on a daily basis. This government was not blackmailed by them and it did not pay any attention to them at all. The Islamic Republic showed its power and capability to survive in different arenas.
Today, when they look at the Islamic Republic, they see that the second and third generations of the Revolution in the country are comprised of several million students, several thousand knowledgeable clergy, several thousand researchers, several thousand university and seminary professors, thousands of scientific and intellectual personalities - some of whom are well-known on an international level - and thousands of activists and producers and thousands of political, cultural and economic personalities. This is the reality about our today\\\\\\\'s society.
In the arena of science and technology, the Islamic Republic launches satellites into space despite all sanctions. It sends living creatures into space and it brings them back. It produces nuclear energy. It is ranked among the first ten countries in the world in many new sciences. The centers in charge of releasing statistics have announced that the rate of scientific progress in the Islamic Republic is 13 times faster than the global average. It gives scientific and technological services to different countries. Despite unprecedented sanctions, it manages a 75-million-strong country. It has the final word on regional policies. It shows resistance against the usurping Zionist regime, which is supported by global bullies, and it does this on its own. It does not compromise with oppressors and it defends the oppressed.
Any well-informed individual becomes curious to know what this organism and phenomenon is and how it benefits from all these innate capabilities and this potential to survive despite all the enmities. This is the nature of this curiosity. This was about the issues related to scientific, technological and other such areas.
As for political and social issues, the higher aspect of this religious democracy is that we have had 32 elections during the 35 years from the beginning of our Revolution. Thirty two public elections have been held in this country. Is this a minor achievement? This is an exceptional phenomenon. Elections in the Islamic Republic are held with a high turnout - higher than the global average and in some cases, it is much higher. Our elections witness a turnout of 70, 72 percent. Our elections are like this. These elections are the manifestation of democracy.
Another exceptional example is the two phenomena which we people have gotten used to, but which are extraordinarily exciting and important for global inspectors and witnesses. These two phenomena are the 22nd of Bahman rallies and Quds Day Rallies in the month of Ramadan. During the past 35 years, the people have held the Revolution celebration each year with a great, exciting and glorious rally on the cold days of late Bahman. We have gotten used to this and we do not truly see the significance and greatness of this issue, but global witnesses see these things and they are very astonishing to them.
These are the factors behind the element which arouses people\\\\\\\'s curiosity and which presents a new path to the minds of enthusiastic, inquisitive and research-oriented individuals. This is the important reality of our time which can be described as the general curiosity of youth, intellectuals, well-informed personalities and analysts throughout the world of Islam about the phenomenon which has emerged and grown on a daily basis in Islamic Iran. This is the first issue.
This reality has been built by the hands of our great architect. We have said many things about Imam (r.a.). Perhaps some people think that we have spoken about Imam in an exaggerated way. But this is not the case. What we have said about our magnanimous Imam (r.a.) is neither exaggeration nor magnification of the truth. Rather, it is the truth. Our magnanimous and dear Imam (r.a.) was more complex and meaningful than what we managed to say and reflect about him.
What is available to the people of Iran and what is in front of the eyes of people throughout the world has been built by those powerful hands. We should know about the architect\\\\\\\'s plan in order to take the path in the right way. If developers and builders do not have access to a plan in order to build an ordinary building and if it is not clear what the main plan is, then they may make a mistake no matter how skilled they are. We should know the main plan so that we can use our expertise in building on the basis of this plan.
Imam\\\\\\\'s (r.a.) plan was not one that could be designed by a human being. It was definitely God\\\\\\\'s work. Our magnanimous Imam (r.a.) himself knew and acknowledged this. He himself used to say, \\\\\\\"What has occurred is a handicraft of divine power\\\\\\\". He had understood this correctly and his insightful and vigilant eyes had seen this correctly.
We should be careful. We should know the plan so that we can continue the path. If we do not know the plan, we will deviate from the right path. And when we deviate, we will drift away from the main and the straight path on a daily basis. When we drift away from the straight path, we will drift away from goals and we will fail to reach them.
In order to reach the goals, we should take care not to lose the path and in order to avoid losing the path, we should have the main plan in front of our eyes. We should know and identify this plan. Imam\\\\\\\'s (r.a.) plan and main task was to create a civil-political system on the basis of Islamic reason. The prerequisite for carrying out this task was to uproot the monarchic regime which was corrupt, dependent and dictatorial.
The monarchic regime had these three characteristics: it was corrupt - different moral, financial and other such corruptions. It was dependent on powers. One day, it was dependent on England and another day, it was dependent on America. It was prepared to abandon its own interests and the interests of the people for the sake of the interests of foreigners. And it was dictatorial and oppressive. For the monarchic regime, the people\\\\\\\'s votes and requests counted for nothing. Each of these characteristics forms a long chapter. Each of them forms a long book.
The prerequisite for the great task that Imam (r.a.) wanted to carry out was to uproot this corrupt, dependent and dictatorial regime. He focused his efforts on doing this and consequently, the regime was uprooted. In our country, the issue was not replacing a monarchic regime with another monarchic or semi-monarchic regime. The issue was uprooting the characteristics that the monarchic regime had and this was done by our magnanimous Imam (r.a.). Imam\\\\\\\'s (r.a.) statements, guidelines and behavior were oriented towards this goal.
There are two fundamental points in building this civil-political system and these two points are interconnected. In one sense, these two points are two sides of the coin of truth. One is entrusting the affairs of the country to the people through democracy and elections and another is launching this movement - which originated from Islam - and any movement which originates from democracy and entrusting tasks to people, within the framework of Islamic sharia. These are two parts. In other words, these are two sides of the same truth.
Some people should not think that our magnanimous Imam (r.a.) derived elections from the western culture and then mixed it with Islamic thoughts and Islamic sharia. This was not the case. If elections, democracy and reliance on the votes of people had not been part of religion and Islamic sharia, then Imam (r.a.) would have told us. If this had been the case, he would have announced it in an outspoken and decisive way. Democracy is part of religion. Therefore, Islamic sharia is the framework.
When passing and implementing laws, when assigning individuals different tasks and discharging them from their service and during all tasks that follow this political-civil system, Islamic sharia should be observed. All tasks in this system revolve around democracy. All the people elect the members of the Majlis and the president, they elect ministers indirectly, they elect the members of the Assembly of Experts and they elect the Leader indirectly. All tasks are in the hands of the people. This was the main base of our magnanimous Imam\\\\\\\'s (r.a.) movement. The great structure that this great personality built was founded on these two bases.
Commitment to Islamic sharia is the soul and truth of the Islamic government. Everyone should pay attention to this issue. If Islamic sharia is completely observed in society, this will ensure both civil and individual freedom - the freedom of individuals - and collective freedom which is called independence. Independence means freedom of a people. It means that a people are not dependent on anyone and any place.
\\\\\\\"A free people\\\\\\\" means a people who are not under the influence and domination of their opponents, their enemies and foreigners in any way. If Islamic sharia is observed, it will ensure both justice and spirituality in society. These are the four main elements: freedom, independence, justice and spirituality. If Islamic sharia dominates society, these main phenomena in the order of Islamic society will show themselves. Therefore, our magnanimous Imam (r.a.) stressed the necessity of Islamic sharia which is the soul of the Islamic Republic. He also stressed the necessity of religious democracy which is a means and a tool and which is derived from sharia.
According to Imam\\\\\\\'s (r.a.) school of thought, any power and force which has come into being through deception and oppression is unacceptable. In the Islamic government, oppression and subjugation are meaningless. Power and authority are meaningful, but only the one that originates from people\\\\\\\'s free will and choice. The kind of power which originates from bullying, subjugation and weapons is meaningless from the viewpoint of Islam, Islamic sharia and Imam\\\\\\\'s (r.a.) school of thought.
The kind of power which emerges on the basis of people\\\\\\\'s choice is respectable. No one should confront this power. No one should try to suppress and subjugate this power. If they do so, this is called fitna. This is the new prescription that our magnanimous Imam (r.a.) introduced to the world. He added this important chapter to the political literature of the world. As we pointed out, one of the main elements in this new version is rushing to help the oppressed and confronting the oppressor. We should help the oppressed and in the present time, the concrete manifestation of being oppressed is the people of Palestine.
As you witnessed, from the first day until the end of his life, our magnanimous Imam (r.a.) stressed the issue of Palestine. He supported the issue of Palestine and stated in his testament that the people of Iran and the officials of the country should not forget about this issue. Helping the oppressed, showing resistance against the oppressor, condemning his transgressions, rejecting his power and grandeur in an outspoken way and shattering this grandeur are among the parts of this system and this new version presented by our magnanimous Imam (r.a.).
This is a short summary, portrayal and description of the political order and the foundation that our magnanimous Imam (r.a.) introduced to society after overthrowing the monarchic regime in the country. This matter was completely accepted by the people and it was put into practice. Unlike many political slogans, this matter was not confined to books. Rather, it was realized, put into practice and reflected in reality. And the people of Iran showed their determination, loyalty and self-sacrifice by preserving this matter and strengthening it on a daily basis until today.
So, Imam (r.a.) succeeded. He achieved complete success in what he wanted to do. Will this great task continue? Will the empty boxes of this table - naturally, there are some empty boxes in social and historical tables - be filled in? This depends on how determined and aware you and I are and to what extent we observe and move in the direction of that clear line. It is completely possible to do this.
Considering the people that we see, considering the experience that they have gained and considering the successful and continuous movement that they have launched in the past 35 years - and in the past 25 years since Imam\\\\\\\'s (r.a.) demise - it is possible to continue this path. The empty boxes will be filled in, great feats will be accomplished and by Allah\\\\\\\'s favor and grace, our people will reach the peaks.
Like all the important paths which have been delineated for reaching great goals, this path involves certain challenges and obstacles. We should identify these obstacles so that we can pass through them. If we do not identify obstacles, overcoming them will be either difficult or impossible. I am saying these things to you honorable participants of this great and magnificent meeting and, in fact, to the people of Iran who will hear these statements. But it is our youth, our scholars and our intellectuals who should think about, work on and study each of these chapters and parts.
They should work on not only semi-intellectual and theoretical discussions but also on practical and functional discussions which reflect the truth. What we are saying is some chapters for carrying out intellectual tasks. By Allah\\\\\\\'s favor, these chapters will be followed up by our youth who are much better and prepared than we are.
I would like to refer to two challenges: one is an external challenge and another is an internal challenge. Our external challenge is the interferences of global arrogance. I would like to speak without any consideration. The external challenge is the interferences of America. They engage in mudslinging.
Although some of their thinkers say in their analyses that it is useless or impossible to confront this great movement, they engage in mudslinging.
We should know their plan. This is America\\\\\\\'s plan which has been revealed through their discussions, reports, statements and behavior: America divides all countries, orientations and people throughout the world into three groups: the first group is made up of the submissive including submissive countries, submissive political and social orientations and submissive individuals. The first group is comprised of these people. The second group is comprised of countries which are not submissive and which should be tolerated. From the viewpoint of America, a number of countries, personalities and orientations should be tolerated. They believe that they should define common interests with these countries and that they should get along with them somehow. Later on, I will explain this more. The third group is made up of disobedient countries, those which do not give in to America and which refuse to be blackmailed by it. The third group is comprised of these countries.
From the viewpoint of the Americans, no country, no political, social, civil and economic orientation and no individual in the world is out of these three groups. Everyone is either submissive and docile or independent - and you should get along with them - or disobedient, bold and courageous. One should behave in a different way towards the third group.
America\\\\\\\'s policy towards the first group is complete support. Of course, they do not provide this support for free. They support them, but they also milk them. In fact, they use their capabilities and resources to the advantage of their own interests and for safeguarding their own interests. The Americans ride roughshod over these people and they make them render all kinds of services to them. As I said, they milk them and they do not care at all.
Of course, if these people and countries behave in a way that is considered to be indecent according to global conventions, the Americans do not condemn it. On the contrary, they defend and justify it. For example, there are some dictatorial countries which are managed by biased, reactionary and completely dictatorial regimes, but they have friendly relations with the Americans. These countries give in to the Americans and they are prepared to serve and obey them. They are members of the first group.
When the Americans want to describe them, they do not refer to them as dictatorial countries. Rather, they say that they are patriarchal countries and thus they cover up their dictatorship. They say, \\\\\\\"They are not dictators. Rather, they are patriarchal countries\\\\\\\". What is the meaning of patriarchal in political systems? What does it mean? Is a patriarchal country a country in which there is no parliament, no elections, no power to speak freely, no freedom of speech and no freedom of expression? Is a patriarchal country a country in which the slightest disobedience to the wishes of the rulers is suppressed in a very serious and severe way?
In one part of his life, Saddam Hussein was one of these obedient and submissive individuals. In that stage of his life, they gave him all kinds of support and they rendered some services to him. They gave him chemical weapons and they provided him with the plans of our military movement which had been discovered via satellite. They gave him military plans because he was at their service and because he was against the disobedient Islamic Republic which was a member of the third group. So, these people represent the first group.
As I said, the second group is made up of the countries which America gets along with. The policy and plan of America is to get along with these countries. What does getting along mean? It means defining common interests and establishing friendly relations with someone. But when America has the opportunity, it will stab them in the back and tear their hearts open and it will not show any consideration for them.
Which countries represent the second group? European countries represent the second group. Today, European countries are in such conditions. America gets along with them, but this does not mean that it defends their interests. This is not the case. It will kick them as much as it can. For example, it spies - Internet espionage - on the number one in its allied country. It also spies on him by tapping his cell phone. The Americans even keep watch on his personal life and they have no scruples whatsoever. When it comes out, they say, \\\\\\\"Sorry, it happened because we had no choice\\\\\\\".
They are not even willing to apologize in a sincere way. My understanding of political issues tells me that the Europeans are making a great strategic mistake by serving America. They promote the interests of America, but America does not and will not do so and it will be the same until the end. This was about the second group.
The third group is made up of countries which do not give in to America. America\\\\\\\'s policy towards this group is to use each and every tool they find against these disobedient countries. They use any tool they find and they do not have any limits for that. If you see that there is a country which is disobedient to America and that America does not attack or impose sanctions on it, then you should know that there is a problem - that is to say, there is an obstacle in their way. To put it simply, they cannot do it. If they can, they will definitely do it.
The only crime that this disobedient country has committed is that it is not willing to give in to America, to be blackmailed by it and to let the interests of America have priority over its own interests. This is the definition of a disobedient country. In order to bring this country to its knees, the Americans do everything that they can. They do whatever is possible for them. If they do not do something, it is because they cannot.
Well, what are the things that the Americans do? Today, launching a military attack is not a priority from the viewpoint of the Americans. They have understood that they suffered a loss on the issue of Iraq and Afghanistan where they launched military attacks. They have understood that launching a military attack is as dangerous for the aggressor as it is for the defender and sometimes, it is even more dangerous for the aggressor. They have understood this correctly. Therefore, it can be said that they have changed their mind about launching a military attack.
They have other ways ahead of them. One of these ways is entrusting the task of furthering their goals in the target country - which is the target of their attacks - to the elements inside this country. The issue is not only about Islamic Iran and the Islamic Republic. They are doing these things all over the world and we are witnessing some instances of their effort in the present time.
Another way is launching a coup d\\\\\\\'état. They empower some people inside the target country so that they can launch a coup d\\\\\\\'état and overthrow those governments and political systems which do not give in to them. One of the ways that they use is this.
Another way is drawing part of the people to the streets. An example is the color revolutions which were carried out in each and every part of the region in recent years. Take the case of a government which comes to power in a country. After all, if the government that comes to power holds 60 percent of the votes, it means that 40 percent of the people did not vote for it. The Americans go to that 40 percent, choose certain elements and leaders among them and make them - either by bribing or by threatening them - draw that 40 percent or part of it to the streets. America\\\\\\\'s hands were behind the color revolutions - for example, such and such an orange revolution and other revolutions in different countries - that were carried out in recent years.
We do not make any judgment about the events which are taking place in an area in Europe. But when one takes a look, one sees what a role an American senator and official can play - by showing his presence - in the demonstrations of a minority against a country. They showed their presence in such areas. One of the measures that they adopt is that they draw part of the people to the streets and make them break the law, thereby overthrowing the government which they do not approve of and which is not blackmailed.
Another measure that they adopt is empowering and forming terrorist groups. They did this in Iraq, Afghanistan and some Arab countries in the region. They did it in our country as well. They form terrorist groups in order to kill well-known personalities. In our country, they struck and martyred scientists and experts on atomic energy. Before that too, they struck political, cultural, scientific and seminary personalities. These terrorists grew with the help of the Americans. Some of them were accepted into America by the Americans for the services that they rendered.
Today, munafeqeen are in America\\\\\\\'s arms. They take part in different meetings and commissions of the U.S. Congress. The same munafeqeen who killed people from different social backgrounds - including great personalities, ulama, scientists and political personalities - and who carried out explosions are with the Americans today. So, this is another way they use.
Another way is creating discord among decision-makers of countries. One of the measures that they adopt is this: they try to create a rift in the highest levels of the government and system that is not with them. They try to establish a dual government. Of course, they do not succeed in many countries. But unfortunately, they succeed in some areas. This is one of their ways.
Another way is that they discourage - with their propaganda - the hearts and minds of people from following their ideological and religious principles. They try such measures. The regime of the United States of America has done all these things to our dear and Islamic Iran and by Allah\\\\\\\'s favor, it has failed in all of them.
Launching military coups d\\\\\\\'état, supporting those who instigate fitna, drawing some people to the streets, confronting elections and creating rifts were some of the measures that they either adopted or tried to adopt and thankfully, they failed in all of them. Why did they fail? It was because the people were vigilant and religious. It is here that I want to speak about the second challenge which is the internal challenge.
Dear brothers and sisters, the internal challenge for our people is the risk of ignoring, forgetting about and losing the spirit and orientation of our magnanimous Imam (r.a). This is the greatest danger. The internal challenge is making a mistake in knowing our enemies and our friends and confusing the camp of our enemies and friends so much so that we do not know who our enemies and friends are.
Another mistake is failing to know our major and minor enemies. This is another danger. You dear brothers and sisters and all the people of Iran should pay attention that sometimes, someone shows enmity towards you. But if you pay careful attention, you will see that his enmity is not the main one. It is a function of another factor and another person. You should find the main enemy. Otherwise, if one confronts the lesser enemy, one\\\\\\\'s energy is sapped and the result will not be good.
Today, some people in different parts of the world of Islam - which go by the name of takfiri, Wahhabi and Salafi groups - are adopting bad and inappropriate measures against Iran, Shia Muslims and Shia Islam. But everyone should know that they are not the main enemies. They show enmity and they adopt foolish measures, but the main enemy is the person who provokes them, who gives them money and who motivates them with different means when their motivation is weakened to some extent.
The main enemy is the person who sows the seeds of rupture and discord between that foolish and ignorant group and the oppressed people of Iran. These measures are adopted by the hidden hands of intelligence and security services. That is why we have constantly said that we do not consider these foolish groups - who confront the Islamic Republic in the name of Salafism, takfiri and Islam - to be our main enemy.
We consider you to be the deceived. We have said to these people: \\\\\\\"If you stretch your hand against me to slay me, it is not for me to stretch my hand against you to slay you: for I fear Allah, the Cherisher of the worlds\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, 5: 28]. If you make a mistake and if you prepare yourself to kill your Muslim brothers, we do not consider you to be so important that we try to kill you.
Of course, we defend ourselves. Anyone who attacks us will face our firm fist. This is natural, but we believe that these people are not our main enemies. They have been deceived. The main enemy is the person who acts behind the scenes. The main enemy is the visible hand that comes out of the sleeve of intelligence services, that confronts Muslims and that pits them against one another.
This is our internal challenge: becoming busy with domestic differences - those which are trivial and unimportant. Such differences make us busy, pit us against one another, create tension and make us forget about the main issues and guidelines. This is one of the manifestations of the main challenge which was referred to. Losing national solidarity is one of our challenges. Suffering from laziness, lack of confidence, idleness, desperation and hopelessness and thinking that we cannot succeed and that we have not succeeded until today are among the internal challenges we should confront.
As Imam (r.a.) said, we can. We should show determination. National determination and jihadi management can untie all the knots. As we said, our dear youth, our outstanding personalities and our scholars should sit and study these issues. These are our main points. The auspicious name of our magnanimous Imam (r.a.), the remembrance of that great man and the plan of that great architect can help us in all these chapters. It can give us hope, enthusiasm and morale, as it has done this until today and by Allah\\\\\\\'s favor, it will continue to do this in the future.
Dear God, bestow your blessings on our dear people. Dear God, help our dear youth on the path of building an ideal Islamic structure. Dear God, protect us from deviations and digressions. Dear God, make the hands of the people of Iran stronger than the hands of their enemies. Help them achieve victory over their enemies. Make the holy heart of the Imam of the Age (may our souls be sacrificed for his sake) kind to us. Help us benefit from the prayers of that great Imam (a.s.). Associate the pure souls of Imam (r.a.) and our dear martyrs with the Holy Prophet (s.w.a.).
Greetings be upon you and Allah\\\\\\\'s mercy and blessings
Source: http://english.khamenei.ir//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1921
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Supreme Leader\\\\\\\'s Speech on 25th Demise Anniversary of Imam Khomeini (r.a.) Print
06/06/2014
Hotuba ya Kiongozi Muadhamu katika Maadhimisho ya Mwaka wa 25 wa Kufariki Dunia Imam KhomeiniThe following is the full text of the speech delivered on June 4, 2014 by Ayatollah Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, on the occasion of the demise anniversary of Imam Khomeini (r.a.). The speech was delivered at Imam Khomeini\\\\\\\'s shrine.
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, and peace and greetings upon our Master and Prophet, Muhammad, and upon his immaculate household, especially the one remaining with Allah on earth.
\\\\\\\"Our Lord, forgive us and those of our brethren who had precedence of us in faith, and do not allow any spite to remain in our hearts towards those who believe. Our Lord, surely You are Kind, Merciful\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, 59: 10]. \\\\\\\"Our Lord, surely You have given to Pharaoh and his chiefs finery and riches in this world\\\\\\\'s life. To this end, our Lord, that they lead people astray from Your way. Our Lord, destroy their riches and harden their hearts so that they believe not until they see the painful punishment\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, 10: 88].
Allah the Omniscient said in His book: \\\\\\\"Have you not considered how Allah sets forth a parable of a good word being like a good tree, whose root is firm and whose branches are in heaven, yielding its fruit in every season by the permission of its Lord?\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, 14: 24-25]
On this unforgettable and important day, I would like to divide my statements to you dear brothers and sisters into three parts. In the first part, I will speak about an important reality which exists about the Islamic Republic. Today, paying attention to this reality is very important. In the second part, I will provide a brief explanation of our magnanimous Imam\\\\\\\'s (r.a.) permanent and eternal school of thought. Although we have said and heard many things about Imam\\\\\\\'s (r.a.) school of thought, it is necessary to provide a brief explanation at this point in time. I will provide a short portrayal of all the things that our magnanimous Imam (r.a.) created as a unique phenomenon in the contemporary world. The third part is about two important challenges which lie ahead of the people of Iran and the Islamic Republic. It is important for us to pay attention to these two challenges in order to move forward in the right way and on the right path.
As for the first part, the reality that I referred to is that 25 years have passed from the demise of our great Imam (r.a.), but people\\\\\\\'s enthusiasm and excitement to hear and know about him has not diminished. And this is not particular to our country. Rather, this reality exists in the world of Islam and even beyond that.
Not only in our country - where the third generation of the Revolution is growing and blossoming - but also in the entire world of Islam, the youth of the age of communications and Internet are after gaining more information about the issues of the Revolution, about the Islamic Republic and about the architect of this great structure. And these youth can easily familiarize themselves with the issues which occur far away from their own environment. The phenomenon of religious democracy and the theory of Wilayat-e Faqih are issues which are significant and attractive for the intellectual environments of the world of Islam.
From the first days, our enemies began making a comprehensive effort and the more we moved forward, the more comprehensive this effort became. They used hundreds and thousands of television, radio stations and Internet sites to abuse the Islamic Republic, its great founder and its supporters. Of course, this issue has been helpful to us because it has aroused the curiosity of listeners and viewers throughout the world.
These listeners and viewers want to know the reason behind all these enmities, hostilities and mudslinging. They want to know the nature of the truth which has been the target of these enmities. So, our enemies mentioned our names and they spoke about our Imam (r.a.) and our system with the purpose of showing their enmity, but \\\\\\\"...surely they will scheme, and I too will scheme\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, 86: 15-16].
This is what Allah the Exalted says. They started this widespread movement with such an intention, but it eventually created an opportunity for us because the sense of curiosity of the listeners to these stations was aroused throughout the world. Islamic Awakening - in which anti-arrogant feelings were dominant more than any other phenomenon - in Islamic countries and our region is the sign of this curiosity and search for the truth and it continues to exist.
It is possible that western and American intelligence services report to their seniors that they have managed to suppress Islamic Awakening in our region. If they have such a notion, then this will be another strategic mistake and another wrong interpretation on the part of our enemies. Islamic Awakening might be suppressed for a while in part of the world of Islam, but it will undoubtedly not be uprooted. On the contrary, it will develop.
This understanding, this perception and this awareness in all countries and among Muslim youth in the region is not something that can be destroyed easily. Of course, they will make certain efforts in order to destroy it and these efforts may seem to be successful in some areas in the short run, but in the end, they will prove to be fruitless.
The curiosity that exists in today\\\\\\\'s young generation all over the world - particularly in the world of Islam - about the phenomenon of religious democracy is rooted in the fact that the Islamic Republic is a phenomenon from whose birth 35 years have passed. And during all these 35 years, it has faced the violent and hostile reactions of the dominant powers in the world. They showed military reactions, they showed propaganda reactions, they showed economic reactions - which began from the beginning of the Revolution and which have been reinforced on a daily basis - and they showed political reactions.
It is 35 years now that this powerful western camp has been doing whatever it could against the Islamic Republic. It has made military efforts, it has helped the aggressors who attacked our country, it has supported the enemies of the Islamic Republic in any area, it has used widespread propaganda and it has made perfect and unprecedented efforts in the area of sanctions and economic siege. But in the face of all these invasions and all these violent and unscrupulous hostilities, the Islamic Republic was not destroyed, it did not adopt a conservative outlook, it was not blackmailed by the west and it made progress on a daily basis. This is what forms the essence of this curiosity.
Despite the fact that the primary military, political and economic powers of the world joined hands against a country and a government and despite the fact that they made efforts for 35 years, not only was this government not destroyed, but it also became stronger on a daily basis. This government was not blackmailed by them and it did not pay any attention to them at all. The Islamic Republic showed its power and capability to survive in different arenas.
Today, when they look at the Islamic Republic, they see that the second and third generations of the Revolution in the country are comprised of several million students, several thousand knowledgeable clergy, several thousand researchers, several thousand university and seminary professors, thousands of scientific and intellectual personalities - some of whom are well-known on an international level - and thousands of activists and producers and thousands of political, cultural and economic personalities. This is the reality about our today\\\\\\\'s society.
In the arena of science and technology, the Islamic Republic launches satellites into space despite all sanctions. It sends living creatures into space and it brings them back. It produces nuclear energy. It is ranked among the first ten countries in the world in many new sciences. The centers in charge of releasing statistics have announced that the rate of scientific progress in the Islamic Republic is 13 times faster than the global average. It gives scientific and technological services to different countries. Despite unprecedented sanctions, it manages a 75-million-strong country. It has the final word on regional policies. It shows resistance against the usurping Zionist regime, which is supported by global bullies, and it does this on its own. It does not compromise with oppressors and it defends the oppressed.
Any well-informed individual becomes curious to know what this organism and phenomenon is and how it benefits from all these innate capabilities and this potential to survive despite all the enmities. This is the nature of this curiosity. This was about the issues related to scientific, technological and other such areas.
As for political and social issues, the higher aspect of this religious democracy is that we have had 32 elections during the 35 years from the beginning of our Revolution. Thirty two public elections have been held in this country. Is this a minor achievement? This is an exceptional phenomenon. Elections in the Islamic Republic are held with a high turnout - higher than the global average and in some cases, it is much higher. Our elections witness a turnout of 70, 72 percent. Our elections are like this. These elections are the manifestation of democracy.
Another exceptional example is the two phenomena which we people have gotten used to, but which are extraordinarily exciting and important for global inspectors and witnesses. These two phenomena are the 22nd of Bahman rallies and Quds Day Rallies in the month of Ramadan. During the past 35 years, the people have held the Revolution celebration each year with a great, exciting and glorious rally on the cold days of late Bahman. We have gotten used to this and we do not truly see the significance and greatness of this issue, but global witnesses see these things and they are very astonishing to them.
These are the factors behind the element which arouses people\\\\\\\'s curiosity and which presents a new path to the minds of enthusiastic, inquisitive and research-oriented individuals. This is the important reality of our time which can be described as the general curiosity of youth, intellectuals, well-informed personalities and analysts throughout the world of Islam about the phenomenon which has emerged and grown on a daily basis in Islamic Iran. This is the first issue.
This reality has been built by the hands of our great architect. We have said many things about Imam (r.a.). Perhaps some people think that we have spoken about Imam in an exaggerated way. But this is not the case. What we have said about our magnanimous Imam (r.a.) is neither exaggeration nor magnification of the truth. Rather, it is the truth. Our magnanimous and dear Imam (r.a.) was more complex and meaningful than what we managed to say and reflect about him.
What is available to the people of Iran and what is in front of the eyes of people throughout the world has been built by those powerful hands. We should know about the architect\\\\\\\'s plan in order to take the path in the right way. If developers and builders do not have access to a plan in order to build an ordinary building and if it is not clear what the main plan is, then they may make a mistake no matter how skilled they are. We should know the main plan so that we can use our expertise in building on the basis of this plan.
Imam\\\\\\\'s (r.a.) plan was not one that could be designed by a human being. It was definitely God\\\\\\\'s work. Our magnanimous Imam (r.a.) himself knew and acknowledged this. He himself used to say, \\\\\\\"What has occurred is a handicraft of divine power\\\\\\\". He had understood this correctly and his insightful and vigilant eyes had seen this correctly.
We should be careful. We should know the plan so that we can continue the path. If we do not know the plan, we will deviate from the right path. And when we deviate, we will drift away from the main and the straight path on a daily basis. When we drift away from the straight path, we will drift away from goals and we will fail to reach them.
In order to reach the goals, we should take care not to lose the path and in order to avoid losing the path, we should have the main plan in front of our eyes. We should know and identify this plan. Imam\\\\\\\'s (r.a.) plan and main task was to create a civil-political system on the basis of Islamic reason. The prerequisite for carrying out this task was to uproot the monarchic regime which was corrupt, dependent and dictatorial.
The monarchic regime had these three characteristics: it was corrupt - different moral, financial and other such corruptions. It was dependent on powers. One day, it was dependent on England and another day, it was dependent on America. It was prepared to abandon its own interests and the interests of the people for the sake of the interests of foreigners. And it was dictatorial and oppressive. For the monarchic regime, the people\\\\\\\'s votes and requests counted for nothing. Each of these characteristics forms a long chapter. Each of them forms a long book.
The prerequisite for the great task that Imam (r.a.) wanted to carry out was to uproot this corrupt, dependent and dictatorial regime. He focused his efforts on doing this and consequently, the regime was uprooted. In our country, the issue was not replacing a monarchic regime with another monarchic or semi-monarchic regime. The issue was uprooting the characteristics that the monarchic regime had and this was done by our magnanimous Imam (r.a.). Imam\\\\\\\'s (r.a.) statements, guidelines and behavior were oriented towards this goal.
There are two fundamental points in building this civil-political system and these two points are interconnected. In one sense, these two points are two sides of the coin of truth. One is entrusting the affairs of the country to the people through democracy and elections and another is launching this movement - which originated from Islam - and any movement which originates from democracy and entrusting tasks to people, within the framework of Islamic sharia. These are two parts. In other words, these are two sides of the same truth.
Some people should not think that our magnanimous Imam (r.a.) derived elections from the western culture and then mixed it with Islamic thoughts and Islamic sharia. This was not the case. If elections, democracy and reliance on the votes of people had not been part of religion and Islamic sharia, then Imam (r.a.) would have told us. If this had been the case, he would have announced it in an outspoken and decisive way. Democracy is part of religion. Therefore, Islamic sharia is the framework.
When passing and implementing laws, when assigning individuals different tasks and discharging them from their service and during all tasks that follow this political-civil system, Islamic sharia should be observed. All tasks in this system revolve around democracy. All the people elect the members of the Majlis and the president, they elect ministers indirectly, they elect the members of the Assembly of Experts and they elect the Leader indirectly. All tasks are in the hands of the people. This was the main base of our magnanimous Imam\\\\\\\'s (r.a.) movement. The great structure that this great personality built was founded on these two bases.
Commitment to Islamic sharia is the soul and truth of the Islamic government. Everyone should pay attention to this issue. If Islamic sharia is completely observed in society, this will ensure both civil and individual freedom - the freedom of individuals - and collective freedom which is called independence. Independence means freedom of a people. It means that a people are not dependent on anyone and any place.
\\\\\\\"A free people\\\\\\\" means a people who are not under the influence and domination of their opponents, their enemies and foreigners in any way. If Islamic sharia is observed, it will ensure both justice and spirituality in society. These are the four main elements: freedom, independence, justice and spirituality. If Islamic sharia dominates society, these main phenomena in the order of Islamic society will show themselves. Therefore, our magnanimous Imam (r.a.) stressed the necessity of Islamic sharia which is the soul of the Islamic Republic. He also stressed the necessity of religious democracy which is a means and a tool and which is derived from sharia.
According to Imam\\\\\\\'s (r.a.) school of thought, any power and force which has come into being through deception and oppression is unacceptable. In the Islamic government, oppression and subjugation are meaningless. Power and authority are meaningful, but only the one that originates from people\\\\\\\'s free will and choice. The kind of power which originates from bullying, subjugation and weapons is meaningless from the viewpoint of Islam, Islamic sharia and Imam\\\\\\\'s (r.a.) school of thought.
The kind of power which emerges on the basis of people\\\\\\\'s choice is respectable. No one should confront this power. No one should try to suppress and subjugate this power. If they do so, this is called fitna. This is the new prescription that our magnanimous Imam (r.a.) introduced to the world. He added this important chapter to the political literature of the world. As we pointed out, one of the main elements in this new version is rushing to help the oppressed and confronting the oppressor. We should help the oppressed and in the present time, the concrete manifestation of being oppressed is the people of Palestine.
As you witnessed, from the first day until the end of his life, our magnanimous Imam (r.a.) stressed the issue of Palestine. He supported the issue of Palestine and stated in his testament that the people of Iran and the officials of the country should not forget about this issue. Helping the oppressed, showing resistance against the oppressor, condemning his transgressions, rejecting his power and grandeur in an outspoken way and shattering this grandeur are among the parts of this system and this new version presented by our magnanimous Imam (r.a.).
This is a short summary, portrayal and description of the political order and the foundation that our magnanimous Imam (r.a.) introduced to society after overthrowing the monarchic regime in the country. This matter was completely accepted by the people and it was put into practice. Unlike many political slogans, this matter was not confined to books. Rather, it was realized, put into practice and reflected in reality. And the people of Iran showed their determination, loyalty and self-sacrifice by preserving this matter and strengthening it on a daily basis until today.
So, Imam (r.a.) succeeded. He achieved complete success in what he wanted to do. Will this great task continue? Will the empty boxes of this table - naturally, there are some empty boxes in social and historical tables - be filled in? This depends on how determined and aware you and I are and to what extent we observe and move in the direction of that clear line. It is completely possible to do this.
Considering the people that we see, considering the experience that they have gained and considering the successful and continuous movement that they have launched in the past 35 years - and in the past 25 years since Imam\\\\\\\'s (r.a.) demise - it is possible to continue this path. The empty boxes will be filled in, great feats will be accomplished and by Allah\\\\\\\'s favor and grace, our people will reach the peaks.
Like all the important paths which have been delineated for reaching great goals, this path involves certain challenges and obstacles. We should identify these obstacles so that we can pass through them. If we do not identify obstacles, overcoming them will be either difficult or impossible. I am saying these things to you honorable participants of this great and magnificent meeting and, in fact, to the people of Iran who will hear these statements. But it is our youth, our scholars and our intellectuals who should think about, work on and study each of these chapters and parts.
They should work on not only semi-intellectual and theoretical discussions but also on practical and functional discussions which reflect the truth. What we are saying is some chapters for carrying out intellectual tasks. By Allah\\\\\\\'s favor, these chapters will be followed up by our youth who are much better and prepared than we are.
I would like to refer to two challenges: one is an external challenge and another is an internal challenge. Our external challenge is the interferences of global arrogance. I would like to speak without any consideration. The external challenge is the interferences of America. They engage in mudslinging.
Although some of their thinkers say in their analyses that it is useless or impossible to confront this great movement, they engage in mudslinging.
We should know their plan. This is America\\\\\\\'s plan which has been revealed through their discussions, reports, statements and behavior: America divides all countries, orientations and people throughout the world into three groups: the first group is made up of the submissive including submissive countries, submissive political and social orientations and submissive individuals. The first group is comprised of these people. The second group is comprised of countries which are not submissive and which should be tolerated. From the viewpoint of America, a number of countries, personalities and orientations should be tolerated. They believe that they should define common interests with these countries and that they should get along with them somehow. Later on, I will explain this more. The third group is made up of disobedient countries, those which do not give in to America and which refuse to be blackmailed by it. The third group is comprised of these countries.
From the viewpoint of the Americans, no country, no political, social, civil and economic orientation and no individual in the world is out of these three groups. Everyone is either submissive and docile or independent - and you should get along with them - or disobedient, bold and courageous. One should behave in a different way towards the third group.
America\\\\\\\'s policy towards the first group is complete support. Of course, they do not provide this support for free. They support them, but they also milk them. In fact, they use their capabilities and resources to the advantage of their own interests and for safeguarding their own interests. The Americans ride roughshod over these people and they make them render all kinds of services to them. As I said, they milk them and they do not care at all.
Of course, if these people and countries behave in a way that is considered to be indecent according to global conventions, the Americans do not condemn it. On the contrary, they defend and justify it. For example, there are some dictatorial countries which are managed by biased, reactionary and completely dictatorial regimes, but they have friendly relations with the Americans. These countries give in to the Americans and they are prepared to serve and obey them. They are members of the first group.
When the Americans want to describe them, they do not refer to them as dictatorial countries. Rather, they say that they are patriarchal countries and thus they cover up their dictatorship. They say, \\\\\\\"They are not dictators. Rather, they are patriarchal countries\\\\\\\". What is the meaning of patriarchal in political systems? What does it mean? Is a patriarchal country a country in which there is no parliament, no elections, no power to speak freely, no freedom of speech and no freedom of expression? Is a patriarchal country a country in which the slightest disobedience to the wishes of the rulers is suppressed in a very serious and severe way?
In one part of his life, Saddam Hussein was one of these obedient and submissive individuals. In that stage of his life, they gave him all kinds of support and they rendered some services to him. They gave him chemical weapons and they provided him with the plans of our military movement which had been discovered via satellite. They gave him military plans because he was at their service and because he was against the disobedient Islamic Republic which was a member of the third group. So, these people represent the first group.
As I said, the second group is made up of the countries which America gets along with. The policy and plan of America is to get along with these countries. What does getting along mean? It means defining common interests and establishing friendly relations with someone. But when America has the opportunity, it will stab them in the back and tear their hearts open and it will not show any consideration for them.
Which countries represent the second group? European countries represent the second group. Today, European countries are in such conditions. America gets along with them, but this does not mean that it defends their interests. This is not the case. It will kick them as much as it can. For example, it spies - Internet espionage - on the number one in its allied country. It also spies on him by tapping his cell phone. The Americans even keep watch on his personal life and they have no scruples whatsoever. When it comes out, they say, \\\\\\\"Sorry, it happened because we had no choice\\\\\\\".
They are not even willing to apologize in a sincere way. My understanding of political issues tells me that the Europeans are making a great strategic mistake by serving America. They promote the interests of America, but America does not and will not do so and it will be the same until the end. This was about the second group.
The third group is made up of countries which do not give in to America. America\\\\\\\'s policy towards this group is to use each and every tool they find against these disobedient countries. They use any tool they find and they do not have any limits for that. If you see that there is a country which is disobedient to America and that America does not attack or impose sanctions on it, then you should know that there is a problem - that is to say, there is an obstacle in their way. To put it simply, they cannot do it. If they can, they will definitely do it.
The only crime that this disobedient country has committed is that it is not willing to give in to America, to be blackmailed by it and to let the interests of America have priority over its own interests. This is the definition of a disobedient country. In order to bring this country to its knees, the Americans do everything that they can. They do whatever is possible for them. If they do not do something, it is because they cannot.
Well, what are the things that the Americans do? Today, launching a military attack is not a priority from the viewpoint of the Americans. They have understood that they suffered a loss on the issue of Iraq and Afghanistan where they launched military attacks. They have understood that launching a military attack is as dangerous for the aggressor as it is for the defender and sometimes, it is even more dangerous for the aggressor. They have understood this correctly. Therefore, it can be said that they have changed their mind about launching a military attack.
They have other ways ahead of them. One of these ways is entrusting the task of furthering their goals in the target country - which is the target of their attacks - to the elements inside this country. The issue is not only about Islamic Iran and the Islamic Republic. They are doing these things all over the world and we are witnessing some instances of their effort in the present time.
Another way is launching a coup d\\\\\\\'état. They empower some people inside the target country so that they can launch a coup d\\\\\\\'état and overthrow those governments and political systems which do not give in to them. One of the ways that they use is this.
Another way is drawing part of the people to the streets. An example is the color revolutions which were carried out in each and every part of the region in recent years. Take the case of a government which comes to power in a country. After all, if the government that comes to power holds 60 percent of the votes, it means that 40 percent of the people did not vote for it. The Americans go to that 40 percent, choose certain elements and leaders among them and make them - either by bribing or by threatening them - draw that 40 percent or part of it to the streets. America\\\\\\\'s hands were behind the color revolutions - for example, such and such an orange revolution and other revolutions in different countries - that were carried out in recent years.
We do not make any judgment about the events which are taking place in an area in Europe. But when one takes a look, one sees what a role an American senator and official can play - by showing his presence - in the demonstrations of a minority against a country. They showed their presence in such areas. One of the measures that they adopt is that they draw part of the people to the streets and make them break the law, thereby overthrowing the government which they do not approve of and which is not blackmailed.
Another measure that they adopt is empowering and forming terrorist groups. They did this in Iraq, Afghanistan and some Arab countries in the region. They did it in our country as well. They form terrorist groups in order to kill well-known personalities. In our country, they struck and martyred scientists and experts on atomic energy. Before that too, they struck political, cultural, scientific and seminary personalities. These terrorists grew with the help of the Americans. Some of them were accepted into America by the Americans for the services that they rendered.
Today, munafeqeen are in America\\\\\\\'s arms. They take part in different meetings and commissions of the U.S. Congress. The same munafeqeen who killed people from different social backgrounds - including great personalities, ulama, scientists and political personalities - and who carried out explosions are with the Americans today. So, this is another way they use.
Another way is creating discord among decision-makers of countries. One of the measures that they adopt is this: they try to create a rift in the highest levels of the government and system that is not with them. They try to establish a dual government. Of course, they do not succeed in many countries. But unfortunately, they succeed in some areas. This is one of their ways.
Another way is that they discourage - with their propaganda - the hearts and minds of people from following their ideological and religious principles. They try such measures. The regime of the United States of America has done all these things to our dear and Islamic Iran and by Allah\\\\\\\'s favor, it has failed in all of them.
Launching military coups d\\\\\\\'état, supporting those who instigate fitna, drawing some people to the streets, confronting elections and creating rifts were some of the measures that they either adopted or tried to adopt and thankfully, they failed in all of them. Why did they fail? It was because the people were vigilant and religious. It is here that I want to speak about the second challenge which is the internal challenge.
Dear brothers and sisters, the internal challenge for our people is the risk of ignoring, forgetting about and losing the spirit and orientation of our magnanimous Imam (r.a). This is the greatest danger. The internal challenge is making a mistake in knowing our enemies and our friends and confusing the camp of our enemies and friends so much so that we do not know who our enemies and friends are.
Another mistake is failing to know our major and minor enemies. This is another danger. You dear brothers and sisters and all the people of Iran should pay attention that sometimes, someone shows enmity towards you. But if you pay careful attention, you will see that his enmity is not the main one. It is a function of another factor and another person. You should find the main enemy. Otherwise, if one confronts the lesser enemy, one\\\\\\\'s energy is sapped and the result will not be good.
Today, some people in different parts of the world of Islam - which go by the name of takfiri, Wahhabi and Salafi groups - are adopting bad and inappropriate measures against Iran, Shia Muslims and Shia Islam. But everyone should know that they are not the main enemies. They show enmity and they adopt foolish measures, but the main enemy is the person who provokes them, who gives them money and who motivates them with different means when their motivation is weakened to some extent.
The main enemy is the person who sows the seeds of rupture and discord between that foolish and ignorant group and the oppressed people of Iran. These measures are adopted by the hidden hands of intelligence and security services. That is why we have constantly said that we do not consider these foolish groups - who confront the Islamic Republic in the name of Salafism, takfiri and Islam - to be our main enemy.
We consider you to be the deceived. We have said to these people: \\\\\\\"If you stretch your hand against me to slay me, it is not for me to stretch my hand against you to slay you: for I fear Allah, the Cherisher of the worlds\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, 5: 28]. If you make a mistake and if you prepare yourself to kill your Muslim brothers, we do not consider you to be so important that we try to kill you.
Of course, we defend ourselves. Anyone who attacks us will face our firm fist. This is natural, but we believe that these people are not our main enemies. They have been deceived. The main enemy is the person who acts behind the scenes. The main enemy is the visible hand that comes out of the sleeve of intelligence services, that confronts Muslims and that pits them against one another.
This is our internal challenge: becoming busy with domestic differences - those which are trivial and unimportant. Such differences make us busy, pit us against one another, create tension and make us forget about the main issues and guidelines. This is one of the manifestations of the main challenge which was referred to. Losing national solidarity is one of our challenges. Suffering from laziness, lack of confidence, idleness, desperation and hopelessness and thinking that we cannot succeed and that we have not succeeded until today are among the internal challenges we should confront.
As Imam (r.a.) said, we can. We should show determination. National determination and jihadi management can untie all the knots. As we said, our dear youth, our outstanding personalities and our scholars should sit and study these issues. These are our main points. The auspicious name of our magnanimous Imam (r.a.), the remembrance of that great man and the plan of that great architect can help us in all these chapters. It can give us hope, enthusiasm and morale, as it has done this until today and by Allah\\\\\\\'s favor, it will continue to do this in the future.
Dear God, bestow your blessings on our dear people. Dear God, help our dear youth on the path of building an ideal Islamic structure. Dear God, protect us from deviations and digressions. Dear God, make the hands of the people of Iran stronger than the hands of their enemies. Help them achieve victory over their enemies. Make the holy heart of the Imam of the Age (may our souls be sacrificed for his sake) kind to us. Help us benefit from the prayers of that great Imam (a.s.). Associate the pure souls of Imam (r.a.) and our dear martyrs with the Holy Prophet (s.w.a.).
Greetings be upon you and Allah\\\\\\\'s mercy and blessings
Source: http://english.khamenei.ir//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1921
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In line with foreign media attempts to disrupt post-election stability in Iran, CNN has broadcast a false report which contradicts footage obtained by Press TV.
CNN broadcast an interview with...
In line with foreign media attempts to disrupt post-election stability in Iran, CNN has broadcast a false report which contradicts footage obtained by Press TV.
CNN broadcast an interview with a so-called anonymous witness of Wednesday's protest in Tehran's Baharestan Square, with the aim of depicting Iranian security forces as villains.
Footage obtained by Press TV reporters display some 200 protesters 'illegally' gathering in front of Iran's parliament and at a nearby subway station on Wednesday, to protest the result of the June 12th election.
The CNN's report, however, contains a call from an alleged female witness in Tehran who supposedly describes the situation as the 'massacre' of protesters by the police in Baharestan Square.
The following is an excerpt from CNN newscaster's conversation with the alleged witness:
CNN: You tell us what you saw today when you tried to go to Baharestan Square?
Witness: Police stopped everyone at Sa'di. They emptied the buses that were taking people there and let the private cars go on.
All of a sudden 500 people with clubs and woods came out of Hedayat Mosque and poured into the streets. They started beating everyone and throwing them off Sa'di Bridge. This was a massacre.
CNN: We are not only getting this report from you. We got a report from another source in Tehran describing the situation today being terrible, saying people were being shot like animals; they beat people like animals. Are you safe right now?
Witness: Yes, exactly, exactly. This is what was happening. They beat people so bad.
However, Press TV, which is based in Tehran and was present at the scene, did not find even traces of the false and unfounded report.
It remains unclear, whether CNN -- which has resorted to 'unreliable' sources like social network websites in its coverage of Iran -- was duped by the 'anonymous' caller or was simply faking the phone call in line with the Western agenda of destabilizing Iran.
Iranian officials have condemned foreign media outlets including Britain's state-run BBC over dramatizing the situation in the country by provoking the post-election violence in Iran.
Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hassan Qashqavi on Sunday pinned the blame for the recent post-election turmoil across the country on US and British media outlets.
Post-election unrests were sparked after the Interior Ministry declared Ahmadinejad as the president of the country for yet another four-year term by almost two-thirds of the vote.
People have staged rallies across the country to protest the results of the election. Some of the demonstrations have turned violent.
More...
Description:
In line with foreign media attempts to disrupt post-election stability in Iran, CNN has broadcast a false report which contradicts footage obtained by Press TV.
CNN broadcast an interview with a so-called anonymous witness of Wednesday's protest in Tehran's Baharestan Square, with the aim of depicting Iranian security forces as villains.
Footage obtained by Press TV reporters display some 200 protesters 'illegally' gathering in front of Iran's parliament and at a nearby subway station on Wednesday, to protest the result of the June 12th election.
The CNN's report, however, contains a call from an alleged female witness in Tehran who supposedly describes the situation as the 'massacre' of protesters by the police in Baharestan Square.
The following is an excerpt from CNN newscaster's conversation with the alleged witness:
CNN: You tell us what you saw today when you tried to go to Baharestan Square?
Witness: Police stopped everyone at Sa'di. They emptied the buses that were taking people there and let the private cars go on.
All of a sudden 500 people with clubs and woods came out of Hedayat Mosque and poured into the streets. They started beating everyone and throwing them off Sa'di Bridge. This was a massacre.
CNN: We are not only getting this report from you. We got a report from another source in Tehran describing the situation today being terrible, saying people were being shot like animals; they beat people like animals. Are you safe right now?
Witness: Yes, exactly, exactly. This is what was happening. They beat people so bad.
However, Press TV, which is based in Tehran and was present at the scene, did not find even traces of the false and unfounded report.
It remains unclear, whether CNN -- which has resorted to 'unreliable' sources like social network websites in its coverage of Iran -- was duped by the 'anonymous' caller or was simply faking the phone call in line with the Western agenda of destabilizing Iran.
Iranian officials have condemned foreign media outlets including Britain's state-run BBC over dramatizing the situation in the country by provoking the post-election violence in Iran.
Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hassan Qashqavi on Sunday pinned the blame for the recent post-election turmoil across the country on US and British media outlets.
Post-election unrests were sparked after the Interior Ministry declared Ahmadinejad as the president of the country for yet another four-year term by almost two-thirds of the vote.
People have staged rallies across the country to protest the results of the election. Some of the demonstrations have turned violent.
[URDU] اسلامی بیداری کانفرنس سے رہبر معظم کا خطاب Islamic Awakening Conference
Vali Amr Muslimeen Ayatullah Sayyed Ali Khamenei delivered this speech at the International Conference on Islamic Awakening on 17 September 2011....
Vali Amr Muslimeen Ayatullah Sayyed Ali Khamenei delivered this speech at the International Conference on Islamic Awakening on 17 September 2011.
http://english.khamenei.ir//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1523
http://farsi.khamenei.ir/news-content?id=17271
بسمالله الرحمن الرحیم
السلام علیکم و رحمة الله و برکاته
الحمدلله رب العالمین و الصلوة و السلام علی سیدنا محمد و آله الطیبین و صحبه المنتجبین
قال الله العزیز الحكیم : بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم : يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ اتَّقِ اللَّهَ وَلا تُطِعِ الْكَافِرِينَ وَالْمُنَافِقِينَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا وَاتَّبِعْ مَا يُوحَى إِلَيْكَ مِن رَّبِّكَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرًا وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَكَفَى بِاللَّهِ وَكِيلا
(O Prophet, fear Allah and do not obey the disbelievers and the hypocrites. Indeed, Allah is ever Knowing and Wise. (1). And follow that which is revealed to you from your Lord. Indeed Allah is ever, with what you do, Acquainted. (2) And rely upon Allah; and sufficient is Allah as Disposer of affairs.(3) Surat Al-Ahzab)
I welcome our honored audience and dear guests. What has brought us here together is the Islamic awakening, which comes from the stronger inspiration and greater understanding among Muslim ummah. This awakening has led to a major development among nations of our region and has brought about uprisings and revolutions that could never have been contemplated in the calculations of the dominant regional and international satanic powers. These are momentous uprising that have razed to the ground the autocratic and imperialist strongholds and vanquished the tyrants guarding them.
There is no doubt that colossal social upheavals have always relied on solid foundation of history and civilization and are products of accumulation of wisdom and experiences. Over the past 150 years, the presence of great intellectual and jihadi personalities that have been opinion leaders and behind Islamic movements in Egypt, Iraq, India and other countries in Asia and Africa has served as precursors and pioneers for the present situation in the Islamic world.
The developments in the 1950’s and 60’s led to coming to power of regimes that were mostly inclined to materialistic ideologies and thoughts, and because of their inherent character fell into the trap of Western imperialist and colonialist powers. These are experiences that are lessons to learn from, and have contributed substantially to evolution of general and profound understanding in the Islamic world.
The Islamic Revolution in Iran that was hailed by Imam Khomeini as “victory of blood over sword”, and establishment of the lasting, robust, courageous and progressive Islamic republic, and its impact on present Islamic awakening is itself a long story that deserves to be debated and researched. There is no doubt that Islamic Revolution of Iran will be accorded a thorough and comprehensive chapter in the analysis and writings of history of the present situation of the Islamic world.
For that reason, the present and mounting facts and truths in the Islamic world are not simply events that are severed from the past historical roots, social and intellectual backgrounds to allow our adversaries and the shallow-minded to present them as a passing wave and short-lived phenomenon in order to snuff out hope in the hearts of nations by their warped and biased analyses.
In this brotherly dialogue with you I want to place greater emphasis on three areas:
1. Taking a glance at the identity of these uprisings and revolutions
2. Major threats and harms lying on their way.
3. Recommendations to find solutions and prevent these threats and harms.
Regarding the first point, I believe the most important element in these revolutions is the actual and mass presence of people in the arena of action, struggle and jihad. They were present, not only with their heart, desire and faith, but also with their body and souls. There is a big difference between this presence and the presence of a military group or even armed combatants in front of uncaring people or even concerned people.
In the events of 1950’s and 60’s in some countries of Africa and Asia, the heavy load of the revolution was not on the shoulder of diverse segments of population and the youth from all parts of the country, but rather on the shoulder of coup d\'etat or small and limited armed groups. They decided and acted, and they themselves or the succeeding generation changed their ways as a result of certain motivations. The revolution became its own enemy and the enemy managed again to prevail over their countries.
This is totally different than the change that comes from the people. It is the people that bring their body and soul to the arena of action, and by their jihad and devotion push back and defeat the enemy. It is the people that make the slogans and set the goals, identify and introduce and pursue the enemy. They draw their desired future, although not comprehensively, and as a result do not allow departure from the path of the revolution or conceding to the enemy, or change of course by compromising and the tainted few with special interests, and above all thwart the schemes of enemy’s agents.
In such a grass-root movement, the revolution may be slowed, but can stay away from short-sightedness and being on shaky ground. Quran says “Have you not considered how Allah presents an example, [making] a good word like a good tree, whose root is firmly fixed and its branches [high] in the sky?
أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ ضَرَبَ اللّهُ مَثَلاً كَلِمَةً طَيِّبَةً كَشَجَرةٍ طَيِّبَةٍ أَصْلُهَا ثَابِتٌ وَفَرْعُهَا فِي السَّمَاء
Have you not considered how Allah presents an example, [making] a good word like a good tree, whose root is firmly fixed and its branches [high] in the sky? (24\" Ibrahim )
When I saw the brave body of the proud people of Egypt on television in Tahrir Square, I became convinced that their revolution will triumph.
Let me confess something to you. After the victory of the Islamic Revolution and the establishment of the Islamic republic in Iran which caused an earthquake among the worldly materialistic rulers in East and West and brought unprecedented uproar and joy to Muslim nations, we expected that Egypt would be next in line to rise. The reason was the history of jihad, progressive thinking and presence of great mojahids and intellectuals in Egypt. I was reciting in my heart this poem by Abu Faras:
أراك عصيّ الدمع شیمتك الصبر ما للهوی نهی علیك و لا أمر ؟
When I saw the people of Egypt in Tahrir Square and squares in other cities, I knew I have received my response. The people of Egypt told me with words coming from their heart:
بلی أنا مشتاق و عندي لوعة ولكن مثلي لایذاع له سرُّ
…This sacred secret was nothing but the motivation and resolve to rise, and gradually people of Egypt cemented this thought in their mind and at a historical juncture they manifested their resolve and entered the arena in a magnificent show of their power.
Tunisia, Yemen, Libya, and Bahrain are no exception to this general rule.
In these revolutions principles, values and goals are not written in prefabricated manifestos of groups and parties, but written in the minds, hearts and desires of each and every person present on the scene and are declared in the context of their slogans and behaviors.
With these signals one can clearly tell that the principles of current revolutions in the region, in Egypt and other countries, are first and foremost the following:
- Revival and renewal of national dignity and respect that have been broken and trampled during long years of dictatorial and corrupt rule and the political domination of America and the West.
- Keeping up the banner of Islam which is the profound faith and longstanding attachment of people and being able to enjoy peace of mind, justice, progress and prosperity that could only be achieved under Islamic Sharia.
- Resistance against the influence and domination of the United States and Europe that have wreaked the greatest damage and humiliation on the peoples of these countries over the past two hundred years.
- Countering the usurper and fictitious Zionist regime that the imperialist powers have planted like a dagger in the heart of this region to serve as a tool to continue their diabolical domination after expelling a whole nation from their historical homeland.
There is no doubt that the revolutions in the region that rely on and demand these principles are not to the liking of America, Europe and the Zionists, and they are going to use all means to deny them, but the truth will not change with their denial.
The widespread participation of people in these revolutions is the most important element that constitutes their identity. Foreign powers that tried everything in their power and used all their schemes to keep in power the tyrannical, corrupt and subservient rulers in these countries and only abandoned them when the people left no choice for them have no right to claim a share in the victory of these revolutions. Even in Libya intervention by America and NATO cannot distort the truth. In Libya, NATO has caused irreparable damage. Had it not been for the military intervention of NATO and America, victory of people might have been delayed, but all these infrastructures would not have been damaged, and innocent women and children killed and then enemies that were accomplices of Qaddafi would not have been able to intervene in this innocent war-torn nation.
People and the elite that are of the people and others who are from the people are the true owners of these revolutions that should be trusted to protect them and draw the path to the future.
2- Regarding the threats and harm, I should first emphasize that although there are threats, but there are also ways to stay safe. Mere presence of threats should not scare nations.
إِنَّ كَيْدَ الشَّيْطَانِ كَانَ ضَعِيفًا
( Indeed, the plot of Satan has ever been weak)
Allah says about a group of mojahids of early Islam:
الَّذِينَ قالَ لَهُمُ النَّاسُ إِنَّ النَّاسَ قَدْ جَمَعُوا لَكُمْ فَاخْشَوْهُمْ فَزادَهُمْ إِيماناً وَ قالُوا حَسْبُنَا اللَّهُ وَ نِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ فَانْقَلَبُوا بِنِعْمَةٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَ فَضْلٍ لَمْ يَمْسَسْهُمْ سُوءٌ وَ اتَّبَعُوا رِضْوانَ اللَّهِ وَ اللَّهُ ذُو فَضْلٍ عَظِيمٍ
( Those to whom hypocrites said, \"Indeed, the people have gathered against you, so fear them.\" But it [merely] increased them in faith, and they said, \"Sufficient for us is Allah, and [He is] the best Disposer of affairs.\" So they returned with favor from Allah and bounty, no harm having touched them. And they pursued the pleasure of Allah, and Allah is the possessor of great bounty. )
We need to know what these threats are, in order not to be surprised and to be able to find solutions.
We faced these perils and threats after the victory of Islamic Revolution and experienced them. With the grace of Allah and the leadership of Imam Khomeini and sacrifices of our people we managed to sail through them safely. The plots by enemies still continue but so does the firm resolve of our people.
I divide the harm to these movements into two groups: those that have their roots within ourselves and come from our own weaknesses, and those that have been directly planned by the enemy.
The first group of harms is of the following type:
The sense and thought that after the downfall of the corrupt dictator the job is over. The peace of mind and comfort that comes after the victory and afterward the lessening of motivation and weakening of determination are among the first perils, and the most damaging threat is when individuals ask for their share of the spoils of victory.
The story of the Battle of Uhud and the defenders seeking the spoils of victory caused the defeat of Muslims, and the mojahids were reprimanded by God. This is a good example that should never be forgotten. Being shocked and awed by the appearances of the arrogant powers and the feeling of fear from America and other interventionist powers are of these kinds of harm that should be avoided.
The brave and young should throw out these fears from their heart. Trusting the enemy and falling into trap of their smiles and promises is another threat that needs to be avoided by the forerunners and leaders. The enemy must be identified no matter what cover it uses. The nation and the revolution should be protected against the designs of the enemy that at times hide behind the appearances of friendship and supportive gestures. Another side to this page is becoming overconfident and overlooking the enemy. Bravery must be combined with wisdom and good judgment. We must use all treasures of God within ourselves against Satan, al-Jinn wal–Ens. Causing division and pitting revolutionaries against one another and penetration behind the battlefront of struggle is another great harm that needs to be avoided with all your power.
The second group of harm has been experienced by almost all countries of the region during different events. The first harm is the coming to power of those who are committed to America and the West. The West tries after the downfall of its pawns to protect the basic pillars of the system and levers of power, and change the direction by using the same foundation, but with a different head, in order to perpetuate its domination. This means wasting of all your efforts and sacrifices. At this stage, if they face resistance of the people, they try to introduce and offer to the movement and people other alternatives that are designed to divert the course of the movement. This scenario could be recommending government models and constitutions that will again throw the Islamic countries into the trap of cultural, political and economic dependence on the West. This could lead to their influence among the revolutionaries greater financial and media strength of an unreliable current and marginalization of the genuine currents in the revolution. This also means return of the domination of the West and the stronger grip of then outdated Western models that are far from basic principles of the revolution.
If this tactic does not produce the desired result, experience tells us that they will go for anarchy, terrorism, civil war among followers of religions or ethnic communities and tribes, political parties, or even among neighboring nations and governments. Parallel to these actions, they will impose economic siege and sanctions, freeze national assets and launch all-out media war and propaganda. Their intention is to tire out and frustrate people and make the revolutionaries disappointed. Under these circumstances it becomes easy to defeat the revolution. Assassination of the righteous elite of the society and opinion leaders, defamation and vilification of others and even enticing some with money are among usual ploys used by the Western powers and the claimants of civilization morality.
In Iran, the evidence and documents from the U.S. Den of Espionage that fell into the hands of the revolution showed that all these plots were designed by the regime in the United States for the people of Iran for them bringing back the reactionary and dependant rulers in revolutionary countries is a principle that prescribes all these dirty tricks.
In the last part of my remarks, I present recommendations for your consideration and selection that are based on our tangible experiences in Iran and what has been gathered from the precise studies of other countries. Undoubtedly, conditions differ among nations and countries. Nonetheless, there are truths that can prove beneficial for all people.
The first point is that by placing one’s trust in God and believing in the repeated promises of divine victories in the Quran and through astuteness, resolve, and braveness, it is possible to surmount all obstacles and emerge victorious. Of course, the task that you all have taken up is quite grave and momentous. Thus, one must bear great hardship for its sake. The Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali (`a) says:
“فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَمْ يَقْصِمْ جَبَّارِي دَهْرٍ قَطُّ إِلَّا بَعْدَ تَمْهِيلٍ وَ رَخَاءٍ وَ لَمْ يَجْبُرْ عَظْمَ أَحَدٍ مِنَ الْأُمَمِ إِلَّا بَعْدَ أَزْلٍ وَ بَلَاءٍ وَ فِي دُونِ مَا اسْتَقْبَلْتُمْ مِنْ عَتْبٍ وَ مَا اسْتَدْبَرْتُمْ مِنْ خَطْبٍ مُعْتَبَر..”
The important recommendation is that you must always consider yourself as being present on the scene: فَإِذَا فَرَغْتَ فَانْصَبْ ( So when you have finished [your duties], then stand up [for worship].)Therefore, when thou art free, still labor hard), always consider God as present and as your aid: وَإِلَى رَبِّكَ فَارْغَبْ (And to thy Lord turn all thy attention), and must not allow your victories to cause you to become arrogant or negligent:
اِذا جاءَ نَصْرُ اللهِ وَ الْفَتْحُ وَ رَاَيْتَ النّاسَ يَدْخُلُونَ في دينِ اللهِ اَفْواجاً فَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ وَ اسْتَغْفِرْهُ اِنَّهُ كانَ تَوّاباً
(When comes the help of Allah, and victory. And thou dost see the people enter Allah’s Religion in crowds. Celebrate the praises of thy Lord). These are the true foundations of a faithful nation.
Another recommendation is the constant rereading of the principles of revolution. The slogans and principles must be refined and brought in line with the foundations and undisputed principles of Islam. Independence, freedom, justice, refusal to bow to despotism and colonialism, rejection of ethnic, racial, and religious discrimination, and the outright rejection of Zionism, which, today, comprise the pivots of the movements in Islamic countries, are all inspired by Islam and the Quran.
Write down your principles on paper. Preserve your genuine nature with a high degree of sensitivity. Do not allow your enemies to formulate the principles of your future system. Do not allow Islamic principles to be sacrificed for transient interests. Deviation in revolutions starts with deviation in slogans and objectives. Never place your trust in the U.S., NATO, or criminal regimes such as Britain, France, or, Italy, which for long plundered and divided your land among themselves. Look upon them with suspicion and do not believe their smiles. Behind these smiles and promises lies conspiracy and betrayal. Find you own way by resorting to the blessed fountainhead of Islam and give back foreigners’ prescriptions to themselves.
Another important recommendation is to avoid religious, ethnic, racial, tribal, and border disputes. Recognize differences as legitimate and manage them. Reconciliation among Islamic religions is the key to salvation. Those who fan the flames of religious division through apostatizing others are the mercenaries and servants of Satan, even if done inadvertently.
Creating your own system of governance is your main and seminal task. This is a complex and difficult undertaking. Do not allow secular or western liberal or extremist nationalist or leftist Marxist models to be imposed on you.
The leftist Eastern Bloc collapsed and the Western Bloc is propped up through violence, war, and deceit, and does not appear to have a bright outlook.
The passage of time will be to their loss and to the benefit of the Islamic current.
The ultimate goal must be a unified Islamic Ummah and the creation of a new Islamic civilization founded upon faith, rationality, knowledge, and morality.
The liberation of Palestine from the savage claws of the Zionists is also a great objective. The countries of the Balkans, Caucasus, and western Asia were liberated from the claws of the former Soviet Union after eighty years. Why should the Palestinian people not be able to free themselves from the captivity of the oppressor Zionists after seventy years?
The present generation in Islamic countries has the capacity to accomplish such great feats. The young generation of today is a source of pride for the past generations. As noted by the Arab poet:
أبو الصخر من شيبان قلت لهم كلا لعمري و لكن منه شيبانُ
و كم أبٍ قد علا بابنٍ ذُری شَرَفٍ كما علا برسولِ الله عدنانُ
Trust your young generation. Revive their feeling of self-confidence and benefit them by the experiences of the elders.
There are two important points in this connection:
First, one of the most important demands of the people who have revolted and who have been liberated is to have a decisive participation in the management of their countries. And since they believe in Islam, their desire is to have a system of Islamic democracy, i.e. the rulers being elected through the vote of the people and the dominant principles and values of the society being based on the Islamic knowledge and sharia. This can crystallize in various countries, depending on their conditions, through various methods and forms. However, utmost care must be taken not to confuse this with the western liberal democracy. The secular, and at times anti-religious, western democracy is in no way related to the Islamic democracy which is committed to the values and main principles of Islam in its system of government.
The second point relates to the fact that Islamic tenets must not be equated with backwardness, obscurantism, and ignorant and extremist biases. The demarcation between these two must be pronounced. Religious extremism, which is usually attended by violence, is the cause of falling short of the lofty goals of the revolution. This, in turn, results in the loss of public support and the eventual failure of the revolution.
In sum, to speak of Islamic awakening is not to speak of a nebulous and indistinct concept that is amenable to various interpretations. Rather, it is to speak of a tangible reality in the external world that has filled the atmosphere and resulted in great uprisings and revolutions and removed from the scene some dangerous elements of the enemy. Nonetheless, the scene remains fluid and in need of being shaped and brought to a conclusion. The verses recited at the outset contain a complete and effective set of guidelines, especially in this sensitive and momentous juncture… Though, they are addressed to the Holy Prophet (PBUH), we all are their interlocutors and responsible for adhering to them. In these verses, piety (taqwa), in its lofty and broad connotation, is the first recommendation. Then comes the rejection of the orders of the infidels and hypocrites, adherence to the divine revelation, and, finally, trust in God…
Once again, we will review these verses:
بسماللهالرحمنالرحیم يا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ اتَّقِ اللَّهَ وَ لا تُطِعِ الْكافِرينَ وَ الْمُنافِقينَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كانَ عَليماً حَكيماً(1) وَ اتَّبِعْ ما يُوحى إِلَيْكَ مِنْ رَبِّكَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كانَ بِما تَعْمَلُونَ خَبيراً (2) وَ تَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَ كَفى بِاللَّهِ وَكيلاً.
(In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful. O Prophet! Fear Allah, and hearken not to the unbelievers and the hypocrites: verily Allah is full of knowledge and wisdom. But follow that which comes to thee by inspiration from thy Lord: for Allah is well acquainted with (all) that ye do. And put thy trust in Allah, and enough is Allah as a disposer of affairs.)
والسلام علیکم و رحمة الله
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Description:
Vali Amr Muslimeen Ayatullah Sayyed Ali Khamenei delivered this speech at the International Conference on Islamic Awakening on 17 September 2011.
http://english.khamenei.ir//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1523
http://farsi.khamenei.ir/news-content?id=17271
بسمالله الرحمن الرحیم
السلام علیکم و رحمة الله و برکاته
الحمدلله رب العالمین و الصلوة و السلام علی سیدنا محمد و آله الطیبین و صحبه المنتجبین
قال الله العزیز الحكیم : بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم : يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ اتَّقِ اللَّهَ وَلا تُطِعِ الْكَافِرِينَ وَالْمُنَافِقِينَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا وَاتَّبِعْ مَا يُوحَى إِلَيْكَ مِن رَّبِّكَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرًا وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَكَفَى بِاللَّهِ وَكِيلا
(O Prophet, fear Allah and do not obey the disbelievers and the hypocrites. Indeed, Allah is ever Knowing and Wise. (1). And follow that which is revealed to you from your Lord. Indeed Allah is ever, with what you do, Acquainted. (2) And rely upon Allah; and sufficient is Allah as Disposer of affairs.(3) Surat Al-Ahzab)
I welcome our honored audience and dear guests. What has brought us here together is the Islamic awakening, which comes from the stronger inspiration and greater understanding among Muslim ummah. This awakening has led to a major development among nations of our region and has brought about uprisings and revolutions that could never have been contemplated in the calculations of the dominant regional and international satanic powers. These are momentous uprising that have razed to the ground the autocratic and imperialist strongholds and vanquished the tyrants guarding them.
There is no doubt that colossal social upheavals have always relied on solid foundation of history and civilization and are products of accumulation of wisdom and experiences. Over the past 150 years, the presence of great intellectual and jihadi personalities that have been opinion leaders and behind Islamic movements in Egypt, Iraq, India and other countries in Asia and Africa has served as precursors and pioneers for the present situation in the Islamic world.
The developments in the 1950’s and 60’s led to coming to power of regimes that were mostly inclined to materialistic ideologies and thoughts, and because of their inherent character fell into the trap of Western imperialist and colonialist powers. These are experiences that are lessons to learn from, and have contributed substantially to evolution of general and profound understanding in the Islamic world.
The Islamic Revolution in Iran that was hailed by Imam Khomeini as “victory of blood over sword”, and establishment of the lasting, robust, courageous and progressive Islamic republic, and its impact on present Islamic awakening is itself a long story that deserves to be debated and researched. There is no doubt that Islamic Revolution of Iran will be accorded a thorough and comprehensive chapter in the analysis and writings of history of the present situation of the Islamic world.
For that reason, the present and mounting facts and truths in the Islamic world are not simply events that are severed from the past historical roots, social and intellectual backgrounds to allow our adversaries and the shallow-minded to present them as a passing wave and short-lived phenomenon in order to snuff out hope in the hearts of nations by their warped and biased analyses.
In this brotherly dialogue with you I want to place greater emphasis on three areas:
1. Taking a glance at the identity of these uprisings and revolutions
2. Major threats and harms lying on their way.
3. Recommendations to find solutions and prevent these threats and harms.
Regarding the first point, I believe the most important element in these revolutions is the actual and mass presence of people in the arena of action, struggle and jihad. They were present, not only with their heart, desire and faith, but also with their body and souls. There is a big difference between this presence and the presence of a military group or even armed combatants in front of uncaring people or even concerned people.
In the events of 1950’s and 60’s in some countries of Africa and Asia, the heavy load of the revolution was not on the shoulder of diverse segments of population and the youth from all parts of the country, but rather on the shoulder of coup d\'etat or small and limited armed groups. They decided and acted, and they themselves or the succeeding generation changed their ways as a result of certain motivations. The revolution became its own enemy and the enemy managed again to prevail over their countries.
This is totally different than the change that comes from the people. It is the people that bring their body and soul to the arena of action, and by their jihad and devotion push back and defeat the enemy. It is the people that make the slogans and set the goals, identify and introduce and pursue the enemy. They draw their desired future, although not comprehensively, and as a result do not allow departure from the path of the revolution or conceding to the enemy, or change of course by compromising and the tainted few with special interests, and above all thwart the schemes of enemy’s agents.
In such a grass-root movement, the revolution may be slowed, but can stay away from short-sightedness and being on shaky ground. Quran says “Have you not considered how Allah presents an example, [making] a good word like a good tree, whose root is firmly fixed and its branches [high] in the sky?
أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ ضَرَبَ اللّهُ مَثَلاً كَلِمَةً طَيِّبَةً كَشَجَرةٍ طَيِّبَةٍ أَصْلُهَا ثَابِتٌ وَفَرْعُهَا فِي السَّمَاء
Have you not considered how Allah presents an example, [making] a good word like a good tree, whose root is firmly fixed and its branches [high] in the sky? (24\" Ibrahim )
When I saw the brave body of the proud people of Egypt on television in Tahrir Square, I became convinced that their revolution will triumph.
Let me confess something to you. After the victory of the Islamic Revolution and the establishment of the Islamic republic in Iran which caused an earthquake among the worldly materialistic rulers in East and West and brought unprecedented uproar and joy to Muslim nations, we expected that Egypt would be next in line to rise. The reason was the history of jihad, progressive thinking and presence of great mojahids and intellectuals in Egypt. I was reciting in my heart this poem by Abu Faras:
أراك عصيّ الدمع شیمتك الصبر ما للهوی نهی علیك و لا أمر ؟
When I saw the people of Egypt in Tahrir Square and squares in other cities, I knew I have received my response. The people of Egypt told me with words coming from their heart:
بلی أنا مشتاق و عندي لوعة ولكن مثلي لایذاع له سرُّ
…This sacred secret was nothing but the motivation and resolve to rise, and gradually people of Egypt cemented this thought in their mind and at a historical juncture they manifested their resolve and entered the arena in a magnificent show of their power.
Tunisia, Yemen, Libya, and Bahrain are no exception to this general rule.
In these revolutions principles, values and goals are not written in prefabricated manifestos of groups and parties, but written in the minds, hearts and desires of each and every person present on the scene and are declared in the context of their slogans and behaviors.
With these signals one can clearly tell that the principles of current revolutions in the region, in Egypt and other countries, are first and foremost the following:
- Revival and renewal of national dignity and respect that have been broken and trampled during long years of dictatorial and corrupt rule and the political domination of America and the West.
- Keeping up the banner of Islam which is the profound faith and longstanding attachment of people and being able to enjoy peace of mind, justice, progress and prosperity that could only be achieved under Islamic Sharia.
- Resistance against the influence and domination of the United States and Europe that have wreaked the greatest damage and humiliation on the peoples of these countries over the past two hundred years.
- Countering the usurper and fictitious Zionist regime that the imperialist powers have planted like a dagger in the heart of this region to serve as a tool to continue their diabolical domination after expelling a whole nation from their historical homeland.
There is no doubt that the revolutions in the region that rely on and demand these principles are not to the liking of America, Europe and the Zionists, and they are going to use all means to deny them, but the truth will not change with their denial.
The widespread participation of people in these revolutions is the most important element that constitutes their identity. Foreign powers that tried everything in their power and used all their schemes to keep in power the tyrannical, corrupt and subservient rulers in these countries and only abandoned them when the people left no choice for them have no right to claim a share in the victory of these revolutions. Even in Libya intervention by America and NATO cannot distort the truth. In Libya, NATO has caused irreparable damage. Had it not been for the military intervention of NATO and America, victory of people might have been delayed, but all these infrastructures would not have been damaged, and innocent women and children killed and then enemies that were accomplices of Qaddafi would not have been able to intervene in this innocent war-torn nation.
People and the elite that are of the people and others who are from the people are the true owners of these revolutions that should be trusted to protect them and draw the path to the future.
2- Regarding the threats and harm, I should first emphasize that although there are threats, but there are also ways to stay safe. Mere presence of threats should not scare nations.
إِنَّ كَيْدَ الشَّيْطَانِ كَانَ ضَعِيفًا
( Indeed, the plot of Satan has ever been weak)
Allah says about a group of mojahids of early Islam:
الَّذِينَ قالَ لَهُمُ النَّاسُ إِنَّ النَّاسَ قَدْ جَمَعُوا لَكُمْ فَاخْشَوْهُمْ فَزادَهُمْ إِيماناً وَ قالُوا حَسْبُنَا اللَّهُ وَ نِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ فَانْقَلَبُوا بِنِعْمَةٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَ فَضْلٍ لَمْ يَمْسَسْهُمْ سُوءٌ وَ اتَّبَعُوا رِضْوانَ اللَّهِ وَ اللَّهُ ذُو فَضْلٍ عَظِيمٍ
( Those to whom hypocrites said, \"Indeed, the people have gathered against you, so fear them.\" But it [merely] increased them in faith, and they said, \"Sufficient for us is Allah, and [He is] the best Disposer of affairs.\" So they returned with favor from Allah and bounty, no harm having touched them. And they pursued the pleasure of Allah, and Allah is the possessor of great bounty. )
We need to know what these threats are, in order not to be surprised and to be able to find solutions.
We faced these perils and threats after the victory of Islamic Revolution and experienced them. With the grace of Allah and the leadership of Imam Khomeini and sacrifices of our people we managed to sail through them safely. The plots by enemies still continue but so does the firm resolve of our people.
I divide the harm to these movements into two groups: those that have their roots within ourselves and come from our own weaknesses, and those that have been directly planned by the enemy.
The first group of harms is of the following type:
The sense and thought that after the downfall of the corrupt dictator the job is over. The peace of mind and comfort that comes after the victory and afterward the lessening of motivation and weakening of determination are among the first perils, and the most damaging threat is when individuals ask for their share of the spoils of victory.
The story of the Battle of Uhud and the defenders seeking the spoils of victory caused the defeat of Muslims, and the mojahids were reprimanded by God. This is a good example that should never be forgotten. Being shocked and awed by the appearances of the arrogant powers and the feeling of fear from America and other interventionist powers are of these kinds of harm that should be avoided.
The brave and young should throw out these fears from their heart. Trusting the enemy and falling into trap of their smiles and promises is another threat that needs to be avoided by the forerunners and leaders. The enemy must be identified no matter what cover it uses. The nation and the revolution should be protected against the designs of the enemy that at times hide behind the appearances of friendship and supportive gestures. Another side to this page is becoming overconfident and overlooking the enemy. Bravery must be combined with wisdom and good judgment. We must use all treasures of God within ourselves against Satan, al-Jinn wal–Ens. Causing division and pitting revolutionaries against one another and penetration behind the battlefront of struggle is another great harm that needs to be avoided with all your power.
The second group of harm has been experienced by almost all countries of the region during different events. The first harm is the coming to power of those who are committed to America and the West. The West tries after the downfall of its pawns to protect the basic pillars of the system and levers of power, and change the direction by using the same foundation, but with a different head, in order to perpetuate its domination. This means wasting of all your efforts and sacrifices. At this stage, if they face resistance of the people, they try to introduce and offer to the movement and people other alternatives that are designed to divert the course of the movement. This scenario could be recommending government models and constitutions that will again throw the Islamic countries into the trap of cultural, political and economic dependence on the West. This could lead to their influence among the revolutionaries greater financial and media strength of an unreliable current and marginalization of the genuine currents in the revolution. This also means return of the domination of the West and the stronger grip of then outdated Western models that are far from basic principles of the revolution.
If this tactic does not produce the desired result, experience tells us that they will go for anarchy, terrorism, civil war among followers of religions or ethnic communities and tribes, political parties, or even among neighboring nations and governments. Parallel to these actions, they will impose economic siege and sanctions, freeze national assets and launch all-out media war and propaganda. Their intention is to tire out and frustrate people and make the revolutionaries disappointed. Under these circumstances it becomes easy to defeat the revolution. Assassination of the righteous elite of the society and opinion leaders, defamation and vilification of others and even enticing some with money are among usual ploys used by the Western powers and the claimants of civilization morality.
In Iran, the evidence and documents from the U.S. Den of Espionage that fell into the hands of the revolution showed that all these plots were designed by the regime in the United States for the people of Iran for them bringing back the reactionary and dependant rulers in revolutionary countries is a principle that prescribes all these dirty tricks.
In the last part of my remarks, I present recommendations for your consideration and selection that are based on our tangible experiences in Iran and what has been gathered from the precise studies of other countries. Undoubtedly, conditions differ among nations and countries. Nonetheless, there are truths that can prove beneficial for all people.
The first point is that by placing one’s trust in God and believing in the repeated promises of divine victories in the Quran and through astuteness, resolve, and braveness, it is possible to surmount all obstacles and emerge victorious. Of course, the task that you all have taken up is quite grave and momentous. Thus, one must bear great hardship for its sake. The Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali (`a) says:
“فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَمْ يَقْصِمْ جَبَّارِي دَهْرٍ قَطُّ إِلَّا بَعْدَ تَمْهِيلٍ وَ رَخَاءٍ وَ لَمْ يَجْبُرْ عَظْمَ أَحَدٍ مِنَ الْأُمَمِ إِلَّا بَعْدَ أَزْلٍ وَ بَلَاءٍ وَ فِي دُونِ مَا اسْتَقْبَلْتُمْ مِنْ عَتْبٍ وَ مَا اسْتَدْبَرْتُمْ مِنْ خَطْبٍ مُعْتَبَر..”
The important recommendation is that you must always consider yourself as being present on the scene: فَإِذَا فَرَغْتَ فَانْصَبْ ( So when you have finished [your duties], then stand up [for worship].)Therefore, when thou art free, still labor hard), always consider God as present and as your aid: وَإِلَى رَبِّكَ فَارْغَبْ (And to thy Lord turn all thy attention), and must not allow your victories to cause you to become arrogant or negligent:
اِذا جاءَ نَصْرُ اللهِ وَ الْفَتْحُ وَ رَاَيْتَ النّاسَ يَدْخُلُونَ في دينِ اللهِ اَفْواجاً فَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ وَ اسْتَغْفِرْهُ اِنَّهُ كانَ تَوّاباً
(When comes the help of Allah, and victory. And thou dost see the people enter Allah’s Religion in crowds. Celebrate the praises of thy Lord). These are the true foundations of a faithful nation.
Another recommendation is the constant rereading of the principles of revolution. The slogans and principles must be refined and brought in line with the foundations and undisputed principles of Islam. Independence, freedom, justice, refusal to bow to despotism and colonialism, rejection of ethnic, racial, and religious discrimination, and the outright rejection of Zionism, which, today, comprise the pivots of the movements in Islamic countries, are all inspired by Islam and the Quran.
Write down your principles on paper. Preserve your genuine nature with a high degree of sensitivity. Do not allow your enemies to formulate the principles of your future system. Do not allow Islamic principles to be sacrificed for transient interests. Deviation in revolutions starts with deviation in slogans and objectives. Never place your trust in the U.S., NATO, or criminal regimes such as Britain, France, or, Italy, which for long plundered and divided your land among themselves. Look upon them with suspicion and do not believe their smiles. Behind these smiles and promises lies conspiracy and betrayal. Find you own way by resorting to the blessed fountainhead of Islam and give back foreigners’ prescriptions to themselves.
Another important recommendation is to avoid religious, ethnic, racial, tribal, and border disputes. Recognize differences as legitimate and manage them. Reconciliation among Islamic religions is the key to salvation. Those who fan the flames of religious division through apostatizing others are the mercenaries and servants of Satan, even if done inadvertently.
Creating your own system of governance is your main and seminal task. This is a complex and difficult undertaking. Do not allow secular or western liberal or extremist nationalist or leftist Marxist models to be imposed on you.
The leftist Eastern Bloc collapsed and the Western Bloc is propped up through violence, war, and deceit, and does not appear to have a bright outlook.
The passage of time will be to their loss and to the benefit of the Islamic current.
The ultimate goal must be a unified Islamic Ummah and the creation of a new Islamic civilization founded upon faith, rationality, knowledge, and morality.
The liberation of Palestine from the savage claws of the Zionists is also a great objective. The countries of the Balkans, Caucasus, and western Asia were liberated from the claws of the former Soviet Union after eighty years. Why should the Palestinian people not be able to free themselves from the captivity of the oppressor Zionists after seventy years?
The present generation in Islamic countries has the capacity to accomplish such great feats. The young generation of today is a source of pride for the past generations. As noted by the Arab poet:
أبو الصخر من شيبان قلت لهم كلا لعمري و لكن منه شيبانُ
و كم أبٍ قد علا بابنٍ ذُری شَرَفٍ كما علا برسولِ الله عدنانُ
Trust your young generation. Revive their feeling of self-confidence and benefit them by the experiences of the elders.
There are two important points in this connection:
First, one of the most important demands of the people who have revolted and who have been liberated is to have a decisive participation in the management of their countries. And since they believe in Islam, their desire is to have a system of Islamic democracy, i.e. the rulers being elected through the vote of the people and the dominant principles and values of the society being based on the Islamic knowledge and sharia. This can crystallize in various countries, depending on their conditions, through various methods and forms. However, utmost care must be taken not to confuse this with the western liberal democracy. The secular, and at times anti-religious, western democracy is in no way related to the Islamic democracy which is committed to the values and main principles of Islam in its system of government.
The second point relates to the fact that Islamic tenets must not be equated with backwardness, obscurantism, and ignorant and extremist biases. The demarcation between these two must be pronounced. Religious extremism, which is usually attended by violence, is the cause of falling short of the lofty goals of the revolution. This, in turn, results in the loss of public support and the eventual failure of the revolution.
In sum, to speak of Islamic awakening is not to speak of a nebulous and indistinct concept that is amenable to various interpretations. Rather, it is to speak of a tangible reality in the external world that has filled the atmosphere and resulted in great uprisings and revolutions and removed from the scene some dangerous elements of the enemy. Nonetheless, the scene remains fluid and in need of being shaped and brought to a conclusion. The verses recited at the outset contain a complete and effective set of guidelines, especially in this sensitive and momentous juncture… Though, they are addressed to the Holy Prophet (PBUH), we all are their interlocutors and responsible for adhering to them. In these verses, piety (taqwa), in its lofty and broad connotation, is the first recommendation. Then comes the rejection of the orders of the infidels and hypocrites, adherence to the divine revelation, and, finally, trust in God…
Once again, we will review these verses:
بسماللهالرحمنالرحیم يا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ اتَّقِ اللَّهَ وَ لا تُطِعِ الْكافِرينَ وَ الْمُنافِقينَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كانَ عَليماً حَكيماً(1) وَ اتَّبِعْ ما يُوحى إِلَيْكَ مِنْ رَبِّكَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كانَ بِما تَعْمَلُونَ خَبيراً (2) وَ تَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَ كَفى بِاللَّهِ وَكيلاً.
(In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful. O Prophet! Fear Allah, and hearken not to the unbelievers and the hypocrites: verily Allah is full of knowledge and wisdom. But follow that which comes to thee by inspiration from thy Lord: for Allah is well acquainted with (all) that ye do. And put thy trust in Allah, and enough is Allah as a disposer of affairs.)
والسلام علیکم و رحمة الله
*FULL SPEECH* Leader Ayatollah Khamenei addressing to commanders of the Basij volunteer force - 20Nov13 - English
The Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei says Iran will not back down an iota from its rights and will never give in to pressure. Ayatollah Khamenei said the rights of the...
The Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei says Iran will not back down an iota from its rights and will never give in to pressure. Ayatollah Khamenei said the rights of the nation including its nuclear rights must be recognized. The leader expressed his support for the Iranian government and officials including the nuclear negotiating team. Ayatollah Khamenei also said he will not get involved with the details of the negotiations between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany. But he said there are red lines and limitations that the Iranian negotiators will have to heed. Ayatollah Khamenei made the remarks in an address to commanders and members of the Basij volunteer force in Tehran.
Supreme Leader\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s Speech in Meeting with Basij Commanders Print
20/11/2013
Supreme Leader\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s Speech in Meeting with Basij CommandersThe following is the full text of the speech delivered on November 20, 2013 by Ayatollah Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, in a meeting with fifty thousand Basij commanders. The meeting was held at the Musalah in Tehran.
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, and peace and greetings be upon our Master and Prophet, Ab-al Qassem al-Mustafa Muhammad and upon his immaculate, pure and chosen household, especially the one remaining with Allah on earth.
Greetings be upon you Abi Abdullah and upon those who laid down their lives for you. I will send you God\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s eternal greetings as long as I live and as long as night and day prevail. May God not make this prayer my last covenant with you. Greetings be upon Hussein, upon Ali ibn al-Hussein, upon the children of Hussein and upon the companions of Hussein - those who laid down their lives for Hussein (a.s.).
This meeting is a very important meeting. Basij is the manifestation of the greatness of our nation and the domestic capability of our country. This meeting is the meeting of commanders. You tens of thousands of commanders of Basij have gathered in this place and one can guess from this large gathering how glorious Basij is. You are a source of satisfaction, hope and trust for the supporters of the Islamic Republic, the Revolution and the country and you are a source of intimidation and fear for the ill-wishers, enemies and those who bear a grudge [against the Revolution and the Islamic Republic].
The coincidence of Basij Week with these days, which are the days of the great epic of the history of Islam, is a good and valuable occasion. What I mean by this great epic is the epic created by Zaynab al-Kubra (s.a.) which complements the epic of Ashura. The epic that Zaynab al-Kubra (s.a.) created revived and preserved the epic of Ashura. The greatness of what Zaynab al-Kubra (s.a.) did, cannot be compared to other great events in history. It should only be compared to the event of Ashura itself and truly, these two events complete one another.
This great personality and this great lady of Islam and all of humanity managed to stand firm in the face of the great mountain of hardships and there was not even a tremble in her voice because of all these events. She stood firm like a glorious mountain peak both in the face of enemies and in the face of hardships and bitter events. She became a lesson, a role model, a leader and a pioneer.
At the bazaar of Kufa, while she was held captive, she made this astonishing speech: \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Oh people of Kufa, who are treacherous and disloyal, do you cry for us? May your tears not dry and may your moans not stop. You are like a woman who loosens her threads after she pulls them together\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [al-Ihtijaj, Volume 2, page 303]. The words are as firm as steel and the meaning flows like a river and it influences hearts and souls. In such conditions, Zaynab al-Kubra delivered a speech, which was like the Commander of the Faithful (a.s.), and she shook hearts and souls and she shook history with these words. This speech became eternal in history. It was delivered in front of the people while she was held captive.
After that, she delivered a speech in front of Ibn Ziad in Kufa and a few weeks later, she spoke in front of Yazid with such strength that it both humiliated the enemy and the hardships which the enemy had imposed. She said, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Do you foolishly think that you can defeat, suppress and humiliate the household of the Holy Prophet (s.w.a.)?\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Honor belongs to Allah and His Messenger, and to the believers\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, 63: 8]. Zaynab al-Kubra is the manifestation of dignity, as Hussein ibn Ali (a.s.) was the manifestation of dignity in Karbala on the day of Ashura.
The way she looks at events is different from the way other people look at those events. Despite all those hardships, when the enemy wants to taunt her, she says, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"I did not see anything except for beauty\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [Lohuf, page 160]. She said, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"What I saw was beautiful. It was martyrdom. Although it was difficult, it was in the way of God and it was done for preserving Islam. It was the creation of an epic in history so that Islamic Ummah knows what it should do and how it should move forward and stand firm\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\". This is a great achievement made by the epic of Zaynab (s.a.). This is the dignity of God\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s saint. Zaynab al-Kubra (s.a.) is one of God\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s saints. Her dignity is the dignity of Islam and she made Islam and the Holy Quran valuable.
