Speech [Continuing the crusade till the complete establishment of the Islamic Republic]

I seek refuge in God from the accursed Satan

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

I have always prayed for you, for all the strata of the nation, and the revolutionary guards, and will always do so, God willing. May God further brighten up these radiant faces with the light of His own beauty. May God bestow dignity and greatness upon you, the revolutionary guards. May God grant you prosperity and spiritual health in this world and resurrect you with His infinite graces and blessings in the other world.

You are from the youthful class of the society, you are of the masses of people, not of the high social class, which has squandered everything we had; you are not of those who fled or lived abroad and plundered the wealth of this nation. You are the youth, who were at the very core of the masses and the society and we are indebted to you. We are all indebted to Islam; it is not us who have done Islam any favors; Islam, as well as the Qur'an, has conferred this favor on us. But I am under your obligation. You the powerful youth, the pious youth, and the steadfast youth have earned this victory. After I had stayed in the school for a couple of days, I noticed photographs of some martyred youths, who are some of our martyrs, posted in the premises, and God knows what went on in my heart and how saddened and sorry I became. These were our own youth; they were my own children. These worthy youth were martyred for Islam. God will resurrect them with the Owner of Islam (the Holy Prophet).

We are distressed by these killings, by the savagery perpetrated by this iniquitous regime. However, we are thankful that our blood, the blood of our youth has been shed for Islam. Islam has had numerous martyrs of this kind; it has had many of these beloved ones. You, the youth, have served Islam as the youth of the early days of Islam had. Islam was being forgotten; it was being annihilated and the Qur'an being crushed under the boots (of oppression). Your, the Iranian youth's and the nation's uprising, which was a divine uprising and a divine movement, revived the Qur'an and Islam. It gave Islam a new life.

I hope that from now onwards, all of us will endeavor until we have established an Islamic republic in this country. And in the same way that we severed foreign hands (off our country), we should also not let them dominate us and we will never allow them to do so. We will not let superpower governments interfere in our country's destiny or our military forces, our culture, and economy. Gone are the days when they indisputably interfered in these affairs.

Today our nation is alive; our productive youths are alive and are standing firmly. They were the ones that proved that cannons and tanks are ineffective before the nation and faith. It was faith in God and in Islamic principles that rendered you victorious. My beloved ones! Strengthen your faith. Do not think that it was material power that did it. From the material point of view, their (enemies') power was millions of times stronger. Based on worldly criterion you should not have triumphed; with one single assault, they should have wiped you out. But all calculations made by the experts were proved wrong! They themselves admitted that this movement confuted all calculations. This victory proved all calculations wrong. Their calculations were materially based and worldly. A society, which lacked everything, that is, a society, which had nothing, no army, arms or organization, overcame an army, which was fully equipped and a superpower, which had everything. This matter is a spiritual one, not material. A materially based calculation is not right. Those who base their calculations on material and worldly affairs should come forth and explain on what basis this nation defeated the superpowers. Carter announced his support from the very beginning with so many clamors, with speeches and statements made one after another. Where are they who promised to do such and such and said that they would deliver arms and send their ships, some of which did enter our waters? They understood that the whole affair was not of a material nature. They should understand this. I do not know whether they understood or not. They should understand the fact that all superpowers supported Muhammad Rida, who himself had everything except humanity and dignity.

Based on material and ordinary criteria, we should have been annihilated by a single onslaughtThey (enemies) would have devoured us as one morsel. But with the power of faith and support from the Exalted and Blessed God, reliance upon the Imam of the Time- may God's peace be upon him- you triumphed. My brethren! Do not forget this secret of victory; the unity of expression that was created among all the ranks of the nation was a miracle. Nobody could have engendered it; it was a miracle. This phenomenon had a divine nature. It was a divine revelation, not the work of human beings. The secret of your victory was, firstly, brought about by your unwavering faith and, secondly, by the unity of expression. Safeguard these two attributes. Strengthen your faith. You are not a material being. Those who regard man as a material being consider man as an animal. You are a being that has a material attribute and higher than this, a spiritual one. You possess a holy spirit. You possess an abstract self, «1» which if placed at the service of Islam and the Exalted and Blessed God, your self will be purified, cleansed, and fortunate and no matter what happens that fortunate and purified self is fortunate, that is, prosperous in defeat and in death. The death of a human being, that is, a chaste human being for that matter, will be the commencement of his human life. In this world, we lead an animal life, a limited life. Man's eternal life belongs to the eternal world. If you purify your self, if you base your actions on the glorious Qur'an and Islamic decrees, if you make your morals compatible with the Qur'anic morals, if you edify your self, you will have no fear of anything. Dying will be easy and immaterial. That is why Hadrat Amir, may God's peace be upon him, the master of all (faithful) said that he was more familiar with death than an infant with its mother's breast, «2» because he had understood what was in this world and what was beyond it. He understood what death meant. Death is life. Many of our people were martyred, but martyrs are alive. They are alive and find their sustenance in the presence of God. «3» They are immortal. We beseech God to make us achieve martyrdom. Then in one instant, it will be eternal bliss. A moment's endeavor and eternal bliss ensues.

