In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
The target is Islam and independence of the country
Do not be disheartened by the incarceration of Mr. Taleqani «1» and the engineer. «2» We will not succeed without the occurrence of such incidents.
The ultimate goal which must be borne in mind at all times is more important than the release of a group of people. The objective is Islam; it is the country's independence; it is the proscription of Israel's agents; it is the unification of Muslim countries. The entire country's economy now lies in Israel's hands; that is to say it has been seized by Israeli agents. Hence, most of the major factories and enterprises are run by them: the television, the Arj factory, Pepsi Cola, etc. «3»
The two passenger planes scheduled to commute hajj pilgrims to Mecca belonged to Israel! Saudi Arabia objected to them and they inevitably stopped doing it. Today, even eggs are imported from Israel. «4» Make firm your ranks. These are the agents of imperialism and imperialism must be uprooted.
The need to hoist the banner of Islam in the universities
Gentlemen, do your utmost to raise the banner of Islam in the universities, to promote religion, to build mosques, to perform prayers in congregation and to let the act of prayer be seen by others. Religious unity is of the essence. It is religious unity that makes this society so great and firm; if you like Iran to be independent, then be united in religion.
The regime is forced to release the Imam
The regime came to realize that it could no longer bear such opprobrium. «5» It sensed the resentment felt toward it by the Muslim countries and was subjected to pressures from all quarters of the Islamic and non-Islamic world. «6» Thus, in acknowledging the hopelessness of the situation, it decided that I was to be brought here during the night, «7»" to ensure my safe arrival," as they put it. They repeatedly said that they must offer me protection and that they feared people might harm me!! Having suffered so many public scandals, they realized there was nothing more they could do. They did not enjoy the favor of any nation or foreign government; and when they saw that the period of hajj and the month of Muharram were approaching, during which time nothing was predictable, they chose to release me. However, shortly after, they decided to turn public opinion against me, believing that via the press they could make me despised and could create a rift between the people and the clergymen.
A conspiracy labeled as" Holy Alliance"
A few days have now passed since my release but I have not in fact had the opportunity to read a newspaper. In prison, however, I was entitled to leisure-time and so I used to read; or so it was, until I was handed the Ittila`at newspaper dated Tuesday, April 7, 1964 (Farvardin 18, 1343 AHS). I am upset with the `ulama' for not having given this paper to me sooner. In the editorial of this abject newspaper, under the heading" Holy Alliance", it was asserted that a compromise had been reached with the clergymen; furthermore, the clergymen are in favor of the `White Revolution' of the Shah and the nation. Which Revolution? Which nation? Does this revolution really have anything to do with the clergymen and the people?! «8»
The clergy opposes the White Revolution
Those of you who are in the universities, «9» let the clergymen's opposition to this" revolution" be known to everyone. Unfortunately, we do not possess the media necessary for such publicity. They have taken everything from us. They have taken the television and radio from us. The television lies in the hands of that fraud «10» and the radio is in the hands of the regime itself; and as for the press, that too is corrupt. Whatever they write or say immediately travels to the most remote of places; and knowing no better, people think that they speak for the clergymen, too. Let it be known, the clergymen do not favor such scandalous deeds, and as far as the Ittila`at newspaper is concerned, if it does not make amends for its misdeeds, then it will have to contend with the tough counteractive measures taken by us.
(A member of the audience:" Boycott it!" The Imam:" No, this is not the time. There is a right time for everything.")
Khomeini will not compromise
Even if they threaten to hang Khomeini, he will not compromise. Reforms cannot be made at gun point; nor will the country be reformed by writing" Khomeini, the traitor" on the walls of Tehran! «11» Now do you see that you were wrong? Do you realize that you made a grave mistake? Submit to the doctrines of Islam. We will help you in this; but if by releasing me you have other ideas in mind, if you actually want to have a riot on your hands, then so be it- go ahead.
When I was brought from Qaytariyyah prison, the newspaper of August 4, 1963 (Mordad 13, 1342 AHS) wrote something to the effect that the clergymen will not interfere in politics. «12» I will now tell you the truth of the matter. A person who will remain anonymous once said," Take it from me, politics involves nothing but lying, deceiving, cheating, misleading: in brief, politics means chicanery! And you should leave that to us!" «13» Because the time was not right I did not want to argue with him, so I merely commented," From the very beginning, we played no part in the kind of politics of which you speak."