Of course, we are not as aspirational and determined as Zaynab al-Kubra (s.a.) and therefore we cannot say that the behavior of this great lady is our model. We are too inferior to say such things, but anyway, our movement should be in line with the movement of Zaynab (s.a.). Our efforts should be focused on bringing dignity for Islam, the Islamic community and the entire humanity. This is the same responsibility that Allah the Exalted has entrusted to prophets through Islamic obligations and rules.
In the first part of my speech, what I want to briefly discuss with you dear basijis and dear youth is that one of the factors which brought about this spirit and this patience in Zaynab al-Kubra (s.a.) and other divine saints - who moved forward with such spirit and patience - is sincerity and honesty. It is very important to honor our promises to Allah the Exalted and to devote our hearts to the path of God in a sincere way.
In the Holy Quran, this sincerity is necessary for divine prophets as well: \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"And remember We took from the prophets their covenant, as We did from you, from Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus the son of Mary: We took from them a solemn covenant, that (Allah) may question the custodians of Truth concerning the Truth they (were charged with)\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, 33: 7-8]. God says that this covenant is very firm and serious. In the phrase \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Leyasala\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" lam signifies results and consequences. The result of this covenant is that these great prophets will be questioned about their sincerity in this covenant. That is to say, our Holy Prophet (s.w.a.) and other great prophets should prove before God the level of their sincerity concerning the conditions of this covenant. This part is related to prophets.
God also says to ordinary people and believers: \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Among the Believers are men who have been true to their covenant with Allah: of them some have completed their vow (fully), and some (still) wait: but they have never changed (their determination) in the least, that Allah may reward the men of Truth for their Truth, and punish the Hypocrites if that be His Will\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, 33: 23-24]. When addressing great prophets, God referred to unbelievers as the opposite of honest individuals: \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"And He has prepared for the unbelievers a grievous Penalty\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, 33: 8]. And when addressing these believers, He referred to hypocrites as the opposite of honest individuals and there are important points in this comparison. You and I will be questioned about our promise to God. We have a covenant with God. In the holy ayah \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Among the Believers are men who have been true to their covenant with Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\", the pledge that believers made to God and that was honored by them is the same as another ayah in this holy sura: \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"And yet they had already covenanted with Allah not to turn their backs\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, 33: 15].
All of us should pay attention to such points. Believers promised Allah the Exalted not to escape in the face of the enemy and not to turn their backs. The Holy Quran stresses that abandoning one\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s positions and retreating in the face of the enemy are among the things which should not be done. One should stand up against the enemy in any military, political and economic war and in any arena which is a test of strength. Your determination should overcome the enemy\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s determination. Your willpower should overcome the enemy\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s willpower. This can be done and this is possible. From the viewpoint of the Holy Quran and Islam, running away and retreating from the enemy are forbidden in any arena of jihad and confrontation.
When we used the phrase \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"heroic flexibility\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\", some people defined it as abandoning the ideals and the goals of the Islamic Republic. Some of the enemies too used it to accuse the Islamic Republic of betraying its principles. These interpretations were wrong and they misunderstood this phrase. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Heroic flexibility\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" means an artful maneuver for reaching one\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s goal. It means that the followers of God\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s path - any divine path - should utilize different methods, in any way possible, in order to reach their goal and this should be done whenever they move towards the different ideals of Islam. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"If any do turn his back to them on such a day - unless it be in a stratagem of war, or to retreat to a troop (of his own)- he draws on himself the wrath of Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, 8: 16].
Like the arena of war, any movement - whether forward or backward - should be launched in order to reach one\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s predetermined goals. There are certain goals and at each stage, the Islamic government pursues one of these goals in order to make progress, achieve transcendence and create the great Islamic civilization. The Islamic government should try to achieve this goal at this stage. Of course, there are certain stages and phases to reach these goals. Experts, intellectuals and officials in charge of this are identifying these phases and goals and, as a result, our collective movement will begin. Everyone should try to make any movement, at any stage, reach its goal. This is a proper system which is based on logical and rational measures. All activists in the arena of politics and macromanagement of the country should always keep this in mind. All the people and you dear basijis too - who are activists in the arena of Basij - should always keep this in mind.
Well, when we say that we want to move forward, does this mean that the Islamic government is warmongering? Does this mean that the Islamic government wants to confront all nations and all countries in the world? Sometimes one hears that the enemies of the Iranian nation - specifically the najis-mouthed dirty dog of the region, the Zionist regime - move their jaws to say that Iran is a threat for the entire world. This is the claim of the enemy, but this is exactly the opposite of Islamic principles. On the contrary, those evil and malevolent forces - including the fake Zionist regime and some of its supporters - that show nothing except for malevolence, are a threat for the entire world.
The lesson that the Islamic government learned from the Holy Quran, the Holy Prophet of Islam (s.w.a.) and the Commander of the Faithful (a.s.) is a different lesson: \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Allah commands justice and the doing of good\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, 16: 90]. Allah the Exalted invites us to administer justice and do good. The commander of the Faithful (a.s.) said that we should be kind to everyone because \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Those who have the same religion as you have, they are brothers to you, and those who have religions other than that of yours, they are human beings like you\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [Nahjul Balaghah, Letter 53]. People are either your Islamic brothers or human beings like you. This is the logic of Islam. We want to render services and show kindness to everyone. We want to establish a friendly and kind relationship with all human beings and all nations. We even have no enmity with the American people despite the fact that the government of America is an arrogant, hostile and evil government which bears a grudge against the Iranian nation and the Islamic Republic. The American people are like other peoples.
What the Islamic Republic is opposed to is arrogance. The hostility of the Islamic Republic is oriented towards global arrogance. We are opposed to and fight against arrogance. Arrogance is a Quranic word and it has been used in the Holy Quran to refer to people like Pharaoh and the groups of people who are ill-wishers and who are opposed to truth. Arrogance existed in the past as well and it has continued to prevail until the present time. In all eras, arrogance has had the same structure. Of course, it has used different methods and tactics in different eras. There is arrogance today as well and it is led by the United States of America.
We should know arrogance and its characteristics. We should know the methods and the orientation of arrogance so that we can organize our behavior in the face of arrogance. We are opposed to unreasonable behavior in all arenas. We believe that we should move forward with wisdom and acumen in all arenas, in all collective and individual orientations and in all plans. If we do not know the scene, if we do not know our friends and our enemies, if we do not know imperialism and arrogance in the present time, then how can we move forward with wisdom and acumen? How can we make accurate plans? Therefore, we should know these things.
What I am saying about arrogance is a few examples regarding the behavior of today\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s global arrogance in the world. In many of these examples and cases, today\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s arrogance shares the characteristics of arrogance in previous centuries and previous eras. One of the characteristics of arrogance is egotism. When arrogant groups - those people who have taken everything in their hands as the highest-ranking individuals in a country, in a group of countries or in a global system - consider themselves to be superior to other people, when they regard themselves as the pivot, when they place everyone, except for themselves, on the periphery, then a wrong and dangerous equation will be formed in global interactions.
When arrogance views itself as superior and as the pivot and core [of everything], then the result will be that it grants itself the right to interfere in the affairs of other people and other nations. If arrogance considers something to be a value and if other people do not, this will grant it the right to interfere in their affairs and bully and pressure them. This egotism makes them claim to be the guardian of nations and to be responsible for global management. It also makes them consider themselves to be the boss of all the people in the world.
As you can hear, American officials and politicians speak about the government of America as if it were the leader of all countries. They say that they cannot let this be done. They say, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"We cannot allow this person to be or not to be in charge\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\". They speak about our region in a way that it seems they are the owners of this region. They speak about the Zionist regime in a way that it seems regional nations have to accept this imposed and fake regime. They behave towards independent nations and governments as if they did not have the right to live. This egotism and this attitude of considering oneself to have a special position among all people, all nations and all human beings is the main foundation on which arrogance has been built and this is its biggest problem.
This egotism will lead to another characteristic and another criterion for arrogance which is the tendency to ignore other people\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s rights. They neither accept truth nor the rights of other nations. They do not at all acknowledge other people\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s rights. In international negotiations, someone says something which is right, but America does not accept it. It tries to deny such rights with different methods and it does not accept truth. This has happened many times. In the present time, one of the examples of this behavior is our current issues related to nuclear activities and industries. Imagine that someone says something which is true. If one is fair, reasonable and rational, he should give up when he faces the truth. But arrogance does not give up. It hears the truth, but it does not accept it. This is one of its characteristics. It does not acknowledge the rights of other nations either. It does not acknowledge the right of a people to choose, to do what they want and to adopt those economic and political measures which they want. They believe in imposing things on other nations.
Another characteristic of colonialism and arrogance is that it condones crimes against nations and the entire humanity and that it is indifferent towards such crimes. This is one of the greatest disasters of arrogance in modern times. Modern times means the era of scientific progress and the era of the emergence of dangerous weapons. When these weapons became available to arrogant powers, they created a disaster for all nations. They do not attach any value on the lives of individuals - those individuals who do not follow, obey and surrender to them.
There are many examples in this regard. One example is the behavior of arrogant powers towards Native Americans - those people whose financial and natural resources, whose geography and whose entire properties are in the hands of non-natives now. Well, there were native people in America. Their behavior towards these Native Americans was so violent and so disgusting that it is one of the darkest points in the history of modern America. The Americans themselves have written many things about the massacres that took place and the pressures that they exerted. The same thing was done by the English in Australia. The English hunted people, for pleasure, like animals and like kangaroos. They did not attach any value on the lives of human beings. This is only one example. There are hundreds of examples which have been recorded in their own history books.
Another example is the nuclear bombardment that was launched in the year 1945 of the Christian calendar - that it to say, the year 1324 of the Hijri calendar - when the Americans destroyed two Japanese cities and, as a result, hundreds of thousands of people were killed. Over the course of time, the number of people who suffered from deformities and different diseases because of nuclear radiations was several times larger than this and these problems have persisted until the present time. They did not have any cogent reason for this - I will refer to this later on. They easily dropped these bombs. Until now, atomic bombs have been used twice and both times, they were used by the Americans who consider themselves to be the main responsible party for the nuclear issues of other countries.
They like to forget these events, but it is not forgettable. All these lives were destroyed, but it was not at all important to them. For arrogance, the lives of human beings have no value and it is easy for arrogant regimes to commit crimes. They massacred the people in Vietnam. In Iraq, their security services and their mercenary security agencies - such as Blackwater which I referred to in the year 1390 - committed certain crimes. They are still committing crimes in Pakistan with their drones. In Afghanistan, they conduct a number of bombardments and they commit crimes. They are not afraid of committing crimes in each area they can get their hands on and in each area their interests dictate. These crimes include murder and torture. The Guantanamo prison - which belongs to the Americans - still has prisoners. It is 10, 11 years now that they have been arresting a number of people from different countries and putting them in this prison on different charges. They have been keeping them in this prison without any trial and with extremely difficult conditions and they have been torturing them. In Iraq, the Abu Ghraib prison was one of the American prisons. In this prison, they used to torture and set dogs on prisoners.
Looting the vital resources of other nations is easy for them. Capturing and enslaving Africans is one of the tragic events in history which American imperialism and other such regimes do not like to be reviewed. They do not like the issue of enslaving the people of Africa to be reflected on. They used to sail ships from the Atlantic Ocean and anchor them on the coast of West African countries such as Gambia and other countries in this continent. Then, they used to go and capture hundreds of thousands of men and women and old and young people with guns and other weapons which were not available to people at that time. While these people were in difficult conditions, they were taken to America on such ships for slavery. They captivated free people who were living in their houses and in their own cities. In the present time, the black people who live in America are the descendents of those slaves. For several centuries, the Americans exerted such an eccentric pressure and there are many books in this regard such as the book \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Roots\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" written by Alexander Haley. This book is a very valuable book for showing part of these crimes. How can today\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s modern man forget such events? Despite all these crimes, the white people continue to discriminate against blacks in America.
Another characteristic of arrogance is deception and hypocritical behavior. You should pay attention to this issue. They try to justify the crimes which were referred to and they try to show that they were rendering services by committing these crimes. Global arrogance, which intends to dominate all nations, is frequently using this method in its entire life: the method of justifying crimes and taking on the appearance of rendering services. When the Americans want to apologize for their attack on Japan - that is to say, the two bombs which exploded in Hiroshima and Nagasaki - they say, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Although tens of thousands or perhaps hundreds of thousands of people were killed by the two bombs that we dropped on these two cities, this was the cost of ending World War II. If we the Americans had not dropped these bombs, the war would have continued. If we had not done this, then two million people - instead of the 200 thousand people who were killed as a result of these bombs - would have been killed. Therefore, we rendered a service by dropping these bombs\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\".
Notice that this is a statement which the Americans make in their official propaganda. Now, around 65 years have passed from that day, but they have repeatedly said this. This is one of the deceptive and hypocritical statements and one of the elaborate lies that is not made and told by anyone except arrogant regimes. These bombs were dropped on and exploded in these two cities in the summer of the year 1945 of the Christian calendar and this crime was committed in that year. This was while four months before that - that is to say, in the early spring of 1945 - Hitler, who was the primary warmonger, had committed suicide. Moreover, Mussolini - the president of Italy at that time, who was the second important element in the war - had been arrested and the war was practically over. Japan too, which was the third important element in the war, had announced that it was ready to surrender. Therefore, there was practically no war, but these bombs were dropped anyway. Why? It is because these bombs had been built and they must have been tested somewhere. Certain weapons had been built and they must have been tested somewhere. Where should they test them now? The best option was to drop these bombs on the innocent people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki with the excuse of war so that it becomes clear whether these bombs work properly or not. Such is their deceit.
They claim to be the supporters of human rights, but they target the Iranian passenger plane in the air and they kill about three hundred passengers who are unaware of this. Moreover, they do not apologize and they award a medal to the person who commits this crime. You have heard that in recent weeks, the Americans - from the President to lower-ranking politicians - have created uproar about the use of chemical weapons in Syria. They accused the Syrian government of using chemical weapons. I do not want to judge who has used these weapons. Of course, evidence shows that terrorist groups have used them, but anyway, they said that the Syrian government has used such weapons. They created uproar about this and they said that the use of chemical weapons is our red line. American officials said this 10 times or more. But not only did the government and the regime of the United States of America not express any opposition to Saddam\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s use of chemical weapons during its criminal attacks on Iran, but it also provided him with 500 tons of hazardous and lethal chemicals which could be turned into mustard gas.
Many of our dear youth of those times are still suffering from the effects of those chemicals and it is several years that they have been suffering from various diseases. The Americans helped Saddam to be equipped with such chemicals. Of course, he had bought such chemicals from other countries as well, but it was America that provided Saddam with 500 tons of lethal chemicals - which could turn into mustard gas - and that helped him to use it. After that, when the United Nations Security Council decided to issue a resolution against Saddam, it was America that prevented this. This is the meaning of hypocritical behavior. On the issue of Syria, the use of chemical weapons is a red line, but on the issue of Iran, it can be allowed and supported. This is because on this issue, chemical weapons are used against an independent Islamic government and against a nation which does not want to give in to America.
These are some of the characteristics of arrogance. Of course, the characteristics of arrogance are more than these. Arrogant powers wage wars, create discord and confront independent governments. They even confront their own people when the interests of specific groups dictate so. During the war that Saddam waged against Iran, they offered all kinds of help - which was possible for them - to Saddam. I referred to the case of chemicals, but they also gave him secret information about Iran. After the war, when the head of intelligence services of Saddam was interviewed, he said, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"I used to go to the U.S. embassy in Baghdad three times a week and they gave me a sealed package in which all satellite information about the movements of the Iranian Armed Forces existed and therefore, we knew where they were\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\". They offered such kinds of help to Saddam.
The Islamic government is opposed to such arrogance. The Islamic government is not opposed to people and nations. It is not opposed to human beings. Rather, it is opposed to arrogance. This opposition has existed since the time of Abraham - God\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s Friend - Noah, the Holy Prophet of Islam and other great prophets and it has continued until today. Since that time, the camp of right has confronted arrogance. Why is that? Why does today\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s Islamic government confront arrogance? It is because arrogance with the characteristics that I described cannot tolerate an Islamic government such as the Islamic Republic of Iran. It is because the Islamic Republic of Iran was formed on the basis of opposition to arrogance. The Revolution was carried out in Iran in opposition to arrogance and the agents of arrogance. It was formed on the basis of this opposition. It grew, it became strong and it challenged the logic of arrogance on the basis of this opposition. Arrogance cannot tolerate this unless it is frustrated.
The Iranian people, the Iranian youth, the Iranian activists and those Iranians who believe in their homeland and their country for any reason - even if it may be a non-Islamic reason - should do something to make the enemy hopeless. The enemy should become hopeless. It is very difficult for global arrogance and for the government of the United States of America in the present time to see that in this sensitive region - in West Asia, which is the one of the most sensitive regions in the world in terms of politics and economy and which influences the entire world - a country, a government and a people have emerged who do not consider themselves to be dependent on and to be the followers of this self-proclaimed superpower. This Islamic government is independent and despite the strong opposition that it is faced with, it overcomes all problems and hardships. As the Americans themselves admit, this government is challenging the influence of America in the region and it is extending its own influence.
This Islamic government is becoming a role model for regional nations and this is very difficult for the Americans to tolerate. The Americans want to say that the lives of all nations depend on America. Now a people have emerged who not only are not dependent on America, but who also have not been influenced by all these hostilities. From the first day, the Americans did whatever they could, but it was not effective. These people have achieved growth and they have become stronger on a daily basis.
The hostilities that the government of the United States of America has shown against the Islamic Republic happened during the time of different presidents, but all of these hostilities are of the same nature. All of these hostilities are the same. Therefore, no one should say that such and such a plot was hatched during the time of such and such a president and this plot has not been hatched during the time of the current President of America. This is not the case. All of these presidents behave in the same way. First, they provoked ethnicities in Iran, then they launched a coup d\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'état and after that, they made Iraq attack us. The next thing that they did was to help our enemy - which was the regime of Saddam - in his war against us and after the war, they imposed sanctions on us. Then, they provoked all media networks in the world and they made them align themselves against the Islamic Republic. All of these things have been done during the time of different presidents of America and now too, these things are being done.
In the fitna of the year 1388 - during the term of the current President of America - one of the social networks, which could be used to further the goals of fitna and those who provoked the fitna, needed to fix some technical problems. The government of America asked this network to delay fixing these technical problems because they hoped to overthrow the Islamic Republic with the help of media activities and networks such as Facebook, Twitter and other such networks. They had these foolish delusions. Therefore, they did not let this network fix its technical problems and they said that it should delay it and attend to this task which is more important.
They used all kinds of tools against the Islamic Republic and sanctions are one of these tools. From their viewpoint, this tool is enough for defeating the Islamic Republic. Their mistake is that they do not know the Iranian nation. Their mistake is that they do not know the element of faith and unity among our people. Their mistake is that they did not learn a lesson from their past mistakes. Therefore, they hope that they can bring the people of Iran to their knees by imposing sanctions, exerting pressures and other such measures. Of course, they are making a mistake. The permanent experience of the Islamic Republic during the past 35 years shows that the only way to get rid of the interference of the enemy is national power and national resistance. This is the only factor which can make the enemy retreat. Of course, the enemy is the enemy. He uses all kinds of tools. As I said, he has used and is using sanctions. We should know what it is that can help us achieve our goal.
I would like to say a few things about Basij and after that, I would like to briefly speak about the current issues regarding our foreign policies. As I said, Basij is a source of dignity for the country and the Islamic Republic. Why? It is because the meaning of Basij is the presence of all the people in arenas of fundamental activities for the sake of the people and the country. Any government that has people by its side and any country in which the people show their presence and move towards a specific direction, will definitely achieve victory. This is completely clear. Countries receive a blow and they are defeated whenever the people are not present on the scene or whenever they do not have unity of action. Whenever the people are present on the scene and whenever there is unity among them, victory and progress will be certain. Basij is the example of such presence. Basij is the manifestation of the presence of the people on the scene and the unity of the people. We should adopt such an outlook towards Basij.
On the issue of sincerity, which I referred to in the beginning of my speech, Basij has emerged victorious out of the test of sincerity. Basij was put to this test during the imposed war and the Sacred Defense Era which was a time when the country was in difficult conditions. Also, during the different events that took place after the Sacred Defense Era until the present time, Basij has emerged victorious out of the test of sincerity. The Basij organization has shown that it enjoys sincerity. Of course, in my opinion, Basij is not confined to this number of people who are active in the Basij organization. There are many people whose hearts are with you. They praise and respect you and they appreciate your value. These people are not active in the Basij organization, but they are basijis as well. In my opinion, those people who believe in and respect your values and who respect your efforts, your services and your jihad are basijis as well. Being present on the scene is one of the most important tasks.
Moreover, the capabilities of Basij help us solve problems. Fortunately, today inside the organization of Basij, there are many scientific, artistic, social and political personalities and there are many social activists and people who can influence the people. Until today, Basij has represented a group of people who have been achieving growth and transcendence on a daily basis and it should act in the same way from now on too.
What I recommend is that we should increase the capabilities of Basij. There are certain prerequisites for this: moral, behavioral and practical prerequisites. Moral prerequisites means that we should build and develop Islamic virtues in our hearts and souls. A number of these virtues are patience, forgiveness, fortitude, self-control and humility. We should strengthen these characteristics in ourselves. Behavioral prerequisites means that we should utilize these virtues when we interact with the people, the environment, society and human beings in general. Imam Sadiq (peace and greetings be upon him) used to say to his companions, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"You should act in a way that whenever people see you, they say, ‘These people are the companions of Imam Sadiq. God\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s mercy be upon Imam Sadiq. You should make us be proud of you\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [al-Kafi, Volume 2, page 233]. Each and every one of you dear basijis, you dear youth with your pure and enlightened hearts and souls should behave towards all the people - as I said, many of the people are basijis in the real sense of the word - in a way that they say, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"These people are students of the Islamic government. They are a source of respect for the Islamic government and the Islamic Republic\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\".
And practical, jihadi and social prerequisites are the tasks that should be carried out. That is to say, we should strengthen these virtues in ourselves. It means that we should behave in a kind, diligent and praiseworthy way towards the [social] environment. It means that we should act in a serious way in all arenas including the arena of science, the arena of social services, the arena of work, the arena of politics and the arena of production. Wherever you are, you should work in a serious way without any feeling of tiredness and any laziness. We should work. This great group of basijis - tens of thousands of people from this great group are present in this meeting - can move the country towards positive paths in the real sense of word. This group of people can be a source of solidity and stability. It can be a source of grandeur for the Islamic Republic and thankfully it is playing such a role today. Today, Basij is a source of grandeur and honor for the Islamic Republic.
I would like to raise a point about the recent contentions over the arena of foreign policies, our nuclear issues, the current negotiations and other such things. First of all, I insist on supporting the officials who are in charge of this. I support all administrations and all officials - whether officials in charge of domestic affairs or officials in charge of foreign affairs - and this is our responsibility. I myself have been an executive official. I have been in the middle of the arena and I felt with all my heart the difficulty of the work. I know that the responsibility of managing the country is difficult. Therefore, these officials need help and I help and support them. This is one part of the issue which is clear. On the other hand, I also insist on establishing the rights of the Iranian nation including the issue of our nuclear rights. We insist that these officials should not even take one step back on the rights of the Iranian nation. Of course, we do not interfere in the details of these negotiations. There are certain red lines and limits in this regard. These limits should be observed. We have said this to officials in charge and it is their responsibility to observe these limits. They should not be afraid of the fuss that the enemies and opponents make. They should show no fear in the face of such fuss and uproar.
Everyone should know that primarily, the sanctions which have been imposed on the Iranian nation result from the arrogant grudge of America. The grudge that the Americans bear against us is like the grudge of a camel. They want to exert pressures on the Iranian nation in the hope that they can perhaps make the Iranian nation surrender. They are making a mistake because the Iranian nation will not surrender to anyone under pressure. You Americans have failed to know the people of Iran. They are a people who can, by Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor, endure these pressures and who will turn these threats and pressures into an opportunity. By Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor, the Iranian nation will do this.
We have had certain weak points in the area of economic decisions and plans. These weak points have made the enemy feel that he can create a rift. This is an opportunity for us to know and eliminate these weak points and, by Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor, we will eliminate them. The Americans should know and I think they know that sanctions do not work. The reason why we say they themselves know that sanctions do not work is the military threats they issue. Well, if sanctions can serve the purpose, then why do they issue military threats? This shows that sanctions have not served the purpose and that they do not work. They have to issue military sanctions. Of course, the act of issuing military threats is a very disgusting and despicable act. Instead of issuing military threats against different countries, you Americans should go and improve your own devastated economy. You should do something so that your government will not be shut down for 15, 16 days. You should go and pay your debts. You should think of improving your own economy.
As I said, the Americans should know that the Iranian nation behaves in a brotherly way towards all nations: \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Those who have the same religion as you have, they are brothers to you, and those who have religions other than that of yours, they are human beings like you\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\". The people of Iran respect other nations, but they behave towards transgressors in a way that they become regretful. They slap transgressots across the face in a way that they will never forget. The Americans consider themselves responsible for saying something in support of the Zionist regime and the capitalist Zionists and this is a source of weakness and humiliation for them. In fact, the Zionist regime is a regime whose foundations are extremely shaky. The Zionist regime is doomed to destruction. It is a regime which is imposed [on regional nations] and it has been formed on the basis of bullying. Any phenomenon and any organism which has come into being by use of force cannot survive and this regime cannot survive either. The support of the Americans - who are indebted to Zionist capitalists - for the wretched Zionist regime is a source of disgrace for them. Unfortunately, a number of European countries flatter this regime. These Europeans go and flatter these creatures who do not deserve to be called human beings and they humiliate themselves and their people in front of these creatures. The leaders of the Zionist regime are really like wild animals and one cannot call them human beings.
One day in Europe, the French nation gained a good political reputation because the president of France in those days did not allow England to enter the European Community due to the fact that England was dependent on America. This became a source of dignity for France. On that day, the dignity of the French government increased because it stood up against America and because it did not let England - which was dependent on America - enter the European Community. A people achieve dignity in such a way. Today, the politicians of this country [France] go and humble themselves not only before America, but also before these damned and dirty Zionists. This is a source of humiliation for the French nation. Of course, the people of France themselves should find a cure for this problem.
I would like to speak to you dear youth about a few things. You youth should know that without a doubt, the bright and promising future of this country and the Islamic Republic belongs to you. You will manage to help your country and your people reach the peak of glory. By Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor, you will be able to build a perfect model of the modern Islamic civilization in this country. In order to carry out these great tasks, you should promote and strengthen - as much as you can - religion, piety, morality and purity of soul among yourselves. Today\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s youth need religion, piety, science, enthusiasm, trustworthiness, morality, social services and physical exercise. These are the things which today\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s youth need and by Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor, you dear basijis will succeed in doing this.
Dear God, by the blessedness of Muhammad (s.w.a.) and his household (a.s.), bestow Your blessings on these people and on all the basijis of our country. Dear God, make the Iranian nation conquer the peaks of honor on a daily basis. Dear God, by the blessedness of Muhammad (s.w.a.) and his household (a.s.), make the immaculate soul of Imam satisfied with us and with these people. Dear God, make the pure souls of martyrs satisfied and pleased with us. Dear God, by the blessedness of Muhammad (s.w.a.) and his household (a.s.), make the holy heart of the Imam of the Age satisfied and pleased with us and hasten the re-appearance of this great Imam. Make us be among his companions and his accompanying mujahids and make us be martyrs by his side.
Greetings be upon you and Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s mercy and blessings.
Source: http://english.khamenei.ir//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1839&Itemid=4
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The Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei says Iran will not back down an iota from its rights and will never give in to pressure. Ayatollah Khamenei said the rights of the nation including its nuclear rights must be recognized. The leader expressed his support for the Iranian government and officials including the nuclear negotiating team. Ayatollah Khamenei also said he will not get involved with the details of the negotiations between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany. But he said there are red lines and limitations that the Iranian negotiators will have to heed. Ayatollah Khamenei made the remarks in an address to commanders and members of the Basij volunteer force in Tehran.
Supreme Leader\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s Speech in Meeting with Basij Commanders Print
20/11/2013
Supreme Leader\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s Speech in Meeting with Basij CommandersThe following is the full text of the speech delivered on November 20, 2013 by Ayatollah Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, in a meeting with fifty thousand Basij commanders. The meeting was held at the Musalah in Tehran.
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, and peace and greetings be upon our Master and Prophet, Ab-al Qassem al-Mustafa Muhammad and upon his immaculate, pure and chosen household, especially the one remaining with Allah on earth.
Greetings be upon you Abi Abdullah and upon those who laid down their lives for you. I will send you God\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s eternal greetings as long as I live and as long as night and day prevail. May God not make this prayer my last covenant with you. Greetings be upon Hussein, upon Ali ibn al-Hussein, upon the children of Hussein and upon the companions of Hussein - those who laid down their lives for Hussein (a.s.).
This meeting is a very important meeting. Basij is the manifestation of the greatness of our nation and the domestic capability of our country. This meeting is the meeting of commanders. You tens of thousands of commanders of Basij have gathered in this place and one can guess from this large gathering how glorious Basij is. You are a source of satisfaction, hope and trust for the supporters of the Islamic Republic, the Revolution and the country and you are a source of intimidation and fear for the ill-wishers, enemies and those who bear a grudge [against the Revolution and the Islamic Republic].
The coincidence of Basij Week with these days, which are the days of the great epic of the history of Islam, is a good and valuable occasion. What I mean by this great epic is the epic created by Zaynab al-Kubra (s.a.) which complements the epic of Ashura. The epic that Zaynab al-Kubra (s.a.) created revived and preserved the epic of Ashura. The greatness of what Zaynab al-Kubra (s.a.) did, cannot be compared to other great events in history. It should only be compared to the event of Ashura itself and truly, these two events complete one another.
This great personality and this great lady of Islam and all of humanity managed to stand firm in the face of the great mountain of hardships and there was not even a tremble in her voice because of all these events. She stood firm like a glorious mountain peak both in the face of enemies and in the face of hardships and bitter events. She became a lesson, a role model, a leader and a pioneer.
At the bazaar of Kufa, while she was held captive, she made this astonishing speech: \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Oh people of Kufa, who are treacherous and disloyal, do you cry for us? May your tears not dry and may your moans not stop. You are like a woman who loosens her threads after she pulls them together\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [al-Ihtijaj, Volume 2, page 303]. The words are as firm as steel and the meaning flows like a river and it influences hearts and souls. In such conditions, Zaynab al-Kubra delivered a speech, which was like the Commander of the Faithful (a.s.), and she shook hearts and souls and she shook history with these words. This speech became eternal in history. It was delivered in front of the people while she was held captive.
After that, she delivered a speech in front of Ibn Ziad in Kufa and a few weeks later, she spoke in front of Yazid with such strength that it both humiliated the enemy and the hardships which the enemy had imposed. She said, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Do you foolishly think that you can defeat, suppress and humiliate the household of the Holy Prophet (s.w.a.)?\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Honor belongs to Allah and His Messenger, and to the believers\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, 63: 8]. Zaynab al-Kubra is the manifestation of dignity, as Hussein ibn Ali (a.s.) was the manifestation of dignity in Karbala on the day of Ashura.
The way she looks at events is different from the way other people look at those events. Despite all those hardships, when the enemy wants to taunt her, she says, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"I did not see anything except for beauty\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [Lohuf, page 160]. She said, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"What I saw was beautiful. It was martyrdom. Although it was difficult, it was in the way of God and it was done for preserving Islam. It was the creation of an epic in history so that Islamic Ummah knows what it should do and how it should move forward and stand firm\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\". This is a great achievement made by the epic of Zaynab (s.a.). This is the dignity of God\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s saint. Zaynab al-Kubra (s.a.) is one of God\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s saints. Her dignity is the dignity of Islam and she made Islam and the Holy Quran valuable.
Of course, we are not as aspirational and determined as Zaynab al-Kubra (s.a.) and therefore we cannot say that the behavior of this great lady is our model. We are too inferior to say such things, but anyway, our movement should be in line with the movement of Zaynab (s.a.). Our efforts should be focused on bringing dignity for Islam, the Islamic community and the entire humanity. This is the same responsibility that Allah the Exalted has entrusted to prophets through Islamic obligations and rules.
In the first part of my speech, what I want to briefly discuss with you dear basijis and dear youth is that one of the factors which brought about this spirit and this patience in Zaynab al-Kubra (s.a.) and other divine saints - who moved forward with such spirit and patience - is sincerity and honesty. It is very important to honor our promises to Allah the Exalted and to devote our hearts to the path of God in a sincere way.
In the Holy Quran, this sincerity is necessary for divine prophets as well: \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"And remember We took from the prophets their covenant, as We did from you, from Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus the son of Mary: We took from them a solemn covenant, that (Allah) may question the custodians of Truth concerning the Truth they (were charged with)\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, 33: 7-8]. God says that this covenant is very firm and serious. In the phrase \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Leyasala\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" lam signifies results and consequences. The result of this covenant is that these great prophets will be questioned about their sincerity in this covenant. That is to say, our Holy Prophet (s.w.a.) and other great prophets should prove before God the level of their sincerity concerning the conditions of this covenant. This part is related to prophets.
God also says to ordinary people and believers: \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Among the Believers are men who have been true to their covenant with Allah: of them some have completed their vow (fully), and some (still) wait: but they have never changed (their determination) in the least, that Allah may reward the men of Truth for their Truth, and punish the Hypocrites if that be His Will\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, 33: 23-24]. When addressing great prophets, God referred to unbelievers as the opposite of honest individuals: \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"And He has prepared for the unbelievers a grievous Penalty\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, 33: 8]. And when addressing these believers, He referred to hypocrites as the opposite of honest individuals and there are important points in this comparison. You and I will be questioned about our promise to God. We have a covenant with God. In the holy ayah \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Among the Believers are men who have been true to their covenant with Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\", the pledge that believers made to God and that was honored by them is the same as another ayah in this holy sura: \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"And yet they had already covenanted with Allah not to turn their backs\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, 33: 15].
All of us should pay attention to such points. Believers promised Allah the Exalted not to escape in the face of the enemy and not to turn their backs. The Holy Quran stresses that abandoning one\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s positions and retreating in the face of the enemy are among the things which should not be done. One should stand up against the enemy in any military, political and economic war and in any arena which is a test of strength. Your determination should overcome the enemy\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s determination. Your willpower should overcome the enemy\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s willpower. This can be done and this is possible. From the viewpoint of the Holy Quran and Islam, running away and retreating from the enemy are forbidden in any arena of jihad and confrontation.
When we used the phrase \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"heroic flexibility\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\", some people defined it as abandoning the ideals and the goals of the Islamic Republic. Some of the enemies too used it to accuse the Islamic Republic of betraying its principles. These interpretations were wrong and they misunderstood this phrase. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Heroic flexibility\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" means an artful maneuver for reaching one\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s goal. It means that the followers of God\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s path - any divine path - should utilize different methods, in any way possible, in order to reach their goal and this should be done whenever they move towards the different ideals of Islam. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"If any do turn his back to them on such a day - unless it be in a stratagem of war, or to retreat to a troop (of his own)- he draws on himself the wrath of Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, 8: 16].
Like the arena of war, any movement - whether forward or backward - should be launched in order to reach one\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s predetermined goals. There are certain goals and at each stage, the Islamic government pursues one of these goals in order to make progress, achieve transcendence and create the great Islamic civilization. The Islamic government should try to achieve this goal at this stage. Of course, there are certain stages and phases to reach these goals. Experts, intellectuals and officials in charge of this are identifying these phases and goals and, as a result, our collective movement will begin. Everyone should try to make any movement, at any stage, reach its goal. This is a proper system which is based on logical and rational measures. All activists in the arena of politics and macromanagement of the country should always keep this in mind. All the people and you dear basijis too - who are activists in the arena of Basij - should always keep this in mind.
Well, when we say that we want to move forward, does this mean that the Islamic government is warmongering? Does this mean that the Islamic government wants to confront all nations and all countries in the world? Sometimes one hears that the enemies of the Iranian nation - specifically the najis-mouthed dirty dog of the region, the Zionist regime - move their jaws to say that Iran is a threat for the entire world. This is the claim of the enemy, but this is exactly the opposite of Islamic principles. On the contrary, those evil and malevolent forces - including the fake Zionist regime and some of its supporters - that show nothing except for malevolence, are a threat for the entire world.
The lesson that the Islamic government learned from the Holy Quran, the Holy Prophet of Islam (s.w.a.) and the Commander of the Faithful (a.s.) is a different lesson: \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Allah commands justice and the doing of good\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, 16: 90]. Allah the Exalted invites us to administer justice and do good. The commander of the Faithful (a.s.) said that we should be kind to everyone because \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Those who have the same religion as you have, they are brothers to you, and those who have religions other than that of yours, they are human beings like you\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [Nahjul Balaghah, Letter 53]. People are either your Islamic brothers or human beings like you. This is the logic of Islam. We want to render services and show kindness to everyone. We want to establish a friendly and kind relationship with all human beings and all nations. We even have no enmity with the American people despite the fact that the government of America is an arrogant, hostile and evil government which bears a grudge against the Iranian nation and the Islamic Republic. The American people are like other peoples.
What the Islamic Republic is opposed to is arrogance. The hostility of the Islamic Republic is oriented towards global arrogance. We are opposed to and fight against arrogance. Arrogance is a Quranic word and it has been used in the Holy Quran to refer to people like Pharaoh and the groups of people who are ill-wishers and who are opposed to truth. Arrogance existed in the past as well and it has continued to prevail until the present time. In all eras, arrogance has had the same structure. Of course, it has used different methods and tactics in different eras. There is arrogance today as well and it is led by the United States of America.
We should know arrogance and its characteristics. We should know the methods and the orientation of arrogance so that we can organize our behavior in the face of arrogance. We are opposed to unreasonable behavior in all arenas. We believe that we should move forward with wisdom and acumen in all arenas, in all collective and individual orientations and in all plans. If we do not know the scene, if we do not know our friends and our enemies, if we do not know imperialism and arrogance in the present time, then how can we move forward with wisdom and acumen? How can we make accurate plans? Therefore, we should know these things.
What I am saying about arrogance is a few examples regarding the behavior of today\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s global arrogance in the world. In many of these examples and cases, today\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s arrogance shares the characteristics of arrogance in previous centuries and previous eras. One of the characteristics of arrogance is egotism. When arrogant groups - those people who have taken everything in their hands as the highest-ranking individuals in a country, in a group of countries or in a global system - consider themselves to be superior to other people, when they regard themselves as the pivot, when they place everyone, except for themselves, on the periphery, then a wrong and dangerous equation will be formed in global interactions.
When arrogance views itself as superior and as the pivot and core [of everything], then the result will be that it grants itself the right to interfere in the affairs of other people and other nations. If arrogance considers something to be a value and if other people do not, this will grant it the right to interfere in their affairs and bully and pressure them. This egotism makes them claim to be the guardian of nations and to be responsible for global management. It also makes them consider themselves to be the boss of all the people in the world.
As you can hear, American officials and politicians speak about the government of America as if it were the leader of all countries. They say that they cannot let this be done. They say, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"We cannot allow this person to be or not to be in charge\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\". They speak about our region in a way that it seems they are the owners of this region. They speak about the Zionist regime in a way that it seems regional nations have to accept this imposed and fake regime. They behave towards independent nations and governments as if they did not have the right to live. This egotism and this attitude of considering oneself to have a special position among all people, all nations and all human beings is the main foundation on which arrogance has been built and this is its biggest problem.
This egotism will lead to another characteristic and another criterion for arrogance which is the tendency to ignore other people\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s rights. They neither accept truth nor the rights of other nations. They do not at all acknowledge other people\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s rights. In international negotiations, someone says something which is right, but America does not accept it. It tries to deny such rights with different methods and it does not accept truth. This has happened many times. In the present time, one of the examples of this behavior is our current issues related to nuclear activities and industries. Imagine that someone says something which is true. If one is fair, reasonable and rational, he should give up when he faces the truth. But arrogance does not give up. It hears the truth, but it does not accept it. This is one of its characteristics. It does not acknowledge the rights of other nations either. It does not acknowledge the right of a people to choose, to do what they want and to adopt those economic and political measures which they want. They believe in imposing things on other nations.
Another characteristic of colonialism and arrogance is that it condones crimes against nations and the entire humanity and that it is indifferent towards such crimes. This is one of the greatest disasters of arrogance in modern times. Modern times means the era of scientific progress and the era of the emergence of dangerous weapons. When these weapons became available to arrogant powers, they created a disaster for all nations. They do not attach any value on the lives of individuals - those individuals who do not follow, obey and surrender to them.
There are many examples in this regard. One example is the behavior of arrogant powers towards Native Americans - those people whose financial and natural resources, whose geography and whose entire properties are in the hands of non-natives now. Well, there were native people in America. Their behavior towards these Native Americans was so violent and so disgusting that it is one of the darkest points in the history of modern America. The Americans themselves have written many things about the massacres that took place and the pressures that they exerted. The same thing was done by the English in Australia. The English hunted people, for pleasure, like animals and like kangaroos. They did not attach any value on the lives of human beings. This is only one example. There are hundreds of examples which have been recorded in their own history books.
Another example is the nuclear bombardment that was launched in the year 1945 of the Christian calendar - that it to say, the year 1324 of the Hijri calendar - when the Americans destroyed two Japanese cities and, as a result, hundreds of thousands of people were killed. Over the course of time, the number of people who suffered from deformities and different diseases because of nuclear radiations was several times larger than this and these problems have persisted until the present time. They did not have any cogent reason for this - I will refer to this later on. They easily dropped these bombs. Until now, atomic bombs have been used twice and both times, they were used by the Americans who consider themselves to be the main responsible party for the nuclear issues of other countries.
They like to forget these events, but it is not forgettable. All these lives were destroyed, but it was not at all important to them. For arrogance, the lives of human beings have no value and it is easy for arrogant regimes to commit crimes. They massacred the people in Vietnam. In Iraq, their security services and their mercenary security agencies - such as Blackwater which I referred to in the year 1390 - committed certain crimes. They are still committing crimes in Pakistan with their drones. In Afghanistan, they conduct a number of bombardments and they commit crimes. They are not afraid of committing crimes in each area they can get their hands on and in each area their interests dictate. These crimes include murder and torture. The Guantanamo prison - which belongs to the Americans - still has prisoners. It is 10, 11 years now that they have been arresting a number of people from different countries and putting them in this prison on different charges. They have been keeping them in this prison without any trial and with extremely difficult conditions and they have been torturing them. In Iraq, the Abu Ghraib prison was one of the American prisons. In this prison, they used to torture and set dogs on prisoners.
Looting the vital resources of other nations is easy for them. Capturing and enslaving Africans is one of the tragic events in history which American imperialism and other such regimes do not like to be reviewed. They do not like the issue of enslaving the people of Africa to be reflected on. They used to sail ships from the Atlantic Ocean and anchor them on the coast of West African countries such as Gambia and other countries in this continent. Then, they used to go and capture hundreds of thousands of men and women and old and young people with guns and other weapons which were not available to people at that time. While these people were in difficult conditions, they were taken to America on such ships for slavery. They captivated free people who were living in their houses and in their own cities. In the present time, the black people who live in America are the descendents of those slaves. For several centuries, the Americans exerted such an eccentric pressure and there are many books in this regard such as the book \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Roots\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" written by Alexander Haley. This book is a very valuable book for showing part of these crimes. How can today\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s modern man forget such events? Despite all these crimes, the white people continue to discriminate against blacks in America.
Another characteristic of arrogance is deception and hypocritical behavior. You should pay attention to this issue. They try to justify the crimes which were referred to and they try to show that they were rendering services by committing these crimes. Global arrogance, which intends to dominate all nations, is frequently using this method in its entire life: the method of justifying crimes and taking on the appearance of rendering services. When the Americans want to apologize for their attack on Japan - that is to say, the two bombs which exploded in Hiroshima and Nagasaki - they say, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Although tens of thousands or perhaps hundreds of thousands of people were killed by the two bombs that we dropped on these two cities, this was the cost of ending World War II. If we the Americans had not dropped these bombs, the war would have continued. If we had not done this, then two million people - instead of the 200 thousand people who were killed as a result of these bombs - would have been killed. Therefore, we rendered a service by dropping these bombs\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\".
Notice that this is a statement which the Americans make in their official propaganda. Now, around 65 years have passed from that day, but they have repeatedly said this. This is one of the deceptive and hypocritical statements and one of the elaborate lies that is not made and told by anyone except arrogant regimes. These bombs were dropped on and exploded in these two cities in the summer of the year 1945 of the Christian calendar and this crime was committed in that year. This was while four months before that - that is to say, in the early spring of 1945 - Hitler, who was the primary warmonger, had committed suicide. Moreover, Mussolini - the president of Italy at that time, who was the second important element in the war - had been arrested and the war was practically over. Japan too, which was the third important element in the war, had announced that it was ready to surrender. Therefore, there was practically no war, but these bombs were dropped anyway. Why? It is because these bombs had been built and they must have been tested somewhere. Certain weapons had been built and they must have been tested somewhere. Where should they test them now? The best option was to drop these bombs on the innocent people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki with the excuse of war so that it becomes clear whether these bombs work properly or not. Such is their deceit.
They claim to be the supporters of human rights, but they target the Iranian passenger plane in the air and they kill about three hundred passengers who are unaware of this. Moreover, they do not apologize and they award a medal to the person who commits this crime. You have heard that in recent weeks, the Americans - from the President to lower-ranking politicians - have created uproar about the use of chemical weapons in Syria. They accused the Syrian government of using chemical weapons. I do not want to judge who has used these weapons. Of course, evidence shows that terrorist groups have used them, but anyway, they said that the Syrian government has used such weapons. They created uproar about this and they said that the use of chemical weapons is our red line. American officials said this 10 times or more. But not only did the government and the regime of the United States of America not express any opposition to Saddam\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s use of chemical weapons during its criminal attacks on Iran, but it also provided him with 500 tons of hazardous and lethal chemicals which could be turned into mustard gas.
Many of our dear youth of those times are still suffering from the effects of those chemicals and it is several years that they have been suffering from various diseases. The Americans helped Saddam to be equipped with such chemicals. Of course, he had bought such chemicals from other countries as well, but it was America that provided Saddam with 500 tons of lethal chemicals - which could turn into mustard gas - and that helped him to use it. After that, when the United Nations Security Council decided to issue a resolution against Saddam, it was America that prevented this. This is the meaning of hypocritical behavior. On the issue of Syria, the use of chemical weapons is a red line, but on the issue of Iran, it can be allowed and supported. This is because on this issue, chemical weapons are used against an independent Islamic government and against a nation which does not want to give in to America.
These are some of the characteristics of arrogance. Of course, the characteristics of arrogance are more than these. Arrogant powers wage wars, create discord and confront independent governments. They even confront their own people when the interests of specific groups dictate so. During the war that Saddam waged against Iran, they offered all kinds of help - which was possible for them - to Saddam. I referred to the case of chemicals, but they also gave him secret information about Iran. After the war, when the head of intelligence services of Saddam was interviewed, he said, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"I used to go to the U.S. embassy in Baghdad three times a week and they gave me a sealed package in which all satellite information about the movements of the Iranian Armed Forces existed and therefore, we knew where they were\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\". They offered such kinds of help to Saddam.
The Islamic government is opposed to such arrogance. The Islamic government is not opposed to people and nations. It is not opposed to human beings. Rather, it is opposed to arrogance. This opposition has existed since the time of Abraham - God\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s Friend - Noah, the Holy Prophet of Islam and other great prophets and it has continued until today. Since that time, the camp of right has confronted arrogance. Why is that? Why does today\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s Islamic government confront arrogance? It is because arrogance with the characteristics that I described cannot tolerate an Islamic government such as the Islamic Republic of Iran. It is because the Islamic Republic of Iran was formed on the basis of opposition to arrogance. The Revolution was carried out in Iran in opposition to arrogance and the agents of arrogance. It was formed on the basis of this opposition. It grew, it became strong and it challenged the logic of arrogance on the basis of this opposition. Arrogance cannot tolerate this unless it is frustrated.
The Iranian people, the Iranian youth, the Iranian activists and those Iranians who believe in their homeland and their country for any reason - even if it may be a non-Islamic reason - should do something to make the enemy hopeless. The enemy should become hopeless. It is very difficult for global arrogance and for the government of the United States of America in the present time to see that in this sensitive region - in West Asia, which is the one of the most sensitive regions in the world in terms of politics and economy and which influences the entire world - a country, a government and a people have emerged who do not consider themselves to be dependent on and to be the followers of this self-proclaimed superpower. This Islamic government is independent and despite the strong opposition that it is faced with, it overcomes all problems and hardships. As the Americans themselves admit, this government is challenging the influence of America in the region and it is extending its own influence.
This Islamic government is becoming a role model for regional nations and this is very difficult for the Americans to tolerate. The Americans want to say that the lives of all nations depend on America. Now a people have emerged who not only are not dependent on America, but who also have not been influenced by all these hostilities. From the first day, the Americans did whatever they could, but it was not effective. These people have achieved growth and they have become stronger on a daily basis.
The hostilities that the government of the United States of America has shown against the Islamic Republic happened during the time of different presidents, but all of these hostilities are of the same nature. All of these hostilities are the same. Therefore, no one should say that such and such a plot was hatched during the time of such and such a president and this plot has not been hatched during the time of the current President of America. This is not the case. All of these presidents behave in the same way. First, they provoked ethnicities in Iran, then they launched a coup d\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'état and after that, they made Iraq attack us. The next thing that they did was to help our enemy - which was the regime of Saddam - in his war against us and after the war, they imposed sanctions on us. Then, they provoked all media networks in the world and they made them align themselves against the Islamic Republic. All of these things have been done during the time of different presidents of America and now too, these things are being done.
In the fitna of the year 1388 - during the term of the current President of America - one of the social networks, which could be used to further the goals of fitna and those who provoked the fitna, needed to fix some technical problems. The government of America asked this network to delay fixing these technical problems because they hoped to overthrow the Islamic Republic with the help of media activities and networks such as Facebook, Twitter and other such networks. They had these foolish delusions. Therefore, they did not let this network fix its technical problems and they said that it should delay it and attend to this task which is more important.
They used all kinds of tools against the Islamic Republic and sanctions are one of these tools. From their viewpoint, this tool is enough for defeating the Islamic Republic. Their mistake is that they do not know the Iranian nation. Their mistake is that they do not know the element of faith and unity among our people. Their mistake is that they did not learn a lesson from their past mistakes. Therefore, they hope that they can bring the people of Iran to their knees by imposing sanctions, exerting pressures and other such measures. Of course, they are making a mistake. The permanent experience of the Islamic Republic during the past 35 years shows that the only way to get rid of the interference of the enemy is national power and national resistance. This is the only factor which can make the enemy retreat. Of course, the enemy is the enemy. He uses all kinds of tools. As I said, he has used and is using sanctions. We should know what it is that can help us achieve our goal.
I would like to say a few things about Basij and after that, I would like to briefly speak about the current issues regarding our foreign policies. As I said, Basij is a source of dignity for the country and the Islamic Republic. Why? It is because the meaning of Basij is the presence of all the people in arenas of fundamental activities for the sake of the people and the country. Any government that has people by its side and any country in which the people show their presence and move towards a specific direction, will definitely achieve victory. This is completely clear. Countries receive a blow and they are defeated whenever the people are not present on the scene or whenever they do not have unity of action. Whenever the people are present on the scene and whenever there is unity among them, victory and progress will be certain. Basij is the example of such presence. Basij is the manifestation of the presence of the people on the scene and the unity of the people. We should adopt such an outlook towards Basij.
On the issue of sincerity, which I referred to in the beginning of my speech, Basij has emerged victorious out of the test of sincerity. Basij was put to this test during the imposed war and the Sacred Defense Era which was a time when the country was in difficult conditions. Also, during the different events that took place after the Sacred Defense Era until the present time, Basij has emerged victorious out of the test of sincerity. The Basij organization has shown that it enjoys sincerity. Of course, in my opinion, Basij is not confined to this number of people who are active in the Basij organization. There are many people whose hearts are with you. They praise and respect you and they appreciate your value. These people are not active in the Basij organization, but they are basijis as well. In my opinion, those people who believe in and respect your values and who respect your efforts, your services and your jihad are basijis as well. Being present on the scene is one of the most important tasks.
Moreover, the capabilities of Basij help us solve problems. Fortunately, today inside the organization of Basij, there are many scientific, artistic, social and political personalities and there are many social activists and people who can influence the people. Until today, Basij has represented a group of people who have been achieving growth and transcendence on a daily basis and it should act in the same way from now on too.
What I recommend is that we should increase the capabilities of Basij. There are certain prerequisites for this: moral, behavioral and practical prerequisites. Moral prerequisites means that we should build and develop Islamic virtues in our hearts and souls. A number of these virtues are patience, forgiveness, fortitude, self-control and humility. We should strengthen these characteristics in ourselves. Behavioral prerequisites means that we should utilize these virtues when we interact with the people, the environment, society and human beings in general. Imam Sadiq (peace and greetings be upon him) used to say to his companions, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"You should act in a way that whenever people see you, they say, ‘These people are the companions of Imam Sadiq. God\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s mercy be upon Imam Sadiq. You should make us be proud of you\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [al-Kafi, Volume 2, page 233]. Each and every one of you dear basijis, you dear youth with your pure and enlightened hearts and souls should behave towards all the people - as I said, many of the people are basijis in the real sense of the word - in a way that they say, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"These people are students of the Islamic government. They are a source of respect for the Islamic government and the Islamic Republic\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\".
And practical, jihadi and social prerequisites are the tasks that should be carried out. That is to say, we should strengthen these virtues in ourselves. It means that we should behave in a kind, diligent and praiseworthy way towards the [social] environment. It means that we should act in a serious way in all arenas including the arena of science, the arena of social services, the arena of work, the arena of politics and the arena of production. Wherever you are, you should work in a serious way without any feeling of tiredness and any laziness. We should work. This great group of basijis - tens of thousands of people from this great group are present in this meeting - can move the country towards positive paths in the real sense of word. This group of people can be a source of solidity and stability. It can be a source of grandeur for the Islamic Republic and thankfully it is playing such a role today. Today, Basij is a source of grandeur and honor for the Islamic Republic.
I would like to raise a point about the recent contentions over the arena of foreign policies, our nuclear issues, the current negotiations and other such things. First of all, I insist on supporting the officials who are in charge of this. I support all administrations and all officials - whether officials in charge of domestic affairs or officials in charge of foreign affairs - and this is our responsibility. I myself have been an executive official. I have been in the middle of the arena and I felt with all my heart the difficulty of the work. I know that the responsibility of managing the country is difficult. Therefore, these officials need help and I help and support them. This is one part of the issue which is clear. On the other hand, I also insist on establishing the rights of the Iranian nation including the issue of our nuclear rights. We insist that these officials should not even take one step back on the rights of the Iranian nation. Of course, we do not interfere in the details of these negotiations. There are certain red lines and limits in this regard. These limits should be observed. We have said this to officials in charge and it is their responsibility to observe these limits. They should not be afraid of the fuss that the enemies and opponents make. They should show no fear in the face of such fuss and uproar.
Everyone should know that primarily, the sanctions which have been imposed on the Iranian nation result from the arrogant grudge of America. The grudge that the Americans bear against us is like the grudge of a camel. They want to exert pressures on the Iranian nation in the hope that they can perhaps make the Iranian nation surrender. They are making a mistake because the Iranian nation will not surrender to anyone under pressure. You Americans have failed to know the people of Iran. They are a people who can, by Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor, endure these pressures and who will turn these threats and pressures into an opportunity. By Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor, the Iranian nation will do this.
We have had certain weak points in the area of economic decisions and plans. These weak points have made the enemy feel that he can create a rift. This is an opportunity for us to know and eliminate these weak points and, by Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor, we will eliminate them. The Americans should know and I think they know that sanctions do not work. The reason why we say they themselves know that sanctions do not work is the military threats they issue. Well, if sanctions can serve the purpose, then why do they issue military threats? This shows that sanctions have not served the purpose and that they do not work. They have to issue military sanctions. Of course, the act of issuing military threats is a very disgusting and despicable act. Instead of issuing military threats against different countries, you Americans should go and improve your own devastated economy. You should do something so that your government will not be shut down for 15, 16 days. You should go and pay your debts. You should think of improving your own economy.
As I said, the Americans should know that the Iranian nation behaves in a brotherly way towards all nations: \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Those who have the same religion as you have, they are brothers to you, and those who have religions other than that of yours, they are human beings like you\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\". The people of Iran respect other nations, but they behave towards transgressors in a way that they become regretful. They slap transgressots across the face in a way that they will never forget. The Americans consider themselves responsible for saying something in support of the Zionist regime and the capitalist Zionists and this is a source of weakness and humiliation for them. In fact, the Zionist regime is a regime whose foundations are extremely shaky. The Zionist regime is doomed to destruction. It is a regime which is imposed [on regional nations] and it has been formed on the basis of bullying. Any phenomenon and any organism which has come into being by use of force cannot survive and this regime cannot survive either. The support of the Americans - who are indebted to Zionist capitalists - for the wretched Zionist regime is a source of disgrace for them. Unfortunately, a number of European countries flatter this regime. These Europeans go and flatter these creatures who do not deserve to be called human beings and they humiliate themselves and their people in front of these creatures. The leaders of the Zionist regime are really like wild animals and one cannot call them human beings.
One day in Europe, the French nation gained a good political reputation because the president of France in those days did not allow England to enter the European Community due to the fact that England was dependent on America. This became a source of dignity for France. On that day, the dignity of the French government increased because it stood up against America and because it did not let England - which was dependent on America - enter the European Community. A people achieve dignity in such a way. Today, the politicians of this country [France] go and humble themselves not only before America, but also before these damned and dirty Zionists. This is a source of humiliation for the French nation. Of course, the people of France themselves should find a cure for this problem.
I would like to speak to you dear youth about a few things. You youth should know that without a doubt, the bright and promising future of this country and the Islamic Republic belongs to you. You will manage to help your country and your people reach the peak of glory. By Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor, you will be able to build a perfect model of the modern Islamic civilization in this country. In order to carry out these great tasks, you should promote and strengthen - as much as you can - religion, piety, morality and purity of soul among yourselves. Today\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s youth need religion, piety, science, enthusiasm, trustworthiness, morality, social services and physical exercise. These are the things which today\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s youth need and by Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor, you dear basijis will succeed in doing this.
Dear God, by the blessedness of Muhammad (s.w.a.) and his household (a.s.), bestow Your blessings on these people and on all the basijis of our country. Dear God, make the Iranian nation conquer the peaks of honor on a daily basis. Dear God, by the blessedness of Muhammad (s.w.a.) and his household (a.s.), make the immaculate soul of Imam satisfied with us and with these people. Dear God, make the pure souls of martyrs satisfied and pleased with us. Dear God, by the blessedness of Muhammad (s.w.a.) and his household (a.s.), make the holy heart of the Imam of the Age satisfied and pleased with us and hasten the re-appearance of this great Imam. Make us be among his companions and his accompanying mujahids and make us be martyrs by his side.
Greetings be upon you and Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s mercy and blessings.
Source: http://english.khamenei.ir//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1839&Itemid=4
[17Sep11] Islamic Awakening Conference 2011 اجلاس بيدارى اسلامى - [ENGLISH]
Vali Amr Muslimeen Ayatullah Sayyed Ali Khamenei delivered this speech at the International Conference on Islamic Awakening on 17 September 2011....
Vali Amr Muslimeen Ayatullah Sayyed Ali Khamenei delivered this speech at the International Conference on Islamic Awakening on 17 September 2011.
http://english.khamenei.ir//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1523
http://farsi.khamenei.ir/news-content?id=17271
بسمالله الرحمن الرحیم
السلام علیکم و رحمة الله و برکاته
الحمدلله رب العالمین و الصلوة و السلام علی سیدنا محمد و آله الطیبین و صحبه المنتجبین
قال الله العزیز الحكیم : بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم : يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ اتَّقِ اللَّهَ وَلا تُطِعِ الْكَافِرِينَ وَالْمُنَافِقِينَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا وَاتَّبِعْ مَا يُوحَى إِلَيْكَ مِن رَّبِّكَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرًا وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَكَفَى بِاللَّهِ وَكِيلا
(O Prophet, fear Allah and do not obey the disbelievers and the hypocrites. Indeed, Allah is ever Knowing and Wise. (1). And follow that which is revealed to you from your Lord. Indeed Allah is ever, with what you do, Acquainted. (2) And rely upon Allah; and sufficient is Allah as Disposer of affairs.(3) Surat Al-Ahzab)
I welcome our honored audience and dear guests. What has brought us here together is the Islamic awakening, which comes from the stronger inspiration and greater understanding among Muslim ummah. This awakening has led to a major development among nations of our region and has brought about uprisings and revolutions that could never have been contemplated in the calculations of the dominant regional and international satanic powers. These are momentous uprising that have razed to the ground the autocratic and imperialist strongholds and vanquished the tyrants guarding them.
There is no doubt that colossal social upheavals have always relied on solid foundation of history and civilization and are products of accumulation of wisdom and experiences. Over the past 150 years, the presence of great intellectual and jihadi personalities that have been opinion leaders and behind Islamic movements in Egypt, Iraq, India and other countries in Asia and Africa has served as precursors and pioneers for the present situation in the Islamic world.
The developments in the 1950’s and 60’s led to coming to power of regimes that were mostly inclined to materialistic ideologies and thoughts, and because of their inherent character fell into the trap of Western imperialist and colonialist powers. These are experiences that are lessons to learn from, and have contributed substantially to evolution of general and profound understanding in the Islamic world.
The Islamic Revolution in Iran that was hailed by Imam Khomeini as “victory of blood over sword”, and establishment of the lasting, robust, courageous and progressive Islamic republic, and its impact on present Islamic awakening is itself a long story that deserves to be debated and researched. There is no doubt that Islamic Revolution of Iran will be accorded a thorough and comprehensive chapter in the analysis and writings of history of the present situation of the Islamic world.
For that reason, the present and mounting facts and truths in the Islamic world are not simply events that are severed from the past historical roots, social and intellectual backgrounds to allow our adversaries and the shallow-minded to present them as a passing wave and short-lived phenomenon in order to snuff out hope in the hearts of nations by their warped and biased analyses.
In this brotherly dialogue with you I want to place greater emphasis on three areas:
1. Taking a glance at the identity of these uprisings and revolutions
2. Major threats and harms lying on their way.
3. Recommendations to find solutions and prevent these threats and harms.
Regarding the first point, I believe the most important element in these revolutions is the actual and mass presence of people in the arena of action, struggle and jihad. They were present, not only with their heart, desire and faith, but also with their body and souls. There is a big difference between this presence and the presence of a military group or even armed combatants in front of uncaring people or even concerned people.
In the events of 1950’s and 60’s in some countries of Africa and Asia, the heavy load of the revolution was not on the shoulder of diverse segments of population and the youth from all parts of the country, but rather on the shoulder of coup d\\\\\\\'etat or small and limited armed groups. They decided and acted, and they themselves or the succeeding generation changed their ways as a result of certain motivations. The revolution became its own enemy and the enemy managed again to prevail over their countries.
This is totally different than the change that comes from the people. It is the people that bring their body and soul to the arena of action, and by their jihad and devotion push back and defeat the enemy. It is the people that make the slogans and set the goals, identify and introduce and pursue the enemy. They draw their desired future, although not comprehensively, and as a result do not allow departure from the path of the revolution or conceding to the enemy, or change of course by compromising and the tainted few with special interests, and above all thwart the schemes of enemy’s agents.
In such a grass-root movement, the revolution may be slowed, but can stay away from short-sightedness and being on shaky ground. Quran says “Have you not considered how Allah presents an example, [making] a good word like a good tree, whose root is firmly fixed and its branches [high] in the sky?
أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ ضَرَبَ اللّهُ مَثَلاً كَلِمَةً طَيِّبَةً كَشَجَرةٍ طَيِّبَةٍ أَصْلُهَا ثَابِتٌ وَفَرْعُهَا فِي السَّمَاء
Have you not considered how Allah presents an example, [making] a good word like a good tree, whose root is firmly fixed and its branches [high] in the sky? (24\\\\\\\" Ibrahim )
When I saw the brave body of the proud people of Egypt on television in Tahrir Square, I became convinced that their revolution will triumph.
Let me confess something to you. After the victory of the Islamic Revolution and the establishment of the Islamic republic in Iran which caused an earthquake among the worldly materialistic rulers in East and West and brought unprecedented uproar and joy to Muslim nations, we expected that Egypt would be next in line to rise. The reason was the history of jihad, progressive thinking and presence of great mojahids and intellectuals in Egypt. I was reciting in my heart this poem by Abu Faras:
أراك عصيّ الدمع شیمتك الصبر ما للهوی نهی علیك و لا أمر ؟
When I saw the people of Egypt in Tahrir Square and squares in other cities, I knew I have received my response. The people of Egypt told me with words coming from their heart:
بلی أنا مشتاق و عندي لوعة ولكن مثلي لایذاع له سرُّ
…This sacred secret was nothing but the motivation and resolve to rise, and gradually people of Egypt cemented this thought in their mind and at a historical juncture they manifested their resolve and entered the arena in a magnificent show of their power.
Tunisia, Yemen, Libya, and Bahrain are no exception to this general rule.
In these revolutions principles, values and goals are not written in prefabricated manifestos of groups and parties, but written in the minds, hearts and desires of each and every person present on the scene and are declared in the context of their slogans and behaviors.
With these signals one can clearly tell that the principles of current revolutions in the region, in Egypt and other countries, are first and foremost the following:
- Revival and renewal of national dignity and respect that have been broken and trampled during long years of dictatorial and corrupt rule and the political domination of America and the West.
- Keeping up the banner of Islam which is the profound faith and longstanding attachment of people and being able to enjoy peace of mind, justice, progress and prosperity that could only be achieved under Islamic Sharia.
- Resistance against the influence and domination of the United States and Europe that have wreaked the greatest damage and humiliation on the peoples of these countries over the past two hundred years.
- Countering the usurper and fictitious Zionist regime that the imperialist powers have planted like a dagger in the heart of this region to serve as a tool to continue their diabolical domination after expelling a whole nation from their historical homeland.
There is no doubt that the revolutions in the region that rely on and demand these principles are not to the liking of America, Europe and the Zionists, and they are going to use all means to deny them, but the truth will not change with their denial.
The widespread participation of people in these revolutions is the most important element that constitutes their identity. Foreign powers that tried everything in their power and used all their schemes to keep in power the tyrannical, corrupt and subservient rulers in these countries and only abandoned them when the people left no choice for them have no right to claim a share in the victory of these revolutions. Even in Libya intervention by America and NATO cannot distort the truth. In Libya, NATO has caused irreparable damage. Had it not been for the military intervention of NATO and America, victory of people might have been delayed, but all these infrastructures would not have been damaged, and innocent women and children killed and then enemies that were accomplices of Qaddafi would not have been able to intervene in this innocent war-torn nation.
People and the elite that are of the people and others who are from the people are the true owners of these revolutions that should be trusted to protect them and draw the path to the future.
2- Regarding the threats and harm, I should first emphasize that although there are threats, but there are also ways to stay safe. Mere presence of threats should not scare nations.
إِنَّ كَيْدَ الشَّيْطَانِ كَانَ ضَعِيفًا
( Indeed, the plot of Satan has ever been weak)
Allah says about a group of mojahids of early Islam:
الَّذِينَ قالَ لَهُمُ النَّاسُ إِنَّ النَّاسَ قَدْ جَمَعُوا لَكُمْ فَاخْشَوْهُمْ فَزادَهُمْ إِيماناً وَ قالُوا حَسْبُنَا اللَّهُ وَ نِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ فَانْقَلَبُوا بِنِعْمَةٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَ فَضْلٍ لَمْ يَمْسَسْهُمْ سُوءٌ وَ اتَّبَعُوا رِضْوانَ اللَّهِ وَ اللَّهُ ذُو فَضْلٍ عَظِيمٍ
( Those to whom hypocrites said, \\\\\\\"Indeed, the people have gathered against you, so fear them.\\\\\\\" But it [merely] increased them in faith, and they said, \\\\\\\"Sufficient for us is Allah, and [He is] the best Disposer of affairs.\\\\\\\" So they returned with favor from Allah and bounty, no harm having touched them. And they pursued the pleasure of Allah, and Allah is the possessor of great bounty. )
We need to know what these threats are, in order not to be surprised and to be able to find solutions.
We faced these perils and threats after the victory of Islamic Revolution and experienced them. With the grace of Allah and the leadership of Imam Khomeini and sacrifices of our people we managed to sail through them safely. The plots by enemies still continue but so does the firm resolve of our people.
I divide the harm to these movements into two groups: those that have their roots within ourselves and come from our own weaknesses, and those that have been directly planned by the enemy.
The first group of harms is of the following type:
The sense and thought that after the downfall of the corrupt dictator the job is over. The peace of mind and comfort that comes after the victory and afterward the lessening of motivation and weakening of determination are among the first perils, and the most damaging threat is when individuals ask for their share of the spoils of victory.
The story of the Battle of Uhud and the defenders seeking the spoils of victory caused the defeat of Muslims, and the mojahids were reprimanded by God. This is a good example that should never be forgotten. Being shocked and awed by the appearances of the arrogant powers and the feeling of fear from America and other interventionist powers are of these kinds of harm that should be avoided.
The brave and young should throw out these fears from their heart. Trusting the enemy and falling into trap of their smiles and promises is another threat that needs to be avoided by the forerunners and leaders. The enemy must be identified no matter what cover it uses. The nation and the revolution should be protected against the designs of the enemy that at times hide behind the appearances of friendship and supportive gestures. Another side to this page is becoming overconfident and overlooking the enemy. Bravery must be combined with wisdom and good judgment. We must use all treasures of God within ourselves against Satan, al-Jinn wal–Ens. Causing division and pitting revolutionaries against one another and penetration behind the battlefront of struggle is another great harm that needs to be avoided with all your power.
The second group of harm has been experienced by almost all countries of the region during different events. The first harm is the coming to power of those who are committed to America and the West. The West tries after the downfall of its pawns to protect the basic pillars of the system and levers of power, and change the direction by using the same foundation, but with a different head, in order to perpetuate its domination. This means wasting of all your efforts and sacrifices. At this stage, if they face resistance of the people, they try to introduce and offer to the movement and people other alternatives that are designed to divert the course of the movement. This scenario could be recommending government models and constitutions that will again throw the Islamic countries into the trap of cultural, political and economic dependence on the West. This could lead to their influence among the revolutionaries greater financial and media strength of an unreliable current and marginalization of the genuine currents in the revolution. This also means return of the domination of the West and the stronger grip of then outdated Western models that are far from basic principles of the revolution.
If this tactic does not produce the desired result, experience tells us that they will go for anarchy, terrorism, civil war among followers of religions or ethnic communities and tribes, political parties, or even among neighboring nations and governments. Parallel to these actions, they will impose economic siege and sanctions, freeze national assets and launch all-out media war and propaganda. Their intention is to tire out and frustrate people and make the revolutionaries disappointed. Under these circumstances it becomes easy to defeat the revolution. Assassination of the righteous elite of the society and opinion leaders, defamation and vilification of others and even enticing some with money are among usual ploys used by the Western powers and the claimants of civilization morality.
In Iran, the evidence and documents from the U.S. Den of Espionage that fell into the hands of the revolution showed that all these plots were designed by the regime in the United States for the people of Iran for them bringing back the reactionary and dependant rulers in revolutionary countries is a principle that prescribes all these dirty tricks.
In the last part of my remarks, I present recommendations for your consideration and selection that are based on our tangible experiences in Iran and what has been gathered from the precise studies of other countries. Undoubtedly, conditions differ among nations and countries. Nonetheless, there are truths that can prove beneficial for all people.
The first point is that by placing one’s trust in God and believing in the repeated promises of divine victories in the Quran and through astuteness, resolve, and braveness, it is possible to surmount all obstacles and emerge victorious. Of course, the task that you all have taken up is quite grave and momentous. Thus, one must bear great hardship for its sake. The Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali (`a) says:
“فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَمْ يَقْصِمْ جَبَّارِي دَهْرٍ قَطُّ إِلَّا بَعْدَ تَمْهِيلٍ وَ رَخَاءٍ وَ لَمْ يَجْبُرْ عَظْمَ أَحَدٍ مِنَ الْأُمَمِ إِلَّا بَعْدَ أَزْلٍ وَ بَلَاءٍ وَ فِي دُونِ مَا اسْتَقْبَلْتُمْ مِنْ عَتْبٍ وَ مَا اسْتَدْبَرْتُمْ مِنْ خَطْبٍ مُعْتَبَر..”
The important recommendation is that you must always consider yourself as being present on the scene: فَإِذَا فَرَغْتَ فَانْصَبْ ( So when you have finished [your duties], then stand up [for worship].)Therefore, when thou art free, still labor hard), always consider God as present and as your aid: وَإِلَى رَبِّكَ فَارْغَبْ (And to thy Lord turn all thy attention), and must not allow your victories to cause you to become arrogant or negligent:
اِذا جاءَ نَصْرُ اللهِ وَ الْفَتْحُ وَ رَاَيْتَ النّاسَ يَدْخُلُونَ في دينِ اللهِ اَفْواجاً فَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ وَ اسْتَغْفِرْهُ اِنَّهُ كانَ تَوّاباً
(When comes the help of Allah, and victory. And thou dost see the people enter Allah’s Religion in crowds. Celebrate the praises of thy Lord). These are the true foundations of a faithful nation.
Another recommendation is the constant rereading of the principles of revolution. The slogans and principles must be refined and brought in line with the foundations and undisputed principles of Islam. Independence, freedom, justice, refusal to bow to despotism and colonialism, rejection of ethnic, racial, and religious discrimination, and the outright rejection of Zionism, which, today, comprise the pivots of the movements in Islamic countries, are all inspired by Islam and the Quran.
Write down your principles on paper. Preserve your genuine nature with a high degree of sensitivity. Do not allow your enemies to formulate the principles of your future system. Do not allow Islamic principles to be sacrificed for transient interests. Deviation in revolutions starts with deviation in slogans and objectives. Never place your trust in the U.S., NATO, or criminal regimes such as Britain, France, or, Italy, which for long plundered and divided your land among themselves. Look upon them with suspicion and do not believe their smiles. Behind these smiles and promises lies conspiracy and betrayal. Find you own way by resorting to the blessed fountainhead of Islam and give back foreigners’ prescriptions to themselves.
Another important recommendation is to avoid religious, ethnic, racial, tribal, and border disputes. Recognize differences as legitimate and manage them. Reconciliation among Islamic religions is the key to salvation. Those who fan the flames of religious division through apostatizing others are the mercenaries and servants of Satan, even if done inadvertently.
Creating your own system of governance is your main and seminal task. This is a complex and difficult undertaking. Do not allow secular or western liberal or extremist nationalist or leftist Marxist models to be imposed on you.
The leftist Eastern Bloc collapsed and the Western Bloc is propped up through violence, war, and deceit, and does not appear to have a bright outlook.
The passage of time will be to their loss and to the benefit of the Islamic current.
The ultimate goal must be a unified Islamic Ummah and the creation of a new Islamic civilization founded upon faith, rationality, knowledge, and morality.
The liberation of Palestine from the savage claws of the Zionists is also a great objective. The countries of the Balkans, Caucasus, and western Asia were liberated from the claws of the former Soviet Union after eighty years. Why should the Palestinian people not be able to free themselves from the captivity of the oppressor Zionists after seventy years?
The present generation in Islamic countries has the capacity to accomplish such great feats. The young generation of today is a source of pride for the past generations. As noted by the Arab poet:
أبو الصخر من شيبان قلت لهم كلا لعمري و لكن منه شيبانُ
و كم أبٍ قد علا بابنٍ ذُری شَرَفٍ كما علا برسولِ الله عدنانُ
Trust your young generation. Revive their feeling of self-confidence and benefit them by the experiences of the elders.
There are two important points in this connection:
First, one of the most important demands of the people who have revolted and who have been liberated is to have a decisive participation in the management of their countries. And since they believe in Islam, their desire is to have a system of Islamic democracy, i.e. the rulers being elected through the vote of the people and the dominant principles and values of the society being based on the Islamic knowledge and sharia. This can crystallize in various countries, depending on their conditions, through various methods and forms. However, utmost care must be taken not to confuse this with the western liberal democracy. The secular, and at times anti-religious, western democracy is in no way related to the Islamic democracy which is committed to the values and main principles of Islam in its system of government.
The second point relates to the fact that Islamic tenets must not be equated with backwardness, obscurantism, and ignorant and extremist biases. The demarcation between these two must be pronounced. Religious extremism, which is usually attended by violence, is the cause of falling short of the lofty goals of the revolution. This, in turn, results in the loss of public support and the eventual failure of the revolution.
In sum, to speak of Islamic awakening is not to speak of a nebulous and indistinct concept that is amenable to various interpretations. Rather, it is to speak of a tangible reality in the external world that has filled the atmosphere and resulted in great uprisings and revolutions and removed from the scene some dangerous elements of the enemy. Nonetheless, the scene remains fluid and in need of being shaped and brought to a conclusion. The verses recited at the outset contain a complete and effective set of guidelines, especially in this sensitive and momentous juncture… Though, they are addressed to the Holy Prophet (PBUH), we all are their interlocutors and responsible for adhering to them. In these verses, piety (taqwa), in its lofty and broad connotation, is the first recommendation. Then comes the rejection of the orders of the infidels and hypocrites, adherence to the divine revelation, and, finally, trust in God…
Once again, we will review these verses:
بسماللهالرحمنالرحیم يا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ اتَّقِ اللَّهَ وَ لا تُطِعِ الْكافِرينَ وَ الْمُنافِقينَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كانَ عَليماً حَكيماً(1) وَ اتَّبِعْ ما يُوحى إِلَيْكَ مِنْ رَبِّكَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كانَ بِما تَعْمَلُونَ خَبيراً (2) وَ تَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَ كَفى بِاللَّهِ وَكيلاً.
(In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful. O Prophet! Fear Allah, and hearken not to the unbelievers and the hypocrites: verily Allah is full of knowledge and wisdom. But follow that which comes to thee by inspiration from thy Lord: for Allah is well acquainted with (all) that ye do. And put thy trust in Allah, and enough is Allah as a disposer of affairs.)
والسلام علیکم و رحمة الله
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Vali Amr Muslimeen Ayatullah Sayyed Ali Khamenei delivered this speech at the International Conference on Islamic Awakening on 17 September 2011.
http://english.khamenei.ir//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1523
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بسمالله الرحمن الرحیم
السلام علیکم و رحمة الله و برکاته
الحمدلله رب العالمین و الصلوة و السلام علی سیدنا محمد و آله الطیبین و صحبه المنتجبین
قال الله العزیز الحكیم : بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم : يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ اتَّقِ اللَّهَ وَلا تُطِعِ الْكَافِرِينَ وَالْمُنَافِقِينَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا وَاتَّبِعْ مَا يُوحَى إِلَيْكَ مِن رَّبِّكَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرًا وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَكَفَى بِاللَّهِ وَكِيلا
(O Prophet, fear Allah and do not obey the disbelievers and the hypocrites. Indeed, Allah is ever Knowing and Wise. (1). And follow that which is revealed to you from your Lord. Indeed Allah is ever, with what you do, Acquainted. (2) And rely upon Allah; and sufficient is Allah as Disposer of affairs.(3) Surat Al-Ahzab)
I welcome our honored audience and dear guests. What has brought us here together is the Islamic awakening, which comes from the stronger inspiration and greater understanding among Muslim ummah. This awakening has led to a major development among nations of our region and has brought about uprisings and revolutions that could never have been contemplated in the calculations of the dominant regional and international satanic powers. These are momentous uprising that have razed to the ground the autocratic and imperialist strongholds and vanquished the tyrants guarding them.
There is no doubt that colossal social upheavals have always relied on solid foundation of history and civilization and are products of accumulation of wisdom and experiences. Over the past 150 years, the presence of great intellectual and jihadi personalities that have been opinion leaders and behind Islamic movements in Egypt, Iraq, India and other countries in Asia and Africa has served as precursors and pioneers for the present situation in the Islamic world.
The developments in the 1950’s and 60’s led to coming to power of regimes that were mostly inclined to materialistic ideologies and thoughts, and because of their inherent character fell into the trap of Western imperialist and colonialist powers. These are experiences that are lessons to learn from, and have contributed substantially to evolution of general and profound understanding in the Islamic world.
The Islamic Revolution in Iran that was hailed by Imam Khomeini as “victory of blood over sword”, and establishment of the lasting, robust, courageous and progressive Islamic republic, and its impact on present Islamic awakening is itself a long story that deserves to be debated and researched. There is no doubt that Islamic Revolution of Iran will be accorded a thorough and comprehensive chapter in the analysis and writings of history of the present situation of the Islamic world.
For that reason, the present and mounting facts and truths in the Islamic world are not simply events that are severed from the past historical roots, social and intellectual backgrounds to allow our adversaries and the shallow-minded to present them as a passing wave and short-lived phenomenon in order to snuff out hope in the hearts of nations by their warped and biased analyses.
In this brotherly dialogue with you I want to place greater emphasis on three areas:
1. Taking a glance at the identity of these uprisings and revolutions
2. Major threats and harms lying on their way.
3. Recommendations to find solutions and prevent these threats and harms.
Regarding the first point, I believe the most important element in these revolutions is the actual and mass presence of people in the arena of action, struggle and jihad. They were present, not only with their heart, desire and faith, but also with their body and souls. There is a big difference between this presence and the presence of a military group or even armed combatants in front of uncaring people or even concerned people.
In the events of 1950’s and 60’s in some countries of Africa and Asia, the heavy load of the revolution was not on the shoulder of diverse segments of population and the youth from all parts of the country, but rather on the shoulder of coup d\\\\\\\'etat or small and limited armed groups. They decided and acted, and they themselves or the succeeding generation changed their ways as a result of certain motivations. The revolution became its own enemy and the enemy managed again to prevail over their countries.
This is totally different than the change that comes from the people. It is the people that bring their body and soul to the arena of action, and by their jihad and devotion push back and defeat the enemy. It is the people that make the slogans and set the goals, identify and introduce and pursue the enemy. They draw their desired future, although not comprehensively, and as a result do not allow departure from the path of the revolution or conceding to the enemy, or change of course by compromising and the tainted few with special interests, and above all thwart the schemes of enemy’s agents.
In such a grass-root movement, the revolution may be slowed, but can stay away from short-sightedness and being on shaky ground. Quran says “Have you not considered how Allah presents an example, [making] a good word like a good tree, whose root is firmly fixed and its branches [high] in the sky?
أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ ضَرَبَ اللّهُ مَثَلاً كَلِمَةً طَيِّبَةً كَشَجَرةٍ طَيِّبَةٍ أَصْلُهَا ثَابِتٌ وَفَرْعُهَا فِي السَّمَاء
Have you not considered how Allah presents an example, [making] a good word like a good tree, whose root is firmly fixed and its branches [high] in the sky? (24\\\\\\\" Ibrahim )
When I saw the brave body of the proud people of Egypt on television in Tahrir Square, I became convinced that their revolution will triumph.
Let me confess something to you. After the victory of the Islamic Revolution and the establishment of the Islamic republic in Iran which caused an earthquake among the worldly materialistic rulers in East and West and brought unprecedented uproar and joy to Muslim nations, we expected that Egypt would be next in line to rise. The reason was the history of jihad, progressive thinking and presence of great mojahids and intellectuals in Egypt. I was reciting in my heart this poem by Abu Faras:
أراك عصيّ الدمع شیمتك الصبر ما للهوی نهی علیك و لا أمر ؟
When I saw the people of Egypt in Tahrir Square and squares in other cities, I knew I have received my response. The people of Egypt told me with words coming from their heart:
بلی أنا مشتاق و عندي لوعة ولكن مثلي لایذاع له سرُّ
…This sacred secret was nothing but the motivation and resolve to rise, and gradually people of Egypt cemented this thought in their mind and at a historical juncture they manifested their resolve and entered the arena in a magnificent show of their power.
Tunisia, Yemen, Libya, and Bahrain are no exception to this general rule.
In these revolutions principles, values and goals are not written in prefabricated manifestos of groups and parties, but written in the minds, hearts and desires of each and every person present on the scene and are declared in the context of their slogans and behaviors.
With these signals one can clearly tell that the principles of current revolutions in the region, in Egypt and other countries, are first and foremost the following:
- Revival and renewal of national dignity and respect that have been broken and trampled during long years of dictatorial and corrupt rule and the political domination of America and the West.
- Keeping up the banner of Islam which is the profound faith and longstanding attachment of people and being able to enjoy peace of mind, justice, progress and prosperity that could only be achieved under Islamic Sharia.
- Resistance against the influence and domination of the United States and Europe that have wreaked the greatest damage and humiliation on the peoples of these countries over the past two hundred years.
- Countering the usurper and fictitious Zionist regime that the imperialist powers have planted like a dagger in the heart of this region to serve as a tool to continue their diabolical domination after expelling a whole nation from their historical homeland.
There is no doubt that the revolutions in the region that rely on and demand these principles are not to the liking of America, Europe and the Zionists, and they are going to use all means to deny them, but the truth will not change with their denial.
The widespread participation of people in these revolutions is the most important element that constitutes their identity. Foreign powers that tried everything in their power and used all their schemes to keep in power the tyrannical, corrupt and subservient rulers in these countries and only abandoned them when the people left no choice for them have no right to claim a share in the victory of these revolutions. Even in Libya intervention by America and NATO cannot distort the truth. In Libya, NATO has caused irreparable damage. Had it not been for the military intervention of NATO and America, victory of people might have been delayed, but all these infrastructures would not have been damaged, and innocent women and children killed and then enemies that were accomplices of Qaddafi would not have been able to intervene in this innocent war-torn nation.
People and the elite that are of the people and others who are from the people are the true owners of these revolutions that should be trusted to protect them and draw the path to the future.
2- Regarding the threats and harm, I should first emphasize that although there are threats, but there are also ways to stay safe. Mere presence of threats should not scare nations.
إِنَّ كَيْدَ الشَّيْطَانِ كَانَ ضَعِيفًا
( Indeed, the plot of Satan has ever been weak)
Allah says about a group of mojahids of early Islam:
الَّذِينَ قالَ لَهُمُ النَّاسُ إِنَّ النَّاسَ قَدْ جَمَعُوا لَكُمْ فَاخْشَوْهُمْ فَزادَهُمْ إِيماناً وَ قالُوا حَسْبُنَا اللَّهُ وَ نِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ فَانْقَلَبُوا بِنِعْمَةٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَ فَضْلٍ لَمْ يَمْسَسْهُمْ سُوءٌ وَ اتَّبَعُوا رِضْوانَ اللَّهِ وَ اللَّهُ ذُو فَضْلٍ عَظِيمٍ
( Those to whom hypocrites said, \\\\\\\"Indeed, the people have gathered against you, so fear them.\\\\\\\" But it [merely] increased them in faith, and they said, \\\\\\\"Sufficient for us is Allah, and [He is] the best Disposer of affairs.\\\\\\\" So they returned with favor from Allah and bounty, no harm having touched them. And they pursued the pleasure of Allah, and Allah is the possessor of great bounty. )
We need to know what these threats are, in order not to be surprised and to be able to find solutions.
We faced these perils and threats after the victory of Islamic Revolution and experienced them. With the grace of Allah and the leadership of Imam Khomeini and sacrifices of our people we managed to sail through them safely. The plots by enemies still continue but so does the firm resolve of our people.
I divide the harm to these movements into two groups: those that have their roots within ourselves and come from our own weaknesses, and those that have been directly planned by the enemy.
The first group of harms is of the following type:
The sense and thought that after the downfall of the corrupt dictator the job is over. The peace of mind and comfort that comes after the victory and afterward the lessening of motivation and weakening of determination are among the first perils, and the most damaging threat is when individuals ask for their share of the spoils of victory.
The story of the Battle of Uhud and the defenders seeking the spoils of victory caused the defeat of Muslims, and the mojahids were reprimanded by God. This is a good example that should never be forgotten. Being shocked and awed by the appearances of the arrogant powers and the feeling of fear from America and other interventionist powers are of these kinds of harm that should be avoided.
The brave and young should throw out these fears from their heart. Trusting the enemy and falling into trap of their smiles and promises is another threat that needs to be avoided by the forerunners and leaders. The enemy must be identified no matter what cover it uses. The nation and the revolution should be protected against the designs of the enemy that at times hide behind the appearances of friendship and supportive gestures. Another side to this page is becoming overconfident and overlooking the enemy. Bravery must be combined with wisdom and good judgment. We must use all treasures of God within ourselves against Satan, al-Jinn wal–Ens. Causing division and pitting revolutionaries against one another and penetration behind the battlefront of struggle is another great harm that needs to be avoided with all your power.
The second group of harm has been experienced by almost all countries of the region during different events. The first harm is the coming to power of those who are committed to America and the West. The West tries after the downfall of its pawns to protect the basic pillars of the system and levers of power, and change the direction by using the same foundation, but with a different head, in order to perpetuate its domination. This means wasting of all your efforts and sacrifices. At this stage, if they face resistance of the people, they try to introduce and offer to the movement and people other alternatives that are designed to divert the course of the movement. This scenario could be recommending government models and constitutions that will again throw the Islamic countries into the trap of cultural, political and economic dependence on the West. This could lead to their influence among the revolutionaries greater financial and media strength of an unreliable current and marginalization of the genuine currents in the revolution. This also means return of the domination of the West and the stronger grip of then outdated Western models that are far from basic principles of the revolution.
If this tactic does not produce the desired result, experience tells us that they will go for anarchy, terrorism, civil war among followers of religions or ethnic communities and tribes, political parties, or even among neighboring nations and governments. Parallel to these actions, they will impose economic siege and sanctions, freeze national assets and launch all-out media war and propaganda. Their intention is to tire out and frustrate people and make the revolutionaries disappointed. Under these circumstances it becomes easy to defeat the revolution. Assassination of the righteous elite of the society and opinion leaders, defamation and vilification of others and even enticing some with money are among usual ploys used by the Western powers and the claimants of civilization morality.
In Iran, the evidence and documents from the U.S. Den of Espionage that fell into the hands of the revolution showed that all these plots were designed by the regime in the United States for the people of Iran for them bringing back the reactionary and dependant rulers in revolutionary countries is a principle that prescribes all these dirty tricks.
In the last part of my remarks, I present recommendations for your consideration and selection that are based on our tangible experiences in Iran and what has been gathered from the precise studies of other countries. Undoubtedly, conditions differ among nations and countries. Nonetheless, there are truths that can prove beneficial for all people.
The first point is that by placing one’s trust in God and believing in the repeated promises of divine victories in the Quran and through astuteness, resolve, and braveness, it is possible to surmount all obstacles and emerge victorious. Of course, the task that you all have taken up is quite grave and momentous. Thus, one must bear great hardship for its sake. The Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali (`a) says:
“فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَمْ يَقْصِمْ جَبَّارِي دَهْرٍ قَطُّ إِلَّا بَعْدَ تَمْهِيلٍ وَ رَخَاءٍ وَ لَمْ يَجْبُرْ عَظْمَ أَحَدٍ مِنَ الْأُمَمِ إِلَّا بَعْدَ أَزْلٍ وَ بَلَاءٍ وَ فِي دُونِ مَا اسْتَقْبَلْتُمْ مِنْ عَتْبٍ وَ مَا اسْتَدْبَرْتُمْ مِنْ خَطْبٍ مُعْتَبَر..”
The important recommendation is that you must always consider yourself as being present on the scene: فَإِذَا فَرَغْتَ فَانْصَبْ ( So when you have finished [your duties], then stand up [for worship].)Therefore, when thou art free, still labor hard), always consider God as present and as your aid: وَإِلَى رَبِّكَ فَارْغَبْ (And to thy Lord turn all thy attention), and must not allow your victories to cause you to become arrogant or negligent:
اِذا جاءَ نَصْرُ اللهِ وَ الْفَتْحُ وَ رَاَيْتَ النّاسَ يَدْخُلُونَ في دينِ اللهِ اَفْواجاً فَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ وَ اسْتَغْفِرْهُ اِنَّهُ كانَ تَوّاباً
(When comes the help of Allah, and victory. And thou dost see the people enter Allah’s Religion in crowds. Celebrate the praises of thy Lord). These are the true foundations of a faithful nation.
Another recommendation is the constant rereading of the principles of revolution. The slogans and principles must be refined and brought in line with the foundations and undisputed principles of Islam. Independence, freedom, justice, refusal to bow to despotism and colonialism, rejection of ethnic, racial, and religious discrimination, and the outright rejection of Zionism, which, today, comprise the pivots of the movements in Islamic countries, are all inspired by Islam and the Quran.
Write down your principles on paper. Preserve your genuine nature with a high degree of sensitivity. Do not allow your enemies to formulate the principles of your future system. Do not allow Islamic principles to be sacrificed for transient interests. Deviation in revolutions starts with deviation in slogans and objectives. Never place your trust in the U.S., NATO, or criminal regimes such as Britain, France, or, Italy, which for long plundered and divided your land among themselves. Look upon them with suspicion and do not believe their smiles. Behind these smiles and promises lies conspiracy and betrayal. Find you own way by resorting to the blessed fountainhead of Islam and give back foreigners’ prescriptions to themselves.
Another important recommendation is to avoid religious, ethnic, racial, tribal, and border disputes. Recognize differences as legitimate and manage them. Reconciliation among Islamic religions is the key to salvation. Those who fan the flames of religious division through apostatizing others are the mercenaries and servants of Satan, even if done inadvertently.
Creating your own system of governance is your main and seminal task. This is a complex and difficult undertaking. Do not allow secular or western liberal or extremist nationalist or leftist Marxist models to be imposed on you.
