Speech [The inevitable fall of the imperial regime and the people's inner changes]

[In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful]

... I don't believe that you will find a situation like that of Iran existing in any other country, whether from the point of view of the people there or with regard to the Shah and his government. I don't believe that anything similar to either of these two: either the people in Iran or the Shah and his regime in Iran can be found to exist anywhere else. As for the people, this popular uprising and this momentum which has now reached such an elevated stage, has never before occurred throughout history, other than over the past few years when a nation has become so self-motivated. If at any time in the past the people may have wanted to close down a city's bazaar, this may well have been an impossibility. Let's say in Qum for example, a city which has a thriving bazaar, even if the `ulama' of that city were to have told the people there to close down the bazaar; in all likelihood the people would not have done so. This is likely to have been the case. And then things reached the stage where whenever an incident would occur and the regime would act impertinently toward the `ulama', the people would then close their shops down, but they would do so without relish, reluctantly, their hearts would not be in it. Now, however, the situation has become such that the people close down the bazaar at the slightest request or with the slightest excuse; and not only in Qum but in all cities. Across the entire country the situation has become one where Iran's bazaar, including the bazaar in Tehran, which is said to be a political institution, is now in a closed or semi-closed state. This is what Iran, especially its bazaar, and especially the bazaar merchants, have turned out to be like; and these people who at one time found a one-day closing burdensome, now find it burdensome to be told to open up their shops. They have now on occasion complained about the fact that someone or other has for example said that the people are to go about their normal business The people would become annoyed at this. Or were it to be suggested for example that the closure had gone on for long enough, even if they were about to reopen their businesses, on hearing this suggestion, the people would again close up shop! The people now act of their own accord. And this revolution has boosted the people's morale and strengthened their spirits so much so that it has reached the stage where they now become upset and angry at being told to go about their usual everyday business.

Furthermore, if at any time someone's nose was made to bleed, if someone was delivered a blow, this was seen as a disaster for someone to be killed for example, was looked upon as a disaster. Now however, things have reached the stage where only last night I received a letter from a mother saying that four or five of her children had been killed and how proud she was of this fact, and it said that she and her family were now fully prepared to make any sacrifice. Today it has become quite normal for the loved-ones of a number of people in any given city to have been killed it has become something quite normal for the people. A tremendous impetus has developed and the fact that the people as a whole are engaged in struggle has now become an accepted fact of life in Iran; and this does not apply to just one or two cities in the country. As for the newspapers, although they may not paint a complete picture- and that goes for the radio too which doesn't tell the whole story either of course- and even though we are only partly informed of the facts by these media reports or by the reports we receive from foreign radio stations, nevertheless, whenever you turn on the radio you hear of the strikes and killings in such-and-such a city, of the same having occurred in such-and-such a village. This situation now even having reached those villages which apparently it has been a village on the outskirts of Hamedan a village in which a number of people have been killed and where five thousand have taken strike action.

In the past taking political action such as this was never even thought of, no one ever spoke of going on strike. In the past people had no idea what the word `strike' meant. Yet taking strike action has become something quite commonplace, strikes now being held by the people in all cities throughout Iran, and five thousand people having gone on strike in one village (a village in Hamedan) alone. I hear that strike action is now being taken by the people in all of the cities nationwide- strikes such as that held by the workers of the oil company, may God be with them. For some years now I have had it in my mind to say that these workers should be told to halt oil production so as to prevent others from taking our oil. But the point to note here is that... is now an undisputed fact- strike action is now being taken in Iran, and be it in the schools, among the workers, among those in the aviation industry, or wherever, the fact is that everyone is now out on strike. Whereas before, even if anyone had mentioned taking strike action the people wouldn't have known what it was; now, they themselves go on strike of their own volition, without anyone having to urge them to do so. The government however, was under the impression that it could make out that these strikes were being held because This is what they would say when strikes first began to be held. A certain group of people, I can't now remember exactly which one, sent me a message from Khorasan to say that what the government is saying about our strike action being in demand of a wage increase is a lie; we are on strike for political reasons. Likewise, the people are now declaring that these strikes in which they are engaged are being held to secure the release of political prisoners and to ensure that martial law is lifted and that these foreigners, who have set upon this nation and have ravaged this nation's wealth, leave our country. These demands that the people are making are indeed of great significance! What exactly do they (the government) want from this nation? These figures of forty-five, fifty or sixty thousand tumans which are quoted as being the salaries paid to these Americans... are enormously high figures.