Islam is politics in its entirety Today, however, because the time has come, I say," this is not Islam". I swear by God that Islam is politics in its entirety but it has been misrepresented. Political science originates from Islam. I am not one of those mullahs who merely sit with rosary beads in hand. I am not the Pope to perform certain ceremonies on Sundays only, spending the rest of my time imagining that I am a sultan and not concerning myself with any other affairs. «14» This is where the key to Islamic independence lies. This country must be rescued from these difficulties. They do not want this country to be reformed. The foreigners do not want this country to flourish. Even water has not been provided for this nation! The water used by us in Qum would not even be given to animals in Europe! «15» If they are truly in earnest, then they ought to provide jobs for the unemployed. After twenty years of studying, this young man wants a job. «16» When he graduates in the near future, he will be left wandering aimlessly. If he is not provided with a means of living, then he will not be able to retain his religious beliefs. Do you really believe that the thief that climbs walls at night in spite of the dangers entailed, or the woman who sells her honor, is really blameworthy? No, it is a low standard of living which gives rise to all of these crimes and vices of which one reads in both the morning and evening press.
old weather of Hamedan and importing flowers from Holland
While I was in prison, they informed me that the temperature in Hamedan had reached thirty-three degrees below zero. «17» Then they brought the news that two thousand people had lost their lives due to the cold. I was unable to do anything under the circumstances. What could I have done? This was the state of affairs in Hamedan, but in Tehran and other cities too further lives were also lost. In spite of all this, however, what action did the government take? Under such dreadful circumstances they had flowers flown in from Holland with which they could receive their masters from abroad. How they squander the money of this poor nation! To hire the airplane in question actually cost these country three hundred thousand tumans! «18» For God's sake, make amends for your misdeeds; observe the laws of Islam.
While in captivity, I read something about the state of hygiene and the material conditions endured by those living in southern Iran. I was surprised at how they had allowed such a thing to be written. After having made investigations about the living conditions of people living in the south, a reporter had written that in the rural areas in southern Iran there was absolutely no evidence of health care; there was no current water, and in one village the majority of people were actually blind. «19» In short, they were deprived of all basic facilities and the very bare necessaries of life. At the ECAFE «20» conference, however, where delegates of world states had assembled to find a solution to the global economic situation-if they should ever wish to implement it-as participating members from countries both large and small discussed their economic problems, the Iranian body of delegates declared that our economic situation was wholly favorable and was without drawbacks! Is the economic situation in Britain bad and that of Iran good?! Is the state of India's economy after making such great progress bad, while that of Iran is good?! Likewise, is Japan's economy in an unhealthy state whereas the economy of Iran is healthy?!
" Progressive nation"
Those lords seated in their palaces speak of" the progressive nation"; does a" progressive nation" die of starvation?! `Ali (`a) the emir of Islam, used to eat barley bread, but now they spend 500,000 or 1,000,000 tumans, if not more, «21» for the receptions arranged in honor of their masters; and all they ever talk about is the" development" program! They maintain that our country is on a par with advanced countries, but how can the admission of a few women to Parliament cause a country to be developed? «22» You will not put the country right by implementing Israel's policies.
Khordad's mass murder
Islam calls for man to abide by certain rules and regulations during his life. These apply to all stages of man's life; that is from the day he is born until the day he is buried. It is not a question of opposing a particular person. At the end of the previous government's term of office, I was approached by someone in prison who criticized the said government claiming that the new government (by contrast) had some progressive policies. «23» I told him that we the clergymen have no personal grievance with anyone and that we are concerned with the deeds of individuals. This poor nation needs to be rescued. Yesterday I held an audience here with the families of those martyred on Khordad 15. I was most disturbed by the fact that I was not informed of the event of Khordad 15 until I came out of prison. Unlike the first time that the madrasah was attacked, when I was in fact informed of the affair on the afternoon of that very same day. The slaughter which took place on Khordad 15 was worse than the behavior exhibited by a military force toward a foreign nation. At least they would not have killed the women and children. Today is no time to celebrate. «24» As long as the nation lives, it will mourn the events of Khordad 15. A government official once said in a speech that Khordad 15 was a disgrace to the Iranian nation; I wish to complete this statement: Khordad 15 was a disgrace to the nation because weapons were procured with the money of this nation and it was with these very same weapons that they killed the people!