The leftist Eastern Bloc collapsed and the Western Bloc is propped up through violence, war, and deceit, and does not appear to have a bright outlook.
The passage of time will be to their loss and to the benefit of the Islamic current.
The ultimate goal must be a unified Islamic Ummah and the creation of a new Islamic civilization founded upon faith, rationality, knowledge, and morality.
The liberation of Palestine from the savage claws of the Zionists is also a great objective. The countries of the Balkans, Caucasus, and western Asia were liberated from the claws of the former Soviet Union after eighty years. Why should the Palestinian people not be able to free themselves from the captivity of the oppressor Zionists after seventy years?
The present generation in Islamic countries has the capacity to accomplish such great feats. The young generation of today is a source of pride for the past generations. As noted by the Arab poet:
أبو الصخر من شيبان قلت لهم كلا لعمري و لكن منه شيبانُ
و كم أبٍ قد علا بابنٍ ذُری شَرَفٍ كما علا برسولِ الله عدنانُ
Trust your young generation. Revive their feeling of self-confidence and benefit them by the experiences of the elders.
There are two important points in this connection:
First, one of the most important demands of the people who have revolted and who have been liberated is to have a decisive participation in the management of their countries. And since they believe in Islam, their desire is to have a system of Islamic democracy, i.e. the rulers being elected through the vote of the people and the dominant principles and values of the society being based on the Islamic knowledge and sharia. This can crystallize in various countries, depending on their conditions, through various methods and forms. However, utmost care must be taken not to confuse this with the western liberal democracy. The secular, and at times anti-religious, western democracy is in no way related to the Islamic democracy which is committed to the values and main principles of Islam in its system of government.
The second point relates to the fact that Islamic tenets must not be equated with backwardness, obscurantism, and ignorant and extremist biases. The demarcation between these two must be pronounced. Religious extremism, which is usually attended by violence, is the cause of falling short of the lofty goals of the revolution. This, in turn, results in the loss of public support and the eventual failure of the revolution.
In sum, to speak of Islamic awakening is not to speak of a nebulous and indistinct concept that is amenable to various interpretations. Rather, it is to speak of a tangible reality in the external world that has filled the atmosphere and resulted in great uprisings and revolutions and removed from the scene some dangerous elements of the enemy. Nonetheless, the scene remains fluid and in need of being shaped and brought to a conclusion. The verses recited at the outset contain a complete and effective set of guidelines, especially in this sensitive and momentous juncture… Though, they are addressed to the Holy Prophet (PBUH), we all are their interlocutors and responsible for adhering to them. In these verses, piety (taqwa), in its lofty and broad connotation, is the first recommendation. Then comes the rejection of the orders of the infidels and hypocrites, adherence to the divine revelation, and, finally, trust in God…
Once again, we will review these verses:
بسماللهالرحمنالرحیم يا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ اتَّقِ اللَّهَ وَ لا تُطِعِ الْكافِرينَ وَ الْمُنافِقينَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كانَ عَليماً حَكيماً(1) وَ اتَّبِعْ ما يُوحى إِلَيْكَ مِنْ رَبِّكَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كانَ بِما تَعْمَلُونَ خَبيراً (2) وَ تَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَ كَفى بِاللَّهِ وَكيلاً.
(In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful. O Prophet! Fear Allah, and hearken not to the unbelievers and the hypocrites: verily Allah is full of knowledge and wisdom. But follow that which comes to thee by inspiration from thy Lord: for Allah is well acquainted with (all) that ye do. And put thy trust in Allah, and enough is Allah as a disposer of affairs.)
والسلام علیکم و رحمة الله
35:43
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[04 June 13] Speech on the 24th Demise of Imam Khomeini | Sayed Ali Khamenei - [English]
The following is the full text of the speech delivered on June 4, 2013 by Ayatollah Khamenei the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution on the occasion of the demise anniversary of Imam Khomeini...
The following is the full text of the speech delivered on June 4, 2013 by Ayatollah Khamenei the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution on the occasion of the demise anniversary of Imam Khomeini (r.a.). The speech was delivered at Imam Khomeini\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s shrine.
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, and peace and greetings be upon our Master and Prophet, Ab-al-Qassem al-Mustafa Muhammad, upon his immaculate, pure, chosen, guided and infallible household, especially the one remaining with Allah on earth.
We are thankful to Allah the Exalted who gave us another opportunity to commemorate our magnanimous Imam (r.a.) on such a day and express our respect for him. Although the memory of Imam (r.a.) is alive among our people at all times, the 14th of Khordad is the manifestation of the Iranian nation\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s love for him. This year the demise anniversary of Imam Khomeini (r.a.) has coincided with the martyrdom anniversary of his great ancestor, Imam Musa ibn Ja\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'far (a.s.). Also, this occasion has coincided with the 50th anniversary of the determining and important event that took place on the 15th of Khordad in the year 1342. The 15th of Khordad was an important historical juncture. I would like to briefly discuss a few points in this regard and then I will discuss the pressing issues that are necessary to discuss.
The 15th of Khordad was not the beginning of the great movement by the people and the clergy. Before the 15th of Khordad, important events had taken place in the year 1341 as well as at the beginning of the year 1342. For example, the event in Feiziyeh School took place on the 2nd of Farvardin in 1342: it resulted in the injury of seminarians and the insult to the great marja taqlid, the late Ayatollah Golpaygani. Before that event, towards the end of the year 1341, there were demonstrations in Tehran\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s bazaar and the great marja taqlid, the late Ayatollah Hajj Sayyid Ahmad Khansari, was insulted. These things show that the movement by the clergy had reached such levels in 1341 and early 1342 that security forces of the oppressive regime had started to treat seminarians, religious scholars and even marja taqlids in a brutal way.
However, the 15th of Khordad of 1342 was a very important juncture. The reason is that the event which took place on the 15th of Khordad revealed that the bond between the people and the clergy had reached a so-called dangerous level. In that year, on the anniversary of Ashura - which fell on the 13th of Khordad - our magnanimous Imam (r.a.) delivered a historic speech in Feiziyeh School. Later on when they had arrested Imam (r.a.), on the 15th of Khordad there was a great movement in Tehran as well as in Qom and other cities and the taghuti regime decided to do everything in its power to suppress the movement by relying on its army, police and security organizations.
There was a popular uprising on the 15th of Khordad, which was indicative of the strong bond between the people of Iran and the clergy and marja taqlids, who were represented by Imam (r.a.). The point is that it was this bond that ensured the spread and victory of the movement. Wherever a movement is supported by the people, that movement will prevail. But if the people do not develop a bond with a protest movement, that movement will fail. For example, after the Constitutional Movement in Iran, there were certain events and certain activities by both leftist and nationalist groups, but all of them were destined to fail because they did not have the support of the people.
When the people step into the arena and support a movement with their hearts and minds and with their presence, it becomes possible for that movement to prevail and achieve victory. The event that took place on the 15th of Khordad proved this point. It proved that our people support the clergy. The arrest of our magnanimous Imam (r.a.) resulted in such an uprising in Tehran and certain other parts of the country that the regime had to step in to suppress the people in a brutal way. A large number of people were killed. The streets of Tehran were covered with the blood of pious people and youth. On the 15th of Khordad, the brutal and ruthless nature of the taghuti regime was fully revealed.
Another point regarding the event which happened on the 15th of Khordad - a point to which our youth and dear people should pay attention - is that no international community and none of the so-called human rights organizations protested against the brutal killings in Tehran and other parts of the country. All of them stayed silent. The people and the clergy remained in the arena. Marxists and leftist groups and governments even condemned the popular movement of the 15th of Khordad. They said that it was a feudalist movement. The nationalists - who were claiming to support anti-government activities - also condemned the movement. They said that the movement was a blind and aimless movement, that it was a radical movement.
Wherever lazy people fail to take risks and play a role in the arena, they accuse pious combatants of extremism. They said that the movement was an extremist movement. They rejected it as a radical movement. Imam (r.a.) remained in the arena, relying on the support of the people, and he managed to present the image of a truly decisive and determined spiritual leader to all people and to all history.
Our magnanimous Imam (r.a.) had three beliefs which made him decisive, courageous and steadfast: namely, faith in God, faith in the people and faith in himself. These three beliefs revealed themselves in the character, decisions and actions of Imam (r.a.) in the true sense of the word. Imam (r.a.) spoke to the people through his heart and the people accepted his call with their heart and soul. They stepped into the arena and resisted in a brave way. Their movement - which had no sympathizers in the world and received no assistance - gradually moved towards ultimate victory.
I would like to briefly explain the three beliefs of Imam Khomeini (r.a.). The points I will discuss in this regard are important points that can illuminate our path only if they find their way into our hearts.
Regarding faith in God, Imam (r.a.) was the manifestation of this holy ayah: \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Those to whom the people said: Surely men have gathered against you, therefore fear them, but this increased their faith, and they said: Allah is sufficient for us and most excellent is the Protector.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, 3: 173] Imam (r.a.) was firmly committed to \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Allah is sufficient for us and most excellent is the Protector\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" with all his heart and soul. Imam (r.a.) had faith in Allah the Exalted. He had faith in divine promises. He acted, worked and spoke for the sake of God and he knew that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"if you help (the cause of) Allah, He will help you\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, 47: 7] is a divine promise and that it is definite and inviolable.
Regarding faith in the people, our magnanimous Imam (r.a.) knew the Iranian nation in the true sense of the word. Imam (r.a.) believed that our nation enjoys deep religious faith and is intelligent and courageous, a nation that has the capacity to shine like the sun in different areas only if it has competent leaders. One time an incompetent person like Shah Sultan Hussein caused the Iranian nation to retreat into a corner, but another time a courageous person like Nader Gholi - without those honorary titles - emerged among the people and became their leader by relying on his courage and as a result, our nation managed to expand the arena of its glory from Delhi to the Black Sea. Imam (r.a.) had noticed this truth about our history and he had witnessed the examples.
He believed in this truth. He knew our nation. He had faith in the Iranian nation. The people\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s deep religious faith - which had been concealed by materialistic people - was revived by our magnanimous Imam (r.a.). He provoked the people\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s religious pride and the Iranian nation became the role model of resistance and insight. In the eyes of our magnanimous Imam (r.a.), the people were the dearest and enemies of the people were the most hated. The fact that Imam (r.a.) did not stop his battle against the domineering powers even for one single moment, was mainly because the domineering powers were enemies of the people\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s happiness, and Imam (r.a.) believed that enemies of the people were his enemies too.
As for self-confidence, Imam (r.a.) taught the people of Iran to be confident. Before instilling a sense of confidence into the people of Iran, Imam (r.a.) first revived this sense of self-confidence in himself. He exhibited his faith in his capabilities in the true sense of the word. On the anniversary of Ashura in the year 1342, while he was alone, Imam (r.a.) threatened the Shah that he would ask the people of Iran to force him out of the country if he continued acting like that. He said this among the people and seminarians of Qom in Feiziyeh School and he threatened Mohammadreza Shah, who was wielding unrestricted power in the country by relying on America and other foreign powers. This threat was made by a cleric in Qom who had no weapons, no equipment, no money and no international support. He managed to resist in this arena by relying on his faith in God and in himself.
The day when Imam (r.a.) returned from exile, he threatened the government of Bakhtiar at Behesht Zahra Cemetery and he announced in a resonating voice that he would punch Bakhtiar\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s government in the mouth and that he would establish another government. This was indicative of Imam\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s (r.a.) self-confidence. Imam (r.a.) had faith in himself and in his capabilities. It was this self-confidence that was transferred to the people of Iran through his words and actions.
My dear ones, for a hundred years, they had convinced us that we were incapable, incapable of managing the country, incapable of achieving dignity and glory, incapable of developing the country, incapable of moving forward in the arena of knowledge and other such things. And we had started to believe these things.
Instilling a sense of inability - with the purpose of making nations lose faith in their capabilities - is one of the effective ways in which domineering powers spread their domination over different nations. In this way, they managed to keep the Iranian nation backwards in politics, science and economic activities as well as in all other arenas of life. Imam (r.a.) reversed this situation and took this means of hegemony away from the superpowers. He told the Iranian nation, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"You can.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" He restored our courage. He restored our determination. He restored our self-confidence. We people of Iran felt that we were capable again. We moved forward and we took action. For this reason, the Iranian nation has achieved victory over the past thirty-something in all the areas that I will discuss later on in this meeting.
These three beliefs of Imam (r.a.) - namely faith in God, faith in the people and faith in himself - became the axis of all his decisions, actions and policies. At the beginning of the movement, these three beliefs were a source of energy for Imam (r.a.). The same is true of the time when he was in exile, the time when he left for Paris and the time when he returned to Iran. It was these three beliefs that gave Imam (r.a.) the power to enter Tehran in those conditions. These three beliefs were exhibited in the events that happened during Bahman of 1357, in the fitnas that happened in the country, in the establishment of the Islamic Republic, in his open resistance against the oppressive global order, in the slogan of \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"neither the East, nor the West\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\", in the imposed war and in all the events that took place in those eventful ten years of Imam\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s life. These three beliefs were the basis of Imam\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s decisions, actions and policies.
Even in the last few days of his life, nobody noticed any signs of despair, doubt, exhaustion, weakness or submission in the words and actions of our magnanimous Imam (r.a.). Many revolutionaries throughout the world start to have doubts and become conservative as they grow older. Sometimes they even take back their main statements. The statements that were issued by Imam (r.a.) during the last few years of his life were sometimes even more strongly worded and revolutionary than his statements in the year 1342. He was growing old, but he was young at heart and his soul was vibrant. This is the same steadfastness that has been described in the Holy Quran: \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"And that if they should keep to the (right) way, We would certainly give them to drink of abundant water.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, 72: 16] In another ayah, Allah the Exalted says: \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"(As for) those who say: Our Lord is Allah, then continue in the right way, the angels descend upon them, saying: Fear not, nor be grieved, and receive good news of the garden which you were promised.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, 41: 30]
These three beliefs kept Imam (r.a.) young and vibrant. They consolidated Imam\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s thought and path for our nation and then these three beliefs gradually spread among our people, our youth and individuals from different social backgrounds. These three beliefs created hope. They created self-confidence. They resulted in reliance on God. These things replaced despair and pessimism. The people of Iran changed their characteristics and Allah the Exalted changed their conditions. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Surely Allah does not change the condition of a people until they change their own condition.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, 13: 11] The people of Iran reformed their path, their movement and their motives and Allah the Exalted helped and supported them. What was the result? The result was that Iran became an independent country.
There are many lessons that our dear youth should learn from the dependence of the taghuti Pahlavi regime - which is was even worse than the reactionary and disgraced Qajar regime - on England and subsequently on America. Their dependence had reached a disgraceful level. After the Revolution, an outstanding American diplomat mentioned the same thing in his writings. He said that it was the Americans who used to tell the Shah what he needed and what he did not need. It was the Americans who used to tell him with whom to establish relations and with whom not to. They used to tell him how much oil he had to produce and sell. It was the Americans who used to tell him to whom he should sell oil and to whom he should not.
Our country used to be managed on the basis of America\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s policies and plans, and before that our country used to be run on the basis of the plans and policies of England. That dependent country transformed into an independent and proud country. Corrupt, treasonous and materialistic rulers, who were immersed in their carnal desires and human passions, were in charge of our country. They were replaced by representatives of the people. They were replaced by officials who had been elected by the people. In the past thirty-something years, the individuals who have assumed power in our country and taken control of our policies and economy, have been representatives of the people. They did not line their own pockets after assuming power, which is a very important point. Of course, some of them were more pious than others.
Those evil, dependent and greedy politicians who were submissive against the enemies and treated the people in an angry way, were replaced by representatives of the people. Our scientifically backward country transformed into a country that was advanced in terms of science. Before the Revolution, we had not made any scientific achievements in the country. Today international centers say that the rate of Iran\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s scientific progress is eleven times more than the global average. Is this an insignificant achievement? International scientific centers predict that in a few years - by the year 2017 - Iran will rank fourth in the world in terms of science. Is this an insignificant accomplishment? Our country, which had made no scientific achievements, has achieved this position.
There was a time we had to ask foreigners to send their engineers to our country to build dams, roads and factories for us whenever we needed a road, a highway, a dam or a factory. Today Iranian youth are building thousands of factories and hundreds of dams, bridges, roads and highways in the country without receiving the slightest help from foreigners. Today our scientific and technological growth and our capabilities to develop the country have reached this level. Would it be appropriate if we ignored these things?
In areas relating to health and medicine, Iranian patients who had the money had to travel to Europe for slightly complicated operations, and those who did not have the money had to die. Today the most complicated operations - liver transplants, lung transplants and important things in other medical areas - are being carried out in our country, not just in Tehran but in many distant cities across the country. These capabilities exist today in our country. The Iranian nation does not need foreigners in this area. Our nation has achieved independence and self-sufficiency in this vital area.
Many parts of this country had been ignored. Before the Revolution, I used to travel to different places across the country. Remote parts of the country used to be completelyignored. However, different services are being offered in different parts of the country, including remote towns and villages. Today nobody can say that a particular area does not have electricity or roads and other such things. Before the Revolution, it was surprising to see a remote place that enjoyed such facilities. Today the opposite is surprising. At that time, our population was 35 million and there were 150,000 university students in the country. Today our population has increased a hundred percent, but the number of our university students has increased by 20, even 30 times. This means that we have paid attention to science. The number of students, professors and universities in the country is remarkable. In every remote town, there are one, two, five and sometimes ten universities. At that time, there were certain provinces in which the number of high schools was less than ten. Today in every city of the same provinces, there are several universities. This is a great movement by the people of Iran which is the result of the Revolution and selfless efforts of Iranian youth and government officials over the past thirty-something years. These are important developments. Thanks to the Revolution, many infrastructure-related projects were carried out in the country. Thousands of factories were built. Many mother companies were built. The products which we had to beg for and buy in small amounts from foreigners are being mass produced in the country today. It is necessary to see these things. All of these things are the blessings of the three beliefs that Imam (r.a.) instilled into our nation: faith in God, faith in the people and faith in oneself.
I am not saying these things in order to create a false sense of pride and happiness. I am not saying these things to make you feel happy and thankful for the victory that has been achieved. No, there is still a long way to go. I would say that if we compare our conditions with the era of taghut, these achievements will look remarkable, but we will realize that we have a long way to go if we compare our conditions with the conditions of an ideal Islamic Iran - namely, a country which Islam wants us to have, a society that Islam wants us to have, a society in which there is worldly pride and welfare as well as religious faith, ethics and spirituality, all in abundance. I am saying these things so that our dear youth and our courageous nation realize that they can continue this path by relying on the three beliefs that I spoke about. You should know that there is a long way to go, but you have the capability. You have the power to continue this path. You have the necessary means. You can continue traversing this long path at a high speed until you reach the peaks in a powerful way. I am saying these things so that you realize that the enemies who want to create despair in our hearts are acting out of spite. All the signs show that we should remain hopeful.
The roadmap lies in front of our eyes. We have a roadmap. What is this roadmap? Our roadmap is the principles of our magnanimous Imam (r.a.), the same principles that transformed that backward and humiliated nation into this pioneering and proud nation. These principles will be useful for us along the path and they will be our roadmap. Imam\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s principles are clear principles. Fortunately, his statements and writings have been made available to our people in the form of twenty-something volumes [of Imam Khomeini\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s speeches] and the main points have been presented in his testament. Everybody can refer to those documents and read them. I believe it is not advisable to keep mentioning the name of Imam (r.a.) but let his principles sink into oblivion. This is wrong. The name and memory of Imam (r.a.) is not sufficient in itself. Imam (r.a.) will remain a leader for our nation with his principles and his roadmap. Imam (r.a.) gave this roadmap to us. He had specific principles.
As for domestic policy, the principles of Imam (r.a.) require relying on the votes of the people, preserving unity of the people, choosing rulers who are populist and non-aristocratic [humble], having government officials who are committed to national interests and making comprehensive efforts in order to bring about progress for the country.
As far as foreign policy is concerned, the principles of Imam (r.a.) require that we put up a resistance against interventionist and domineering policies, that we establish brotherly relations with other Muslim nations, that we develop relations with all countries except the ones that have drawn their swords against the Iranian nation and are being hostile, that we fight Zionism, that we resist in order to liberate Palestine, that we help oppressed people throughout the world and that we put up a resistance against oppressors. Imam\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s testament is available to us. His writings and statements have been recorded and are available in the form of books.
Regarding culture, the principles of Imam (r.a.) require rejection of the permissive Western culture, rejection of rigidity and reactionary attitudes, rejection of hypocrisy in religion, decisive defense of ethics and Islamic commands, and fighting the spread of immorality and corruption in society.
As for economic matters, the principles of Imam (r.a.) require relying on the national economy, relying on self-sufficiency, ensuring economic justice in production and distribution, defending underprivileged people and confronting the capitalist culture coupled with respect for ownership rights. Imam (r.a.) rejected the oppressive capitalist culture, but he also stressed the need for respecting ownership and property rights, capital and labor. Also, the principles of Imam (r.a.) require that we resist melting into the global economy and that we preserve independence of our national economy. These are Imam\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s principles regarding economic matters. These things are obvious in Imam\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s statements.
Imam (r.a.) always demanded government officials of the country to implement these principles in a powerful and wise way. This was the roadmap of our magnanimous Imam (r.a.). The Iranian nation can bridge the gap between current conditions and those ideal conditions by following this roadmap, by relying on their firm religious faith, by remembering their Imam (r.a.). The Iranian nation can move forward. Considering its capabilities and talent and the outstanding individuals who are thankfully present among our people, the Iranian nation can continue the revolutionary path that we have been following over the past thirty-something years with more power and firmer determination. By Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor, our nation will be able to become a genuine role model for other Muslim nations.
Now let me speak about the elections, which is a sensitive and current issue these days. Dear brothers and sisters and dear people of Iran, elections are the manifestation of all the three beliefs of Imam Khomeini (r.a.) and we should have faith in the same things. Elections are the manifestation of faith in God, because taking part in elections is a religious obligation. It is our responsibility to play a role in the destiny of our country. Everybody in our country has this responsibility. Elections are the manifestation of faith in the people, because the will of the people manifests itself in the form of elections: it is the people who choose government officials through elections. Elections are the manifestation of having faith in oneself, because anybody who casts his vote into the ballot box feels that he is playing a role in the destiny of the country and that his role is determining in its own right. This is a very important point. Therefore, elections are the manifestation of faith in God, faith in the people and faith in oneself.
Giving rise to political valor through epic presence of the people at our polling stations is the most important point regarding the upcoming elections. What is the meaning of valor? Valor means that the attempt to achieve glory should be accompanied by excitement and enthusiasm. Every vote that you cast into the ballot box for any of the eight honorable candidates is a vote for the Islamic Republic. A vote for any of the candidates is a vote for the Islamic Republic: it is a vote of confidence for the [political] system and its electoral mechanism. When you enter the arena of elections - either as a voter or as a candidate - your mere presence in this arena means that you have confidence in the Islamic Republic and in our electoral mechanism. On a less important level, your presence results in a vote for the person whom you consider as more valuable for the future of the country than the other candidates.
Our helpless foreign enemies are thinking of a way to turn this election into a threat against the Islamic Republic. This is while an election is a great opportunity for the Islamic Republic. They are hoping for a cold and lifeless election so that they can say the people are not interested in the Islamic Republic or they can create a fitna after the election, just as they did in the year 1388 after that enthusiastic election. These are what the enemies of our nation are after. But they are making a mistake. They do not know our people.
The enemies of our nation have forgotten the 9th of Dey. Those who think that in our country there is a silent majority who are opposed to the Islamic Republic, have forgotten that over the past thirty-four years massive numbers of people have taken to the streets every year on the 22nd of Bahman in different cities of our country in order to support the Islamic Republic and shout \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"death to America\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\". In order to make our elections lifeless, their think tanks constantly produce ideas and feed them to their media and their spokesmen. One day they say our elections have been engineered, another day they say our elections are not free, yet another day they say our elections are not legitimate in the eyes of the people. They do not know our people, neither do they know our elections and the Islamic Republic. And those who are aware of the facts, make unfair comments. They do not shrink from making such comments.
In which part of the world are different candidates - ranging from famous figures to unknown individuals - allowed to use national and state media equally? If somebody knows an exception, he should come forward and say it. In which part of the world does such a thing exist? Does it exist in America? Does it exist in capitalist countries? In capitalist countries, if candidates are members of the existing two or three parties and enjoy the support of capitalists, company owners, wealthy people and mafias of wealth and power, they can campaign and if not, they cannot even campaign.
Anybody who has followed American elections - which I have - will confirm this. There were certain individuals who did not enjoy the support of the Zionists and blood-thirsty international capitalist networks, and they could not enter the arena of election no matter how hard they tried. They neither had access to a media outlet, nor were any TV channels available to them. For every second of campaigning, they had to spend huge amounts of money. In our country, candidates are given equal opportunities to speak to the people for many hours through state media without having to spend one single rial. In which part of the world do such things exist?
The only thing that controls entry into our elections is the law. According to the law, some people can run in our elections and some others cannot. The law has specified what the conditions are, what the qualifications are and who are in charge of vetting. All of these things are being done on the basis of the law. Our foreign enemies close their eyes to these realities and say certain things, and as I have pointed out before, sadly there are impious people who repeat the same things. But by Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor and with their presence, resistance and firm determination, our people will respond to all these machinations and their response will be crushing and decisive.
Now I would like to give a piece of advice to the honorable candidates. The honorable candidates speak critically in the televised programs. This is their right. They can criticize whatever they believe should be criticized. However, they should pay attention to the point that criticism should signify a determination to move towards a future that is full of hard work and glory. It should not signify an effort to paint a bleak picture and promote pessimism and unfair comments. They should pay attention to this point. I do not favor anybody. From this moment onwards, foreign media will say with ulterior motives that I favor a particular candidate. This is a lie. I do not favor anybody. I only lay out the facts.
I advise the brothers who want to win the people\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s trust that their comments should be fair. They can make criticisms, but in doing so, they should not paint a bleak picture and deny the outstanding achievements that have been accomplished under the incumbent administration or previous administrations thanks to the constant efforts of individuals like themselves.
Criticism does not mean denying positive aspects. Criticism means that one should point out the positive thing that has been done and then point out the weaknesses and flaws as well. The next president will not have to start from zero: thousands of outstanding things have already been done. Over the course of many years, thousands of fundamental infrastructure-related projects have been carried out in the country under different administrations. There has been scientific progress. There has been industrial progress. There has been progress in areas relating to infrastructure. Very important things have been planned and implemented in different areas. They should not disregard these things. Whenever they want to do something, they should start from the achievements that have already been made. We cannot afford to deny all this work under the pretext that we have economic problems, that we have the problem of rising prices and inflation. After all, this is not the right thing to do. Yes, we have economic problems and inflation. By Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor, the person who will be voted into office will be able to resolve these problems and remove these obstacles. This is the wish of the Iranian nation. However, this does not mean that we should deny everything that has been done in order to present a solution to the existing problems.
Also, the candidates should not make impossible promises. You should speak in a way that if your recorded statements are replayed to you next year in Khordad, you do not feel ashamed. Make such promises that you would not have to blame other people under the pretext that they did not let you do what you wanted to do. Only make promises that you will be able to fulfill.
In our country and according to our Constitution, the president has extraordinary powers. The Constitution has given vast powers to the president. The president has control over the national budget. He has control over all executive pillars of the country. He has control over the implementation of the laws and regulations in the country. He has the power to utilize the capacities of all experts throughout the country. The president has room for maneuver in the case of different issues. The only thing that restricts the president in our country is the law. His actions can only be restricted by the law, which is not in fact a restriction. The law provides guidance: it does not restrict. The law shows the path and tells us how to move forward.
Those who address the people today and say different things, should discuss what they are capable of doing and what the people need. They should promise that they will act in a wise and prudent way. If they have plans for different areas, they should present their plans to the people. They should promise that they will move forward on this path in a persistent and steadfast way. They should promise that they will make use of all the capacities of the Constitution in order to carry out their great responsibility.
They should promise that they will manage the conditions of the country. They should promise that they will focus their efforts on the economy - which is a challenge that has been imposed on the Iranian nation by foreigners. They should promise that they will not create controversy. They should promise that they will not give their friends and relative a free rein. They should promise that they will not prefer the interests of foreigners over the interests of the Iranian nation under different pretexts.
Some people argue that we should make concessions to the enemies in order to appease them and in this way they effectively prefer the interests of the enemies over the interests of the Iranian nation. This is wrong. They are angry because you exist, because the Islamic Republic exists, because Imam (r.a.) is alive in the minds of the people and in our national plans, because the people show their feelings for Imam (r.a.) every year on his demise anniversary. These are the causes of their anger. The enemy\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s anger should be controlled and suppressed with our national power.
If our nation becomes powerful and capable, if it reduces its needs, if it eliminates its problems, if it manages to improve the economy which is our main issue today, the enemy will be defenseless against the Iranian nation. In any case, what is important is to have determination, faith in God, faith in the people and faith in ourselves, and this applies to both the presidential candidates and the people. My dear brothers, my dear ones, there will a great test in ten days, and by Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor we hope that in this great test Allah the Exalted will cause an auspicious instance of valor with brilliant outcomes for our nation. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"There is no power except with the permission of Great Almighty Allah.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
Greetings be upon you and Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s mercy and blessings
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The following is the full text of the speech delivered on June 4, 2013 by Ayatollah Khamenei the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution on the occasion of the demise anniversary of Imam Khomeini (r.a.). The speech was delivered at Imam Khomeini\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s shrine.
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, and peace and greetings be upon our Master and Prophet, Ab-al-Qassem al-Mustafa Muhammad, upon his immaculate, pure, chosen, guided and infallible household, especially the one remaining with Allah on earth.
We are thankful to Allah the Exalted who gave us another opportunity to commemorate our magnanimous Imam (r.a.) on such a day and express our respect for him. Although the memory of Imam (r.a.) is alive among our people at all times, the 14th of Khordad is the manifestation of the Iranian nation\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s love for him. This year the demise anniversary of Imam Khomeini (r.a.) has coincided with the martyrdom anniversary of his great ancestor, Imam Musa ibn Ja\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'far (a.s.). Also, this occasion has coincided with the 50th anniversary of the determining and important event that took place on the 15th of Khordad in the year 1342. The 15th of Khordad was an important historical juncture. I would like to briefly discuss a few points in this regard and then I will discuss the pressing issues that are necessary to discuss.
The 15th of Khordad was not the beginning of the great movement by the people and the clergy. Before the 15th of Khordad, important events had taken place in the year 1341 as well as at the beginning of the year 1342. For example, the event in Feiziyeh School took place on the 2nd of Farvardin in 1342: it resulted in the injury of seminarians and the insult to the great marja taqlid, the late Ayatollah Golpaygani. Before that event, towards the end of the year 1341, there were demonstrations in Tehran\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s bazaar and the great marja taqlid, the late Ayatollah Hajj Sayyid Ahmad Khansari, was insulted. These things show that the movement by the clergy had reached such levels in 1341 and early 1342 that security forces of the oppressive regime had started to treat seminarians, religious scholars and even marja taqlids in a brutal way.
However, the 15th of Khordad of 1342 was a very important juncture. The reason is that the event which took place on the 15th of Khordad revealed that the bond between the people and the clergy had reached a so-called dangerous level. In that year, on the anniversary of Ashura - which fell on the 13th of Khordad - our magnanimous Imam (r.a.) delivered a historic speech in Feiziyeh School. Later on when they had arrested Imam (r.a.), on the 15th of Khordad there was a great movement in Tehran as well as in Qom and other cities and the taghuti regime decided to do everything in its power to suppress the movement by relying on its army, police and security organizations.
There was a popular uprising on the 15th of Khordad, which was indicative of the strong bond between the people of Iran and the clergy and marja taqlids, who were represented by Imam (r.a.). The point is that it was this bond that ensured the spread and victory of the movement. Wherever a movement is supported by the people, that movement will prevail. But if the people do not develop a bond with a protest movement, that movement will fail. For example, after the Constitutional Movement in Iran, there were certain events and certain activities by both leftist and nationalist groups, but all of them were destined to fail because they did not have the support of the people.
When the people step into the arena and support a movement with their hearts and minds and with their presence, it becomes possible for that movement to prevail and achieve victory. The event that took place on the 15th of Khordad proved this point. It proved that our people support the clergy. The arrest of our magnanimous Imam (r.a.) resulted in such an uprising in Tehran and certain other parts of the country that the regime had to step in to suppress the people in a brutal way. A large number of people were killed. The streets of Tehran were covered with the blood of pious people and youth. On the 15th of Khordad, the brutal and ruthless nature of the taghuti regime was fully revealed.
Another point regarding the event which happened on the 15th of Khordad - a point to which our youth and dear people should pay attention - is that no international community and none of the so-called human rights organizations protested against the brutal killings in Tehran and other parts of the country. All of them stayed silent. The people and the clergy remained in the arena. Marxists and leftist groups and governments even condemned the popular movement of the 15th of Khordad. They said that it was a feudalist movement. The nationalists - who were claiming to support anti-government activities - also condemned the movement. They said that the movement was a blind and aimless movement, that it was a radical movement.
Wherever lazy people fail to take risks and play a role in the arena, they accuse pious combatants of extremism. They said that the movement was an extremist movement. They rejected it as a radical movement. Imam (r.a.) remained in the arena, relying on the support of the people, and he managed to present the image of a truly decisive and determined spiritual leader to all people and to all history.
Our magnanimous Imam (r.a.) had three beliefs which made him decisive, courageous and steadfast: namely, faith in God, faith in the people and faith in himself. These three beliefs revealed themselves in the character, decisions and actions of Imam (r.a.) in the true sense of the word. Imam (r.a.) spoke to the people through his heart and the people accepted his call with their heart and soul. They stepped into the arena and resisted in a brave way. Their movement - which had no sympathizers in the world and received no assistance - gradually moved towards ultimate victory.
I would like to briefly explain the three beliefs of Imam Khomeini (r.a.). The points I will discuss in this regard are important points that can illuminate our path only if they find their way into our hearts.
Regarding faith in God, Imam (r.a.) was the manifestation of this holy ayah: \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Those to whom the people said: Surely men have gathered against you, therefore fear them, but this increased their faith, and they said: Allah is sufficient for us and most excellent is the Protector.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, 3: 173] Imam (r.a.) was firmly committed to \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Allah is sufficient for us and most excellent is the Protector\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" with all his heart and soul. Imam (r.a.) had faith in Allah the Exalted. He had faith in divine promises. He acted, worked and spoke for the sake of God and he knew that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"if you help (the cause of) Allah, He will help you\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, 47: 7] is a divine promise and that it is definite and inviolable.
Regarding faith in the people, our magnanimous Imam (r.a.) knew the Iranian nation in the true sense of the word. Imam (r.a.) believed that our nation enjoys deep religious faith and is intelligent and courageous, a nation that has the capacity to shine like the sun in different areas only if it has competent leaders. One time an incompetent person like Shah Sultan Hussein caused the Iranian nation to retreat into a corner, but another time a courageous person like Nader Gholi - without those honorary titles - emerged among the people and became their leader by relying on his courage and as a result, our nation managed to expand the arena of its glory from Delhi to the Black Sea. Imam (r.a.) had noticed this truth about our history and he had witnessed the examples.
He believed in this truth. He knew our nation. He had faith in the Iranian nation. The people\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s deep religious faith - which had been concealed by materialistic people - was revived by our magnanimous Imam (r.a.). He provoked the people\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s religious pride and the Iranian nation became the role model of resistance and insight. In the eyes of our magnanimous Imam (r.a.), the people were the dearest and enemies of the people were the most hated. The fact that Imam (r.a.) did not stop his battle against the domineering powers even for one single moment, was mainly because the domineering powers were enemies of the people\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s happiness, and Imam (r.a.) believed that enemies of the people were his enemies too.
As for self-confidence, Imam (r.a.) taught the people of Iran to be confident. Before instilling a sense of confidence into the people of Iran, Imam (r.a.) first revived this sense of self-confidence in himself. He exhibited his faith in his capabilities in the true sense of the word. On the anniversary of Ashura in the year 1342, while he was alone, Imam (r.a.) threatened the Shah that he would ask the people of Iran to force him out of the country if he continued acting like that. He said this among the people and seminarians of Qom in Feiziyeh School and he threatened Mohammadreza Shah, who was wielding unrestricted power in the country by relying on America and other foreign powers. This threat was made by a cleric in Qom who had no weapons, no equipment, no money and no international support. He managed to resist in this arena by relying on his faith in God and in himself.
The day when Imam (r.a.) returned from exile, he threatened the government of Bakhtiar at Behesht Zahra Cemetery and he announced in a resonating voice that he would punch Bakhtiar\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s government in the mouth and that he would establish another government. This was indicative of Imam\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s (r.a.) self-confidence. Imam (r.a.) had faith in himself and in his capabilities. It was this self-confidence that was transferred to the people of Iran through his words and actions.
My dear ones, for a hundred years, they had convinced us that we were incapable, incapable of managing the country, incapable of achieving dignity and glory, incapable of developing the country, incapable of moving forward in the arena of knowledge and other such things. And we had started to believe these things.
Instilling a sense of inability - with the purpose of making nations lose faith in their capabilities - is one of the effective ways in which domineering powers spread their domination over different nations. In this way, they managed to keep the Iranian nation backwards in politics, science and economic activities as well as in all other arenas of life. Imam (r.a.) reversed this situation and took this means of hegemony away from the superpowers. He told the Iranian nation, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"You can.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" He restored our courage. He restored our determination. He restored our self-confidence. We people of Iran felt that we were capable again. We moved forward and we took action. For this reason, the Iranian nation has achieved victory over the past thirty-something in all the areas that I will discuss later on in this meeting.
These three beliefs of Imam (r.a.) - namely faith in God, faith in the people and faith in himself - became the axis of all his decisions, actions and policies. At the beginning of the movement, these three beliefs were a source of energy for Imam (r.a.). The same is true of the time when he was in exile, the time when he left for Paris and the time when he returned to Iran. It was these three beliefs that gave Imam (r.a.) the power to enter Tehran in those conditions. These three beliefs were exhibited in the events that happened during Bahman of 1357, in the fitnas that happened in the country, in the establishment of the Islamic Republic, in his open resistance against the oppressive global order, in the slogan of \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"neither the East, nor the West\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\", in the imposed war and in all the events that took place in those eventful ten years of Imam\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s life. These three beliefs were the basis of Imam\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s decisions, actions and policies.
Even in the last few days of his life, nobody noticed any signs of despair, doubt, exhaustion, weakness or submission in the words and actions of our magnanimous Imam (r.a.). Many revolutionaries throughout the world start to have doubts and become conservative as they grow older. Sometimes they even take back their main statements. The statements that were issued by Imam (r.a.) during the last few years of his life were sometimes even more strongly worded and revolutionary than his statements in the year 1342. He was growing old, but he was young at heart and his soul was vibrant. This is the same steadfastness that has been described in the Holy Quran: \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"And that if they should keep to the (right) way, We would certainly give them to drink of abundant water.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, 72: 16] In another ayah, Allah the Exalted says: \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"(As for) those who say: Our Lord is Allah, then continue in the right way, the angels descend upon them, saying: Fear not, nor be grieved, and receive good news of the garden which you were promised.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, 41: 30]
These three beliefs kept Imam (r.a.) young and vibrant. They consolidated Imam\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s thought and path for our nation and then these three beliefs gradually spread among our people, our youth and individuals from different social backgrounds. These three beliefs created hope. They created self-confidence. They resulted in reliance on God. These things replaced despair and pessimism. The people of Iran changed their characteristics and Allah the Exalted changed their conditions. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Surely Allah does not change the condition of a people until they change their own condition.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, 13: 11] The people of Iran reformed their path, their movement and their motives and Allah the Exalted helped and supported them. What was the result? The result was that Iran became an independent country.
There are many lessons that our dear youth should learn from the dependence of the taghuti Pahlavi regime - which is was even worse than the reactionary and disgraced Qajar regime - on England and subsequently on America. Their dependence had reached a disgraceful level. After the Revolution, an outstanding American diplomat mentioned the same thing in his writings. He said that it was the Americans who used to tell the Shah what he needed and what he did not need. It was the Americans who used to tell him with whom to establish relations and with whom not to. They used to tell him how much oil he had to produce and sell. It was the Americans who used to tell him to whom he should sell oil and to whom he should not.
Our country used to be managed on the basis of America\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s policies and plans, and before that our country used to be run on the basis of the plans and policies of England. That dependent country transformed into an independent and proud country. Corrupt, treasonous and materialistic rulers, who were immersed in their carnal desires and human passions, were in charge of our country. They were replaced by representatives of the people. They were replaced by officials who had been elected by the people. In the past thirty-something years, the individuals who have assumed power in our country and taken control of our policies and economy, have been representatives of the people. They did not line their own pockets after assuming power, which is a very important point. Of course, some of them were more pious than others.
Those evil, dependent and greedy politicians who were submissive against the enemies and treated the people in an angry way, were replaced by representatives of the people. Our scientifically backward country transformed into a country that was advanced in terms of science. Before the Revolution, we had not made any scientific achievements in the country. Today international centers say that the rate of Iran\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s scientific progress is eleven times more than the global average. Is this an insignificant achievement? International scientific centers predict that in a few years - by the year 2017 - Iran will rank fourth in the world in terms of science. Is this an insignificant accomplishment? Our country, which had made no scientific achievements, has achieved this position.
There was a time we had to ask foreigners to send their engineers to our country to build dams, roads and factories for us whenever we needed a road, a highway, a dam or a factory. Today Iranian youth are building thousands of factories and hundreds of dams, bridges, roads and highways in the country without receiving the slightest help from foreigners. Today our scientific and technological growth and our capabilities to develop the country have reached this level. Would it be appropriate if we ignored these things?
In areas relating to health and medicine, Iranian patients who had the money had to travel to Europe for slightly complicated operations, and those who did not have the money had to die. Today the most complicated operations - liver transplants, lung transplants and important things in other medical areas - are being carried out in our country, not just in Tehran but in many distant cities across the country. These capabilities exist today in our country. The Iranian nation does not need foreigners in this area. Our nation has achieved independence and self-sufficiency in this vital area.
Many parts of this country had been ignored. Before the Revolution, I used to travel to different places across the country. Remote parts of the country used to be completelyignored. However, different services are being offered in different parts of the country, including remote towns and villages. Today nobody can say that a particular area does not have electricity or roads and other such things. Before the Revolution, it was surprising to see a remote place that enjoyed such facilities. Today the opposite is surprising. At that time, our population was 35 million and there were 150,000 university students in the country. Today our population has increased a hundred percent, but the number of our university students has increased by 20, even 30 times. This means that we have paid attention to science. The number of students, professors and universities in the country is remarkable. In every remote town, there are one, two, five and sometimes ten universities. At that time, there were certain provinces in which the number of high schools was less than ten. Today in every city of the same provinces, there are several universities. This is a great movement by the people of Iran which is the result of the Revolution and selfless efforts of Iranian youth and government officials over the past thirty-something years. These are important developments. Thanks to the Revolution, many infrastructure-related projects were carried out in the country. Thousands of factories were built. Many mother companies were built. The products which we had to beg for and buy in small amounts from foreigners are being mass produced in the country today. It is necessary to see these things. All of these things are the blessings of the three beliefs that Imam (r.a.) instilled into our nation: faith in God, faith in the people and faith in oneself.
I am not saying these things in order to create a false sense of pride and happiness. I am not saying these things to make you feel happy and thankful for the victory that has been achieved. No, there is still a long way to go. I would say that if we compare our conditions with the era of taghut, these achievements will look remarkable, but we will realize that we have a long way to go if we compare our conditions with the conditions of an ideal Islamic Iran - namely, a country which Islam wants us to have, a society that Islam wants us to have, a society in which there is worldly pride and welfare as well as religious faith, ethics and spirituality, all in abundance. I am saying these things so that our dear youth and our courageous nation realize that they can continue this path by relying on the three beliefs that I spoke about. You should know that there is a long way to go, but you have the capability. You have the power to continue this path. You have the necessary means. You can continue traversing this long path at a high speed until you reach the peaks in a powerful way. I am saying these things so that you realize that the enemies who want to create despair in our hearts are acting out of spite. All the signs show that we should remain hopeful.
The roadmap lies in front of our eyes. We have a roadmap. What is this roadmap? Our roadmap is the principles of our magnanimous Imam (r.a.), the same principles that transformed that backward and humiliated nation into this pioneering and proud nation. These principles will be useful for us along the path and they will be our roadmap. Imam\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s principles are clear principles. Fortunately, his statements and writings have been made available to our people in the form of twenty-something volumes [of Imam Khomeini\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s speeches] and the main points have been presented in his testament. Everybody can refer to those documents and read them. I believe it is not advisable to keep mentioning the name of Imam (r.a.) but let his principles sink into oblivion. This is wrong. The name and memory of Imam (r.a.) is not sufficient in itself. Imam (r.a.) will remain a leader for our nation with his principles and his roadmap. Imam (r.a.) gave this roadmap to us. He had specific principles.
As for domestic policy, the principles of Imam (r.a.) require relying on the votes of the people, preserving unity of the people, choosing rulers who are populist and non-aristocratic [humble], having government officials who are committed to national interests and making comprehensive efforts in order to bring about progress for the country.
As far as foreign policy is concerned, the principles of Imam (r.a.) require that we put up a resistance against interventionist and domineering policies, that we establish brotherly relations with other Muslim nations, that we develop relations with all countries except the ones that have drawn their swords against the Iranian nation and are being hostile, that we fight Zionism, that we resist in order to liberate Palestine, that we help oppressed people throughout the world and that we put up a resistance against oppressors. Imam\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s testament is available to us. His writings and statements have been recorded and are available in the form of books.
Regarding culture, the principles of Imam (r.a.) require rejection of the permissive Western culture, rejection of rigidity and reactionary attitudes, rejection of hypocrisy in religion, decisive defense of ethics and Islamic commands, and fighting the spread of immorality and corruption in society.
As for economic matters, the principles of Imam (r.a.) require relying on the national economy, relying on self-sufficiency, ensuring economic justice in production and distribution, defending underprivileged people and confronting the capitalist culture coupled with respect for ownership rights. Imam (r.a.) rejected the oppressive capitalist culture, but he also stressed the need for respecting ownership and property rights, capital and labor. Also, the principles of Imam (r.a.) require that we resist melting into the global economy and that we preserve independence of our national economy. These are Imam\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s principles regarding economic matters. These things are obvious in Imam\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s statements.
Imam (r.a.) always demanded government officials of the country to implement these principles in a powerful and wise way. This was the roadmap of our magnanimous Imam (r.a.). The Iranian nation can bridge the gap between current conditions and those ideal conditions by following this roadmap, by relying on their firm religious faith, by remembering their Imam (r.a.). The Iranian nation can move forward. Considering its capabilities and talent and the outstanding individuals who are thankfully present among our people, the Iranian nation can continue the revolutionary path that we have been following over the past thirty-something years with more power and firmer determination. By Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor, our nation will be able to become a genuine role model for other Muslim nations.
Now let me speak about the elections, which is a sensitive and current issue these days. Dear brothers and sisters and dear people of Iran, elections are the manifestation of all the three beliefs of Imam Khomeini (r.a.) and we should have faith in the same things. Elections are the manifestation of faith in God, because taking part in elections is a religious obligation. It is our responsibility to play a role in the destiny of our country. Everybody in our country has this responsibility. Elections are the manifestation of faith in the people, because the will of the people manifests itself in the form of elections: it is the people who choose government officials through elections. Elections are the manifestation of having faith in oneself, because anybody who casts his vote into the ballot box feels that he is playing a role in the destiny of the country and that his role is determining in its own right. This is a very important point. Therefore, elections are the manifestation of faith in God, faith in the people and faith in oneself.
Giving rise to political valor through epic presence of the people at our polling stations is the most important point regarding the upcoming elections. What is the meaning of valor? Valor means that the attempt to achieve glory should be accompanied by excitement and enthusiasm. Every vote that you cast into the ballot box for any of the eight honorable candidates is a vote for the Islamic Republic. A vote for any of the candidates is a vote for the Islamic Republic: it is a vote of confidence for the [political] system and its electoral mechanism. When you enter the arena of elections - either as a voter or as a candidate - your mere presence in this arena means that you have confidence in the Islamic Republic and in our electoral mechanism. On a less important level, your presence results in a vote for the person whom you consider as more valuable for the future of the country than the other candidates.
Our helpless foreign enemies are thinking of a way to turn this election into a threat against the Islamic Republic. This is while an election is a great opportunity for the Islamic Republic. They are hoping for a cold and lifeless election so that they can say the people are not interested in the Islamic Republic or they can create a fitna after the election, just as they did in the year 1388 after that enthusiastic election. These are what the enemies of our nation are after. But they are making a mistake. They do not know our people.
The enemies of our nation have forgotten the 9th of Dey. Those who think that in our country there is a silent majority who are opposed to the Islamic Republic, have forgotten that over the past thirty-four years massive numbers of people have taken to the streets every year on the 22nd of Bahman in different cities of our country in order to support the Islamic Republic and shout \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"death to America\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\". In order to make our elections lifeless, their think tanks constantly produce ideas and feed them to their media and their spokesmen. One day they say our elections have been engineered, another day they say our elections are not free, yet another day they say our elections are not legitimate in the eyes of the people. They do not know our people, neither do they know our elections and the Islamic Republic. And those who are aware of the facts, make unfair comments. They do not shrink from making such comments.
In which part of the world are different candidates - ranging from famous figures to unknown individuals - allowed to use national and state media equally? If somebody knows an exception, he should come forward and say it. In which part of the world does such a thing exist? Does it exist in America? Does it exist in capitalist countries? In capitalist countries, if candidates are members of the existing two or three parties and enjoy the support of capitalists, company owners, wealthy people and mafias of wealth and power, they can campaign and if not, they cannot even campaign.
Anybody who has followed American elections - which I have - will confirm this. There were certain individuals who did not enjoy the support of the Zionists and blood-thirsty international capitalist networks, and they could not enter the arena of election no matter how hard they tried. They neither had access to a media outlet, nor were any TV channels available to them. For every second of campaigning, they had to spend huge amounts of money. In our country, candidates are given equal opportunities to speak to the people for many hours through state media without having to spend one single rial. In which part of the world do such things exist?
The only thing that controls entry into our elections is the law. According to the law, some people can run in our elections and some others cannot. The law has specified what the conditions are, what the qualifications are and who are in charge of vetting. All of these things are being done on the basis of the law. Our foreign enemies close their eyes to these realities and say certain things, and as I have pointed out before, sadly there are impious people who repeat the same things. But by Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor and with their presence, resistance and firm determination, our people will respond to all these machinations and their response will be crushing and decisive.
Now I would like to give a piece of advice to the honorable candidates. The honorable candidates speak critically in the televised programs. This is their right. They can criticize whatever they believe should be criticized. However, they should pay attention to the point that criticism should signify a determination to move towards a future that is full of hard work and glory. It should not signify an effort to paint a bleak picture and promote pessimism and unfair comments. They should pay attention to this point. I do not favor anybody. From this moment onwards, foreign media will say with ulterior motives that I favor a particular candidate. This is a lie. I do not favor anybody. I only lay out the facts.
I advise the brothers who want to win the people\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s trust that their comments should be fair. They can make criticisms, but in doing so, they should not paint a bleak picture and deny the outstanding achievements that have been accomplished under the incumbent administration or previous administrations thanks to the constant efforts of individuals like themselves.
Criticism does not mean denying positive aspects. Criticism means that one should point out the positive thing that has been done and then point out the weaknesses and flaws as well. The next president will not have to start from zero: thousands of outstanding things have already been done. Over the course of many years, thousands of fundamental infrastructure-related projects have been carried out in the country under different administrations. There has been scientific progress. There has been industrial progress. There has been progress in areas relating to infrastructure. Very important things have been planned and implemented in different areas. They should not disregard these things. Whenever they want to do something, they should start from the achievements that have already been made. We cannot afford to deny all this work under the pretext that we have economic problems, that we have the problem of rising prices and inflation. After all, this is not the right thing to do. Yes, we have economic problems and inflation. By Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor, the person who will be voted into office will be able to resolve these problems and remove these obstacles. This is the wish of the Iranian nation. However, this does not mean that we should deny everything that has been done in order to present a solution to the existing problems.
Also, the candidates should not make impossible promises. You should speak in a way that if your recorded statements are replayed to you next year in Khordad, you do not feel ashamed. Make such promises that you would not have to blame other people under the pretext that they did not let you do what you wanted to do. Only make promises that you will be able to fulfill.
In our country and according to our Constitution, the president has extraordinary powers. The Constitution has given vast powers to the president. The president has control over the national budget. He has control over all executive pillars of the country. He has control over the implementation of the laws and regulations in the country. He has the power to utilize the capacities of all experts throughout the country. The president has room for maneuver in the case of different issues. The only thing that restricts the president in our country is the law. His actions can only be restricted by the law, which is not in fact a restriction. The law provides guidance: it does not restrict. The law shows the path and tells us how to move forward.
Those who address the people today and say different things, should discuss what they are capable of doing and what the people need. They should promise that they will act in a wise and prudent way. If they have plans for different areas, they should present their plans to the people. They should promise that they will move forward on this path in a persistent and steadfast way. They should promise that they will make use of all the capacities of the Constitution in order to carry out their great responsibility.
They should promise that they will manage the conditions of the country. They should promise that they will focus their efforts on the economy - which is a challenge that has been imposed on the Iranian nation by foreigners. They should promise that they will not create controversy. They should promise that they will not give their friends and relative a free rein. They should promise that they will not prefer the interests of foreigners over the interests of the Iranian nation under different pretexts.
Some people argue that we should make concessions to the enemies in order to appease them and in this way they effectively prefer the interests of the enemies over the interests of the Iranian nation. This is wrong. They are angry because you exist, because the Islamic Republic exists, because Imam (r.a.) is alive in the minds of the people and in our national plans, because the people show their feelings for Imam (r.a.) every year on his demise anniversary. These are the causes of their anger. The enemy\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s anger should be controlled and suppressed with our national power.
If our nation becomes powerful and capable, if it reduces its needs, if it eliminates its problems, if it manages to improve the economy which is our main issue today, the enemy will be defenseless against the Iranian nation. In any case, what is important is to have determination, faith in God, faith in the people and faith in ourselves, and this applies to both the presidential candidates and the people. My dear brothers, my dear ones, there will a great test in ten days, and by Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor we hope that in this great test Allah the Exalted will cause an auspicious instance of valor with brilliant outcomes for our nation. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"There is no power except with the permission of Great Almighty Allah.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
Greetings be upon you and Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s mercy and blessings
Part 2 (Must Watch) Tehran Sermon - Rehbar Syed Ali Khamenie Speech - English & Persian
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution has described the \\\\\\\'unprecedented\\\\\\\' turnout of almost 85% in the election as a \\\\\\\'political quake\\\\\\\' for the enemy.
Ayatollah Seyyed...
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution has described the \\\\\\\'unprecedented\\\\\\\' turnout of almost 85% in the election as a \\\\\\\'political quake\\\\\\\' for the enemy.
Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said high turnout in the election, which witnessed more than 40 million Iranians casting their votes, was a great manifestation of people\\\\\\\'s solidarity with the Islamic establishment.
Addressing Friday prayers congregation, Ayatollah Khamenei said that last Friday\\\\\\\'s election indicated a \\\\\\\'common sense of responsibility\\\\\\\' of the Iranian nation to determine the future of the country.
The Leader added that all those who took part in the election proved their \\\\\\\'political consciousness and commitment\\\\\\\' towards the establishment to the whole world.
The Leader said the high voter turnout in the election was a \\\\\\\'political quake\\\\\\\' for the enemy and a \\\\\\\'real celebration\\\\\\\' for the friends of the country.
\\\\\\\"The Islamic Republic of Iran will by no means betray the votes of the nation,\\\\\\\" the Leader said, adding the legal system of the election will not allow any ballot rigging in Iran.
Ayatollah Khamenei, however, maintained that the Guardian Council, the body tasked with overseeing the election, would look into the complaints of the candidates who are unhappy with the election results.
The Leader also added that the establishment would never give-in to illegal demands, urging all presidential candidates to pursue their complaints through legal channels. Ayatollah Khamenei called for an end to illegal street protests aimed at reversing the result of the election.
Following the announcement of the election outcome, supporters of the defeated candidate Mir-Hussein Mousavi-who rejected the election results-- took to the streets of Tehran and other cities in daily rallies.
The Leader also warned against attempts made by foreign media outlets seeking to destabilize the country and blamed Britain in particular. Ayatollah Khamenei also decried the slander of former and incumbent top officials in pre-election debates by candidates.
President Ahmadinejad was re-elected the next president of the country with over 60% percent of the votes.
He won over his three rivals Mir-Hossein Mousavi, Mehdi Karroubi and Mohsen Rezaei with almost 25 million votes.
The Leader said the time is over for rivalry, stressing that all should unite and line up behind the president-elect
Complete Transcript
http://www.presstv.com/detail.aspx?id=98610
In this sermon, I call all the respected brothers and sisters who have attended the Friday prayers here to piety and I advise them against any wrongdoing.
In this sermon, I will address the issue of the election, which is a hot topic in our country.
I want to address three different groups on three different issues; firstly, I want to address the general public. Secondly, I want to address the political elite, the candidates of the presidential election, activists and those who have been active in the process of election.
I also have something to say to the leaders of the global arrogance, certain Western governments and their media.
On the first issue, where I address you dear people, I want to express my appreciation and gratitude. I do not like to exaggerate while I am addressing my audience, but regarding the recent election, I must tell you great people that no matter what I say, words cannot describe the greatness of your great accomplishment.
The June 12 election was a great show of the people\\\\\\\'s sense of responsibility, their will to participate, and their dedication to the system.
Truly, I have never heard of anything similar to what you have accomplished taking place in any of the democratic systems around the world, whether they are false democracies or truly built on their people\\\\\\\'s vote.
In the Islamic Republic, aside from the 1979 referendum, there has no election like the one held last Friday with a turnout of almost 85 percent. This means almost 40 million voters. You can see the presence of the 12 and last Shia Imam behind this. This is a sign of God\\\\\\\'s blessing to us.
It is necessary that I address you all across the nation from the depths of my heart, to express my respect and tell you that I feel humble in your presence.
Our young generation showed and proved they have insight and that like the first generation of the Islamic Revolution, they are committed. The difference is, during the days of the revolution, revolutionary fire burned in the hearts of all. It was the same is the days of the imposed war but in a different sense.
Today, however, there is no more of that but we still witness this commitment, this sense of responsibility, this understanding and fervor in our youth. This is not something that can be ignored.
Of course, there are differences of taste and of opinion among our people. Some people support a certain candidate; others back another person and his words and ideas. This is natural, but you can see a collective commitment amid all this and amongst people of all walks of life. You can see a consensus, a collective commitment to the protection of our country and system.
Everyone entered the political scene in villages, towns, cities, major cities, different ethnic groups, people of different faiths, men, women, young and old. They all entered the scene. They all took part in this great movement.
My dear people, this election was a political tremor for your enemies. For your friends across the world, it was a real celebration -- a historical ceremony and victory.
Thirty years after the victory of the Islamic Revolution, such a huge turnout and show of commitment to the Islamic system and the late Imam [Khomeini] shows the renewal of the pledge of allegiance to the late Imam and the martyrs. This was a breath of fresh air, a new movement and a great opportunity for the Islamic system.
This election put religious democracy on display for the whole world to witness. All ill-wishers of the Islamic establishment saw for themselves the meaning of religious democracy.
This is an alternative path in the face of dictatorships and arrogant regimes on the one side and democracies devoid of spirituality and religion on the other. This is religious democracy. This is what brings the hearts of people together and draws them to the scene.
This is the first point I wanted to make about the election. The second point is that the June 12 election showed that people live with trust, hope and national enthusiasm in this country.
This is against a great deal of comments your enemies make in their propaganda. If the people of this country were not hopeful about their future, they would not have taken part in any election.
If people were not dedicated to the Islamic establishment, they would have never voted. If they did not feel free, they would have never shown up at polling stations. The trust they have in the Islamic system was evident in this election.
Later on, I will tell you how the enemy targeted the very trust of the people in the Islamic establishment. This trust is the very thing they want to crush. This trust is the greatest asset of the Islamic system, so they want to take it away from the Islamic establishment.
They want to cast doubt on the election and weaken the confidence of the people in the system. They want to cause the people to panic. The enemies of the Iranian nation know that without trust there would have been a low turnout.
A low turnout would have questioned the legitimacy of the establishment. That is what they are after. They wanted to take away your [people] trust and keep you away from the polls to target this legitimacy, and if they had achieved this goal, the damage done would have been incomparable to any other.
For the people to come to the polls en masse and then be told that they made a mistake and should not have trusted the Islamic establishment, this is an enemy game.
This path is the same one they pursued even before the elections. A few months before the election, in late march, I said in Mashhad that the enemy has started whispers and rumors that their will be vote rigging. They were preparing the grounds for the events of today.
I advised our friends in the country not to repeat what the enemy wants to plant in people\\\\\\\'s minds. The Islamic establishment has the people\\\\\\\'s trust and it has not gained this trust easily.
For the past 30 years, authorities in the Islamic Republic have managed to maintain this trust, with their performance and painstaking efforts.
The third issue I want to touch upon is the issue of rivalry. This competition was a free, serious and transparent race between four candidates as we all witnessed.
These competitions, debates and discussion were so transparent that some began to voice objections. I will tell you that to they had the right to object to some extent.
Certain problems were also created that resulted in what you see today. I must tell you that we were and still are under the impression that these rivalries were between the four candidates who are all individuals committed to the system.
The Enemies want to portray the situation in the media - some of which belong to the Zionists -as if there is a row between the proponents and opponents of the Islamic Republic. No, this is not the case, this very untrue.
The four candidates who entered the presidential race all belonged and still belong to the Islamic establishment. One of these four is the president of our country - a hardworking and trustworthy president. One of them is the two-term prime minister, he served the country when I myself was president. He was my prime minister for eight years. One of them was the commander of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps and one of the wartime commanders. One them was two-time head of parliament and Majlis speaker. They are all members of our Islamic establishment.
Of course, they have differences of opinion and plans that differ from one another. But, they all belong to this Islamic establishment. This race was defined within the framework of the system. It was not a competition between insiders and outsiders as the Zionist and the US were trying to portray. No, this was a competition within the framework of the system between members of the system.
I know them all personally, I know their system of thought and their tastes very well. I am familiar with their personalities. I have worked with all of them closely. I know them all. But of course, I do not share all their views. I believe some of their views and executive records are subject to criticism.
I see some more suitable to serve the country than others. But, this is up to the people to decide, and this is exactly what happened, they chose who they wanted.
My desire and my choice was never announced nor was there any need for the people to pay heed to it. The people had their own criteria and this is what they based their decision on. Millions here and outside the country decided for themselves. This is an internal issue.
Misrepresenting the problem is underhand. The row is not between insiders of the system and outsiders. The row is not between revolutionary and anti-revolutionary forces, it is a difference of opinion between the members of the Islamic Revolution.
People who voted for these four candidates, voted with faith in the system. They believed their candidate of choice was better for the country so they voted for him. They voted in favor of the person they found most competent.
Well, these campaigns and debates were an important and interesting initiative. They were very clear, to the point and serious. The televised debates proved wrong those who were trying to say from the outside that these competitions are formalities.
They saw that these rivalries are real and serious. They saw that they are really battling it out and exchanging viewpoints. From this perspective, these debates were positive. But, they also had some negative points which I will touch upon.
The positive aspect was that in these televised discussions and debates everyone spoke their mind clearly and casually. A flood of criticism followed. Everyone was forced to respond. Everyone was criticized and they defended themselves. The stances that these individuals and groups had were unveiled before the eyes of the nation. They talked about their plans, commitments and projects.
All this was publicized for the people so that they could judge for themselves. People felt that in the Islamic system they are not the outsiders. Everything was clearly laid out before the people.
They were shown that the nature of their vote is not ceremonial. The right to vote truly does belong to the people. People want to have the right to choose. This is what the televised debates indicated.
One of the main reasons that ten million additional voters participated in this election was because the people\\\\\\\'s minds had been engaged, therefore they came and voted for the candidate of their choice.
These debates found their way into the streets and homes. These debates helped the people become better informed and hence make better decisions. The Islamic establishment is in favor of such debates.
Note that such debates should not be steered in a direction that may cause people to hold grudges against one another. If these debates had remained within their intended framework, they would have been positive. But when they turn into arguments than they will gradually bring grudges and hard feelings.
Of course, such debates should continue at managerial levels, but without a negative aspect. Officials should allow criticism and feel responsible to answer. If an individual is criticized, he must see it as an opportunity to enlighten the people and reveal fact and truth.
If these debates are regularly carried out [as normal government practice], at election time when there are such debates we would not witness such reactions. All arguments would emerge and all ideas would be exchanged over time. These are the positive aspects of such debates.
But, there have also been some negative aspects to the debates that need to be dealt with. In some cases, we saw that logical points were undermined and emotional and destructive responses dominated the debate.
There were efforts to portray the last four years as a dark era. There were also attempts to portray previous administrations in a similar light. Allegations were made that have not been proven in any court, rumors were used as a reference, and unjust remarks were made.
This administration, despite the excellent services it had rendered came under unjust attacks. Similarly, the performance of previous governments in the past 30 years came under attack. The candidates gave in to their emotions.
They made some positive points. They also raised some unpleasant negative issues. Like the rest of the nation, I sat and watched these TV debates. I took pride in the freedom of speech I witnessed. I enjoyed the fact that the Islamic Republic has been able to aid the people in deciding their future, but the shortcomings saddened me.
For supporters of the candidates the shortcomings and negative aspects were also a cause for concern; both sides were a party to this... both sides had their problems.
On the one hand, insults were hurled against the president of the country, even two to three months prior to these debates, speeches were brought to me and in them, I read the insults made and the accusations leveled against the president of the country who was elected by the vote of the people. They accused him of lying. This is not good. They fabricated documents against the government and distributed them everywhere.
I saw what was going on. They [accusations] were all untrue and contrary to the facts. They swore at the president, called him superstitious, and called him names. They closed their eyes to ethics and the law.
On the other hand, almost the same thing happened. The performance of the past 30 years of the Revolution was brought under question. People were named who are among the system\\\\\\\'s veteran figures.
They are people who have dedicated their lives to this establishment. Never before have I mentioned people by name in the Friday prayer sermons, but today, I have to mention some names, particularly Mr. [Akbar] Hashemi Rafsanjani, Mr. [Ali Akbar] Nateq-Nouri. I must mention their names and point out that nobody has accused them of corruption.
Now, if anyone has any claims or complaints regarding their [Hashemi Rafsanjani and Nateq-Nouri\\\\\\\'s] relatives they should refer to judicial authorities.
You cannot raise these issues in the media before they are proven. If it is proven, you can raise the issue as every member of society is equal, but you are not allowed to make claims. When such things are mentioned, misunderstandings are the outcome. This can cause misunderstandings for the younger generation.
Everyone knows Mr. Hashemi. My relationship with him goes back to before the Islamic Revolution. I have known him for more than 25 years. Mr. Hashemi was one of the main revolutionary figures.
He was one of the most active proponents of the revolution, and after the Islamic Revolution, he was one of the main political figures serving the people alongside the late Imam, And after the departure of the founder of the Islamic Revolution he has been alongside the leadership to date.
On several occasions, there were assassination attempts on his life. Before the revolution, he donated his possessions for the revolutionary cause. Our youth should know these facts. After the revolution, he had different responsibilities.
For eight years, he served as the president and before that he was the parliament speaker. He held other sensitive positions as well. Throughout these years, I am not aware of one incident in which he gathered wealth. These are the facts that everyone should know.
In the most sensitive of periods, he served the revolution and the establishment. Of course, my opinion and Mr. Rafsanjani\\\\\\\'s differs on numerous issues, which is natural. However, we should not create any misunderstandings for the people.
The president and Mr. Rafsanjani have had differences of opinion since the president took office in 2005. They have differences of opinion in foreign policy, in the manner of spreading social justice as well as on some cultural issues. However, the president\\\\\\\'s ideas are closer to mine.
The same goes fort Mr. Nateq-Nouri. He has also served the revolution, rendered great services for the establishment and there is not a shred of doubt about that.
The live televised debates are a positive step, but these shortcomings should be removed. After the debates, I had a talk with the president because I knew he would listen to me. The stance of the Islamic establishment is clear-cut regarding corruption and social justice. Corruption should be fought anywhere it is traced.
There is a point I want to make here. We do not claim that our establishment is free of all economic and financial corruption. Yes, there is corruption. If there was no corruption, I would not have written the eight-point letter to the heads of the legislative, judiciary, and executive branches of the country.
We have corruption, but the Islamic establishment is one of the healthiest establishments in the world today. However, it is not right to accuse the country of corruption based on some Zionist reports and sources.
Moreover, questioning the credibility of statesmen goes beyond the bounds of decency. Financial corruption is an important issue in the Islamic establishment. The judiciary, executive and legislative branches of the country must do everything within their power to fight against it.
Everyone is duty-bound to fight corruption. If corruption is not contained, it will spread in the same manner as you see occurring in many countries…. They are struggling with an alarming level of corruption as you have heard about in the UK. This is only a fraction of the scandal as it goes way beyond what has been publicized.
Let me summarize the points I made. The Friday election was a historical event, which touched the entire world. Some of our enemies, however, attempted to cast doubt over this absolute and definitive victory. Some even attempted to portray it as a national defeat.
They did not want you to enjoy this victory. They did not want to see the highest turnout in the world go down in history in your name. However, it has happened, it has been recorded in history. They cannot manipulate this.
The time for rivalry is passed... These four candidates have all fought in the battlefront of this revolution and they are members of this establishment. Forty million people went to the polls and cast their votes for this revolution.
It was not only the 24 million votes that went to the president; 40 million votes were cast in favor of the revolution. The people have trust [in the establishment], and all supporters of candidates should rest assured that the Islamic establishment would never betray the people\\\\\\\'s trust.
In fact, the electoral system of the country does not allow for any vote rigging, which is testified to by all those in charge of the election process.
When there is a margin of one hundred thousand or one million at most, then one can doubt that there may have been some form of manipulation or irregularity; however, when there is a difference of eleven million votes, how could any vote rigging have taken place?
However, as I have said, and the Guardian Council has accepted, if some people have doubts then it should be dealt with through legal channels. Everything must be dealt strictly though legal channels. I will never accept illegal demands.
If the legal frameworks are breached today, then no future election can be guaranteed. In every election, there is only one winner, and of course, some defeated candidates. Complaints, if there is any doubt, should be pursued through legal channels. We have a comprehensive and competent legal system.
Just as the candidates have the right to appoint observers, they are given the right to file complaints. I have requested the Guardian Council conduct a partial vote recount in the presence of the candidates and their representatives. We have no problem with this.
I want to address the politicians, candidates and political parties at this point. We are at a critical historical juncture. Look at current world affairs, the situation in the Middle East, global economic woes and the situation in our neighboring countries.
We are duty bound to remain vigilant and to be careful not to commit mistakes at this critical point in time. In the election, people fulfilled their duty in the best way possible, which was by going to the polls. We have heavier responsibilities on our shoulders now.
Those figures who are looked up to by the people and politicians, should be cautious about their words and deeds. If they show any amount of extremist attitude, it will penetrate into the ranks of the people.
It may have dangerous consequences and may eventually get out of control. Extremism in society will trigger or fan other extremist moves in the country. If political elites disobey the law and make wrong decisions, they will be held accountable for any violent actions or rioting that ensues.
I urge these people, these friends of mine, to exercise restraint and patience. You should see enemy hands at work [against the country]. You should see hungry wolves laying in ambush. They are taking off their masks of diplomacy and are showing their true colors. I urge you to open your eyes and see the enemy.
In the past few days the prominent diplomats of some Western countries, which have been dealing with us through diplomatic rhetoric, have removed their masks. Today you can see their true face. They are now showing their enmity toward the Islamic establishment and the most treacherous of them all is Britain.
I tell these brothers of ours to think of their responsibility. You are responsible before God. I call on you to remember what Imam has written in his will; the law has the final say.
All differences should be settled at the ballot box. This is what elections are for, to let ballot boxes and not the streets determine what the people want.
If after every election, the supporters of the candidates who have lost take to streets and the supporters of the candidate who has won respond in the same manner, then what need would we have for elections?
Why should the people have to suffer? We should not take to the streets to show off with the number of our supporters to the people. Such acts are not a political issue for those terrorists who take advantage of the situation to hide among the masses in order to carry out their agenda.
It is a very good cover for these saboteurs. Who will take responsible for this? Some of the people who were killed in these riots were ordinary people, ordinary Basij members. Who will be held accountable for this?
They may start taking advantage of this situation to assassinate Basij members, which will naturally provoke emotional reactions. Who is to be held responsible for this? One is grieved to see them attack religious students at Tehran University dormitories and afterwards chant slogans in support of the leadership.
Post-election rivalry on the streets is not the right way to go. It only challenges the election. I want all sides to put an end to this. If they do not stop such actions, then they will be responsible for the repercussions of such incidents.
It is also wrong to assume that street riots can be used as leverage to pressure the establishment and to force officials to listen to them for what they believe is in the interest of the country.
Giving in to illegal demands under pressure is in itself the beginning of dictatorship. This is a miscalculation and the consequences will be directed at those who orchestrated them. If necessary, I will tell the people about them in due time.
I ask all these brothers and friends of mine to act based on friendship and abide by the law. I hope God will help us choose the righteous path. The celebration of 40 million votes should be appreciated and the enemy must not be allowed to ruin the celebration. However, if certain people decide to choose another path, then I will have no choice but to talk with the people more openly.
The third group I wish to address are the leaders of the Western media and arrogant powers. In the past two to three weeks, I have heard the words and witnessed the actions of politicians from the United States and certain European countries.
Before the elections, they attempted to cast doubt over the election itself so that there would be a low voter turnout. They had their own assessments of results forecasts, but they did not expect the mass participation of the people. They never predicted an 85 percent turnout, or 40 million voters.
When they saw the mass turnout, they were shocked. They realized the reality of Iran. They came to understand that they need to adapt themselves to the new situation be it regional, nuclear or internal.
When they saw the great popular movement on Election Day, they realized that a new chapter had been opened with regards to Iran and that they must come to terms with it. When some candidates began protesting the results, they felt that there was a change, so they jumped at the chance to ride this wave.
Their tone after the election changed on Saturday and Sunday. Their attention shifted to the riots and that was when they gradually began removing their masks.
Western officials, their presidents, prime ministers and foreign ministers commented on this situation. The US President said that we were waiting for the day when people would take to the streets. At the same time they write letters saying that they want to have ties and that they respect the Islamic Republic. Which are we to believe?
Inside the country, their elements [foreign countries] began street protests and vandalism, they set fire to public property, they made shops and businesses insecure, and they are trying to rob the people of their security.
This has nothing to do with the people and their preferred candidates. This kind of behavior stems from ill-wishers, mercenaries and elements working for Western and Zionist secret services.
The incidents occurring inside the country have misled some of those outside our borders, who imagine Iran to be the same as Georgia. A Zionist American capitalist a few years ago, had been quoted in the media saying that he had spent 10 million dollars in Georgia to start a velvet revolution.
Our nation cannot be compared to any another nation. Their problem is they have not come to know this revolution and its people.
American officials say they are worried about the Iranian nation, how can you be worried? Can you even speak about human rights when you are responsible for the blood shed in Afghanistan and Iraq? In Palestine who has and is supporting and funding the Zionist regime?
During the term of a previous US government, eighty people affiliated with the Davidian sect were burnt alive in their compound in Waco, Texas. For some reason these people were disliked by the then US administration. Eighty people were burnt in that building, how dare you talk of human rights?
In my opinion, these western officials should at least feel a little embarrassment!
More...
Description:
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution has described the \\\\\\\'unprecedented\\\\\\\' turnout of almost 85% in the election as a \\\\\\\'political quake\\\\\\\' for the enemy.
Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said high turnout in the election, which witnessed more than 40 million Iranians casting their votes, was a great manifestation of people\\\\\\\'s solidarity with the Islamic establishment.
Addressing Friday prayers congregation, Ayatollah Khamenei said that last Friday\\\\\\\'s election indicated a \\\\\\\'common sense of responsibility\\\\\\\' of the Iranian nation to determine the future of the country.
The Leader added that all those who took part in the election proved their \\\\\\\'political consciousness and commitment\\\\\\\' towards the establishment to the whole world.
The Leader said the high voter turnout in the election was a \\\\\\\'political quake\\\\\\\' for the enemy and a \\\\\\\'real celebration\\\\\\\' for the friends of the country.
\\\\\\\"The Islamic Republic of Iran will by no means betray the votes of the nation,\\\\\\\" the Leader said, adding the legal system of the election will not allow any ballot rigging in Iran.
Ayatollah Khamenei, however, maintained that the Guardian Council, the body tasked with overseeing the election, would look into the complaints of the candidates who are unhappy with the election results.
The Leader also added that the establishment would never give-in to illegal demands, urging all presidential candidates to pursue their complaints through legal channels. Ayatollah Khamenei called for an end to illegal street protests aimed at reversing the result of the election.
Following the announcement of the election outcome, supporters of the defeated candidate Mir-Hussein Mousavi-who rejected the election results-- took to the streets of Tehran and other cities in daily rallies.
The Leader also warned against attempts made by foreign media outlets seeking to destabilize the country and blamed Britain in particular. Ayatollah Khamenei also decried the slander of former and incumbent top officials in pre-election debates by candidates.
President Ahmadinejad was re-elected the next president of the country with over 60% percent of the votes.
He won over his three rivals Mir-Hossein Mousavi, Mehdi Karroubi and Mohsen Rezaei with almost 25 million votes.
The Leader said the time is over for rivalry, stressing that all should unite and line up behind the president-elect
Complete Transcript
http://www.presstv.com/detail.aspx?id=98610
In this sermon, I call all the respected brothers and sisters who have attended the Friday prayers here to piety and I advise them against any wrongdoing.
In this sermon, I will address the issue of the election, which is a hot topic in our country.
I want to address three different groups on three different issues; firstly, I want to address the general public. Secondly, I want to address the political elite, the candidates of the presidential election, activists and those who have been active in the process of election.
I also have something to say to the leaders of the global arrogance, certain Western governments and their media.
On the first issue, where I address you dear people, I want to express my appreciation and gratitude. I do not like to exaggerate while I am addressing my audience, but regarding the recent election, I must tell you great people that no matter what I say, words cannot describe the greatness of your great accomplishment.
The June 12 election was a great show of the people\\\\\\\'s sense of responsibility, their will to participate, and their dedication to the system.
Truly, I have never heard of anything similar to what you have accomplished taking place in any of the democratic systems around the world, whether they are false democracies or truly built on their people\\\\\\\'s vote.
In the Islamic Republic, aside from the 1979 referendum, there has no election like the one held last Friday with a turnout of almost 85 percent. This means almost 40 million voters. You can see the presence of the 12 and last Shia Imam behind this. This is a sign of God\\\\\\\'s blessing to us.
It is necessary that I address you all across the nation from the depths of my heart, to express my respect and tell you that I feel humble in your presence.
Our young generation showed and proved they have insight and that like the first generation of the Islamic Revolution, they are committed. The difference is, during the days of the revolution, revolutionary fire burned in the hearts of all. It was the same is the days of the imposed war but in a different sense.
Today, however, there is no more of that but we still witness this commitment, this sense of responsibility, this understanding and fervor in our youth. This is not something that can be ignored.
Of course, there are differences of taste and of opinion among our people. Some people support a certain candidate; others back another person and his words and ideas. This is natural, but you can see a collective commitment amid all this and amongst people of all walks of life. You can see a consensus, a collective commitment to the protection of our country and system.
Everyone entered the political scene in villages, towns, cities, major cities, different ethnic groups, people of different faiths, men, women, young and old. They all entered the scene. They all took part in this great movement.
My dear people, this election was a political tremor for your enemies. For your friends across the world, it was a real celebration -- a historical ceremony and victory.
Thirty years after the victory of the Islamic Revolution, such a huge turnout and show of commitment to the Islamic system and the late Imam [Khomeini] shows the renewal of the pledge of allegiance to the late Imam and the martyrs. This was a breath of fresh air, a new movement and a great opportunity for the Islamic system.
This election put religious democracy on display for the whole world to witness. All ill-wishers of the Islamic establishment saw for themselves the meaning of religious democracy.
This is an alternative path in the face of dictatorships and arrogant regimes on the one side and democracies devoid of spirituality and religion on the other. This is religious democracy. This is what brings the hearts of people together and draws them to the scene.
This is the first point I wanted to make about the election. The second point is that the June 12 election showed that people live with trust, hope and national enthusiasm in this country.
This is against a great deal of comments your enemies make in their propaganda. If the people of this country were not hopeful about their future, they would not have taken part in any election.
If people were not dedicated to the Islamic establishment, they would have never voted. If they did not feel free, they would have never shown up at polling stations. The trust they have in the Islamic system was evident in this election.
Later on, I will tell you how the enemy targeted the very trust of the people in the Islamic establishment. This trust is the very thing they want to crush. This trust is the greatest asset of the Islamic system, so they want to take it away from the Islamic establishment.
They want to cast doubt on the election and weaken the confidence of the people in the system. They want to cause the people to panic. The enemies of the Iranian nation know that without trust there would have been a low turnout.
A low turnout would have questioned the legitimacy of the establishment. That is what they are after. They wanted to take away your [people] trust and keep you away from the polls to target this legitimacy, and if they had achieved this goal, the damage done would have been incomparable to any other.
For the people to come to the polls en masse and then be told that they made a mistake and should not have trusted the Islamic establishment, this is an enemy game.
This path is the same one they pursued even before the elections. A few months before the election, in late march, I said in Mashhad that the enemy has started whispers and rumors that their will be vote rigging. They were preparing the grounds for the events of today.
I advised our friends in the country not to repeat what the enemy wants to plant in people\\\\\\\'s minds. The Islamic establishment has the people\\\\\\\'s trust and it has not gained this trust easily.
For the past 30 years, authorities in the Islamic Republic have managed to maintain this trust, with their performance and painstaking efforts.
The third issue I want to touch upon is the issue of rivalry. This competition was a free, serious and transparent race between four candidates as we all witnessed.
These competitions, debates and discussion were so transparent that some began to voice objections. I will tell you that to they had the right to object to some extent.
Certain problems were also created that resulted in what you see today. I must tell you that we were and still are under the impression that these rivalries were between the four candidates who are all individuals committed to the system.
The Enemies want to portray the situation in the media - some of which belong to the Zionists -as if there is a row between the proponents and opponents of the Islamic Republic. No, this is not the case, this very untrue.
The four candidates who entered the presidential race all belonged and still belong to the Islamic establishment. One of these four is the president of our country - a hardworking and trustworthy president. One of them is the two-term prime minister, he served the country when I myself was president. He was my prime minister for eight years. One of them was the commander of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps and one of the wartime commanders. One them was two-time head of parliament and Majlis speaker. They are all members of our Islamic establishment.
Of course, they have differences of opinion and plans that differ from one another. But, they all belong to this Islamic establishment. This race was defined within the framework of the system. It was not a competition between insiders and outsiders as the Zionist and the US were trying to portray. No, this was a competition within the framework of the system between members of the system.
I know them all personally, I know their system of thought and their tastes very well. I am familiar with their personalities. I have worked with all of them closely. I know them all. But of course, I do not share all their views. I believe some of their views and executive records are subject to criticism.
I see some more suitable to serve the country than others. But, this is up to the people to decide, and this is exactly what happened, they chose who they wanted.
My desire and my choice was never announced nor was there any need for the people to pay heed to it. The people had their own criteria and this is what they based their decision on. Millions here and outside the country decided for themselves. This is an internal issue.
Misrepresenting the problem is underhand. The row is not between insiders of the system and outsiders. The row is not between revolutionary and anti-revolutionary forces, it is a difference of opinion between the members of the Islamic Revolution.
People who voted for these four candidates, voted with faith in the system. They believed their candidate of choice was better for the country so they voted for him. They voted in favor of the person they found most competent.
Well, these campaigns and debates were an important and interesting initiative. They were very clear, to the point and serious. The televised debates proved wrong those who were trying to say from the outside that these competitions are formalities.
They saw that these rivalries are real and serious. They saw that they are really battling it out and exchanging viewpoints. From this perspective, these debates were positive. But, they also had some negative points which I will touch upon.
The positive aspect was that in these televised discussions and debates everyone spoke their mind clearly and casually. A flood of criticism followed. Everyone was forced to respond. Everyone was criticized and they defended themselves. The stances that these individuals and groups had were unveiled before the eyes of the nation. They talked about their plans, commitments and projects.
All this was publicized for the people so that they could judge for themselves. People felt that in the Islamic system they are not the outsiders. Everything was clearly laid out before the people.
They were shown that the nature of their vote is not ceremonial. The right to vote truly does belong to the people. People want to have the right to choose. This is what the televised debates indicated.
One of the main reasons that ten million additional voters participated in this election was because the people\\\\\\\'s minds had been engaged, therefore they came and voted for the candidate of their choice.
These debates found their way into the streets and homes. These debates helped the people become better informed and hence make better decisions. The Islamic establishment is in favor of such debates.
Note that such debates should not be steered in a direction that may cause people to hold grudges against one another. If these debates had remained within their intended framework, they would have been positive. But when they turn into arguments than they will gradually bring grudges and hard feelings.
Of course, such debates should continue at managerial levels, but without a negative aspect. Officials should allow criticism and feel responsible to answer. If an individual is criticized, he must see it as an opportunity to enlighten the people and reveal fact and truth.
If these debates are regularly carried out [as normal government practice], at election time when there are such debates we would not witness such reactions. All arguments would emerge and all ideas would be exchanged over time. These are the positive aspects of such debates.
But, there have also been some negative aspects to the debates that need to be dealt with. In some cases, we saw that logical points were undermined and emotional and destructive responses dominated the debate.
There were efforts to portray the last four years as a dark era. There were also attempts to portray previous administrations in a similar light. Allegations were made that have not been proven in any court, rumors were used as a reference, and unjust remarks were made.
This administration, despite the excellent services it had rendered came under unjust attacks. Similarly, the performance of previous governments in the past 30 years came under attack. The candidates gave in to their emotions.
They made some positive points. They also raised some unpleasant negative issues. Like the rest of the nation, I sat and watched these TV debates. I took pride in the freedom of speech I witnessed. I enjoyed the fact that the Islamic Republic has been able to aid the people in deciding their future, but the shortcomings saddened me.
For supporters of the candidates the shortcomings and negative aspects were also a cause for concern; both sides were a party to this... both sides had their problems.
On the one hand, insults were hurled against the president of the country, even two to three months prior to these debates, speeches were brought to me and in them, I read the insults made and the accusations leveled against the president of the country who was elected by the vote of the people. They accused him of lying. This is not good. They fabricated documents against the government and distributed them everywhere.
I saw what was going on. They [accusations] were all untrue and contrary to the facts. They swore at the president, called him superstitious, and called him names. They closed their eyes to ethics and the law.
On the other hand, almost the same thing happened. The performance of the past 30 years of the Revolution was brought under question. People were named who are among the system\\\\\\\'s veteran figures.
They are people who have dedicated their lives to this establishment. Never before have I mentioned people by name in the Friday prayer sermons, but today, I have to mention some names, particularly Mr. [Akbar] Hashemi Rafsanjani, Mr. [Ali Akbar] Nateq-Nouri. I must mention their names and point out that nobody has accused them of corruption.
Now, if anyone has any claims or complaints regarding their [Hashemi Rafsanjani and Nateq-Nouri\\\\\\\'s] relatives they should refer to judicial authorities.
You cannot raise these issues in the media before they are proven. If it is proven, you can raise the issue as every member of society is equal, but you are not allowed to make claims. When such things are mentioned, misunderstandings are the outcome. This can cause misunderstandings for the younger generation.
Everyone knows Mr. Hashemi. My relationship with him goes back to before the Islamic Revolution. I have known him for more than 25 years. Mr. Hashemi was one of the main revolutionary figures.
He was one of the most active proponents of the revolution, and after the Islamic Revolution, he was one of the main political figures serving the people alongside the late Imam, And after the departure of the founder of the Islamic Revolution he has been alongside the leadership to date.
On several occasions, there were assassination attempts on his life. Before the revolution, he donated his possessions for the revolutionary cause. Our youth should know these facts. After the revolution, he had different responsibilities.
For eight years, he served as the president and before that he was the parliament speaker. He held other sensitive positions as well. Throughout these years, I am not aware of one incident in which he gathered wealth. These are the facts that everyone should know.
In the most sensitive of periods, he served the revolution and the establishment. Of course, my opinion and Mr. Rafsanjani\\\\\\\'s differs on numerous issues, which is natural. However, we should not create any misunderstandings for the people.
The president and Mr. Rafsanjani have had differences of opinion since the president took office in 2005. They have differences of opinion in foreign policy, in the manner of spreading social justice as well as on some cultural issues. However, the president\\\\\\\'s ideas are closer to mine.
The same goes fort Mr. Nateq-Nouri. He has also served the revolution, rendered great services for the establishment and there is not a shred of doubt about that.
The live televised debates are a positive step, but these shortcomings should be removed. After the debates, I had a talk with the president because I knew he would listen to me. The stance of the Islamic establishment is clear-cut regarding corruption and social justice. Corruption should be fought anywhere it is traced.
There is a point I want to make here. We do not claim that our establishment is free of all economic and financial corruption. Yes, there is corruption. If there was no corruption, I would not have written the eight-point letter to the heads of the legislative, judiciary, and executive branches of the country.
We have corruption, but the Islamic establishment is one of the healthiest establishments in the world today. However, it is not right to accuse the country of corruption based on some Zionist reports and sources.
Moreover, questioning the credibility of statesmen goes beyond the bounds of decency. Financial corruption is an important issue in the Islamic establishment. The judiciary, executive and legislative branches of the country must do everything within their power to fight against it.
Everyone is duty-bound to fight corruption. If corruption is not contained, it will spread in the same manner as you see occurring in many countries…. They are struggling with an alarming level of corruption as you have heard about in the UK. This is only a fraction of the scandal as it goes way beyond what has been publicized.
Let me summarize the points I made. The Friday election was a historical event, which touched the entire world. Some of our enemies, however, attempted to cast doubt over this absolute and definitive victory. Some even attempted to portray it as a national defeat.
They did not want you to enjoy this victory. They did not want to see the highest turnout in the world go down in history in your name. However, it has happened, it has been recorded in history. They cannot manipulate this.
The time for rivalry is passed... These four candidates have all fought in the battlefront of this revolution and they are members of this establishment. Forty million people went to the polls and cast their votes for this revolution.
It was not only the 24 million votes that went to the president; 40 million votes were cast in favor of the revolution. The people have trust [in the establishment], and all supporters of candidates should rest assured that the Islamic establishment would never betray the people\\\\\\\'s trust.
In fact, the electoral system of the country does not allow for any vote rigging, which is testified to by all those in charge of the election process.
When there is a margin of one hundred thousand or one million at most, then one can doubt that there may have been some form of manipulation or irregularity; however, when there is a difference of eleven million votes, how could any vote rigging have taken place?
However, as I have said, and the Guardian Council has accepted, if some people have doubts then it should be dealt with through legal channels. Everything must be dealt strictly though legal channels. I will never accept illegal demands.
If the legal frameworks are breached today, then no future election can be guaranteed. In every election, there is only one winner, and of course, some defeated candidates. Complaints, if there is any doubt, should be pursued through legal channels. We have a comprehensive and competent legal system.
Just as the candidates have the right to appoint observers, they are given the right to file complaints. I have requested the Guardian Council conduct a partial vote recount in the presence of the candidates and their representatives. We have no problem with this.
I want to address the politicians, candidates and political parties at this point. We are at a critical historical juncture. Look at current world affairs, the situation in the Middle East, global economic woes and the situation in our neighboring countries.
We are duty bound to remain vigilant and to be careful not to commit mistakes at this critical point in time. In the election, people fulfilled their duty in the best way possible, which was by going to the polls. We have heavier responsibilities on our shoulders now.
Those figures who are looked up to by the people and politicians, should be cautious about their words and deeds. If they show any amount of extremist attitude, it will penetrate into the ranks of the people.
It may have dangerous consequences and may eventually get out of control. Extremism in society will trigger or fan other extremist moves in the country. If political elites disobey the law and make wrong decisions, they will be held accountable for any violent actions or rioting that ensues.
I urge these people, these friends of mine, to exercise restraint and patience. You should see enemy hands at work [against the country]. You should see hungry wolves laying in ambush. They are taking off their masks of diplomacy and are showing their true colors. I urge you to open your eyes and see the enemy.
In the past few days the prominent diplomats of some Western countries, which have been dealing with us through diplomatic rhetoric, have removed their masks. Today you can see their true face. They are now showing their enmity toward the Islamic establishment and the most treacherous of them all is Britain.
I tell these brothers of ours to think of their responsibility. You are responsible before God. I call on you to remember what Imam has written in his will; the law has the final say.
All differences should be settled at the ballot box. This is what elections are for, to let ballot boxes and not the streets determine what the people want.
If after every election, the supporters of the candidates who have lost take to streets and the supporters of the candidate who has won respond in the same manner, then what need would we have for elections?
Why should the people have to suffer? We should not take to the streets to show off with the number of our supporters to the people. Such acts are not a political issue for those terrorists who take advantage of the situation to hide among the masses in order to carry out their agenda.
It is a very good cover for these saboteurs. Who will take responsible for this? Some of the people who were killed in these riots were ordinary people, ordinary Basij members. Who will be held accountable for this?
They may start taking advantage of this situation to assassinate Basij members, which will naturally provoke emotional reactions. Who is to be held responsible for this? One is grieved to see them attack religious students at Tehran University dormitories and afterwards chant slogans in support of the leadership.