Now, going on strike has become something quite commonplace and normal, and so has being involved in bloody confrontations, and closing down the bazaars and thoroughfares, and staging demonstrations, and participating in acts of protest, and chanting" Death to" whatever, and expressing the loathing felt toward the tyrannical regime; all of these are now looked upon as being quite normal. If, five years ago, a policeman entered any of these bazaars in Iran declaring that a certain flag was to be hung above the shops there- say it was Aban 4 (October 26,the Shah's birthday) for example, Aban being a month which is now known for its wretchedness (laughter of the audience) - yes, if a policeman entered the bazaar and told those there that they were to hang a certain flag above their shops, he met with no opposition whatsoever. No one ever imagined that a policeman could be challenged, a policeman... (laughter of the audience). It never occurred to the people that it was in some way possible to defy a policeman. Everyone used to do as he was told. One policeman would walk through the bazaar of Tehran, or Qum, or Shiraz, «1» and would order those there to close their shops or whatever. He would order them to hang a flag above their shops, and so indeed they would hang a flag above their shops; or he would order them to festoon their shops with lights, and so they would decorate their shops with lights. Now however, the situation is one where the people no longer pay the slightest attention to martial law and to rule by the bayonet, or to rule by the Shah or any other form of rule! We have seen martial law being enforced in the past: in the past as soon as martial law was declared somewhere no one dared to show any opposition and everywhere became evacuated; no one even opposed a policeman let alone martial law... But as you can now see for yourselves martial law is in force in several cities in Iran yet none of the people there give heed to this form of rule. Instead they pour into the streets and shout out in protest. As for them (the regime), fear that the people may now stage a major attack has led them to relinquish their position somewhat, or rather, to relinquish their position considerably.

This is the situation in our country with regard to its people. One must compare what this nation was like prior to the present movement and what it is like now. The situation of thirty years ago must be compared to the situation now in order to realize the extent to which our nation has developed its political awareness, the extent to which it has developed its religious awareness, its political awareness. In the past the situation was such that no one gave themselves the right to interfere in any of the country's affairs, for (they asked themselves) what was it to do with us, the people? The country is embodied in the person (of the Shah)! Yes, this is what was commonly said: the country is embodied in the person (of the Shah), in he who is running the country! And he is at liberty to do as he pleases! The nation belongs to him; everyone belongs to him! So this being the case, he is at liberty to do as he pleases! Indeed, this was the logic of the people in general, except for some who were very few in number; those who, although not in a position to speak out, nevertheless did not accept this way of thinking. They did not accept this logic but were unable to say so. The bulk of the people held that there is the Shah there is his country, and there are his subjects! This was the accepted way of thinking! You must all surely remember how twenty or thirty years ago the situation was such that the mass of our oppressed people were conditioned by these tyrants and dictators into accepting their habitually being struck on the head as something normal. When a nation has been trampled upon by these people (tyrants) for so many years, for two and a half thousand years, when it has lived under this vile flag for two and a half thousand years- monarchical rule being the vilest of the world's regimes, and its rulers the vilest of the world's people «2»- then such a nation has become used to giving a free rein to its oppressive rulers to do as they please and it has become accustomed to not objecting in the least! Such a nation has become accustomed to believing that this is his (the Shah's) right! That this is his country! That these are his subjects! This was the accepted way of thinking at that time. Muhammad Rida never dreamt that one day someone might ask:" Why did the Shah behave in this way?" What is the meaning of asking" why?" anyway? If this person happened to be the Prime Minister say, there was no way he would dare to ask" why?" In a certain gathering- some time during the thirteen or fourteen years that Prime Minister held office «3»- the latter became annoyed when the Shah was addressed as the country's number one man! He argued that to use the words `number one' means that there is someone else in this country who is to be called `number two! '; and he asked:" Why did you use the words: the country's number one man?! Indeed, is there anyone else in the country whereby the Shah may be referred to as the country's number one man?... There is no one else other than `His Excellency'. That is to say, the country does not have a number two man thus enabling him( the Shah )to be referred to as the country's number one man!" Yes, this is how things were! In this way they were conditioning the people and indeed the people were conditioned into believing that there was no distinction between God's command and that of the Shah! That the Shah's command was God's command! That there was no difference between God's command and that of the Shah! And they put a false construction on certain words, words which in essence bore the truth, such as: `The king is God's shadow'. «4» Here they put a false construction on the word `shadow. '