Post-election rivalry on the streets is not the right way to go. It only challenges the election. I want all sides to put an end to this. If they do not stop such actions, then they will be responsible for the repercussions of such incidents.
It is also wrong to assume that street riots can be used as leverage to pressure the establishment and to force officials to listen to them for what they believe is in the interest of the country.
Giving in to illegal demands under pressure is in itself the beginning of dictatorship. This is a miscalculation and the consequences will be directed at those who orchestrated them. If necessary, I will tell the people about them in due time.
I ask all these brothers and friends of mine to act based on friendship and abide by the law. I hope God will help us choose the righteous path. The celebration of 40 million votes should be appreciated and the enemy must not be allowed to ruin the celebration. However, if certain people decide to choose another path, then I will have no choice but to talk with the people more openly.
The third group I wish to address are the leaders of the Western media and arrogant powers. In the past two to three weeks, I have heard the words and witnessed the actions of politicians from the United States and certain European countries.
Before the elections, they attempted to cast doubt over the election itself so that there would be a low voter turnout. They had their own assessments of results forecasts, but they did not expect the mass participation of the people. They never predicted an 85 percent turnout, or 40 million voters.
When they saw the mass turnout, they were shocked. They realized the reality of Iran. They came to understand that they need to adapt themselves to the new situation be it regional, nuclear or internal.
When they saw the great popular movement on Election Day, they realized that a new chapter had been opened with regards to Iran and that they must come to terms with it. When some candidates began protesting the results, they felt that there was a change, so they jumped at the chance to ride this wave.
Their tone after the election changed on Saturday and Sunday. Their attention shifted to the riots and that was when they gradually began removing their masks.
Western officials, their presidents, prime ministers and foreign ministers commented on this situation. The US President said that we were waiting for the day when people would take to the streets. At the same time they write letters saying that they want to have ties and that they respect the Islamic Republic. Which are we to believe?
Inside the country, their elements [foreign countries] began street protests and vandalism, they set fire to public property, they made shops and businesses insecure, and they are trying to rob the people of their security.
This has nothing to do with the people and their preferred candidates. This kind of behavior stems from ill-wishers, mercenaries and elements working for Western and Zionist secret services.
The incidents occurring inside the country have misled some of those outside our borders, who imagine Iran to be the same as Georgia. A Zionist American capitalist a few years ago, had been quoted in the media saying that he had spent 10 million dollars in Georgia to start a velvet revolution.
Our nation cannot be compared to any another nation. Their problem is they have not come to know this revolution and its people.
American officials say they are worried about the Iranian nation, how can you be worried? Can you even speak about human rights when you are responsible for the blood shed in Afghanistan and Iraq? In Palestine who has and is supporting and funding the Zionist regime?
During the term of a previous US government, eighty people affiliated with the Davidian sect were burnt alive in their compound in Waco, Texas. For some reason these people were disliked by the then US administration. Eighty people were burnt in that building, how dare you talk of human rights?
In my opinion, these western officials should at least feel a little embarrassment!
*Important* Full Speech by the Leader in Azerbaijan - 16 February 2013 - [ENGLISH]
Supreme Leader\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s Speech to People of East Azerbaijan
22/02/2013
The following is the full text of the speech delivered on February 16, 2013 by Ayatollah Khamenei...
Supreme Leader\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s Speech to People of East Azerbaijan
22/02/2013
The following is the full text of the speech delivered on February 16, 2013 by Ayatollah Khamenei the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution in a meeting with the people of East Azerbaijan. The meeting was held on the anniversary of the uprising by the people of Tabriz on the 29th of Bahman of 1356.
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
I welcome all you dear brothers and sisters and the dear youth. In particular, I welcome the dear families of martyrs, religious scholars and government officials who have come here from distant places, brought a valuable gift of affection from the dear people of Azerbaijan on this occasion and delivered their message of resistance. I hope that Allah the Exalted bestows great blessings and infinite mercy on all of you.
I would tell you dear brothers and sisters and all the people of Azerbaijan and Tabriz including religious men and women that the presence of the people of Azerbaijan and Tabriz has truly played a determining role in the movement of the Iranian nation throughout all the eras in our history - from 100, 150 years ago until today. And today nothing has changed. It is you who have managed to protect the dignity of our country and our nation against the enemies with your firm determination, your pride and your faith. And Azerbaijan has played an increasingly significant role in different arenas.
Thirty-five years have passed since the 29th of Bahman of 1356. Today, in terms of faith, resistance and wisdom, Azerbaijan is even better than it was during those important and fateful times. There have been so many vicious plots to separate the people in different parts of the country. But these plots have backfired. It is you who have always managed to play a leading role. In fact, it is you who are the anchor of peace in this country. As you said in the poem you recited: \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"You are the peace in the heart of Iran.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [Audience shout in the Azeri language, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"We are prepared to lay down our lives. We are Khamenei\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s soldiers.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"]
One can clearly see that the dear people of Azerbaijan have a specific characteristic. This characteristic exists in other parts of the country, but in Azerbaijan it is more visible. This characteristic is that the political activities and the proud movement of the people of Azerbaijan in different eras - in the case of the Constitutional Movement, the military occupation of Azerbaijan and different other issues - were based on religion and religious faith. And they played a leading role in many of these issues.
Despite the fact that the leftist intellectual movement and the movement which was dependent on the west were active in Azerbaijan since after the introduction of the unhealthy intellectual movement into our country and despite the fact that they were trying to separate the people from religion, the movement of the people was based on religion. If you take a look at the movements which were started in Azerbaijan - many of these movements were national movements, and the people of Azerbaijan were pioneers - you can see that despite the efforts of those leftist movements, the people and the leaders of these popular movements in Azerbaijan expressed their commitment to religious issues more openly than the people in other cities.
In Tabriz, Sattar Khan used to say, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"The fatwa of the ulama of Najaf is in my pocket\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\". That is to say, this great and brave man used to coordinate with the marja taqlids of Najaf. What he did was exactly the opposite of what eastern and western intellectual movements wanted to achieve at that time in the country. Today nothing has changed and nothing will change in the future either.
The Iranian nation considers religious faith as the standard. I cited Azerbaijan as an example of this religious faith, but people throughout the country are, more or less, like this. The movement of the Iranian nation is one that is accompanied by pride, courage and a sense of responsibility. But it is based on religious teachings and religious faith. This is very valuable. That is why the dangers caused by global powers, which other nations are usually faced with and which make them waver, did not threaten the people of Iran and did not make them waver.
When the enemies wanted to impose sanctions and exert pressures they said, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"We want to impose crippling sanctions on the people of Iran.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" And they did this. Two, three days before the 22nd of Bahman, they put a new round of sanctions into the equation. Besides, a few months ago, in Mordad of this year, they did the same thing. That is to say, they increased their so-called pressures on the people before the 22nd of Bahman of this year.
What do they hope to achieve? They do these things in the hope of weakening the people. What was the response of the people? The people of Iran responded by participating in the rallies on the 22nd of Bahman more enthusiastically. All the people participated. People from different parts of the country participated. They participated with great spirit and with a smile on their faces. The people of Iran are such people. Each year on the 22nd of Bahman, the people of Iran deal a blow to the enemies. They strike the enemies and the opponents like an avalanche. This avalanche struck them this year too. I deem it necessary to express my gratitude again - even if one expresses his gratitude 100 times, one is not overdoing it - to the people of Iran for their glorious and impressive presence [in the rallies on the 22nd of Bahman]. One should bow before such insight. The people of Iran are such people.
I would tell you that in these conditions, the enemies have taken a passive role. Despite the fact that they pretend to be active, they are not active. The enemy has taken a passive role in the face of the Iranian nation. Enjoying firm determination, wisdom and faith, our people know what they want and they know the way to achieve their goals. They endure the hardships with great courage. Different political, military and economic weapons do not work on our nation. Therefore, the enemy has taken a passive role and for this reason, they make irrational moves.
I would tell you that American politicians are irrational people. They make irrational statements. They act in an irrational and thuggish way. They expect other countries to give in to their unreasonable demands and their bullying. Well, some people give in to their demands. Some governments and some political personalities in certain countries give in to their bullying. But the Iranian nation and the Islamic Republic will not give in. The Islamic Republic of Iran has many things to say. It has logical reasons. It has power and authority. For this reason, the Islamic Republic does not give in to irrational statements and actions.
In what ways are they irrational? The sign of their irrationality is the contradictions between their words and actions. Their words are not in line with their actions. No other piece of evidence can show their irrationality more clearly. A reasonable person makes a convincing comment and then he sticks by it. These men, American politicians and their western followers, are not such people. They say a certain thing and make a certain claim, but they do exactly the opposite of what they have claimed or said. I would like to give a number of examples:
They claim that they are committed to human rights. The Americans have raised the flag of human rights. They say, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"We are committed to human rights not only in our country, America, but also in the entire world.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" Well, this is a claim. What have they done in practice? In practice, they inflict the most serious harm on human rights and they hurl the biggest insult at human rights in different countries. Their secret prisons throughout the world, such as their prisons in Guantanamo, in Iraq, in Abu Ghraib and their attack on civilians in Afghanistan, Pakistan and in different areas are examples of the Americans\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\' claim to support human rights. Based on the news that is reported every day from Afghanistan and Pakistan, their drones both spy for them and pressure the people. Of course, as an American journal said a few days ago, these drones will be a source of trouble for them in the future.
They say that they are committed to non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. Their pretext for attacking Iraq 11 years ago was that the regime of Saddam wanted to build nuclear weapons in Iraq. Of course, they went there and they did not find anything. It became clear that it was a lie. They say that they are committed to non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. This is while they support an evil government - the Zionist government - which has nuclear weapons and which threatens to use them. That is what they say and this is how they act.
They say that they are committed to establishment of democracy in the world - I do not want to speak about the kind of democracy America itself has. Under this claim, they constantly confront the Islamic Republic which has the most genuine democracy in the region. This is while they shamelessly support countries in the region which do not know the first thing about democracy and in which the people have not seen ballot boxes even once. This is their commitment to democracy. Notice how different their words and actions are.
They say that they want to resolve their issues with Iran. They have said this many times. Recently, they are speaking about it even more than before. They say that they want to negotiate and resolve their issues with Iran. This is what they say. But in practice, they resort to imposing sanctions and broadcasting negative propaganda. They publish inappropriate and false things about the Islamic Republic and the people of Iran.
A few days ago the President of America delivered a speech about the nuclear issue of Iran. He spoke as if the conflict between Iran and America is over Iran\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s decision to build nuclear weapons. He said that they will do everything in their power to prevent Iran from building nuclear weapons. If we wanted to build nuclear weapons, how would you stop us? If Iran had decided to build nuclear weapons, America would not be able to stop it in any way.
We do not want to build nuclear weapons and this is not because this will upset America, rather it is because of our beliefs. We believe that building nuclear weapons is a crime against humanity and they should not be built. Besides, we believe that the existing nuclear weapons should be destroyed. This is our belief. It has nothing to do with you [Americans]. If we did not have this belief and if we decided to build nuclear weapons, no power could stop us, as they could not stop other countries. They could not do this in India, Pakistan and North Korea. The Americans were opposed to development of nuclear weapons in these countries, but they built nuclear weapons.
The Americans claim, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"We will not let Iran build nuclear weapons.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" This is deceptive talk. Is this an issue of nuclear weapons? Regarding Iran, the issue is not related to nuclear weapons. The issue is that you want to deny Iran its natural and inalienable right to enrich uranium and use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes through using its domestic capacities. Of course, you cannot do this either and the Iranian nation will not renounce its right.
American politicians make irrational statements. One cannot use logic when he speaks to an irrational person - after all, he is irrational. Irrational means thuggish. It means somebody who speaks nonsense. This is a fact which we have become aware of through our involvement in different global issues. We understand who our opposing side is and how he should be confronted.
I have written down a few things to discuss with you dear brothers and sisters and the entire Iranian nation. Of course, these statements are addressed to the people of Iran. When they speak, when the American president speaks, when his companions and followers speak, they want to mislead public opinion -public opinion in the world, in the region or if they can, in our country. At the moment, I do not want to speak about public opinion in the world. The global media network, which is under the domination of the Zionists and the Americans, either does not reflect our statements or it reflects them in an incomplete or distorted way. Therefore, I speak to the people of Iran.
The power of the Islamic Republic has nothing to do with public opinion in the world. The Islamic Republic has not gained its power and it has not achieved dignity and glory with the help of public opinion in the world. It has achieved these things with the help of the people of Iran. The firm and solid foundation which the Iranian nation has built and the news of which is quickly spreading throughout the world is based on the Iranian nation itself. I speak to the people of Iran. I will not address other nations, but they can listen if they want to. They can reflect on my statements or not reflect on them. But the people of Iran should know about these things. Therefore, the first point is that they are unreasonable. They speak without believing in what they say and their words and actions are different.
The second point is that they have raised the issue of negotiations. They say, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Iranian officials should come to us so that we can sit and negotiate.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" The same unreasonable behavior can be seen in their offer of negotiations. Their purpose is not to solve the problems and resolves the issues - I will explain this later. Their purpose is creating hype. They want to say to Muslim nations, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"This was the Islamic Republic with all that intense determination and resistance. But finally, it had to negotiate with us. Even the Iranian nation ended up like this. What can you do?\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
They need negotiations in order to suppress countries which have just gained power, in which the breeze of Islamic Awakening has blown, countries which feel they have dignity because of Islam. They want to make these countries hopeless. Since the beginning of the Revolution, this was one of their goals. Since the beginning of the Revolution, one of their goals was to drag Iran to the negotiating table and make it deal with it. One of their goals was to gain the opportunity to say, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Did you see that finally Iran - which claimed to be independent and courageous and which claimed that it has stood up against us - was forced to come and sit at the negotiating table?\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" Today, they pursue the same goal. This is an important issue. When the purpose of negotiations is not resolving the main issues and when the purpose of negotiations is creating hype, it is clear that the opposing side, the Islamic Republic, is not naïve and it has not closed its eyes. It understands what your goal is. Therefore, it responds on the basis of your intentions.
The third point is that in the eyes of the Americans and powers which seek domination, the true meaning of negotiations is accepting what they say at the negotiating table. This is their goal of negotiations. They say, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Let us sit and talk so that you come to the conclusion that you should accept what you would not accept before.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" They say in their propaganda about negotiations - you may have heard about it - that they should directly negotiate with Iran and they cause a stir and create hype about it. Even the statements they made today clearly conveyed the message that they want to convince Iran to stop enriching uranium and producing nuclear energy. This is their goal. They do not say, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Let us sit and negotiate so that Iran can give its own reasons and so that we stop pressuring them, imposing sanctions on them and interfering in political and security issues.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" Rather, they say, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"We should negotiate so that Iran accepts what we say.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
This kind of negotiation does not serve any purpose. It will not reach any results. Even if Iran accepts to negotiate and even if our officials sit and negotiate with the Americans, what kind of negotiations is it when their goal is this [making Iran surrender]? It is obvious that Iran will not give up its rights. During negotiations, whenever they see that the opposing side speaks reasonably and they have nothing to say against Iran, they break off negotiations. Then, they say that Iran does not want to negotiate. Political networks as well as news networks are under their control and they broadcast propaganda. We have experienced this.
During the past 15 years, two or three times the Americans sent a message about a specific issue. They insisted that there is a very important and a very critical issue and that we should sit and talk with them. Well, executive officials - usually one or two people - went to a certain place and spoke to them. As soon as these officials made their rational statements and the Americans found out that they have no response, the negotiations were broken off unilaterally. Of course, they achieved their propaganda purposes. This is our experience. Well, it is wrong to test something which has been already tested.
The fourth point is that they pretend in their propaganda that if Iran sits at the negotiating table and negotiates with America, sanctions will be lifted. This is a lie too. Their goal is to make the people of Iran become eager to negotiate with America by promising to lift sanctions. They think that the people of Iran are exhausted by the sanctions and are frustrated. They think that everything is in a mess and that they can tell us, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Well, come and negotiate with us so that we lift the sanctions.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" They think this will cause the entire Iranian nation to ask them to negotiate.
This is also one of their irrational and deceptive statements and it is a tool for bullying. First, as I said, when they ask us to negotiate with them, they do not really mean fair and rational negotiations. Negotiations mean that we should accept what they say and surrender so that they lift the sanctions. If the Iranian nation wanted to surrender, they would not have carried out a revolution. America was dominant over the issues of Iran and it did what it liked. The Iranian people carried out a revolution in order to free themselves from the yoke of America. Now should they surrender to you again? This is the first problem with their offer of negotiations.
Another problem is that the sanctions will not be lifted with negotiations. I would tell you that the purpose of sanctions is something else. The purpose of sanctions is exhausting the people of Iran and separating them from the Islamic Republic. Even if negotiations are conducted but our people stay present on the scene and stand up for their rights, sanctions will continue. What will the Iranian nation do to counter this wrong idea that the enemies have?
There is an idea in the minds of the opposing sides. Let us elaborate and analyze this idea. They say, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"The Islamic Republic relies on the people. If we manage to separate the people from the Islamic Republic, the power to resist will be taken away from the Islamic Republic.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" This is how the opposing side thinks. Well, this idea has two parts. The first part, that the Islamic Republic relies on the people, is accurate. There is no source of support for the Islamic Republic except the people. The people are the fortifications that protect the country and the Islamic Revolution. The second part, that they thought they can bring the people to their knees by imposing sanctions and bullying them on international, commercial and other such issues, is false. If they think that they can take away this source of support from the Islamic Republic, they are wrong.
The Iranian nation will think of some ways to counter what the enemy wants to do. The Iranian nation is looking for economic blossoming, economic progress and complete prosperity. But it does not want to achieve this goal by being humiliated before the enemy. It wants to achieve this goal with its own capabilities, courage, advancements and with the capabilities of the youth. It does not want to achieve this with anything else. There is no doubt that sanctions exert pressures on the people and bother them. But there are two ways to approach these pressures. Weak nations surrender to the enemy when he exerts pressures and they bow and show regret before him. But a brave nation, like the Iranian nation, tries to use its own capabilities as soon as it sees that the enemy is exerting pressures and it tries to pass through the danger zone. And our nation will definitely do this. We have 30 years of experience in this regard.
There are certain countries in the region which have been under the domination of America for more than 30 years. The governments in these countries have been servants of America. They have been obedient to America and they have been taking orders from it. What is their position? The Iranian nation has been putting up a resistance against America for more than 30 years. What is the position of the Iranian nation? In the face of 30 years of pressures by America, the Iranian nation has reached such a position - in terms of scientific, economic and cultural progress and in terms of international dignity, political influence and political power - that the people and government officials during the time of Pahlavi and Qajar regimes could not even dream of.
We have experienced this. We have tested this. We have stood up against the pressures of America for 30 years. We have such a position. But there are nations which have been under the domination of America for 30 years and they are behind other countries to a great extent. We did not suffer a loss as a result of resisting. Resistance revives the inner strength of a nation. It makes it active. The sanctions which they impose will be helpful to the Iranian nation. By Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor and grace, sanctions will help the Iranian nation achieve growth and blossoming. This is an important point.
Well, you saw what the people did in the rallies. We cannot say that the people have no complaints about the high prices and the existing problems. Prices are high and there are certain economic problems and the people, particularly underprivileged people, feel them. But this did not make the people separate themselves from the Islamic Republic. The people know that the Islamic Republic, dear and powerful Islam and the officials who are committed to Islam, are the powerful hands which can solve the problems. They can solve the problems. Surrendering to the enemies will not solve any problems.
The last point is that unlike American politicians, we are reasonable. Our officials are reasonable. Our people are reasonable. We accept rational statements and rational actions. If the Americans show that they will not bully us any more, if they show that they will not commit evil deeds, if they show that they will not say and do irrational things, if they show that they will respect the rights of the Iranian nation, if they show that they will not fuel the fire of discord in the country, if they show that they will not interfere in the internal affairs of Iran - like the interference by supporting those who started the fitna in 1388 - then they will see that the Islamic Republic is benevolent and the people are reasonable.
In the fitna of the year 1388, they supported those who started the fitna and they put social networks at the service of these people. In those days, a social network wanted to close down in order to fix some technical problems. They asked the network not to close down so that they could exert influence over the fitna. If they stop doing these things, then they will see that the Islamic Republic is well-wishing. The only way to establish relations with the Islamic Republic is this and there is no other way. They can establish relations with the Islamic Republic in such a way. The Americans should prove that they have good will. They should prove that they are not after bullying. If they prove this, then they will see that the Iranian nation will make an appropriate response. If they do not commit evil deeds, if they do not interfere, if they do not bully and if they acknowledge the rights of the Iranian nation, then an appropriate response will be given by the Iranian nation.
I would like to say a few things about the internal issues of our country. This is an important issue. An event took place in the Majlis. It was a bad and inappropriate event. It made both the people and our elites unhappy. I became upset for two reasons. The first is the fact that the event itself happened and the second is the fact that the people are unhappy about this issue. In this event, the head of a certain branch made an accusation against the other two branches on the basis of an unproven allegation which had not even been considered by a court of law. This course of action was bad and inappropriate. These acts are against sharia and the law and they are immoral. They violate the basic rights of the people. One of the basic rights of the people is living in peace and in psychological and moral security.
If a person is accused of corruption, one cannot accuse other people on the basis of this accusation. Even if he is found guilty - let alone the current case in which the accused has not been found guilty, he has not been summoned by the court and he has not come to trial - one should not accuse others. Accusing other people, the Majlis and the judiciary branch on the basis of an accusation that has been leveled against another person is an appropriate course of action. It is a wrong course of action. For the time being, I offer a piece of advice. This behavior is not appropriate for the Islamic Republic.
On the other hand, the questioning [of the minister] in the Majlis was a wrong course of action. Questioning should serve a certain purpose. What is the purpose of questioning a minister - a few months before the end of this administration\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s term - over an issue which is not related to the minister? Why did they do this?
I have heard that inside the Majlis, a number of people said inappropriate things. This course of action was also wrong. All these events are inappropriate for the Islamic Republic. Neither that accusation, nor that behavior, nor that questioning was appropriate. The things which the honorable Speaker of the Majlis said in his own defense were excessive. It was not necessary to do that.
We are all brothers. When there is a common enemy in front of us and when we see plots, what should we do? Until today, the officials have always stayed by one another\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s side. Now, too, they should act like this. They should always act like this.
I have always supported the officials of the three branches and the officials of the country. I will continue to support each person who has a responsibility. I will help him. But I do not like these acts. This kind of behavior is not in line with the oaths they take and with the promises they make. Take a look at the greatness of the people. These people deserve to be treated in a different way. Today, the officials should focus all their efforts on solving economic problems. Three or four years ago, during a speech which I delivered in the beginning of the year, I explicitly said to the people and the officials that the plot of the enemies of the Iranian nation would be to focus - more than everything else - on our economic issues.
Well, you see that the enemies did this. Both the executive branch and the Majlis should focus all their efforts and all their attention on pursuing accurate economic policies. A few years ago, I wrote a letter to the heads of the three branches of government about combating economic corruption. You should combat economic corruption. This problem is not solved by speaking about it. You should combat economic corruption in practice. You repeatedly speak about economic corruption. When did you combat economic corruption? What was done in practice? What did you do in practice? These issues make one distressed.
Now that the enemies have increased their hostility, I expect the officials to strengthen their friendship. Piety, piety, piety! We expect the officials to focus all their efforts on solving the problems of the people by exercising patience, by suppressing unrestrained emotions and by taking the issues of the country into consideration. By Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor, this benevolent piece of advice will draw the attention of the officials, particularly high-ranking officials. They should be committed to this issue.
I should add another point. The things that I said today and the complaints I made against a number of officials should not make some people shout slogans against such and such people. I am against this course of action. Some people label a certain person as anti-wilayat, anti-insight and anti-whatever. Then they shout slogans against him and create disruption in the Majlis. I am against these moves. I would like to speak openly about these issues. I am against the kind of events which happened in Qom. I am against the kind of events which happened at Imam Khomeini\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s (r.a.) holy shrine. I asked the officials many times to prevent these things. Those who do such things - if they are really hezbollahi and religious - should stop doing them. You can see that we consider these moves as harmful to the country. We do not benefit from them.
It is not helpful to set out to shout slogans against such and such people by releasing emotions. These slogans will not solve any problems. Keep this anger and these emotions for the time when it is necessary to express them. During the Sacred Defense Era, if basijis had decided to act at will, then the country would have been destroyed. Discipline and social order are necessary and it is necessary to take certain things into consideration. If these people do not pay any attention to these principles, then they should be treated in a different way. But those who pay attention to these principles and who believe they should not move against sharia, should take care not to make such moves.
Thankfully the people of Iran have insight. I would tell you dear youth that the day when we are gone and you are in charge, the situation of the Iranian nation will be much better in terms of material and spiritual prosperity. The Iranian nation is moving towards light. There are bright prospects for us. We should watch our behavior.
We should ask Allah the Exalted to help us. We should ask the immaculate souls of our martyrs and the immaculate soul of our magnanimous Imam (r.a.) to help us. By Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor, you and I will benefit from the prayers of the Imam of the Age (may our souls be sacrificed for his sake).
Greetings be upon you and Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s mercy and blessings.
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Supreme Leader\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s Speech to People of East Azerbaijan
22/02/2013
The following is the full text of the speech delivered on February 16, 2013 by Ayatollah Khamenei the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution in a meeting with the people of East Azerbaijan. The meeting was held on the anniversary of the uprising by the people of Tabriz on the 29th of Bahman of 1356.
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
I welcome all you dear brothers and sisters and the dear youth. In particular, I welcome the dear families of martyrs, religious scholars and government officials who have come here from distant places, brought a valuable gift of affection from the dear people of Azerbaijan on this occasion and delivered their message of resistance. I hope that Allah the Exalted bestows great blessings and infinite mercy on all of you.
I would tell you dear brothers and sisters and all the people of Azerbaijan and Tabriz including religious men and women that the presence of the people of Azerbaijan and Tabriz has truly played a determining role in the movement of the Iranian nation throughout all the eras in our history - from 100, 150 years ago until today. And today nothing has changed. It is you who have managed to protect the dignity of our country and our nation against the enemies with your firm determination, your pride and your faith. And Azerbaijan has played an increasingly significant role in different arenas.
Thirty-five years have passed since the 29th of Bahman of 1356. Today, in terms of faith, resistance and wisdom, Azerbaijan is even better than it was during those important and fateful times. There have been so many vicious plots to separate the people in different parts of the country. But these plots have backfired. It is you who have always managed to play a leading role. In fact, it is you who are the anchor of peace in this country. As you said in the poem you recited: \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"You are the peace in the heart of Iran.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [Audience shout in the Azeri language, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"We are prepared to lay down our lives. We are Khamenei\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s soldiers.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"]
One can clearly see that the dear people of Azerbaijan have a specific characteristic. This characteristic exists in other parts of the country, but in Azerbaijan it is more visible. This characteristic is that the political activities and the proud movement of the people of Azerbaijan in different eras - in the case of the Constitutional Movement, the military occupation of Azerbaijan and different other issues - were based on religion and religious faith. And they played a leading role in many of these issues.
Despite the fact that the leftist intellectual movement and the movement which was dependent on the west were active in Azerbaijan since after the introduction of the unhealthy intellectual movement into our country and despite the fact that they were trying to separate the people from religion, the movement of the people was based on religion. If you take a look at the movements which were started in Azerbaijan - many of these movements were national movements, and the people of Azerbaijan were pioneers - you can see that despite the efforts of those leftist movements, the people and the leaders of these popular movements in Azerbaijan expressed their commitment to religious issues more openly than the people in other cities.
In Tabriz, Sattar Khan used to say, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"The fatwa of the ulama of Najaf is in my pocket\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\". That is to say, this great and brave man used to coordinate with the marja taqlids of Najaf. What he did was exactly the opposite of what eastern and western intellectual movements wanted to achieve at that time in the country. Today nothing has changed and nothing will change in the future either.
The Iranian nation considers religious faith as the standard. I cited Azerbaijan as an example of this religious faith, but people throughout the country are, more or less, like this. The movement of the Iranian nation is one that is accompanied by pride, courage and a sense of responsibility. But it is based on religious teachings and religious faith. This is very valuable. That is why the dangers caused by global powers, which other nations are usually faced with and which make them waver, did not threaten the people of Iran and did not make them waver.
When the enemies wanted to impose sanctions and exert pressures they said, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"We want to impose crippling sanctions on the people of Iran.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" And they did this. Two, three days before the 22nd of Bahman, they put a new round of sanctions into the equation. Besides, a few months ago, in Mordad of this year, they did the same thing. That is to say, they increased their so-called pressures on the people before the 22nd of Bahman of this year.
What do they hope to achieve? They do these things in the hope of weakening the people. What was the response of the people? The people of Iran responded by participating in the rallies on the 22nd of Bahman more enthusiastically. All the people participated. People from different parts of the country participated. They participated with great spirit and with a smile on their faces. The people of Iran are such people. Each year on the 22nd of Bahman, the people of Iran deal a blow to the enemies. They strike the enemies and the opponents like an avalanche. This avalanche struck them this year too. I deem it necessary to express my gratitude again - even if one expresses his gratitude 100 times, one is not overdoing it - to the people of Iran for their glorious and impressive presence [in the rallies on the 22nd of Bahman]. One should bow before such insight. The people of Iran are such people.
I would tell you that in these conditions, the enemies have taken a passive role. Despite the fact that they pretend to be active, they are not active. The enemy has taken a passive role in the face of the Iranian nation. Enjoying firm determination, wisdom and faith, our people know what they want and they know the way to achieve their goals. They endure the hardships with great courage. Different political, military and economic weapons do not work on our nation. Therefore, the enemy has taken a passive role and for this reason, they make irrational moves.
I would tell you that American politicians are irrational people. They make irrational statements. They act in an irrational and thuggish way. They expect other countries to give in to their unreasonable demands and their bullying. Well, some people give in to their demands. Some governments and some political personalities in certain countries give in to their bullying. But the Iranian nation and the Islamic Republic will not give in. The Islamic Republic of Iran has many things to say. It has logical reasons. It has power and authority. For this reason, the Islamic Republic does not give in to irrational statements and actions.
In what ways are they irrational? The sign of their irrationality is the contradictions between their words and actions. Their words are not in line with their actions. No other piece of evidence can show their irrationality more clearly. A reasonable person makes a convincing comment and then he sticks by it. These men, American politicians and their western followers, are not such people. They say a certain thing and make a certain claim, but they do exactly the opposite of what they have claimed or said. I would like to give a number of examples:
They claim that they are committed to human rights. The Americans have raised the flag of human rights. They say, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"We are committed to human rights not only in our country, America, but also in the entire world.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" Well, this is a claim. What have they done in practice? In practice, they inflict the most serious harm on human rights and they hurl the biggest insult at human rights in different countries. Their secret prisons throughout the world, such as their prisons in Guantanamo, in Iraq, in Abu Ghraib and their attack on civilians in Afghanistan, Pakistan and in different areas are examples of the Americans\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\' claim to support human rights. Based on the news that is reported every day from Afghanistan and Pakistan, their drones both spy for them and pressure the people. Of course, as an American journal said a few days ago, these drones will be a source of trouble for them in the future.
They say that they are committed to non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. Their pretext for attacking Iraq 11 years ago was that the regime of Saddam wanted to build nuclear weapons in Iraq. Of course, they went there and they did not find anything. It became clear that it was a lie. They say that they are committed to non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. This is while they support an evil government - the Zionist government - which has nuclear weapons and which threatens to use them. That is what they say and this is how they act.
They say that they are committed to establishment of democracy in the world - I do not want to speak about the kind of democracy America itself has. Under this claim, they constantly confront the Islamic Republic which has the most genuine democracy in the region. This is while they shamelessly support countries in the region which do not know the first thing about democracy and in which the people have not seen ballot boxes even once. This is their commitment to democracy. Notice how different their words and actions are.
They say that they want to resolve their issues with Iran. They have said this many times. Recently, they are speaking about it even more than before. They say that they want to negotiate and resolve their issues with Iran. This is what they say. But in practice, they resort to imposing sanctions and broadcasting negative propaganda. They publish inappropriate and false things about the Islamic Republic and the people of Iran.
A few days ago the President of America delivered a speech about the nuclear issue of Iran. He spoke as if the conflict between Iran and America is over Iran\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s decision to build nuclear weapons. He said that they will do everything in their power to prevent Iran from building nuclear weapons. If we wanted to build nuclear weapons, how would you stop us? If Iran had decided to build nuclear weapons, America would not be able to stop it in any way.
We do not want to build nuclear weapons and this is not because this will upset America, rather it is because of our beliefs. We believe that building nuclear weapons is a crime against humanity and they should not be built. Besides, we believe that the existing nuclear weapons should be destroyed. This is our belief. It has nothing to do with you [Americans]. If we did not have this belief and if we decided to build nuclear weapons, no power could stop us, as they could not stop other countries. They could not do this in India, Pakistan and North Korea. The Americans were opposed to development of nuclear weapons in these countries, but they built nuclear weapons.
The Americans claim, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"We will not let Iran build nuclear weapons.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" This is deceptive talk. Is this an issue of nuclear weapons? Regarding Iran, the issue is not related to nuclear weapons. The issue is that you want to deny Iran its natural and inalienable right to enrich uranium and use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes through using its domestic capacities. Of course, you cannot do this either and the Iranian nation will not renounce its right.
American politicians make irrational statements. One cannot use logic when he speaks to an irrational person - after all, he is irrational. Irrational means thuggish. It means somebody who speaks nonsense. This is a fact which we have become aware of through our involvement in different global issues. We understand who our opposing side is and how he should be confronted.
I have written down a few things to discuss with you dear brothers and sisters and the entire Iranian nation. Of course, these statements are addressed to the people of Iran. When they speak, when the American president speaks, when his companions and followers speak, they want to mislead public opinion -public opinion in the world, in the region or if they can, in our country. At the moment, I do not want to speak about public opinion in the world. The global media network, which is under the domination of the Zionists and the Americans, either does not reflect our statements or it reflects them in an incomplete or distorted way. Therefore, I speak to the people of Iran.
The power of the Islamic Republic has nothing to do with public opinion in the world. The Islamic Republic has not gained its power and it has not achieved dignity and glory with the help of public opinion in the world. It has achieved these things with the help of the people of Iran. The firm and solid foundation which the Iranian nation has built and the news of which is quickly spreading throughout the world is based on the Iranian nation itself. I speak to the people of Iran. I will not address other nations, but they can listen if they want to. They can reflect on my statements or not reflect on them. But the people of Iran should know about these things. Therefore, the first point is that they are unreasonable. They speak without believing in what they say and their words and actions are different.
The second point is that they have raised the issue of negotiations. They say, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Iranian officials should come to us so that we can sit and negotiate.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" The same unreasonable behavior can be seen in their offer of negotiations. Their purpose is not to solve the problems and resolves the issues - I will explain this later. Their purpose is creating hype. They want to say to Muslim nations, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"This was the Islamic Republic with all that intense determination and resistance. But finally, it had to negotiate with us. Even the Iranian nation ended up like this. What can you do?\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
They need negotiations in order to suppress countries which have just gained power, in which the breeze of Islamic Awakening has blown, countries which feel they have dignity because of Islam. They want to make these countries hopeless. Since the beginning of the Revolution, this was one of their goals. Since the beginning of the Revolution, one of their goals was to drag Iran to the negotiating table and make it deal with it. One of their goals was to gain the opportunity to say, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Did you see that finally Iran - which claimed to be independent and courageous and which claimed that it has stood up against us - was forced to come and sit at the negotiating table?\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" Today, they pursue the same goal. This is an important issue. When the purpose of negotiations is not resolving the main issues and when the purpose of negotiations is creating hype, it is clear that the opposing side, the Islamic Republic, is not naïve and it has not closed its eyes. It understands what your goal is. Therefore, it responds on the basis of your intentions.
The third point is that in the eyes of the Americans and powers which seek domination, the true meaning of negotiations is accepting what they say at the negotiating table. This is their goal of negotiations. They say, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Let us sit and talk so that you come to the conclusion that you should accept what you would not accept before.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" They say in their propaganda about negotiations - you may have heard about it - that they should directly negotiate with Iran and they cause a stir and create hype about it. Even the statements they made today clearly conveyed the message that they want to convince Iran to stop enriching uranium and producing nuclear energy. This is their goal. They do not say, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Let us sit and negotiate so that Iran can give its own reasons and so that we stop pressuring them, imposing sanctions on them and interfering in political and security issues.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" Rather, they say, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"We should negotiate so that Iran accepts what we say.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
This kind of negotiation does not serve any purpose. It will not reach any results. Even if Iran accepts to negotiate and even if our officials sit and negotiate with the Americans, what kind of negotiations is it when their goal is this [making Iran surrender]? It is obvious that Iran will not give up its rights. During negotiations, whenever they see that the opposing side speaks reasonably and they have nothing to say against Iran, they break off negotiations. Then, they say that Iran does not want to negotiate. Political networks as well as news networks are under their control and they broadcast propaganda. We have experienced this.
During the past 15 years, two or three times the Americans sent a message about a specific issue. They insisted that there is a very important and a very critical issue and that we should sit and talk with them. Well, executive officials - usually one or two people - went to a certain place and spoke to them. As soon as these officials made their rational statements and the Americans found out that they have no response, the negotiations were broken off unilaterally. Of course, they achieved their propaganda purposes. This is our experience. Well, it is wrong to test something which has been already tested.
The fourth point is that they pretend in their propaganda that if Iran sits at the negotiating table and negotiates with America, sanctions will be lifted. This is a lie too. Their goal is to make the people of Iran become eager to negotiate with America by promising to lift sanctions. They think that the people of Iran are exhausted by the sanctions and are frustrated. They think that everything is in a mess and that they can tell us, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Well, come and negotiate with us so that we lift the sanctions.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" They think this will cause the entire Iranian nation to ask them to negotiate.
This is also one of their irrational and deceptive statements and it is a tool for bullying. First, as I said, when they ask us to negotiate with them, they do not really mean fair and rational negotiations. Negotiations mean that we should accept what they say and surrender so that they lift the sanctions. If the Iranian nation wanted to surrender, they would not have carried out a revolution. America was dominant over the issues of Iran and it did what it liked. The Iranian people carried out a revolution in order to free themselves from the yoke of America. Now should they surrender to you again? This is the first problem with their offer of negotiations.
Another problem is that the sanctions will not be lifted with negotiations. I would tell you that the purpose of sanctions is something else. The purpose of sanctions is exhausting the people of Iran and separating them from the Islamic Republic. Even if negotiations are conducted but our people stay present on the scene and stand up for their rights, sanctions will continue. What will the Iranian nation do to counter this wrong idea that the enemies have?
There is an idea in the minds of the opposing sides. Let us elaborate and analyze this idea. They say, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"The Islamic Republic relies on the people. If we manage to separate the people from the Islamic Republic, the power to resist will be taken away from the Islamic Republic.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" This is how the opposing side thinks. Well, this idea has two parts. The first part, that the Islamic Republic relies on the people, is accurate. There is no source of support for the Islamic Republic except the people. The people are the fortifications that protect the country and the Islamic Revolution. The second part, that they thought they can bring the people to their knees by imposing sanctions and bullying them on international, commercial and other such issues, is false. If they think that they can take away this source of support from the Islamic Republic, they are wrong.
The Iranian nation will think of some ways to counter what the enemy wants to do. The Iranian nation is looking for economic blossoming, economic progress and complete prosperity. But it does not want to achieve this goal by being humiliated before the enemy. It wants to achieve this goal with its own capabilities, courage, advancements and with the capabilities of the youth. It does not want to achieve this with anything else. There is no doubt that sanctions exert pressures on the people and bother them. But there are two ways to approach these pressures. Weak nations surrender to the enemy when he exerts pressures and they bow and show regret before him. But a brave nation, like the Iranian nation, tries to use its own capabilities as soon as it sees that the enemy is exerting pressures and it tries to pass through the danger zone. And our nation will definitely do this. We have 30 years of experience in this regard.
There are certain countries in the region which have been under the domination of America for more than 30 years. The governments in these countries have been servants of America. They have been obedient to America and they have been taking orders from it. What is their position? The Iranian nation has been putting up a resistance against America for more than 30 years. What is the position of the Iranian nation? In the face of 30 years of pressures by America, the Iranian nation has reached such a position - in terms of scientific, economic and cultural progress and in terms of international dignity, political influence and political power - that the people and government officials during the time of Pahlavi and Qajar regimes could not even dream of.
We have experienced this. We have tested this. We have stood up against the pressures of America for 30 years. We have such a position. But there are nations which have been under the domination of America for 30 years and they are behind other countries to a great extent. We did not suffer a loss as a result of resisting. Resistance revives the inner strength of a nation. It makes it active. The sanctions which they impose will be helpful to the Iranian nation. By Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor and grace, sanctions will help the Iranian nation achieve growth and blossoming. This is an important point.
Well, you saw what the people did in the rallies. We cannot say that the people have no complaints about the high prices and the existing problems. Prices are high and there are certain economic problems and the people, particularly underprivileged people, feel them. But this did not make the people separate themselves from the Islamic Republic. The people know that the Islamic Republic, dear and powerful Islam and the officials who are committed to Islam, are the powerful hands which can solve the problems. They can solve the problems. Surrendering to the enemies will not solve any problems.
The last point is that unlike American politicians, we are reasonable. Our officials are reasonable. Our people are reasonable. We accept rational statements and rational actions. If the Americans show that they will not bully us any more, if they show that they will not commit evil deeds, if they show that they will not say and do irrational things, if they show that they will respect the rights of the Iranian nation, if they show that they will not fuel the fire of discord in the country, if they show that they will not interfere in the internal affairs of Iran - like the interference by supporting those who started the fitna in 1388 - then they will see that the Islamic Republic is benevolent and the people are reasonable.
In the fitna of the year 1388, they supported those who started the fitna and they put social networks at the service of these people. In those days, a social network wanted to close down in order to fix some technical problems. They asked the network not to close down so that they could exert influence over the fitna. If they stop doing these things, then they will see that the Islamic Republic is well-wishing. The only way to establish relations with the Islamic Republic is this and there is no other way. They can establish relations with the Islamic Republic in such a way. The Americans should prove that they have good will. They should prove that they are not after bullying. If they prove this, then they will see that the Iranian nation will make an appropriate response. If they do not commit evil deeds, if they do not interfere, if they do not bully and if they acknowledge the rights of the Iranian nation, then an appropriate response will be given by the Iranian nation.
I would like to say a few things about the internal issues of our country. This is an important issue. An event took place in the Majlis. It was a bad and inappropriate event. It made both the people and our elites unhappy. I became upset for two reasons. The first is the fact that the event itself happened and the second is the fact that the people are unhappy about this issue. In this event, the head of a certain branch made an accusation against the other two branches on the basis of an unproven allegation which had not even been considered by a court of law. This course of action was bad and inappropriate. These acts are against sharia and the law and they are immoral. They violate the basic rights of the people. One of the basic rights of the people is living in peace and in psychological and moral security.
If a person is accused of corruption, one cannot accuse other people on the basis of this accusation. Even if he is found guilty - let alone the current case in which the accused has not been found guilty, he has not been summoned by the court and he has not come to trial - one should not accuse others. Accusing other people, the Majlis and the judiciary branch on the basis of an accusation that has been leveled against another person is an appropriate course of action. It is a wrong course of action. For the time being, I offer a piece of advice. This behavior is not appropriate for the Islamic Republic.
On the other hand, the questioning [of the minister] in the Majlis was a wrong course of action. Questioning should serve a certain purpose. What is the purpose of questioning a minister - a few months before the end of this administration\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s term - over an issue which is not related to the minister? Why did they do this?
I have heard that inside the Majlis, a number of people said inappropriate things. This course of action was also wrong. All these events are inappropriate for the Islamic Republic. Neither that accusation, nor that behavior, nor that questioning was appropriate. The things which the honorable Speaker of the Majlis said in his own defense were excessive. It was not necessary to do that.
We are all brothers. When there is a common enemy in front of us and when we see plots, what should we do? Until today, the officials have always stayed by one another\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s side. Now, too, they should act like this. They should always act like this.
I have always supported the officials of the three branches and the officials of the country. I will continue to support each person who has a responsibility. I will help him. But I do not like these acts. This kind of behavior is not in line with the oaths they take and with the promises they make. Take a look at the greatness of the people. These people deserve to be treated in a different way. Today, the officials should focus all their efforts on solving economic problems. Three or four years ago, during a speech which I delivered in the beginning of the year, I explicitly said to the people and the officials that the plot of the enemies of the Iranian nation would be to focus - more than everything else - on our economic issues.
Well, you see that the enemies did this. Both the executive branch and the Majlis should focus all their efforts and all their attention on pursuing accurate economic policies. A few years ago, I wrote a letter to the heads of the three branches of government about combating economic corruption. You should combat economic corruption. This problem is not solved by speaking about it. You should combat economic corruption in practice. You repeatedly speak about economic corruption. When did you combat economic corruption? What was done in practice? What did you do in practice? These issues make one distressed.
Now that the enemies have increased their hostility, I expect the officials to strengthen their friendship. Piety, piety, piety! We expect the officials to focus all their efforts on solving the problems of the people by exercising patience, by suppressing unrestrained emotions and by taking the issues of the country into consideration. By Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor, this benevolent piece of advice will draw the attention of the officials, particularly high-ranking officials. They should be committed to this issue.
I should add another point. The things that I said today and the complaints I made against a number of officials should not make some people shout slogans against such and such people. I am against this course of action. Some people label a certain person as anti-wilayat, anti-insight and anti-whatever. Then they shout slogans against him and create disruption in the Majlis. I am against these moves. I would like to speak openly about these issues. I am against the kind of events which happened in Qom. I am against the kind of events which happened at Imam Khomeini\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s (r.a.) holy shrine. I asked the officials many times to prevent these things. Those who do such things - if they are really hezbollahi and religious - should stop doing them. You can see that we consider these moves as harmful to the country. We do not benefit from them.
It is not helpful to set out to shout slogans against such and such people by releasing emotions. These slogans will not solve any problems. Keep this anger and these emotions for the time when it is necessary to express them. During the Sacred Defense Era, if basijis had decided to act at will, then the country would have been destroyed. Discipline and social order are necessary and it is necessary to take certain things into consideration. If these people do not pay any attention to these principles, then they should be treated in a different way. But those who pay attention to these principles and who believe they should not move against sharia, should take care not to make such moves.
Thankfully the people of Iran have insight. I would tell you dear youth that the day when we are gone and you are in charge, the situation of the Iranian nation will be much better in terms of material and spiritual prosperity. The Iranian nation is moving towards light. There are bright prospects for us. We should watch our behavior.
We should ask Allah the Exalted to help us. We should ask the immaculate souls of our martyrs and the immaculate soul of our magnanimous Imam (r.a.) to help us. By Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor, you and I will benefit from the prayers of the Imam of the Age (may our souls be sacrificed for his sake).
Greetings be upon you and Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s mercy and blessings.
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[URDU][1October11] انتفاضہ فلسطین کانفرنس Speech by Vali Amr Muslimeen
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
As-Salamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullah
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, and peace and greetings upon our Master, Muhammad,...
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
As-Salamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullah
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, and peace and greetings upon our Master, Muhammad, and upon his immaculate household and chosen companions and upon those who follow them appropriately until the Day of Judgment.
Allah the All-Wise said: \"Permission (to fight) is given to those upon whom war is made because they are oppressed and most surely Allah is well able to assist them. Those who have been expelled from their homes without a just cause only because they say our Lord is Allah. And had there not been Allah\'s repelling some people by others, certainly there would have been pulled down cloisters and churches and synagogues and mosques in which Allah\'s name is much remembered. And surely Allah will help him who helps His cause. Most surely Allah is Strong, Mighty.\" [The Holy Quran, Sura al-Hajj, Ayahs 39-40]
I would like to welcome the all dear guests and the honorable audience. Among all the issues that deserve to be discussed by religious and political figures from across the world of Islam, the issue of Palestine enjoys special importance. Palestine is the primary issue among all common issues of Islamic countries. This issue has unique characteristics.
The first characteristic is that a Muslim country has been taken away from its people and entrusted to foreigners who have come together from different countries and formed a fake and mosaic-like society.
The second characteristic is that this historically unprecedented event has been accompanied by constant killings, crimes, oppression and humiliation.
The third characteristic is that Muslims\' original qiblah and many respected religious centers which exist in that country have been threatened with destruction, sacrilege and decline.
The fourth characteristic is that at the most sensitive spot of the world of Islam, this fake government and society has played the role of a military, security and political base for the arrogant governments since the beginning up until today. And the pivot of the colonialist west - which has been opposed to the unity, development and progress of Islamic countries for various reasons - has always used it like a dagger in the heart of the Islamic Ummah.
The fifth characteristic is that Zionism - which is a great ethical, political and economic threat to the human community - has used this foothold as a tool and stepping stone to spread its influence and hegemony in the world.
Other points that can be added include: heavy financial and human costs that Islamic countries have paid so far, preoccupation of Muslim governments and people, the sufferings of millions of displaced Palestinians many of whom still live in refugee camps after the passage of six decades and putting an end to the history of an important civilizational center in the world of Islam.
Today another key point has been added to these causes and this key point is the wave of Islamic Awakening which has engulfed the entire region and has opened a new and determining chapter in the history of the Islamic Ummah. This massive movement - which can undoubtedly lead to a powerful, advanced and coherent Islamic alliance in this sensitive part of the world and can put an end to the era of backwardness, weakness and humiliation of Muslim nations relying on Allah\'s favor and the firm determination of the followers of this movement - has borrowed an important portion of its force and courage from the issue of Palestine.
The Zionist regime\'s increasing oppression and bullying and the cooperation of certain autocratic, corrupt and mercenary rulers on the one hand and the spirited Palestinian and Lebanese resistance and the miraculous victories of faithful youth in the 33-day war on Lebanon and in the 22-day war on Gaza on the other hand - were among the important factors which made turbulent the seemingly calm ocean of the Egyptian, Tunisian and Libyan nations as well as other regional nations.
It is a fact that the Zionist regime, which is armed to the teeth and claims to be invincible, suffered a decisive and humiliating defeat in Lebanon during an unequal war against the clenched fist of faithful and brave mujahids. Later on it re-tested its blunt sword against the innocent and determined resistance of Gaza and it failed.
Serious attention should be paid to these points when analyzing current conditions of the region and the appropriateness of every decision should be evaluated against these points.
Therefore, it is an accurate judgment to say that today the issue of Palestine has gained increased importance and urgency and the Palestinian nation has the right to expect more from Muslims countries in the current regional conditions.
Let us take a look at the past and the present and prepare a road map for the future. I will discuss certain topics in this regard.
More than six decades have passed since the tragic occupation of Palestine. All the main causes of this bloody tragedy have been identified and the colonialist English government is the most important cause. The policies, weapons and military, security, economic and cultural power of the English government and other arrogant western and eastern governments were put to the service of this great oppression. Under the ruthless clutches of the occupiers, the defenseless people of Palestine were massacred and forced out of their homes. Until today even one percent of the human and civil tragedy - which was carried out at that time by the claimants of civilization and ethics - has not been properly portrayed and this tragedy has not had its fair share in the media and visual arts. The owners of visual and cinematic arts and western movie mafias have not been willing to allow this to happen. An entire nation was massacred and displaced in silence.
Certain instances of resistance emerged at the beginning, which were harshly and ruthlessly crushed. From outside Palestinian borders and mainly from Egypt, a number of men with Islamic motives made certain efforts which were not sufficiently supported and could not have an effect on the scene.
Afterwards there were full-scale and classical wars between a few Arab countries and the Zionist army. Egypt, Syria and Jordan mobilized their military forces, but the unconditional, massive and increasing military and financial support of America, England and France for the Zionist regime overwhelmed Arab armies. Not only did they fail to help the Palestinian nation, but they also lost an important portion of their territories during these wars.
After the weakness of Palestine\'s Arab neighbors was revealed, cells of organized resistance were gradually established in the form of armed Palestinian groups and after a while they came together to form the Palestinian Liberation Organization. This was a spark of hope which shone brightly, but it did not last long. This failure can be attributed to many factors, but the essential factor was their separation from the people and from their Islamic beliefs and faith. Leftist ideology or mere nationalistic sentiments were not what the complicated and difficult issue of Palestine required. Islam, jihad and martyrdom were the factors that could have encouraged an entire nation to step into the arena of resistance and turned it into an invincible force. They did not understand this properly. During the first few months of the great Islamic Revolution, when the leaders of the Palestinian Liberation Organization had found a new spirit and they used to visit Tehran repeatedly, I asked a pillar of the organization why they did not raise the flag of Islam in their righteous battle. His answer was that there were a number of Christians among them as well. Later on that person was assassinated by the Zionists in an Arab country and I hope Allah the Exalted has bestowed mercy on him. But his reasoning was flawed. I believe a faithful Christian who fights alongside a group of selfless mujahids - who carry out jihad in a sincere way while having faith in God, the Day of Judgment and divine assistance - would be more motivated to fight than a Christian who has to fight alongside a group of people who lack faith, rely on unstable sentiments and lack loyal support of the people.
Lack of firm faith and separation from the people gradually made them neutral and ineffective. Of course there were honorable, motivated and valorous men among them, but the organization went off in a different direction. Their deviation has been a blow to the issue of Palestine. Like certain treacherous Arab governments, they too turned their back on the ideal of resistance which has been the only way of saving Palestine. And of course not only did they deliver a blow to Palestine, but they also delivered a strong blow to themselves. As the Christian Arab poet says,
لئن اضعتم فلسطيناً فعيشكم طول الحياة مضاضات و آلامٌ
Thirty two years were spent in this misery, but suddenly God\'s hand of power turned the tables. The victory of the Islamic Revolution in Iran in the year 1979 completely changed the conditions of this region and turned a new page. Among the amazing global effects of this Revolution and the strong blows that it delivered to arrogant policies, the blow to the Zionist government was the clearest and the most immediate. The statements of the leaders of that regime during those days are interesting to read and they show how unhappy and anxious they were. During the first few weeks after the victory, Israel\'s embassy in Tehran was closed down and its staff was expelled. The embassy was officially given to the Palestinian Liberation Organization whose representatives are still there. Our magnanimous Imam announced that one of the goals of the Revolution was to liberate Palestine and to remove the cancerous tumor, Israel. The powerful waves of this Revolution, which engulfed the entire world at that time, conveyed this message wherever it reached: \"Palestine must be liberated.\" Even the repeated and great problems that the enemies of the Revolution imposed on the Islamic Republic of Iran failed to discourage the Islamic Republic from defending Palestine. One instance of the problems that they caused was the eight-year war waged on Iran by Saddam Hussein who had been goaded by America and England and was supported by reactionary Arab governments.
Thus, new blood was pumped into the veins of Palestine. Muslim mujahid groups started to emerge in Palestine. The Lebanese Resistance formed a powerful and new front against the enemy and its supporters. Instead of relying on Arab governments and seeking help from global organizations such as the United Nations, which were accomplices of the arrogant powers, Palestine started to rely on itself, its youth, its deep Islamic faith and its selfless men and women. This is the key to all achievements.
Over the past three decades this process has been accelerated on a daily basis. The humiliating defeat of the Zionist regime in Lebanon in the year 2006, the humiliating failure of the arrogant Zionist army in Gaza in the year 2008, the Zionist regime\'s escape from South Lebanon and withdrawal from Gaza, the establishment of the resistance government in Gaza and in brief, changing the Palestinian nation from a group of helpless and hopeless people to a hopeful, resistant and self-confident nation - these were the outstanding characteristics of the past thirty years.
This general picture will be clear when attempts at compromise and treacherous activities - whose goal is to break down resistance and make Palestinian groups and Arab governments acknowledge the legitimacy of Israel - are also reflected upon in an appropriate way.
These activities, which were initiated with the Camp David Accords by the treacherous and unworthy successor of Gamal Abdel Nasser, have always been aimed at undermining the steely determination of resistance forces. During the Camp David Accords, for the first time an Arab government officially acknowledged that the Palestinian lands belonged to the Zionists and it signed the papers according to which Palestine was recognized as the homeland of Jews.
From that time until the Oslo Accords in the year 1993 and later on in complementary plans - which were imposed one after the other on compromising and careless Palestinian groups with the intervention of America and the cooperation of colonialist European governments - the enemy tried its best to discourage the Palestinian nation and Palestinian groups from resisting through the use of empty and deceptive promises and making them busy with amateur political games. The uselessness of all these accords was revealed very soon and the Zionists and their supporters repeatedly showed that they consider these accords as worthless pieces of paper. The goal of these plans was to create doubt among the Palestinians, make materialistic unbelievers greedy and cripple Islamic resistance.
So far, the spirit of resistance among the Islamic Palestinian groups and the Palestinian people has been the antidote to all these treacherous games. They stood up against the enemy with Allah\'s permission and as promised by God, they benefited from divine assistance: \"And surely Allah will help him who helps His cause. Most surely Allah is Strong, Mighty.\" [The Holy Quran, Sura al-Hajj, Ayah 40] The resistance of Gaza in spite of a comprehensive siege was an instance of divine assistance. The collapse of the treacherous and corrupt government of Hosni Mubarak was divine assistance. The emergence of the powerful wave of Islamic Awakening in the region is divine assistance. The removal of the mask of hypocrisy from the face of America, England and France and the increasing hatred of the regional nations towards these countries are divine assistance. The repeated and innumerable problems of the Zionist regime - from its domestic political, economic and social problems to its isolation in the world, to public and even academic hatred of the Zionists in Europe - are all instances of divine assistance.
Today the Zionist regime is weaker, more hated and more isolated than ever before and its main supporter, America, is more embattled and confused than ever before.
Today the general history of Palestine in the past 60 years is in front of our eyes. It is necessary to delineate the future by considering that general history and learning lessons from it.
Two points should be clarified in advance. The first point is that our demand is the liberation of Palestine, not the liberation of a part of Palestine. Any plan to divide Palestine is completely unacceptable. The two-state idea which has been presented in the self-righteous clothing of \"recognizing the Palestinian government as a member of the United Nations\" is nothing but giving in to the demands of the Zionists - namely, \"recognizing the Zionist government in Palestinian lands\". This would mean trampling on the rights of the Palestinian nation, ignoring the historical right of the displaced Palestinians and even jeopardizing the right of the Palestinians settled in \"1948 lands\". It would mean leaving the cancerous tumor intact and exposing the Islamic Ummah - especially the regional nations - to constant danger. It would mean bringing back decades-long sufferings and trampling upon the blood of the martyrs.
Any operational solution must be based on the principle of \"all of Palestine for all Palestinian people\". Palestine is the land that extends \"from the river to the sea\", not one inch less than that. Of course it should be noted that through its elected government, the Palestinian people will run the affairs of the any part of the Palestinian soil they manage to liberate, just as they did in the case of Gaza, but they will never forget the ultimate goal.
The second point is that in order to reach this lofty goal, what is necessary is action, not words. It is necessary to be serious, not to make ceremonial gestures. It is necessary to have patience and wisdom, not engage in a variety of impatient actions. It is necessary to consider horizons that lie far ahead and to move forward step by step with determination, reliance on God and hope. Muslim governments and nations and the resistance groups in Palestine, Lebanon and other countries can each identify their share of work in this general struggle and solve the puzzle of resistance with Allah\'s permission.
The solution of the Islamic Republic to the issue of Palestine and this old wound is a clear and logical proposal that is based on political wisdom accepted by global public opinion and it has been presented in detail previously. We neither propose a classical war with the armies of Islamic countries, nor do we propose throwing Jewish immigrants into the sea or intervention of the United Nations and other international organizations. We propose a referendum among the Palestinian people. Just like any other nation, the Palestinian nation has the right to determine its own destiny and to elect its own government. All the original people of Palestine - including Muslims, Christians and Jews and not foreign immigrants - should take part in a general and orderly referendum and determine the future government of Palestine whether they live inside Palestine or in camps or in any other place. The government that is established after the referendum will determine the destiny of non-Palestinian immigrants who migrated to Palestine in the past. This is a fair and logical proposal which global public opinion understands and it can receive support from independent nations and governments.
Of course we do not expect the usurping Zionists to willingly accept this proposal and this is where the role of governments, nations and resistance organizations becomes significant. The most important pillar of supporting the Palestinian nation is to stop supporting the usurping enemy and this is the great duty of Islamic governments. After the people have stepped into the arena and shouted slogans against the Zionist regime in a powerful way, on what logical basis do Muslim governments continue their relations with the usurping Zionist regime? The proof of Muslim governments\' honesty lies in their support for the Palestinian nation and in their decision to break off their overt and secret political and economic relations with the Zionist regime. The governments that host Zionist embassies or economic offices cannot claim to defend Palestine and no anti-Zionist slogan on their part will be considered serious and genuine.
Today Islamic resistance organizations, which have been shouldering the heavy burden of jihad over the past years, are confronted with the same great responsibility. Their organized resistance is an active arm that can help the Palestinian nation move towards the ultimate goal. Brave resistance of the people whose homes and country have been occupied has been recognized in all international conventions and it has been praised. Allegations of terrorism by the political and media network affiliated with Zionism are hollow and worthless claims. The obvious terrorist is the Zionist regime and its western supporters. Palestinian resistance is a movement against the oppressive terrorists and it is a human and sacred movement.
In the meantime, it is appropriate for western countries to evaluate the situation from a realistic perspective. Today the west is at a crossroads. It should either stop bullying and acknowledge the right of the Palestinian nation and refuse to follow the plan of the bullying and anti-human Zionists, or they should wait for stronger blows in the not so distant future. These crippling blows are not limited to the continual collapse of their puppet governments in the Islamic region. Rather the day when European and American peoples realize that the majority of their economic, social and ethical problems result from the octopus-like hegemony of international Zionism over their governments and that their statesmen give in to the bullying of parasitic Zionists who own companies in America and Europe for the sake of their personal and partisan interests, they will create a such hell for them in which no salvation will be imaginable.
The US President says that Israel\'s security is his red line. What factor has determined this red line? Is it the interests of the American nation or Obama\'s personal need for the money and support of Zionist companies to ensure his second term as US President? How long do you think you will be able to deceive your own nation? What will the American people do with you the day they realize you have agreed to give in to humiliation and obedience to wealthy Zionists for the sake of remaining in power for a few more days? What will they do with you when they realize that you have sacrificed the interests of a great nation at the feet of the Zionists?
Dear brothers and sisters, know that this red line drawn by Obama and people like him will be crossed by Muslim nations that have risen up. What is threatening the Zionist regime is not the missiles of Iran or resistance groups, so they can build a missile shield here and there in order to confront it. The real and inescapable threat is the firm determination of men, women and youth in Islamic countries who do not want America, Europe and their puppets rulers, to dominate and humiliate them any longer.
Of course those missiles will fulfill their duty whenever the enemy poses a threat. \"Therefore, be patient. Surely the promise of Allah is true and let not those who have no certainty make you impatient.\" [The Holy Quran, Sura ar-Room, Ayah 60]
Wa salaam alaykum wa rahmat Allah
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In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
As-Salamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullah
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, and peace and greetings upon our Master, Muhammad, and upon his immaculate household and chosen companions and upon those who follow them appropriately until the Day of Judgment.
Allah the All-Wise said: \"Permission (to fight) is given to those upon whom war is made because they are oppressed and most surely Allah is well able to assist them. Those who have been expelled from their homes without a just cause only because they say our Lord is Allah. And had there not been Allah\'s repelling some people by others, certainly there would have been pulled down cloisters and churches and synagogues and mosques in which Allah\'s name is much remembered. And surely Allah will help him who helps His cause. Most surely Allah is Strong, Mighty.\" [The Holy Quran, Sura al-Hajj, Ayahs 39-40]
I would like to welcome the all dear guests and the honorable audience. Among all the issues that deserve to be discussed by religious and political figures from across the world of Islam, the issue of Palestine enjoys special importance. Palestine is the primary issue among all common issues of Islamic countries. This issue has unique characteristics.
The first characteristic is that a Muslim country has been taken away from its people and entrusted to foreigners who have come together from different countries and formed a fake and mosaic-like society.
The second characteristic is that this historically unprecedented event has been accompanied by constant killings, crimes, oppression and humiliation.
The third characteristic is that Muslims\' original qiblah and many respected religious centers which exist in that country have been threatened with destruction, sacrilege and decline.
The fourth characteristic is that at the most sensitive spot of the world of Islam, this fake government and society has played the role of a military, security and political base for the arrogant governments since the beginning up until today. And the pivot of the colonialist west - which has been opposed to the unity, development and progress of Islamic countries for various reasons - has always used it like a dagger in the heart of the Islamic Ummah.
The fifth characteristic is that Zionism - which is a great ethical, political and economic threat to the human community - has used this foothold as a tool and stepping stone to spread its influence and hegemony in the world.
Other points that can be added include: heavy financial and human costs that Islamic countries have paid so far, preoccupation of Muslim governments and people, the sufferings of millions of displaced Palestinians many of whom still live in refugee camps after the passage of six decades and putting an end to the history of an important civilizational center in the world of Islam.
Today another key point has been added to these causes and this key point is the wave of Islamic Awakening which has engulfed the entire region and has opened a new and determining chapter in the history of the Islamic Ummah. This massive movement - which can undoubtedly lead to a powerful, advanced and coherent Islamic alliance in this sensitive part of the world and can put an end to the era of backwardness, weakness and humiliation of Muslim nations relying on Allah\'s favor and the firm determination of the followers of this movement - has borrowed an important portion of its force and courage from the issue of Palestine.
The Zionist regime\'s increasing oppression and bullying and the cooperation of certain autocratic, corrupt and mercenary rulers on the one hand and the spirited Palestinian and Lebanese resistance and the miraculous victories of faithful youth in the 33-day war on Lebanon and in the 22-day war on Gaza on the other hand - were among the important factors which made turbulent the seemingly calm ocean of the Egyptian, Tunisian and Libyan nations as well as other regional nations.
It is a fact that the Zionist regime, which is armed to the teeth and claims to be invincible, suffered a decisive and humiliating defeat in Lebanon during an unequal war against the clenched fist of faithful and brave mujahids. Later on it re-tested its blunt sword against the innocent and determined resistance of Gaza and it failed.
Serious attention should be paid to these points when analyzing current conditions of the region and the appropriateness of every decision should be evaluated against these points.
Therefore, it is an accurate judgment to say that today the issue of Palestine has gained increased importance and urgency and the Palestinian nation has the right to expect more from Muslims countries in the current regional conditions.
Let us take a look at the past and the present and prepare a road map for the future. I will discuss certain topics in this regard.
More than six decades have passed since the tragic occupation of Palestine. All the main causes of this bloody tragedy have been identified and the colonialist English government is the most important cause. The policies, weapons and military, security, economic and cultural power of the English government and other arrogant western and eastern governments were put to the service of this great oppression. Under the ruthless clutches of the occupiers, the defenseless people of Palestine were massacred and forced out of their homes. Until today even one percent of the human and civil tragedy - which was carried out at that time by the claimants of civilization and ethics - has not been properly portrayed and this tragedy has not had its fair share in the media and visual arts. The owners of visual and cinematic arts and western movie mafias have not been willing to allow this to happen. An entire nation was massacred and displaced in silence.
Certain instances of resistance emerged at the beginning, which were harshly and ruthlessly crushed. From outside Palestinian borders and mainly from Egypt, a number of men with Islamic motives made certain efforts which were not sufficiently supported and could not have an effect on the scene.
Afterwards there were full-scale and classical wars between a few Arab countries and the Zionist army. Egypt, Syria and Jordan mobilized their military forces, but the unconditional, massive and increasing military and financial support of America, England and France for the Zionist regime overwhelmed Arab armies. Not only did they fail to help the Palestinian nation, but they also lost an important portion of their territories during these wars.
After the weakness of Palestine\'s Arab neighbors was revealed, cells of organized resistance were gradually established in the form of armed Palestinian groups and after a while they came together to form the Palestinian Liberation Organization. This was a spark of hope which shone brightly, but it did not last long. This failure can be attributed to many factors, but the essential factor was their separation from the people and from their Islamic beliefs and faith. Leftist ideology or mere nationalistic sentiments were not what the complicated and difficult issue of Palestine required. Islam, jihad and martyrdom were the factors that could have encouraged an entire nation to step into the arena of resistance and turned it into an invincible force. They did not understand this properly. During the first few months of the great Islamic Revolution, when the leaders of the Palestinian Liberation Organization had found a new spirit and they used to visit Tehran repeatedly, I asked a pillar of the organization why they did not raise the flag of Islam in their righteous battle. His answer was that there were a number of Christians among them as well. Later on that person was assassinated by the Zionists in an Arab country and I hope Allah the Exalted has bestowed mercy on him. But his reasoning was flawed. I believe a faithful Christian who fights alongside a group of selfless mujahids - who carry out jihad in a sincere way while having faith in God, the Day of Judgment and divine assistance - would be more motivated to fight than a Christian who has to fight alongside a group of people who lack faith, rely on unstable sentiments and lack loyal support of the people.
Lack of firm faith and separation from the people gradually made them neutral and ineffective. Of course there were honorable, motivated and valorous men among them, but the organization went off in a different direction. Their deviation has been a blow to the issue of Palestine. Like certain treacherous Arab governments, they too turned their back on the ideal of resistance which has been the only way of saving Palestine. And of course not only did they deliver a blow to Palestine, but they also delivered a strong blow to themselves. As the Christian Arab poet says,
لئن اضعتم فلسطيناً فعيشكم طول الحياة مضاضات و آلامٌ
Thirty two years were spent in this misery, but suddenly God\'s hand of power turned the tables. The victory of the Islamic Revolution in Iran in the year 1979 completely changed the conditions of this region and turned a new page. Among the amazing global effects of this Revolution and the strong blows that it delivered to arrogant policies, the blow to the Zionist government was the clearest and the most immediate. The statements of the leaders of that regime during those days are interesting to read and they show how unhappy and anxious they were. During the first few weeks after the victory, Israel\'s embassy in Tehran was closed down and its staff was expelled. The embassy was officially given to the Palestinian Liberation Organization whose representatives are still there. Our magnanimous Imam announced that one of the goals of the Revolution was to liberate Palestine and to remove the cancerous tumor, Israel. The powerful waves of this Revolution, which engulfed the entire world at that time, conveyed this message wherever it reached: \"Palestine must be liberated.\" Even the repeated and great problems that the enemies of the Revolution imposed on the Islamic Republic of Iran failed to discourage the Islamic Republic from defending Palestine. One instance of the problems that they caused was the eight-year war waged on Iran by Saddam Hussein who had been goaded by America and England and was supported by reactionary Arab governments.
Thus, new blood was pumped into the veins of Palestine. Muslim mujahid groups started to emerge in Palestine. The Lebanese Resistance formed a powerful and new front against the enemy and its supporters. Instead of relying on Arab governments and seeking help from global organizations such as the United Nations, which were accomplices of the arrogant powers, Palestine started to rely on itself, its youth, its deep Islamic faith and its selfless men and women. This is the key to all achievements.
Over the past three decades this process has been accelerated on a daily basis. The humiliating defeat of the Zionist regime in Lebanon in the year 2006, the humiliating failure of the arrogant Zionist army in Gaza in the year 2008, the Zionist regime\'s escape from South Lebanon and withdrawal from Gaza, the establishment of the resistance government in Gaza and in brief, changing the Palestinian nation from a group of helpless and hopeless people to a hopeful, resistant and self-confident nation - these were the outstanding characteristics of the past thirty years.
This general picture will be clear when attempts at compromise and treacherous activities - whose goal is to break down resistance and make Palestinian groups and Arab governments acknowledge the legitimacy of Israel - are also reflected upon in an appropriate way.
These activities, which were initiated with the Camp David Accords by the treacherous and unworthy successor of Gamal Abdel Nasser, have always been aimed at undermining the steely determination of resistance forces. During the Camp David Accords, for the first time an Arab government officially acknowledged that the Palestinian lands belonged to the Zionists and it signed the papers according to which Palestine was recognized as the homeland of Jews.
From that time until the Oslo Accords in the year 1993 and later on in complementary plans - which were imposed one after the other on compromising and careless Palestinian groups with the intervention of America and the cooperation of colonialist European governments - the enemy tried its best to discourage the Palestinian nation and Palestinian groups from resisting through the use of empty and deceptive promises and making them busy with amateur political games. The uselessness of all these accords was revealed very soon and the Zionists and their supporters repeatedly showed that they consider these accords as worthless pieces of paper. The goal of these plans was to create doubt among the Palestinians, make materialistic unbelievers greedy and cripple Islamic resistance.
So far, the spirit of resistance among the Islamic Palestinian groups and the Palestinian people has been the antidote to all these treacherous games. They stood up against the enemy with Allah\'s permission and as promised by God, they benefited from divine assistance: \"And surely Allah will help him who helps His cause. Most surely Allah is Strong, Mighty.\" [The Holy Quran, Sura al-Hajj, Ayah 40] The resistance of Gaza in spite of a comprehensive siege was an instance of divine assistance. The collapse of the treacherous and corrupt government of Hosni Mubarak was divine assistance. The emergence of the powerful wave of Islamic Awakening in the region is divine assistance. The removal of the mask of hypocrisy from the face of America, England and France and the increasing hatred of the regional nations towards these countries are divine assistance. The repeated and innumerable problems of the Zionist regime - from its domestic political, economic and social problems to its isolation in the world, to public and even academic hatred of the Zionists in Europe - are all instances of divine assistance.
Today the Zionist regime is weaker, more hated and more isolated than ever before and its main supporter, America, is more embattled and confused than ever before.
Today the general history of Palestine in the past 60 years is in front of our eyes. It is necessary to delineate the future by considering that general history and learning lessons from it.
Two points should be clarified in advance. The first point is that our demand is the liberation of Palestine, not the liberation of a part of Palestine. Any plan to divide Palestine is completely unacceptable. The two-state idea which has been presented in the self-righteous clothing of \"recognizing the Palestinian government as a member of the United Nations\" is nothing but giving in to the demands of the Zionists - namely, \"recognizing the Zionist government in Palestinian lands\". This would mean trampling on the rights of the Palestinian nation, ignoring the historical right of the displaced Palestinians and even jeopardizing the right of the Palestinians settled in \"1948 lands\". It would mean leaving the cancerous tumor intact and exposing the Islamic Ummah - especially the regional nations - to constant danger. It would mean bringing back decades-long sufferings and trampling upon the blood of the martyrs.
Any operational solution must be based on the principle of \"all of Palestine for all Palestinian people\". Palestine is the land that extends \"from the river to the sea\", not one inch less than that. Of course it should be noted that through its elected government, the Palestinian people will run the affairs of the any part of the Palestinian soil they manage to liberate, just as they did in the case of Gaza, but they will never forget the ultimate goal.
The second point is that in order to reach this lofty goal, what is necessary is action, not words. It is necessary to be serious, not to make ceremonial gestures. It is necessary to have patience and wisdom, not engage in a variety of impatient actions. It is necessary to consider horizons that lie far ahead and to move forward step by step with determination, reliance on God and hope. Muslim governments and nations and the resistance groups in Palestine, Lebanon and other countries can each identify their share of work in this general struggle and solve the puzzle of resistance with Allah\'s permission.
The solution of the Islamic Republic to the issue of Palestine and this old wound is a clear and logical proposal that is based on political wisdom accepted by global public opinion and it has been presented in detail previously. We neither propose a classical war with the armies of Islamic countries, nor do we propose throwing Jewish immigrants into the sea or intervention of the United Nations and other international organizations. We propose a referendum among the Palestinian people. Just like any other nation, the Palestinian nation has the right to determine its own destiny and to elect its own government. All the original people of Palestine - including Muslims, Christians and Jews and not foreign immigrants - should take part in a general and orderly referendum and determine the future government of Palestine whether they live inside Palestine or in camps or in any other place. The government that is established after the referendum will determine the destiny of non-Palestinian immigrants who migrated to Palestine in the past. This is a fair and logical proposal which global public opinion understands and it can receive support from independent nations and governments.
Of course we do not expect the usurping Zionists to willingly accept this proposal and this is where the role of governments, nations and resistance organizations becomes significant. The most important pillar of supporting the Palestinian nation is to stop supporting the usurping enemy and this is the great duty of Islamic governments. After the people have stepped into the arena and shouted slogans against the Zionist regime in a powerful way, on what logical basis do Muslim governments continue their relations with the usurping Zionist regime? The proof of Muslim governments\' honesty lies in their support for the Palestinian nation and in their decision to break off their overt and secret political and economic relations with the Zionist regime. The governments that host Zionist embassies or economic offices cannot claim to defend Palestine and no anti-Zionist slogan on their part will be considered serious and genuine.
Today Islamic resistance organizations, which have been shouldering the heavy burden of jihad over the past years, are confronted with the same great responsibility. Their organized resistance is an active arm that can help the Palestinian nation move towards the ultimate goal. Brave resistance of the people whose homes and country have been occupied has been recognized in all international conventions and it has been praised. Allegations of terrorism by the political and media network affiliated with Zionism are hollow and worthless claims. The obvious terrorist is the Zionist regime and its western supporters. Palestinian resistance is a movement against the oppressive terrorists and it is a human and sacred movement.
In the meantime, it is appropriate for western countries to evaluate the situation from a realistic perspective. Today the west is at a crossroads. It should either stop bullying and acknowledge the right of the Palestinian nation and refuse to follow the plan of the bullying and anti-human Zionists, or they should wait for stronger blows in the not so distant future. These crippling blows are not limited to the continual collapse of their puppet governments in the Islamic region. Rather the day when European and American peoples realize that the majority of their economic, social and ethical problems result from the octopus-like hegemony of international Zionism over their governments and that their statesmen give in to the bullying of parasitic Zionists who own companies in America and Europe for the sake of their personal and partisan interests, they will create a such hell for them in which no salvation will be imaginable.
The US President says that Israel\'s security is his red line. What factor has determined this red line? Is it the interests of the American nation or Obama\'s personal need for the money and support of Zionist companies to ensure his second term as US President? How long do you think you will be able to deceive your own nation? What will the American people do with you the day they realize you have agreed to give in to humiliation and obedience to wealthy Zionists for the sake of remaining in power for a few more days? What will they do with you when they realize that you have sacrificed the interests of a great nation at the feet of the Zionists?
Dear brothers and sisters, know that this red line drawn by Obama and people like him will be crossed by Muslim nations that have risen up. What is threatening the Zionist regime is not the missiles of Iran or resistance groups, so they can build a missile shield here and there in order to confront it. The real and inescapable threat is the firm determination of men, women and youth in Islamic countries who do not want America, Europe and their puppets rulers, to dominate and humiliate them any longer.
Of course those missiles will fulfill their duty whenever the enemy poses a threat. \"Therefore, be patient. Surely the promise of Allah is true and let not those who have no certainty make you impatient.\" [The Holy Quran, Sura ar-Room, Ayah 60]
Wa salaam alaykum wa rahmat Allah
http://english.khamenei.ir//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1527
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[11 May 13] Supreme Leader Speech to Outstanding Women - Full Speech by Sayed Ali Khamenei - [English]
The following is the full text of the speech delivered on May 11, 2013 by Ayatollah Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, in a meeting with a group of outstanding women who are...
The following is the full text of the speech delivered on May 11, 2013 by Ayatollah Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, in a meeting with a group of outstanding women who are active in seminary and academic areas.
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
I sincerely thank the honorable ladies who organized this good and fruitful meeting. Today, I really benefited from the ladies\\\\\\\' statements and I thank God for the depth of issues, thoughts and efforts which can be seen in the speeches of outstanding women throughout our country. The issues which you discussed were mostly good. There were certain suggestions which, by Allah\\\\\\\'s favor, will be examined. By Allah\\\\\\\'s favor, I will follow up the part which is related to me.
There are many things to say about the issue of women and what is related to women. We suffer from a kind of backwardness in this regard which you ladies - the ones who delivered a speech - referred to. Backwardness in this area is not similar to backwardness in scientific areas, which we suffer from. When we say that we suffer from backwardness in this area, this means we have many outstanding points to make on the issue of women, the issue of gender and issues which are related to women - such as the issue of family, children, marriage, settling down, tranquility in the family environment and other such issues - but we have not managed to convey these points to the world and discuss them with the public opinion throughout the world. We mean backwardness from this point of view. This is while the world needs valuable, comprehensive and clear ideas and concepts in this regard. As a number of ladies pointed out, when we discuss these points in international arenas, they receive a good reception. Or as a number of ladies said, research findings in psychological and other areas confirm that Islamic rules are true on the issue of women.
Well, this is only part of the capabilities of Islamic philosophy on this sensitive issue. But we failed to define and show these capabilities in the right way. The same is true of many other areas which are related to reasoning and thinking. In many of these areas, we failed to truly convey the opinion of Islam to the world. When I say, \\\\\\\"We failed\\\\\\\", it should not be thought that the Islamic Republic is responsible for this due to the fact that what has been already done in this regard is because of the Islamic Republic, the name of the Revolution and Imam (r.a.), the influence of their ideas and other such things. Thankfully, these ideas were developed to some extent, but we should work more than this. In order to do this, we need certain things which I will speak about later on. In order to form a front which is ready to attack and which is immune from others\\\\\\\' attack and in order to take up an offensive position, we need to promote and convey these ideas and thoughts. We really need this.
In fact, our attack is launched for the sake of immunity and defense. Therefore, in my opinion, the more you work in order to make up for this backwardness, the more valuable it will be. It is necessary to do this. We should not hesitate and stop in treading the path of this movement which is an awakening movement related to the issues of women. We should not stop in the middle of the way. Despite the fact that we benefit from a perfect, valuable and convincing Islamic discourse, we have adopted a passive outlook in the face of the western discourse on the issue of women.
The western discourse on the issue of women has adopted a very calculated and political outlook. That is to say, the day when this idea and this discourse on women started to develop in the west, there was a careful calculation behind it. Of course, this is not based on fact and what I am saying is not based on precise information, but there are clear signs which support this interpretation. Since the beginning of Renaissance in the west and the emergence of industrialism and the development of new industries in the west, this discourse gradually achieved growth. And it reached its peak during our own times. Of course, this peak will be accompanied by decline and, by Allah\\\\\\\'s favor, disgrace and destruction.
The western discourse on the issue of women has different dimensions, but it has two distinct dimensions. One is that it wants to give women a masculine identity. That is to say, it wants to make women behave like men. This is an important dimension of this discourse. Another is that it wants to make women prepare the ground for men to indulge in pleasure, whether the pleasure of watching women or other kinds of pleasure which are beyond this. This is another dimension of the western discourse on the issue of women. The issue of feminism and other such things - which have become popular in the world today - are, in fact, the products of western discourse. These are the consequences of what western discourse has done.
They wanted to give women a masculine identity. That is to say, they were trying to make women do jobs which are more compatible with the physical and intellectual characteristics of men. They consider it as a source of honor and they would like to describe it as an advantage and a source of honor for women. We have adopted a passive outlook in the face of this. We have been deceived and we have unwillingly and unknowingly accepted this. As you see, today we are proud of having such and such a number of women in certain executive positions. What I am saying should not be misunderstood. I do not have any problems with the idea of giving women executive positions. That is to say, I do not forbid women from doing this and I do not deny this right. I do not think it is wrong. Our minister of health and vice presidents were female and women have positions in different sectors. In my opinion, there is nothing wrong with this. What is wrong is to be proud of this, to boast about this in the world and say, \\\\\\\"See, we have such and such a number of women in executive positions\\\\\\\". This is the same as being deceived and passive. This is not a source of honor.
Take the case of a lady who has certain qualifications, who has developed her capabilities and who is suitable for a specific position. She can be allowed to hold this position because it is not illegal, but if we are proud of having such and such a number of female officials in charge of executive affairs, this is wrong. If we feel proud of having a large number of intellectual and educated women, this is good and it is alright. If we say that we have a large number of women who are active in cultural and political areas, this is alright. If we say that we have a large number of mujahid women in different areas, who are ready to be martyred, this is good. If we say that we have a large number of women who are active in political and revolutionary arenas and who write and deliver speeches, this is good.
Being proud of these things is good, but being proud of having such and such a number of female ministers, MPs, deputies and managers in financial organizations, is wrong. This means adopting a passive outlook in the face of the enemies. Are we supposed to entrust women with masculine occupations? No, the position, identity and characteristics of women are very noble and respectable. This identity is, in certain ways, superior to men\\\\\\\'s identity. If we adopt a comprehensive outlook, we see that men and women have no differences. Certain privileges have been granted to women and certain other privileges have been granted to men and this is based on their natural characteristics which Allah the Exalted has bestowed on them. Allah the Exalted has given each gender certain characteristics. Each gender benefits from certain outstanding qualities. Therefore, they have no differences in terms of human qualities. They have no differences in terms of the privileges which Allah the Exalted has bestowed on humanity such as human rights, social rights, spiritual values and spiritual perfection. That is to say, a man can become Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s.) and a woman can become Fatima Zahra (s.a.). A man can become Jesus (a.s.) and a woman can become Mary (s.a.). They are not different from each other. Therefore, it is the right outlook to know women - the way they are, as true women and true females - by taking their gender into consideration and we should see what values can help a female individual or the female community achieve growth and transcendence. This outlook is the right outlook. We should not have adopted a passive outlook in the face of western outlook but, unfortunately, we did.
As for the second dimension of western discourse - in which women are made to prepare the ground for men to indulge in pleasure - it struck defenseless Islamic countries like a flood with the purpose of helping men to easily indulge in sexual pleasure. And this was done by the west. It also struck our country. By pleasure, I do not mean spiritual, psychological and scientific pleasure. Two people may sit and enjoy speaking to one another or increasing each other\\\\\\\'s knowledge. But this is not the case in western pleasure. Fortunately, the Revolution came and it prevented this to a great extent. This should be prevented because this is a big danger and a big disaster. The issue of hijab is one of the preconditions for this. The way we should dress and the way men and women should interact are among the preconditions for this issue. These things should be done so that this great disaster - for both men and women - can be prevented.
Of course, this moral corruption humiliates women, while they are not aware of it. Today, this issue is thoroughly discussed in the world. I know and I have read in a number of texts, newspapers and books that western intellectuals have started to feel fear and distress because of this condition. They are right, but they have understood this late. The issue of encouraging people to indulge in lust - which is centered around women - is not something of little importance. Today, you can see that the situation is getting worse in the world with issues such as homosexuality and marriages between two people with the same gender. These are great, deep and dangerous abysses for western civilization and for those who are managing this civilization. This is an unusual precipice and it will completely annihilate them. And they are just in the middle of the path of destruction.
In my opinion, they will not be able to prevent this because their problems are far beyond these things. A few years ago - around seven, eight, ten years ago - I read in foreign newspapers that the Americans are trying to make a movie based on the books of such and such a novelist who writes about the family. They want to do this so that they can draw filmmaking, cinema and other such things to these issues. Well, they have done and are doing certain things, but these efforts are like thin streams against a great flood which has struck them because of what they themselves did. And it will continue to strike them. Of course, we enjoy a kind of immunity from this event which is because of hijab and other such things. But we should not underestimate this issue and we should regard it as very important. As a number of ladies pointed out in their speeches - and they are working on these issues - the issue of sexual attraction and the danger it has for women, men, society and the family should be taken very seriously.
Well, I said that Islam speaks about women in the real sense of the word. As I pointed out, we should promote this discourse by taking up an offensive position. We should not at all take up a defensive position. A number of ladies said that those who are members of a so-called women\\\\\\\'s convention or organizations affiliated with the United Nations threaten to issue a resolution against us if we do such and such a thing. Well, who cares? They can issue resolutions. The Islamic discourse on the issue of women should be promoted by taking an offensive position and behaving in a determined way. If they say, \\\\\\\"Why do you not give women the freedom to appear without hijab?\\\\\\\" we should answer, \\\\\\\"Why do you give them this harmful and threatening freedom in such a way?\\\\\\\" What is being pursued in the west regarding the issue of immodesty and lack of hijab makes one distressed. One wonders what they want to do and where they want to go.
You may have more information in this regard but I also have a lot of information about what is being done on this issue. These things are done at different levels which range from higher levels to occupational levels, living conditions and other such things. In the Islamic discourse, respect towards women and the characteristics, dignity and delicacy of women should be highlighted. By delicacy, I do not only mean physical delicacy. As well as physical delicacy, I mean the delicacy of women\\\\\\\'s psychological and intellectual structure and also the delicacy of their responsibilities. It is only the delicate and gentle fingers of the mother which can separate the extremely thin nerve fibers of a child\\\\\\\'s nervous system from one another so that he will not have any emotional complexes or problems. Nobody else can do this. That is to say, nobody else except for a woman can do this. This is a feminine task. A number of tasks require such delicacy that one wonders how the divine will has bestowed such a great capability and such delicacy on women. I always say to my friends and relatives and to women that, contrary to the idea that has been established, women are the stronger gender. Women are stronger than men. Women can completely control and influence men with their wisdom and delicacy. We can see this in practice and we can prove it by reasoning. This is a reality.
Of course, there are a number of women who do not adopt wise measures and who, as a result, cannot do this. But if a woman is wise enough, she can tame a man. This is like the situation in which a person can bridle and ride on a wild lion. This does not mean that he is physically stronger than the lion. Rather, this means that he has managed to use his mental power. Women have this capability, but they should do this with delicacy and subtlety. When I say delicacy, I do not only mean physical delicacy. As well as physical delicacy, I mean delicacy in implementing thoughts and ideas, showing acumen and making decisions. These are capabilities which Allah the Exalted has bestowed on women. In my opinion, this should be the basis. This discourse should be improved and pursued.
The second point that I want to discuss is that, in my opinion, there are two issues regarding the current situation of women in our country which are more important than other issues. Or, let us say they are more crucial than other issues and they require more attention. One issue is the significance and the value of the home and the family. We should regard the home in which we live as important. One cannot imagine human beings without a home and without a place to live. Any human being needs a home and the family environment. The family is like the soul of the home. This should be regarded as important. This should be thought about in a careful way.
The second issue is that we should prevent women from being weakened and oppressed at different levels. We have women who are weak and deprived of many things. We also have women who are oppressed. This oppression should be prevented. It is necessary to pass important laws in this regard. There are essential behavioral rules which should be enforced. It is necessary to establish certain social conventions and customs so that women will not be oppressed in different areas such as - I have written them down - social, sexual, familial, cultural and intellectual areas. These kinds of oppression, which women may be faced with, range from individual and private issues - that is to say, sexual issues - to social issues, such as social interactions, and familial issues. I have written down certain points about familial issues.
Husbands, children, fathers and brothers should behave in a respectful way towards women. If women are regarded as respectable in the family environment, an important part of problems in our society will be solved. We should do something to encourage children to kiss their mother\\\\\\\'s hands. This is what Islam is after. We can see this behavior in deeply religious and moral families which have a close relationship with religious concepts. The children in a family should behave towards their mother in a respectful way. There is no contradiction between such a respectful behavior and the emotional and warm relationship between a mother and a child. There should be such respect and women should be respected in the family environment. This is the way to prevent oppression against women. Imagine that in a family and in a home, the man hurls all kinds of insults at his own wife, including behavioral and verbal insults and physical abuse. Unfortunately, there are certain places in our country in which there are still instances of physical abuse. This issue should not occur. Of course, this occurs many times in western countries. And this is not unexpected. Westerners, particularly European races, are wild. They have a neat appearance, they wear ties and they use perfume and other such things, but they still have the same wild nature and they still behave in the same wild way that they have always behaved throughout history. They easily kill people and they coldheartedly commit crimes. Therefore, it is not surprising if women are beaten in the home by the Europeans and by the Americans. But such a thing should not be even imagined in an Islamic environment although it unfortunately exists. Therefore, these are two fundamental issues. In my opinion, there is room for detailed planning in this regard.
Besides these two issues, there are other important issues such as the issue of marriage and liberating oneself from being single. Obstacles in the way of marriage should be removed. As the ladies in this meeting pointed out, certain things are being done in this regard and I really became happy to know that, thankfully, these issues are receiving attention. On the issue of hijab and social relationships, things should be carried out in a fundamental and serious way. You should pay attention to the issue of financial and legal support for oppressed women who are deprived of their rights. The lady from Razavi Khorasan province pointed out that the issue of courts of law - which was one of my worries - has been addressed by the legal system. I hope that this will be done in practice.
One of my anxieties and worries is that women may not be able to defend themselves in courts of law and such legal environments. They may not have the money to hire a competent lawyer, nor may they be able to defend themselves and their rights may be violated. This is one of the important issues. It should be followed up. The issue of women\\\\\\\'s employment, limitations for their employment, the kind of job that they should do and the way they should do it - that is to say, the delicacy and flexibility that I spoke about on the issue of women\\\\\\\'s employment - are things which should be addressed. However, the most crucial issues are the two issues that I discussed.
One of the issues which occupies my mind is that all the different activities which are done on the issue of women in our country - ranging from legal issues and issues related to Islamic jurisprudence to social, executive, emotional and all the other issues which are discussed about women - should be done in a systematic way. It should have a coherent structure.
Of course, a number of the reports which were presented to me or the points which were discussed in this meeting show that certain ideas have been developed in this regard. But, I believe that a comprehensive plan should be formulated in this regard. We should delineate the issues of women in a completely systemic way and we should give it a proper form. Moreover, there should be an outstanding and permanent center [for this matter] with competent personnel and with a long-term plan. I do not at all believe in short-term plans in this regard. After this, certain organizations and institutes should be formed to work for different parts of this prominent and permanent center. They should inform one another of what they are doing and there should be a suitable databank. Many things are being done by women in our country about which even ladies participating in this meeting may not be aware of. Well, thankfully, we have so many outstanding and knowledgeable women in different sections and with different outlooks. We should benefit from this large number of women.
Another point - I will make this the last point because it is noon and there is no time - is that active women in the camp of the Islamic Republic played an outstanding role immediately after the victory of the Islamic Revolution, during the early years after the Revolution and during the Sacred Defense Era. They showed their presence in an outstanding way. You should not let this outstanding presence of active women in the camp of the Revolution be undermined. Those who confront and oppose the Revolution try to benefit from competent women. The camp of the Revolution has far more competent, active and knowledgeable women who are authors, orators and scholars. It enjoys women who are ready to take action and who are interested in thinking, writing, delivering speeches and conveying their ideas and thoughts. They should not leave the arena of the Revolution and defending the Revolution. This is one point.
I will finish the last point by saying that the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) should play a completely fundamental role in promoting the things which I discussed and the issues which you raised. I believe and I recommend that the IRIB should definitely play a fundamental role in this regard. It can do this. In society, the IRIB can build the culture of respecting religious, active and mujahid women who wear hijab and who enjoy Islamic characteristics. Other people want the opposite to happen. Unfortunately, a number of the programs of the IRIB are in line with the goals of these people. The opposite should be done. That is to say, the IRIB should be completely at the service of this idea.
In any case, the conclusion that we can draw from all these things is that, thankfully, we have made certain achievements on the issue of women in the Islamic Republic, but these achievements do not meet the needs and the expectations of Islam and they are not compatible with the possibilities and resources that exist in Islam. We are backward in this regard. By Allah\\\\\\\'s favor, you ladies should make up for this backwardness in the best way possible.
I hope that Allah the Exalted will protect you and increase your achievements on a daily basis. And I hope that we can move towards what Islam wants in this regard on a daily basis.
Greetings be upon you and Allah\\\\\\\'s mercy and blessings
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Description:
The following is the full text of the speech delivered on May 11, 2013 by Ayatollah Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, in a meeting with a group of outstanding women who are active in seminary and academic areas.
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
I sincerely thank the honorable ladies who organized this good and fruitful meeting. Today, I really benefited from the ladies\\\\\\\' statements and I thank God for the depth of issues, thoughts and efforts which can be seen in the speeches of outstanding women throughout our country. The issues which you discussed were mostly good. There were certain suggestions which, by Allah\\\\\\\'s favor, will be examined. By Allah\\\\\\\'s favor, I will follow up the part which is related to me.
There are many things to say about the issue of women and what is related to women. We suffer from a kind of backwardness in this regard which you ladies - the ones who delivered a speech - referred to. Backwardness in this area is not similar to backwardness in scientific areas, which we suffer from. When we say that we suffer from backwardness in this area, this means we have many outstanding points to make on the issue of women, the issue of gender and issues which are related to women - such as the issue of family, children, marriage, settling down, tranquility in the family environment and other such issues - but we have not managed to convey these points to the world and discuss them with the public opinion throughout the world. We mean backwardness from this point of view. This is while the world needs valuable, comprehensive and clear ideas and concepts in this regard. As a number of ladies pointed out, when we discuss these points in international arenas, they receive a good reception. Or as a number of ladies said, research findings in psychological and other areas confirm that Islamic rules are true on the issue of women.
Well, this is only part of the capabilities of Islamic philosophy on this sensitive issue. But we failed to define and show these capabilities in the right way. The same is true of many other areas which are related to reasoning and thinking. In many of these areas, we failed to truly convey the opinion of Islam to the world. When I say, \\\\\\\"We failed\\\\\\\", it should not be thought that the Islamic Republic is responsible for this due to the fact that what has been already done in this regard is because of the Islamic Republic, the name of the Revolution and Imam (r.a.), the influence of their ideas and other such things. Thankfully, these ideas were developed to some extent, but we should work more than this. In order to do this, we need certain things which I will speak about later on. In order to form a front which is ready to attack and which is immune from others\\\\\\\' attack and in order to take up an offensive position, we need to promote and convey these ideas and thoughts. We really need this.
In fact, our attack is launched for the sake of immunity and defense. Therefore, in my opinion, the more you work in order to make up for this backwardness, the more valuable it will be. It is necessary to do this. We should not hesitate and stop in treading the path of this movement which is an awakening movement related to the issues of women. We should not stop in the middle of the way. Despite the fact that we benefit from a perfect, valuable and convincing Islamic discourse, we have adopted a passive outlook in the face of the western discourse on the issue of women.
The western discourse on the issue of women has adopted a very calculated and political outlook. That is to say, the day when this idea and this discourse on women started to develop in the west, there was a careful calculation behind it. Of course, this is not based on fact and what I am saying is not based on precise information, but there are clear signs which support this interpretation. Since the beginning of Renaissance in the west and the emergence of industrialism and the development of new industries in the west, this discourse gradually achieved growth. And it reached its peak during our own times. Of course, this peak will be accompanied by decline and, by Allah\\\\\\\'s favor, disgrace and destruction.
The western discourse on the issue of women has different dimensions, but it has two distinct dimensions. One is that it wants to give women a masculine identity. That is to say, it wants to make women behave like men. This is an important dimension of this discourse. Another is that it wants to make women prepare the ground for men to indulge in pleasure, whether the pleasure of watching women or other kinds of pleasure which are beyond this. This is another dimension of the western discourse on the issue of women. The issue of feminism and other such things - which have become popular in the world today - are, in fact, the products of western discourse. These are the consequences of what western discourse has done.
They wanted to give women a masculine identity. That is to say, they were trying to make women do jobs which are more compatible with the physical and intellectual characteristics of men. They consider it as a source of honor and they would like to describe it as an advantage and a source of honor for women. We have adopted a passive outlook in the face of this. We have been deceived and we have unwillingly and unknowingly accepted this. As you see, today we are proud of having such and such a number of women in certain executive positions. What I am saying should not be misunderstood. I do not have any problems with the idea of giving women executive positions. That is to say, I do not forbid women from doing this and I do not deny this right. I do not think it is wrong. Our minister of health and vice presidents were female and women have positions in different sectors. In my opinion, there is nothing wrong with this. What is wrong is to be proud of this, to boast about this in the world and say, \\\\\\\"See, we have such and such a number of women in executive positions\\\\\\\". This is the same as being deceived and passive. This is not a source of honor.
Take the case of a lady who has certain qualifications, who has developed her capabilities and who is suitable for a specific position. She can be allowed to hold this position because it is not illegal, but if we are proud of having such and such a number of female officials in charge of executive affairs, this is wrong. If we feel proud of having a large number of intellectual and educated women, this is good and it is alright. If we say that we have a large number of women who are active in cultural and political areas, this is alright. If we say that we have a large number of mujahid women in different areas, who are ready to be martyred, this is good. If we say that we have a large number of women who are active in political and revolutionary arenas and who write and deliver speeches, this is good.
Being proud of these things is good, but being proud of having such and such a number of female ministers, MPs, deputies and managers in financial organizations, is wrong. This means adopting a passive outlook in the face of the enemies. Are we supposed to entrust women with masculine occupations? No, the position, identity and characteristics of women are very noble and respectable. This identity is, in certain ways, superior to men\\\\\\\'s identity. If we adopt a comprehensive outlook, we see that men and women have no differences. Certain privileges have been granted to women and certain other privileges have been granted to men and this is based on their natural characteristics which Allah the Exalted has bestowed on them. Allah the Exalted has given each gender certain characteristics. Each gender benefits from certain outstanding qualities. Therefore, they have no differences in terms of human qualities. They have no differences in terms of the privileges which Allah the Exalted has bestowed on humanity such as human rights, social rights, spiritual values and spiritual perfection. That is to say, a man can become Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s.) and a woman can become Fatima Zahra (s.a.). A man can become Jesus (a.s.) and a woman can become Mary (s.a.). They are not different from each other. Therefore, it is the right outlook to know women - the way they are, as true women and true females - by taking their gender into consideration and we should see what values can help a female individual or the female community achieve growth and transcendence. This outlook is the right outlook. We should not have adopted a passive outlook in the face of western outlook but, unfortunately, we did.
As for the second dimension of western discourse - in which women are made to prepare the ground for men to indulge in pleasure - it struck defenseless Islamic countries like a flood with the purpose of helping men to easily indulge in sexual pleasure. And this was done by the west. It also struck our country. By pleasure, I do not mean spiritual, psychological and scientific pleasure. Two people may sit and enjoy speaking to one another or increasing each other\\\\\\\'s knowledge. But this is not the case in western pleasure. Fortunately, the Revolution came and it prevented this to a great extent. This should be prevented because this is a big danger and a big disaster. The issue of hijab is one of the preconditions for this. The way we should dress and the way men and women should interact are among the preconditions for this issue. These things should be done so that this great disaster - for both men and women - can be prevented.
Of course, this moral corruption humiliates women, while they are not aware of it. Today, this issue is thoroughly discussed in the world. I know and I have read in a number of texts, newspapers and books that western intellectuals have started to feel fear and distress because of this condition. They are right, but they have understood this late. The issue of encouraging people to indulge in lust - which is centered around women - is not something of little importance. Today, you can see that the situation is getting worse in the world with issues such as homosexuality and marriages between two people with the same gender. These are great, deep and dangerous abysses for western civilization and for those who are managing this civilization. This is an unusual precipice and it will completely annihilate them. And they are just in the middle of the path of destruction.
In my opinion, they will not be able to prevent this because their problems are far beyond these things. A few years ago - around seven, eight, ten years ago - I read in foreign newspapers that the Americans are trying to make a movie based on the books of such and such a novelist who writes about the family. They want to do this so that they can draw filmmaking, cinema and other such things to these issues. Well, they have done and are doing certain things, but these efforts are like thin streams against a great flood which has struck them because of what they themselves did. And it will continue to strike them. Of course, we enjoy a kind of immunity from this event which is because of hijab and other such things. But we should not underestimate this issue and we should regard it as very important. As a number of ladies pointed out in their speeches - and they are working on these issues - the issue of sexual attraction and the danger it has for women, men, society and the family should be taken very seriously.
Well, I said that Islam speaks about women in the real sense of the word. As I pointed out, we should promote this discourse by taking up an offensive position. We should not at all take up a defensive position. A number of ladies said that those who are members of a so-called women\\\\\\\'s convention or organizations affiliated with the United Nations threaten to issue a resolution against us if we do such and such a thing. Well, who cares? They can issue resolutions. The Islamic discourse on the issue of women should be promoted by taking an offensive position and behaving in a determined way. If they say, \\\\\\\"Why do you not give women the freedom to appear without hijab?\\\\\\\" we should answer, \\\\\\\"Why do you give them this harmful and threatening freedom in such a way?\\\\\\\" What is being pursued in the west regarding the issue of immodesty and lack of hijab makes one distressed. One wonders what they want to do and where they want to go.
You may have more information in this regard but I also have a lot of information about what is being done on this issue. These things are done at different levels which range from higher levels to occupational levels, living conditions and other such things. In the Islamic discourse, respect towards women and the characteristics, dignity and delicacy of women should be highlighted. By delicacy, I do not only mean physical delicacy. As well as physical delicacy, I mean the delicacy of women\\\\\\\'s psychological and intellectual structure and also the delicacy of their responsibilities. It is only the delicate and gentle fingers of the mother which can separate the extremely thin nerve fibers of a child\\\\\\\'s nervous system from one another so that he will not have any emotional complexes or problems. Nobody else can do this. That is to say, nobody else except for a woman can do this. This is a feminine task. A number of tasks require such delicacy that one wonders how the divine will has bestowed such a great capability and such delicacy on women. I always say to my friends and relatives and to women that, contrary to the idea that has been established, women are the stronger gender. Women are stronger than men. Women can completely control and influence men with their wisdom and delicacy. We can see this in practice and we can prove it by reasoning. This is a reality.
Of course, there are a number of women who do not adopt wise measures and who, as a result, cannot do this. But if a woman is wise enough, she can tame a man. This is like the situation in which a person can bridle and ride on a wild lion. This does not mean that he is physically stronger than the lion. Rather, this means that he has managed to use his mental power. Women have this capability, but they should do this with delicacy and subtlety. When I say delicacy, I do not only mean physical delicacy. As well as physical delicacy, I mean delicacy in implementing thoughts and ideas, showing acumen and making decisions. These are capabilities which Allah the Exalted has bestowed on women. In my opinion, this should be the basis. This discourse should be improved and pursued.
The second point that I want to discuss is that, in my opinion, there are two issues regarding the current situation of women in our country which are more important than other issues. Or, let us say they are more crucial than other issues and they require more attention. One issue is the significance and the value of the home and the family. We should regard the home in which we live as important. One cannot imagine human beings without a home and without a place to live. Any human being needs a home and the family environment. The family is like the soul of the home. This should be regarded as important. This should be thought about in a careful way.
The second issue is that we should prevent women from being weakened and oppressed at different levels. We have women who are weak and deprived of many things. We also have women who are oppressed. This oppression should be prevented. It is necessary to pass important laws in this regard. There are essential behavioral rules which should be enforced. It is necessary to establish certain social conventions and customs so that women will not be oppressed in different areas such as - I have written them down - social, sexual, familial, cultural and intellectual areas. These kinds of oppression, which women may be faced with, range from individual and private issues - that is to say, sexual issues - to social issues, such as social interactions, and familial issues. I have written down certain points about familial issues.
Husbands, children, fathers and brothers should behave in a respectful way towards women. If women are regarded as respectable in the family environment, an important part of problems in our society will be solved. We should do something to encourage children to kiss their mother\\\\\\\'s hands. This is what Islam is after. We can see this behavior in deeply religious and moral families which have a close relationship with religious concepts. The children in a family should behave towards their mother in a respectful way. There is no contradiction between such a respectful behavior and the emotional and warm relationship between a mother and a child. There should be such respect and women should be respected in the family environment. This is the way to prevent oppression against women. Imagine that in a family and in a home, the man hurls all kinds of insults at his own wife, including behavioral and verbal insults and physical abuse. Unfortunately, there are certain places in our country in which there are still instances of physical abuse. This issue should not occur. Of course, this occurs many times in western countries. And this is not unexpected. Westerners, particularly European races, are wild. They have a neat appearance, they wear ties and they use perfume and other such things, but they still have the same wild nature and they still behave in the same wild way that they have always behaved throughout history. They easily kill people and they coldheartedly commit crimes. Therefore, it is not surprising if women are beaten in the home by the Europeans and by the Americans. But such a thing should not be even imagined in an Islamic environment although it unfortunately exists. Therefore, these are two fundamental issues. In my opinion, there is room for detailed planning in this regard.
Besides these two issues, there are other important issues such as the issue of marriage and liberating oneself from being single. Obstacles in the way of marriage should be removed. As the ladies in this meeting pointed out, certain things are being done in this regard and I really became happy to know that, thankfully, these issues are receiving attention. On the issue of hijab and social relationships, things should be carried out in a fundamental and serious way. You should pay attention to the issue of financial and legal support for oppressed women who are deprived of their rights. The lady from Razavi Khorasan province pointed out that the issue of courts of law - which was one of my worries - has been addressed by the legal system. I hope that this will be done in practice.
One of my anxieties and worries is that women may not be able to defend themselves in courts of law and such legal environments. They may not have the money to hire a competent lawyer, nor may they be able to defend themselves and their rights may be violated. This is one of the important issues. It should be followed up. The issue of women\\\\\\\'s employment, limitations for their employment, the kind of job that they should do and the way they should do it - that is to say, the delicacy and flexibility that I spoke about on the issue of women\\\\\\\'s employment - are things which should be addressed. However, the most crucial issues are the two issues that I discussed.
One of the issues which occupies my mind is that all the different activities which are done on the issue of women in our country - ranging from legal issues and issues related to Islamic jurisprudence to social, executive, emotional and all the other issues which are discussed about women - should be done in a systematic way. It should have a coherent structure.
Of course, a number of the reports which were presented to me or the points which were discussed in this meeting show that certain ideas have been developed in this regard. But, I believe that a comprehensive plan should be formulated in this regard. We should delineate the issues of women in a completely systemic way and we should give it a proper form. Moreover, there should be an outstanding and permanent center [for this matter] with competent personnel and with a long-term plan. I do not at all believe in short-term plans in this regard. After this, certain organizations and institutes should be formed to work for different parts of this prominent and permanent center. They should inform one another of what they are doing and there should be a suitable databank. Many things are being done by women in our country about which even ladies participating in this meeting may not be aware of. Well, thankfully, we have so many outstanding and knowledgeable women in different sections and with different outlooks. We should benefit from this large number of women.
Another point - I will make this the last point because it is noon and there is no time - is that active women in the camp of the Islamic Republic played an outstanding role immediately after the victory of the Islamic Revolution, during the early years after the Revolution and during the Sacred Defense Era. They showed their presence in an outstanding way. You should not let this outstanding presence of active women in the camp of the Revolution be undermined. Those who confront and oppose the Revolution try to benefit from competent women. The camp of the Revolution has far more competent, active and knowledgeable women who are authors, orators and scholars. It enjoys women who are ready to take action and who are interested in thinking, writing, delivering speeches and conveying their ideas and thoughts. They should not leave the arena of the Revolution and defending the Revolution. This is one point.
I will finish the last point by saying that the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) should play a completely fundamental role in promoting the things which I discussed and the issues which you raised. I believe and I recommend that the IRIB should definitely play a fundamental role in this regard. It can do this. In society, the IRIB can build the culture of respecting religious, active and mujahid women who wear hijab and who enjoy Islamic characteristics. Other people want the opposite to happen. Unfortunately, a number of the programs of the IRIB are in line with the goals of these people. The opposite should be done. That is to say, the IRIB should be completely at the service of this idea.
In any case, the conclusion that we can draw from all these things is that, thankfully, we have made certain achievements on the issue of women in the Islamic Republic, but these achievements do not meet the needs and the expectations of Islam and they are not compatible with the possibilities and resources that exist in Islam. We are backward in this regard. By Allah\\\\\\\'s favor, you ladies should make up for this backwardness in the best way possible.
I hope that Allah the Exalted will protect you and increase your achievements on a daily basis. And I hope that we can move towards what Islam wants in this regard on a daily basis.
Greetings be upon you and Allah\\\\\\\'s mercy and blessings
19th June [Must Watch] Rehbar Ayatullah Khamenie - Very Sensational & Emotional - All Languages
Rehbar Ayatullah Khamenie - Very Sensational and Emotional
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution has described the \\\\\\\'unprecedented\\\\\\\' turnout of almost 85% in the election as a...
Rehbar Ayatullah Khamenie - Very Sensational and Emotional
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution has described the \\\\\\\'unprecedented\\\\\\\' turnout of almost 85% in the election as a \\\\\\\'political quake\\\\\\\' for the enemy.
Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said high turnout in the election, which witnessed more than 40 million Iranians casting their votes, was a great manifestation of people\\\\\\\'s solidarity with the Islamic establishment. Addressing Friday prayers congregation, Ayatollah Khamenei said that last Friday\\\\\\\'s election indicated a \\\\\\\'common sense of responsibility\\\\\\\' of the Iranian nation to determine the future of the country.
The Leader added that all those who took part in the election proved their \\\\\\\'political consciousness and commitment\\\\\\\' towards the establishment to the whole world.
The Leader said the high voter turnout in the election was a \\\\\\\'political quake\\\\\\\' for the enemy and a \\\\\\\'real celebration\\\\\\\' for the friends of the country.
\\\\\\\"The Islamic Republic of Iran will by no means betray the votes of the nation,\\\\\\\" the Leader said, adding the legal system of the election will not allow any ballot rigging in Iran.
Ayatollah Khamenei, however, maintained that the Guardian Council, the body tasked with overseeing the election, would look into the complaints of the candidates who are unhappy with the election results.
The Leader also added that the establishment would never give-in to illegal demands, urging all presidential candidates to pursue their complaints through legal channels. Ayatollah Khamenei called for an end to illegal street protests aimed at reversing the result of the election.
Following the announcement of the election outcome, supporters of the defeated candidate Mir-Hussein Mousavi-who rejected the election results-- took to the streets of Tehran and other cities in daily rallies.
The Leader also warned against attempts made by foreign media outlets seeking to destabilize the country and blamed Britain in particular. Ayatollah Khamenei also decried the slander of former and incumbent top officials in pre-election debates by candidates.
President Ahmadinejad was re-elected the next president of the country with over 60% percent of the votes.
He won over his three rivals Mir-Hossein Mousavi, Mehdi Karroubi and Mohsen Rezaei with almost 25 million votes.
The Leader said the time is over for rivalry, stressing that all should unite and line up behind the president-elect
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Rehbar Ayatullah Khamenie - Very Sensational and Emotional
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution has described the \\\\\\\'unprecedented\\\\\\\' turnout of almost 85% in the election as a \\\\\\\'political quake\\\\\\\' for the enemy.
Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said high turnout in the election, which witnessed more than 40 million Iranians casting their votes, was a great manifestation of people\\\\\\\'s solidarity with the Islamic establishment. Addressing Friday prayers congregation, Ayatollah Khamenei said that last Friday\\\\\\\'s election indicated a \\\\\\\'common sense of responsibility\\\\\\\' of the Iranian nation to determine the future of the country.
The Leader added that all those who took part in the election proved their \\\\\\\'political consciousness and commitment\\\\\\\' towards the establishment to the whole world.
The Leader said the high voter turnout in the election was a \\\\\\\'political quake\\\\\\\' for the enemy and a \\\\\\\'real celebration\\\\\\\' for the friends of the country.
\\\\\\\"The Islamic Republic of Iran will by no means betray the votes of the nation,\\\\\\\" the Leader said, adding the legal system of the election will not allow any ballot rigging in Iran.
Ayatollah Khamenei, however, maintained that the Guardian Council, the body tasked with overseeing the election, would look into the complaints of the candidates who are unhappy with the election results.
The Leader also added that the establishment would never give-in to illegal demands, urging all presidential candidates to pursue their complaints through legal channels. Ayatollah Khamenei called for an end to illegal street protests aimed at reversing the result of the election.
Following the announcement of the election outcome, supporters of the defeated candidate Mir-Hussein Mousavi-who rejected the election results-- took to the streets of Tehran and other cities in daily rallies.
The Leader also warned against attempts made by foreign media outlets seeking to destabilize the country and blamed Britain in particular. Ayatollah Khamenei also decried the slander of former and incumbent top officials in pre-election debates by candidates.
President Ahmadinejad was re-elected the next president of the country with over 60% percent of the votes.
He won over his three rivals Mir-Hossein Mousavi, Mehdi Karroubi and Mohsen Rezaei with almost 25 million votes.
The Leader said the time is over for rivalry, stressing that all should unite and line up behind the president-elect
[1October11] Supporting the Palestinian Intifada - [ENGLISH]
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
As-Salamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullah
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, and peace and greetings upon our Master, Muhammad,...
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
As-Salamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullah
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, and peace and greetings upon our Master, Muhammad, and upon his immaculate household and chosen companions and upon those who follow them appropriately until the Day of Judgment.
Allah the All-Wise said: \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Permission (to fight) is given to those upon whom war is made because they are oppressed and most surely Allah is well able to assist them. Those who have been expelled from their homes without a just cause only because they say our Lord is Allah. And had there not been Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s repelling some people by others, certainly there would have been pulled down cloisters and churches and synagogues and mosques in which Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s name is much remembered. And surely Allah will help him who helps His cause. Most surely Allah is Strong, Mighty.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, Sura al-Hajj, Ayahs 39-40]
I would like to welcome the all dear guests and the honorable audience. Among all the issues that deserve to be discussed by religious and political figures from across the world of Islam, the issue of Palestine enjoys special importance. Palestine is the primary issue among all common issues of Islamic countries. This issue has unique characteristics.
The first characteristic is that a Muslim country has been taken away from its people and entrusted to foreigners who have come together from different countries and formed a fake and mosaic-like society.
The second characteristic is that this historically unprecedented event has been accompanied by constant killings, crimes, oppression and humiliation.
The third characteristic is that Muslims\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\' original qiblah and many respected religious centers which exist in that country have been threatened with destruction, sacrilege and decline.
The fourth characteristic is that at the most sensitive spot of the world of Islam, this fake government and society has played the role of a military, security and political base for the arrogant governments since the beginning up until today. And the pivot of the colonialist west - which has been opposed to the unity, development and progress of Islamic countries for various reasons - has always used it like a dagger in the heart of the Islamic Ummah.
The fifth characteristic is that Zionism - which is a great ethical, political and economic threat to the human community - has used this foothold as a tool and stepping stone to spread its influence and hegemony in the world.
Other points that can be added include: heavy financial and human costs that Islamic countries have paid so far, preoccupation of Muslim governments and people, the sufferings of millions of displaced Palestinians many of whom still live in refugee camps after the passage of six decades and putting an end to the history of an important civilizational center in the world of Islam.
Today another key point has been added to these causes and this key point is the wave of Islamic Awakening which has engulfed the entire region and has opened a new and determining chapter in the history of the Islamic Ummah. This massive movement - which can undoubtedly lead to a powerful, advanced and coherent Islamic alliance in this sensitive part of the world and can put an end to the era of backwardness, weakness and humiliation of Muslim nations relying on Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor and the firm determination of the followers of this movement - has borrowed an important portion of its force and courage from the issue of Palestine.
The Zionist regime\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s increasing oppression and bullying and the cooperation of certain autocratic, corrupt and mercenary rulers on the one hand and the spirited Palestinian and Lebanese resistance and the miraculous victories of faithful youth in the 33-day war on Lebanon and in the 22-day war on Gaza on the other hand - were among the important factors which made turbulent the seemingly calm ocean of the Egyptian, Tunisian and Libyan nations as well as other regional nations.
It is a fact that the Zionist regime, which is armed to the teeth and claims to be invincible, suffered a decisive and humiliating defeat in Lebanon during an unequal war against the clenched fist of faithful and brave mujahids. Later on it re-tested its blunt sword against the innocent and determined resistance of Gaza and it failed.
Serious attention should be paid to these points when analyzing current conditions of the region and the appropriateness of every decision should be evaluated against these points.
Therefore, it is an accurate judgment to say that today the issue of Palestine has gained increased importance and urgency and the Palestinian nation has the right to expect more from Muslims countries in the current regional conditions.
Let us take a look at the past and the present and prepare a road map for the future. I will discuss certain topics in this regard.
More than six decades have passed since the tragic occupation of Palestine. All the main causes of this bloody tragedy have been identified and the colonialist English government is the most important cause. The policies, weapons and military, security, economic and cultural power of the English government and other arrogant western and eastern governments were put to the service of this great oppression. Under the ruthless clutches of the occupiers, the defenseless people of Palestine were massacred and forced out of their homes. Until today even one percent of the human and civil tragedy - which was carried out at that time by the claimants of civilization and ethics - has not been properly portrayed and this tragedy has not had its fair share in the media and visual arts. The owners of visual and cinematic arts and western movie mafias have not been willing to allow this to happen. An entire nation was massacred and displaced in silence.
Certain instances of resistance emerged at the beginning, which were harshly and ruthlessly crushed. From outside Palestinian borders and mainly from Egypt, a number of men with Islamic motives made certain efforts which were not sufficiently supported and could not have an effect on the scene.
Afterwards there were full-scale and classical wars between a few Arab countries and the Zionist army. Egypt, Syria and Jordan mobilized their military forces, but the unconditional, massive and increasing military and financial support of America, England and France for the Zionist regime overwhelmed Arab armies. Not only did they fail to help the Palestinian nation, but they also lost an important portion of their territories during these wars.
After the weakness of Palestine\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s Arab neighbors was revealed, cells of organized resistance were gradually established in the form of armed Palestinian groups and after a while they came together to form the Palestinian Liberation Organization. This was a spark of hope which shone brightly, but it did not last long. This failure can be attributed to many factors, but the essential factor was their separation from the people and from their Islamic beliefs and faith. Leftist ideology or mere nationalistic sentiments were not what the complicated and difficult issue of Palestine required. Islam, jihad and martyrdom were the factors that could have encouraged an entire nation to step into the arena of resistance and turned it into an invincible force. They did not understand this properly. During the first few months of the great Islamic Revolution, when the leaders of the Palestinian Liberation Organization had found a new spirit and they used to visit Tehran repeatedly, I asked a pillar of the organization why they did not raise the flag of Islam in their righteous battle. His answer was that there were a number of Christians among them as well. Later on that person was assassinated by the Zionists in an Arab country and I hope Allah the Exalted has bestowed mercy on him. But his reasoning was flawed. I believe a faithful Christian who fights alongside a group of selfless mujahids - who carry out jihad in a sincere way while having faith in God, the Day of Judgment and divine assistance - would be more motivated to fight than a Christian who has to fight alongside a group of people who lack faith, rely on unstable sentiments and lack loyal support of the people.
Lack of firm faith and separation from the people gradually made them neutral and ineffective. Of course there were honorable, motivated and valorous men among them, but the organization went off in a different direction. Their deviation has been a blow to the issue of Palestine. Like certain treacherous Arab governments, they too turned their back on the ideal of resistance which has been the only way of saving Palestine. And of course not only did they deliver a blow to Palestine, but they also delivered a strong blow to themselves. As the Christian Arab poet says,
لئن اضعتم فلسطيناً فعيشكم طول الحياة مضاضات و آلامٌ
Thirty two years were spent in this misery, but suddenly God\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s hand of power turned the tables. The victory of the Islamic Revolution in Iran in the year 1979 completely changed the conditions of this region and turned a new page. Among the amazing global effects of this Revolution and the strong blows that it delivered to arrogant policies, the blow to the Zionist government was the clearest and the most immediate. The statements of the leaders of that regime during those days are interesting to read and they show how unhappy and anxious they were. During the first few weeks after the victory, Israel\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s embassy in Tehran was closed down and its staff was expelled. The embassy was officially given to the Palestinian Liberation Organization whose representatives are still there. Our magnanimous Imam announced that one of the goals of the Revolution was to liberate Palestine and to remove the cancerous tumor, Israel. The powerful waves of this Revolution, which engulfed the entire world at that time, conveyed this message wherever it reached: \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Palestine must be liberated.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" Even the repeated and great problems that the enemies of the Revolution imposed on the Islamic Republic of Iran failed to discourage the Islamic Republic from defending Palestine. One instance of the problems that they caused was the eight-year war waged on Iran by Saddam Hussein who had been goaded by America and England and was supported by reactionary Arab governments.
Thus, new blood was pumped into the veins of Palestine. Muslim mujahid groups started to emerge in Palestine. The Lebanese Resistance formed a powerful and new front against the enemy and its supporters. Instead of relying on Arab governments and seeking help from global organizations such as the United Nations, which were accomplices of the arrogant powers, Palestine started to rely on itself, its youth, its deep Islamic faith and its selfless men and women. This is the key to all achievements.
Over the past three decades this process has been accelerated on a daily basis. The humiliating defeat of the Zionist regime in Lebanon in the year 2006, the humiliating failure of the arrogant Zionist army in Gaza in the year 2008, the Zionist regime\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s escape from South Lebanon and withdrawal from Gaza, the establishment of the resistance government in Gaza and in brief, changing the Palestinian nation from a group of helpless and hopeless people to a hopeful, resistant and self-confident nation - these were the outstanding characteristics of the past thirty years.
This general picture will be clear when attempts at compromise and treacherous activities - whose goal is to break down resistance and make Palestinian groups and Arab governments acknowledge the legitimacy of Israel - are also reflected upon in an appropriate way.
These activities, which were initiated with the Camp David Accords by the treacherous and unworthy successor of Gamal Abdel Nasser, have always been aimed at undermining the steely determination of resistance forces. During the Camp David Accords, for the first time an Arab government officially acknowledged that the Palestinian lands belonged to the Zionists and it signed the papers according to which Palestine was recognized as the homeland of Jews.
From that time until the Oslo Accords in the year 1993 and later on in complementary plans - which were imposed one after the other on compromising and careless Palestinian groups with the intervention of America and the cooperation of colonialist European governments - the enemy tried its best to discourage the Palestinian nation and Palestinian groups from resisting through the use of empty and deceptive promises and making them busy with amateur political games. The uselessness of all these accords was revealed very soon and the Zionists and their supporters repeatedly showed that they consider these accords as worthless pieces of paper. The goal of these plans was to create doubt among the Palestinians, make materialistic unbelievers greedy and cripple Islamic resistance.
So far, the spirit of resistance among the Islamic Palestinian groups and the Palestinian people has been the antidote to all these treacherous games. They stood up against the enemy with Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s permission and as promised by God, they benefited from divine assistance: \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"And surely Allah will help him who helps His cause. Most surely Allah is Strong, Mighty.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, Sura al-Hajj, Ayah 40] The resistance of Gaza in spite of a comprehensive siege was an instance of divine assistance. The collapse of the treacherous and corrupt government of Hosni Mubarak was divine assistance. The emergence of the powerful wave of Islamic Awakening in the region is divine assistance. The removal of the mask of hypocrisy from the face of America, England and France and the increasing hatred of the regional nations towards these countries are divine assistance. The repeated and innumerable problems of the Zionist regime - from its domestic political, economic and social problems to its isolation in the world, to public and even academic hatred of the Zionists in Europe - are all instances of divine assistance.
Today the Zionist regime is weaker, more hated and more isolated than ever before and its main supporter, America, is more embattled and confused than ever before.
Today the general history of Palestine in the past 60 years is in front of our eyes. It is necessary to delineate the future by considering that general history and learning lessons from it.
Two points should be clarified in advance. The first point is that our demand is the liberation of Palestine, not the liberation of a part of Palestine. Any plan to divide Palestine is completely unacceptable. The two-state idea which has been presented in the self-righteous clothing of \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"recognizing the Palestinian government as a member of the United Nations\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" is nothing but giving in to the demands of the Zionists - namely, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"recognizing the Zionist government in Palestinian lands\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\". This would mean trampling on the rights of the Palestinian nation, ignoring the historical right of the displaced Palestinians and even jeopardizing the right of the Palestinians settled in \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"1948 lands\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\". It would mean leaving the cancerous tumor intact and exposing the Islamic Ummah - especially the regional nations - to constant danger. It would mean bringing back decades-long sufferings and trampling upon the blood of the martyrs.
Any operational solution must be based on the principle of \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"all of Palestine for all Palestinian people\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\". Palestine is the land that extends \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"from the river to the sea\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\", not one inch less than that. Of course it should be noted that through its elected government, the Palestinian people will run the affairs of the any part of the Palestinian soil they manage to liberate, just as they did in the case of Gaza, but they will never forget the ultimate goal.
The second point is that in order to reach this lofty goal, what is necessary is action, not words. It is necessary to be serious, not to make ceremonial gestures. It is necessary to have patience and wisdom, not engage in a variety of impatient actions. It is necessary to consider horizons that lie far ahead and to move forward step by step with determination, reliance on God and hope. Muslim governments and nations and the resistance groups in Palestine, Lebanon and other countries can each identify their share of work in this general struggle and solve the puzzle of resistance with Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s permission.
The solution of the Islamic Republic to the issue of Palestine and this old wound is a clear and logical proposal that is based on political wisdom accepted by global public opinion and it has been presented in detail previously. We neither propose a classical war with the armies of Islamic countries, nor do we propose throwing Jewish immigrants into the sea or intervention of the United Nations and other international organizations. We propose a referendum among the Palestinian people. Just like any other nation, the Palestinian nation has the right to determine its own destiny and to elect its own government. All the original people of Palestine - including Muslims, Christians and Jews and not foreign immigrants - should take part in a general and orderly referendum and determine the future government of Palestine whether they live inside Palestine or in camps or in any other place. The government that is established after the referendum will determine the destiny of non-Palestinian immigrants who migrated to Palestine in the past. This is a fair and logical proposal which global public opinion understands and it can receive support from independent nations and governments.
Of course we do not expect the usurping Zionists to willingly accept this proposal and this is where the role of governments, nations and resistance organizations becomes significant. The most important pillar of supporting the Palestinian nation is to stop supporting the usurping enemy and this is the great duty of Islamic governments. After the people have stepped into the arena and shouted slogans against the Zionist regime in a powerful way, on what logical basis do Muslim governments continue their relations with the usurping Zionist regime? The proof of Muslim governments\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\' honesty lies in their support for the Palestinian nation and in their decision to break off their overt and secret political and economic relations with the Zionist regime. The governments that host Zionist embassies or economic offices cannot claim to defend Palestine and no anti-Zionist slogan on their part will be considered serious and genuine.
Today Islamic resistance organizations, which have been shouldering the heavy burden of jihad over the past years, are confronted with the same great responsibility. Their organized resistance is an active arm that can help the Palestinian nation move towards the ultimate goal. Brave resistance of the people whose homes and country have been occupied has been recognized in all international conventions and it has been praised. Allegations of terrorism by the political and media network affiliated with Zionism are hollow and worthless claims. The obvious terrorist is the Zionist regime and its western supporters. Palestinian resistance is a movement against the oppressive terrorists and it is a human and sacred movement.
In the meantime, it is appropriate for western countries to evaluate the situation from a realistic perspective. Today the west is at a crossroads. It should either stop bullying and acknowledge the right of the Palestinian nation and refuse to follow the plan of the bullying and anti-human Zionists, or they should wait for stronger blows in the not so distant future. These crippling blows are not limited to the continual collapse of their puppet governments in the Islamic region. Rather the day when European and American peoples realize that the majority of their economic, social and ethical problems result from the octopus-like hegemony of international Zionism over their governments and that their statesmen give in to the bullying of parasitic Zionists who own companies in America and Europe for the sake of their personal and partisan interests, they will create a such hell for them in which no salvation will be imaginable.
The US President says that Israel\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s security is his red line. What factor has determined this red line? Is it the interests of the American nation or Obama\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s personal need for the money and support of Zionist companies to ensure his second term as US President? How long do you think you will be able to deceive your own nation? What will the American people do with you the day they realize you have agreed to give in to humiliation and obedience to wealthy Zionists for the sake of remaining in power for a few more days? What will they do with you when they realize that you have sacrificed the interests of a great nation at the feet of the Zionists?
Dear brothers and sisters, know that this red line drawn by Obama and people like him will be crossed by Muslim nations that have risen up. What is threatening the Zionist regime is not the missiles of Iran or resistance groups, so they can build a missile shield here and there in order to confront it. The real and inescapable threat is the firm determination of men, women and youth in Islamic countries who do not want America, Europe and their puppets rulers, to dominate and humiliate them any longer.
Of course those missiles will fulfill their duty whenever the enemy poses a threat. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Therefore, be patient. Surely the promise of Allah is true and let not those who have no certainty make you impatient.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, Sura ar-Room, Ayah 60]
Wa salaam alaykum wa rahmat Allah
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In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
As-Salamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullah
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, and peace and greetings upon our Master, Muhammad, and upon his immaculate household and chosen companions and upon those who follow them appropriately until the Day of Judgment.
Allah the All-Wise said: \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Permission (to fight) is given to those upon whom war is made because they are oppressed and most surely Allah is well able to assist them. Those who have been expelled from their homes without a just cause only because they say our Lord is Allah. And had there not been Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s repelling some people by others, certainly there would have been pulled down cloisters and churches and synagogues and mosques in which Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s name is much remembered. And surely Allah will help him who helps His cause. Most surely Allah is Strong, Mighty.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, Sura al-Hajj, Ayahs 39-40]
I would like to welcome the all dear guests and the honorable audience. Among all the issues that deserve to be discussed by religious and political figures from across the world of Islam, the issue of Palestine enjoys special importance. Palestine is the primary issue among all common issues of Islamic countries. This issue has unique characteristics.
The first characteristic is that a Muslim country has been taken away from its people and entrusted to foreigners who have come together from different countries and formed a fake and mosaic-like society.
The second characteristic is that this historically unprecedented event has been accompanied by constant killings, crimes, oppression and humiliation.
The third characteristic is that Muslims\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\' original qiblah and many respected religious centers which exist in that country have been threatened with destruction, sacrilege and decline.
The fourth characteristic is that at the most sensitive spot of the world of Islam, this fake government and society has played the role of a military, security and political base for the arrogant governments since the beginning up until today. And the pivot of the colonialist west - which has been opposed to the unity, development and progress of Islamic countries for various reasons - has always used it like a dagger in the heart of the Islamic Ummah.
The fifth characteristic is that Zionism - which is a great ethical, political and economic threat to the human community - has used this foothold as a tool and stepping stone to spread its influence and hegemony in the world.
Other points that can be added include: heavy financial and human costs that Islamic countries have paid so far, preoccupation of Muslim governments and people, the sufferings of millions of displaced Palestinians many of whom still live in refugee camps after the passage of six decades and putting an end to the history of an important civilizational center in the world of Islam.
Today another key point has been added to these causes and this key point is the wave of Islamic Awakening which has engulfed the entire region and has opened a new and determining chapter in the history of the Islamic Ummah. This massive movement - which can undoubtedly lead to a powerful, advanced and coherent Islamic alliance in this sensitive part of the world and can put an end to the era of backwardness, weakness and humiliation of Muslim nations relying on Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor and the firm determination of the followers of this movement - has borrowed an important portion of its force and courage from the issue of Palestine.
The Zionist regime\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s increasing oppression and bullying and the cooperation of certain autocratic, corrupt and mercenary rulers on the one hand and the spirited Palestinian and Lebanese resistance and the miraculous victories of faithful youth in the 33-day war on Lebanon and in the 22-day war on Gaza on the other hand - were among the important factors which made turbulent the seemingly calm ocean of the Egyptian, Tunisian and Libyan nations as well as other regional nations.
It is a fact that the Zionist regime, which is armed to the teeth and claims to be invincible, suffered a decisive and humiliating defeat in Lebanon during an unequal war against the clenched fist of faithful and brave mujahids. Later on it re-tested its blunt sword against the innocent and determined resistance of Gaza and it failed.
Serious attention should be paid to these points when analyzing current conditions of the region and the appropriateness of every decision should be evaluated against these points.
Therefore, it is an accurate judgment to say that today the issue of Palestine has gained increased importance and urgency and the Palestinian nation has the right to expect more from Muslims countries in the current regional conditions.
Let us take a look at the past and the present and prepare a road map for the future. I will discuss certain topics in this regard.
More than six decades have passed since the tragic occupation of Palestine. All the main causes of this bloody tragedy have been identified and the colonialist English government is the most important cause. The policies, weapons and military, security, economic and cultural power of the English government and other arrogant western and eastern governments were put to the service of this great oppression. Under the ruthless clutches of the occupiers, the defenseless people of Palestine were massacred and forced out of their homes. Until today even one percent of the human and civil tragedy - which was carried out at that time by the claimants of civilization and ethics - has not been properly portrayed and this tragedy has not had its fair share in the media and visual arts. The owners of visual and cinematic arts and western movie mafias have not been willing to allow this to happen. An entire nation was massacred and displaced in silence.
Certain instances of resistance emerged at the beginning, which were harshly and ruthlessly crushed. From outside Palestinian borders and mainly from Egypt, a number of men with Islamic motives made certain efforts which were not sufficiently supported and could not have an effect on the scene.
Afterwards there were full-scale and classical wars between a few Arab countries and the Zionist army. Egypt, Syria and Jordan mobilized their military forces, but the unconditional, massive and increasing military and financial support of America, England and France for the Zionist regime overwhelmed Arab armies. Not only did they fail to help the Palestinian nation, but they also lost an important portion of their territories during these wars.
After the weakness of Palestine\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s Arab neighbors was revealed, cells of organized resistance were gradually established in the form of armed Palestinian groups and after a while they came together to form the Palestinian Liberation Organization. This was a spark of hope which shone brightly, but it did not last long. This failure can be attributed to many factors, but the essential factor was their separation from the people and from their Islamic beliefs and faith. Leftist ideology or mere nationalistic sentiments were not what the complicated and difficult issue of Palestine required. Islam, jihad and martyrdom were the factors that could have encouraged an entire nation to step into the arena of resistance and turned it into an invincible force. They did not understand this properly. During the first few months of the great Islamic Revolution, when the leaders of the Palestinian Liberation Organization had found a new spirit and they used to visit Tehran repeatedly, I asked a pillar of the organization why they did not raise the flag of Islam in their righteous battle. His answer was that there were a number of Christians among them as well. Later on that person was assassinated by the Zionists in an Arab country and I hope Allah the Exalted has bestowed mercy on him. But his reasoning was flawed. I believe a faithful Christian who fights alongside a group of selfless mujahids - who carry out jihad in a sincere way while having faith in God, the Day of Judgment and divine assistance - would be more motivated to fight than a Christian who has to fight alongside a group of people who lack faith, rely on unstable sentiments and lack loyal support of the people.
Lack of firm faith and separation from the people gradually made them neutral and ineffective. Of course there were honorable, motivated and valorous men among them, but the organization went off in a different direction. Their deviation has been a blow to the issue of Palestine. Like certain treacherous Arab governments, they too turned their back on the ideal of resistance which has been the only way of saving Palestine. And of course not only did they deliver a blow to Palestine, but they also delivered a strong blow to themselves. As the Christian Arab poet says,
لئن اضعتم فلسطيناً فعيشكم طول الحياة مضاضات و آلامٌ
Thirty two years were spent in this misery, but suddenly God\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s hand of power turned the tables. The victory of the Islamic Revolution in Iran in the year 1979 completely changed the conditions of this region and turned a new page. Among the amazing global effects of this Revolution and the strong blows that it delivered to arrogant policies, the blow to the Zionist government was the clearest and the most immediate. The statements of the leaders of that regime during those days are interesting to read and they show how unhappy and anxious they were. During the first few weeks after the victory, Israel\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s embassy in Tehran was closed down and its staff was expelled. The embassy was officially given to the Palestinian Liberation Organization whose representatives are still there. Our magnanimous Imam announced that one of the goals of the Revolution was to liberate Palestine and to remove the cancerous tumor, Israel. The powerful waves of this Revolution, which engulfed the entire world at that time, conveyed this message wherever it reached: \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Palestine must be liberated.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" Even the repeated and great problems that the enemies of the Revolution imposed on the Islamic Republic of Iran failed to discourage the Islamic Republic from defending Palestine. One instance of the problems that they caused was the eight-year war waged on Iran by Saddam Hussein who had been goaded by America and England and was supported by reactionary Arab governments.
Thus, new blood was pumped into the veins of Palestine. Muslim mujahid groups started to emerge in Palestine. The Lebanese Resistance formed a powerful and new front against the enemy and its supporters. Instead of relying on Arab governments and seeking help from global organizations such as the United Nations, which were accomplices of the arrogant powers, Palestine started to rely on itself, its youth, its deep Islamic faith and its selfless men and women. This is the key to all achievements.
Over the past three decades this process has been accelerated on a daily basis. The humiliating defeat of the Zionist regime in Lebanon in the year 2006, the humiliating failure of the arrogant Zionist army in Gaza in the year 2008, the Zionist regime\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s escape from South Lebanon and withdrawal from Gaza, the establishment of the resistance government in Gaza and in brief, changing the Palestinian nation from a group of helpless and hopeless people to a hopeful, resistant and self-confident nation - these were the outstanding characteristics of the past thirty years.
This general picture will be clear when attempts at compromise and treacherous activities - whose goal is to break down resistance and make Palestinian groups and Arab governments acknowledge the legitimacy of Israel - are also reflected upon in an appropriate way.
These activities, which were initiated with the Camp David Accords by the treacherous and unworthy successor of Gamal Abdel Nasser, have always been aimed at undermining the steely determination of resistance forces. During the Camp David Accords, for the first time an Arab government officially acknowledged that the Palestinian lands belonged to the Zionists and it signed the papers according to which Palestine was recognized as the homeland of Jews.
From that time until the Oslo Accords in the year 1993 and later on in complementary plans - which were imposed one after the other on compromising and careless Palestinian groups with the intervention of America and the cooperation of colonialist European governments - the enemy tried its best to discourage the Palestinian nation and Palestinian groups from resisting through the use of empty and deceptive promises and making them busy with amateur political games. The uselessness of all these accords was revealed very soon and the Zionists and their supporters repeatedly showed that they consider these accords as worthless pieces of paper. The goal of these plans was to create doubt among the Palestinians, make materialistic unbelievers greedy and cripple Islamic resistance.
So far, the spirit of resistance among the Islamic Palestinian groups and the Palestinian people has been the antidote to all these treacherous games. They stood up against the enemy with Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s permission and as promised by God, they benefited from divine assistance: \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"And surely Allah will help him who helps His cause. Most surely Allah is Strong, Mighty.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, Sura al-Hajj, Ayah 40] The resistance of Gaza in spite of a comprehensive siege was an instance of divine assistance. The collapse of the treacherous and corrupt government of Hosni Mubarak was divine assistance. The emergence of the powerful wave of Islamic Awakening in the region is divine assistance. The removal of the mask of hypocrisy from the face of America, England and France and the increasing hatred of the regional nations towards these countries are divine assistance. The repeated and innumerable problems of the Zionist regime - from its domestic political, economic and social problems to its isolation in the world, to public and even academic hatred of the Zionists in Europe - are all instances of divine assistance.
Today the Zionist regime is weaker, more hated and more isolated than ever before and its main supporter, America, is more embattled and confused than ever before.
Today the general history of Palestine in the past 60 years is in front of our eyes. It is necessary to delineate the future by considering that general history and learning lessons from it.
Two points should be clarified in advance. The first point is that our demand is the liberation of Palestine, not the liberation of a part of Palestine. Any plan to divide Palestine is completely unacceptable. The two-state idea which has been presented in the self-righteous clothing of \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"recognizing the Palestinian government as a member of the United Nations\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" is nothing but giving in to the demands of the Zionists - namely, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"recognizing the Zionist government in Palestinian lands\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\". This would mean trampling on the rights of the Palestinian nation, ignoring the historical right of the displaced Palestinians and even jeopardizing the right of the Palestinians settled in \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"1948 lands\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\". It would mean leaving the cancerous tumor intact and exposing the Islamic Ummah - especially the regional nations - to constant danger. It would mean bringing back decades-long sufferings and trampling upon the blood of the martyrs.
Any operational solution must be based on the principle of \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"all of Palestine for all Palestinian people\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\". Palestine is the land that extends \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"from the river to the sea\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\", not one inch less than that. Of course it should be noted that through its elected government, the Palestinian people will run the affairs of the any part of the Palestinian soil they manage to liberate, just as they did in the case of Gaza, but they will never forget the ultimate goal.
The second point is that in order to reach this lofty goal, what is necessary is action, not words. It is necessary to be serious, not to make ceremonial gestures. It is necessary to have patience and wisdom, not engage in a variety of impatient actions. It is necessary to consider horizons that lie far ahead and to move forward step by step with determination, reliance on God and hope. Muslim governments and nations and the resistance groups in Palestine, Lebanon and other countries can each identify their share of work in this general struggle and solve the puzzle of resistance with Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s permission.
The solution of the Islamic Republic to the issue of Palestine and this old wound is a clear and logical proposal that is based on political wisdom accepted by global public opinion and it has been presented in detail previously. We neither propose a classical war with the armies of Islamic countries, nor do we propose throwing Jewish immigrants into the sea or intervention of the United Nations and other international organizations. We propose a referendum among the Palestinian people. Just like any other nation, the Palestinian nation has the right to determine its own destiny and to elect its own government. All the original people of Palestine - including Muslims, Christians and Jews and not foreign immigrants - should take part in a general and orderly referendum and determine the future government of Palestine whether they live inside Palestine or in camps or in any other place. The government that is established after the referendum will determine the destiny of non-Palestinian immigrants who migrated to Palestine in the past. This is a fair and logical proposal which global public opinion understands and it can receive support from independent nations and governments.
Of course we do not expect the usurping Zionists to willingly accept this proposal and this is where the role of governments, nations and resistance organizations becomes significant. The most important pillar of supporting the Palestinian nation is to stop supporting the usurping enemy and this is the great duty of Islamic governments. After the people have stepped into the arena and shouted slogans against the Zionist regime in a powerful way, on what logical basis do Muslim governments continue their relations with the usurping Zionist regime? The proof of Muslim governments\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\' honesty lies in their support for the Palestinian nation and in their decision to break off their overt and secret political and economic relations with the Zionist regime. The governments that host Zionist embassies or economic offices cannot claim to defend Palestine and no anti-Zionist slogan on their part will be considered serious and genuine.
Today Islamic resistance organizations, which have been shouldering the heavy burden of jihad over the past years, are confronted with the same great responsibility. Their organized resistance is an active arm that can help the Palestinian nation move towards the ultimate goal. Brave resistance of the people whose homes and country have been occupied has been recognized in all international conventions and it has been praised. Allegations of terrorism by the political and media network affiliated with Zionism are hollow and worthless claims. The obvious terrorist is the Zionist regime and its western supporters. Palestinian resistance is a movement against the oppressive terrorists and it is a human and sacred movement.
In the meantime, it is appropriate for western countries to evaluate the situation from a realistic perspective. Today the west is at a crossroads. It should either stop bullying and acknowledge the right of the Palestinian nation and refuse to follow the plan of the bullying and anti-human Zionists, or they should wait for stronger blows in the not so distant future. These crippling blows are not limited to the continual collapse of their puppet governments in the Islamic region. Rather the day when European and American peoples realize that the majority of their economic, social and ethical problems result from the octopus-like hegemony of international Zionism over their governments and that their statesmen give in to the bullying of parasitic Zionists who own companies in America and Europe for the sake of their personal and partisan interests, they will create a such hell for them in which no salvation will be imaginable.
The US President says that Israel\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s security is his red line. What factor has determined this red line? Is it the interests of the American nation or Obama\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s personal need for the money and support of Zionist companies to ensure his second term as US President? How long do you think you will be able to deceive your own nation? What will the American people do with you the day they realize you have agreed to give in to humiliation and obedience to wealthy Zionists for the sake of remaining in power for a few more days? What will they do with you when they realize that you have sacrificed the interests of a great nation at the feet of the Zionists?
Dear brothers and sisters, know that this red line drawn by Obama and people like him will be crossed by Muslim nations that have risen up. What is threatening the Zionist regime is not the missiles of Iran or resistance groups, so they can build a missile shield here and there in order to confront it. The real and inescapable threat is the firm determination of men, women and youth in Islamic countries who do not want America, Europe and their puppets rulers, to dominate and humiliate them any longer.
Of course those missiles will fulfill their duty whenever the enemy poses a threat. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Therefore, be patient. Surely the promise of Allah is true and let not those who have no certainty make you impatient.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, Sura ar-Room, Ayah 60]
Wa salaam alaykum wa rahmat Allah
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[ENGLISH e-Book] Al-Ghadir and its Relevance to ISLAMIC UNITY by Shaheed Ayatullah Mutahhari
Message of Thaqalayn
\"Al-Ghadir\" and its Relevance to Islamic Unity
________________________________________
Ayatullah Murtaza Mutahhari
Translated by Mojgan Jalali
Vol. 3,...
Message of Thaqalayn
\"Al-Ghadir\" and its Relevance to Islamic Unity
________________________________________
Ayatullah Murtaza Mutahhari
Translated by Mojgan Jalali
Vol. 3, No. 1 and 2 (1417 AH/1996 CE)
The distinguished book entitled \"al-Ghadir\" has raised a huge wave in the world of Islam. Islamic thinkers shed light on the book in different perspectives; in literature, history, theology, tradition, tafsir, and sociology. From the social perspective we can deal with the Islamic unity. In this review the Islamic unity has been dealt with from a social point of view.
Contemporary Muslim thinkers and reformists are of the view that unity and solidarity of Muslims are the most imperative Islamic exigencies at the present juncture when the enemies have made extensive inroads upon the Islamic community and have tried to resort to different ways and means to spread the old differences and create new ones. We are aware that Islamic unity and fraternity is the focus of attention of the Holy Legislator of Islam and is actually the major objective pursued by this Divine religion as firmed by the Qur\'an, the \"Sunnah\", and the history of Islam.
For this reason, some people have been faced with this question: Wouldn\'t the compilation and publication of a book such as \"al-Ghadir\" which deals with the oldest issue of differences among the Muslims- create a barrier in the way of the sublime and lofty objective of the Islamic unity?
To answer this question, it is necessary first to elucidate the essence of this issue, that is, the Islamic unity, and then proceed to examine the role of the magnum opus entitled \"al-Ghadir\"and its eminent compiler \'Allamah Amini in bringing about Islamic unity.
Islamic Unity
What is meant by the Islamic unity? Does it mean that one Islamic school of thought should be unanimously followed and others be set aside? Or does it mean that the commonalties of all Islamic schools of thought should be taken up and their differences be put away to make up a new denomination which is not completely the same as the previous ones? Or does it mean that Islamic unity is in no way related to the unity of the different schools of Fiqh (jurisprudence) but signifies the unity of the Muslims and the unity of the followers of different schools of Fiqh, with their different religious ideas and views, vis-a-vis the aliens?
To give an illogical and impractical meaning to the issue of the Islamic unity, the opponents of the issue have called it to be the formation of a single Madhhab, so as to defeat it in the very first step. Without doubt, by the term Islamic unity, the intellectual Islamic \'Ulama\' (scholars) do not mean that all denominations should give in to one denomination or that the commonalties should be taken up and the different views and ideas be set aside, as these are neither rational and logical nor favorable and practical. By the Islamic unity these scholars mean that all Muslims should unite in one line against their common enemies.
These scholars slate that Muslims have many things in common, which can serve as the foundations of a firm unity. All Muslims worship the One Almighty and believe in the Prophethood of the Holy Prophet (s). The Qur\'an is the Book of all Muslims and Ka\'abah is their \"qiblah\" (direction of prayer). They go to\"hajj\" pilgrimage with each other and perform the \"hajj\" rites and rituals like one another. They say the daily prayers and fast like each other. They establish families and engage in transactions like one another. They have similar ways of bringing up their children and burying their dead. Apart from minor affairs, they share similarities in all the aforementioned cases. Muslims also share one kind of world view, one common culture, and one grand, glorious, and long-standing civilization.
Unity in the world view, in culture, in the civilization, in insight and disposition, in religious beliefs, in acts of worship and prayers, in social rites and customs can well turn the Muslim into a unified nation to serve as a massive and dominant power before which the big global powers would have to bow down. This is especially true in view of the stress laid by Islam on this principle. According to the explicit wording of the Qur\'an, the Muslims are brothers, and special rights and duties link them together. So, why shouldn\'t the Muslims use all these extensive facilities accorded to them as the blessing of Islam?
This group of \'Ulama\' are of the view that there is no need for the Muslims to make any compromise on the primary or secondary principles of their religion for the sake of Islamic unity. Also it is not necessary for the Muslims to avoid engaging in discussions and reasons and writing books on primary and secondary principles about which they have differences. The only consideration for Islamic unity in this case is that the Muslims- in order to avoid the emergence or accentuation of vengeance - preserve their possession, avoid insulting and accusing each other and uttering fabrications, abandon ridiculing the logic of one another, and finally abstain from hurting one another and going beyond the borders of logic and reasoning. In fact, they should, at least, observe the limits which Islam has set forth for inviting non-Muslims to embrace it:
\"Call to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good exhortation, and have disputations with them in the best manner... \"(16: 125)
Some people are of the view that those schools of fiqh, such as, Shafi\'i and Hanafi which have no differences in principle should establish brotherhood and stand in one line. They believe that denominations which have differences in the principles can in no way be brothers. This group view the religious principles as an interconnected set as termed by scholars of Usul, as an interrelated and interdependent set; any damage to one principle harms all principles.
As a result, those who believe in this principle are of the view that when, for instance, the principle of \"imamah\" is damaged and victimized, unity and fraternity will bear no meaning and for this reason the Shi\'ah and the Sunnis cannot shake hands as two Muslim brothers and be in the same rank, no matter who their enemy is.
The first group answers this group by saying: \"There is no reason for us to consider the principles as an interrelated set and follow the principle of \"all or none\". Imam \'Ali (\'a) chose a very logical and reasonable approach. He left no stone unturned to retrieve his right. He used everything within his power to restore the principle of \"imamah\", but he never adhered to the motto of \"all or none\". \'Ali (\'a) did not rise up for his right, and that was not compulsory. On the contrary, it was a calculated and chosen approach. He did not fear death. Why didn\'t he rise up? There could have been nothing above martyrdom. Being killed for the cause of the Almighty was his ultimate desire. He was more intimate with martyrdom than a child is with his mother\'s breast. But in his sound calculations, Imam \'All (\'a) had reached the conclusion that under the existing conditions it was to the interest of Islam to foster collaboration and cooperation among the Muslims and give up revolt. He repeatedly stressed this point.
In one of his letters (No.62 \"Nahj al Balaghah\") to Malik al-Ashtar, he wrote the following:
\"First I pulled back my hand until I realized that a group of people converted from Islam and invited the people toward annihilating the religion of Muhammad(s). So I feared that if I did not rush to help Islam and the Muslims, I would see gaps or destruction which calamity would be far worse than the several-day-long demise of caliphate.\"
In the six-man council, after appointment of \'Uthman by \'Abdul-Rahman ibn \'Awf, \'Ali (\'a) set forth his objection as well as his readiness for collaboration as follows:\"
You well know that I am more deserving than others for caliphate. But now by Allah, so long as the affairs of the Muslims are in order and my rivals suffice with setting me aside and only I am alone subjected to oppression, I will not oppose (the move) and will give in (to it).\" (From Sermon 72, \"Nahj al- Balaghah\").
These indicate that in this issue \'Ali (\'a) condemned the principle of \"all or none\". There is no need to further elaborate the approach taken by \'Ali (\'a) toward this issue. There are ample historical proofs and reasons in this regard.
\'Allamah Amini
Now it is time to see to which group the eminent \'Allamah, Ayatullah Amini - the distinguished compiler of the \"al-Ghadir\" - belonged and how he thought. Did he approve of the unity of the Muslims only within the light of Shi\'ism? Or did he consider Islamic fraternity to be broader? Did he believe that Islam which is embraced by uttering the \"shahadatayn\" (the Muslim creed) would willy-nilly create some rights for the Muslims and that the brotherhood and fraternity set forth in the Qur\'an exists among all Muslims?
\'Allamah Amini personally considered this point - i.e. the need to elucidate his viewpoint on this subject and elaborate whether\"al-Ghadir\" has a positive or a negative role in (the establishment of) Islamic unity. In order not to be subject to abuse by his opponent - be they among the pros and cons - he has repeatedly explained and elucidated his views.
\'Allamah Amini supported Islamic unity and viewed an open mind and clear insight. On different occasions, he set forth this matter in various volumes of the \"al-Ghadir\'. Reference will be made to some of them below:
In the preface to volume I, he briefly mentions the role of \"al-Ghadir\" in the world of Islam. He states: \"And we consider all this as service to religion, sublimation of the word of the truth, and restoration of the Islamic \'ummah\' (community).\"
In volume 3 (page 77), after quoting the fabrications of Ibn Taymiyah, Alusi, and Qasimi to the effect that Shi \'ism is hostile to some of the Ahl al-Bayt (the Household of the Prophet) such as Zayd bin \'Ali bin al-Huseyn, he notes the following under the title of \"Criticism and Correction\":
\"These fabrications and accusations sow the seeds of corruption, stir hostilities among the \'ummah\',create discord among the Islamic community, divide the \'ummah\', and clash with the public interests of the Muslims.
Again in volume 3 (page 268), he quotes the accusation leveled on the Shi\'ahs by Sayyid Muhammad Rashid Rida to the effect that \"Shi\'ahs are pleased with any defeat incurred by Muslims, so much as they celebrated the victory of the Russians over the Muslims.\" Then he says:
\"These falsehoods are fabricated by persons like Sayyid Muhammad Rashid Rida. The Shi\'ahs of Iran and Iraq against whom this accusation is leveled, as well as the orientalists, tourists, envoys of Islamic countries, and those who traveled and still travel to Iran and Iraq, have no information about this trend. Shi\'ahs, without exception, respect the lives, blood, reputation, and property of the Muslims be they Shi\'ahs or Sunnis. Whenever a calamity has befallen the Islamic community anywhere, in any region, and for any sects, the Shi\'ahs have shared their sorrow. The Shi\'ahs have never been confined to the Shi\'ah world, the (concept of) Islamic brotherhood which has been set forth in the Qur\'an and the \'sunnah\'(the Prophet\'s sayings and actions), and in this respect, no discrimination has been made between the Shi\'ahs and the Sunnis.\"
Also at the close of volume 3, he criticizes several books penned by the ancients such as \"Iqd al-Farid\" by Ibn Abd al-Rabbih, \"al-Intisar\" by Abu al-Husayn Khayyat al-Mu\'tazili,\"al Farq bayn al-Firaq\" by Abu Mansur al-Baghdadi, \"al-Fasl\" by Ibn Hazm al-Andulusi, \"al-Milal wa al-Nihal\" by Muhammad ibn Abdul-Karim al-Shahristani \"Minhaj al-Sunnah\" by Ibn Taymiah and \"al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah\"by Ibn Kathir and several by the later writers such as \"Tarikh al-Umam al-Islamiyyah\" by Shaykh Muhammad Khizri, \"Fajr al Islam\" by Ahmad Amin, \"al-Jawlat fi Rubu al-Sharq al-Adna\" by Muhammad Thabit al-Mesri, \"al-Sira Bayn al-Islam wa al-Wathaniyah\" by Qasimi, and \"al- Washi\'ah\" by Musa Jarallah. Then he states the following:
\"By quoting and criticizing these books, we aim at warning and awakening the Islamic \'ummah\' (to the fact) that these books create the greatest danger for the Islamic community, they destabilize the Islamic unity and scatter the Muslim lines. In fact nothing can disrupt the ranks of the Muslims, destroy their unity, and tear their Islamic fraternity more severely than these books.\"
\'Allamah Amini, in the preface to volume 5, under title of\"Nazariyah Karimah\" on the occasion of a plaque of honor forwarded from Egypt for \"al-Ghadir\", clearly sets forth his view on this issue and leaves no room for any doubt. He remarks:
\"People are free to express views and ideas on religion. These (views and ideas) will never tear apart the bond of Islamic brotherhood to which the holy Qur\'an has referred by stating that \'surely the believers are brethren\'; even though academic discussion and theological and religious debates reach a peak. This has been the style of the predecessors, and of the \'sahaba\' and the\'tabi\'un\', at the head of them.
\"Notwithstanding all the differences that we have in the primary and secondary principles, we, the compilers and writers in nooks and corners of the world of Islam, share a common point and that is belief in the Almighty and His Prophet. A single spirit and one (form of) sentiment exists in all our bodies, and that is the spirit of Islam and the term\'ikhlas,\"
\"We, the Muslim compilers, all live under the banner of truth and carry out our duties under the guidance of the Qur\'an and the Prophetic Mission of the Holy Prophet (s). The message of all of us is \'Surely the (true) religion with Allah is Islam ... (3:18)\' and the slogan of all of us is \'There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His Messenger.\' Indeed, we are (the members of) the party of Allah and the supporters of his religion.
In the preface to volume 8, under the title of \"al-Ghadir Yowahhad al-Sufuf fil-Mila al-Islami\", \'Allamah Amini directly makes researches into the role of \"Al- Ghadir\" in (the establishment of) Islamic unity. In this discussion, this great scholar categorically rejects the accusations leveled by those who said: \'Al-Ghadir\' causes greater discord among the Muslims. He proves that, on the contrary, \"Al-Ghadir\"removes many misunderstandings and brings the Muslims closer to one another. Then he brings evidence by mentioning the confessions of the non-Shi\'i Islamic scholars. At the close, he quotes the letter of Shaykh Muhammad Saeed Dahduh written in this connection.
To avoid prolongation of this article, we will not quote and translate the entire statements of \'Allamah Amini in explaining the positive role of \"al-Ghadir\" in (establishing) Islamic unity, since what has already been mentioned sufficiently proves this fact.
The positive role of \"al-Ghadir\" is established by the facts that it firstly clarifies the proven logic of the Shi\'ahs and proves that the inclination of Muslims to Shi\'ism - notwithstanding the poisonous publicity of some people - is not due to political, ethnic, or other trends and considerations. It also verifies that a powerful logic based on the Qur\'an and the \"sunnah\" has given rise to this tendency.
Secondly, it reflects that some accusations leveled on Shi\'ism - which have made other Muslims distanced from the Shi\'ah- are totally baseless and false. Examples of these accusations are the notion that the Shi\'ites prefer the non-Muslims to the non- Shi\'i Muslims, rejoice at the defeat of non-Shi\'ite Muslims at the hands of non-Muslims, and other accusations such as the idea that instead of going to hajj pilgrimage, the Shi\'ahs go on pilgrimage to shrines of the Imams, or have particular rites in prayers and in temporary marriage.
Thirdly, it introduces to the world of Islam the eminent Commander of the faithful \'Ali (\'a) who is the most oppressed and the least praised grand Islamic personality and who could be the leader of all Muslims, as well as his pure offspring.
Other Comments on \"al-Ghadir\"
Many unbiased non-Shia Muslims interpret the \"al-Ghadir\" in the same way that has already been mentioned.
Muhammad Abdul-Ghani Hasan al-Mesri, in his foreword on\"al-Ghadir\", which has been published in the preface to volume I, second edition, states:
\"I call on the Almighty to make your limpid brook (in Arabic, \'Ghadir\' means brook) the cause of peace and cordiality between the Shia and Sunni brothers to cooperate with one another in building the Islamic \"ummah.\"
\'Adil Ghadban, the managing editor of the Egyptian magazine entitled \"al-Kitab\", said the following in the preface to volume 3:
\"This book clarifies the Shi\'ite logic. The Sunnis can correctly learn about the Shi\'i through this book. Correct recognition of the Shi\'ahs brings the views of the Shi\'ahs and the Sunnis closer, and they can make a unified rank\".
In his foreword to the \"al-Ghadir\" which was published in thepreface to volume 4, Dr. Muhammad Ghallab, professor of philosophy at the Faculty of Religious Studies al-Azhar University said:
\"I got hold of your book at a very opportune time, because right now I am busy collecting and compiling a book on the lives of the Muslims from various perspectives. Therefore, I am highly avidfor obtaining sound information about \'Imamiyah\' Shi\'ism. Your book will help me. And I will not make mistakes about the Shi\'ahs as others have\".
In this foreword published in the preface to volume 4 of the\"al-Ghadir\", Dr. \'Abdul-Rahman Kiali Halabi says the following after referring to the decline of the Muslims in the present age and the factors which can lead to the Muslims\' salvation, one of which is the sound recognition of the successor of the Holy Prophet (s):
\"The book entitled \"al-Ghadir\" and its rich content deserves to be known by every Muslim to learn how historians have been negligent and see where the truth lies. Through this means, we should compensate for the past, and by striving to foster the unity of the Muslims, we should try to gain the due rewards\".
These were the views of \'Allamah Amini about the important social issues of our age and such were his sound reflections in the world of Islam.
Peace be upon him.
Text Source: http://www.al-islam.org/mot/default.asp?url=ghadir-relevance.htm
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Message of Thaqalayn
\"Al-Ghadir\" and its Relevance to Islamic Unity
________________________________________
Ayatullah Murtaza Mutahhari
Translated by Mojgan Jalali
Vol. 3, No. 1 and 2 (1417 AH/1996 CE)
The distinguished book entitled \"al-Ghadir\" has raised a huge wave in the world of Islam. Islamic thinkers shed light on the book in different perspectives; in literature, history, theology, tradition, tafsir, and sociology. From the social perspective we can deal with the Islamic unity. In this review the Islamic unity has been dealt with from a social point of view.
Contemporary Muslim thinkers and reformists are of the view that unity and solidarity of Muslims are the most imperative Islamic exigencies at the present juncture when the enemies have made extensive inroads upon the Islamic community and have tried to resort to different ways and means to spread the old differences and create new ones. We are aware that Islamic unity and fraternity is the focus of attention of the Holy Legislator of Islam and is actually the major objective pursued by this Divine religion as firmed by the Qur\'an, the \"Sunnah\", and the history of Islam.
For this reason, some people have been faced with this question: Wouldn\'t the compilation and publication of a book such as \"al-Ghadir\" which deals with the oldest issue of differences among the Muslims- create a barrier in the way of the sublime and lofty objective of the Islamic unity?
To answer this question, it is necessary first to elucidate the essence of this issue, that is, the Islamic unity, and then proceed to examine the role of the magnum opus entitled \"al-Ghadir\"and its eminent compiler \'Allamah Amini in bringing about Islamic unity.
Islamic Unity
What is meant by the Islamic unity? Does it mean that one Islamic school of thought should be unanimously followed and others be set aside? Or does it mean that the commonalties of all Islamic schools of thought should be taken up and their differences be put away to make up a new denomination which is not completely the same as the previous ones? Or does it mean that Islamic unity is in no way related to the unity of the different schools of Fiqh (jurisprudence) but signifies the unity of the Muslims and the unity of the followers of different schools of Fiqh, with their different religious ideas and views, vis-a-vis the aliens?
To give an illogical and impractical meaning to the issue of the Islamic unity, the opponents of the issue have called it to be the formation of a single Madhhab, so as to defeat it in the very first step. Without doubt, by the term Islamic unity, the intellectual Islamic \'Ulama\' (scholars) do not mean that all denominations should give in to one denomination or that the commonalties should be taken up and the different views and ideas be set aside, as these are neither rational and logical nor favorable and practical. By the Islamic unity these scholars mean that all Muslims should unite in one line against their common enemies.
These scholars slate that Muslims have many things in common, which can serve as the foundations of a firm unity. All Muslims worship the One Almighty and believe in the Prophethood of the Holy Prophet (s). The Qur\'an is the Book of all Muslims and Ka\'abah is their \"qiblah\" (direction of prayer). They go to\"hajj\" pilgrimage with each other and perform the \"hajj\" rites and rituals like one another. They say the daily prayers and fast like each other. They establish families and engage in transactions like one another. They have similar ways of bringing up their children and burying their dead. Apart from minor affairs, they share similarities in all the aforementioned cases. Muslims also share one kind of world view, one common culture, and one grand, glorious, and long-standing civilization.
Unity in the world view, in culture, in the civilization, in insight and disposition, in religious beliefs, in acts of worship and prayers, in social rites and customs can well turn the Muslim into a unified nation to serve as a massive and dominant power before which the big global powers would have to bow down. This is especially true in view of the stress laid by Islam on this principle. According to the explicit wording of the Qur\'an, the Muslims are brothers, and special rights and duties link them together. So, why shouldn\'t the Muslims use all these extensive facilities accorded to them as the blessing of Islam?
This group of \'Ulama\' are of the view that there is no need for the Muslims to make any compromise on the primary or secondary principles of their religion for the sake of Islamic unity. Also it is not necessary for the Muslims to avoid engaging in discussions and reasons and writing books on primary and secondary principles about which they have differences. The only consideration for Islamic unity in this case is that the Muslims- in order to avoid the emergence or accentuation of vengeance - preserve their possession, avoid insulting and accusing each other and uttering fabrications, abandon ridiculing the logic of one another, and finally abstain from hurting one another and going beyond the borders of logic and reasoning. In fact, they should, at least, observe the limits which Islam has set forth for inviting non-Muslims to embrace it:
\"Call to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good exhortation, and have disputations with them in the best manner... \"(16: 125)
Some people are of the view that those schools of fiqh, such as, Shafi\'i and Hanafi which have no differences in principle should establish brotherhood and stand in one line. They believe that denominations which have differences in the principles can in no way be brothers. This group view the religious principles as an interconnected set as termed by scholars of Usul, as an interrelated and interdependent set; any damage to one principle harms all principles.
As a result, those who believe in this principle are of the view that when, for instance, the principle of \"imamah\" is damaged and victimized, unity and fraternity will bear no meaning and for this reason the Shi\'ah and the Sunnis cannot shake hands as two Muslim brothers and be in the same rank, no matter who their enemy is.
The first group answers this group by saying: \"There is no reason for us to consider the principles as an interrelated set and follow the principle of \"all or none\". Imam \'Ali (\'a) chose a very logical and reasonable approach. He left no stone unturned to retrieve his right. He used everything within his power to restore the principle of \"imamah\", but he never adhered to the motto of \"all or none\". \'Ali (\'a) did not rise up for his right, and that was not compulsory. On the contrary, it was a calculated and chosen approach. He did not fear death. Why didn\'t he rise up? There could have been nothing above martyrdom. Being killed for the cause of the Almighty was his ultimate desire. He was more intimate with martyrdom than a child is with his mother\'s breast. But in his sound calculations, Imam \'All (\'a) had reached the conclusion that under the existing conditions it was to the interest of Islam to foster collaboration and cooperation among the Muslims and give up revolt. He repeatedly stressed this point.
In one of his letters (No.62 \"Nahj al Balaghah\") to Malik al-Ashtar, he wrote the following:
\"First I pulled back my hand until I realized that a group of people converted from Islam and invited the people toward annihilating the religion of Muhammad(s). So I feared that if I did not rush to help Islam and the Muslims, I would see gaps or destruction which calamity would be far worse than the several-day-long demise of caliphate.\"
In the six-man council, after appointment of \'Uthman by \'Abdul-Rahman ibn \'Awf, \'Ali (\'a) set forth his objection as well as his readiness for collaboration as follows:\"
You well know that I am more deserving than others for caliphate. But now by Allah, so long as the affairs of the Muslims are in order and my rivals suffice with setting me aside and only I am alone subjected to oppression, I will not oppose (the move) and will give in (to it).\" (From Sermon 72, \"Nahj al- Balaghah\").
These indicate that in this issue \'Ali (\'a) condemned the principle of \"all or none\". There is no need to further elaborate the approach taken by \'Ali (\'a) toward this issue. There are ample historical proofs and reasons in this regard.
\'Allamah Amini
Now it is time to see to which group the eminent \'Allamah, Ayatullah Amini - the distinguished compiler of the \"al-Ghadir\" - belonged and how he thought. Did he approve of the unity of the Muslims only within the light of Shi\'ism? Or did he consider Islamic fraternity to be broader? Did he believe that Islam which is embraced by uttering the \"shahadatayn\" (the Muslim creed) would willy-nilly create some rights for the Muslims and that the brotherhood and fraternity set forth in the Qur\'an exists among all Muslims?
\'Allamah Amini personally considered this point - i.e. the need to elucidate his viewpoint on this subject and elaborate whether\"al-Ghadir\" has a positive or a negative role in (the establishment of) Islamic unity. In order not to be subject to abuse by his opponent - be they among the pros and cons - he has repeatedly explained and elucidated his views.
\'Allamah Amini supported Islamic unity and viewed an open mind and clear insight. On different occasions, he set forth this matter in various volumes of the \"al-Ghadir\'. Reference will be made to some of them below:
In the preface to volume I, he briefly mentions the role of \"al-Ghadir\" in the world of Islam. He states: \"And we consider all this as service to religion, sublimation of the word of the truth, and restoration of the Islamic \'ummah\' (community).\"
In volume 3 (page 77), after quoting the fabrications of Ibn Taymiyah, Alusi, and Qasimi to the effect that Shi \'ism is hostile to some of the Ahl al-Bayt (the Household of the Prophet) such as Zayd bin \'Ali bin al-Huseyn, he notes the following under the title of \"Criticism and Correction\":
\"These fabrications and accusations sow the seeds of corruption, stir hostilities among the \'ummah\',create discord among the Islamic community, divide the \'ummah\', and clash with the public interests of the Muslims.
Again in volume 3 (page 268), he quotes the accusation leveled on the Shi\'ahs by Sayyid Muhammad Rashid Rida to the effect that \"Shi\'ahs are pleased with any defeat incurred by Muslims, so much as they celebrated the victory of the Russians over the Muslims.\" Then he says:
\"These falsehoods are fabricated by persons like Sayyid Muhammad Rashid Rida. The Shi\'ahs of Iran and Iraq against whom this accusation is leveled, as well as the orientalists, tourists, envoys of Islamic countries, and those who traveled and still travel to Iran and Iraq, have no information about this trend. Shi\'ahs, without exception, respect the lives, blood, reputation, and property of the Muslims be they Shi\'ahs or Sunnis. Whenever a calamity has befallen the Islamic community anywhere, in any region, and for any sects, the Shi\'ahs have shared their sorrow. The Shi\'ahs have never been confined to the Shi\'ah world, the (concept of) Islamic brotherhood which has been set forth in the Qur\'an and the \'sunnah\'(the Prophet\'s sayings and actions), and in this respect, no discrimination has been made between the Shi\'ahs and the Sunnis.\"
Also at the close of volume 3, he criticizes several books penned by the ancients such as \"Iqd al-Farid\" by Ibn Abd al-Rabbih, \"al-Intisar\" by Abu al-Husayn Khayyat al-Mu\'tazili,\"al Farq bayn al-Firaq\" by Abu Mansur al-Baghdadi, \"al-Fasl\" by Ibn Hazm al-Andulusi, \"al-Milal wa al-Nihal\" by Muhammad ibn Abdul-Karim al-Shahristani \"Minhaj al-Sunnah\" by Ibn Taymiah and \"al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah\"by Ibn Kathir and several by the later writers such as \"Tarikh al-Umam al-Islamiyyah\" by Shaykh Muhammad Khizri, \"Fajr al Islam\" by Ahmad Amin, \"al-Jawlat fi Rubu al-Sharq al-Adna\" by Muhammad Thabit al-Mesri, \"al-Sira Bayn al-Islam wa al-Wathaniyah\" by Qasimi, and \"al- Washi\'ah\" by Musa Jarallah. Then he states the following:
\"By quoting and criticizing these books, we aim at warning and awakening the Islamic \'ummah\' (to the fact) that these books create the greatest danger for the Islamic community, they destabilize the Islamic unity and scatter the Muslim lines. In fact nothing can disrupt the ranks of the Muslims, destroy their unity, and tear their Islamic fraternity more severely than these books.\"
\'Allamah Amini, in the preface to volume 5, under title of\"Nazariyah Karimah\" on the occasion of a plaque of honor forwarded from Egypt for \"al-Ghadir\", clearly sets forth his view on this issue and leaves no room for any doubt. He remarks:
\"People are free to express views and ideas on religion. These (views and ideas) will never tear apart the bond of Islamic brotherhood to which the holy Qur\'an has referred by stating that \'surely the believers are brethren\'; even though academic discussion and theological and religious debates reach a peak. This has been the style of the predecessors, and of the \'sahaba\' and the\'tabi\'un\', at the head of them.
\"Notwithstanding all the differences that we have in the primary and secondary principles, we, the compilers and writers in nooks and corners of the world of Islam, share a common point and that is belief in the Almighty and His Prophet. A single spirit and one (form of) sentiment exists in all our bodies, and that is the spirit of Islam and the term\'ikhlas,\"
\"We, the Muslim compilers, all live under the banner of truth and carry out our duties under the guidance of the Qur\'an and the Prophetic Mission of the Holy Prophet (s). The message of all of us is \'Surely the (true) religion with Allah is Islam ... (3:18)\' and the slogan of all of us is \'There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His Messenger.\' Indeed, we are (the members of) the party of Allah and the supporters of his religion.
In the preface to volume 8, under the title of \"al-Ghadir Yowahhad al-Sufuf fil-Mila al-Islami\", \'Allamah Amini directly makes researches into the role of \"Al- Ghadir\" in (the establishment of) Islamic unity. In this discussion, this great scholar categorically rejects the accusations leveled by those who said: \'Al-Ghadir\' causes greater discord among the Muslims. He proves that, on the contrary, \"Al-Ghadir\"removes many misunderstandings and brings the Muslims closer to one another. Then he brings evidence by mentioning the confessions of the non-Shi\'i Islamic scholars. At the close, he quotes the letter of Shaykh Muhammad Saeed Dahduh written in this connection.
To avoid prolongation of this article, we will not quote and translate the entire statements of \'Allamah Amini in explaining the positive role of \"al-Ghadir\" in (establishing) Islamic unity, since what has already been mentioned sufficiently proves this fact.
The positive role of \"al-Ghadir\" is established by the facts that it firstly clarifies the proven logic of the Shi\'ahs and proves that the inclination of Muslims to Shi\'ism - notwithstanding the poisonous publicity of some people - is not due to political, ethnic, or other trends and considerations. It also verifies that a powerful logic based on the Qur\'an and the \"sunnah\" has given rise to this tendency.
Secondly, it reflects that some accusations leveled on Shi\'ism - which have made other Muslims distanced from the Shi\'ah- are totally baseless and false. Examples of these accusations are the notion that the Shi\'ites prefer the non-Muslims to the non- Shi\'i Muslims, rejoice at the defeat of non-Shi\'ite Muslims at the hands of non-Muslims, and other accusations such as the idea that instead of going to hajj pilgrimage, the Shi\'ahs go on pilgrimage to shrines of the Imams, or have particular rites in prayers and in temporary marriage.
Thirdly, it introduces to the world of Islam the eminent Commander of the faithful \'Ali (\'a) who is the most oppressed and the least praised grand Islamic personality and who could be the leader of all Muslims, as well as his pure offspring.
Other Comments on \"al-Ghadir\"
Many unbiased non-Shia Muslims interpret the \"al-Ghadir\" in the same way that has already been mentioned.
Muhammad Abdul-Ghani Hasan al-Mesri, in his foreword on\"al-Ghadir\", which has been published in the preface to volume I, second edition, states:
\"I call on the Almighty to make your limpid brook (in Arabic, \'Ghadir\' means brook) the cause of peace and cordiality between the Shia and Sunni brothers to cooperate with one another in building the Islamic \"ummah.\"
\'Adil Ghadban, the managing editor of the Egyptian magazine entitled \"al-Kitab\", said the following in the preface to volume 3:
\"This book clarifies the Shi\'ite logic. The Sunnis can correctly learn about the Shi\'i through this book. Correct recognition of the Shi\'ahs brings the views of the Shi\'ahs and the Sunnis closer, and they can make a unified rank\".
In his foreword to the \"al-Ghadir\" which was published in thepreface to volume 4, Dr. Muhammad Ghallab, professor of philosophy at the Faculty of Religious Studies al-Azhar University said:
\"I got hold of your book at a very opportune time, because right now I am busy collecting and compiling a book on the lives of the Muslims from various perspectives. Therefore, I am highly avidfor obtaining sound information about \'Imamiyah\' Shi\'ism. Your book will help me. And I will not make mistakes about the Shi\'ahs as others have\".
In this foreword published in the preface to volume 4 of the\"al-Ghadir\", Dr. \'Abdul-Rahman Kiali Halabi says the following after referring to the decline of the Muslims in the present age and the factors which can lead to the Muslims\' salvation, one of which is the sound recognition of the successor of the Holy Prophet (s):
\"The book entitled \"al-Ghadir\" and its rich content deserves to be known by every Muslim to learn how historians have been negligent and see where the truth lies. Through this means, we should compensate for the past, and by striving to foster the unity of the Muslims, we should try to gain the due rewards\".
These were the views of \'Allamah Amini about the important social issues of our age and such were his sound reflections in the world of Islam.
Peace be upon him.
Text Source: http://www.al-islam.org/mot/default.asp?url=ghadir-relevance.htm
26:33
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Speech to Members of Ahlul Bayt World Assembly and Islamic Radio and Television Union - (English)
Supreme Leader\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s Speech to Members of Ahlul Bayt World Assembly and Islamic Radio and Television Uni Print
17/08/2015
The following is the full text of the speech delivered on...
Supreme Leader\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s Speech to Members of Ahlul Bayt World Assembly and Islamic Radio and Television Uni Print
17/08/2015
The following is the full text of the speech delivered on August 17, 2015 by Ayatollah Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, in a meeting with the participants of Ahlul Bayt World Assembly and the members of Islamic Radio and Television Union.
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, and peace and greetings be upon our Master and Prophet, Ab-al-Qassem al-Mustafa Muhammad and upon his immaculate, pure and chosen household, especially the one remaining with Allah on earth.
I would like to welcome the honorable participants and the dear brothers and sisters, the brothers and sisters from Ahlul Bayt World Assembly, the brothers and sisters from the Islamic Radio and Television Union and the honorable families of martyrs who are present in the meeting. I ask Allah the Exalted to bestow His blessings on all of you.
I would like to raise a few points about the Ahlul Bayt World Assembly and the Islamic Radio and Television Union. As for the Ahlul Bayt World Assembly, its significance originates from the Holy Prophet\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s (a.s.) household. Allah the Exalted says something - in a very explicit manner - about the Holy Prophet\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s household (a.s.) in the Holy Quran: \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"And Allah only wishes to remove all abomination from you, you members of the Family, and to make you pure and immaculate\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, 33: 33]. This description has been used for few groups of people in the Holy Quran. The Ahlul Bayt\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s understanding and knowledge lies in their divine purity. Well, this purity has many dimensions. If a group of people associate themselves with the Holy Prophet\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s household (a.s.), they should observe certain criteria. This is what we want to say: these groups should observe certain criteria. The efforts of the Holy Prophet\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s household (greetings be upon them) revolved around these pivots- first, reviving the original teachings of Islam. They wanted to keep Islamic principles alive. Oppressive governments and taghuts always tried to destroy or change and distort Islamic teachings. One of the most important moves of the Holy Prophet\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s household was to resist this attempt. They wanted to preserve and revive Islamic teachings. This was one of their tasks.
Another task that the Holy Prophet\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s household (greetings be upon them) did was to implement divine laws. They did so whether during the time when they ruled or during the time when they were removed from government. Their efforts were focused on implementing divine laws in society. This was another task. Another task that they carried out was to engage in jihad in the way of God. You read in the ziarat of the Imams, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"I testify that you strove [jihad] in the way of God, such a striving is due to him.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" This means that they did not show any negligence in fighting in the way of God. They engaged in jihad in the way of God with all their power and capability. This was another task.
An important part of this jihad - which is a separate chapter in itself - was fighting against oppression and oppressors. The lives of the Holy Prophet\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s household (a.s.) were imbued with fighting against oppression and oppressors. The reason behind all those pressures and poisoning attempts and all that martyrdom was this- they fought against oppression and oppressors. This is the life of the Holy Prophet\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s household. Now, we want to be their followers. Therefore, we should observe these things. These things should be observed. We should promote Islamic teachings. We should consider implementing divine laws as one of our goals. We should engage in jihad in the way of God with all our power. We should fight against oppressors. We should fight against and confront oppressors. This is our responsibility.
Well, jihad is not confined to a military war. Jihad includes all kinds of fighting, ranging from cultural to political and economic fighting. All these kinds of fighting are included in jihad. Our minds should not only switch to a military war. Sometimes, it is possible that a military war breaks out, but jihad is not only this.
In our opinion, today, the manifestation of jihad for us Muslims and followers of the Holy Prophet\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s household is fighting against the plots of arrogance in this Islamic region. Today, this is the greatest form of jihad. We should fight against the plots of arrogance. First, we should identify these plots and study the enemy\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s thoughts so that we know what he is going to do. After that, we should plan on how we want to fight against his goals. And this is not confined to defense. Fighting includes both defense and offense. Sometimes, it is necessary for us to adopt a defensive position and sometimes, it is necessary to adopt an offensive position. In both cases, the goal is fighting against the plans of arrogance - which is the main enemy - in the region.
This fighting should take place in the entire Islamic region - particularly in this region which is West Asia. The Europeans insist on referring to this region as the Middle East region. In other words, they locate east on the basis of Europe. To them, a region is Far East, another is Middle East and another region is Near East. Because of the Europeans\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\' arrogance, this region has been called, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"the Middle East\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" from the beginning. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"The Middle East\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" is a wrong name. This is West Asia. This is Asia - a large continent - and we are in West Asia. This region is a very sensitive region. It is a very important region in terms of strategy, military power, important underground resources and connection between three continents - Asia, Europe and Africa. It is an important region for which they have certain plans. We should see what these plans are and then we should confront them. This is jihad. The Holy Quran says to us, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"And strive hard in the way of Allah, such a striving is due to Him\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, 22: 78]. Today, this is jihad in the way of God.
Hatching plots against the world of Islam and this region in particular is not a new development. Since many years ago - since 100 years ago: since World War I until today - this region has been exposed to many pressures by arrogant powers. One day, it was England, one day it was America and one day it was France. It is 100 years or more now that arrogant powers have been pursuing their goals here. However, these pressures, plans and plots have been reinforced since the victory of the Islamic Revolution in Iran. This is because the victory of Islam in an important, great and sensitive country like Iran was confusing for arrogance. In the beginning, they lost the power to analyze events. We used to pursue events and we were witness to this. In the beginning, they were confused. Later on, when they collected themselves, they began to exert pressure and the pivot of this pressure was the Islamic Republic of Iran. First, they focused their efforts on preventing this experience from being repeated in other countries. They were after this. This was why they thought of increasing pressures on Iran. It is 35 years now that we have gotten used to the enemy\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s pressures. The people of Iran have gotten used to pressures. It is 35 years now that we have been facing threats, sanctions, security pressures, different political plots and all kinds of pressures.
This began with the victory of the Islamic Revolution in Iran. However, after the emergence of Islamic Awakening - that began four, five years ago in North African countries such as Egypt, Tunisia and other African countries - the enemies increased their pressures. That is to say, the enemy became anxious and uneasy in the real sense of the word. They adopted many measures that are continuing in the present time. Of course, they think that they have suppressed Islamic Awakening, but this humble person believes that Islamic Awakening is not suppressible. Although they have adopted some measures, this movement exists and it will find its true position sooner or later. In any case, they have increased their efforts in the recent years. They have adopted many measures and they have brought new elements into the equation.
The enemy\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s plans are based on two things. First, I will tell you that when we say, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"the enemy\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" we do not refer to an imaginary and fictional creature. By \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"enemy\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" we mean global arrogance and arrogant powers: powers whose existence depends on dominating others, interfering in their affairs and possessing their financial and vital resources. These are arrogant powers or in other words, the leaders of global arrogance. We have a term in our political literature which is global arrogance. It means the division of the world into \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"the oppressor\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" and \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"the oppressed\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\". This is global arrogance. Those who are the leaders of this system are enemies.
If we want to give an example of who this enemy is in the outside world, we should refer to the regime of the United States of America. This regime is the epitome of global arrogance. Of course, others are part of global arrogance as well, but the clearest and the most obvious example is the regime of the United States of America. It knows nothing about human morality and it is not ashamed of committing any crime - of any nature. It covers these crimes, pressures and violent acts behind its smiles and its good and beautiful words. The manifestation of global arrogance is this regime. Therefore, when we say, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"the enemy\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\", it means this.