Nobody's shadow exists independently, its existence, its motion- if it has any- are dependent upon him whose shadow it is. The shadow of a person who is walking somewhere or who is in motion does not move of its own free will. Its movement is subject to that of the person in question. That is to say, no matter how this person may move his hands the hands of his shadow also move in the same way. If he walks then his shadow follows after him. If he sits down, so too does his shadow. The shadow cannot act of its own free will, it does not enjoy an independent existence but rather owes its actions and its existence to the person to whom it belongs. The words: `The king is God's shadow' have sealed the doom of all kings, for indeed these are not true kings! The person who allows himself to act of his own accord, to behave in a way which is not in accordance with the behavior ordained by God, is not `the shadow of God'; he is an independent agent; his actions are self-motivated. The Holy Prophet is `the shadow of God' because he is not an independent agent; he himself is of no significance; he is the" Divine Revelation;" he is subordinate to divine revelation; he is subordinate to God's command; he is subordinate to God's admonition; his actions are inspired by Him; His inspiration prompts him to act. Whatever battle he engages in is in accordance with His divine revelation. He has no selfish desires or aspirations of his own which could prompt him to perform a certain deed. Hadrat Amir (Imam `Ali) (`a), is quoted as saying that when he was engaged in a fight to the death with `Amr ibn `Abd Widd «5» and once he had defeated the latter having thrown him to the ground, `Amr ibn `Abd Widd then insulted him by spitting at him. The Hadrat rose to his feet- accounts relate how he rose to his feet and departed from the scene, after which he is said to have returned and killed his opponent. The Hadrat was questioned about his actions. In reply he said that he had behaved in this way since at that particular moment in time the person in question had done something to (offend) him and he thus feared that some kind of personal feelings may interfere in any action he might have then taken. Action is to be divinely inspired. This is what is meant by `the shadow of God. ' Yet they purposely misconstrued these words of truth, these words which seal the doom of all kings, which seal the doom of all tyrants and of those in authority, and which make clear just what the believers and the Muslims are to do with kings, with the kings of tyranny. They fed people the idea that he (the Shah) is" the shadow of God"... that" there is no distinction between God's command and that of the Shah." They committed these wrongdoings, these cruel and oppressive acts, and those acts of betrayal in such a manner that a nation became accustomed to them! Had these acts not been committed then perhaps the nation would have become accustomed to quite the opposite state of affairs! But what happened to make things change? Now our people have reached the stage where their twelve-year old children stand before a policeman in Qum and elsewhere and say" Death to the Shah!" This is the way things have turned out. Shouting" Death to the Shah" has now become something quite commonplace among the people of our nation! It has become commonplace! These are the first words to be uttered by the child who has recently learned how to talk! What glorious words they are (laughter from the audience).

So much for our people, for our nation from within which this dynamism has emerged and has gushed forth thanks to the movement upon which the people have embarked. No one can take the credit for this. No one has the right to do this. It is wrong for someone to say that this is his doing, that he is the one who has brought this about ... No mortal is capable of transforming a nation in such a way. It is God who has done this. This is God's doing. No power is capable, within the space of a year or so- it can now be said to have been a year and so many months, for things had gradually begun to change from some time back although nothing was yet visibly apparent- of bringing about this change and transformation which has been realized within our country and our nation, whereby the situation of the past hundreds of years has been changed meaning that two thousand and five hundred years have been trampled underfoot and wiped out. This cannot be the doing of just anyone. It can in no way be said to have been the clergy's doing. It cannot be said to have been the doing of the people from the bazaar. No indeed, this movement is God's doing; it has gushed forth from within the nation itself in accordance with God's will, and it therefore holds promise. This is something from God, something which is hopeful.

The situation among the people of our nation has now become one quite opposite to that which prevailed in the past when the norm was for people to believe that they must act in a certain way; that they must revere the Shah and the policeman and civil officials and the like. That they must behave in such-and-such a way; that they must take the blows and say nothing; that they must pay those unfair taxes and say nothing; that they must accept foul abuse without protest. Now the time has come for change, for this kind of change which has been bestowed upon us by God's command. And the fervor which has emerged from among the people themselves has reached the point where it has now become the norm to shout out" Death to this monarchy" of whatever; this has now become the norm! Only a few days ago I received a letter which told of the small child of one of our own people saying such things. That is, it told of how this small child who had recently learned how to talk had actually spoken these words! Yes, this has become something quite commonplace now. Therefore, we are not to suppose that this service which the nation has so far rendered itself, this favor which the Divine Being of Absolute Truth has bestowed upon this nation, is the doing of some of those who in fact work for the regime and who repeatedly make suggestive sayings such as:" Well, what happened; what did all this bloodshed achieve? What happened? What did this movement achieve? What happened?" A nation which has known nothing other than suffering and distress and which has remained silent in the face of oppression, is now standing up to the oppressor like a mountain, and is fighting against the bayonet with its bare fists! What more do they expect? The people of a nation have sacrificed their youngsters. These youngsters stand before tanks and cannons and are killed and then the people announce that they have given their children's lives in way of a sacrifice, and that if needs be they are prepared to do the same with the rest of their children! What else can be expected from these people? What could be better than this? What greater transformation could be wished for? What kind of spiritual development can exceed this, where a nation's state of mind has become transformed into another state within the space of one year, within the space of thirteen months, where a nation's state of mind has become so transformed?

So much for the people and their present state of mind, a state the likes of which cannot be found to have existed at any other time; a state whereby people everywhere in the country have closed down their businesses, transformation which has followed have been worth the loss of hundreds or thousands of lives; it has been worth making such sacrifices in order for a state of mind such as this to be brought about. An alert state of mind such as this whereby you now no longer believe that they can force you to behave in the way they used to; their harsh treatment of you is now a thing of the past; they can no longer send a policeman to you with orders to beat the people. This is now a thing of the past; it is all in the past.