This enemy\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s plan in the region is mainly based on two things. Of course, it has many branches, but these are the main two. One is creating discord and the second it exerting influence. This is the basis of the enemy\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s plan in the region. They want to create discord between governments and - after that - between nations which is more dangerous than discord between governments. They want to make peoples bear grudge against each other and establish biased groups with different names. One day, it was \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"pan-Iranism\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\", \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"pan-Arabism\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\", \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"pan-Turkism\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" and other such orientations and today, it is the issue of Shia and Sunni, takfirism and other such things. They create discord with anything they can. This is only item of their measures and they are working on it in a very serious way. Of course, the English were the first experts of this measure. They have expertise in creating religious discord. The Americans have learned this from them and they are working on it today with all their power.
All the takfiri groups that you see are their handicraft. Of course, we have been saying this for several years, but some people had doubts. Today, the Americans themselves are acknowledging this. They are acknowledging that it was they who created DAESH, al-Nusra Front and other takfiri groups. A bunch of simple-minded - although sincere - Muslims were deceived by them. This is the important point. What is very instructive to us and what we should pay attention to is that sometimes well-intentioned individuals work inside the enemy\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s plan because of lack of vigilance. This has happened. One clear example of this is the issue of Syria. When taghuti governments were overthrown in Tunisia and Egypt with Islamic slogans, all of a sudden the Americans and the Zionists decided to use this formula for destroying resistant governments and countries. Therefore, they turned to Syria and as a result, a group of simple-minded and naïve individuals became the target of this plan. They made Syria reach the current situation. It is four, five years now that Syria has been experiencing this tumultuous situation and it is not clear when it will come to an end.
This was what the enemy did and simple-minded individuals were incorporated in this plan. They filled in the enemy\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s puzzle. This happens in many cases. It was they who created takfiri groups. It was they who created thuggish and violent groups and set them on the Islamic Ummah. They pretend that this is a denominational war. I will tell you that the conflicts that they are trying to label as denominational conflicts in Iraq, Syria and other countries are not denominational at all. They are of a political nature. The war in Yemen is a political war, not a religious one. They falsely claim that the issue is about Shia and Sunni while this is not the case. Some of those people who are losing their children, women, infants and their hospitals and schools in Yemen under the bombardment of the Saudis are Shafi\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'i and some of them are Zaidi . So, the issue is not about Shia and Sunni. The conflict is a political conflict, the conflict between policies. Today, they are creating such a situation in the region. It was they who created discord.
We should try to eliminate these differences and conflicts. We have said to everyone in an outspoken way that we extend the hand of friendship to all regional and Muslim governments. We have no problems with Muslim governments. Of course in the present time, our relations with many of our neighbors are already friendly and brotherly. The countries to the north, south, east and west of the Islamic Republic of Iran have good relations with us. Of course, some countries - near and far away - have certain differences with us. They behave in an obstinate way and show malevolence. This exists as well, but our principle is based on establishing good relations with neighboring countries, governments and - particularly - peoples. Our country has very good relations with peoples.
Of course, we believe that we should be committed to principles. We say that principles should be preserved. It was with commitment to principles that our magnanimous Imam (r.a.) managed to achieve victory, preserve the Revolution and give stability to the Islamic Republic. He was committed to principles. One of these principles is \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"They are strong against unbelievers, compassionate amongst each other\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, 48: 29]. This is one of the principles. We do not make peace with our enemies - with arrogance - and we do not show enmity towards our Muslim brothers, rather we behave in a friendly and brotherly manner towards them because we believe that we should be \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"strong against unbelievers, compassionate amongst each other.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
This is the lesson of our magnanimous Imam (r.a.). This is the clear line of the Islamic Republic. In supporting the oppressed, we do not look, have not looked and will not look at the other side\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s religion and denomination. This is our magnanimous Imam\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s (r.a.) guideline. Imam behaved towards Shia resistance in Lebanon in the same way that he behaved towards Sunni resistance in Palestine. He behaved towards them without any difference. We supported our brothers in Lebanon in the same way that we supported our brothers in Gaza without any difference. The former were Sunnis and the latter were Shias. The main issue for us is defending Islamic identity and supporting the oppressed. The main issue for us is the issue of Palestine which is the main issue for Muslims in the present time. This is the main issue for us.
We behave in the same way towards our enemies. Our magnanimous Imam (r.a.) fought against Mohammad Reza Pahlavi who was apparently a Shia. Likewise, he fought against Saddam Hussein who was apparently a Sunni. Of course, the former was not a true Shia and the latter was not a true Sunni either. Both of them were separate from Islam, but the former was apparently a Shia and the latter was apparently a Sunni. Imam (r.a.) fought against them in the same way. Therefore, the issue for us is not the issue of Sunni, Shia, denominational bias and other such things. The issue is the issue of Islam\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s principles: \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Be an enemy of the oppressor and helper of the oppressed\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [Nahjul Balaghah, Letter 47]. This is Islam\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s command. This is our path. This is our line.
Intensifying discord in the world of Islam is forbidden. We are opposed to the behavior of some Shia groups, as it leads to discord. We have said outspokenly that we are opposed to insulting the holy beliefs of Sunnis. Some people from both sides intensify and fuel the fire of enmities. Many of them have good intentions, but they do not have foresight. Foresight is necessary. We should see what the enemy\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s plan is. The enemy\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s first plan is creating discord and his second plan is exerting influence. They want to have decade-long influence in Islamic and regional countries. Today in the region, America does not enjoy the reputation that it did in the past and therefore, it wants to retrieve it. They have the same intention in our country. They have the same intention in Iran. They thought that they could use the nuclear negotiations to exert influence inside our country. Now, the fate of this nuclear agreement is not clear either in Iran or in America. It is not clear whether it will be approved or not in both countries. They wanted to use it as a means to exert influence in our country, but we blocked their path and we will definitely block their path in the future as well [audience chant \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Allahu Akbar\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"].
We will not allow the Americans to have economic or political influence in our country, nor will we allow them to have a political presence and cultural influence in our country. We will confront them with all our power which is thankfully great in the present time. The same is true of the region. In the region too, they want to exert influence, have an excuse to show their presence and pursue their goals. By Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor and grace, we will do our best to prevent this. Our policies in the region are the exact opposite of the Americans. The territorial integrity of regional countries is very important to us. The territorial integrity of Iraq and Syria is very important to us. On the contrary, they are after dismembering these countries. I have said before that the Americans are after dismembering Iraq, but some people expressed surprise. Recently, the Americans themselves have acknowledged that they are after dismembering Iraq. They want to dismembering Iraq. If they can, they want to dismember Syria as well.
Their purpose of doing this is to create small and obedient countries, but by Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor and grace, this will not happen [audience chant \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Allahu Akbar\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"]. We will defend the Resistance in the region. We will defend the Palestinian Resistance which is one of the most prominent chapters in the history of the Islamic Ummah throughout these years. We will defend this group. We will support anyone who fights against Israel, who condemns the Zionist regime and who approves of the Palestinian Resistance. We will offer all kinds of support, within the scope of our capabilities, to such people. We will offer all kinds of possible support to anyone who confronts the Zionist regime. We will support the Resistance. We will support the territorial integrity of countries. We will support all those individuals who resist the divisive policies of America. We confront all those people who create discord.
We do not approve of the kind of Shia whose headquarters are in London [audience chant \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Allahu Akbar\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"] because it is not the kind of Shia that the Holy Prophet\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s household (greetings be upon them) promoted. The kind of Shia that is based on creating discord and on clearing the road for the presence of the enemies of Islam is not real Shia, rather it is deviation. Shia is the epitome of original Islam and the Holy Quran. We will support all those people who help unity and we will oppose all those who act against unity. We will support all the oppressed. We will not leave the arena just because they say that we interfered in the affairs of Bahrain and other countries. We did not interfere at all, but we will support them. We feel for the oppressed people of Bahrain and Yemen. We pray for them and we will offer any kind of help we can.
Today, the people of Yemen are really oppressed. They are destroying a country just because of some arrogant and political polices which are pursued in a foolish manner. They could have pursued political goals in a different manner, but they are pursuing them foolishly. The events of Yemen and many other events in the world of Islam - in Pakistan, Afghanistan and other such countries - are really painful for us. And these events are too many and they are really painful. The world of Islam should cure such problems with vigilance and foresight.
As for the Islamic Radio and Television Union, I want to say that this union is very important. The task that you have begun - that is to say, establishing this union - is a very important task. Notice that in the present time, at least 70, 80 percent of the people in Muslim countries are committed to religious principles and beliefs. If you take a look at Islamic countries, you will see that the people are committed to and believe in their religion. To what extent are the radio and television networks in such countries - which should be the representatives of the people\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s wishes and demands - committed to religion? There is a shocking gap and rift. Seventy, eighty percent of the people are religious, but radio and television networks in such countries do not move in a religious direction and they do not reflect the people\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s demands. This is very strange. They reflect the same things that the dangerous media empire of arrogance wants. Today, arrogance has created a great media empire. They distort and cover up news and they tell lies. This way, they promote their policies. This is while they constantly say that they take an impartial position. The English radio claims that it is impartial, but they are lying. They are not impartial at all. They move in the exact direction of arrogant and colonialist policies - whether American or English policies.
Audio and print media, news agencies and the complicated means of mass communication that exist today are all at the service of their policies. They are at the service of arrogance, Zionism and their goals. We should do something in the face of this dangerous empire and this large media mafia that is in the hands of American and Zionist capitalists and cartels. What you are doing is the beginning of a movement and therefore, it should be pursued and strengthened on a daily basis. You should bring your partners and colleagues into the arena as well.
By Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor, a good future is awaiting us. I will tell you that despite the boastful behavior of arrogance and the great efforts that arrogance and its allies and followers are carrying out in financial, military, political and security areas, the future belongs to Islam in the region and in the entire world of Islam. By Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor, Islam\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s dignity and power will increase on a daily basis. Of course, it is necessary to show diligence. Thankfully, there are many mujahid men, women and youth in the entire world of Islam. Therefore, we should appreciate their value and we should use our slogans, our moves, our words and our activities in this direction. If we do so, Allah the Exalted will definitely help: \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"If you help the cause of Allah, He will help you and make firm your feet\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, 47: 7].
Greetings be upon you and Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s mercy and blessings
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Description:
Supreme Leader\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s Speech to Members of Ahlul Bayt World Assembly and Islamic Radio and Television Uni Print
17/08/2015
The following is the full text of the speech delivered on August 17, 2015 by Ayatollah Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, in a meeting with the participants of Ahlul Bayt World Assembly and the members of Islamic Radio and Television Union.
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, and peace and greetings be upon our Master and Prophet, Ab-al-Qassem al-Mustafa Muhammad and upon his immaculate, pure and chosen household, especially the one remaining with Allah on earth.
I would like to welcome the honorable participants and the dear brothers and sisters, the brothers and sisters from Ahlul Bayt World Assembly, the brothers and sisters from the Islamic Radio and Television Union and the honorable families of martyrs who are present in the meeting. I ask Allah the Exalted to bestow His blessings on all of you.
I would like to raise a few points about the Ahlul Bayt World Assembly and the Islamic Radio and Television Union. As for the Ahlul Bayt World Assembly, its significance originates from the Holy Prophet\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s (a.s.) household. Allah the Exalted says something - in a very explicit manner - about the Holy Prophet\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s household (a.s.) in the Holy Quran: \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"And Allah only wishes to remove all abomination from you, you members of the Family, and to make you pure and immaculate\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, 33: 33]. This description has been used for few groups of people in the Holy Quran. The Ahlul Bayt\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s understanding and knowledge lies in their divine purity. Well, this purity has many dimensions. If a group of people associate themselves with the Holy Prophet\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s household (a.s.), they should observe certain criteria. This is what we want to say: these groups should observe certain criteria. The efforts of the Holy Prophet\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s household (greetings be upon them) revolved around these pivots- first, reviving the original teachings of Islam. They wanted to keep Islamic principles alive. Oppressive governments and taghuts always tried to destroy or change and distort Islamic teachings. One of the most important moves of the Holy Prophet\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s household was to resist this attempt. They wanted to preserve and revive Islamic teachings. This was one of their tasks.
Another task that the Holy Prophet\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s household (greetings be upon them) did was to implement divine laws. They did so whether during the time when they ruled or during the time when they were removed from government. Their efforts were focused on implementing divine laws in society. This was another task. Another task that they carried out was to engage in jihad in the way of God. You read in the ziarat of the Imams, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"I testify that you strove [jihad] in the way of God, such a striving is due to him.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" This means that they did not show any negligence in fighting in the way of God. They engaged in jihad in the way of God with all their power and capability. This was another task.
An important part of this jihad - which is a separate chapter in itself - was fighting against oppression and oppressors. The lives of the Holy Prophet\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s household (a.s.) were imbued with fighting against oppression and oppressors. The reason behind all those pressures and poisoning attempts and all that martyrdom was this- they fought against oppression and oppressors. This is the life of the Holy Prophet\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s household. Now, we want to be their followers. Therefore, we should observe these things. These things should be observed. We should promote Islamic teachings. We should consider implementing divine laws as one of our goals. We should engage in jihad in the way of God with all our power. We should fight against oppressors. We should fight against and confront oppressors. This is our responsibility.
Well, jihad is not confined to a military war. Jihad includes all kinds of fighting, ranging from cultural to political and economic fighting. All these kinds of fighting are included in jihad. Our minds should not only switch to a military war. Sometimes, it is possible that a military war breaks out, but jihad is not only this.
In our opinion, today, the manifestation of jihad for us Muslims and followers of the Holy Prophet\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s household is fighting against the plots of arrogance in this Islamic region. Today, this is the greatest form of jihad. We should fight against the plots of arrogance. First, we should identify these plots and study the enemy\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s thoughts so that we know what he is going to do. After that, we should plan on how we want to fight against his goals. And this is not confined to defense. Fighting includes both defense and offense. Sometimes, it is necessary for us to adopt a defensive position and sometimes, it is necessary to adopt an offensive position. In both cases, the goal is fighting against the plans of arrogance - which is the main enemy - in the region.
This fighting should take place in the entire Islamic region - particularly in this region which is West Asia. The Europeans insist on referring to this region as the Middle East region. In other words, they locate east on the basis of Europe. To them, a region is Far East, another is Middle East and another region is Near East. Because of the Europeans\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\' arrogance, this region has been called, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"the Middle East\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" from the beginning. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"The Middle East\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" is a wrong name. This is West Asia. This is Asia - a large continent - and we are in West Asia. This region is a very sensitive region. It is a very important region in terms of strategy, military power, important underground resources and connection between three continents - Asia, Europe and Africa. It is an important region for which they have certain plans. We should see what these plans are and then we should confront them. This is jihad. The Holy Quran says to us, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"And strive hard in the way of Allah, such a striving is due to Him\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, 22: 78]. Today, this is jihad in the way of God.
Hatching plots against the world of Islam and this region in particular is not a new development. Since many years ago - since 100 years ago: since World War I until today - this region has been exposed to many pressures by arrogant powers. One day, it was England, one day it was America and one day it was France. It is 100 years or more now that arrogant powers have been pursuing their goals here. However, these pressures, plans and plots have been reinforced since the victory of the Islamic Revolution in Iran. This is because the victory of Islam in an important, great and sensitive country like Iran was confusing for arrogance. In the beginning, they lost the power to analyze events. We used to pursue events and we were witness to this. In the beginning, they were confused. Later on, when they collected themselves, they began to exert pressure and the pivot of this pressure was the Islamic Republic of Iran. First, they focused their efforts on preventing this experience from being repeated in other countries. They were after this. This was why they thought of increasing pressures on Iran. It is 35 years now that we have gotten used to the enemy\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s pressures. The people of Iran have gotten used to pressures. It is 35 years now that we have been facing threats, sanctions, security pressures, different political plots and all kinds of pressures.
This began with the victory of the Islamic Revolution in Iran. However, after the emergence of Islamic Awakening - that began four, five years ago in North African countries such as Egypt, Tunisia and other African countries - the enemies increased their pressures. That is to say, the enemy became anxious and uneasy in the real sense of the word. They adopted many measures that are continuing in the present time. Of course, they think that they have suppressed Islamic Awakening, but this humble person believes that Islamic Awakening is not suppressible. Although they have adopted some measures, this movement exists and it will find its true position sooner or later. In any case, they have increased their efforts in the recent years. They have adopted many measures and they have brought new elements into the equation.
The enemy\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s plans are based on two things. First, I will tell you that when we say, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"the enemy\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" we do not refer to an imaginary and fictional creature. By \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"enemy\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" we mean global arrogance and arrogant powers: powers whose existence depends on dominating others, interfering in their affairs and possessing their financial and vital resources. These are arrogant powers or in other words, the leaders of global arrogance. We have a term in our political literature which is global arrogance. It means the division of the world into \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"the oppressor\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" and \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"the oppressed\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\". This is global arrogance. Those who are the leaders of this system are enemies.
If we want to give an example of who this enemy is in the outside world, we should refer to the regime of the United States of America. This regime is the epitome of global arrogance. Of course, others are part of global arrogance as well, but the clearest and the most obvious example is the regime of the United States of America. It knows nothing about human morality and it is not ashamed of committing any crime - of any nature. It covers these crimes, pressures and violent acts behind its smiles and its good and beautiful words. The manifestation of global arrogance is this regime. Therefore, when we say, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"the enemy\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\", it means this.
This enemy\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s plan in the region is mainly based on two things. Of course, it has many branches, but these are the main two. One is creating discord and the second it exerting influence. This is the basis of the enemy\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s plan in the region. They want to create discord between governments and - after that - between nations which is more dangerous than discord between governments. They want to make peoples bear grudge against each other and establish biased groups with different names. One day, it was \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"pan-Iranism\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\", \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"pan-Arabism\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\", \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"pan-Turkism\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" and other such orientations and today, it is the issue of Shia and Sunni, takfirism and other such things. They create discord with anything they can. This is only item of their measures and they are working on it in a very serious way. Of course, the English were the first experts of this measure. They have expertise in creating religious discord. The Americans have learned this from them and they are working on it today with all their power.
All the takfiri groups that you see are their handicraft. Of course, we have been saying this for several years, but some people had doubts. Today, the Americans themselves are acknowledging this. They are acknowledging that it was they who created DAESH, al-Nusra Front and other takfiri groups. A bunch of simple-minded - although sincere - Muslims were deceived by them. This is the important point. What is very instructive to us and what we should pay attention to is that sometimes well-intentioned individuals work inside the enemy\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s plan because of lack of vigilance. This has happened. One clear example of this is the issue of Syria. When taghuti governments were overthrown in Tunisia and Egypt with Islamic slogans, all of a sudden the Americans and the Zionists decided to use this formula for destroying resistant governments and countries. Therefore, they turned to Syria and as a result, a group of simple-minded and naïve individuals became the target of this plan. They made Syria reach the current situation. It is four, five years now that Syria has been experiencing this tumultuous situation and it is not clear when it will come to an end.
This was what the enemy did and simple-minded individuals were incorporated in this plan. They filled in the enemy\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s puzzle. This happens in many cases. It was they who created takfiri groups. It was they who created thuggish and violent groups and set them on the Islamic Ummah. They pretend that this is a denominational war. I will tell you that the conflicts that they are trying to label as denominational conflicts in Iraq, Syria and other countries are not denominational at all. They are of a political nature. The war in Yemen is a political war, not a religious one. They falsely claim that the issue is about Shia and Sunni while this is not the case. Some of those people who are losing their children, women, infants and their hospitals and schools in Yemen under the bombardment of the Saudis are Shafi\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'i and some of them are Zaidi . So, the issue is not about Shia and Sunni. The conflict is a political conflict, the conflict between policies. Today, they are creating such a situation in the region. It was they who created discord.
We should try to eliminate these differences and conflicts. We have said to everyone in an outspoken way that we extend the hand of friendship to all regional and Muslim governments. We have no problems with Muslim governments. Of course in the present time, our relations with many of our neighbors are already friendly and brotherly. The countries to the north, south, east and west of the Islamic Republic of Iran have good relations with us. Of course, some countries - near and far away - have certain differences with us. They behave in an obstinate way and show malevolence. This exists as well, but our principle is based on establishing good relations with neighboring countries, governments and - particularly - peoples. Our country has very good relations with peoples.
Of course, we believe that we should be committed to principles. We say that principles should be preserved. It was with commitment to principles that our magnanimous Imam (r.a.) managed to achieve victory, preserve the Revolution and give stability to the Islamic Republic. He was committed to principles. One of these principles is \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"They are strong against unbelievers, compassionate amongst each other\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, 48: 29]. This is one of the principles. We do not make peace with our enemies - with arrogance - and we do not show enmity towards our Muslim brothers, rather we behave in a friendly and brotherly manner towards them because we believe that we should be \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"strong against unbelievers, compassionate amongst each other.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
This is the lesson of our magnanimous Imam (r.a.). This is the clear line of the Islamic Republic. In supporting the oppressed, we do not look, have not looked and will not look at the other side\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s religion and denomination. This is our magnanimous Imam\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s (r.a.) guideline. Imam behaved towards Shia resistance in Lebanon in the same way that he behaved towards Sunni resistance in Palestine. He behaved towards them without any difference. We supported our brothers in Lebanon in the same way that we supported our brothers in Gaza without any difference. The former were Sunnis and the latter were Shias. The main issue for us is defending Islamic identity and supporting the oppressed. The main issue for us is the issue of Palestine which is the main issue for Muslims in the present time. This is the main issue for us.
We behave in the same way towards our enemies. Our magnanimous Imam (r.a.) fought against Mohammad Reza Pahlavi who was apparently a Shia. Likewise, he fought against Saddam Hussein who was apparently a Sunni. Of course, the former was not a true Shia and the latter was not a true Sunni either. Both of them were separate from Islam, but the former was apparently a Shia and the latter was apparently a Sunni. Imam (r.a.) fought against them in the same way. Therefore, the issue for us is not the issue of Sunni, Shia, denominational bias and other such things. The issue is the issue of Islam\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s principles: \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Be an enemy of the oppressor and helper of the oppressed\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [Nahjul Balaghah, Letter 47]. This is Islam\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s command. This is our path. This is our line.
Intensifying discord in the world of Islam is forbidden. We are opposed to the behavior of some Shia groups, as it leads to discord. We have said outspokenly that we are opposed to insulting the holy beliefs of Sunnis. Some people from both sides intensify and fuel the fire of enmities. Many of them have good intentions, but they do not have foresight. Foresight is necessary. We should see what the enemy\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s plan is. The enemy\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s first plan is creating discord and his second plan is exerting influence. They want to have decade-long influence in Islamic and regional countries. Today in the region, America does not enjoy the reputation that it did in the past and therefore, it wants to retrieve it. They have the same intention in our country. They have the same intention in Iran. They thought that they could use the nuclear negotiations to exert influence inside our country. Now, the fate of this nuclear agreement is not clear either in Iran or in America. It is not clear whether it will be approved or not in both countries. They wanted to use it as a means to exert influence in our country, but we blocked their path and we will definitely block their path in the future as well [audience chant \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Allahu Akbar\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"].
We will not allow the Americans to have economic or political influence in our country, nor will we allow them to have a political presence and cultural influence in our country. We will confront them with all our power which is thankfully great in the present time. The same is true of the region. In the region too, they want to exert influence, have an excuse to show their presence and pursue their goals. By Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor and grace, we will do our best to prevent this. Our policies in the region are the exact opposite of the Americans. The territorial integrity of regional countries is very important to us. The territorial integrity of Iraq and Syria is very important to us. On the contrary, they are after dismembering these countries. I have said before that the Americans are after dismembering Iraq, but some people expressed surprise. Recently, the Americans themselves have acknowledged that they are after dismembering Iraq. They want to dismembering Iraq. If they can, they want to dismember Syria as well.
Their purpose of doing this is to create small and obedient countries, but by Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor and grace, this will not happen [audience chant \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Allahu Akbar\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"]. We will defend the Resistance in the region. We will defend the Palestinian Resistance which is one of the most prominent chapters in the history of the Islamic Ummah throughout these years. We will defend this group. We will support anyone who fights against Israel, who condemns the Zionist regime and who approves of the Palestinian Resistance. We will offer all kinds of support, within the scope of our capabilities, to such people. We will offer all kinds of possible support to anyone who confronts the Zionist regime. We will support the Resistance. We will support the territorial integrity of countries. We will support all those individuals who resist the divisive policies of America. We confront all those people who create discord.
We do not approve of the kind of Shia whose headquarters are in London [audience chant \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Allahu Akbar\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"] because it is not the kind of Shia that the Holy Prophet\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s household (greetings be upon them) promoted. The kind of Shia that is based on creating discord and on clearing the road for the presence of the enemies of Islam is not real Shia, rather it is deviation. Shia is the epitome of original Islam and the Holy Quran. We will support all those people who help unity and we will oppose all those who act against unity. We will support all the oppressed. We will not leave the arena just because they say that we interfered in the affairs of Bahrain and other countries. We did not interfere at all, but we will support them. We feel for the oppressed people of Bahrain and Yemen. We pray for them and we will offer any kind of help we can.
Today, the people of Yemen are really oppressed. They are destroying a country just because of some arrogant and political polices which are pursued in a foolish manner. They could have pursued political goals in a different manner, but they are pursuing them foolishly. The events of Yemen and many other events in the world of Islam - in Pakistan, Afghanistan and other such countries - are really painful for us. And these events are too many and they are really painful. The world of Islam should cure such problems with vigilance and foresight.
As for the Islamic Radio and Television Union, I want to say that this union is very important. The task that you have begun - that is to say, establishing this union - is a very important task. Notice that in the present time, at least 70, 80 percent of the people in Muslim countries are committed to religious principles and beliefs. If you take a look at Islamic countries, you will see that the people are committed to and believe in their religion. To what extent are the radio and television networks in such countries - which should be the representatives of the people\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s wishes and demands - committed to religion? There is a shocking gap and rift. Seventy, eighty percent of the people are religious, but radio and television networks in such countries do not move in a religious direction and they do not reflect the people\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s demands. This is very strange. They reflect the same things that the dangerous media empire of arrogance wants. Today, arrogance has created a great media empire. They distort and cover up news and they tell lies. This way, they promote their policies. This is while they constantly say that they take an impartial position. The English radio claims that it is impartial, but they are lying. They are not impartial at all. They move in the exact direction of arrogant and colonialist policies - whether American or English policies.
Audio and print media, news agencies and the complicated means of mass communication that exist today are all at the service of their policies. They are at the service of arrogance, Zionism and their goals. We should do something in the face of this dangerous empire and this large media mafia that is in the hands of American and Zionist capitalists and cartels. What you are doing is the beginning of a movement and therefore, it should be pursued and strengthened on a daily basis. You should bring your partners and colleagues into the arena as well.
By Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor, a good future is awaiting us. I will tell you that despite the boastful behavior of arrogance and the great efforts that arrogance and its allies and followers are carrying out in financial, military, political and security areas, the future belongs to Islam in the region and in the entire world of Islam. By Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor, Islam\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s dignity and power will increase on a daily basis. Of course, it is necessary to show diligence. Thankfully, there are many mujahid men, women and youth in the entire world of Islam. Therefore, we should appreciate their value and we should use our slogans, our moves, our words and our activities in this direction. If we do so, Allah the Exalted will definitely help: \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"If you help the cause of Allah, He will help you and make firm your feet\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, 47: 7].
Greetings be upon you and Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s mercy and blessings
[ARABIC][17Sep11] ولی أمر المسلمین فی للصحوة الإسلامیة Islamic Awakening Conference 2011
Vali Amr Muslimeen Ayatullah Sayyed Ali Khamenei delivered this speech at the International Conference on Islamic Awakening on 17 September 2011....
Vali Amr Muslimeen Ayatullah Sayyed Ali Khamenei delivered this speech at the International Conference on Islamic Awakening on 17 September 2011.
http://english.khamenei.ir//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1523
http://farsi.khamenei.ir/news-content?id=17271
بسمالله الرحمن الرحیم
السلام علیکم و رحمة الله و برکاته
الحمدلله رب العالمین و الصلوة و السلام علی سیدنا محمد و آله الطیبین و صحبه المنتجبین
قال الله العزیز الحكیم : بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم : يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ اتَّقِ اللَّهَ وَلا تُطِعِ الْكَافِرِينَ وَالْمُنَافِقِينَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا وَاتَّبِعْ مَا يُوحَى إِلَيْكَ مِن رَّبِّكَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرًا وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَكَفَى بِاللَّهِ وَكِيلا
(O Prophet, fear Allah and do not obey the disbelievers and the hypocrites. Indeed, Allah is ever Knowing and Wise. (1). And follow that which is revealed to you from your Lord. Indeed Allah is ever, with what you do, Acquainted. (2) And rely upon Allah; and sufficient is Allah as Disposer of affairs.(3) Surat Al-Ahzab)
I welcome our honored audience and dear guests. What has brought us here together is the Islamic awakening, which comes from the stronger inspiration and greater understanding among Muslim ummah. This awakening has led to a major development among nations of our region and has brought about uprisings and revolutions that could never have been contemplated in the calculations of the dominant regional and international satanic powers. These are momentous uprising that have razed to the ground the autocratic and imperialist strongholds and vanquished the tyrants guarding them.
There is no doubt that colossal social upheavals have always relied on solid foundation of history and civilization and are products of accumulation of wisdom and experiences. Over the past 150 years, the presence of great intellectual and jihadi personalities that have been opinion leaders and behind Islamic movements in Egypt, Iraq, India and other countries in Asia and Africa has served as precursors and pioneers for the present situation in the Islamic world.
The developments in the 1950’s and 60’s led to coming to power of regimes that were mostly inclined to materialistic ideologies and thoughts, and because of their inherent character fell into the trap of Western imperialist and colonialist powers. These are experiences that are lessons to learn from, and have contributed substantially to evolution of general and profound understanding in the Islamic world.
The Islamic Revolution in Iran that was hailed by Imam Khomeini as “victory of blood over sword”, and establishment of the lasting, robust, courageous and progressive Islamic republic, and its impact on present Islamic awakening is itself a long story that deserves to be debated and researched. There is no doubt that Islamic Revolution of Iran will be accorded a thorough and comprehensive chapter in the analysis and writings of history of the present situation of the Islamic world.
For that reason, the present and mounting facts and truths in the Islamic world are not simply events that are severed from the past historical roots, social and intellectual backgrounds to allow our adversaries and the shallow-minded to present them as a passing wave and short-lived phenomenon in order to snuff out hope in the hearts of nations by their warped and biased analyses.
In this brotherly dialogue with you I want to place greater emphasis on three areas:
1. Taking a glance at the identity of these uprisings and revolutions
2. Major threats and harms lying on their way.
3. Recommendations to find solutions and prevent these threats and harms.
Regarding the first point, I believe the most important element in these revolutions is the actual and mass presence of people in the arena of action, struggle and jihad. They were present, not only with their heart, desire and faith, but also with their body and souls. There is a big difference between this presence and the presence of a military group or even armed combatants in front of uncaring people or even concerned people.
In the events of 1950’s and 60’s in some countries of Africa and Asia, the heavy load of the revolution was not on the shoulder of diverse segments of population and the youth from all parts of the country, but rather on the shoulder of coup d\'etat or small and limited armed groups. They decided and acted, and they themselves or the succeeding generation changed their ways as a result of certain motivations. The revolution became its own enemy and the enemy managed again to prevail over their countries.
This is totally different than the change that comes from the people. It is the people that bring their body and soul to the arena of action, and by their jihad and devotion push back and defeat the enemy. It is the people that make the slogans and set the goals, identify and introduce and pursue the enemy. They draw their desired future, although not comprehensively, and as a result do not allow departure from the path of the revolution or conceding to the enemy, or change of course by compromising and the tainted few with special interests, and above all thwart the schemes of enemy’s agents.
In such a grass-root movement, the revolution may be slowed, but can stay away from short-sightedness and being on shaky ground. Quran says “Have you not considered how Allah presents an example, [making] a good word like a good tree, whose root is firmly fixed and its branches [high] in the sky?
أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ ضَرَبَ اللّهُ مَثَلاً كَلِمَةً طَيِّبَةً كَشَجَرةٍ طَيِّبَةٍ أَصْلُهَا ثَابِتٌ وَفَرْعُهَا فِي السَّمَاء
Have you not considered how Allah presents an example, [making] a good word like a good tree, whose root is firmly fixed and its branches [high] in the sky? (24\" Ibrahim )
When I saw the brave body of the proud people of Egypt on television in Tahrir Square, I became convinced that their revolution will triumph.
Let me confess something to you. After the victory of the Islamic Revolution and the establishment of the Islamic republic in Iran which caused an earthquake among the worldly materialistic rulers in East and West and brought unprecedented uproar and joy to Muslim nations, we expected that Egypt would be next in line to rise. The reason was the history of jihad, progressive thinking and presence of great mojahids and intellectuals in Egypt. I was reciting in my heart this poem by Abu Faras:
أراك عصيّ الدمع شیمتك الصبر ما للهوی نهی علیك و لا أمر ؟
When I saw the people of Egypt in Tahrir Square and squares in other cities, I knew I have received my response. The people of Egypt told me with words coming from their heart:
بلی أنا مشتاق و عندي لوعة ولكن مثلي لایذاع له سرُّ
…This sacred secret was nothing but the motivation and resolve to rise, and gradually people of Egypt cemented this thought in their mind and at a historical juncture they manifested their resolve and entered the arena in a magnificent show of their power.
Tunisia, Yemen, Libya, and Bahrain are no exception to this general rule.
In these revolutions principles, values and goals are not written in prefabricated manifestos of groups and parties, but written in the minds, hearts and desires of each and every person present on the scene and are declared in the context of their slogans and behaviors.
With these signals one can clearly tell that the principles of current revolutions in the region, in Egypt and other countries, are first and foremost the following:
- Revival and renewal of national dignity and respect that have been broken and trampled during long years of dictatorial and corrupt rule and the political domination of America and the West.
- Keeping up the banner of Islam which is the profound faith and longstanding attachment of people and being able to enjoy peace of mind, justice, progress and prosperity that could only be achieved under Islamic Sharia.
- Resistance against the influence and domination of the United States and Europe that have wreaked the greatest damage and humiliation on the peoples of these countries over the past two hundred years.
- Countering the usurper and fictitious Zionist regime that the imperialist powers have planted like a dagger in the heart of this region to serve as a tool to continue their diabolical domination after expelling a whole nation from their historical homeland.
There is no doubt that the revolutions in the region that rely on and demand these principles are not to the liking of America, Europe and the Zionists, and they are going to use all means to deny them, but the truth will not change with their denial.
The widespread participation of people in these revolutions is the most important element that constitutes their identity. Foreign powers that tried everything in their power and used all their schemes to keep in power the tyrannical, corrupt and subservient rulers in these countries and only abandoned them when the people left no choice for them have no right to claim a share in the victory of these revolutions. Even in Libya intervention by America and NATO cannot distort the truth. In Libya, NATO has caused irreparable damage. Had it not been for the military intervention of NATO and America, victory of people might have been delayed, but all these infrastructures would not have been damaged, and innocent women and children killed and then enemies that were accomplices of Qaddafi would not have been able to intervene in this innocent war-torn nation.
People and the elite that are of the people and others who are from the people are the true owners of these revolutions that should be trusted to protect them and draw the path to the future.
2- Regarding the threats and harm, I should first emphasize that although there are threats, but there are also ways to stay safe. Mere presence of threats should not scare nations.
إِنَّ كَيْدَ الشَّيْطَانِ كَانَ ضَعِيفًا
( Indeed, the plot of Satan has ever been weak)
Allah says about a group of mojahids of early Islam:
الَّذِينَ قالَ لَهُمُ النَّاسُ إِنَّ النَّاسَ قَدْ جَمَعُوا لَكُمْ فَاخْشَوْهُمْ فَزادَهُمْ إِيماناً وَ قالُوا حَسْبُنَا اللَّهُ وَ نِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ فَانْقَلَبُوا بِنِعْمَةٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَ فَضْلٍ لَمْ يَمْسَسْهُمْ سُوءٌ وَ اتَّبَعُوا رِضْوانَ اللَّهِ وَ اللَّهُ ذُو فَضْلٍ عَظِيمٍ
( Those to whom hypocrites said, \"Indeed, the people have gathered against you, so fear them.\" But it [merely] increased them in faith, and they said, \"Sufficient for us is Allah, and [He is] the best Disposer of affairs.\" So they returned with favor from Allah and bounty, no harm having touched them. And they pursued the pleasure of Allah, and Allah is the possessor of great bounty. )
We need to know what these threats are, in order not to be surprised and to be able to find solutions.
We faced these perils and threats after the victory of Islamic Revolution and experienced them. With the grace of Allah and the leadership of Imam Khomeini and sacrifices of our people we managed to sail through them safely. The plots by enemies still continue but so does the firm resolve of our people.
I divide the harm to these movements into two groups: those that have their roots within ourselves and come from our own weaknesses, and those that have been directly planned by the enemy.
The first group of harms is of the following type:
The sense and thought that after the downfall of the corrupt dictator the job is over. The peace of mind and comfort that comes after the victory and afterward the lessening of motivation and weakening of determination are among the first perils, and the most damaging threat is when individuals ask for their share of the spoils of victory.
The story of the Battle of Uhud and the defenders seeking the spoils of victory caused the defeat of Muslims, and the mojahids were reprimanded by God. This is a good example that should never be forgotten. Being shocked and awed by the appearances of the arrogant powers and the feeling of fear from America and other interventionist powers are of these kinds of harm that should be avoided.
The brave and young should throw out these fears from their heart. Trusting the enemy and falling into trap of their smiles and promises is another threat that needs to be avoided by the forerunners and leaders. The enemy must be identified no matter what cover it uses. The nation and the revolution should be protected against the designs of the enemy that at times hide behind the appearances of friendship and supportive gestures. Another side to this page is becoming overconfident and overlooking the enemy. Bravery must be combined with wisdom and good judgment. We must use all treasures of God within ourselves against Satan, al-Jinn wal–Ens. Causing division and pitting revolutionaries against one another and penetration behind the battlefront of struggle is another great harm that needs to be avoided with all your power.
The second group of harm has been experienced by almost all countries of the region during different events. The first harm is the coming to power of those who are committed to America and the West. The West tries after the downfall of its pawns to protect the basic pillars of the system and levers of power, and change the direction by using the same foundation, but with a different head, in order to perpetuate its domination. This means wasting of all your efforts and sacrifices. At this stage, if they face resistance of the people, they try to introduce and offer to the movement and people other alternatives that are designed to divert the course of the movement. This scenario could be recommending government models and constitutions that will again throw the Islamic countries into the trap of cultural, political and economic dependence on the West. This could lead to their influence among the revolutionaries greater financial and media strength of an unreliable current and marginalization of the genuine currents in the revolution. This also means return of the domination of the West and the stronger grip of then outdated Western models that are far from basic principles of the revolution.
If this tactic does not produce the desired result, experience tells us that they will go for anarchy, terrorism, civil war among followers of religions or ethnic communities and tribes, political parties, or even among neighboring nations and governments. Parallel to these actions, they will impose economic siege and sanctions, freeze national assets and launch all-out media war and propaganda. Their intention is to tire out and frustrate people and make the revolutionaries disappointed. Under these circumstances it becomes easy to defeat the revolution. Assassination of the righteous elite of the society and opinion leaders, defamation and vilification of others and even enticing some with money are among usual ploys used by the Western powers and the claimants of civilization morality.
In Iran, the evidence and documents from the U.S. Den of Espionage that fell into the hands of the revolution showed that all these plots were designed by the regime in the United States for the people of Iran for them bringing back the reactionary and dependant rulers in revolutionary countries is a principle that prescribes all these dirty tricks.
In the last part of my remarks, I present recommendations for your consideration and selection that are based on our tangible experiences in Iran and what has been gathered from the precise studies of other countries. Undoubtedly, conditions differ among nations and countries. Nonetheless, there are truths that can prove beneficial for all people.
The first point is that by placing one’s trust in God and believing in the repeated promises of divine victories in the Quran and through astuteness, resolve, and braveness, it is possible to surmount all obstacles and emerge victorious. Of course, the task that you all have taken up is quite grave and momentous. Thus, one must bear great hardship for its sake. The Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali (`a) says:
“فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَمْ يَقْصِمْ جَبَّارِي دَهْرٍ قَطُّ إِلَّا بَعْدَ تَمْهِيلٍ وَ رَخَاءٍ وَ لَمْ يَجْبُرْ عَظْمَ أَحَدٍ مِنَ الْأُمَمِ إِلَّا بَعْدَ أَزْلٍ وَ بَلَاءٍ وَ فِي دُونِ مَا اسْتَقْبَلْتُمْ مِنْ عَتْبٍ وَ مَا اسْتَدْبَرْتُمْ مِنْ خَطْبٍ مُعْتَبَر..”
The important recommendation is that you must always consider yourself as being present on the scene: فَإِذَا فَرَغْتَ فَانْصَبْ ( So when you have finished [your duties], then stand up [for worship].)Therefore, when thou art free, still labor hard), always consider God as present and as your aid: وَإِلَى رَبِّكَ فَارْغَبْ (And to thy Lord turn all thy attention), and must not allow your victories to cause you to become arrogant or negligent:
اِذا جاءَ نَصْرُ اللهِ وَ الْفَتْحُ وَ رَاَيْتَ النّاسَ يَدْخُلُونَ في دينِ اللهِ اَفْواجاً فَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ وَ اسْتَغْفِرْهُ اِنَّهُ كانَ تَوّاباً
(When comes the help of Allah, and victory. And thou dost see the people enter Allah’s Religion in crowds. Celebrate the praises of thy Lord). These are the true foundations of a faithful nation.
Another recommendation is the constant rereading of the principles of revolution. The slogans and principles must be refined and brought in line with the foundations and undisputed principles of Islam. Independence, freedom, justice, refusal to bow to despotism and colonialism, rejection of ethnic, racial, and religious discrimination, and the outright rejection of Zionism, which, today, comprise the pivots of the movements in Islamic countries, are all inspired by Islam and the Quran.
Write down your principles on paper. Preserve your genuine nature with a high degree of sensitivity. Do not allow your enemies to formulate the principles of your future system. Do not allow Islamic principles to be sacrificed for transient interests. Deviation in revolutions starts with deviation in slogans and objectives. Never place your trust in the U.S., NATO, or criminal regimes such as Britain, France, or, Italy, which for long plundered and divided your land among themselves. Look upon them with suspicion and do not believe their smiles. Behind these smiles and promises lies conspiracy and betrayal. Find you own way by resorting to the blessed fountainhead of Islam and give back foreigners’ prescriptions to themselves.
Another important recommendation is to avoid religious, ethnic, racial, tribal, and border disputes. Recognize differences as legitimate and manage them. Reconciliation among Islamic religions is the key to salvation. Those who fan the flames of religious division through apostatizing others are the mercenaries and servants of Satan, even if done inadvertently.
Creating your own system of governance is your main and seminal task. This is a complex and difficult undertaking. Do not allow secular or western liberal or extremist nationalist or leftist Marxist models to be imposed on you.
The leftist Eastern Bloc collapsed and the Western Bloc is propped up through violence, war, and deceit, and does not appear to have a bright outlook.
The passage of time will be to their loss and to the benefit of the Islamic current.
The ultimate goal must be a unified Islamic Ummah and the creation of a new Islamic civilization founded upon faith, rationality, knowledge, and morality.
The liberation of Palestine from the savage claws of the Zionists is also a great objective. The countries of the Balkans, Caucasus, and western Asia were liberated from the claws of the former Soviet Union after eighty years. Why should the Palestinian people not be able to free themselves from the captivity of the oppressor Zionists after seventy years?
The present generation in Islamic countries has the capacity to accomplish such great feats. The young generation of today is a source of pride for the past generations. As noted by the Arab poet:
أبو الصخر من شيبان قلت لهم كلا لعمري و لكن منه شيبانُ
و كم أبٍ قد علا بابنٍ ذُری شَرَفٍ كما علا برسولِ الله عدنانُ
Trust your young generation. Revive their feeling of self-confidence and benefit them by the experiences of the elders.
There are two important points in this connection:
First, one of the most important demands of the people who have revolted and who have been liberated is to have a decisive participation in the management of their countries. And since they believe in Islam, their desire is to have a system of Islamic democracy, i.e. the rulers being elected through the vote of the people and the dominant principles and values of the society being based on the Islamic knowledge and sharia. This can crystallize in various countries, depending on their conditions, through various methods and forms. However, utmost care must be taken not to confuse this with the western liberal democracy. The secular, and at times anti-religious, western democracy is in no way related to the Islamic democracy which is committed to the values and main principles of Islam in its system of government.
The second point relates to the fact that Islamic tenets must not be equated with backwardness, obscurantism, and ignorant and extremist biases. The demarcation between these two must be pronounced. Religious extremism, which is usually attended by violence, is the cause of falling short of the lofty goals of the revolution. This, in turn, results in the loss of public support and the eventual failure of the revolution.
In sum, to speak of Islamic awakening is not to speak of a nebulous and indistinct concept that is amenable to various interpretations. Rather, it is to speak of a tangible reality in the external world that has filled the atmosphere and resulted in great uprisings and revolutions and removed from the scene some dangerous elements of the enemy. Nonetheless, the scene remains fluid and in need of being shaped and brought to a conclusion. The verses recited at the outset contain a complete and effective set of guidelines, especially in this sensitive and momentous juncture… Though, they are addressed to the Holy Prophet (PBUH), we all are their interlocutors and responsible for adhering to them. In these verses, piety (taqwa), in its lofty and broad connotation, is the first recommendation. Then comes the rejection of the orders of the infidels and hypocrites, adherence to the divine revelation, and, finally, trust in God…
Once again, we will review these verses:
بسماللهالرحمنالرحیم يا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ اتَّقِ اللَّهَ وَ لا تُطِعِ الْكافِرينَ وَ الْمُنافِقينَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كانَ عَليماً حَكيماً(1) وَ اتَّبِعْ ما يُوحى إِلَيْكَ مِنْ رَبِّكَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كانَ بِما تَعْمَلُونَ خَبيراً (2) وَ تَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَ كَفى بِاللَّهِ وَكيلاً.
(In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful. O Prophet! Fear Allah, and hearken not to the unbelievers and the hypocrites: verily Allah is full of knowledge and wisdom. But follow that which comes to thee by inspiration from thy Lord: for Allah is well acquainted with (all) that ye do. And put thy trust in Allah, and enough is Allah as a disposer of affairs.)
والسلام علیکم و رحمة الله
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Vali Amr Muslimeen Ayatullah Sayyed Ali Khamenei delivered this speech at the International Conference on Islamic Awakening on 17 September 2011.
http://english.khamenei.ir//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1523
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بسمالله الرحمن الرحیم
السلام علیکم و رحمة الله و برکاته
الحمدلله رب العالمین و الصلوة و السلام علی سیدنا محمد و آله الطیبین و صحبه المنتجبین
قال الله العزیز الحكیم : بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم : يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ اتَّقِ اللَّهَ وَلا تُطِعِ الْكَافِرِينَ وَالْمُنَافِقِينَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا وَاتَّبِعْ مَا يُوحَى إِلَيْكَ مِن رَّبِّكَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرًا وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَكَفَى بِاللَّهِ وَكِيلا
(O Prophet, fear Allah and do not obey the disbelievers and the hypocrites. Indeed, Allah is ever Knowing and Wise. (1). And follow that which is revealed to you from your Lord. Indeed Allah is ever, with what you do, Acquainted. (2) And rely upon Allah; and sufficient is Allah as Disposer of affairs.(3) Surat Al-Ahzab)
I welcome our honored audience and dear guests. What has brought us here together is the Islamic awakening, which comes from the stronger inspiration and greater understanding among Muslim ummah. This awakening has led to a major development among nations of our region and has brought about uprisings and revolutions that could never have been contemplated in the calculations of the dominant regional and international satanic powers. These are momentous uprising that have razed to the ground the autocratic and imperialist strongholds and vanquished the tyrants guarding them.
There is no doubt that colossal social upheavals have always relied on solid foundation of history and civilization and are products of accumulation of wisdom and experiences. Over the past 150 years, the presence of great intellectual and jihadi personalities that have been opinion leaders and behind Islamic movements in Egypt, Iraq, India and other countries in Asia and Africa has served as precursors and pioneers for the present situation in the Islamic world.
The developments in the 1950’s and 60’s led to coming to power of regimes that were mostly inclined to materialistic ideologies and thoughts, and because of their inherent character fell into the trap of Western imperialist and colonialist powers. These are experiences that are lessons to learn from, and have contributed substantially to evolution of general and profound understanding in the Islamic world.
The Islamic Revolution in Iran that was hailed by Imam Khomeini as “victory of blood over sword”, and establishment of the lasting, robust, courageous and progressive Islamic republic, and its impact on present Islamic awakening is itself a long story that deserves to be debated and researched. There is no doubt that Islamic Revolution of Iran will be accorded a thorough and comprehensive chapter in the analysis and writings of history of the present situation of the Islamic world.
For that reason, the present and mounting facts and truths in the Islamic world are not simply events that are severed from the past historical roots, social and intellectual backgrounds to allow our adversaries and the shallow-minded to present them as a passing wave and short-lived phenomenon in order to snuff out hope in the hearts of nations by their warped and biased analyses.
In this brotherly dialogue with you I want to place greater emphasis on three areas:
1. Taking a glance at the identity of these uprisings and revolutions
2. Major threats and harms lying on their way.
3. Recommendations to find solutions and prevent these threats and harms.
Regarding the first point, I believe the most important element in these revolutions is the actual and mass presence of people in the arena of action, struggle and jihad. They were present, not only with their heart, desire and faith, but also with their body and souls. There is a big difference between this presence and the presence of a military group or even armed combatants in front of uncaring people or even concerned people.
In the events of 1950’s and 60’s in some countries of Africa and Asia, the heavy load of the revolution was not on the shoulder of diverse segments of population and the youth from all parts of the country, but rather on the shoulder of coup d\'etat or small and limited armed groups. They decided and acted, and they themselves or the succeeding generation changed their ways as a result of certain motivations. The revolution became its own enemy and the enemy managed again to prevail over their countries.
This is totally different than the change that comes from the people. It is the people that bring their body and soul to the arena of action, and by their jihad and devotion push back and defeat the enemy. It is the people that make the slogans and set the goals, identify and introduce and pursue the enemy. They draw their desired future, although not comprehensively, and as a result do not allow departure from the path of the revolution or conceding to the enemy, or change of course by compromising and the tainted few with special interests, and above all thwart the schemes of enemy’s agents.
In such a grass-root movement, the revolution may be slowed, but can stay away from short-sightedness and being on shaky ground. Quran says “Have you not considered how Allah presents an example, [making] a good word like a good tree, whose root is firmly fixed and its branches [high] in the sky?
أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ ضَرَبَ اللّهُ مَثَلاً كَلِمَةً طَيِّبَةً كَشَجَرةٍ طَيِّبَةٍ أَصْلُهَا ثَابِتٌ وَفَرْعُهَا فِي السَّمَاء
Have you not considered how Allah presents an example, [making] a good word like a good tree, whose root is firmly fixed and its branches [high] in the sky? (24\" Ibrahim )
When I saw the brave body of the proud people of Egypt on television in Tahrir Square, I became convinced that their revolution will triumph.
Let me confess something to you. After the victory of the Islamic Revolution and the establishment of the Islamic republic in Iran which caused an earthquake among the worldly materialistic rulers in East and West and brought unprecedented uproar and joy to Muslim nations, we expected that Egypt would be next in line to rise. The reason was the history of jihad, progressive thinking and presence of great mojahids and intellectuals in Egypt. I was reciting in my heart this poem by Abu Faras:
أراك عصيّ الدمع شیمتك الصبر ما للهوی نهی علیك و لا أمر ؟
When I saw the people of Egypt in Tahrir Square and squares in other cities, I knew I have received my response. The people of Egypt told me with words coming from their heart:
بلی أنا مشتاق و عندي لوعة ولكن مثلي لایذاع له سرُّ
…This sacred secret was nothing but the motivation and resolve to rise, and gradually people of Egypt cemented this thought in their mind and at a historical juncture they manifested their resolve and entered the arena in a magnificent show of their power.
Tunisia, Yemen, Libya, and Bahrain are no exception to this general rule.
In these revolutions principles, values and goals are not written in prefabricated manifestos of groups and parties, but written in the minds, hearts and desires of each and every person present on the scene and are declared in the context of their slogans and behaviors.
With these signals one can clearly tell that the principles of current revolutions in the region, in Egypt and other countries, are first and foremost the following:
- Revival and renewal of national dignity and respect that have been broken and trampled during long years of dictatorial and corrupt rule and the political domination of America and the West.
- Keeping up the banner of Islam which is the profound faith and longstanding attachment of people and being able to enjoy peace of mind, justice, progress and prosperity that could only be achieved under Islamic Sharia.
- Resistance against the influence and domination of the United States and Europe that have wreaked the greatest damage and humiliation on the peoples of these countries over the past two hundred years.
- Countering the usurper and fictitious Zionist regime that the imperialist powers have planted like a dagger in the heart of this region to serve as a tool to continue their diabolical domination after expelling a whole nation from their historical homeland.
There is no doubt that the revolutions in the region that rely on and demand these principles are not to the liking of America, Europe and the Zionists, and they are going to use all means to deny them, but the truth will not change with their denial.
The widespread participation of people in these revolutions is the most important element that constitutes their identity. Foreign powers that tried everything in their power and used all their schemes to keep in power the tyrannical, corrupt and subservient rulers in these countries and only abandoned them when the people left no choice for them have no right to claim a share in the victory of these revolutions. Even in Libya intervention by America and NATO cannot distort the truth. In Libya, NATO has caused irreparable damage. Had it not been for the military intervention of NATO and America, victory of people might have been delayed, but all these infrastructures would not have been damaged, and innocent women and children killed and then enemies that were accomplices of Qaddafi would not have been able to intervene in this innocent war-torn nation.
People and the elite that are of the people and others who are from the people are the true owners of these revolutions that should be trusted to protect them and draw the path to the future.
2- Regarding the threats and harm, I should first emphasize that although there are threats, but there are also ways to stay safe. Mere presence of threats should not scare nations.
إِنَّ كَيْدَ الشَّيْطَانِ كَانَ ضَعِيفًا
( Indeed, the plot of Satan has ever been weak)
Allah says about a group of mojahids of early Islam:
الَّذِينَ قالَ لَهُمُ النَّاسُ إِنَّ النَّاسَ قَدْ جَمَعُوا لَكُمْ فَاخْشَوْهُمْ فَزادَهُمْ إِيماناً وَ قالُوا حَسْبُنَا اللَّهُ وَ نِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ فَانْقَلَبُوا بِنِعْمَةٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَ فَضْلٍ لَمْ يَمْسَسْهُمْ سُوءٌ وَ اتَّبَعُوا رِضْوانَ اللَّهِ وَ اللَّهُ ذُو فَضْلٍ عَظِيمٍ
( Those to whom hypocrites said, \"Indeed, the people have gathered against you, so fear them.\" But it [merely] increased them in faith, and they said, \"Sufficient for us is Allah, and [He is] the best Disposer of affairs.\" So they returned with favor from Allah and bounty, no harm having touched them. And they pursued the pleasure of Allah, and Allah is the possessor of great bounty. )
We need to know what these threats are, in order not to be surprised and to be able to find solutions.
We faced these perils and threats after the victory of Islamic Revolution and experienced them. With the grace of Allah and the leadership of Imam Khomeini and sacrifices of our people we managed to sail through them safely. The plots by enemies still continue but so does the firm resolve of our people.
I divide the harm to these movements into two groups: those that have their roots within ourselves and come from our own weaknesses, and those that have been directly planned by the enemy.
The first group of harms is of the following type:
The sense and thought that after the downfall of the corrupt dictator the job is over. The peace of mind and comfort that comes after the victory and afterward the lessening of motivation and weakening of determination are among the first perils, and the most damaging threat is when individuals ask for their share of the spoils of victory.
The story of the Battle of Uhud and the defenders seeking the spoils of victory caused the defeat of Muslims, and the mojahids were reprimanded by God. This is a good example that should never be forgotten. Being shocked and awed by the appearances of the arrogant powers and the feeling of fear from America and other interventionist powers are of these kinds of harm that should be avoided.
The brave and young should throw out these fears from their heart. Trusting the enemy and falling into trap of their smiles and promises is another threat that needs to be avoided by the forerunners and leaders. The enemy must be identified no matter what cover it uses. The nation and the revolution should be protected against the designs of the enemy that at times hide behind the appearances of friendship and supportive gestures. Another side to this page is becoming overconfident and overlooking the enemy. Bravery must be combined with wisdom and good judgment. We must use all treasures of God within ourselves against Satan, al-Jinn wal–Ens. Causing division and pitting revolutionaries against one another and penetration behind the battlefront of struggle is another great harm that needs to be avoided with all your power.
The second group of harm has been experienced by almost all countries of the region during different events. The first harm is the coming to power of those who are committed to America and the West. The West tries after the downfall of its pawns to protect the basic pillars of the system and levers of power, and change the direction by using the same foundation, but with a different head, in order to perpetuate its domination. This means wasting of all your efforts and sacrifices. At this stage, if they face resistance of the people, they try to introduce and offer to the movement and people other alternatives that are designed to divert the course of the movement. This scenario could be recommending government models and constitutions that will again throw the Islamic countries into the trap of cultural, political and economic dependence on the West. This could lead to their influence among the revolutionaries greater financial and media strength of an unreliable current and marginalization of the genuine currents in the revolution. This also means return of the domination of the West and the stronger grip of then outdated Western models that are far from basic principles of the revolution.
If this tactic does not produce the desired result, experience tells us that they will go for anarchy, terrorism, civil war among followers of religions or ethnic communities and tribes, political parties, or even among neighboring nations and governments. Parallel to these actions, they will impose economic siege and sanctions, freeze national assets and launch all-out media war and propaganda. Their intention is to tire out and frustrate people and make the revolutionaries disappointed. Under these circumstances it becomes easy to defeat the revolution. Assassination of the righteous elite of the society and opinion leaders, defamation and vilification of others and even enticing some with money are among usual ploys used by the Western powers and the claimants of civilization morality.
In Iran, the evidence and documents from the U.S. Den of Espionage that fell into the hands of the revolution showed that all these plots were designed by the regime in the United States for the people of Iran for them bringing back the reactionary and dependant rulers in revolutionary countries is a principle that prescribes all these dirty tricks.
In the last part of my remarks, I present recommendations for your consideration and selection that are based on our tangible experiences in Iran and what has been gathered from the precise studies of other countries. Undoubtedly, conditions differ among nations and countries. Nonetheless, there are truths that can prove beneficial for all people.
The first point is that by placing one’s trust in God and believing in the repeated promises of divine victories in the Quran and through astuteness, resolve, and braveness, it is possible to surmount all obstacles and emerge victorious. Of course, the task that you all have taken up is quite grave and momentous. Thus, one must bear great hardship for its sake. The Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali (`a) says:
“فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَمْ يَقْصِمْ جَبَّارِي دَهْرٍ قَطُّ إِلَّا بَعْدَ تَمْهِيلٍ وَ رَخَاءٍ وَ لَمْ يَجْبُرْ عَظْمَ أَحَدٍ مِنَ الْأُمَمِ إِلَّا بَعْدَ أَزْلٍ وَ بَلَاءٍ وَ فِي دُونِ مَا اسْتَقْبَلْتُمْ مِنْ عَتْبٍ وَ مَا اسْتَدْبَرْتُمْ مِنْ خَطْبٍ مُعْتَبَر..”
The important recommendation is that you must always consider yourself as being present on the scene: فَإِذَا فَرَغْتَ فَانْصَبْ ( So when you have finished [your duties], then stand up [for worship].)Therefore, when thou art free, still labor hard), always consider God as present and as your aid: وَإِلَى رَبِّكَ فَارْغَبْ (And to thy Lord turn all thy attention), and must not allow your victories to cause you to become arrogant or negligent:
اِذا جاءَ نَصْرُ اللهِ وَ الْفَتْحُ وَ رَاَيْتَ النّاسَ يَدْخُلُونَ في دينِ اللهِ اَفْواجاً فَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ وَ اسْتَغْفِرْهُ اِنَّهُ كانَ تَوّاباً
(When comes the help of Allah, and victory. And thou dost see the people enter Allah’s Religion in crowds. Celebrate the praises of thy Lord). These are the true foundations of a faithful nation.
Another recommendation is the constant rereading of the principles of revolution. The slogans and principles must be refined and brought in line with the foundations and undisputed principles of Islam. Independence, freedom, justice, refusal to bow to despotism and colonialism, rejection of ethnic, racial, and religious discrimination, and the outright rejection of Zionism, which, today, comprise the pivots of the movements in Islamic countries, are all inspired by Islam and the Quran.
Write down your principles on paper. Preserve your genuine nature with a high degree of sensitivity. Do not allow your enemies to formulate the principles of your future system. Do not allow Islamic principles to be sacrificed for transient interests. Deviation in revolutions starts with deviation in slogans and objectives. Never place your trust in the U.S., NATO, or criminal regimes such as Britain, France, or, Italy, which for long plundered and divided your land among themselves. Look upon them with suspicion and do not believe their smiles. Behind these smiles and promises lies conspiracy and betrayal. Find you own way by resorting to the blessed fountainhead of Islam and give back foreigners’ prescriptions to themselves.
Another important recommendation is to avoid religious, ethnic, racial, tribal, and border disputes. Recognize differences as legitimate and manage them. Reconciliation among Islamic religions is the key to salvation. Those who fan the flames of religious division through apostatizing others are the mercenaries and servants of Satan, even if done inadvertently.
Creating your own system of governance is your main and seminal task. This is a complex and difficult undertaking. Do not allow secular or western liberal or extremist nationalist or leftist Marxist models to be imposed on you.
The leftist Eastern Bloc collapsed and the Western Bloc is propped up through violence, war, and deceit, and does not appear to have a bright outlook.
The passage of time will be to their loss and to the benefit of the Islamic current.
The ultimate goal must be a unified Islamic Ummah and the creation of a new Islamic civilization founded upon faith, rationality, knowledge, and morality.
The liberation of Palestine from the savage claws of the Zionists is also a great objective. The countries of the Balkans, Caucasus, and western Asia were liberated from the claws of the former Soviet Union after eighty years. Why should the Palestinian people not be able to free themselves from the captivity of the oppressor Zionists after seventy years?
The present generation in Islamic countries has the capacity to accomplish such great feats. The young generation of today is a source of pride for the past generations. As noted by the Arab poet:
أبو الصخر من شيبان قلت لهم كلا لعمري و لكن منه شيبانُ
و كم أبٍ قد علا بابنٍ ذُری شَرَفٍ كما علا برسولِ الله عدنانُ
Trust your young generation. Revive their feeling of self-confidence and benefit them by the experiences of the elders.
There are two important points in this connection:
First, one of the most important demands of the people who have revolted and who have been liberated is to have a decisive participation in the management of their countries. And since they believe in Islam, their desire is to have a system of Islamic democracy, i.e. the rulers being elected through the vote of the people and the dominant principles and values of the society being based on the Islamic knowledge and sharia. This can crystallize in various countries, depending on their conditions, through various methods and forms. However, utmost care must be taken not to confuse this with the western liberal democracy. The secular, and at times anti-religious, western democracy is in no way related to the Islamic democracy which is committed to the values and main principles of Islam in its system of government.
The second point relates to the fact that Islamic tenets must not be equated with backwardness, obscurantism, and ignorant and extremist biases. The demarcation between these two must be pronounced. Religious extremism, which is usually attended by violence, is the cause of falling short of the lofty goals of the revolution. This, in turn, results in the loss of public support and the eventual failure of the revolution.
In sum, to speak of Islamic awakening is not to speak of a nebulous and indistinct concept that is amenable to various interpretations. Rather, it is to speak of a tangible reality in the external world that has filled the atmosphere and resulted in great uprisings and revolutions and removed from the scene some dangerous elements of the enemy. Nonetheless, the scene remains fluid and in need of being shaped and brought to a conclusion. The verses recited at the outset contain a complete and effective set of guidelines, especially in this sensitive and momentous juncture… Though, they are addressed to the Holy Prophet (PBUH), we all are their interlocutors and responsible for adhering to them. In these verses, piety (taqwa), in its lofty and broad connotation, is the first recommendation. Then comes the rejection of the orders of the infidels and hypocrites, adherence to the divine revelation, and, finally, trust in God…
Once again, we will review these verses:
بسماللهالرحمنالرحیم يا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ اتَّقِ اللَّهَ وَ لا تُطِعِ الْكافِرينَ وَ الْمُنافِقينَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كانَ عَليماً حَكيماً(1) وَ اتَّبِعْ ما يُوحى إِلَيْكَ مِنْ رَبِّكَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كانَ بِما تَعْمَلُونَ خَبيراً (2) وَ تَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَ كَفى بِاللَّهِ وَكيلاً.
(In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful. O Prophet! Fear Allah, and hearken not to the unbelievers and the hypocrites: verily Allah is full of knowledge and wisdom. But follow that which comes to thee by inspiration from thy Lord: for Allah is well acquainted with (all) that ye do. And put thy trust in Allah, and enough is Allah as a disposer of affairs.)
والسلام علیکم و رحمة الله
[ENGLISH] Leader rejects talks with the USA - Full Speech - 7 February 2013
Supreme Leader\\\\\\\'s Speech to Air Force Commanders and Personnel
07/02/2013
The following is the full text of the speech delivered on February 7, 2013 by Ayatollah Khamenei the Supreme...
Supreme Leader\\\\\\\'s Speech to Air Force Commanders and Personnel
07/02/2013
The following is the full text of the speech delivered on February 7, 2013 by Ayatollah Khamenei the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution in a meeting with commanders and personnel of the Air Force of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army. The meeting was held on the occasion of the historic pledge of allegiance of Air Force officers to Imam Khomeini (r.a.) on the 19th of Bahman of 1357.
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
I am very happy to meet you - once more at our annual meeting - brothers and dear youth from the glorious Air Force of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army. I welcome all of you. As for the song which was performed, the lyrics were good, the melody was good, the content was good and it was performed well. By Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor, our hearts will always be imbued with the scent of mercy and divine guidance which is the most important source of support.
If we take a look at the history of the Air Force of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army over the past years, we will discover a number of important facts. There was one day when we could not and were not allowed to fix the plane parts that we had bought. Today, you build training planes, fighters and flight simulators. You carry out a lot of important radar-related work and you produce complex components. This great movement towards blossoming of talents, love, innovation, self-confidence and self-sufficiency - which has been established in the Air Force, in the entire Islamic Republic of Iran Army, in the Armed Forces and throughout the country - is such a movement that cannot be denied even by the opponents and the enemies of the Islamic Republic.
Dominant powers tried to take control of all nations and countries throughout the world by using force, money and weapons and by launching military attacks. They tried to make nations believe that they cannot find the path towards greatness, identity and independence without relying on superpowers and on those who have money and power - Zionist and non-Zionist companies have lined up behind them. You shattered their hopes.
Compare the Iranian nation, today, with nations who have been under the domination of American power. See where you are and where they are. With their movement, independence, self-confidence and reliance on God, the Iranian people proved that one can and should stand up against the domination of foreigners and those who seek domination. The Iranian nation has proved this. Thirty years ago, what was the position of the Iranian nation in science, civilization, progress, technology and political influence? What position does it enjoy today? It achieved such a position by putting up a resistance, relying on God and bringing all its capacities into the arena. This is an experience for both the Iranian nation and future generations. It is also an experience for other nations. The Air Force of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army is one of the examples of this resistance and this movement which has been based on self-confidence. We should continue this. We Iranian people should continue this path. This path is full of blessings.
For more than thirty years, the enemies of the Iranian nation have done everything in their power to harm the Iranian nation. There is not a thing which they have not used against the Iranian nation. They provoked conflicts, waged wars, supported the enemy of the Islamic Republic with all their power and they waged hard and soft wars. They fought the people of Iran as hard as they could, but our people stood up against them and they resisted. Not only could they not bring our people to their knees and destroy them, but they also failed to prevent them from making progress. Our nation has made progress. They made use of everything they could. They hatched plots, launched coup d\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'états, provoked military conflicts, shot down passenger airliners, imposed heavy sanctions and increased them on a daily basis. They did these things in the hope that our people would lose their hope, disappear from the scene and lose their trust in Islam and the Islamic Republic. But they failed. This is the record of the Islamic Republic.
These days, referred to as ten-day Fajr celebrations, are good opportunities for our intellectuals, our youth and all the people of Iran to spend some time evaluating their actions during the past thirty-something years and see their achievements, see their successful efforts, see the divine assistance and see the weakness of the enemies\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\' plots. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"And they (the unbelievers) planned, and Allah planned, and Allah is the best of planners\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, 3: 54]. This is the general guideline for us, to see how we should choose our future path. You the people in the Air Force should move forward according to this outlook and orientation. Different sectors of the country, all the people and the officials of the country should move forward according to this outlook.
Of course, the enemy inflicts harm, but it cannot do anything except for causing slight annoyance. I mentioned a few days ago that Allah the Exalted said, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"They shall by no means harm you but with a slight evil\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, 3: 111]. Their job is to harm you. But, they cannot create obstacles for you and block your path. Over the past 30 years, the Americans have been ranting and raving against the Iranian nation. They said and did whatever they could. They broadcast negative propaganda and they established an evil media empire against the Iranian nation. But the result is this: today, by Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor, the Iranian nation has become happier, more determined and more active than ever and it is witnessing more blossoming in different areas.
They have been trying to separate the people from the Islamic Republic and the Revolution. Each year on the 22nd of Bahman, the Iranian people frustrate the enemy with their presence in the national and revolutionary rallies. They are trying to separate the people from one another. The previous inexperienced American secretary of state said openly that they are imposing sanctions in order to pit the people of Iran against the Islamic Republic. The people of Iran have always responded to such statements through their rallies and their actions. You will see that on the 22nd of Bahman, the Iranian people will, once more, frustrate their efforts with a crushing move [Audience shout \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Allahu Akbar\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"].
The good thing is that the people are wise and vigilant. They know the purpose of the enemy\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s plot, they predict the enemy\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s moves, they understand why the enemy has adopted a certain policy and they move in the opposite direction. They rely on their own achievements and they will show their presence in this great arena of national dignity. They will show themselves and they will prove their presence. This is the good thing. In the face of the negative propaganda by the enemy - particularly, the Americans and the Zionists - the people do not take the wrong path because of their communal wisdom and they do not make the mistake which the enemy is waiting for. This is the good thing about large-scale issues of our country.
Now the Americans have raised the issue of negotiations again. They repeat that America is prepared to directly negotiate with Iran. This is not new. The Americans have repeatedly raised the issue of negotiations at every juncture. Now their newly appointed politicians repeat that we should negotiate. And they say that the ball is in Iran\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s court. The ball is in your court. It is you who should explain the meaning of negotiations that are accompanied by pressure and threats. Negotiations are for the sake of proving one\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s goodwill. You commit tens of acts which show lack of goodwill and then you speak about negotiations. Do you expect the Iranian nation to believe that you have goodwill? Of course, we understand why the Americans repeatedly raise the issue of negotiations and why they speak about it in different ways. We know what the reason is. As the Americans themselves say, their Middle East policies have failed. They need to play their trump card. Their trump card is dragging the Islamic Republic of Iran, which is based on the people, to the negotiating table. They need this. They want to say to the world that they have goodwill. No, we do not see any goodwill.
Four years ago - during the early days of the current American administration - when they were saying the same words, I announced that we will not prejudge and we will wait to see what action they will take and then we will judge. Now after four years, how should the Iranian nation judge their actions? They supported the fitna in Iran, they helped those who started the fitna, they sent their troops to Afghanistan under the claim that they were fighting terrorism, they trampled on so many people and they destroyed them. They are also supporting and cooperating with the same terrorists in Syria and they used the same terrorists wherever they could in Iran. Their agents, their allies and Zionist spies openly killed the scientists of the Islamic Republic. They did not even condemn these terrorist activities. [On the contrary] They supported them. This is their record. They imposed sanctions - which they wanted to be crippling - on the Iranian nation. They openly said, crippling. Who do you want to cripple? Did you want to cripple the Iranian nation? Do you have goodwill?
Negotiations are meaningful when the two sides negotiate with good intentions and without planning to deceive one another. Negotiations should be on equal terms. Negotiations for the sake of negotiations, tactical negotiations and offer of negotiations as a superpower gesture, are deceptive moves. They are not honest moves.
I am not a diplomat. I am a revolutionary. I speak openly and honestly. A diplomat says something, but he actually means something else. We speak openly and honestly. We speak clearly and decisively. Negotiations are meaningful when the two sides show their good intentions. [Negotiations are not meaningful] when one side does not show his good intentions. You yourselves refer to this as pressures and negotiations. These two things are not compatible. You want to point the gun at the people of Iran and say, negotiate or we will shoot. You say these things to intimidate the Iranian nation. You should know that the Iranian nation is not intimidated by these things [Audience shout \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Allahu Akbar\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"].
A number of people become happy about the American offer of negotiations and they say, come and negotiate with us. This is expressed by a number of people who are either simple-minded or who have some ulterior motives. One cannot make definitive judgments about people. But what a simple-minded person does is no different, in essence, from what a person who has ulterior motives does. Negotiations with America will not solve any problems. When did they keep their promises? Over the past 60 years, since the coup d\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'état of the 28th of Mordad of 1332 until today, the officials of our country have been harmed whenever they trusted the Americans. One day Mosaddeq trusted the Americans, relied on them and considered them as his friends. Then the coup d\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'état of the 28th of Mordad occurred and the Americans found the opportunity to launch a coup d\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'état. The agent responsible for launching the coup d\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'état came to Tehran with a briefcase full of money and he divided it among thugs and vandals so that they launch the coup d\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'état. The agent was American. They admitted what the purpose of their plot was. After that, they helped the oppressive Pahlavi regime achieve domination over our country. They established SAVAK and chained and tortured political activists. These are the things they did at that time.
During a certain period after the Revolution, the officials of the country trusted them. But the politicians of the American government labeled Iran as \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"axis of evil\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\". It is you who are the embodiment of evil. It is you who are doing evil deeds in the world. You wage wars, loot nations and support the Zionist regime. On the issue of Islamic Awakening, you suppress the nations who have risen in revolt as much as you can and you weaken them and pit them against one another. You are evil. Evil is part of your character. They accused the Iranian nation of doing evil acts. This is a big insult. Whenever people trusted them, they made such moves. They should show their good intentions. Negotiations and offer of negotiations are not compatible with pressures. Negotiations and pressures are two different paths. It is not possible for the Iranian nation to accept negotiations under pressures and threats, with those who make threats. What should we negotiate for?
Today, the Iranian nation is vigilant. The true face of America has been revealed not only in Iran, but also in the region. Nations distrust America and there are many reasons for this distrust. The Iranian nation has also accurately read the Americans\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\' moves. It understands what their purpose is. Our nation is vigilant. Today, if certain people want to help America re-establish its domination and act against our national interests, against the progress of the country and against the path of independence, they will be held responsible by the people and even if I act against this public demand, the people will complain. It is obvious. All the officials are responsible for safeguarding national interests and preserving national independence. They should preserve the dignity of the Iranian nation.
We have negotiated, signed contracts and established relations with countries which have not plotted against Iran. The Iranian nation is peace-loving. The Iranian nation is patient. The unity of the Iranian nation is in line with promoting the interests of humanity. Today, what the Iranian nation does is for the sake of its interests and the interests of the Islamic Ummah and humanity. And undoubtedly, divine assistance is behind the Iranian nation. By Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor, the people of Iran will be able to help not only themselves but also the Islamic Ummah to reach the peak of glory with their wisdom, with their firm determination and with the resistance that they have shown on this bright path, the path that they will continue following in the future as well. The way to reach this glory is to preserve this wisdom. The way to do this is to preserve our unity. The way to do this is for the officials to safeguard the interests of the country. This improper conduct which is witnessed in certain areas from certain government officials - they should end this. By Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor, I will address this issue in the future and I will speak to the people. Our nation is unified, determined and active. Even if there are differences of opinion between the people over different issues, all the officials and all the people join hands against the enemy, global arrogance and those who have prepared themselves to destroy the roots of the people and the Islamic Republic. There is no disagreement among the people over this issue.
By Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor and grace, on the 22nd of Bahman the people will show, once more, that they are present on the scene, that they are prepared, that they are united, that they are moving in the same direction. And undoubtedly, divine blessings will be bestowed on them.
Greetings be upon you and Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s mercy and blessings.
Source: http://english.khamenei.ir//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1741&Itemid=4
More...
Description:
Supreme Leader\\\\\\\'s Speech to Air Force Commanders and Personnel
07/02/2013
The following is the full text of the speech delivered on February 7, 2013 by Ayatollah Khamenei the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution in a meeting with commanders and personnel of the Air Force of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army. The meeting was held on the occasion of the historic pledge of allegiance of Air Force officers to Imam Khomeini (r.a.) on the 19th of Bahman of 1357.
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
I am very happy to meet you - once more at our annual meeting - brothers and dear youth from the glorious Air Force of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army. I welcome all of you. As for the song which was performed, the lyrics were good, the melody was good, the content was good and it was performed well. By Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor, our hearts will always be imbued with the scent of mercy and divine guidance which is the most important source of support.
If we take a look at the history of the Air Force of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army over the past years, we will discover a number of important facts. There was one day when we could not and were not allowed to fix the plane parts that we had bought. Today, you build training planes, fighters and flight simulators. You carry out a lot of important radar-related work and you produce complex components. This great movement towards blossoming of talents, love, innovation, self-confidence and self-sufficiency - which has been established in the Air Force, in the entire Islamic Republic of Iran Army, in the Armed Forces and throughout the country - is such a movement that cannot be denied even by the opponents and the enemies of the Islamic Republic.
Dominant powers tried to take control of all nations and countries throughout the world by using force, money and weapons and by launching military attacks. They tried to make nations believe that they cannot find the path towards greatness, identity and independence without relying on superpowers and on those who have money and power - Zionist and non-Zionist companies have lined up behind them. You shattered their hopes.
Compare the Iranian nation, today, with nations who have been under the domination of American power. See where you are and where they are. With their movement, independence, self-confidence and reliance on God, the Iranian people proved that one can and should stand up against the domination of foreigners and those who seek domination. The Iranian nation has proved this. Thirty years ago, what was the position of the Iranian nation in science, civilization, progress, technology and political influence? What position does it enjoy today? It achieved such a position by putting up a resistance, relying on God and bringing all its capacities into the arena. This is an experience for both the Iranian nation and future generations. It is also an experience for other nations. The Air Force of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army is one of the examples of this resistance and this movement which has been based on self-confidence. We should continue this. We Iranian people should continue this path. This path is full of blessings.
For more than thirty years, the enemies of the Iranian nation have done everything in their power to harm the Iranian nation. There is not a thing which they have not used against the Iranian nation. They provoked conflicts, waged wars, supported the enemy of the Islamic Republic with all their power and they waged hard and soft wars. They fought the people of Iran as hard as they could, but our people stood up against them and they resisted. Not only could they not bring our people to their knees and destroy them, but they also failed to prevent them from making progress. Our nation has made progress. They made use of everything they could. They hatched plots, launched coup d\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'états, provoked military conflicts, shot down passenger airliners, imposed heavy sanctions and increased them on a daily basis. They did these things in the hope that our people would lose their hope, disappear from the scene and lose their trust in Islam and the Islamic Republic. But they failed. This is the record of the Islamic Republic.
These days, referred to as ten-day Fajr celebrations, are good opportunities for our intellectuals, our youth and all the people of Iran to spend some time evaluating their actions during the past thirty-something years and see their achievements, see their successful efforts, see the divine assistance and see the weakness of the enemies\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\' plots. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"And they (the unbelievers) planned, and Allah planned, and Allah is the best of planners\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, 3: 54]. This is the general guideline for us, to see how we should choose our future path. You the people in the Air Force should move forward according to this outlook and orientation. Different sectors of the country, all the people and the officials of the country should move forward according to this outlook.
Of course, the enemy inflicts harm, but it cannot do anything except for causing slight annoyance. I mentioned a few days ago that Allah the Exalted said, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"They shall by no means harm you but with a slight evil\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, 3: 111]. Their job is to harm you. But, they cannot create obstacles for you and block your path. Over the past 30 years, the Americans have been ranting and raving against the Iranian nation. They said and did whatever they could. They broadcast negative propaganda and they established an evil media empire against the Iranian nation. But the result is this: today, by Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor, the Iranian nation has become happier, more determined and more active than ever and it is witnessing more blossoming in different areas.
They have been trying to separate the people from the Islamic Republic and the Revolution. Each year on the 22nd of Bahman, the Iranian people frustrate the enemy with their presence in the national and revolutionary rallies. They are trying to separate the people from one another. The previous inexperienced American secretary of state said openly that they are imposing sanctions in order to pit the people of Iran against the Islamic Republic. The people of Iran have always responded to such statements through their rallies and their actions. You will see that on the 22nd of Bahman, the Iranian people will, once more, frustrate their efforts with a crushing move [Audience shout \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Allahu Akbar\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"].
The good thing is that the people are wise and vigilant. They know the purpose of the enemy\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s plot, they predict the enemy\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s moves, they understand why the enemy has adopted a certain policy and they move in the opposite direction. They rely on their own achievements and they will show their presence in this great arena of national dignity. They will show themselves and they will prove their presence. This is the good thing. In the face of the negative propaganda by the enemy - particularly, the Americans and the Zionists - the people do not take the wrong path because of their communal wisdom and they do not make the mistake which the enemy is waiting for. This is the good thing about large-scale issues of our country.
Now the Americans have raised the issue of negotiations again. They repeat that America is prepared to directly negotiate with Iran. This is not new. The Americans have repeatedly raised the issue of negotiations at every juncture. Now their newly appointed politicians repeat that we should negotiate. And they say that the ball is in Iran\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s court. The ball is in your court. It is you who should explain the meaning of negotiations that are accompanied by pressure and threats. Negotiations are for the sake of proving one\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s goodwill. You commit tens of acts which show lack of goodwill and then you speak about negotiations. Do you expect the Iranian nation to believe that you have goodwill? Of course, we understand why the Americans repeatedly raise the issue of negotiations and why they speak about it in different ways. We know what the reason is. As the Americans themselves say, their Middle East policies have failed. They need to play their trump card. Their trump card is dragging the Islamic Republic of Iran, which is based on the people, to the negotiating table. They need this. They want to say to the world that they have goodwill. No, we do not see any goodwill.
Four years ago - during the early days of the current American administration - when they were saying the same words, I announced that we will not prejudge and we will wait to see what action they will take and then we will judge. Now after four years, how should the Iranian nation judge their actions? They supported the fitna in Iran, they helped those who started the fitna, they sent their troops to Afghanistan under the claim that they were fighting terrorism, they trampled on so many people and they destroyed them. They are also supporting and cooperating with the same terrorists in Syria and they used the same terrorists wherever they could in Iran. Their agents, their allies and Zionist spies openly killed the scientists of the Islamic Republic. They did not even condemn these terrorist activities. [On the contrary] They supported them. This is their record. They imposed sanctions - which they wanted to be crippling - on the Iranian nation. They openly said, crippling. Who do you want to cripple? Did you want to cripple the Iranian nation? Do you have goodwill?
Negotiations are meaningful when the two sides negotiate with good intentions and without planning to deceive one another. Negotiations should be on equal terms. Negotiations for the sake of negotiations, tactical negotiations and offer of negotiations as a superpower gesture, are deceptive moves. They are not honest moves.
I am not a diplomat. I am a revolutionary. I speak openly and honestly. A diplomat says something, but he actually means something else. We speak openly and honestly. We speak clearly and decisively. Negotiations are meaningful when the two sides show their good intentions. [Negotiations are not meaningful] when one side does not show his good intentions. You yourselves refer to this as pressures and negotiations. These two things are not compatible. You want to point the gun at the people of Iran and say, negotiate or we will shoot. You say these things to intimidate the Iranian nation. You should know that the Iranian nation is not intimidated by these things [Audience shout \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Allahu Akbar\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"].
A number of people become happy about the American offer of negotiations and they say, come and negotiate with us. This is expressed by a number of people who are either simple-minded or who have some ulterior motives. One cannot make definitive judgments about people. But what a simple-minded person does is no different, in essence, from what a person who has ulterior motives does. Negotiations with America will not solve any problems. When did they keep their promises? Over the past 60 years, since the coup d\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'état of the 28th of Mordad of 1332 until today, the officials of our country have been harmed whenever they trusted the Americans. One day Mosaddeq trusted the Americans, relied on them and considered them as his friends. Then the coup d\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'état of the 28th of Mordad occurred and the Americans found the opportunity to launch a coup d\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'état. The agent responsible for launching the coup d\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'état came to Tehran with a briefcase full of money and he divided it among thugs and vandals so that they launch the coup d\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'état. The agent was American. They admitted what the purpose of their plot was. After that, they helped the oppressive Pahlavi regime achieve domination over our country. They established SAVAK and chained and tortured political activists. These are the things they did at that time.
During a certain period after the Revolution, the officials of the country trusted them. But the politicians of the American government labeled Iran as \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"axis of evil\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\". It is you who are the embodiment of evil. It is you who are doing evil deeds in the world. You wage wars, loot nations and support the Zionist regime. On the issue of Islamic Awakening, you suppress the nations who have risen in revolt as much as you can and you weaken them and pit them against one another. You are evil. Evil is part of your character. They accused the Iranian nation of doing evil acts. This is a big insult. Whenever people trusted them, they made such moves. They should show their good intentions. Negotiations and offer of negotiations are not compatible with pressures. Negotiations and pressures are two different paths. It is not possible for the Iranian nation to accept negotiations under pressures and threats, with those who make threats. What should we negotiate for?
Today, the Iranian nation is vigilant. The true face of America has been revealed not only in Iran, but also in the region. Nations distrust America and there are many reasons for this distrust. The Iranian nation has also accurately read the Americans\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\' moves. It understands what their purpose is. Our nation is vigilant. Today, if certain people want to help America re-establish its domination and act against our national interests, against the progress of the country and against the path of independence, they will be held responsible by the people and even if I act against this public demand, the people will complain. It is obvious. All the officials are responsible for safeguarding national interests and preserving national independence. They should preserve the dignity of the Iranian nation.
We have negotiated, signed contracts and established relations with countries which have not plotted against Iran. The Iranian nation is peace-loving. The Iranian nation is patient. The unity of the Iranian nation is in line with promoting the interests of humanity. Today, what the Iranian nation does is for the sake of its interests and the interests of the Islamic Ummah and humanity. And undoubtedly, divine assistance is behind the Iranian nation. By Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor, the people of Iran will be able to help not only themselves but also the Islamic Ummah to reach the peak of glory with their wisdom, with their firm determination and with the resistance that they have shown on this bright path, the path that they will continue following in the future as well. The way to reach this glory is to preserve this wisdom. The way to do this is to preserve our unity. The way to do this is for the officials to safeguard the interests of the country. This improper conduct which is witnessed in certain areas from certain government officials - they should end this. By Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor, I will address this issue in the future and I will speak to the people. Our nation is unified, determined and active. Even if there are differences of opinion between the people over different issues, all the officials and all the people join hands against the enemy, global arrogance and those who have prepared themselves to destroy the roots of the people and the Islamic Republic. There is no disagreement among the people over this issue.
By Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor and grace, on the 22nd of Bahman the people will show, once more, that they are present on the scene, that they are prepared, that they are united, that they are moving in the same direction. And undoubtedly, divine blessings will be bestowed on them.
Greetings be upon you and Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s mercy and blessings.
Source: http://english.khamenei.ir//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1741&Itemid=4
Complete Friday Speech of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei 04 Feb 2011 - [ENGLISH]
Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei says the Iranian nation\\\\\\\'s voice is echoed in the countries of the Muslim world, pointing to the Tunisia revolution and Egypt...
Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei says the Iranian nation\\\\\\\'s voice is echoed in the countries of the Muslim world, pointing to the Tunisia revolution and Egypt uprising.
“Today, developments in North Africa, [including] Egypt, Tunisia and some other countries have a special meaning for the Iranian nation,” the Leader stated.
“This is what was always referred to as the Islamic awakening created by the victory of the great revolution of the Iranian nation,” Ayatollah Khamenei said in his comments during the Friday prayer sermons in Tehran.
Ayatollah Khamenei noted that Tunisia\\\\\\\'s former President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali was dependent on the US and even the CIA.
The Leader also pointed to the Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak as a “lackey of the Zionist Regime.”
Ayatollah Khamenei said that Americans and Israelis have become helpless in the face of freedom-seeking Egyptians and noted that irreparable defeat awaits the US and Israel in Tunisia and Egypt.
The Leader made a reference to Egyptians\\\\\\\' fight for “dignity and honor” and noted that Mubarak\\\\\\\'s biggest crime was to make Egypt a tool in the hands of the US.
Ayatollah Khamenei said that the Egyptian army would join the masses and will line up against the enemy.
Ayatollah Khamenei also said the Islamic Revolution in Iran disrupted the plots by Western countries trying to establish weak and vulnerable regimes in the Middle East.
The Leader said Iran\\\\\\\'s enemies have been launching a psychological war against it for the past 32 years, pointing to the 2009 post-election events in Iran as the enemies\\\\\\\' latest scenario to damage the Islamic Revolution.
Ayatollah Khamenei said their plots however will have no effect on the Iranian nation.
More...
Description:
Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei says the Iranian nation\\\\\\\'s voice is echoed in the countries of the Muslim world, pointing to the Tunisia revolution and Egypt uprising.
“Today, developments in North Africa, [including] Egypt, Tunisia and some other countries have a special meaning for the Iranian nation,” the Leader stated.
“This is what was always referred to as the Islamic awakening created by the victory of the great revolution of the Iranian nation,” Ayatollah Khamenei said in his comments during the Friday prayer sermons in Tehran.
Ayatollah Khamenei noted that Tunisia\\\\\\\'s former President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali was dependent on the US and even the CIA.
The Leader also pointed to the Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak as a “lackey of the Zionist Regime.”
Ayatollah Khamenei said that Americans and Israelis have become helpless in the face of freedom-seeking Egyptians and noted that irreparable defeat awaits the US and Israel in Tunisia and Egypt.
The Leader made a reference to Egyptians\\\\\\\' fight for “dignity and honor” and noted that Mubarak\\\\\\\'s biggest crime was to make Egypt a tool in the hands of the US.
Ayatollah Khamenei said that the Egyptian army would join the masses and will line up against the enemy.
Ayatollah Khamenei also said the Islamic Revolution in Iran disrupted the plots by Western countries trying to establish weak and vulnerable regimes in the Middle East.
The Leader said Iran\\\\\\\'s enemies have been launching a psychological war against it for the past 32 years, pointing to the 2009 post-election events in Iran as the enemies\\\\\\\' latest scenario to damage the Islamic Revolution.
Ayatollah Khamenei said their plots however will have no effect on the Iranian nation.
31:26
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Ayatollah Khamenei speech on the birthday anniversary of Hazrat Fatima Zahra (s.a.) April 20,2014 - Farsi
Ayatollah Khamenei\\\'s speech on the birthday anniversary of Hazrat Fatima Zahra (s.a.) April 20,2014
Translation
Source : English.Khamenei.ir
Supreme Leader\\\'s Speech in Meeting...
Ayatollah Khamenei\\\'s speech on the birthday anniversary of Hazrat Fatima Zahra (s.a.) April 20,2014
Translation
Source : English.Khamenei.ir
Supreme Leader\\\'s Speech in Meeting with Panegyrists Print
20/04/2014
The following is the full text of the speech delivered on April 20, 2014 by Ayatollah Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, in a meeting with a group of panegyrists on the occasion of the birthday anniversary of Hazrat Fatima Zahra (s.a.).
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
I congratulate all of you dear brothers - who are lyrical nightingales in the garden of love for the Holy Prophet\\\'s (s.w.a.) household (a.s.) - on the occasion of the auspicious birthday anniversary of Sayyidah Taherah Masoumeh (God\\\'s greetings be upon her) and the birthday anniversary of the great and glorious leader of the Revolution.
We thank God because this is one of His great blessings for us and it is a source of inspiration for our Islamic and Shia society. He repeatedly and constantly inspires our society with birthday anniversaries, biographies, and martyrdom eras. This should really be appreciated.
During the birthday anniversaries of the Commander of the Faithful (a.s.), Imam Hassan (a.s.), Imam Hussein (a.s.) and Fatima Zahra (s.a.), the memory of these shining stars and these guiding flags are revived in hearts. This is very valuable. And thank God it is many years that we have been holding this meeting in the shade of Fatemi enlightenment (God\\\'s purest greetings be upon her). It is many years that this meeting has been bestowing its blessings on us, on our working and living environments and on the environment of the country.
Man\\\'s limited mind cannot definitely evaluate and measure the characteristics of heavenly personalities like Fatima Zahra (God\\\'s greetings be upon her). People\\\'s minds do not have the capability to evaluate and measure these spiritual dimensions. However, we can make their behavior a model for ourselves. This was also pointed out in the poems that the friends in this meeting recited.
The spiritual positions of these personalities are one thing and the patterns of behavior which are in front of our eyes are quite another. This does not mean that we can emulate these personalities by displaying a second version of their patterns of behavior. This is not what it means. However, we can follow them at least.
The Commander of the Faithful (a.s.) said, \\\"I know that to adopt such a hard way of life is beyond you, but at least try to be pious. Help me and be my companion in virtue, diligence and simple living\\\" [Nahjul Balaghah, Letter 45]. After he describes his lifestyle - although he had a lofty position and had access to many resources, he lived a life of piety and abstinence - he says, \\\"You cannot behave like me, but you can help me\\\". With what? We can help him with piety, avoidance of sins, effort and diligence. These are our responsibilities.
They have illustrated the goals for us, both individual and personal goals, and social, political and general goals. In personal goals, our lofty ideal is reaching the peak of human dignity. Everyone has been promised that they can take this lofty and limitless flight. You youth are more capable than us. These are the personal goals.
And our great social goals are creating a pure Islamic life and Islamic society, one that allows individuals to move towards this goal. Such a society is well-developed, free, independent, highly moral, united, unanimous, pious and religious. These are the goals of Islamic society. The main social and political goal of Islam is creating a world which is an introduction to the afterlife and which helps individuals to achieve paradise easily. They have illustrated these goals for us.
What is the way to achieve these goals? How can we reach these goals? As Imam Ali (a.s.) said, we should help him to reach this goal - this is the Commander of the Faithful\\\'s (a.s.) command. This goal is what the Commander of the Faithful (a.s.) did in his entire life and during his efforts and jihad, which is creating such a world for all the people throughout history. How can we help him? We can help him with virtue, diligence and effort. Laziness is forbidden. Idleness is forbidden. Feeling tired is forbidden. Becoming desperate is forbidden. When this great movement is launched, you have gladdened the blessed heart of Fatima Zahra (God\\\'s greetings be upon her) and the Commander of the Faithful (a.s.) because they made all these efforts in order to reach this goal.
My dear ones, dear youth, this opportunity is available to the people of Iran today. In the past, it was not available and it was difficult. Today in the Islamic Republic, the opportunity to move forward in the right way and to lead a good, pious and pure life is available to all the people in society. This does not mean that the path of committing sins is closed. This is not the case because the path of sins is always open, but the path of living a good, pious and pure life in the shade of Islam is open as well.
Of course, living such a life has its own pleasures and difficulties. \\\"And thus did We make for every prophet an enemy, the shaitans from among men and jinn, some of them suggesting to others varnished falsehood to deceive them\\\" [The Holy Quran, 6: 112]. There have always been certain enemies against the camp of prophets. Who are these enemies? These enemies are the shaitans from among men and jinn. Against this seemingly long line of shaitans, there is the steel and strong line of believers. The people of Iran experienced this and it became clear that people can achieve victory over their enemies, as the people of Iran have thankfully moved forward until today.
We should make efforts. The lesson of the life of Siddiqat al-Taherah - Fatima Zahra (God\\\'s greetings be upon her) - is to make efforts, show diligence and lead a pure life, as that great personality was the manifestation of enlightenment and purity: she was \\\"pure, clean, immaculate, virtuous, pious and moral\\\" [Kamel al-Ziarat, page 310]. The purity, cleanliness, piety and enlightenment of that great person are what have influenced our Islamic teachings throughout the history of Shiaism.
What is appropriate to be discussed in this meeting is related to the heavy responsibility that falls on the shoulders of today\\\'s society of panegyrists. This issue has priority over other issues. Dear brothers, the tradition of praising and eulogizing the Holy Prophet\\\'s (s.w.a.) household (a.s.) - which is a great honor - has fortunately become common and deep-rooted in our society. This tradition existed in the past as well, but it was limited in scope. However today, this banquet has spread and this arena has opened to everyone.
Today, thousands of people throughout the country are active in this arena by utilizing their artistic taste and benefitting from different methods of eloquence. Well, this is an opportunity and any opportunity is accompanied by a responsibility. When you cannot communicate with someone, your responsibility remains at a limited level, but when you can, your responsibility will naturally increase to the extent that your capability for communication allows.
When you can speak to the people and when you have the capability to address them with the art of poetry, singing and melody, this makes you responsible. All these opportunities and capacities are accompanied by a responsibility. You should be able to carry out this responsibility in an efficient way. If the society of panegyrists in the country can carry out its responsibility as befits its position, then a significant development will take place throughout the country.
I have repeatedly said that if you recite a poem in an artistic way and if the poem itself is meaningful and instructive, then this will exert more influence than the speech that we deliver for two, three hours. Sometimes, this is the case. Well, this is a very good opportunity. Notice what will happen if the thousands of panegyrists, eulogists and religious singers who address the people and who sing to them on different occasions observe the principles and requirements of this great task.
Our enemies are after destroying our beliefs, actions and paths with hundreds of weapons and discourses and with various kinds of measures. Primarily, they are doing this in the Islamic Republic and secondly, they are doing it in the world of Islam. Many of the people understand, see and know about the enemy\\\'s measures. There are different TV and radio channels and different electronic means of communication.
However, there are certain propaganda measures about which we have more information than the people. The masses of the people do not know what complex measures are being adopted in our country to make the minds of the people deviate from the right path, to divert their movement, to bring the world of Islam to its knees and to prevent Shia community and Shia teachings from becoming a model in the world of Islam. Such measures are being adopted.
We have unique and exclusive resources against this effort of the enemy. We can respond through the internet and through the methods that they themselves employ - of course, their work is much broader in scope - but we have certain means which are exclusive to us.
One of these means is you society of panegyrists. Your face-to-face communication and your utilization of art for conveying concepts to the audience in a comprehensive and wide-ranging way - that is to say, the issue is not about two, three, ten panegyrists, rather thousands of panegyrists are doing this throughout the country - is an exclusive means that we enjoy. It is a means that they do not have.
Minbars are one of these unique means. The same is true of mourning ceremonies. The same is true of religious heyats. If the content of our minbars, eulogies, heyats and nohas are appropriate, then no means can confront and oppose them. That is to say, this means is completely unique and exclusive. Notice that this is an opportunity. Therefore, it should not be wasted and missed.
What is worse than missing this opportunity is using it in a bad way. If our religious ceremonies and eulogies make the people lose their belief in the future, we have wasted this opportunity and we have not appreciated the value of this blessing. If the people leave our minbars and our eulogies while they have not gained any understanding about their conditions and their responsibilities, we have wasted this opportunity. If, God forbid, our meetings shatter unity, we have missed this opportunity. If the way we speak or the content of our speech helps the enemies succeed in their goals, we have turned this divine blessing into blasphemy and ungratefulness: \\\"They have changed Allah\\\'s favor for ungratefulness\\\" [The Holy Quran, 14: 28].
We should be careful about this. We have said many times that today\\\'s denominational discord among Muslims is a weapon and a trump card in the hands of our enemies. This is completely clear to those people who are well-informed about global developments. Such denominational discord is a sword in the hands of our enemies. Publicizing differences, expressing them in an outspoken way and speaking about issues which fuel fitna is one of the means which our enemy makes maximum use of.
Now if we act in a way that the enemy\\\'s goal is achieved, this is changing Allah\\\'s favor for ungratefulness. In religious ceremonies, denominational discourse should not be highlighted. How many times should this be repeated? We have said this many times, but some people do not want to listen.
What do you do if you want to guide those people who do not believe in your denomination and your true beliefs? Do you begin to curse and speak ill of their sacred beliefs? This will make them completely drift away from you and it will destroy all hopes of guiding them. The way to guide them is not this. As you can see today, the world of Shia Islam is under attack. Those who had not heard the name of Shia and Sunni Islam - the leaders of arrogance - are constantly highlighting the name of Shia Islam in their propaganda. They constantly speak about Shia Iran, Shia groups in Iraq and other Shia countries. They constantly highlight the issue of Shia and Sunni.
Why do they do this? It is because they have found a good tool for provoking grudge among Muslims. Well, we are proud that we are Alavi Shias. We are proud that we have gained understanding about the position of Wilayat. Our magnanimous Imam (r.a.) carried the flag of the Commander of the Faithful\\\'s (a.s.) Wilayat and this became a means for the world of Islam - whether Shia or non-Shia Islam - to feel proud of Islam.
Now, should we do something to turn this feeling of pride and the interest of the world of Islam in Shia community and Shia honor into enmity, hostility and grudge? This is exactly what the enemy wants. We should not allow him to achieve his goal. This is a very important point. You should be careful about this. You should be careful more than other people. We should not do something to help the enemy succeed in his goal and sharpen his sword. Our great personalities, our ulama, our marja taqlids and the great personalities of the world of Islam have always advised us to be careful about this issue. So, this is a very fundamental point.
The second point is that you should take care not to do anything in religious environments and ceremonies which is beyond the principles of sharia. You should be careful about this. The environment of panegyric and religious singing is a pure and clean environment. We should not allow the impurities which have unfortunately been promoted in the world of art among decadent and immoral people to penetrate into the environment of Islamic and religious art. You should be careful about this. Such environments should be clean, pure, untainted and moral. The environment in which we want to convey Islamic teachings with the language of poetry should be such an environment.
Every word that we use in our poems as content and meaning should be instructive. We should try to do this and it does not matter what occasion it is. Sometimes, it is a mourning ceremony and sometimes, it is a eulogy. All of the words that we select can be instructive. In the last Muharram during the time of taghut - it was during the time of revolutionary enthusiasm and excitement and the Revolution became victorious immediately after this Muharram - religious heyats in different cities used to perform certain nohas, each of which enlightened and informed the people as strongly as a long and eloquent speech. Nohas should always be like this.
The task that noha performers carry out is a very remarkable and interesting task. The tradition of performing nohas and the kind of behavior which is witnessed in nohas are very important. These are exclusive to Shia community. That is to say, they are particular to us. Such religious ceremonies do not exist in other countries. This is one of our privileges and therefore, such ceremonies should have strong content.
If, by Allah\\\'s favor, these things receive attention, the society of panegyrists will be one of the most influential pioneers of change in the intellectual and practical system of Iranian society. This can be achieved as in the present time, one can see that whenever a responsible and committed panegyrist recites a good poem in a proper way, this will exert influence over the audience and it will awaken and inform them.
It is not clear whether any charitable act can be as valuable as this task in improving society. There are few tasks on which one can place such a high value before Allah the Exalted. This is a very important task. Thankfully, you benefit from this blessing. You have a good voice and you have the capability to perform in a good and melodious way. If you accompany this with the characteristics that were referred to, it seems that a great task for furthering the goals of the Islamic government and the Islamic Republic will be carried out.
Fortunately today, we do not have a shortage of good poems. We have very good religious and ayini poets. These poets compose poems about different issues and their poems are good. Thankfully today, we benefited from some of these good poems. It was very good.
In the past, panegyrists had to memorize poems. Today, you broke this tradition. You made it easier by using a piece of paper. Well, good poems can be written and recited. Thankfully, this opportunity exists today. This is one of God\\\'s greatest blessings which is available to us today.
In my opinion, the society of panegyrists with its enormous capabilities is a divine blessing for our country and our people and the poets who compose poems and who prepare panegyrists for carrying out this responsibility are really accomplishing a great feat. I ask Allah the Exalted to bestow His blessings on all you dear ones - particularly you youth who have a wide arena of work ahead of you. I hope that all of you will be rewarded by the Imam of the Age (may our souls be sacrificed for his sake) and that you will receive his attention.
Greetings be upon you and Allah\\\'s mercy and blessings
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Description:
Ayatollah Khamenei\\\'s speech on the birthday anniversary of Hazrat Fatima Zahra (s.a.) April 20,2014
Translation
Source : English.Khamenei.ir
Supreme Leader\\\'s Speech in Meeting with Panegyrists Print
20/04/2014
The following is the full text of the speech delivered on April 20, 2014 by Ayatollah Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, in a meeting with a group of panegyrists on the occasion of the birthday anniversary of Hazrat Fatima Zahra (s.a.).
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
I congratulate all of you dear brothers - who are lyrical nightingales in the garden of love for the Holy Prophet\\\'s (s.w.a.) household (a.s.) - on the occasion of the auspicious birthday anniversary of Sayyidah Taherah Masoumeh (God\\\'s greetings be upon her) and the birthday anniversary of the great and glorious leader of the Revolution.
We thank God because this is one of His great blessings for us and it is a source of inspiration for our Islamic and Shia society. He repeatedly and constantly inspires our society with birthday anniversaries, biographies, and martyrdom eras. This should really be appreciated.
During the birthday anniversaries of the Commander of the Faithful (a.s.), Imam Hassan (a.s.), Imam Hussein (a.s.) and Fatima Zahra (s.a.), the memory of these shining stars and these guiding flags are revived in hearts. This is very valuable. And thank God it is many years that we have been holding this meeting in the shade of Fatemi enlightenment (God\\\'s purest greetings be upon her). It is many years that this meeting has been bestowing its blessings on us, on our working and living environments and on the environment of the country.
Man\\\'s limited mind cannot definitely evaluate and measure the characteristics of heavenly personalities like Fatima Zahra (God\\\'s greetings be upon her). People\\\'s minds do not have the capability to evaluate and measure these spiritual dimensions. However, we can make their behavior a model for ourselves. This was also pointed out in the poems that the friends in this meeting recited.
The spiritual positions of these personalities are one thing and the patterns of behavior which are in front of our eyes are quite another. This does not mean that we can emulate these personalities by displaying a second version of their patterns of behavior. This is not what it means. However, we can follow them at least.
The Commander of the Faithful (a.s.) said, \\\"I know that to adopt such a hard way of life is beyond you, but at least try to be pious. Help me and be my companion in virtue, diligence and simple living\\\" [Nahjul Balaghah, Letter 45]. After he describes his lifestyle - although he had a lofty position and had access to many resources, he lived a life of piety and abstinence - he says, \\\"You cannot behave like me, but you can help me\\\". With what? We can help him with piety, avoidance of sins, effort and diligence. These are our responsibilities.
They have illustrated the goals for us, both individual and personal goals, and social, political and general goals. In personal goals, our lofty ideal is reaching the peak of human dignity. Everyone has been promised that they can take this lofty and limitless flight. You youth are more capable than us. These are the personal goals.
And our great social goals are creating a pure Islamic life and Islamic society, one that allows individuals to move towards this goal. Such a society is well-developed, free, independent, highly moral, united, unanimous, pious and religious. These are the goals of Islamic society. The main social and political goal of Islam is creating a world which is an introduction to the afterlife and which helps individuals to achieve paradise easily. They have illustrated these goals for us.
What is the way to achieve these goals? How can we reach these goals? As Imam Ali (a.s.) said, we should help him to reach this goal - this is the Commander of the Faithful\\\'s (a.s.) command. This goal is what the Commander of the Faithful (a.s.) did in his entire life and during his efforts and jihad, which is creating such a world for all the people throughout history. How can we help him? We can help him with virtue, diligence and effort. Laziness is forbidden. Idleness is forbidden. Feeling tired is forbidden. Becoming desperate is forbidden. When this great movement is launched, you have gladdened the blessed heart of Fatima Zahra (God\\\'s greetings be upon her) and the Commander of the Faithful (a.s.) because they made all these efforts in order to reach this goal.
My dear ones, dear youth, this opportunity is available to the people of Iran today. In the past, it was not available and it was difficult. Today in the Islamic Republic, the opportunity to move forward in the right way and to lead a good, pious and pure life is available to all the people in society. This does not mean that the path of committing sins is closed. This is not the case because the path of sins is always open, but the path of living a good, pious and pure life in the shade of Islam is open as well.
Of course, living such a life has its own pleasures and difficulties. \\\"And thus did We make for every prophet an enemy, the shaitans from among men and jinn, some of them suggesting to others varnished falsehood to deceive them\\\" [The Holy Quran, 6: 112]. There have always been certain enemies against the camp of prophets. Who are these enemies? These enemies are the shaitans from among men and jinn. Against this seemingly long line of shaitans, there is the steel and strong line of believers. The people of Iran experienced this and it became clear that people can achieve victory over their enemies, as the people of Iran have thankfully moved forward until today.
We should make efforts. The lesson of the life of Siddiqat al-Taherah - Fatima Zahra (God\\\'s greetings be upon her) - is to make efforts, show diligence and lead a pure life, as that great personality was the manifestation of enlightenment and purity: she was \\\"pure, clean, immaculate, virtuous, pious and moral\\\" [Kamel al-Ziarat, page 310]. The purity, cleanliness, piety and enlightenment of that great person are what have influenced our Islamic teachings throughout the history of Shiaism.
What is appropriate to be discussed in this meeting is related to the heavy responsibility that falls on the shoulders of today\\\'s society of panegyrists. This issue has priority over other issues. Dear brothers, the tradition of praising and eulogizing the Holy Prophet\\\'s (s.w.a.) household (a.s.) - which is a great honor - has fortunately become common and deep-rooted in our society. This tradition existed in the past as well, but it was limited in scope. However today, this banquet has spread and this arena has opened to everyone.
Today, thousands of people throughout the country are active in this arena by utilizing their artistic taste and benefitting from different methods of eloquence. Well, this is an opportunity and any opportunity is accompanied by a responsibility. When you cannot communicate with someone, your responsibility remains at a limited level, but when you can, your responsibility will naturally increase to the extent that your capability for communication allows.
When you can speak to the people and when you have the capability to address them with the art of poetry, singing and melody, this makes you responsible. All these opportunities and capacities are accompanied by a responsibility. You should be able to carry out this responsibility in an efficient way. If the society of panegyrists in the country can carry out its responsibility as befits its position, then a significant development will take place throughout the country.
I have repeatedly said that if you recite a poem in an artistic way and if the poem itself is meaningful and instructive, then this will exert more influence than the speech that we deliver for two, three hours. Sometimes, this is the case. Well, this is a very good opportunity. Notice what will happen if the thousands of panegyrists, eulogists and religious singers who address the people and who sing to them on different occasions observe the principles and requirements of this great task.
Our enemies are after destroying our beliefs, actions and paths with hundreds of weapons and discourses and with various kinds of measures. Primarily, they are doing this in the Islamic Republic and secondly, they are doing it in the world of Islam. Many of the people understand, see and know about the enemy\\\'s measures. There are different TV and radio channels and different electronic means of communication.
However, there are certain propaganda measures about which we have more information than the people. The masses of the people do not know what complex measures are being adopted in our country to make the minds of the people deviate from the right path, to divert their movement, to bring the world of Islam to its knees and to prevent Shia community and Shia teachings from becoming a model in the world of Islam. Such measures are being adopted.
We have unique and exclusive resources against this effort of the enemy. We can respond through the internet and through the methods that they themselves employ - of course, their work is much broader in scope - but we have certain means which are exclusive to us.
One of these means is you society of panegyrists. Your face-to-face communication and your utilization of art for conveying concepts to the audience in a comprehensive and wide-ranging way - that is to say, the issue is not about two, three, ten panegyrists, rather thousands of panegyrists are doing this throughout the country - is an exclusive means that we enjoy. It is a means that they do not have.
Minbars are one of these unique means. The same is true of mourning ceremonies. The same is true of religious heyats. If the content of our minbars, eulogies, heyats and nohas are appropriate, then no means can confront and oppose them. That is to say, this means is completely unique and exclusive. Notice that this is an opportunity. Therefore, it should not be wasted and missed.
What is worse than missing this opportunity is using it in a bad way. If our religious ceremonies and eulogies make the people lose their belief in the future, we have wasted this opportunity and we have not appreciated the value of this blessing. If the people leave our minbars and our eulogies while they have not gained any understanding about their conditions and their responsibilities, we have wasted this opportunity. If, God forbid, our meetings shatter unity, we have missed this opportunity. If the way we speak or the content of our speech helps the enemies succeed in their goals, we have turned this divine blessing into blasphemy and ungratefulness: \\\"They have changed Allah\\\'s favor for ungratefulness\\\" [The Holy Quran, 14: 28].
We should be careful about this. We have said many times that today\\\'s denominational discord among Muslims is a weapon and a trump card in the hands of our enemies. This is completely clear to those people who are well-informed about global developments. Such denominational discord is a sword in the hands of our enemies. Publicizing differences, expressing them in an outspoken way and speaking about issues which fuel fitna is one of the means which our enemy makes maximum use of.
Now if we act in a way that the enemy\\\'s goal is achieved, this is changing Allah\\\'s favor for ungratefulness. In religious ceremonies, denominational discourse should not be highlighted. How many times should this be repeated? We have said this many times, but some people do not want to listen.
What do you do if you want to guide those people who do not believe in your denomination and your true beliefs? Do you begin to curse and speak ill of their sacred beliefs? This will make them completely drift away from you and it will destroy all hopes of guiding them. The way to guide them is not this. As you can see today, the world of Shia Islam is under attack. Those who had not heard the name of Shia and Sunni Islam - the leaders of arrogance - are constantly highlighting the name of Shia Islam in their propaganda. They constantly speak about Shia Iran, Shia groups in Iraq and other Shia countries. They constantly highlight the issue of Shia and Sunni.
Why do they do this? It is because they have found a good tool for provoking grudge among Muslims. Well, we are proud that we are Alavi Shias. We are proud that we have gained understanding about the position of Wilayat. Our magnanimous Imam (r.a.) carried the flag of the Commander of the Faithful\\\'s (a.s.) Wilayat and this became a means for the world of Islam - whether Shia or non-Shia Islam - to feel proud of Islam.
Now, should we do something to turn this feeling of pride and the interest of the world of Islam in Shia community and Shia honor into enmity, hostility and grudge? This is exactly what the enemy wants. We should not allow him to achieve his goal. This is a very important point. You should be careful about this. You should be careful more than other people. We should not do something to help the enemy succeed in his goal and sharpen his sword. Our great personalities, our ulama, our marja taqlids and the great personalities of the world of Islam have always advised us to be careful about this issue. So, this is a very fundamental point.
The second point is that you should take care not to do anything in religious environments and ceremonies which is beyond the principles of sharia. You should be careful about this. The environment of panegyric and religious singing is a pure and clean environment. We should not allow the impurities which have unfortunately been promoted in the world of art among decadent and immoral people to penetrate into the environment of Islamic and religious art. You should be careful about this. Such environments should be clean, pure, untainted and moral. The environment in which we want to convey Islamic teachings with the language of poetry should be such an environment.
Every word that we use in our poems as content and meaning should be instructive. We should try to do this and it does not matter what occasion it is. Sometimes, it is a mourning ceremony and sometimes, it is a eulogy. All of the words that we select can be instructive. In the last Muharram during the time of taghut - it was during the time of revolutionary enthusiasm and excitement and the Revolution became victorious immediately after this Muharram - religious heyats in different cities used to perform certain nohas, each of which enlightened and informed the people as strongly as a long and eloquent speech. Nohas should always be like this.
The task that noha performers carry out is a very remarkable and interesting task. The tradition of performing nohas and the kind of behavior which is witnessed in nohas are very important. These are exclusive to Shia community. That is to say, they are particular to us. Such religious ceremonies do not exist in other countries. This is one of our privileges and therefore, such ceremonies should have strong content.
If, by Allah\\\'s favor, these things receive attention, the society of panegyrists will be one of the most influential pioneers of change in the intellectual and practical system of Iranian society. This can be achieved as in the present time, one can see that whenever a responsible and committed panegyrist recites a good poem in a proper way, this will exert influence over the audience and it will awaken and inform them.
It is not clear whether any charitable act can be as valuable as this task in improving society. There are few tasks on which one can place such a high value before Allah the Exalted. This is a very important task. Thankfully, you benefit from this blessing. You have a good voice and you have the capability to perform in a good and melodious way. If you accompany this with the characteristics that were referred to, it seems that a great task for furthering the goals of the Islamic government and the Islamic Republic will be carried out.
Fortunately today, we do not have a shortage of good poems. We have very good religious and ayini poets. These poets compose poems about different issues and their poems are good. Thankfully today, we benefited from some of these good poems. It was very good.
In the past, panegyrists had to memorize poems. Today, you broke this tradition. You made it easier by using a piece of paper. Well, good poems can be written and recited. Thankfully, this opportunity exists today. This is one of God\\\'s greatest blessings which is available to us today.
In my opinion, the society of panegyrists with its enormous capabilities is a divine blessing for our country and our people and the poets who compose poems and who prepare panegyrists for carrying out this responsibility are really accomplishing a great feat. I ask Allah the Exalted to bestow His blessings on all you dear ones - particularly you youth who have a wide arena of work ahead of you. I hope that all of you will be rewarded by the Imam of the Age (may our souls be sacrificed for his sake) and that you will receive his attention.
Greetings be upon you and Allah\\\'s mercy and blessings
Imam Khamenei(HA) Visits Qum al-Muqaddasah, Massive Welcome, Delivers Speech - 19 Oct 2010 - English
Recorded October 19, 2010 at 1800bst Press TV News
Leader: Enemies target people, religion
Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has warned against enemy plots to...
Recorded October 19, 2010 at 1800bst Press TV News
Leader: Enemies target people, religion
Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has warned against enemy plots to target the Iranian people and their religion.
\\\\\\\"Enemies of the Islamic Revolution who intend to inflict damage on the revolution have two main targets, including the religion of the people and their devotion to the revolution,\\\\\\\" said Ayatollah Khamenei in an address to a huge crowd of enthusiastic people in the holy city of Qom on Tuesday.
The Leader added that enemies are well aware of the fact that the Islamic Revolution could not resist against their plots if it were not based on religion.
\\\\\\\"An establishment which is based on religion will not yield to pressure of enemies and bullying powers,\\\\\\\" Ayatollah Khamenei said.
The Leader reiterated that the Iranian nation has always supported the Islamic Revolution and said the Islamic establishment could not resist against enemies if the Iranians did not have a complete presence in all scenes and if there were a rift between the people and the country\\\\\\\'s officials.
The Leader pointed to the presence of 40 million Iranians in last year\\\\\\\'s presidential election, saying it vaccinated the Islamic Revolution against social and political microbes and increased the people\\\\\\\'s insight.
He emphasized that the country\\\\\\\'s enemies failed to create a rift between the Iranian nation and the officials of the Islamic establishment.
Ayatollah Khamenei pointed out that enemies were irked by the presence of 40 million people in the election, adding that all their efforts in this regard failed.
The Leader downplayed sanctions against the Islamic Republic over its nuclear energy program and said sanctions were aimed at exerting pressure on the nation to cause the separation of the people from the Islamic establishment.
\\\\\\\"By God\\\\\\\'s grace, sanctions will have no impact on the Iranian nation,\\\\\\\" he said. \\\\\\\"Today, Iranians are moving towards a bright future with more progress and will thwart enemies\\\\\\\' plots.\\\\\\\"
The Leader said enemies are following up two main issues which include Islam without clergymen and Islam without politics and added enemies know that clerics play an effective role in the lives of people.
He further added that the country\\\\\\\'s enemies have raised doubts about religious values in an attempt to weaken the pillars of people\\\\\\\'s faith and continued, \\\\\\\"Enemies intend to disappoint people with the country\\\\\\\'s officials and sow the seed of pessimism.\\\\\\\"
Ayatollah Khamenei criticized those who are spreading rumors about the Iranian government and its achievements, saying, \\\\\\\"Such moves are not in line with the interests of the country\\\\\\\'s future.\\\\\\\"
He further urged the Iranian nation to maintain national unity and strengthen its solidarity with the three branches of the state.
Article Source: http://www.presstv.ir/detail/147291.html
More...
Description:
Recorded October 19, 2010 at 1800bst Press TV News
Leader: Enemies target people, religion
Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has warned against enemy plots to target the Iranian people and their religion.
\\\\\\\"Enemies of the Islamic Revolution who intend to inflict damage on the revolution have two main targets, including the religion of the people and their devotion to the revolution,\\\\\\\" said Ayatollah Khamenei in an address to a huge crowd of enthusiastic people in the holy city of Qom on Tuesday.
The Leader added that enemies are well aware of the fact that the Islamic Revolution could not resist against their plots if it were not based on religion.
\\\\\\\"An establishment which is based on religion will not yield to pressure of enemies and bullying powers,\\\\\\\" Ayatollah Khamenei said.
The Leader reiterated that the Iranian nation has always supported the Islamic Revolution and said the Islamic establishment could not resist against enemies if the Iranians did not have a complete presence in all scenes and if there were a rift between the people and the country\\\\\\\'s officials.
The Leader pointed to the presence of 40 million Iranians in last year\\\\\\\'s presidential election, saying it vaccinated the Islamic Revolution against social and political microbes and increased the people\\\\\\\'s insight.
He emphasized that the country\\\\\\\'s enemies failed to create a rift between the Iranian nation and the officials of the Islamic establishment.
Ayatollah Khamenei pointed out that enemies were irked by the presence of 40 million people in the election, adding that all their efforts in this regard failed.
The Leader downplayed sanctions against the Islamic Republic over its nuclear energy program and said sanctions were aimed at exerting pressure on the nation to cause the separation of the people from the Islamic establishment.
\\\\\\\"By God\\\\\\\'s grace, sanctions will have no impact on the Iranian nation,\\\\\\\" he said. \\\\\\\"Today, Iranians are moving towards a bright future with more progress and will thwart enemies\\\\\\\' plots.\\\\\\\"
The Leader said enemies are following up two main issues which include Islam without clergymen and Islam without politics and added enemies know that clerics play an effective role in the lives of people.
He further added that the country\\\\\\\'s enemies have raised doubts about religious values in an attempt to weaken the pillars of people\\\\\\\'s faith and continued, \\\\\\\"Enemies intend to disappoint people with the country\\\\\\\'s officials and sow the seed of pessimism.\\\\\\\"
Ayatollah Khamenei criticized those who are spreading rumors about the Iranian government and its achievements, saying, \\\\\\\"Such moves are not in line with the interests of the country\\\\\\\'s future.\\\\\\\"
He further urged the Iranian nation to maintain national unity and strengthen its solidarity with the three branches of the state.
Article Source: http://www.presstv.ir/detail/147291.html
COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF Warns Enemies Against Military Threats - 10 Nov 2011 - Farsi sub English
In a graduation ceremony at Imam Ali (a.s.) Military Academy, Ayatollah Khamenei the Commander-in-Chief of the Iranian Armed Forces said that the Armed Forces are the first line of national...
In a graduation ceremony at Imam Ali (a.s.) Military Academy, Ayatollah Khamenei the Commander-in-Chief of the Iranian Armed Forces said that the Armed Forces are the first line of national defense and stressed that America and the Zionist regime should know that the Iranian nation will not attack other countries. He added that the Iranian nation will not tolerate the threats of the material powers and that any kind of invasion and threat will be met with a crushing response from the Iranian nation.
Ayatollah Khamenei reiterated: \\\\\\\"Anybody who cherishes the thought of attacking the Islamic Republic of Iran should be prepared to receive strong slaps and powerful punches from the Iranian nation, the Revolutionary Guards, the Army and Basij.\\\\\\\"
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution called on the Iranian nation, especially the Armed Forces, to continue the path of national dignity and international glory, further stressing: \\\\\\\"The most important kind of deterrence is the strong structure of the Islamic Republic, our national unity and the closeness of the hearts of the Iranian people to each other. Everybody is responsible to preserve and strengthen this strong structure of the Islamic Republic.\\\\\\\"
His Eminence said that the Armed Forces are a source of pride for the Iranian nation and added: \\\\\\\"A nation that can prove its preparedness for resistance and whole-hearted defense - in order to safeguard its independence, identity, ideals and existence - will always be honored.\\\\\\\"
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution reiterated: \\\\\\\"In a world in which the relations between nations and countries are still determined on the basis of the power of bayonets and weapons and in a world in which the bullying powers are trying to take control of the destiny of other nations with iron fists, only a nation that proves its preparedness for defense will be secure from harm.\\\\\\\"
Ayatollah Khamenei referred to the preparedness of the Iranian Armed Forces and added: \\\\\\\"The preparedness of the Armed Forces for defense, combined with their faith and piety, is a source of glory for the Iranian nation and it is necessary to preserve and strengthen this preparedness.\\\\\\\"
More...
Description:
In a graduation ceremony at Imam Ali (a.s.) Military Academy, Ayatollah Khamenei the Commander-in-Chief of the Iranian Armed Forces said that the Armed Forces are the first line of national defense and stressed that America and the Zionist regime should know that the Iranian nation will not attack other countries. He added that the Iranian nation will not tolerate the threats of the material powers and that any kind of invasion and threat will be met with a crushing response from the Iranian nation.
Ayatollah Khamenei reiterated: \\\\\\\"Anybody who cherishes the thought of attacking the Islamic Republic of Iran should be prepared to receive strong slaps and powerful punches from the Iranian nation, the Revolutionary Guards, the Army and Basij.\\\\\\\"
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution called on the Iranian nation, especially the Armed Forces, to continue the path of national dignity and international glory, further stressing: \\\\\\\"The most important kind of deterrence is the strong structure of the Islamic Republic, our national unity and the closeness of the hearts of the Iranian people to each other. Everybody is responsible to preserve and strengthen this strong structure of the Islamic Republic.\\\\\\\"
His Eminence said that the Armed Forces are a source of pride for the Iranian nation and added: \\\\\\\"A nation that can prove its preparedness for resistance and whole-hearted defense - in order to safeguard its independence, identity, ideals and existence - will always be honored.\\\\\\\"
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution reiterated: \\\\\\\"In a world in which the relations between nations and countries are still determined on the basis of the power of bayonets and weapons and in a world in which the bullying powers are trying to take control of the destiny of other nations with iron fists, only a nation that proves its preparedness for defense will be secure from harm.\\\\\\\"
Ayatollah Khamenei referred to the preparedness of the Iranian Armed Forces and added: \\\\\\\"The preparedness of the Armed Forces for defense, combined with their faith and piety, is a source of glory for the Iranian nation and it is necessary to preserve and strengthen this preparedness.\\\\\\\"
31:26
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دیدار جمعی از مداحان اهل بیت علیهمالسلام - Aytaullah Khamenei | 20 Apr 2014 - Farsi
Translated speech Link
http://english.khamenei.ir//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1897&Itemid=4
April 20 2014,
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
I...
Translated speech Link
http://english.khamenei.ir//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1897&Itemid=4
April 20 2014,
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
I congratulate all of you dear brothers - who are lyrical nightingales in the garden of love for the Holy Prophet\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s (s.w.a.) household (a.s.) - on the occasion of the auspicious birthday anniversary of Sayyidah Taherah Masoumeh (God\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s greetings be upon her) and the birthday anniversary of the great and glorious leader of the Revolution.
We thank God because this is one of His great blessings for us and it is a source of inspiration for our Islamic and Shia society. He repeatedly and constantly inspires our society with birthday anniversaries, biographies, and martyrdom eras. This should really be appreciated.
During the birthday anniversaries of the Commander of the Faithful (a.s.), Imam Hassan (a.s.), Imam Hussein (a.s.) and Fatima Zahra (s.a.), the memory of these shining stars and these guiding flags are revived in hearts. This is very valuable. And thank God it is many years that we have been holding this meeting in the shade of Fatemi enlightenment (God\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s purest greetings be upon her). It is many years that this meeting has been bestowing its blessings on us, on our working and living environments and on the environment of the country.
Man\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s limited mind cannot definitely evaluate and measure the characteristics of heavenly personalities like Fatima Zahra (God\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s greetings be upon her). People\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s minds do not have the capability to evaluate and measure these spiritual dimensions. However, we can make their behavior a model for ourselves. This was also pointed out in the poems that the friends in this meeting recited.
The spiritual positions of these personalities are one thing and the patterns of behavior which are in front of our eyes are quite another. This does not mean that we can emulate these personalities by displaying a second version of their patterns of behavior. This is not what it means. However, we can follow them at least.
The Commander of the Faithful (a.s.) said, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"I know that to adopt such a hard way of life is beyond you, but at least try to be pious. Help me and be my companion in virtue, diligence and simple living\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [Nahjul Balaghah, Letter 45]. After he describes his lifestyle - although he had a lofty position and had access to many resources, he lived a life of piety and abstinence - he says, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"You cannot behave like me, but you can help me\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\". With what? We can help him with piety, avoidance of sins, effort and diligence. These are our responsibilities.
They have illustrated the goals for us, both individual and personal goals, and social, political and general goals. In personal goals, our lofty ideal is reaching the peak of human dignity. Everyone has been promised that they can take this lofty and limitless flight. You youth are more capable than us. These are the personal goals.
And our great social goals are creating a pure Islamic life and Islamic society, one that allows individuals to move towards this goal. Such a society is well-developed, free, independent, highly moral, united, unanimous, pious and religious. These are the goals of Islamic society. The main social and political goal of Islam is creating a world which is an introduction to the afterlife and which helps individuals to achieve paradise easily. They have illustrated these goals for us.
What is the way to achieve these goals? How can we reach these goals? As Imam Ali (a.s.) said, we should help him to reach this goal - this is the Commander of the Faithful\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s (a.s.) command. This goal is what the Commander of the Faithful (a.s.) did in his entire life and during his efforts and jihad, which is creating such a world for all the people throughout history. How can we help him? We can help him with virtue, diligence and effort. Laziness is forbidden. Idleness is forbidden. Feeling tired is forbidden. Becoming desperate is forbidden. When this great movement is launched, you have gladdened the blessed heart of Fatima Zahra (God\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s greetings be upon her) and the Commander of the Faithful (a.s.) because they made all these efforts in order to reach this goal.
My dear ones, dear youth, this opportunity is available to the people of Iran today. In the past, it was not available and it was difficult. Today in the Islamic Republic, the opportunity to move forward in the right way and to lead a good, pious and pure life is available to all the people in society. This does not mean that the path of committing sins is closed. This is not the case because the path of sins is always open, but the path of living a good, pious and pure life in the shade of Islam is open as well.
Of course, living such a life has its own pleasures and difficulties. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"And thus did We make for every prophet an enemy, the shaitans from among men and jinn, some of them suggesting to others varnished falsehood to deceive them\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, 6: 112]. There have always been certain enemies against the camp of prophets. Who are these enemies? These enemies are the shaitans from among men and jinn. Against this seemingly long line of shaitans, there is the steel and strong line of believers. The people of Iran experienced this and it became clear that people can achieve victory over their enemies, as the people of Iran have thankfully moved forward until today.
We should make efforts. The lesson of the life of Siddiqat al-Taherah - Fatima Zahra (God\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s greetings be upon her) - is to make efforts, show diligence and lead a pure life, as that great personality was the manifestation of enlightenment and purity: she was \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"pure, clean, immaculate, virtuous, pious and moral\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [Kamel al-Ziarat, page 310]. The purity, cleanliness, piety and enlightenment of that great person are what have influenced our Islamic teachings throughout the history of Shiaism.
What is appropriate to be discussed in this meeting is related to the heavy responsibility that falls on the shoulders of today\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s society of panegyrists. This issue has priority over other issues. Dear brothers, the tradition of praising and eulogizing the Holy Prophet\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s (s.w.a.) household (a.s.) - which is a great honor - has fortunately become common and deep-rooted in our society. This tradition existed in the past as well, but it was limited in scope. However today, this banquet has spread and this arena has opened to everyone.
Today, thousands of people throughout the country are active in this arena by utilizing their artistic taste and benefitting from different methods of eloquence. Well, this is an opportunity and any opportunity is accompanied by a responsibility. When you cannot communicate with someone, your responsibility remains at a limited level, but when you can, your responsibility will naturally increase to the extent that your capability for communication allows.
When you can speak to the people and when you have the capability to address them with the art of poetry, singing and melody, this makes you responsible. All these opportunities and capacities are accompanied by a responsibility. You should be able to carry out this responsibility in an efficient way. If the society of panegyrists in the country can carry out its responsibility as befits its position, then a significant development will take place throughout the country.
I have repeatedly said that if you recite a poem in an artistic way and if the poem itself is meaningful and instructive, then this will exert more influence than the speech that we deliver for two, three hours. Sometimes, this is the case. Well, this is a very good opportunity. Notice what will happen if the thousands of panegyrists, eulogists and religious singers who address the people and who sing to them on different occasions observe the principles and requirements of this great task.
Our enemies are after destroying our beliefs, actions and paths with hundreds of weapons and discourses and with various kinds of measures. Primarily, they are doing this in the Islamic Republic and secondly, they are doing it in the world of Islam. Many of the people understand, see and know about the enemy\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s measures. There are different TV and radio channels and different electronic means of communication.
However, there are certain propaganda measures about which we have more information than the people. The masses of the people do not know what complex measures are being adopted in our country to make the minds of the people deviate from the right path, to divert their movement, to bring the world of Islam to its knees and to prevent Shia community and Shia teachings from becoming a model in the world of Islam. Such measures are being adopted.
We have unique and exclusive resources against this effort of the enemy. We can respond through the internet and through the methods that they themselves employ - of course, their work is much broader in scope - but we have certain means which are exclusive to us.
One of these means is you society of panegyrists. Your face-to-face communication and your utilization of art for conveying concepts to the audience in a comprehensive and wide-ranging way - that is to say, the issue is not about two, three, ten panegyrists, rather thousands of panegyrists are doing this throughout the country - is an exclusive means that we enjoy. It is a means that they do not have.
Minbars are one of these unique means. The same is true of mourning ceremonies. The same is true of religious heyats. If the content of our minbars, eulogies, heyats and nohas are appropriate, then no means can confront and oppose them. That is to say, this means is completely unique and exclusive. Notice that this is an opportunity. Therefore, it should not be wasted and missed.
What is worse than missing this opportunity is using it in a bad way. If our religious ceremonies and eulogies make the people lose their belief in the future, we have wasted this opportunity and we have not appreciated the value of this blessing. If the people leave our minbars and our eulogies while they have not gained any understanding about their conditions and their responsibilities, we have wasted this opportunity. If, God forbid, our meetings shatter unity, we have missed this opportunity. If the way we speak or the content of our speech helps the enemies succeed in their goals, we have turned this divine blessing into blasphemy and ungratefulness: \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"They have changed Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor for ungratefulness\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, 14: 28].
We should be careful about this. We have said many times that today\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s denominational discord among Muslims is a weapon and a trump card in the hands of our enemies. This is completely clear to those people who are well-informed about global developments. Such denominational discord is a sword in the hands of our enemies. Publicizing differences, expressing them in an outspoken way and speaking about issues which fuel fitna is one of the means which our enemy makes maximum use of.
Now if we act in a way that the enemy\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s goal is achieved, this is changing Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor for ungratefulness. In religious ceremonies, denominational discourse should not be highlighted. How many times should this be repeated? We have said this many times, but some people do not want to listen.
What do you do if you want to guide those people who do not believe in your denomination and your true beliefs? Do you begin to curse and speak ill of their sacred beliefs? This will make them completely drift away from you and it will destroy all hopes of guiding them. The way to guide them is not this. As you can see today, the world of Shia Islam is under attack. Those who had not heard the name of Shia and Sunni Islam - the leaders of arrogance - are constantly highlighting the name of Shia Islam in their propaganda. They constantly speak about Shia Iran, Shia groups in Iraq and other Shia countries. They constantly highlight the issue of Shia and Sunni.
Why do they do this? It is because they have found a good tool for provoking grudge among Muslims. Well, we are proud that we are Alavi Shias. We are proud that we have gained understanding about the position of Wilayat. Our magnanimous Imam (r.a.) carried the flag of the Commander of the Faithful\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s (a.s.) Wilayat and this became a means for the world of Islam - whether Shia or non-Shia Islam - to feel proud of Islam.
Now, should we do something to turn this feeling of pride and the interest of the world of Islam in Shia community and Shia honor into enmity, hostility and grudge? This is exactly what the enemy wants. We should not allow him to achieve his goal. This is a very important point. You should be careful about this. You should be careful more than other people. We should not do something to help the enemy succeed in his goal and sharpen his sword. Our great personalities, our ulama, our marja taqlids and the great personalities of the world of Islam have always advised us to be careful about this issue. So, this is a very fundamental point.
The second point is that you should take care not to do anything in religious environments and ceremonies which is beyond the principles of sharia. You should be careful about this. The environment of panegyric and religious singing is a pure and clean environment. We should not allow the impurities which have unfortunately been promoted in the world of art among decadent and immoral people to penetrate into the environment of Islamic and religious art. You should be careful about this. Such environments should be clean, pure, untainted and moral. The environment in which we want to convey Islamic teachings with the language of poetry should be such an environment.
Every word that we use in our poems as content and meaning should be instructive. We should try to do this and it does not matter what occasion it is. Sometimes, it is a mourning ceremony and sometimes, it is a eulogy. All of the words that we select can be instructive. In the last Muharram during the time of taghut - it was during the time of revolutionary enthusiasm and excitement and the Revolution became victorious immediately after this Muharram - religious heyats in different cities used to perform certain nohas, each of which enlightened and informed the people as strongly as a long and eloquent speech. Nohas should always be like this.
The task that noha performers carry out is a very remarkable and interesting task. The tradition of performing nohas and the kind of behavior which is witnessed in nohas are very important. These are exclusive to Shia community. That is to say, they are particular to us. Such religious ceremonies do not exist in other countries. This is one of our privileges and therefore, such ceremonies should have strong content.
If, by Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor, these things receive attention, the society of panegyrists will be one of the most influential pioneers of change in the intellectual and practical system of Iranian society. This can be achieved as in the present time, one can see that whenever a responsible and committed panegyrist recites a good poem in a proper way, this will exert influence over the audience and it will awaken and inform them.
It is not clear whether any charitable act can be as valuable as this task in improving society. There are few tasks on which one can place such a high value before Allah the Exalted. This is a very important task. Thankfully, you benefit from this blessing. You have a good voice and you have the capability to perform in a good and melodious way. If you accompany this with the characteristics that were referred to, it seems that a great task for furthering the goals of the Islamic government and the Islamic Republic will be carried out.
Fortunately today, we do not have a shortage of good poems. We have very good religious and ayini poets. These poets compose poems about different issues and their poems are good. Thankfully today, we benefited from some of these good poems. It was very good.
In the past, panegyrists had to memorize poems. Today, you broke this tradition. You made it easier by using a piece of paper. Well, good poems can be written and recited. Thankfully, this opportunity exists today. This is one of God\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s greatest blessings which is available to us today.
In my opinion, the society of panegyrists with its enormous capabilities is a divine blessing for our country and our people and the poets who compose poems and who prepare panegyrists for carrying out this responsibility are really accomplishing a great feat. I ask Allah the Exalted to bestow His blessings on all you dear ones - particularly you youth who have a wide arena of work ahead of you. I hope that all of you will be rewarded by the Imam of the Age (may our souls be sacrificed for his sake) and that you will receive his attention.
Greetings be upon you and Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s mercy and blessings
More...
Description:
Translated speech Link
http://english.khamenei.ir//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1897&Itemid=4
April 20 2014,
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
I congratulate all of you dear brothers - who are lyrical nightingales in the garden of love for the Holy Prophet\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s (s.w.a.) household (a.s.) - on the occasion of the auspicious birthday anniversary of Sayyidah Taherah Masoumeh (God\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s greetings be upon her) and the birthday anniversary of the great and glorious leader of the Revolution.
We thank God because this is one of His great blessings for us and it is a source of inspiration for our Islamic and Shia society. He repeatedly and constantly inspires our society with birthday anniversaries, biographies, and martyrdom eras. This should really be appreciated.
During the birthday anniversaries of the Commander of the Faithful (a.s.), Imam Hassan (a.s.), Imam Hussein (a.s.) and Fatima Zahra (s.a.), the memory of these shining stars and these guiding flags are revived in hearts. This is very valuable. And thank God it is many years that we have been holding this meeting in the shade of Fatemi enlightenment (God\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s purest greetings be upon her). It is many years that this meeting has been bestowing its blessings on us, on our working and living environments and on the environment of the country.
Man\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s limited mind cannot definitely evaluate and measure the characteristics of heavenly personalities like Fatima Zahra (God\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s greetings be upon her). People\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s minds do not have the capability to evaluate and measure these spiritual dimensions. However, we can make their behavior a model for ourselves. This was also pointed out in the poems that the friends in this meeting recited.
The spiritual positions of these personalities are one thing and the patterns of behavior which are in front of our eyes are quite another. This does not mean that we can emulate these personalities by displaying a second version of their patterns of behavior. This is not what it means. However, we can follow them at least.
The Commander of the Faithful (a.s.) said, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"I know that to adopt such a hard way of life is beyond you, but at least try to be pious. Help me and be my companion in virtue, diligence and simple living\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [Nahjul Balaghah, Letter 45]. After he describes his lifestyle - although he had a lofty position and had access to many resources, he lived a life of piety and abstinence - he says, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"You cannot behave like me, but you can help me\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\". With what? We can help him with piety, avoidance of sins, effort and diligence. These are our responsibilities.
They have illustrated the goals for us, both individual and personal goals, and social, political and general goals. In personal goals, our lofty ideal is reaching the peak of human dignity. Everyone has been promised that they can take this lofty and limitless flight. You youth are more capable than us. These are the personal goals.
And our great social goals are creating a pure Islamic life and Islamic society, one that allows individuals to move towards this goal. Such a society is well-developed, free, independent, highly moral, united, unanimous, pious and religious. These are the goals of Islamic society. The main social and political goal of Islam is creating a world which is an introduction to the afterlife and which helps individuals to achieve paradise easily. They have illustrated these goals for us.
What is the way to achieve these goals? How can we reach these goals? As Imam Ali (a.s.) said, we should help him to reach this goal - this is the Commander of the Faithful\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s (a.s.) command. This goal is what the Commander of the Faithful (a.s.) did in his entire life and during his efforts and jihad, which is creating such a world for all the people throughout history. How can we help him? We can help him with virtue, diligence and effort. Laziness is forbidden. Idleness is forbidden. Feeling tired is forbidden. Becoming desperate is forbidden. When this great movement is launched, you have gladdened the blessed heart of Fatima Zahra (God\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s greetings be upon her) and the Commander of the Faithful (a.s.) because they made all these efforts in order to reach this goal.
My dear ones, dear youth, this opportunity is available to the people of Iran today. In the past, it was not available and it was difficult. Today in the Islamic Republic, the opportunity to move forward in the right way and to lead a good, pious and pure life is available to all the people in society. This does not mean that the path of committing sins is closed. This is not the case because the path of sins is always open, but the path of living a good, pious and pure life in the shade of Islam is open as well.
Of course, living such a life has its own pleasures and difficulties. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"And thus did We make for every prophet an enemy, the shaitans from among men and jinn, some of them suggesting to others varnished falsehood to deceive them\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, 6: 112]. There have always been certain enemies against the camp of prophets. Who are these enemies? These enemies are the shaitans from among men and jinn. Against this seemingly long line of shaitans, there is the steel and strong line of believers. The people of Iran experienced this and it became clear that people can achieve victory over their enemies, as the people of Iran have thankfully moved forward until today.
We should make efforts. The lesson of the life of Siddiqat al-Taherah - Fatima Zahra (God\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s greetings be upon her) - is to make efforts, show diligence and lead a pure life, as that great personality was the manifestation of enlightenment and purity: she was \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"pure, clean, immaculate, virtuous, pious and moral\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [Kamel al-Ziarat, page 310]. The purity, cleanliness, piety and enlightenment of that great person are what have influenced our Islamic teachings throughout the history of Shiaism.
What is appropriate to be discussed in this meeting is related to the heavy responsibility that falls on the shoulders of today\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s society of panegyrists. This issue has priority over other issues. Dear brothers, the tradition of praising and eulogizing the Holy Prophet\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s (s.w.a.) household (a.s.) - which is a great honor - has fortunately become common and deep-rooted in our society. This tradition existed in the past as well, but it was limited in scope. However today, this banquet has spread and this arena has opened to everyone.
Today, thousands of people throughout the country are active in this arena by utilizing their artistic taste and benefitting from different methods of eloquence. Well, this is an opportunity and any opportunity is accompanied by a responsibility. When you cannot communicate with someone, your responsibility remains at a limited level, but when you can, your responsibility will naturally increase to the extent that your capability for communication allows.
When you can speak to the people and when you have the capability to address them with the art of poetry, singing and melody, this makes you responsible. All these opportunities and capacities are accompanied by a responsibility. You should be able to carry out this responsibility in an efficient way. If the society of panegyrists in the country can carry out its responsibility as befits its position, then a significant development will take place throughout the country.
I have repeatedly said that if you recite a poem in an artistic way and if the poem itself is meaningful and instructive, then this will exert more influence than the speech that we deliver for two, three hours. Sometimes, this is the case. Well, this is a very good opportunity. Notice what will happen if the thousands of panegyrists, eulogists and religious singers who address the people and who sing to them on different occasions observe the principles and requirements of this great task.
Our enemies are after destroying our beliefs, actions and paths with hundreds of weapons and discourses and with various kinds of measures. Primarily, they are doing this in the Islamic Republic and secondly, they are doing it in the world of Islam. Many of the people understand, see and know about the enemy\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s measures. There are different TV and radio channels and different electronic means of communication.
However, there are certain propaganda measures about which we have more information than the people. The masses of the people do not know what complex measures are being adopted in our country to make the minds of the people deviate from the right path, to divert their movement, to bring the world of Islam to its knees and to prevent Shia community and Shia teachings from becoming a model in the world of Islam. Such measures are being adopted.
We have unique and exclusive resources against this effort of the enemy. We can respond through the internet and through the methods that they themselves employ - of course, their work is much broader in scope - but we have certain means which are exclusive to us.
One of these means is you society of panegyrists. Your face-to-face communication and your utilization of art for conveying concepts to the audience in a comprehensive and wide-ranging way - that is to say, the issue is not about two, three, ten panegyrists, rather thousands of panegyrists are doing this throughout the country - is an exclusive means that we enjoy. It is a means that they do not have.
Minbars are one of these unique means. The same is true of mourning ceremonies. The same is true of religious heyats. If the content of our minbars, eulogies, heyats and nohas are appropriate, then no means can confront and oppose them. That is to say, this means is completely unique and exclusive. Notice that this is an opportunity. Therefore, it should not be wasted and missed.
What is worse than missing this opportunity is using it in a bad way. If our religious ceremonies and eulogies make the people lose their belief in the future, we have wasted this opportunity and we have not appreciated the value of this blessing. If the people leave our minbars and our eulogies while they have not gained any understanding about their conditions and their responsibilities, we have wasted this opportunity. If, God forbid, our meetings shatter unity, we have missed this opportunity. If the way we speak or the content of our speech helps the enemies succeed in their goals, we have turned this divine blessing into blasphemy and ungratefulness: \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"They have changed Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor for ungratefulness\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, 14: 28].
We should be careful about this. We have said many times that today\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s denominational discord among Muslims is a weapon and a trump card in the hands of our enemies. This is completely clear to those people who are well-informed about global developments. Such denominational discord is a sword in the hands of our enemies. Publicizing differences, expressing them in an outspoken way and speaking about issues which fuel fitna is one of the means which our enemy makes maximum use of.
Now if we act in a way that the enemy\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s goal is achieved, this is changing Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor for ungratefulness. In religious ceremonies, denominational discourse should not be highlighted. How many times should this be repeated? We have said this many times, but some people do not want to listen.
What do you do if you want to guide those people who do not believe in your denomination and your true beliefs? Do you begin to curse and speak ill of their sacred beliefs? This will make them completely drift away from you and it will destroy all hopes of guiding them. The way to guide them is not this. As you can see today, the world of Shia Islam is under attack. Those who had not heard the name of Shia and Sunni Islam - the leaders of arrogance - are constantly highlighting the name of Shia Islam in their propaganda. They constantly speak about Shia Iran, Shia groups in Iraq and other Shia countries. They constantly highlight the issue of Shia and Sunni.
Why do they do this? It is because they have found a good tool for provoking grudge among Muslims. Well, we are proud that we are Alavi Shias. We are proud that we have gained understanding about the position of Wilayat. Our magnanimous Imam (r.a.) carried the flag of the Commander of the Faithful\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s (a.s.) Wilayat and this became a means for the world of Islam - whether Shia or non-Shia Islam - to feel proud of Islam.
Now, should we do something to turn this feeling of pride and the interest of the world of Islam in Shia community and Shia honor into enmity, hostility and grudge? This is exactly what the enemy wants. We should not allow him to achieve his goal. This is a very important point. You should be careful about this. You should be careful more than other people. We should not do something to help the enemy succeed in his goal and sharpen his sword. Our great personalities, our ulama, our marja taqlids and the great personalities of the world of Islam have always advised us to be careful about this issue. So, this is a very fundamental point.
The second point is that you should take care not to do anything in religious environments and ceremonies which is beyond the principles of sharia. You should be careful about this. The environment of panegyric and religious singing is a pure and clean environment. We should not allow the impurities which have unfortunately been promoted in the world of art among decadent and immoral people to penetrate into the environment of Islamic and religious art. You should be careful about this. Such environments should be clean, pure, untainted and moral. The environment in which we want to convey Islamic teachings with the language of poetry should be such an environment.
Every word that we use in our poems as content and meaning should be instructive. We should try to do this and it does not matter what occasion it is. Sometimes, it is a mourning ceremony and sometimes, it is a eulogy. All of the words that we select can be instructive. In the last Muharram during the time of taghut - it was during the time of revolutionary enthusiasm and excitement and the Revolution became victorious immediately after this Muharram - religious heyats in different cities used to perform certain nohas, each of which enlightened and informed the people as strongly as a long and eloquent speech. Nohas should always be like this.
The task that noha performers carry out is a very remarkable and interesting task. The tradition of performing nohas and the kind of behavior which is witnessed in nohas are very important. These are exclusive to Shia community. That is to say, they are particular to us. Such religious ceremonies do not exist in other countries. This is one of our privileges and therefore, such ceremonies should have strong content.
If, by Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor, these things receive attention, the society of panegyrists will be one of the most influential pioneers of change in the intellectual and practical system of Iranian society. This can be achieved as in the present time, one can see that whenever a responsible and committed panegyrist recites a good poem in a proper way, this will exert influence over the audience and it will awaken and inform them.
It is not clear whether any charitable act can be as valuable as this task in improving society. There are few tasks on which one can place such a high value before Allah the Exalted. This is a very important task. Thankfully, you benefit from this blessing. You have a good voice and you have the capability to perform in a good and melodious way. If you accompany this with the characteristics that were referred to, it seems that a great task for furthering the goals of the Islamic government and the Islamic Republic will be carried out.
Fortunately today, we do not have a shortage of good poems. We have very good religious and ayini poets. These poets compose poems about different issues and their poems are good. Thankfully today, we benefited from some of these good poems. It was very good.
In the past, panegyrists had to memorize poems. Today, you broke this tradition. You made it easier by using a piece of paper. Well, good poems can be written and recited. Thankfully, this opportunity exists today. This is one of God\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s greatest blessings which is available to us today.
In my opinion, the society of panegyrists with its enormous capabilities is a divine blessing for our country and our people and the poets who compose poems and who prepare panegyrists for carrying out this responsibility are really accomplishing a great feat. I ask Allah the Exalted to bestow His blessings on all you dear ones - particularly you youth who have a wide arena of work ahead of you. I hope that all of you will be rewarded by the Imam of the Age (may our souls be sacrificed for his sake) and that you will receive his attention.
Greetings be upon you and Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s mercy and blessings
36:16
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Vali Amr Muslimeen Imam Khamenei meeting with Academic Women - Farsi
TEHRAN, May 12 2013 -- Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has said that the Islamic discourse on women should be strongly defended on the world stage.
The...
TEHRAN, May 12 2013 -- Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has said that the Islamic discourse on women should be strongly defended on the world stage.
The Leader made the remarks in Tehran on Saturday during a meeting with hundreds of female professors, seminary teachers, and intellectuals.
Ayatollah Khamenei said that a strong front should be established and more efforts should be made to introduce and defend the Islamic principles in regard to women on the world stage.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Why should we be in a passive position in the face of the Western discourse despite the fact that the Islamic discourse on women is perfect and compelling?\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"A passive stance should never be adopted toward the Western discourse on women, but the Islamic discourse should be forcefully introduced,\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" he stated.
Elsewhere in his remarks, the Leader said that active and competent women and female scholars, writers, and thinkers should play a more significant role in defending the Islamic Revolution.
Supreme Leader\\\'s Speech to Outstanding Women
11/05/2013
The following is the full text of the speech delivered on May 11, 2013 by Ayatollah Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, in a meeting with a group of outstanding women who are active in seminary and academic areas.
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
I sincerely thank the honorable ladies who organized this good and fruitful meeting. Today, I really benefited from the ladies\\\' statements and I thank God for the depth of issues, thoughts and efforts which can be seen in the speeches of outstanding women throughout our country. The issues which you discussed were mostly good. There were certain suggestions which, by Allah\\\'s favor, will be examined. By Allah\\\'s favor, I will follow up the part which is related to me.
There are many things to say about the issue of women and what is related to women. We suffer from a kind of backwardness in this regard which you ladies - the ones who delivered a speech - referred to. Backwardness in this area is not similar to backwardness in scientific areas, which we suffer from. When we say that we suffer from backwardness in this area, this means we have many outstanding points to make on the issue of women, the issue of gender and issues which are related to women - such as the issue of family, children, marriage, settling down, tranquility in the family environment and other such issues - but we have not managed to convey these points to the world and discuss them with the public opinion throughout the world. We mean backwardness from this point of view. This is while the world needs valuable, comprehensive and clear ideas and concepts in this regard. As a number of ladies pointed out, when we discuss these points in international arenas, they receive a good reception. Or as a number of ladies said, research findings in psychological and other areas confirm that Islamic rules are true on the issue of women.
Well, this is only part of the capabilities of Islamic philosophy on this sensitive issue. But we failed to define and show these capabilities in the right way. The same is true of many other areas which are related to reasoning and thinking. In many of these areas, we failed to truly convey the opinion of Islam to the world. When I say, \\\"We failed\\\", it should not be thought that the Islamic Republic is responsible for this due to the fact that what has been already done in this regard is because of the Islamic Republic, the name of the Revolution and Imam (r.a.), the influence of their ideas and other such things. Thankfully, these ideas were developed to some extent, but we should work more than this. In order to do this, we need certain things which I will speak about later on. In order to form a front which is ready to attack and which is immune from others\\\' attack and in order to take up an offensive position, we need to promote and convey these ideas and thoughts. We really need this.
In fact, our attack is launched for the sake of immunity and defense. Therefore, in my opinion, the more you work in order to make up for this backwardness, the more valuable it will be. It is necessary to do this. We should not hesitate and stop in treading the path of this movement which is an awakening movement related to the issues of women. We should not stop in the middle of the way. Despite the fact that we benefit from a perfect, valuable and convincing Islamic discourse, we have adopted a passive outlook in the face of the western discourse on the issue of women.
The western discourse on the issue of women has adopted a very calculated and political outlook. That is to say, the day when this idea and this discourse on women started to develop in the west, there was a careful calculation behind it. Of course, this is not based on fact and what I am saying is not based on precise information, but there are clear signs which support this interpretation. Since the beginning of Renaissance in the west and the emergence of industrialism and the development of new industries in the west, this discourse gradually achieved growth. And it reached its peak during our own times. Of course, this peak will be accompanied by decline and, by Allah\\\'s favor, disgrace and destruction.
The western discourse on the issue of women has different dimensions, but it has two distinct dimensions. One is that it wants to give women a masculine identity. That is to say, it wants to make women behave like men. This is an important dimension of this discourse. Another is that it wants to make women prepare the ground for men to indulge in pleasure, whether the pleasure of watching women or other kinds of pleasure which are beyond this. This is another dimension of the western discourse on the issue of women. The issue of feminism and other such things - which have become popular in the world today - are, in fact, the products of western discourse. These are the consequences of what western discourse has done.
They wanted to give women a masculine identity. That is to say, they were trying to make women do jobs which are more compatible with the physical and intellectual characteristics of men. They consider it as a source of honor and they would like to describe it as an advantage and a source of honor for women. We have adopted a passive outlook in the face of this. We have been deceived and we have unwillingly and unknowingly accepted this. As you see, today we are proud of having such and such a number of women in certain executive positions. What I am saying should not be misunderstood. I do not have any problems with the idea of giving women executive positions. That is to say, I do not forbid women from doing this and I do not deny this right. I do not think it is wrong. Our minister of health and vice presidents were female and women have positions in different sectors. In my opinion, there is nothing wrong with this. What is wrong is to be proud of this, to boast about this in the world and say, \\\"See, we have such and such a number of women in executive positions\\\". This is the same as being deceived and passive. This is not a source of honor.
Take the case of a lady who has certain qualifications, who has developed her capabilities and who is suitable for a specific position. She can be allowed to hold this position because it is not illegal, but if we are proud of having such and such a number of female officials in charge of executive affairs, this is wrong. If we feel proud of having a large number of intellectual and educated women, this is good and it is alright. If we say that we have a large number of women who are active in cultural and political areas, this is alright. If we say that we have a large number of mujahid women in different areas, who are ready to be martyred, this is good. If we say that we have a large number of women who are active in political and revolutionary arenas and who write and deliver speeches, this is good.
Being proud of these things is good, but being proud of having such and such a number of female ministers, MPs, deputies and managers in financial organizations, is wrong. This means adopting a passive outlook in the face of the enemies. Are we supposed to entrust women with masculine occupations? No, the position, identity and characteristics of women are very noble and respectable. This identity is, in certain ways, superior to men\\\'s identity. If we adopt a comprehensive outlook, we see that men and women have no differences. Certain privileges have been granted to women and certain other privileges have been granted to men and this is based on their natural characteristics which Allah the Exalted has bestowed on them. Allah the Exalted has given each gender certain characteristics. Each gender benefits from certain outstanding qualities. Therefore, they have no differences in terms of human qualities. They have no differences in terms of the privileges which Allah the Exalted has bestowed on humanity such as human rights, social rights, spiritual values and spiritual perfection. That is to say, a man can become Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s.) and a woman can become Fatima Zahra (s.a.). A man can become Jesus (a.s.) and a woman can become Mary (s.a.). They are not different from each other. Therefore, it is the right outlook to know women - the way they are, as true women and true females - by taking their gender into consideration and we should see what values can help a female individual or the female community achieve growth and transcendence. This outlook is the right outlook. We should not have adopted a passive outlook in the face of western outlook but, unfortunately, we did.
As for the second dimension of western discourse - in which women are made to prepare the ground for men to indulge in pleasure - it struck defenseless Islamic countries like a flood with the purpose of helping men to easily indulge in sexual pleasure. And this was done by the west. It also struck our country. By pleasure, I do not mean spiritual, psychological and scientific pleasure. Two people may sit and enjoy speaking to one another or increasing each other\\\'s knowledge. But this is not the case in western pleasure. Fortunately, the Revolution came and it prevented this to a great extent. This should be prevented because this is a big danger and a big disaster. The issue of hijab is one of the preconditions for this. The way we should dress and the way men and women should interact are among the preconditions for this issue. These things should be done so that this great disaster - for both men and women - can be prevented.
Of course, this moral corruption humiliates women, while they are not aware of it. Today, this issue is thoroughly discussed in the world. I know and I have read in a number of texts, newspapers and books that western intellectuals have started to feel fear and distress because of this condition. They are right, but they have understood this late. The issue of encouraging people to indulge in lust - which is centered around women - is not something of little importance. Today, you can see that the situation is getting worse in the world with issues such as homosexuality and marriages between two people with the same gender. These are great, deep and dangerous abysses for western civilization and for those who are managing this civilization. This is an unusual precipice and it will completely annihilate them. And they are just in the middle of the path of destruction.
In my opinion, they will not be able to prevent this because their problems are far beyond these things. A few years ago - around seven, eight, ten years ago - I read in foreign newspapers that the Americans are trying to make a movie based on the books of such and such a novelist who writes about the family. They want to do this so that they can draw filmmaking, cinema and other such things to these issues. Well, they have done and are doing certain things, but these efforts are like thin streams against a great flood which has struck them because of what they themselves did. And it will continue to strike them. Of course, we enjoy a kind of immunity from this event which is because of hijab and other such things. But we should not underestimate this issue and we should regard it as very important. As a number of ladies pointed out in their speeches - and they are working on these issues - the issue of sexual attraction and the danger it has for women, men, society and the family should be taken very seriously.
Well, I said that Islam speaks about women in the real sense of the word. As I pointed out, we should promote this discourse by taking up an offensive position. We should not at all take up a defensive position. A number of ladies said that those who are members of a so-called women\\\'s convention or organizations affiliated with the United Nations threaten to issue a resolution against us if we do such and such a thing. Well, who cares? They can issue resolutions. The Islamic discourse on the issue of women should be promoted by taking an offensive position and behaving in a determined way. If they say, \\\"Why do you not give women the freedom to appear without hijab?\\\" we should answer, \\\"Why do you give them this harmful and threatening freedom in such a way?\\\" What is being pursued in the west regarding the issue of immodesty and lack of hijab makes one distressed. One wonders what they want to do and where they want to go.
You may have more information in this regard but I also have a lot of information about what is being done on this issue. These things are done at different levels which range from higher levels to occupational levels, living conditions and other such things. In the Islamic discourse, respect towards women and the characteristics, dignity and delicacy of women should be highlighted. By delicacy, I do not only mean physical delicacy. As well as physical delicacy, I mean the delicacy of women\\\'s psychological and intellectual structure and also the delicacy of their responsibilities. It is only the delicate and gentle fingers of the mother which can separate the extremely thin nerve fibers of a child\\\'s nervous system from one another so that he will not have any emotional complexes or problems. Nobody else can do this. That is to say, nobody else except for a woman can do this. This is a feminine task. A number of tasks require such delicacy that one wonders how the divine will has bestowed such a great capability and such delicacy on women. I always say to my friends and relatives and to women that, contrary to the idea that has been established, women are the stronger gender. Women are stronger than men. Women can completely control and influence men with their wisdom and delicacy. We can see this in practice and we can prove it by reasoning. This is a reality.
Of course, there are a number of women who do not adopt wise measures and who, as a result, cannot do this. But if a woman is wise enough, she can tame a man. This is like the situation in which a person can bridle and ride on a wild lion. This does not mean that he is physically stronger than the lion. Rather, this means that he has managed to use his mental power. Women have this capability, but they should do this with delicacy and subtlety. When I say delicacy, I do not only mean physical delicacy. As well as physical delicacy, I mean delicacy in implementing thoughts and ideas, showing acumen and making decisions. These are capabilities which Allah the Exalted has bestowed on women. In my opinion, this should be the basis. This discourse should be improved and pursued.
The second point that I want to discuss is that, in my opinion, there are two issues regarding the current situation of women in our country which are more important than other issues. Or, let us say they are more crucial than other issues and they require more attention. One issue is the significance and the value of the home and the family. We should regard the home in which we live as important. One cannot imagine human beings without a home and without a place to live. Any human being needs a home and the family environment. The family is like the soul of the home. This should be regarded as important. This should be thought about in a careful way.
The second issue is that we should prevent women from being weakened and oppressed at different levels. We have women who are weak and deprived of many things. We also have women who are oppressed. This oppression should be prevented. It is necessary to pass important laws in this regard. There are essential behavioral rules which should be enforced. It is necessary to establish certain social conventions and customs so that women will not be oppressed in different areas such as - I have written them down - social, sexual, familial, cultural and intellectual areas. These kinds of oppression, which women may be faced with, range from individual and private issues - that is to say, sexual issues - to social issues, such as social interactions, and familial issues. I have written down certain points about familial issues.
Husbands, children, fathers and brothers should behave in a respectful way towards women. If women are regarded as respectable in the family environment, an important part of problems in our society will be solved. We should do something to encourage children to kiss their mother\\\'s hands. This is what Islam is after. We can see this behavior in deeply religious and moral families which have a close relationship with religious concepts. The children in a family should behave towards their mother in a respectful way. There is no contradiction between such a respectful behavior and the emotional and warm relationship between a mother and a child. There should be such respect and women should be respected in the family environment. This is the way to prevent oppression against women. Imagine that in a family and in a home, the man hurls all kinds of insults at his own wife, including behavioral and verbal insults and physical abuse. Unfortunately, there are certain places in our country in which there are still instances of physical abuse. This issue should not occur. Of course, this occurs many times in western countries. And this is not unexpected. Westerners, particularly European races, are wild. They have a neat appearance, they wear ties and they use perfume and other such things, but they still have the same wild nature and they still behave in the same wild way that they have always behaved throughout history. They easily kill people and they coldheartedly commit crimes. Therefore, it is not surprising if women are beaten in the home by the Europeans and by the Americans. But such a thing should not be even imagined in an Islamic environment although it unfortunately exists. Therefore, these are two fundamental issues. In my opinion, there is room for detailed planning in this regard.
Besides these two issues, there are other important issues such as the issue of marriage and liberating oneself from being single. Obstacles in the way of marriage should be removed. As the ladies in this meeting pointed out, certain things are being done in this regard and I really became happy to know that, thankfully, these issues are receiving attention. On the issue of hijab and social relationships, things should be carried out in a fundamental and serious way. You should pay attention to the issue of financial and legal support for oppressed women who are deprived of their rights. The lady from Razavi Khorasan province pointed out that the issue of courts of law - which was one of my worries - has been addressed by the legal system. I hope that this will be done in practice.
One of my anxieties and worries is that women may not be able to defend themselves in courts of law and such legal environments. They may not have the money to hire a competent lawyer, nor may they be able to defend themselves and their rights may be violated. This is one of the important issues. It should be followed up. The issue of women\\\'s employment, limitations for their employment, the kind of job that they should do and the way they should do it - that is to say, the delicacy and flexibility that I spoke about on the issue of women\\\'s employment - are things which should be addressed. However, the most crucial issues are the two issues that I discussed.
One of the issues which occupies my mind is that all the different activities which are done on the issue of women in our country - ranging from legal issues and issues related to Islamic jurisprudence to social, executive, emotional and all the other issues which are discussed about women - should be done in a systematic way. It should have a coherent structure.
Of course, a number of the reports which were presented to me or the points which were discussed in this meeting show that certain ideas have been developed in this regard. But, I believe that a comprehensive plan should be formulated in this regard. We should delineate the issues of women in a completely systemic way and we should give it a proper form. Moreover, there should be an outstanding and permanent center [for this matter] with competent personnel and with a long-term plan. I do not at all believe in short-term plans in this regard. After this, certain organizations and institutes should be formed to work for different parts of this prominent and permanent center. They should inform one another of what they are doing and there should be a suitable databank. Many things are being done by women in our country about which even ladies participating in this meeting may not be aware of. Well, thankfully, we have so many outstanding and knowledgeable women in different sections and with different outlooks. We should benefit from this large number of women.
Another point - I will make this the last point because it is noon and there is no time - is that active women in the camp of the Islamic Republic played an outstanding role immediately after the victory of the Islamic Revolution, during the early years after the Revolution and during the Sacred Defense Era. They showed their presence in an outstanding way. You should not let this outstanding presence of active women in the camp of the Revolution be undermined. Those who confront and oppose the Revolution try to benefit from competent women. The camp of the Revolution has far more competent, active and knowledgeable women who are authors, orators and scholars. It enjoys women who are ready to take action and who are interested in thinking, writing, delivering speeches and conveying their ideas and thoughts. They should not leave the arena of the Revolution and defending the Revolution. This is one point.
I will finish the last point by saying that the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) should play a completely fundamental role in promoting the things which I discussed and the issues which you raised. I believe and I recommend that the IRIB should definitely play a fundamental role in this regard. It can do this. In society, the IRIB can build the culture of respecting religious, active and mujahid women who wear hijab and who enjoy Islamic characteristics. Other people want the opposite to happen. Unfortunately, a number of the programs of the IRIB are in line with the goals of these people. The opposite should be done. That is to say, the IRIB should be completely at the service of this idea.
In any case, the conclusion that we can draw from all these things is that, thankfully, we have made certain achievements on the issue of women in the Islamic Republic, but these achievements do not meet the needs and the expectations of Islam and they are not compatible with the possibilities and resources that exist in Islam. We are backward in this regard. By Allah\\\'s favor, you ladies should make up for this backwardness in the best way possible.
I hope that Allah the Exalted will protect you and increase your achievements on a daily basis. And I hope that we can move towards what Islam wants in this regard on a daily basis.
Greetings be upon you and Allah\\\'s mercy and blessings
Source: http://english.khamenei.ir//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1784&Itemid=4
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TEHRAN, May 12 2013 -- Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has said that the Islamic discourse on women should be strongly defended on the world stage.
The Leader made the remarks in Tehran on Saturday during a meeting with hundreds of female professors, seminary teachers, and intellectuals.
Ayatollah Khamenei said that a strong front should be established and more efforts should be made to introduce and defend the Islamic principles in regard to women on the world stage.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Why should we be in a passive position in the face of the Western discourse despite the fact that the Islamic discourse on women is perfect and compelling?\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"A passive stance should never be adopted toward the Western discourse on women, but the Islamic discourse should be forcefully introduced,\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" he stated.
Elsewhere in his remarks, the Leader said that active and competent women and female scholars, writers, and thinkers should play a more significant role in defending the Islamic Revolution.
Supreme Leader\\\'s Speech to Outstanding Women
11/05/2013
The following is the full text of the speech delivered on May 11, 2013 by Ayatollah Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, in a meeting with a group of outstanding women who are active in seminary and academic areas.
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
I sincerely thank the honorable ladies who organized this good and fruitful meeting. Today, I really benefited from the ladies\\\' statements and I thank God for the depth of issues, thoughts and efforts which can be seen in the speeches of outstanding women throughout our country. The issues which you discussed were mostly good. There were certain suggestions which, by Allah\\\'s favor, will be examined. By Allah\\\'s favor, I will follow up the part which is related to me.
There are many things to say about the issue of women and what is related to women. We suffer from a kind of backwardness in this regard which you ladies - the ones who delivered a speech - referred to. Backwardness in this area is not similar to backwardness in scientific areas, which we suffer from. When we say that we suffer from backwardness in this area, this means we have many outstanding points to make on the issue of women, the issue of gender and issues which are related to women - such as the issue of family, children, marriage, settling down, tranquility in the family environment and other such issues - but we have not managed to convey these points to the world and discuss them with the public opinion throughout the world. We mean backwardness from this point of view. This is while the world needs valuable, comprehensive and clear ideas and concepts in this regard. As a number of ladies pointed out, when we discuss these points in international arenas, they receive a good reception. Or as a number of ladies said, research findings in psychological and other areas confirm that Islamic rules are true on the issue of women.
Well, this is only part of the capabilities of Islamic philosophy on this sensitive issue. But we failed to define and show these capabilities in the right way. The same is true of many other areas which are related to reasoning and thinking. In many of these areas, we failed to truly convey the opinion of Islam to the world. When I say, \\\"We failed\\\", it should not be thought that the Islamic Republic is responsible for this due to the fact that what has been already done in this regard is because of the Islamic Republic, the name of the Revolution and Imam (r.a.), the influence of their ideas and other such things. Thankfully, these ideas were developed to some extent, but we should work more than this. In order to do this, we need certain things which I will speak about later on. In order to form a front which is ready to attack and which is immune from others\\\' attack and in order to take up an offensive position, we need to promote and convey these ideas and thoughts. We really need this.
In fact, our attack is launched for the sake of immunity and defense. Therefore, in my opinion, the more you work in order to make up for this backwardness, the more valuable it will be. It is necessary to do this. We should not hesitate and stop in treading the path of this movement which is an awakening movement related to the issues of women. We should not stop in the middle of the way. Despite the fact that we benefit from a perfect, valuable and convincing Islamic discourse, we have adopted a passive outlook in the face of the western discourse on the issue of women.
The western discourse on the issue of women has adopted a very calculated and political outlook. That is to say, the day when this idea and this discourse on women started to develop in the west, there was a careful calculation behind it. Of course, this is not based on fact and what I am saying is not based on precise information, but there are clear signs which support this interpretation. Since the beginning of Renaissance in the west and the emergence of industrialism and the development of new industries in the west, this discourse gradually achieved growth. And it reached its peak during our own times. Of course, this peak will be accompanied by decline and, by Allah\\\'s favor, disgrace and destruction.
The western discourse on the issue of women has different dimensions, but it has two distinct dimensions. One is that it wants to give women a masculine identity. That is to say, it wants to make women behave like men. This is an important dimension of this discourse. Another is that it wants to make women prepare the ground for men to indulge in pleasure, whether the pleasure of watching women or other kinds of pleasure which are beyond this. This is another dimension of the western discourse on the issue of women. The issue of feminism and other such things - which have become popular in the world today - are, in fact, the products of western discourse. These are the consequences of what western discourse has done.
They wanted to give women a masculine identity. That is to say, they were trying to make women do jobs which are more compatible with the physical and intellectual characteristics of men. They consider it as a source of honor and they would like to describe it as an advantage and a source of honor for women. We have adopted a passive outlook in the face of this. We have been deceived and we have unwillingly and unknowingly accepted this. As you see, today we are proud of having such and such a number of women in certain executive positions. What I am saying should not be misunderstood. I do not have any problems with the idea of giving women executive positions. That is to say, I do not forbid women from doing this and I do not deny this right. I do not think it is wrong. Our minister of health and vice presidents were female and women have positions in different sectors. In my opinion, there is nothing wrong with this. What is wrong is to be proud of this, to boast about this in the world and say, \\\"See, we have such and such a number of women in executive positions\\\". This is the same as being deceived and passive. This is not a source of honor.
Take the case of a lady who has certain qualifications, who has developed her capabilities and who is suitable for a specific position. She can be allowed to hold this position because it is not illegal, but if we are proud of having such and such a number of female officials in charge of executive affairs, this is wrong. If we feel proud of having a large number of intellectual and educated women, this is good and it is alright. If we say that we have a large number of women who are active in cultural and political areas, this is alright. If we say that we have a large number of mujahid women in different areas, who are ready to be martyred, this is good. If we say that we have a large number of women who are active in political and revolutionary arenas and who write and deliver speeches, this is good.
Being proud of these things is good, but being proud of having such and such a number of female ministers, MPs, deputies and managers in financial organizations, is wrong. This means adopting a passive outlook in the face of the enemies. Are we supposed to entrust women with masculine occupations? No, the position, identity and characteristics of women are very noble and respectable. This identity is, in certain ways, superior to men\\\'s identity. If we adopt a comprehensive outlook, we see that men and women have no differences. Certain privileges have been granted to women and certain other privileges have been granted to men and this is based on their natural characteristics which Allah the Exalted has bestowed on them. Allah the Exalted has given each gender certain characteristics. Each gender benefits from certain outstanding qualities. Therefore, they have no differences in terms of human qualities. They have no differences in terms of the privileges which Allah the Exalted has bestowed on humanity such as human rights, social rights, spiritual values and spiritual perfection. That is to say, a man can become Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s.) and a woman can become Fatima Zahra (s.a.). A man can become Jesus (a.s.) and a woman can become Mary (s.a.). They are not different from each other. Therefore, it is the right outlook to know women - the way they are, as true women and true females - by taking their gender into consideration and we should see what values can help a female individual or the female community achieve growth and transcendence. This outlook is the right outlook. We should not have adopted a passive outlook in the face of western outlook but, unfortunately, we did.
As for the second dimension of western discourse - in which women are made to prepare the ground for men to indulge in pleasure - it struck defenseless Islamic countries like a flood with the purpose of helping men to easily indulge in sexual pleasure. And this was done by the west. It also struck our country. By pleasure, I do not mean spiritual, psychological and scientific pleasure. Two people may sit and enjoy speaking to one another or increasing each other\\\'s knowledge. But this is not the case in western pleasure. Fortunately, the Revolution came and it prevented this to a great extent. This should be prevented because this is a big danger and a big disaster. The issue of hijab is one of the preconditions for this. The way we should dress and the way men and women should interact are among the preconditions for this issue. These things should be done so that this great disaster - for both men and women - can be prevented.
Of course, this moral corruption humiliates women, while they are not aware of it. Today, this issue is thoroughly discussed in the world. I know and I have read in a number of texts, newspapers and books that western intellectuals have started to feel fear and distress because of this condition. They are right, but they have understood this late. The issue of encouraging people to indulge in lust - which is centered around women - is not something of little importance. Today, you can see that the situation is getting worse in the world with issues such as homosexuality and marriages between two people with the same gender. These are great, deep and dangerous abysses for western civilization and for those who are managing this civilization. This is an unusual precipice and it will completely annihilate them. And they are just in the middle of the path of destruction.
In my opinion, they will not be able to prevent this because their problems are far beyond these things. A few years ago - around seven, eight, ten years ago - I read in foreign newspapers that the Americans are trying to make a movie based on the books of such and such a novelist who writes about the family. They want to do this so that they can draw filmmaking, cinema and other such things to these issues. Well, they have done and are doing certain things, but these efforts are like thin streams against a great flood which has struck them because of what they themselves did. And it will continue to strike them. Of course, we enjoy a kind of immunity from this event which is because of hijab and other such things. But we should not underestimate this issue and we should regard it as very important. As a number of ladies pointed out in their speeches - and they are working on these issues - the issue of sexual attraction and the danger it has for women, men, society and the family should be taken very seriously.
Well, I said that Islam speaks about women in the real sense of the word. As I pointed out, we should promote this discourse by taking up an offensive position. We should not at all take up a defensive position. A number of ladies said that those who are members of a so-called women\\\'s convention or organizations affiliated with the United Nations threaten to issue a resolution against us if we do such and such a thing. Well, who cares? They can issue resolutions. The Islamic discourse on the issue of women should be promoted by taking an offensive position and behaving in a determined way. If they say, \\\"Why do you not give women the freedom to appear without hijab?\\\" we should answer, \\\"Why do you give them this harmful and threatening freedom in such a way?\\\" What is being pursued in the west regarding the issue of immodesty and lack of hijab makes one distressed. One wonders what they want to do and where they want to go.
You may have more information in this regard but I also have a lot of information about what is being done on this issue. These things are done at different levels which range from higher levels to occupational levels, living conditions and other such things. In the Islamic discourse, respect towards women and the characteristics, dignity and delicacy of women should be highlighted. By delicacy, I do not only mean physical delicacy. As well as physical delicacy, I mean the delicacy of women\\\'s psychological and intellectual structure and also the delicacy of their responsibilities. It is only the delicate and gentle fingers of the mother which can separate the extremely thin nerve fibers of a child\\\'s nervous system from one another so that he will not have any emotional complexes or problems. Nobody else can do this. That is to say, nobody else except for a woman can do this. This is a feminine task. A number of tasks require such delicacy that one wonders how the divine will has bestowed such a great capability and such delicacy on women. I always say to my friends and relatives and to women that, contrary to the idea that has been established, women are the stronger gender. Women are stronger than men. Women can completely control and influence men with their wisdom and delicacy. We can see this in practice and we can prove it by reasoning. This is a reality.
Of course, there are a number of women who do not adopt wise measures and who, as a result, cannot do this. But if a woman is wise enough, she can tame a man. This is like the situation in which a person can bridle and ride on a wild lion. This does not mean that he is physically stronger than the lion. Rather, this means that he has managed to use his mental power. Women have this capability, but they should do this with delicacy and subtlety. When I say delicacy, I do not only mean physical delicacy. As well as physical delicacy, I mean delicacy in implementing thoughts and ideas, showing acumen and making decisions. These are capabilities which Allah the Exalted has bestowed on women. In my opinion, this should be the basis. This discourse should be improved and pursued.
The second point that I want to discuss is that, in my opinion, there are two issues regarding the current situation of women in our country which are more important than other issues. Or, let us say they are more crucial than other issues and they require more attention. One issue is the significance and the value of the home and the family. We should regard the home in which we live as important. One cannot imagine human beings without a home and without a place to live. Any human being needs a home and the family environment. The family is like the soul of the home. This should be regarded as important. This should be thought about in a careful way.
The second issue is that we should prevent women from being weakened and oppressed at different levels. We have women who are weak and deprived of many things. We also have women who are oppressed. This oppression should be prevented. It is necessary to pass important laws in this regard. There are essential behavioral rules which should be enforced. It is necessary to establish certain social conventions and customs so that women will not be oppressed in different areas such as - I have written them down - social, sexual, familial, cultural and intellectual areas. These kinds of oppression, which women may be faced with, range from individual and private issues - that is to say, sexual issues - to social issues, such as social interactions, and familial issues. I have written down certain points about familial issues.
Husbands, children, fathers and brothers should behave in a respectful way towards women. If women are regarded as respectable in the family environment, an important part of problems in our society will be solved. We should do something to encourage children to kiss their mother\\\'s hands. This is what Islam is after. We can see this behavior in deeply religious and moral families which have a close relationship with religious concepts. The children in a family should behave towards their mother in a respectful way. There is no contradiction between such a respectful behavior and the emotional and warm relationship between a mother and a child. There should be such respect and women should be respected in the family environment. This is the way to prevent oppression against women. Imagine that in a family and in a home, the man hurls all kinds of insults at his own wife, including behavioral and verbal insults and physical abuse. Unfortunately, there are certain places in our country in which there are still instances of physical abuse. This issue should not occur. Of course, this occurs many times in western countries. And this is not unexpected. Westerners, particularly European races, are wild. They have a neat appearance, they wear ties and they use perfume and other such things, but they still have the same wild nature and they still behave in the same wild way that they have always behaved throughout history. They easily kill people and they coldheartedly commit crimes. Therefore, it is not surprising if women are beaten in the home by the Europeans and by the Americans. But such a thing should not be even imagined in an Islamic environment although it unfortunately exists. Therefore, these are two fundamental issues. In my opinion, there is room for detailed planning in this regard.
Besides these two issues, there are other important issues such as the issue of marriage and liberating oneself from being single. Obstacles in the way of marriage should be removed. As the ladies in this meeting pointed out, certain things are being done in this regard and I really became happy to know that, thankfully, these issues are receiving attention. On the issue of hijab and social relationships, things should be carried out in a fundamental and serious way. You should pay attention to the issue of financial and legal support for oppressed women who are deprived of their rights. The lady from Razavi Khorasan province pointed out that the issue of courts of law - which was one of my worries - has been addressed by the legal system. I hope that this will be done in practice.
One of my anxieties and worries is that women may not be able to defend themselves in courts of law and such legal environments. They may not have the money to hire a competent lawyer, nor may they be able to defend themselves and their rights may be violated. This is one of the important issues. It should be followed up. The issue of women\\\'s employment, limitations for their employment, the kind of job that they should do and the way they should do it - that is to say, the delicacy and flexibility that I spoke about on the issue of women\\\'s employment - are things which should be addressed. However, the most crucial issues are the two issues that I discussed.
One of the issues which occupies my mind is that all the different activities which are done on the issue of women in our country - ranging from legal issues and issues related to Islamic jurisprudence to social, executive, emotional and all the other issues which are discussed about women - should be done in a systematic way. It should have a coherent structure.
Of course, a number of the reports which were presented to me or the points which were discussed in this meeting show that certain ideas have been developed in this regard. But, I believe that a comprehensive plan should be formulated in this regard. We should delineate the issues of women in a completely systemic way and we should give it a proper form. Moreover, there should be an outstanding and permanent center [for this matter] with competent personnel and with a long-term plan. I do not at all believe in short-term plans in this regard. After this, certain organizations and institutes should be formed to work for different parts of this prominent and permanent center. They should inform one another of what they are doing and there should be a suitable databank. Many things are being done by women in our country about which even ladies participating in this meeting may not be aware of. Well, thankfully, we have so many outstanding and knowledgeable women in different sections and with different outlooks. We should benefit from this large number of women.
Another point - I will make this the last point because it is noon and there is no time - is that active women in the camp of the Islamic Republic played an outstanding role immediately after the victory of the Islamic Revolution, during the early years after the Revolution and during the Sacred Defense Era. They showed their presence in an outstanding way. You should not let this outstanding presence of active women in the camp of the Revolution be undermined. Those who confront and oppose the Revolution try to benefit from competent women. The camp of the Revolution has far more competent, active and knowledgeable women who are authors, orators and scholars. It enjoys women who are ready to take action and who are interested in thinking, writing, delivering speeches and conveying their ideas and thoughts. They should not leave the arena of the Revolution and defending the Revolution. This is one point.
I will finish the last point by saying that the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) should play a completely fundamental role in promoting the things which I discussed and the issues which you raised. I believe and I recommend that the IRIB should definitely play a fundamental role in this regard. It can do this. In society, the IRIB can build the culture of respecting religious, active and mujahid women who wear hijab and who enjoy Islamic characteristics. Other people want the opposite to happen. Unfortunately, a number of the programs of the IRIB are in line with the goals of these people. The opposite should be done. That is to say, the IRIB should be completely at the service of this idea.
In any case, the conclusion that we can draw from all these things is that, thankfully, we have made certain achievements on the issue of women in the Islamic Republic, but these achievements do not meet the needs and the expectations of Islam and they are not compatible with the possibilities and resources that exist in Islam. We are backward in this regard. By Allah\\\'s favor, you ladies should make up for this backwardness in the best way possible.
I hope that Allah the Exalted will protect you and increase your achievements on a daily basis. And I hope that we can move towards what Islam wants in this regard on a daily basis.
Greetings be upon you and Allah\\\'s mercy and blessings
Source: http://english.khamenei.ir//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1784&Itemid=4
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دیدار معلمان و فر ھنگیان سراسر کشور - Ayatollah Khamenei - 07th May 2014 - Farsi
Ayatollah Khamenei describes three main elements of the noble vocation of teaching 07th May 2014
Translation of speeech
souce: english.khamenei.ir
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the...
Ayatollah Khamenei describes three main elements of the noble vocation of teaching 07th May 2014
Translation of speeech
souce: english.khamenei.ir
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
I would like to welcome you dear teachers and managers of the educational system, who imbued our working environment and our life with your warm and friendly presence.
First of all, it is the month of Rajab which is an opportunity to serve God. Our entire life can be an opportunity for serving God in a proper way and true happiness lies in this. Some occasions increase our opportunities and the month of Rajab is one of these opportunities. We should prepare ourselves in this month. We should pray for one another so that Allah the Exalted helps us prepare ourselves in this month and in the month of Sha\\\\\\\'ban and Ramadan and so that He helps us take one step forward and achieve transcendence.
Reviving the memory of a number of martyrs is one of the opportunities of this meeting and this day as well. Primarily, I would like to revive the memory of our dear martyr, Shahid Ayatollah Motahhari, who was our great thinker, our teacher and a mujahid on the path of Islamic thought and belief. With his martyrdom, he achieved the blessing to obtain the approval of Allah the Exalted for his long jihad. Good for him!
I would also like to revive the memory of Shahid Rajai and Shahid Bahonar who spent their lives in the educational system. They were two mujahid, pious and sincere individuals who were at the service of the educational system. We witnessed up close the efforts of these two dear personalities in these areas for many years and for a short time after the Revolution.
Our annual meeting with teachers has a major goal and several minor goals. The major goal is expressing respect for teachers. With this meeting, we want to show our respect to the position of teachers. This symbolic move is necessary. Respecting teachers and teaching should become a widespread practice in our society. Everyone should feel proud of being a teacher. Everyone should be proud of greeting and respecting teachers. The higher the position of teachers is, the higher the position of education will be in our society.
Adopting a narrow-minded outlook towards teachers is a loss for society. This should be prevented. The outlook towards teachers should be a respectful one. There are many different professions in the country which are seemingly very prestigious, but the position of all of these professions is much lower than the position and the profession of teaching. All of us should know and understand this.
The Holy Prophet (s.w.a.) is quoted as saying, \\\\\\\"I was sent as a teacher\\\\\\\" [Usul al-Kafi, Volume 2, page 95]. The fact that the Holy Prophet (s.w.a.) considered himself to be a teacher is the greatest honor. Of course, teaching exists at different levels, but the truth of teaching is only one thing. This is a source of honor. This is our issue. With this meeting, we want to show that we hold teachers in great respect and that we are indebted to them because of what they did for ourselves and because of what they do for our children and for those whose future is important to us. This feeling is shared by all the people. All of us are indebted to teachers. This is our main issue.
There are some minor issues as well. One issue is addressed to teachers themselves. Another issue is addressed to the managers and officials of the large educational system. What is related to teachers is that the dear teachers should know their job is not only teaching. In other words, their job is not only to teach the textbooks that are available to them. Teachers should promote knowledge, teach the way to think and strengthen morality in themselves. If we consider teaching to have a broad meaning, it will include these three tasks:
The first task is promoting knowledge and teaching the textbooks that our children - the future men and women of the country - should learn. This is one task.
The second task, which is more important, is teaching how to think. Our children should learn how to think in a proper and reasonable way. They should be properly guided about how to think. Shallow outlooks and shallow learning of the issues of life cripple a society. In the long run, it destroys a people. Thinking should be firmly established in society.
This is why when we mention someone like Shahid Motahhari, we do not only speak about his knowledge. We speak about his thinking as well. If someone knows how to think, this spirit will help them to discover the important issues of knowledge. If our youth, our scholars and our scientists are thinkers, they will use the knowledge that they have to pose tens and hundreds of new questions and to get answers for these questions. So, using knowledge is only possible with thinking.
The third task is behavioral and moral education and what the honorable minister referred to in his statements: lifestyle and behavior. We are a people with lofty ideals, with great slogans and with clear and definite peaks that we want to reach - if there is time, I will briefly address this issue later on. This requires patient, wise, religious, innovative, kind, compassionate, courageous, polite and pious individuals who are ready to take action, who avoid laziness and who consider others\\\\\\\' pains to be their own pains.
The mold and make-up of a person that Islam wants to build is shaped through education. All people can be educated. Some people may learn late and some may learn sooner than others. Some learn more efficiently and some learn less efficiently than others. But all individuals are subject to change and this change takes place with education. Primarily, this falls on the shoulders of certain main elements one of which is a teacher. Of course, parents, friends and other such people are influential as well, but the influence that a teacher exerts is deeper and more permanent. This is a task that teachers should carry out.
Therefore, teachers teach how to acquire knowledge, how to think and how to be moral. Learning morality is not like acquiring knowledge. That is to say, one cannot be moral by reading books. Morality cannot be taught with books. Behavior is more influential than books and words. You teach with your behavior in your classrooms and among your students. Of course, you teach with words as well. You should provide verbal advice, but behavior has a deeper and more comprehensive influence. It is one\\\\\\\'s behavior which makes it clear whether one\\\\\\\'s words are sincere or not. This is what we wanted to say to teachers.
The society of teachers has been entrusted with the responsibility of taking care of children. We should pay attention to this issue. If, by Allah\\\\\\\'s favor, our teachers decide to build children and teenagers with this method - that is to say, by paying attention to these three elements - then I believe that this will exert great influence on the future of society.
Of course, after the Revolution, certain good measures were adopted in this regard. The society of teachers exerted great influence with their commitment and by showing their presence in the revolutionary environment - whether during the Sacred Defense Era or afterwards. I sometimes read the books which are about teachers. A teacher who took part in the front lines of the Sacred Defense and who was martyred exerted great influence on the minds of his students. One can see this.
One issue about the educational system and its management is the issue of the transformation plan. The transformation plan - which has thankfully been prepared and established - was not something that was created all of a sudden. This plan was one of our desires from the beginning of the Revolution. Because the educational system in our country was created by imitating western educational systems with the same form, content and order, there was a need for a fundamental change in the educational system of the country, whether in terms of form or in terms of content.
Well, many people shared this thought for many years. Then, it was developed gradually and it led to the transformation plan. I am not saying that this transformation plan is the peak of our desires. This is not the case. For everything, there is a higher form. It is possible that by Allah\\\\\\\'s favor, you take action, move forward and gain experience in a way that you can add something to what is available to you today.
However, this transformation plan is what is available to us in the present time and therefore, it should be taken seriously. My advice to the honorable officials and managers of the educational system is that we should take the transformation plan seriously. And this seriousness should be beyond formal statements. It should be shown in practice.
Well, as the friends in this meeting quoted what I had said before, if we want this transformation plan to be implemented, we need a roadmap and a plan. If our thoughts and the general ideas that officials and sympathetic personalities have in mind do not take the form of a practical plan, then it will remain a mere idea and it will decay. Therefore, it requires a practical plan.
You should prepare and implement this practical plan in collaboration with the Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution - which is a great cultural center and a reference point for making decisions and in which officials are present. You should feel that this step has been taken. Then, you should go to the next step. Of course, some tasks should be carried out simultaneously and in line with one another.
An issue for the management of the educational system is the issue of manpower. As was pointed out in this meeting, the educational system is the greatest decision-making organization in the Islamic Republic. More than one million officials exist in this great system. These officials are directly involved with more than 12 million people and they are indirectly involved with tens of millions of people - that is to say, families. Such a great network is very important.
The forces that should be employed in this great network should have certain characteristics. One of these characteristics is that they should be motivated and enthusiastic. You should not give priority to tired, old and unimaginative forces - those who tried whatever they knew and who do not have new methods anymore. The priority should be given to young, enthusiastic, motivated, pious and revolutionary forces and to those for whom the main goal is what the main issue of the educational system is - which is building individuals.
You should benefit from these forces. This is one issue. Therefore, in my opinion, the first issue about the macro-management of the educational system is that they should see what forces they are using. They should benefit from religious, revolutionary, enthusiastic and zealous forces who love their job and who are ready to enter difficult arenas for the sake of the goals of the educational system. This is the most important task.
The second issue is the issue of support. All governmental organizations are responsible for supporting the educational system, whether the organizations which are in charge of the budget or the organizations which are formed on the basis of the laws that the Majlis passes. The outlook of all these organizations should be such an outlook. They should not think that the educational system is only a consumer. Sometimes, there is such an outlook. Some people say that the educational system is only a consumer. But this is not the case. The more you spend money on it, the more results you will achieve. The educational system is such a system.
This is an organization which creates the future generators of wealth, knowledge and civilization and the future managers of the country. It is not the case that we think the educational system is a costly organization. There is no achievement which is greater than the one the educational system makes. Whatever achievement and innovation you see throughout the country is rooted in the educational system. You should improve this organization so that everything will be improved. Therefore, spending money on the educational system and expanding the financial resources of this organization is one of the tasks that we hope government officials pay attention to.
Another issue is that - as I mentioned in the middle of my speech - the managers that we choose should be managers whose focus is on the main issue of the educational system. Adopting partisan, political and other such outlooks is poison for the educational system. Over the course of these long years, we have witnessed certain eras during which there was more attention to such issues. As a result of this, the educational system suffered a loss. You should be careful about this. You should adopt such an outlook towards the different issues of the educational system that for each manager in each sector of this large and vast organization, the main issue is the issue of education and building revolutionary forces.
Dear brothers and sisters, the reason why we stress the issue of building revolutionary and religious forces is that we have a long way ahead of us. Our people have a long way ahead of them. The goal that we have in mind for the Islamic Republic - which is based on the general guidelines of the Revolution - is a very lofty goal. When I say \\\\\\\"we\\\\\\\", I do not mean this humble person. Rather, I mean the people of Iran, officials and the owners of the Revolution. This goal is creating an exemplary society. You want to build a society in dear Iran - which has been located in a very sensitive geographical area in the world - which is a model in the shade of Islam and under the flag of the Holy Quran. This model is both in material areas and in spiritual and moral areas.
Westerners made a leap in material areas. They made a leap in a certain era, but this leap was separated from and opposed to the moral movement. It was a hundred percent materialistic leap. In the beginning, no one understood what had happened, but now they are beginning to understand. They are gradually feeling the irreversible damage of what they did. No one should think that a purely materialistic and secular civilization can help its people achieve happiness. This is not the case. The people in this civilization will face a great disaster.
In the present time, they are witnessing this disaster. This disaster is not because of the demonstrations which are held in European streets. For the west, this disaster is much deeper than this. Primarily, what humanity needs is psychological, moral and conscience-based security. Primarily, what it needs is the satisfaction of its conscience. Such satisfaction does not exist in western environments and it will get even worse.
If you are familiar with western writers, critics and thinkers, you will see that it is several years now that they have been raising their voices. These people are showing some aspects of increasing corruption in their societies. A materialistic lifestyle is like this. Although they have moved forward in the area of science, technological achievements and the like and although they have accomplished great feats in this regard, they have collapsed in the area of morality and they will continue to collapse because of this.
The society that Islam wants to build is a society that is at an advanced level in terms of wealth, knowledge and welfare. But it also wants this society to be at this level or even at a higher level in terms of morality and spirituality. This is an Islamic society. You want to build this society. So, you have a long way ahead of you. But it is possible. No one should say that it is not. Many things were considered to be impossible, but they happened.
When a people show determination, they can accomplish great and historical feats. Our societies have shown that they can be great, that they can blossom and that they can grow and exert influence. Man is an endless and infinite creature. Knowledge has made so much progress, but the main parts of man\\\\\\\'s brain are still unknown. This is what the scientists who work on this say. This physical aspect of man is unknown, let alone his spiritual, psychological and inner aspect. Man has many capabilities. We can carry out many tasks. An individual can simultaneously achieve great material and spiritual growth.
Well, we want to reach these goals. Reaching these goals requires manpower more than anything else. What is more important than the path is the person who takes this path. If there is not such a person, then even a well-paved road is useless. But if there is a determined person, then lack of a well-paved road will not be problematic. You have seen that mountaineers climb so high while there is no road. But they have feet and determination. So, it is possible to move forward and to reach peaks. It is possible to know and utilize unknown talents. It is possible to solve problems in a constant way.
All of these things require human resources. These human resources should be created in the educational system. Universities are important in this regard. The same is true of society and the IRIB. But none of these is as important as primary school. The teachers and managers of this great organization have such a responsibility. Therefore, we stress that they should be religious and revolutionary.
It is with this religious and revolutionary spirit that we can take this path. Even if there is a hard obstacle ahead of us, we can move forward. Even if there are certain hurdles, we can jump over them provided that this revolutionary spirit, this piety and this commitment to religious and revolutionary steadfastness exist. This is one point.
Another issue is the issue of textbooks. We should be very careful about textbooks. They should be well-developed. If they are poor in content, this is harmful. Not only is it not beneficial, but it is also harmful. If they contain deviant statements - whether political, religious or factual deviation - this is harmful. Those who are responsible for this should carry out their responsibility with complete trustworthiness and precision.
Another issue is the issue of the teachers\\\\\\\' training university. On my way to this meeting, I spoke with the honorable minister about this issue. This university is different from ordinary universities. As well as the advantages that other universities have, this university has the advantage of producing teachers. This has certain requirements. Great significance should be attached to this university.
Another issue is the issue of moral education and the deputy of moral education. This issue was neglected. This deputy was closed at one point. Later on, they opened and closed it again and again. The deputy of moral education is an organization in charge of attending to the issue of moral education - spiritual, revolutionary, behavioral and moral aspects of education. This deputy is important both at a ministerial level and at lower levels.
I hope that Allah the Exalted bestows His blessings and mercy on all of you. I hope that, God willing, the immaculate soul of our dear Imam (r.a.) - who opened this path for us - is pleased with you. I hope that the pure souls of our dear martyrs - particularly those martyrs who were teachers and students - benefit from divine blessings.
Greetings be upon you and Allah\\\\\\\'s mercy and blessings
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Description:
Ayatollah Khamenei describes three main elements of the noble vocation of teaching 07th May 2014
Translation of speeech
souce: english.khamenei.ir
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
I would like to welcome you dear teachers and managers of the educational system, who imbued our working environment and our life with your warm and friendly presence.
First of all, it is the month of Rajab which is an opportunity to serve God. Our entire life can be an opportunity for serving God in a proper way and true happiness lies in this. Some occasions increase our opportunities and the month of Rajab is one of these opportunities. We should prepare ourselves in this month. We should pray for one another so that Allah the Exalted helps us prepare ourselves in this month and in the month of Sha\\\\\\\'ban and Ramadan and so that He helps us take one step forward and achieve transcendence.
Reviving the memory of a number of martyrs is one of the opportunities of this meeting and this day as well. Primarily, I would like to revive the memory of our dear martyr, Shahid Ayatollah Motahhari, who was our great thinker, our teacher and a mujahid on the path of Islamic thought and belief. With his martyrdom, he achieved the blessing to obtain the approval of Allah the Exalted for his long jihad. Good for him!
I would also like to revive the memory of Shahid Rajai and Shahid Bahonar who spent their lives in the educational system. They were two mujahid, pious and sincere individuals who were at the service of the educational system. We witnessed up close the efforts of these two dear personalities in these areas for many years and for a short time after the Revolution.
Our annual meeting with teachers has a major goal and several minor goals. The major goal is expressing respect for teachers. With this meeting, we want to show our respect to the position of teachers. This symbolic move is necessary. Respecting teachers and teaching should become a widespread practice in our society. Everyone should feel proud of being a teacher. Everyone should be proud of greeting and respecting teachers. The higher the position of teachers is, the higher the position of education will be in our society.
Adopting a narrow-minded outlook towards teachers is a loss for society. This should be prevented. The outlook towards teachers should be a respectful one. There are many different professions in the country which are seemingly very prestigious, but the position of all of these professions is much lower than the position and the profession of teaching. All of us should know and understand this.
The Holy Prophet (s.w.a.) is quoted as saying, \\\\\\\"I was sent as a teacher\\\\\\\" [Usul al-Kafi, Volume 2, page 95]. The fact that the Holy Prophet (s.w.a.) considered himself to be a teacher is the greatest honor. Of course, teaching exists at different levels, but the truth of teaching is only one thing. This is a source of honor. This is our issue. With this meeting, we want to show that we hold teachers in great respect and that we are indebted to them because of what they did for ourselves and because of what they do for our children and for those whose future is important to us. This feeling is shared by all the people. All of us are indebted to teachers. This is our main issue.
There are some minor issues as well. One issue is addressed to teachers themselves. Another issue is addressed to the managers and officials of the large educational system. What is related to teachers is that the dear teachers should know their job is not only teaching. In other words, their job is not only to teach the textbooks that are available to them. Teachers should promote knowledge, teach the way to think and strengthen morality in themselves. If we consider teaching to have a broad meaning, it will include these three tasks:
The first task is promoting knowledge and teaching the textbooks that our children - the future men and women of the country - should learn. This is one task.
The second task, which is more important, is teaching how to think. Our children should learn how to think in a proper and reasonable way. They should be properly guided about how to think. Shallow outlooks and shallow learning of the issues of life cripple a society. In the long run, it destroys a people. Thinking should be firmly established in society.
This is why when we mention someone like Shahid Motahhari, we do not only speak about his knowledge. We speak about his thinking as well. If someone knows how to think, this spirit will help them to discover the important issues of knowledge. If our youth, our scholars and our scientists are thinkers, they will use the knowledge that they have to pose tens and hundreds of new questions and to get answers for these questions. So, using knowledge is only possible with thinking.
The third task is behavioral and moral education and what the honorable minister referred to in his statements: lifestyle and behavior. We are a people with lofty ideals, with great slogans and with clear and definite peaks that we want to reach - if there is time, I will briefly address this issue later on. This requires patient, wise, religious, innovative, kind, compassionate, courageous, polite and pious individuals who are ready to take action, who avoid laziness and who consider others\\\\\\\' pains to be their own pains.
The mold and make-up of a person that Islam wants to build is shaped through education. All people can be educated. Some people may learn late and some may learn sooner than others. Some learn more efficiently and some learn less efficiently than others. But all individuals are subject to change and this change takes place with education. Primarily, this falls on the shoulders of certain main elements one of which is a teacher. Of course, parents, friends and other such people are influential as well, but the influence that a teacher exerts is deeper and more permanent. This is a task that teachers should carry out.
Therefore, teachers teach how to acquire knowledge, how to think and how to be moral. Learning morality is not like acquiring knowledge. That is to say, one cannot be moral by reading books. Morality cannot be taught with books. Behavior is more influential than books and words. You teach with your behavior in your classrooms and among your students. Of course, you teach with words as well. You should provide verbal advice, but behavior has a deeper and more comprehensive influence. It is one\\\\\\\'s behavior which makes it clear whether one\\\\\\\'s words are sincere or not. This is what we wanted to say to teachers.
The society of teachers has been entrusted with the responsibility of taking care of children. We should pay attention to this issue. If, by Allah\\\\\\\'s favor, our teachers decide to build children and teenagers with this method - that is to say, by paying attention to these three elements - then I believe that this will exert great influence on the future of society.
Of course, after the Revolution, certain good measures were adopted in this regard. The society of teachers exerted great influence with their commitment and by showing their presence in the revolutionary environment - whether during the Sacred Defense Era or afterwards. I sometimes read the books which are about teachers. A teacher who took part in the front lines of the Sacred Defense and who was martyred exerted great influence on the minds of his students. One can see this.
One issue about the educational system and its management is the issue of the transformation plan. The transformation plan - which has thankfully been prepared and established - was not something that was created all of a sudden. This plan was one of our desires from the beginning of the Revolution. Because the educational system in our country was created by imitating western educational systems with the same form, content and order, there was a need for a fundamental change in the educational system of the country, whether in terms of form or in terms of content.
Well, many people shared this thought for many years. Then, it was developed gradually and it led to the transformation plan. I am not saying that this transformation plan is the peak of our desires. This is not the case. For everything, there is a higher form. It is possible that by Allah\\\\\\\'s favor, you take action, move forward and gain experience in a way that you can add something to what is available to you today.
However, this transformation plan is what is available to us in the present time and therefore, it should be taken seriously. My advice to the honorable officials and managers of the educational system is that we should take the transformation plan seriously. And this seriousness should be beyond formal statements. It should be shown in practice.
Well, as the friends in this meeting quoted what I had said before, if we want this transformation plan to be implemented, we need a roadmap and a plan. If our thoughts and the general ideas that officials and sympathetic personalities have in mind do not take the form of a practical plan, then it will remain a mere idea and it will decay. Therefore, it requires a practical plan.
You should prepare and implement this practical plan in collaboration with the Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution - which is a great cultural center and a reference point for making decisions and in which officials are present. You should feel that this step has been taken. Then, you should go to the next step. Of course, some tasks should be carried out simultaneously and in line with one another.
An issue for the management of the educational system is the issue of manpower. As was pointed out in this meeting, the educational system is the greatest decision-making organization in the Islamic Republic. More than one million officials exist in this great system. These officials are directly involved with more than 12 million people and they are indirectly involved with tens of millions of people - that is to say, families. Such a great network is very important.
The forces that should be employed in this great network should have certain characteristics. One of these characteristics is that they should be motivated and enthusiastic. You should not give priority to tired, old and unimaginative forces - those who tried whatever they knew and who do not have new methods anymore. The priority should be given to young, enthusiastic, motivated, pious and revolutionary forces and to those for whom the main goal is what the main issue of the educational system is - which is building individuals.
You should benefit from these forces. This is one issue. Therefore, in my opinion, the first issue about the macro-management of the educational system is that they should see what forces they are using. They should benefit from religious, revolutionary, enthusiastic and zealous forces who love their job and who are ready to enter difficult arenas for the sake of the goals of the educational system. This is the most important task.
The second issue is the issue of support. All governmental organizations are responsible for supporting the educational system, whether the organizations which are in charge of the budget or the organizations which are formed on the basis of the laws that the Majlis passes. The outlook of all these organizations should be such an outlook. They should not think that the educational system is only a consumer. Sometimes, there is such an outlook. Some people say that the educational system is only a consumer. But this is not the case. The more you spend money on it, the more results you will achieve. The educational system is such a system.
This is an organization which creates the future generators of wealth, knowledge and civilization and the future managers of the country. It is not the case that we think the educational system is a costly organization. There is no achievement which is greater than the one the educational system makes. Whatever achievement and innovation you see throughout the country is rooted in the educational system. You should improve this organization so that everything will be improved. Therefore, spending money on the educational system and expanding the financial resources of this organization is one of the tasks that we hope government officials pay attention to.
Another issue is that - as I mentioned in the middle of my speech - the managers that we choose should be managers whose focus is on the main issue of the educational system. Adopting partisan, political and other such outlooks is poison for the educational system. Over the course of these long years, we have witnessed certain eras during which there was more attention to such issues. As a result of this, the educational system suffered a loss. You should be careful about this. You should adopt such an outlook towards the different issues of the educational system that for each manager in each sector of this large and vast organization, the main issue is the issue of education and building revolutionary forces.
Dear brothers and sisters, the reason why we stress the issue of building revolutionary and religious forces is that we have a long way ahead of us. Our people have a long way ahead of them. The goal that we have in mind for the Islamic Republic - which is based on the general guidelines of the Revolution - is a very lofty goal. When I say \\\\\\\"we\\\\\\\", I do not mean this humble person. Rather, I mean the people of Iran, officials and the owners of the Revolution. This goal is creating an exemplary society. You want to build a society in dear Iran - which has been located in a very sensitive geographical area in the world - which is a model in the shade of Islam and under the flag of the Holy Quran. This model is both in material areas and in spiritual and moral areas.
Westerners made a leap in material areas. They made a leap in a certain era, but this leap was separated from and opposed to the moral movement. It was a hundred percent materialistic leap. In the beginning, no one understood what had happened, but now they are beginning to understand. They are gradually feeling the irreversible damage of what they did. No one should think that a purely materialistic and secular civilization can help its people achieve happiness. This is not the case. The people in this civilization will face a great disaster.
In the present time, they are witnessing this disaster. This disaster is not because of the demonstrations which are held in European streets. For the west, this disaster is much deeper than this. Primarily, what humanity needs is psychological, moral and conscience-based security. Primarily, what it needs is the satisfaction of its conscience. Such satisfaction does not exist in western environments and it will get even worse.
If you are familiar with western writers, critics and thinkers, you will see that it is several years now that they have been raising their voices. These people are showing some aspects of increasing corruption in their societies. A materialistic lifestyle is like this. Although they have moved forward in the area of science, technological achievements and the like and although they have accomplished great feats in this regard, they have collapsed in the area of morality and they will continue to collapse because of this.
The society that Islam wants to build is a society that is at an advanced level in terms of wealth, knowledge and welfare. But it also wants this society to be at this level or even at a higher level in terms of morality and spirituality. This is an Islamic society. You want to build this society. So, you have a long way ahead of you. But it is possible. No one should say that it is not. Many things were considered to be impossible, but they happened.
When a people show determination, they can accomplish great and historical feats. Our societies have shown that they can be great, that they can blossom and that they can grow and exert influence. Man is an endless and infinite creature. Knowledge has made so much progress, but the main parts of man\\\\\\\'s brain are still unknown. This is what the scientists who work on this say. This physical aspect of man is unknown, let alone his spiritual, psychological and inner aspect. Man has many capabilities. We can carry out many tasks. An individual can simultaneously achieve great material and spiritual growth.
Well, we want to reach these goals. Reaching these goals requires manpower more than anything else. What is more important than the path is the person who takes this path. If there is not such a person, then even a well-paved road is useless. But if there is a determined person, then lack of a well-paved road will not be problematic. You have seen that mountaineers climb so high while there is no road. But they have feet and determination. So, it is possible to move forward and to reach peaks. It is possible to know and utilize unknown talents. It is possible to solve problems in a constant way.
All of these things require human resources. These human resources should be created in the educational system. Universities are important in this regard. The same is true of society and the IRIB. But none of these is as important as primary school. The teachers and managers of this great organization have such a responsibility. Therefore, we stress that they should be religious and revolutionary.
It is with this religious and revolutionary spirit that we can take this path. Even if there is a hard obstacle ahead of us, we can move forward. Even if there are certain hurdles, we can jump over them provided that this revolutionary spirit, this piety and this commitment to religious and revolutionary steadfastness exist. This is one point.
Another issue is the issue of textbooks. We should be very careful about textbooks. They should be well-developed. If they are poor in content, this is harmful. Not only is it not beneficial, but it is also harmful. If they contain deviant statements - whether political, religious or factual deviation - this is harmful. Those who are responsible for this should carry out their responsibility with complete trustworthiness and precision.
Another issue is the issue of the teachers\\\\\\\' training university. On my way to this meeting, I spoke with the honorable minister about this issue. This university is different from ordinary universities. As well as the advantages that other universities have, this university has the advantage of producing teachers. This has certain requirements. Great significance should be attached to this university.
Another issue is the issue of moral education and the deputy of moral education. This issue was neglected. This deputy was closed at one point. Later on, they opened and closed it again and again. The deputy of moral education is an organization in charge of attending to the issue of moral education - spiritual, revolutionary, behavioral and moral aspects of education. This deputy is important both at a ministerial level and at lower levels.
I hope that Allah the Exalted bestows His blessings and mercy on all of you. I hope that, God willing, the immaculate soul of our dear Imam (r.a.) - who opened this path for us - is pleased with you. I hope that the pure souls of our dear martyrs - particularly those martyrs who were teachers and students - benefit from divine blessings.
Greetings be upon you and Allah\\\\\\\'s mercy and blessings
[16Aug13] Anniversary of July 2006 War Speech - Syed Hasan Nasrallah - [ENGLISH]
Hezbollah Secretary General, his Eminence Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, delivered a speech on Friday, August 16th, 2013, marking the 7th anniversary of the July 2006 Victory of the Islamic Resistance...
Hezbollah Secretary General, his Eminence Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, delivered a speech on Friday, August 16th, 2013, marking the 7th anniversary of the July 2006 Victory of the Islamic Resistance against the Israeli army.
Sayyed Nasrallah to Takfiris: We will Capture You, We will Put an End to Terror
Sara Taha Moughnieh
Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah delivered a speech on Friday, during a ceremony celebrating the seventh anniversary of victory in the July 2006 war.
Sayyed NasrallahHis eminence started his speech with a greeting to the martyrs and wounded who fell only one day before the celebration in the terrorist blast which hit Ruwais street in the Southern Suburb of Beirut.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"I pray for the recovery of all the wounded from the large and dangerous terrorist attack, and I offer my condolences to the families of martyrs who fell, and to all those who were affected physically, mentally, spiritually, and on the material level yesterday. We highly appreciate, admire, and respect the patience of people and the citizens of Dahieh who held responsibility, and were conscious, disciplined, and civilized,\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" he said.
As he expressed gratitude for all those who stood in solidarity and denounced this painful event, Sayyed Nasrallah condemned the silence of some countries, considering that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"days will prove that they support terrorism, murder, and crime taking place in our region\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\".
July 2006 victory put an end to \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Greater Israel\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" project
Sayyed Nasrallah initiated his statement with words about the victory, pointing out that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"the celebration was arranged to take place in Aita Al-Shaab, because it overlooks occupied Palestine, and its air is Palestinian air. Hence, you are smelling the air of occupied Palestine, and you are gathering only a stone\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s throw away from the enemy.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
His eminence further stressed that Aita\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s significance was with its symbolic representation, especially with its good hearted and firm people, its brave heroes, its martyrs, and liberated captives.
Sayyed Nasrallah talked about the faithfulness of the resistance fighters who were located in Aita Al-Shaab, referring to the devoutness of those men to the path of Master of Martyrs, Imam Hussein (pbuh).
July 2006 victory celebrationHe also paid gratitude to the citizens of this village, who returned to their land just hours after ceasefire in 2006, and built tents over the ruins of their houses, to sit in them.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Your historic victory in the 25th of May 2000 defeated the \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"greater Israel\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" project, because the Israeli army, which failed to stay in Lebanon, the weakest Arab country, cannot build a state from the Nile to Furat. Then the 14th of August 2006 victory , defeated Israel\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s project of being a great country, which dominates and imposes its decisions on the region and on Iran,\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" Sayyed Nasrallah added.
Hezbollah Secretary General added that the July 2006 victory also proved that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"this organized popular resistance, which is embraced by its people, is capable of forming real defense, at a time when the country does not have the capacities and technologies which the attacking enemy has, and the evidence on that was presented in the July war.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
In this context, Sayyed Nasrallah warned the Israeli enemy that the resistance will not allow one Israeli soldier to set a foot in the Lebanese territories, indicating that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"we will not be tolerant in defending our villages, lands, and people.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
He further addressed the Israelis, saying: \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"The era of Israeli military tourism on the borders with Lebanon, and inside the Lebanese territories is over, with no return.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
Response to Dahieh blast is by duplicating number of fighters in Syria
In another context, Sayyed Nasrallah tackled the recent assaults on Dahieh, specifically Thursday\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s tragic attack which left over 20 killed and hundreds wounded.
He indicated that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"targeting people and citizens in Dahieh and other places is nothing new. When the enemy failed, it always resorted to hitting people, even those who had no relation with the resistance. The history of Israeli wars in Qana, Dahieh, Sheyah, and other places in July war is a clear witness on that. The enemy takes such action because it knows that this is our point of weakness when it fails in confronting us militarily.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"This is a point of pride for us, as it points out that the relation between the resistance and the people is an emotional, humanitarian, moral, and spiritual relation, and that both are one. The resistance had never acted like it was an imported resistance, like some fighters act these days, hence they don’t care about people. Not at all, as throughout the past years, the resistance had never performed a military or resistance operation without taking into consideration the responses, and protecting people, until April Accord came out to protect them,\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" Sayyed Nasrallah added.
From this point, his eminence considered that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"when there is a resistance, and people whom it shares their feelings, and suffers from their pains, this is a point of power on one hand, and a point of weakness on the other, which the enemy uses. What happened yesterday was an attack on people. It wasn’t an assassination. There wasn’t any Hezbollah official or location targeted, but the side which committed the massacre in Dahieh wanted to leave behind the largest number of casualties among people.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
He stated that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"the bomb weighted over 100 KGs, and at this location in specific, like the case in Bir Al-Abed explosion, the goal was only to kill people.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
Sayyed NasrallahHezbollah secretary general asserted that the \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"massacre comes in the context of a wide and open battle which has been taking place since tens of years… as long as there is a group resisting and refusing to surrender to the American-Zionist will, then naturally, this group and its environment will bare this responsibility.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
Sayyed Nasrallah assured that the rockets that hit Baalbak and its neighborhoods in the last few weeks were fired by armed Syrian groups, adding that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"rockets on Hermel, Majdal Anjar, Zahle, and Dahieh were targeting us, and the large explosion on the 9th of August targeted our people and environment. Yet we did not make a quick response… we did not accuse anyone.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
However, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"after Bir Al-Abed blast, some Lebanese parts claimed that Hezbollah planted the explosive as a pretext to ignite the situation. This is defamation and unjust, as you cannot find anyone who would love these people, and kiss the soil under the feet of these people like Hezbollah and its leadership does… This is how you work, but not how Hezbollah does.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
His eminence pointed out that during investigations about these assaults, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"the first assumption was that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Israel\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" was behind them, while the second was the terrorist groups who have declared war on Hezbollah long before the latter entered Al-Qusayr, and the third assumption was that some other side interfered to escalate the situation with Israel, or to create internal sedition and sectarian strife.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"After over 30 days on Bir Al-Abed explosion, and after the intelligence\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s arrests and our investigations, we have reached the result, and the names of those who planted the explosive on Hermel road are now known, and one of them is under arrest… as for the names of those involved in Bir Al-Abed blast, they are now 99.99% known,\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" he revealed.
Sayyed Nasrallah indicated that investigations have not yet revealed that the committers were operational agents of Israel.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"They are rather affiliated with a certain Takfiri line… some of them are Lebanese, some are Syrians, and some are Palestinians.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
His eminence assured that intelligence apparatuses have informed Hezbollah about certain sides preparing booby-trapped cars to send them to Dahieh, emphasizing that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"all our measures in Dahieh were in response to the official apparatuses\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\' information.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
On this point, Sayyed Nasrallah stated that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"these (Takfiri) groups work for Israel, and undoubtedly, US and some regional countries\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\' intelligences are operating these sides.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
He highlighted that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"yesterday they put (explosives) in Dahieh, but who knows where they could put them tomorrow? Neither Israel nor Takfiris care if they were in Dahieh or somewhere else. Those kill Sunnis just like they kill Shiites, they kill Christians just like they kill Muslims, and they bomb mosques just like they bomb churches.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
As his eminence asserted that Takfiri groups could plant booby-trapped cars anywhere in Lebanon, he warned officials, politicians, security apparatuses, and all the Lebanese that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"yesterday\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s explosion was under control and the situation was under control, but if these explosions continue, Lebanon will be on the verge of Abyss. Therefore, responsible actions must be taken for Lebanon to confront this threat\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\".
Sayyed Nasrallah reiterated that the right precautionary measures should be taken and the government as well as its apparatuses must hold their responsibilities, if not to prevent suicide attacks, as this is impossible, then at least to minimize losses, stressing \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"the importance of finding the sides sending explosives-laden cars and arresting them… as well as the importance of not giving any political or security cover to these groups.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
Sayyed Nasrallah further emphasized \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"the importance of abandoning sectarian incitements, so that the conflict remains political.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
Addressing people who were affected by Thursday\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s terror attack, Hezbollah leader said: \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"We are aware of your patience, courage and faith, and the biggest exam was in July war… They want to harm your determination and faith, but we are certain of your faith and these aims will fail. What we fear is that those murderers drag you to uncalculated reactions which would lead to sedition and the destruction of the country…\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"(Those killers) neither have a nation nor a religion, and they are not Sunnis. They killed Sunnis even more than they killed Shiites. They seek to create a fight between the Lebanese and the (Palestinian refugee) camps. These murderers are a group of terrorists and the owners of a destructive project in the whole region, not just in Lebanon. In Iraq, there is clear evidence about the western, regional, and Israeli intelligences operating the murderers there,\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" he added.
In conclusion, Sayyed Nasrallah called on his people to \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"stay patient and send a clear message that exploding and killing will not affect our morale, and it will not throw us in the trap of sedition. This is the responsibility of everyone in Lebanon, because if this situation continues, it could reach the verge of ambyss.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
His eminence also addressed the murderers, saying: \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"If you work for Israel, we know you and we will capture you if the state neglected that. Yet he indicated that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"we are not a substitute for the state, but in any field the state does not hold its responsibility in, we will hold this responsibility.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"If you claim you are defending the Syrian people and punishing Hezbollah over its intervention in Syria, I tell you two things: You, the Takfiri groups are the harshest killers of the Syrian people. You even kidnapped and killed Christian priests who supported the opposition. You kill children and explode mosques.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"As for us, we fight with our values. We have never killed a captive, while you prosecute captives in daylight. We have never killed citizens, and in some of our battles, a larger number of martyrs fell in order to protect citizens, and all what is said about massacres committed by us are lies and fabrications.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
Criticizing the fabrications of some Arab media stations, he assured that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"the world will witness that we have only fought Takfiri groups in Syria.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
Finally, Sayyed Nasrallah said: \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"One of our responses to such explosions is: If we had 1000 fighters in Syria, they will become 2000, and if we had 5000, they will become 10 000, and if the battle with those terrorists required that I go with all Hezbollah to Syria, we will all go for the sake of Syria and its people, Lebanon and its people, Palestine and Al-Quds, and the central cause.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"We put an end to the battle, and we set a time for this battle to end, and as we triumphed in all our wars with Israel, if you wanted us to enter a fierce battle with you, I assure to everyone that we will triumph against Takfiri terror. The cost of the battle will be high, but the least cost is being slaughtered like ewes and waiting for the murderers to come into our house.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
Source:
http://www.almanar.com.lb/english/adetails.php?eid=106457&cid=23&fromval=1&frid=23&seccatid=14&s1=1
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Hezbollah Secretary General, his Eminence Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, delivered a speech on Friday, August 16th, 2013, marking the 7th anniversary of the July 2006 Victory of the Islamic Resistance against the Israeli army.
Sayyed Nasrallah to Takfiris: We will Capture You, We will Put an End to Terror
Sara Taha Moughnieh
Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah delivered a speech on Friday, during a ceremony celebrating the seventh anniversary of victory in the July 2006 war.
Sayyed NasrallahHis eminence started his speech with a greeting to the martyrs and wounded who fell only one day before the celebration in the terrorist blast which hit Ruwais street in the Southern Suburb of Beirut.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"I pray for the recovery of all the wounded from the large and dangerous terrorist attack, and I offer my condolences to the families of martyrs who fell, and to all those who were affected physically, mentally, spiritually, and on the material level yesterday. We highly appreciate, admire, and respect the patience of people and the citizens of Dahieh who held responsibility, and were conscious, disciplined, and civilized,\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" he said.
As he expressed gratitude for all those who stood in solidarity and denounced this painful event, Sayyed Nasrallah condemned the silence of some countries, considering that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"days will prove that they support terrorism, murder, and crime taking place in our region\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\".
July 2006 victory put an end to \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Greater Israel\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" project
Sayyed Nasrallah initiated his statement with words about the victory, pointing out that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"the celebration was arranged to take place in Aita Al-Shaab, because it overlooks occupied Palestine, and its air is Palestinian air. Hence, you are smelling the air of occupied Palestine, and you are gathering only a stone\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s throw away from the enemy.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
His eminence further stressed that Aita\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s significance was with its symbolic representation, especially with its good hearted and firm people, its brave heroes, its martyrs, and liberated captives.
Sayyed Nasrallah talked about the faithfulness of the resistance fighters who were located in Aita Al-Shaab, referring to the devoutness of those men to the path of Master of Martyrs, Imam Hussein (pbuh).
July 2006 victory celebrationHe also paid gratitude to the citizens of this village, who returned to their land just hours after ceasefire in 2006, and built tents over the ruins of their houses, to sit in them.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Your historic victory in the 25th of May 2000 defeated the \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"greater Israel\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" project, because the Israeli army, which failed to stay in Lebanon, the weakest Arab country, cannot build a state from the Nile to Furat. Then the 14th of August 2006 victory , defeated Israel\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s project of being a great country, which dominates and imposes its decisions on the region and on Iran,\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" Sayyed Nasrallah added.
Hezbollah Secretary General added that the July 2006 victory also proved that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"this organized popular resistance, which is embraced by its people, is capable of forming real defense, at a time when the country does not have the capacities and technologies which the attacking enemy has, and the evidence on that was presented in the July war.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
In this context, Sayyed Nasrallah warned the Israeli enemy that the resistance will not allow one Israeli soldier to set a foot in the Lebanese territories, indicating that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"we will not be tolerant in defending our villages, lands, and people.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
He further addressed the Israelis, saying: \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"The era of Israeli military tourism on the borders with Lebanon, and inside the Lebanese territories is over, with no return.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
Response to Dahieh blast is by duplicating number of fighters in Syria
In another context, Sayyed Nasrallah tackled the recent assaults on Dahieh, specifically Thursday\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s tragic attack which left over 20 killed and hundreds wounded.
He indicated that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"targeting people and citizens in Dahieh and other places is nothing new. When the enemy failed, it always resorted to hitting people, even those who had no relation with the resistance. The history of Israeli wars in Qana, Dahieh, Sheyah, and other places in July war is a clear witness on that. The enemy takes such action because it knows that this is our point of weakness when it fails in confronting us militarily.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"This is a point of pride for us, as it points out that the relation between the resistance and the people is an emotional, humanitarian, moral, and spiritual relation, and that both are one. The resistance had never acted like it was an imported resistance, like some fighters act these days, hence they don’t care about people. Not at all, as throughout the past years, the resistance had never performed a military or resistance operation without taking into consideration the responses, and protecting people, until April Accord came out to protect them,\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" Sayyed Nasrallah added.
From this point, his eminence considered that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"when there is a resistance, and people whom it shares their feelings, and suffers from their pains, this is a point of power on one hand, and a point of weakness on the other, which the enemy uses. What happened yesterday was an attack on people. It wasn’t an assassination. There wasn’t any Hezbollah official or location targeted, but the side which committed the massacre in Dahieh wanted to leave behind the largest number of casualties among people.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
He stated that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"the bomb weighted over 100 KGs, and at this location in specific, like the case in Bir Al-Abed explosion, the goal was only to kill people.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
Sayyed NasrallahHezbollah secretary general asserted that the \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"massacre comes in the context of a wide and open battle which has been taking place since tens of years… as long as there is a group resisting and refusing to surrender to the American-Zionist will, then naturally, this group and its environment will bare this responsibility.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
Sayyed Nasrallah assured that the rockets that hit Baalbak and its neighborhoods in the last few weeks were fired by armed Syrian groups, adding that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"rockets on Hermel, Majdal Anjar, Zahle, and Dahieh were targeting us, and the large explosion on the 9th of August targeted our people and environment. Yet we did not make a quick response… we did not accuse anyone.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
However, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"after Bir Al-Abed blast, some Lebanese parts claimed that Hezbollah planted the explosive as a pretext to ignite the situation. This is defamation and unjust, as you cannot find anyone who would love these people, and kiss the soil under the feet of these people like Hezbollah and its leadership does… This is how you work, but not how Hezbollah does.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
His eminence pointed out that during investigations about these assaults, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"the first assumption was that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Israel\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" was behind them, while the second was the terrorist groups who have declared war on Hezbollah long before the latter entered Al-Qusayr, and the third assumption was that some other side interfered to escalate the situation with Israel, or to create internal sedition and sectarian strife.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"After over 30 days on Bir Al-Abed explosion, and after the intelligence\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s arrests and our investigations, we have reached the result, and the names of those who planted the explosive on Hermel road are now known, and one of them is under arrest… as for the names of those involved in Bir Al-Abed blast, they are now 99.99% known,\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" he revealed.
Sayyed Nasrallah indicated that investigations have not yet revealed that the committers were operational agents of Israel.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"They are rather affiliated with a certain Takfiri line… some of them are Lebanese, some are Syrians, and some are Palestinians.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
His eminence assured that intelligence apparatuses have informed Hezbollah about certain sides preparing booby-trapped cars to send them to Dahieh, emphasizing that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"all our measures in Dahieh were in response to the official apparatuses\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\' information.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
On this point, Sayyed Nasrallah stated that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"these (Takfiri) groups work for Israel, and undoubtedly, US and some regional countries\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\' intelligences are operating these sides.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
He highlighted that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"yesterday they put (explosives) in Dahieh, but who knows where they could put them tomorrow? Neither Israel nor Takfiris care if they were in Dahieh or somewhere else. Those kill Sunnis just like they kill Shiites, they kill Christians just like they kill Muslims, and they bomb mosques just like they bomb churches.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
As his eminence asserted that Takfiri groups could plant booby-trapped cars anywhere in Lebanon, he warned officials, politicians, security apparatuses, and all the Lebanese that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"yesterday\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s explosion was under control and the situation was under control, but if these explosions continue, Lebanon will be on the verge of Abyss. Therefore, responsible actions must be taken for Lebanon to confront this threat\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\".
Sayyed Nasrallah reiterated that the right precautionary measures should be taken and the government as well as its apparatuses must hold their responsibilities, if not to prevent suicide attacks, as this is impossible, then at least to minimize losses, stressing \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"the importance of finding the sides sending explosives-laden cars and arresting them… as well as the importance of not giving any political or security cover to these groups.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
Sayyed Nasrallah further emphasized \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"the importance of abandoning sectarian incitements, so that the conflict remains political.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
Addressing people who were affected by Thursday\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s terror attack, Hezbollah leader said: \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"We are aware of your patience, courage and faith, and the biggest exam was in July war… They want to harm your determination and faith, but we are certain of your faith and these aims will fail. What we fear is that those murderers drag you to uncalculated reactions which would lead to sedition and the destruction of the country…\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"(Those killers) neither have a nation nor a religion, and they are not Sunnis. They killed Sunnis even more than they killed Shiites. They seek to create a fight between the Lebanese and the (Palestinian refugee) camps. These murderers are a group of terrorists and the owners of a destructive project in the whole region, not just in Lebanon. In Iraq, there is clear evidence about the western, regional, and Israeli intelligences operating the murderers there,\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" he added.
In conclusion, Sayyed Nasrallah called on his people to \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"stay patient and send a clear message that exploding and killing will not affect our morale, and it will not throw us in the trap of sedition. This is the responsibility of everyone in Lebanon, because if this situation continues, it could reach the verge of ambyss.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
His eminence also addressed the murderers, saying: \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"If you work for Israel, we know you and we will capture you if the state neglected that. Yet he indicated that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"we are not a substitute for the state, but in any field the state does not hold its responsibility in, we will hold this responsibility.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"If you claim you are defending the Syrian people and punishing Hezbollah over its intervention in Syria, I tell you two things: You, the Takfiri groups are the harshest killers of the Syrian people. You even kidnapped and killed Christian priests who supported the opposition. You kill children and explode mosques.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"As for us, we fight with our values. We have never killed a captive, while you prosecute captives in daylight. We have never killed citizens, and in some of our battles, a larger number of martyrs fell in order to protect citizens, and all what is said about massacres committed by us are lies and fabrications.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
Criticizing the fabrications of some Arab media stations, he assured that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"the world will witness that we have only fought Takfiri groups in Syria.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
Finally, Sayyed Nasrallah said: \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"One of our responses to such explosions is: If we had 1000 fighters in Syria, they will become 2000, and if we had 5000, they will become 10 000, and if the battle with those terrorists required that I go with all Hezbollah to Syria, we will all go for the sake of Syria and its people, Lebanon and its people, Palestine and Al-Quds, and the central cause.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"We put an end to the battle, and we set a time for this battle to end, and as we triumphed in all our wars with Israel, if you wanted us to enter a fierce battle with you, I assure to everyone that we will triumph against Takfiri terror. The cost of the battle will be high, but the least cost is being slaughtered like ewes and waiting for the murderers to come into our house.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
Source:
http://www.almanar.com.lb/english/adetails.php?eid=106457&cid=23&fromval=1&frid=23&seccatid=14&s1=1
The Gaza Song for Israeli Soldier - English - Words in Description
Listen and listen well
O! One who could have been our brother
For we are one people, whether you like it or not
You are a Semite, A son of Israeel (Issac)
I am a Semite, A son of...
Listen and listen well
O! One who could have been our brother
For we are one people, whether you like it or not
You are a Semite, A son of Israeel (Issac)
I am a Semite, A son of Ismaeel (Ishmael)
Our father, the father of both you and I
Is Ibrahim (Abraham)
Or are you one who will even deny his own father?
Listen and listen well
O! One who could have been our brother
We will die on our feet
But we will not live on our knees.
You know how to kill, but we know how to die
Hitler gassed 6 million of you, but he could not kill your spirit
Those who died only made stronger, those who remained alive
Why then did you imagine that if you became Hitlers
The results of your gassing would be any different?
Listen and listen well
O! One who could have been our brother
Just as others silently watched you going into the gas chambers
Others silently watch us burying our children, the children that you continue to kill
But we remind ourselves
That the blow that does not break the back, only strengthens you.
O! You who used to be the People of Musa (Moses),
But today you have become people of the Firawn (Pharaoh)
Remember we are the real people of Moses, for we, not you, believe in his message
Remember that when the fight is between Moses and Pharaoh
Moses always wins.
We say to the silent watchers, the cowards,
We say to those who sit securely in their homes
We are the front line who are holding back the enemy
When we fall, it will be your turn.
Remember O! Arabs
The story of the White Bull (Al Thawr il Abyadh)
Who said to the world when the tiger finally came for him
Listen O! People, I do not die today,
I died when the Black Bull died.
Listen and listen well
O! One who could have been our brother
We did not come into this world to live here forever
Neither did you
One day we will all go from here
Whether we like it or not
What is important my brother, son of Israeel
Sons of a Prophet, O! What have you become today?
What have you allowed them to make you?
Kill us, if that is what you want to do
At least we die at the hands of our own brothers
And not at the hands of strangers
Listen and listen well
O! One who could have been our brother
We laugh as we see your Apache helicopters and F-16 jets fly overhead
We laugh because we can smell your fear
Why else do you need Apaches and F-16s to fight children with rocks?
A battle of honor is between equals
We challenge you, you who have sold your honor
Come to us as equals so that we can show you how to die with honor
We laugh at you because we know, that not in a million years
Will one of you ever have the guts to stand up to one of our children
Without hiding behind an array of weapons that the American tax payer gives you
We laugh at you, because that is what every warrior does
When he faces an army of cowards.
Listen and listen well
O! One who could have been our brother
It is not whether we live or die that is important
It is how we live and how we die
Ask yourself: How would you like to be remembered?
Without respect, despised and accursed through the centuries,
Or blessed, honored, your passing mourned.
Allah is our witness: We lived with honor; begging for no favors
And He is our witness: That today we die with honor, on our feet
Fighting until the last breath leaves our body, even if all we have in our hands are stones
He is the witness over us both
As you kill us and as we die
And to Him is our return
Listen and listen well
O! One who could have been our brother
On that Day, my little baby who you killed last night
Will ask Him for what crime she was murdered
Prepare your answer, O! One who could have been our brother
For you will answer to Him
I swear by His Power: You will answer to Him.
More...
Description:
Listen and listen well
O! One who could have been our brother
For we are one people, whether you like it or not
You are a Semite, A son of Israeel (Issac)
I am a Semite, A son of Ismaeel (Ishmael)
Our father, the father of both you and I
Is Ibrahim (Abraham)
Or are you one who will even deny his own father?
Listen and listen well
O! One who could have been our brother
We will die on our feet
But we will not live on our knees.
You know how to kill, but we know how to die
Hitler gassed 6 million of you, but he could not kill your spirit
Those who died only made stronger, those who remained alive
Why then did you imagine that if you became Hitlers
The results of your gassing would be any different?
Listen and listen well
O! One who could have been our brother
Just as others silently watched you going into the gas chambers
Others silently watch us burying our children, the children that you continue to kill
But we remind ourselves
That the blow that does not break the back, only strengthens you.
O! You who used to be the People of Musa (Moses),
But today you have become people of the Firawn (Pharaoh)
Remember we are the real people of Moses, for we, not you, believe in his message
Remember that when the fight is between Moses and Pharaoh
Moses always wins.
We say to the silent watchers, the cowards,
We say to those who sit securely in their homes
We are the front line who are holding back the enemy
When we fall, it will be your turn.
Remember O! Arabs
The story of the White Bull (Al Thawr il Abyadh)
Who said to the world when the tiger finally came for him
Listen O! People, I do not die today,
I died when the Black Bull died.
Listen and listen well
O! One who could have been our brother
We did not come into this world to live here forever
Neither did you
One day we will all go from here
Whether we like it or not
What is important my brother, son of Israeel
Sons of a Prophet, O! What have you become today?
What have you allowed them to make you?
Kill us, if that is what you want to do
At least we die at the hands of our own brothers
And not at the hands of strangers
Listen and listen well
O! One who could have been our brother
We laugh as we see your Apache helicopters and F-16 jets fly overhead
We laugh because we can smell your fear
Why else do you need Apaches and F-16s to fight children with rocks?
A battle of honor is between equals
We challenge you, you who have sold your honor
Come to us as equals so that we can show you how to die with honor
We laugh at you because we know, that not in a million years
Will one of you ever have the guts to stand up to one of our children
Without hiding behind an array of weapons that the American tax payer gives you
We laugh at you, because that is what every warrior does
When he faces an army of cowards.
Listen and listen well
O! One who could have been our brother
It is not whether we live or die that is important
It is how we live and how we die
Ask yourself: How would you like to be remembered?
Without respect, despised and accursed through the centuries,
Or blessed, honored, your passing mourned.
Allah is our witness: We lived with honor; begging for no favors
And He is our witness: That today we die with honor, on our feet
Fighting until the last breath leaves our body, even if all we have in our hands are stones
He is the witness over us both
As you kill us and as we die
And to Him is our return
Listen and listen well
O! One who could have been our brother
On that Day, my little baby who you killed last night
Will ask Him for what crime she was murdered
Prepare your answer, O! One who could have been our brother
For you will answer to Him
I swear by His Power: You will answer to Him.
Why do we always PROTEST??? (Read Description) - All Languages
---------- The question is WHY DO WE PROTEST? ----------
* We PROTEST to announce disassociation from the ZALIMEEN
* We PROTEST to condemn oppression and give others the courage to condemn...
---------- The question is WHY DO WE PROTEST? ----------
* We PROTEST to announce disassociation from the ZALIMEEN
* We PROTEST to condemn oppression and give others the courage to condemn oppression
* We PROTEST to give courage to the oppressed that we are with them
* We PROTEST because if we do not, we will be considered amongst the Zalimeen (reference: Ziyarat e Ashura)
* We PROTEST to spread awareness in masses
* We PROTEST to put pressure on the Zalimeen and their supporters (it does make a difference)
* We PROTEST because it shows our strength
* We PROTEST because it unites us
* We PROTEST because it allows us to spread our ideology and our stances
* We PROTEST because it highlights an issue and brings others\' attention to it.
WE HAVE BEEN IN THE STATE OF PROTEST SINCE AFTER KARBALA. THIS IS HOW KARBALA HAS STAYED FRESH IN PEOPLE\'S MINDS AND SOULS.
---------- The REAL QUESTION is; IS PROTEST ENOUGH??? ----------
* The answer is NOOOOOOO.
* This is the bare minimum one can do. This is the first baby step.
* One must strive to fight against oppression in all forms.
* Evaluate your skills, energies, strengths, opportunities and see what you can do in addition.
* Discuss it with some brave, wise, ba-baseerat, senior brothers and ulama and see if it is in line with the teachings of Quran and Ahlulbayt (a.s).
* If it is, check to see if it applies in this time and age by looking at the direction that is being given by the Leader of the Muslim Ummah, Vali Amr Muslimeen.
Once it makes sense, thank Allah (s.w.t) and step forward to carry out your responsibilities. May Imam Al-Mahdi (a.t.f.s) guide us and show us the path.
More...
Description:
---------- The question is WHY DO WE PROTEST? ----------
* We PROTEST to announce disassociation from the ZALIMEEN
* We PROTEST to condemn oppression and give others the courage to condemn oppression
* We PROTEST to give courage to the oppressed that we are with them
* We PROTEST because if we do not, we will be considered amongst the Zalimeen (reference: Ziyarat e Ashura)
* We PROTEST to spread awareness in masses
* We PROTEST to put pressure on the Zalimeen and their supporters (it does make a difference)
* We PROTEST because it shows our strength
* We PROTEST because it unites us
* We PROTEST because it allows us to spread our ideology and our stances
* We PROTEST because it highlights an issue and brings others\' attention to it.
WE HAVE BEEN IN THE STATE OF PROTEST SINCE AFTER KARBALA. THIS IS HOW KARBALA HAS STAYED FRESH IN PEOPLE\'S MINDS AND SOULS.
---------- The REAL QUESTION is; IS PROTEST ENOUGH??? ----------
* The answer is NOOOOOOO.
* This is the bare minimum one can do. This is the first baby step.
* One must strive to fight against oppression in all forms.
* Evaluate your skills, energies, strengths, opportunities and see what you can do in addition.
* Discuss it with some brave, wise, ba-baseerat, senior brothers and ulama and see if it is in line with the teachings of Quran and Ahlulbayt (a.s).
* If it is, check to see if it applies in this time and age by looking at the direction that is being given by the Leader of the Muslim Ummah, Vali Amr Muslimeen.
Once it makes sense, thank Allah (s.w.t) and step forward to carry out your responsibilities. May Imam Al-Mahdi (a.t.f.s) guide us and show us the path.
40:29
|
[FARSI][17Sep11] اجلاس بيدارى اسلامى Islamic Awakening Conference 2011
Vali Amr Muslimeen Ayatullah Sayyed Ali Khamenei delivered this speech at the International Conference on Islamic Awakening on 17 September 2011....
Vali Amr Muslimeen Ayatullah Sayyed Ali Khamenei delivered this speech at the International Conference on Islamic Awakening on 17 September 2011.
http://english.khamenei.ir//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1523
http://farsi.khamenei.ir/news-content?id=17271
بسمالله الرحمن الرحیم
السلام علیکم و رحمة الله و برکاته
الحمدلله رب العالمین و الصلوة و السلام علی سیدنا محمد و آله الطیبین و صحبه المنتجبین
قال الله العزیز الحكیم : بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم : يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ اتَّقِ اللَّهَ وَلا تُطِعِ الْكَافِرِينَ وَالْمُنَافِقِينَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا وَاتَّبِعْ مَا يُوحَى إِلَيْكَ مِن رَّبِّكَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرًا وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَكَفَى بِاللَّهِ وَكِيلا
(O Prophet, fear Allah and do not obey the disbelievers and the hypocrites. Indeed, Allah is ever Knowing and Wise. (1). And follow that which is revealed to you from your Lord. Indeed Allah is ever, with what you do, Acquainted. (2) And rely upon Allah; and sufficient is Allah as Disposer of affairs.(3) Surat Al-Ahzab)
I welcome our honored audience and dear guests. What has brought us here together is the Islamic awakening, which comes from the stronger inspiration and greater understanding among Muslim ummah. This awakening has led to a major development among nations of our region and has brought about uprisings and revolutions that could never have been contemplated in the calculations of the dominant regional and international satanic powers. These are momentous uprising that have razed to the ground the autocratic and imperialist strongholds and vanquished the tyrants guarding them.
There is no doubt that colossal social upheavals have always relied on solid foundation of history and civilization and are products of accumulation of wisdom and experiences. Over the past 150 years, the presence of great intellectual and jihadi personalities that have been opinion leaders and behind Islamic movements in Egypt, Iraq, India and other countries in Asia and Africa has served as precursors and pioneers for the present situation in the Islamic world.
The developments in the 1950’s and 60’s led to coming to power of regimes that were mostly inclined to materialistic ideologies and thoughts, and because of their inherent character fell into the trap of Western imperialist and colonialist powers. These are experiences that are lessons to learn from, and have contributed substantially to evolution of general and profound understanding in the Islamic world.
The Islamic Revolution in Iran that was hailed by Imam Khomeini as “victory of blood over sword”, and establishment of the lasting, robust, courageous and progressive Islamic republic, and its impact on present Islamic awakening is itself a long story that deserves to be debated and researched. There is no doubt that Islamic Revolution of Iran will be accorded a thorough and comprehensive chapter in the analysis and writings of history of the present situation of the Islamic world.
For that reason, the present and mounting facts and truths in the Islamic world are not simply events that are severed from the past historical roots, social and intellectual backgrounds to allow our adversaries and the shallow-minded to present them as a passing wave and short-lived phenomenon in order to snuff out hope in the hearts of nations by their warped and biased analyses.
In this brotherly dialogue with you I want to place greater emphasis on three areas:
1. Taking a glance at the identity of these uprisings and revolutions
2. Major threats and harms lying on their way.
3. Recommendations to find solutions and prevent these threats and harms.
Regarding the first point, I believe the most important element in these revolutions is the actual and mass presence of people in the arena of action, struggle and jihad. They were present, not only with their heart, desire and faith, but also with their body and souls. There is a big difference between this presence and the presence of a military group or even armed combatants in front of uncaring people or even concerned people.
In the events of 1950’s and 60’s in some countries of Africa and Asia, the heavy load of the revolution was not on the shoulder of diverse segments of population and the youth from all parts of the country, but rather on the shoulder of coup d'etat or small and limited armed groups. They decided and acted, and they themselves or the succeeding generation changed their ways as a result of certain motivations. The revolution became its own enemy and the enemy managed again to prevail over their countries.
This is totally different than the change that comes from the people. It is the people that bring their body and soul to the arena of action, and by their jihad and devotion push back and defeat the enemy. It is the people that make the slogans and set the goals, identify and introduce and pursue the enemy. They draw their desired future, although not comprehensively, and as a result do not allow departure from the path of the revolution or conceding to the enemy, or change of course by compromising and the tainted few with special interests, and above all thwart the schemes of enemy’s agents.
In such a grass-root movement, the revolution may be slowed, but can stay away from short-sightedness and being on shaky ground. Quran says “Have you not considered how Allah presents an example, [making] a good word like a good tree, whose root is firmly fixed and its branches [high] in the sky?
أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ ضَرَبَ اللّهُ مَثَلاً كَلِمَةً طَيِّبَةً كَشَجَرةٍ طَيِّبَةٍ أَصْلُهَا ثَابِتٌ وَفَرْعُهَا فِي السَّمَاء
Have you not considered how Allah presents an example, [making] a good word like a good tree, whose root is firmly fixed and its branches [high] in the sky? (24" Ibrahim )
When I saw the brave body of the proud people of Egypt on television in Tahrir Square, I became convinced that their revolution will triumph.
Let me confess something to you. After the victory of the Islamic Revolution and the establishment of the Islamic republic in Iran which caused an earthquake among the worldly materialistic rulers in East and West and brought unprecedented uproar and joy to Muslim nations, we expected that Egypt would be next in line to rise. The reason was the history of jihad, progressive thinking and presence of great mojahids and intellectuals in Egypt. I was reciting in my heart this poem by Abu Faras:
أراك عصيّ الدمع شیمتك الصبر ما للهوی نهی علیك و لا أمر ؟
When I saw the people of Egypt in Tahrir Square and squares in other cities, I knew I have received my response. The people of Egypt told me with words coming from their heart:
بلی أنا مشتاق و عندي لوعة ولكن مثلي لایذاع له سرُّ
…This sacred secret was nothing but the motivation and resolve to rise, and gradually people of Egypt cemented this thought in their mind and at a historical juncture they manifested their resolve and entered the arena in a magnificent show of their power.
Tunisia, Yemen, Libya, and Bahrain are no exception to this general rule.
In these revolutions principles, values and goals are not written in prefabricated manifestos of groups and parties, but written in the minds, hearts and desires of each and every person present on the scene and are declared in the context of their slogans and behaviors.
With these signals one can clearly tell that the principles of current revolutions in the region, in Egypt and other countries, are first and foremost the following:
- Revival and renewal of national dignity and respect that have been broken and trampled during long years of dictatorial and corrupt rule and the political domination of America and the West.
- Keeping up the banner of Islam which is the profound faith and longstanding attachment of people and being able to enjoy peace of mind, justice, progress and prosperity that could only be achieved under Islamic Sharia.
- Resistance against the influence and domination of the United States and Europe that have wreaked the greatest damage and humiliation on the peoples of these countries over the past two hundred years.
- Countering the usurper and fictitious Zionist regime that the imperialist powers have planted like a dagger in the heart of this region to serve as a tool to continue their diabolical domination after expelling a whole nation from their historical homeland.
There is no doubt that the revolutions in the region that rely on and demand these principles are not to the liking of America, Europe and the Zionists, and they are going to use all means to deny them, but the truth will not change with their denial.
The widespread participation of people in these revolutions is the most important element that constitutes their identity. Foreign powers that tried everything in their power and used all their schemes to keep in power the tyrannical, corrupt and subservient rulers in these countries and only abandoned them when the people left no choice for them have no right to claim a share in the victory of these revolutions. Even in Libya intervention by America and NATO cannot distort the truth. In Libya, NATO has caused irreparable damage. Had it not been for the military intervention of NATO and America, victory of people might have been delayed, but all these infrastructures would not have been damaged, and innocent women and children killed and then enemies that were accomplices of Qaddafi would not have been able to intervene in this innocent war-torn nation.
People and the elite that are of the people and others who are from the people are the true owners of these revolutions that should be trusted to protect them and draw the path to the future.
2- Regarding the threats and harm, I should first emphasize that although there are threats, but there are also ways to stay safe. Mere presence of threats should not scare nations.
إِنَّ كَيْدَ الشَّيْطَانِ كَانَ ضَعِيفًا
( Indeed, the plot of Satan has ever been weak)
Allah says about a group of mojahids of early Islam:
الَّذِينَ قالَ لَهُمُ النَّاسُ إِنَّ النَّاسَ قَدْ جَمَعُوا لَكُمْ فَاخْشَوْهُمْ فَزادَهُمْ إِيماناً وَ قالُوا حَسْبُنَا اللَّهُ وَ نِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ فَانْقَلَبُوا بِنِعْمَةٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَ فَضْلٍ لَمْ يَمْسَسْهُمْ سُوءٌ وَ اتَّبَعُوا رِضْوانَ اللَّهِ وَ اللَّهُ ذُو فَضْلٍ عَظِيمٍ
( Those to whom hypocrites said, "Indeed, the people have gathered against you, so fear them." But it [merely] increased them in faith, and they said, "Sufficient for us is Allah, and [He is] the best Disposer of affairs." So they returned with favor from Allah and bounty, no harm having touched them. And they pursued the pleasure of Allah, and Allah is the possessor of great bounty. )
We need to know what these threats are, in order not to be surprised and to be able to find solutions.
We faced these perils and threats after the victory of Islamic Revolution and experienced them. With the grace of Allah and the leadership of Imam Khomeini and sacrifices of our people we managed to sail through them safely. The plots by enemies still continue but so does the firm resolve of our people.
I divide the harm to these movements into two groups: those that have their roots within ourselves and come from our own weaknesses, and those that have been directly planned by the enemy.
The first group of harms is of the following type:
The sense and thought that after the downfall of the corrupt dictator the job is over. The peace of mind and comfort that comes after the victory and afterward the lessening of motivation and weakening of determination are among the first perils, and the most damaging threat is when individuals ask for their share of the spoils of victory.
The story of the Battle of Uhud and the defenders seeking the spoils of victory caused the defeat of Muslims, and the mojahids were reprimanded by God. This is a good example that should never be forgotten. Being shocked and awed by the appearances of the arrogant powers and the feeling of fear from America and other interventionist powers are of these kinds of harm that should be avoided.
The brave and young should throw out these fears from their heart. Trusting the enemy and falling into trap of their smiles and promises is another threat that needs to be avoided by the forerunners and leaders. The enemy must be identified no matter what cover it uses. The nation and the revolution should be protected against the designs of the enemy that at times hide behind the appearances of friendship and supportive gestures. Another side to this page is becoming overconfident and overlooking the enemy. Bravery must be combined with wisdom and good judgment. We must use all treasures of God within ourselves against Satan, al-Jinn wal–Ens. Causing division and pitting revolutionaries against one another and penetration behind the battlefront of struggle is another great harm that needs to be avoided with all your power.
The second group of harm has been experienced by almost all countries of the region during different events. The first harm is the coming to power of those who are committed to America and the West. The West tries after the downfall of its pawns to protect the basic pillars of the system and levers of power, and change the direction by using the same foundation, but with a different head, in order to perpetuate its domination. This means wasting of all your efforts and sacrifices. At this stage, if they face resistance of the people, they try to introduce and offer to the movement and people other alternatives that are designed to divert the course of the movement. This scenario could be recommending government models and constitutions that will again throw the Islamic countries into the trap of cultural, political and economic dependence on the West. This could lead to their influence among the revolutionaries greater financial and media strength of an unreliable current and marginalization of the genuine currents in the revolution. This also means return of the domination of the West and the stronger grip of then outdated Western models that are far from basic principles of the revolution.
If this tactic does not produce the desired result, experience tells us that they will go for anarchy, terrorism, civil war among followers of religions or ethnic communities and tribes, political parties, or even among neighboring nations and governments. Parallel to these actions, they will impose economic siege and sanctions, freeze national assets and launch all-out media war and propaganda. Their intention is to tire out and frustrate people and make the revolutionaries disappointed. Under these circumstances it becomes easy to defeat the revolution. Assassination of the righteous elite of the society and opinion leaders, defamation and vilification of others and even enticing some with money are among usual ploys used by the Western powers and the claimants of civilization morality.
In Iran, the evidence and documents from the U.S. Den of Espionage that fell into the hands of the revolution showed that all these plots were designed by the regime in the United States for the people of Iran for them bringing back the reactionary and dependant rulers in revolutionary countries is a principle that prescribes all these dirty tricks.
In the last part of my remarks, I present recommendations for your consideration and selection that are based on our tangible experiences in Iran and what has been gathered from the precise studies of other countries. Undoubtedly, conditions differ among nations and countries. Nonetheless, there are truths that can prove beneficial for all people.
The first point is that by placing one’s trust in God and believing in the repeated promises of divine victories in the Quran and through astuteness, resolve, and braveness, it is possible to surmount all obstacles and emerge victorious. Of course, the task that you all have taken up is quite grave and momentous. Thus, one must bear great hardship for its sake. The Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali (`a) says:
“فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَمْ يَقْصِمْ جَبَّارِي دَهْرٍ قَطُّ إِلَّا بَعْدَ تَمْهِيلٍ وَ رَخَاءٍ وَ لَمْ يَجْبُرْ عَظْمَ أَحَدٍ مِنَ الْأُمَمِ إِلَّا بَعْدَ أَزْلٍ وَ بَلَاءٍ وَ فِي دُونِ مَا اسْتَقْبَلْتُمْ مِنْ عَتْبٍ وَ مَا اسْتَدْبَرْتُمْ مِنْ خَطْبٍ مُعْتَبَر..”
The important recommendation is that you must always consider yourself as being present on the scene: فَإِذَا فَرَغْتَ فَانْصَبْ ( So when you have finished [your duties], then stand up [for worship].)Therefore, when thou art free, still labor hard), always consider God as present and as your aid: وَإِلَى رَبِّكَ فَارْغَبْ (And to thy Lord turn all thy attention), and must not allow your victories to cause you to become arrogant or negligent:
اِذا جاءَ نَصْرُ اللهِ وَ الْفَتْحُ وَ رَاَيْتَ النّاسَ يَدْخُلُونَ في دينِ اللهِ اَفْواجاً فَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ وَ اسْتَغْفِرْهُ اِنَّهُ كانَ تَوّاباً
(When comes the help of Allah, and victory. And thou dost see the people enter Allah’s Religion in crowds. Celebrate the praises of thy Lord). These are the true foundations of a faithful nation.
Another recommendation is the constant rereading of the principles of revolution. The slogans and principles must be refined and brought in line with the foundations and undisputed principles of Islam. Independence, freedom, justice, refusal to bow to despotism and colonialism, rejection of ethnic, racial, and religious discrimination, and the outright rejection of Zionism, which, today, comprise the pivots of the movements in Islamic countries, are all inspired by Islam and the Quran.
Write down your principles on paper. Preserve your genuine nature with a high degree of sensitivity. Do not allow your enemies to formulate the principles of your future system. Do not allow Islamic principles to be sacrificed for transient interests. Deviation in revolutions starts with deviation in slogans and objectives. Never place your trust in the U.S., NATO, or criminal regimes such as Britain, France, or, Italy, which for long plundered and divided your land among themselves. Look upon them with suspicion and do not believe their smiles. Behind these smiles and promises lies conspiracy and betrayal. Find you own way by resorting to the blessed fountainhead of Islam and give back foreigners’ prescriptions to themselves.
Another important recommendation is to avoid religious, ethnic, racial, tribal, and border disputes. Recognize differences as legitimate and manage them. Reconciliation among Islamic religions is the key to salvation. Those who fan the flames of religious division through apostatizing others are the mercenaries and servants of Satan, even if done inadvertently.
Creating your own system of governance is your main and seminal task. This is a complex and difficult undertaking. Do not allow secular or western liberal or extremist nationalist or leftist Marxist models to be imposed on you.
The leftist Eastern Bloc collapsed and the Western Bloc is propped up through violence, war, and deceit, and does not appear to have a bright outlook.
The passage of time will be to their loss and to the benefit of the Islamic current.
The ultimate goal must be a unified Islamic Ummah and the creation of a new Islamic civilization founded upon faith, rationality, knowledge, and morality.
The liberation of Palestine from the savage claws of the Zionists is also a great objective. The countries of the Balkans, Caucasus, and western Asia were liberated from the claws of the former Soviet Union after eighty years. Why should the Palestinian people not be able to free themselves from the captivity of the oppressor Zionists after seventy years?
The present generation in Islamic countries has the capacity to accomplish such great feats. The young generation of today is a source of pride for the past generations. As noted by the Arab poet:
أبو الصخر من شيبان قلت لهم كلا لعمري و لكن منه شيبانُ
و كم أبٍ قد علا بابنٍ ذُری شَرَفٍ كما علا برسولِ الله عدنانُ
Trust your young generation. Revive their feeling of self-confidence and benefit them by the experiences of the elders.
There are two important points in this connection:
First, one of the most important demands of the people who have revolted and who have been liberated is to have a decisive participation in the management of their countries. And since they believe in Islam, their desire is to have a system of Islamic democracy, i.e. the rulers being elected through the vote of the people and the dominant principles and values of the society being based on the Islamic knowledge and sharia. This can crystallize in various countries, depending on their conditions, through various methods and forms. However, utmost care must be taken not to confuse this with the western liberal democracy. The secular, and at times anti-religious, western democracy is in no way related to the Islamic democracy which is committed to the values and main principles of Islam in its system of government.
The second point relates to the fact that Islamic tenets must not be equated with backwardness, obscurantism, and ignorant and extremist biases. The demarcation between these two must be pronounced. Religious extremism, which is usually attended by violence, is the cause of falling short of the lofty goals of the revolution. This, in turn, results in the loss of public support and the eventual failure of the revolution.
In sum, to speak of Islamic awakening is not to speak of a nebulous and indistinct concept that is amenable to various interpretations. Rather, it is to speak of a tangible reality in the external world that has filled the atmosphere and resulted in great uprisings and revolutions and removed from the scene some dangerous elements of the enemy. Nonetheless, the scene remains fluid and in need of being shaped and brought to a conclusion. The verses recited at the outset contain a complete and effective set of guidelines, especially in this sensitive and momentous juncture… Though, they are addressed to the Holy Prophet (PBUH), we all are their interlocutors and responsible for adhering to them. In these verses, piety (taqwa), in its lofty and broad connotation, is the first recommendation. Then comes the rejection of the orders of the infidels and hypocrites, adherence to the divine revelation, and, finally, trust in God…
Once again, we will review these verses:
بسماللهالرحمنالرحیم يا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ اتَّقِ اللَّهَ وَ لا تُطِعِ الْكافِرينَ وَ الْمُنافِقينَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كانَ عَليماً حَكيماً(1) وَ اتَّبِعْ ما يُوحى إِلَيْكَ مِنْ رَبِّكَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كانَ بِما تَعْمَلُونَ خَبيراً (2) وَ تَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَ كَفى بِاللَّهِ وَكيلاً.
(In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful. O Prophet! Fear Allah, and hearken not to the unbelievers and the hypocrites: verily Allah is full of knowledge and wisdom. But follow that which comes to thee by inspiration from thy Lord: for Allah is well acquainted with (all) that ye do. And put thy trust in Allah, and enough is Allah as a disposer of affairs.)
والسلام علیکم و رحمة الله
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Vali Amr Muslimeen Ayatullah Sayyed Ali Khamenei delivered this speech at the International Conference on Islamic Awakening on 17 September 2011.
http://english.khamenei.ir//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1523
http://farsi.khamenei.ir/news-content?id=17271
بسمالله الرحمن الرحیم
السلام علیکم و رحمة الله و برکاته
الحمدلله رب العالمین و الصلوة و السلام علی سیدنا محمد و آله الطیبین و صحبه المنتجبین
قال الله العزیز الحكیم : بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم : يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ اتَّقِ اللَّهَ وَلا تُطِعِ الْكَافِرِينَ وَالْمُنَافِقِينَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا وَاتَّبِعْ مَا يُوحَى إِلَيْكَ مِن رَّبِّكَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرًا وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَكَفَى بِاللَّهِ وَكِيلا
(O Prophet, fear Allah and do not obey the disbelievers and the hypocrites. Indeed, Allah is ever Knowing and Wise. (1). And follow that which is revealed to you from your Lord. Indeed Allah is ever, with what you do, Acquainted. (2) And rely upon Allah; and sufficient is Allah as Disposer of affairs.(3) Surat Al-Ahzab)
I welcome our honored audience and dear guests. What has brought us here together is the Islamic awakening, which comes from the stronger inspiration and greater understanding among Muslim ummah. This awakening has led to a major development among nations of our region and has brought about uprisings and revolutions that could never have been contemplated in the calculations of the dominant regional and international satanic powers. These are momentous uprising that have razed to the ground the autocratic and imperialist strongholds and vanquished the tyrants guarding them.
There is no doubt that colossal social upheavals have always relied on solid foundation of history and civilization and are products of accumulation of wisdom and experiences. Over the past 150 years, the presence of great intellectual and jihadi personalities that have been opinion leaders and behind Islamic movements in Egypt, Iraq, India and other countries in Asia and Africa has served as precursors and pioneers for the present situation in the Islamic world.
The developments in the 1950’s and 60’s led to coming to power of regimes that were mostly inclined to materialistic ideologies and thoughts, and because of their inherent character fell into the trap of Western imperialist and colonialist powers. These are experiences that are lessons to learn from, and have contributed substantially to evolution of general and profound understanding in the Islamic world.
The Islamic Revolution in Iran that was hailed by Imam Khomeini as “victory of blood over sword”, and establishment of the lasting, robust, courageous and progressive Islamic republic, and its impact on present Islamic awakening is itself a long story that deserves to be debated and researched. There is no doubt that Islamic Revolution of Iran will be accorded a thorough and comprehensive chapter in the analysis and writings of history of the present situation of the Islamic world.
For that reason, the present and mounting facts and truths in the Islamic world are not simply events that are severed from the past historical roots, social and intellectual backgrounds to allow our adversaries and the shallow-minded to present them as a passing wave and short-lived phenomenon in order to snuff out hope in the hearts of nations by their warped and biased analyses.
In this brotherly dialogue with you I want to place greater emphasis on three areas:
1. Taking a glance at the identity of these uprisings and revolutions
2. Major threats and harms lying on their way.
3. Recommendations to find solutions and prevent these threats and harms.
Regarding the first point, I believe the most important element in these revolutions is the actual and mass presence of people in the arena of action, struggle and jihad. They were present, not only with their heart, desire and faith, but also with their body and souls. There is a big difference between this presence and the presence of a military group or even armed combatants in front of uncaring people or even concerned people.
In the events of 1950’s and 60’s in some countries of Africa and Asia, the heavy load of the revolution was not on the shoulder of diverse segments of population and the youth from all parts of the country, but rather on the shoulder of coup d'etat or small and limited armed groups. They decided and acted, and they themselves or the succeeding generation changed their ways as a result of certain motivations. The revolution became its own enemy and the enemy managed again to prevail over their countries.
This is totally different than the change that comes from the people. It is the people that bring their body and soul to the arena of action, and by their jihad and devotion push back and defeat the enemy. It is the people that make the slogans and set the goals, identify and introduce and pursue the enemy. They draw their desired future, although not comprehensively, and as a result do not allow departure from the path of the revolution or conceding to the enemy, or change of course by compromising and the tainted few with special interests, and above all thwart the schemes of enemy’s agents.
In such a grass-root movement, the revolution may be slowed, but can stay away from short-sightedness and being on shaky ground. Quran says “Have you not considered how Allah presents an example, [making] a good word like a good tree, whose root is firmly fixed and its branches [high] in the sky?
أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ ضَرَبَ اللّهُ مَثَلاً كَلِمَةً طَيِّبَةً كَشَجَرةٍ طَيِّبَةٍ أَصْلُهَا ثَابِتٌ وَفَرْعُهَا فِي السَّمَاء
Have you not considered how Allah presents an example, [making] a good word like a good tree, whose root is firmly fixed and its branches [high] in the sky? (24" Ibrahim )
When I saw the brave body of the proud people of Egypt on television in Tahrir Square, I became convinced that their revolution will triumph.
Let me confess something to you. After the victory of the Islamic Revolution and the establishment of the Islamic republic in Iran which caused an earthquake among the worldly materialistic rulers in East and West and brought unprecedented uproar and joy to Muslim nations, we expected that Egypt would be next in line to rise. The reason was the history of jihad, progressive thinking and presence of great mojahids and intellectuals in Egypt. I was reciting in my heart this poem by Abu Faras:
أراك عصيّ الدمع شیمتك الصبر ما للهوی نهی علیك و لا أمر ؟
When I saw the people of Egypt in Tahrir Square and squares in other cities, I knew I have received my response. The people of Egypt told me with words coming from their heart:
بلی أنا مشتاق و عندي لوعة ولكن مثلي لایذاع له سرُّ
…This sacred secret was nothing but the motivation and resolve to rise, and gradually people of Egypt cemented this thought in their mind and at a historical juncture they manifested their resolve and entered the arena in a magnificent show of their power.
Tunisia, Yemen, Libya, and Bahrain are no exception to this general rule.
In these revolutions principles, values and goals are not written in prefabricated manifestos of groups and parties, but written in the minds, hearts and desires of each and every person present on the scene and are declared in the context of their slogans and behaviors.
With these signals one can clearly tell that the principles of current revolutions in the region, in Egypt and other countries, are first and foremost the following:
- Revival and renewal of national dignity and respect that have been broken and trampled during long years of dictatorial and corrupt rule and the political domination of America and the West.
- Keeping up the banner of Islam which is the profound faith and longstanding attachment of people and being able to enjoy peace of mind, justice, progress and prosperity that could only be achieved under Islamic Sharia.
- Resistance against the influence and domination of the United States and Europe that have wreaked the greatest damage and humiliation on the peoples of these countries over the past two hundred years.
- Countering the usurper and fictitious Zionist regime that the imperialist powers have planted like a dagger in the heart of this region to serve as a tool to continue their diabolical domination after expelling a whole nation from their historical homeland.
There is no doubt that the revolutions in the region that rely on and demand these principles are not to the liking of America, Europe and the Zionists, and they are going to use all means to deny them, but the truth will not change with their denial.
The widespread participation of people in these revolutions is the most important element that constitutes their identity. Foreign powers that tried everything in their power and used all their schemes to keep in power the tyrannical, corrupt and subservient rulers in these countries and only abandoned them when the people left no choice for them have no right to claim a share in the victory of these revolutions. Even in Libya intervention by America and NATO cannot distort the truth. In Libya, NATO has caused irreparable damage. Had it not been for the military intervention of NATO and America, victory of people might have been delayed, but all these infrastructures would not have been damaged, and innocent women and children killed and then enemies that were accomplices of Qaddafi would not have been able to intervene in this innocent war-torn nation.
People and the elite that are of the people and others who are from the people are the true owners of these revolutions that should be trusted to protect them and draw the path to the future.
2- Regarding the threats and harm, I should first emphasize that although there are threats, but there are also ways to stay safe. Mere presence of threats should not scare nations.
إِنَّ كَيْدَ الشَّيْطَانِ كَانَ ضَعِيفًا
( Indeed, the plot of Satan has ever been weak)
Allah says about a group of mojahids of early Islam:
الَّذِينَ قالَ لَهُمُ النَّاسُ إِنَّ النَّاسَ قَدْ جَمَعُوا لَكُمْ فَاخْشَوْهُمْ فَزادَهُمْ إِيماناً وَ قالُوا حَسْبُنَا اللَّهُ وَ نِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ فَانْقَلَبُوا بِنِعْمَةٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَ فَضْلٍ لَمْ يَمْسَسْهُمْ سُوءٌ وَ اتَّبَعُوا رِضْوانَ اللَّهِ وَ اللَّهُ ذُو فَضْلٍ عَظِيمٍ
( Those to whom hypocrites said, "Indeed, the people have gathered against you, so fear them." But it [merely] increased them in faith, and they said, "Sufficient for us is Allah, and [He is] the best Disposer of affairs." So they returned with favor from Allah and bounty, no harm having touched them. And they pursued the pleasure of Allah, and Allah is the possessor of great bounty. )
We need to know what these threats are, in order not to be surprised and to be able to find solutions.
We faced these perils and threats after the victory of Islamic Revolution and experienced them. With the grace of Allah and the leadership of Imam Khomeini and sacrifices of our people we managed to sail through them safely. The plots by enemies still continue but so does the firm resolve of our people.
I divide the harm to these movements into two groups: those that have their roots within ourselves and come from our own weaknesses, and those that have been directly planned by the enemy.
The first group of harms is of the following type:
The sense and thought that after the downfall of the corrupt dictator the job is over. The peace of mind and comfort that comes after the victory and afterward the lessening of motivation and weakening of determination are among the first perils, and the most damaging threat is when individuals ask for their share of the spoils of victory.
The story of the Battle of Uhud and the defenders seeking the spoils of victory caused the defeat of Muslims, and the mojahids were reprimanded by God. This is a good example that should never be forgotten. Being shocked and awed by the appearances of the arrogant powers and the feeling of fear from America and other interventionist powers are of these kinds of harm that should be avoided.
The brave and young should throw out these fears from their heart. Trusting the enemy and falling into trap of their smiles and promises is another threat that needs to be avoided by the forerunners and leaders. The enemy must be identified no matter what cover it uses. The nation and the revolution should be protected against the designs of the enemy that at times hide behind the appearances of friendship and supportive gestures. Another side to this page is becoming overconfident and overlooking the enemy. Bravery must be combined with wisdom and good judgment. We must use all treasures of God within ourselves against Satan, al-Jinn wal–Ens. Causing division and pitting revolutionaries against one another and penetration behind the battlefront of struggle is another great harm that needs to be avoided with all your power.
The second group of harm has been experienced by almost all countries of the region during different events. The first harm is the coming to power of those who are committed to America and the West. The West tries after the downfall of its pawns to protect the basic pillars of the system and levers of power, and change the direction by using the same foundation, but with a different head, in order to perpetuate its domination. This means wasting of all your efforts and sacrifices. At this stage, if they face resistance of the people, they try to introduce and offer to the movement and people other alternatives that are designed to divert the course of the movement. This scenario could be recommending government models and constitutions that will again throw the Islamic countries into the trap of cultural, political and economic dependence on the West. This could lead to their influence among the revolutionaries greater financial and media strength of an unreliable current and marginalization of the genuine currents in the revolution. This also means return of the domination of the West and the stronger grip of then outdated Western models that are far from basic principles of the revolution.
If this tactic does not produce the desired result, experience tells us that they will go for anarchy, terrorism, civil war among followers of religions or ethnic communities and tribes, political parties, or even among neighboring nations and governments. Parallel to these actions, they will impose economic siege and sanctions, freeze national assets and launch all-out media war and propaganda. Their intention is to tire out and frustrate people and make the revolutionaries disappointed. Under these circumstances it becomes easy to defeat the revolution. Assassination of the righteous elite of the society and opinion leaders, defamation and vilification of others and even enticing some with money are among usual ploys used by the Western powers and the claimants of civilization morality.
In Iran, the evidence and documents from the U.S. Den of Espionage that fell into the hands of the revolution showed that all these plots were designed by the regime in the United States for the people of Iran for them bringing back the reactionary and dependant rulers in revolutionary countries is a principle that prescribes all these dirty tricks.
In the last part of my remarks, I present recommendations for your consideration and selection that are based on our tangible experiences in Iran and what has been gathered from the precise studies of other countries. Undoubtedly, conditions differ among nations and countries. Nonetheless, there are truths that can prove beneficial for all people.
The first point is that by placing one’s trust in God and believing in the repeated promises of divine victories in the Quran and through astuteness, resolve, and braveness, it is possible to surmount all obstacles and emerge victorious. Of course, the task that you all have taken up is quite grave and momentous. Thus, one must bear great hardship for its sake. The Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali (`a) says:
“فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَمْ يَقْصِمْ جَبَّارِي دَهْرٍ قَطُّ إِلَّا بَعْدَ تَمْهِيلٍ وَ رَخَاءٍ وَ لَمْ يَجْبُرْ عَظْمَ أَحَدٍ مِنَ الْأُمَمِ إِلَّا بَعْدَ أَزْلٍ وَ بَلَاءٍ وَ فِي دُونِ مَا اسْتَقْبَلْتُمْ مِنْ عَتْبٍ وَ مَا اسْتَدْبَرْتُمْ مِنْ خَطْبٍ مُعْتَبَر..”
The important recommendation is that you must always consider yourself as being present on the scene: فَإِذَا فَرَغْتَ فَانْصَبْ ( So when you have finished [your duties], then stand up [for worship].)Therefore, when thou art free, still labor hard), always consider God as present and as your aid: وَإِلَى رَبِّكَ فَارْغَبْ (And to thy Lord turn all thy attention), and must not allow your victories to cause you to become arrogant or negligent:
اِذا جاءَ نَصْرُ اللهِ وَ الْفَتْحُ وَ رَاَيْتَ النّاسَ يَدْخُلُونَ في دينِ اللهِ اَفْواجاً فَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ وَ اسْتَغْفِرْهُ اِنَّهُ كانَ تَوّاباً
(When comes the help of Allah, and victory. And thou dost see the people enter Allah’s Religion in crowds. Celebrate the praises of thy Lord). These are the true foundations of a faithful nation.
Another recommendation is the constant rereading of the principles of revolution. The slogans and principles must be refined and brought in line with the foundations and undisputed principles of Islam. Independence, freedom, justice, refusal to bow to despotism and colonialism, rejection of ethnic, racial, and religious discrimination, and the outright rejection of Zionism, which, today, comprise the pivots of the movements in Islamic countries, are all inspired by Islam and the Quran.
Write down your principles on paper. Preserve your genuine nature with a high degree of sensitivity. Do not allow your enemies to formulate the principles of your future system. Do not allow Islamic principles to be sacrificed for transient interests. Deviation in revolutions starts with deviation in slogans and objectives. Never place your trust in the U.S., NATO, or criminal regimes such as Britain, France, or, Italy, which for long plundered and divided your land among themselves. Look upon them with suspicion and do not believe their smiles. Behind these smiles and promises lies conspiracy and betrayal. Find you own way by resorting to the blessed fountainhead of Islam and give back foreigners’ prescriptions to themselves.
Another important recommendation is to avoid religious, ethnic, racial, tribal, and border disputes. Recognize differences as legitimate and manage them. Reconciliation among Islamic religions is the key to salvation. Those who fan the flames of religious division through apostatizing others are the mercenaries and servants of Satan, even if done inadvertently.
Creating your own system of governance is your main and seminal task. This is a complex and difficult undertaking. Do not allow secular or western liberal or extremist nationalist or leftist Marxist models to be imposed on you.
The leftist Eastern Bloc collapsed and the Western Bloc is propped up through violence, war, and deceit, and does not appear to have a bright outlook.
The passage of time will be to their loss and to the benefit of the Islamic current.
The ultimate goal must be a unified Islamic Ummah and the creation of a new Islamic civilization founded upon faith, rationality, knowledge, and morality.
The liberation of Palestine from the savage claws of the Zionists is also a great objective. The countries of the Balkans, Caucasus, and western Asia were liberated from the claws of the former Soviet Union after eighty years. Why should the Palestinian people not be able to free themselves from the captivity of the oppressor Zionists after seventy years?
The present generation in Islamic countries has the capacity to accomplish such great feats. The young generation of today is a source of pride for the past generations. As noted by the Arab poet:
أبو الصخر من شيبان قلت لهم كلا لعمري و لكن منه شيبانُ
و كم أبٍ قد علا بابنٍ ذُری شَرَفٍ كما علا برسولِ الله عدنانُ
Trust your young generation. Revive their feeling of self-confidence and benefit them by the experiences of the elders.
There are two important points in this connection:
First, one of the most important demands of the people who have revolted and who have been liberated is to have a decisive participation in the management of their countries. And since they believe in Islam, their desire is to have a system of Islamic democracy, i.e. the rulers being elected through the vote of the people and the dominant principles and values of the society being based on the Islamic knowledge and sharia. This can crystallize in various countries, depending on their conditions, through various methods and forms. However, utmost care must be taken not to confuse this with the western liberal democracy. The secular, and at times anti-religious, western democracy is in no way related to the Islamic democracy which is committed to the values and main principles of Islam in its system of government.
The second point relates to the fact that Islamic tenets must not be equated with backwardness, obscurantism, and ignorant and extremist biases. The demarcation between these two must be pronounced. Religious extremism, which is usually attended by violence, is the cause of falling short of the lofty goals of the revolution. This, in turn, results in the loss of public support and the eventual failure of the revolution.
In sum, to speak of Islamic awakening is not to speak of a nebulous and indistinct concept that is amenable to various interpretations. Rather, it is to speak of a tangible reality in the external world that has filled the atmosphere and resulted in great uprisings and revolutions and removed from the scene some dangerous elements of the enemy. Nonetheless, the scene remains fluid and in need of being shaped and brought to a conclusion. The verses recited at the outset contain a complete and effective set of guidelines, especially in this sensitive and momentous juncture… Though, they are addressed to the Holy Prophet (PBUH), we all are their interlocutors and responsible for adhering to them. In these verses, piety (taqwa), in its lofty and broad connotation, is the first recommendation. Then comes the rejection of the orders of the infidels and hypocrites, adherence to the divine revelation, and, finally, trust in God…
Once again, we will review these verses:
بسماللهالرحمنالرحیم يا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ اتَّقِ اللَّهَ وَ لا تُطِعِ الْكافِرينَ وَ الْمُنافِقينَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كانَ عَليماً حَكيماً(1) وَ اتَّبِعْ ما يُوحى إِلَيْكَ مِنْ رَبِّكَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كانَ بِما تَعْمَلُونَ خَبيراً (2) وَ تَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَ كَفى بِاللَّهِ وَكيلاً.
(In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful. O Prophet! Fear Allah, and hearken not to the unbelievers and the hypocrites: verily Allah is full of knowledge and wisdom. But follow that which comes to thee by inspiration from thy Lord: for Allah is well acquainted with (all) that ye do. And put thy trust in Allah, and enough is Allah as a disposer of affairs.)
والسلام علیکم و رحمة الله