If you want to serve Islam and your nation, if you want your services to continue, if you want your services to be rewarded by the Exalted and Blessed God, make your destination divine, take a step for God, dedicate your efforts to God, perform your duties as guards of God. You have made, and are making, enormous efforts. You have a right to Islam but you must strive, i. e., strive to edify the self. Like these vigils that our crusaders are keeping, you too supplicate to the Exalted and Blessed God in the dead of the night. Invoke God to bestow success upon you and the honor of martyrdom, to grant you honor. It is on martyrdom that your honor depends. Do not be afraid of anything. You, the masses, that is, these very same workers, artisans, merchants, office guilds and farmers make up the true masses of the nation; those who plundered and fled are not of the nation. Do not fear anything because the power of faith will prevail over all problems, God willing.

Of course, you know that it is a revolution. In addition, you should know that ever since this world was created there has never been any revolution that has triumphed so speedily and with just a few casualties. We have offered martyrs, many martyrs (to this cause), but, thanks God, Iran, compared to other revolutions in which millions had been killed and had incurred great losses and damage, with the assistance of Master of the Age, may God's peace be upon him, incurred few losses but reaped loads of benefits. What reward could be more precious than this? That is, in a matter of a few hours, you uprooted a 2,500- year-old autocratic regime whose roots had penetrated into the depths of the nation! Of course, the preliminary stages took a long time, but when the true uprising took its course and the regime wanted to launch a coup d'etat (against the nation), you thwarted it in a matter of a few hours and everything (the bedrock of the monarchial regime) crumbled. They (regime) destroyed and laid the country to waste and then fled. Now, we have a devastated land on our hands. For fifty-odd years, you put up with this despotic rule, suppression and the degradation you had been subjected to. They held you in low esteem and never counted you as anything worthy. You have endured fifty-odd years of tribulations. Now you must bear up with (some more) for its reconstruction. Do not think that the government alone or one group from the government or nation can build all this devastation. This is a task for everyone, for the entire nation; everybody is duty-bound to do the job. Those who sometimes warble and asseverate," What has happened?" and ask" why" repeatedly, want to sow seeds of discord. What do they mean by" What has happened?" What more do they expect? A nation has crushed all superpowers and they ask," What has happened?" a nation buried an oppressive establishment that ruled this country with tyranny for 2500 years, and they again ask," What happened?" Should they ask," What happened?"

Of course, we have numerous problems. Now, we have myriads of problems, but everyone should join hands to find a solution. I cannot do it (alone), nor can the clergy or the government or any other group but" God's hand is with the community." «4» The Exalted and Blessed God is with the community. If there is an agreement within the community in overcoming a difficulty, the Exalted and Blessed God will be its supporter. We felt this concern, and were enthralled by the fact that the Iranian community, who coalesced, had, and still has, God as its support. Do not act in a way that God's blessings be lessened, God forbid. Do not do anything that will cause anxiety to the Master of the Age. Do not differ from one another. Do not cause dispersion among yourselves. Converge together in a republic of Islam, an Islamic republic I hope that with the realization of the Islamic Republic, and our success in establishing Islamic justice, our tribulations will be over; the difficulties of the employees, and the difficulties of the workers will be eliminated. We, the government and everybody are all planning to provide a good decent life for employees, the low-income stratum, the oppressed, who had been subjected to long years of suppression, the employees and workers in factories, the farmers and everyone.

Islam is for everyone. Islam originated from among the masses and it is at their service. It did not spring from the high social stratum. The great Prophet hailed from this humble group and staged an uprising. Likewise, his companions were from these low-ranking people, i.e., the third class. The higher class was the one against the Holy Prophet. He has risen from among this same mass and for the same multitude and same nation and he has brought religious decrees for the same nation:" Verily, the most esteemed of you before Allah, are the most pious among you." «5» God the Blessed and Exalted does not view people through the class they belong to; whether they are from the higher class, or if they are a prime minister, His Imperial Majesty, a field marshal or the like. Such things are no criteria for God. Piety is what matters in Islam. Whosoever is pious, whosoever is more pious than others, enjoys a higher regard by God. The civil servant who is pious as a civil servant, the prime minister who is pious as a prime minister- who has political piety-, the ministers who are pious and regard piety in what they do and are Godly, the president who is pious, they are all divine; they are of high esteem. If- may God forbid- no piety is at work, they are all regarded negative personages by God. The day piety takes place among the nation, then it is venerated and" most esteemed" before God; there are no exceptions to" Verily, the most esteemed of you before Allah, are the most pious among you." The Holy Prophet was the most esteemed of the people just because he was the most pious among them. Amir al-Mu'minin was the most esteemed of the people just because he was the second most pious person after the Prophet. Heritage or relation matters not; piety matters. Have piety and you will overcome all problems. Be Godly and fear nothing. Rely on God and fear nothing.

The logic now is as it was at the advent of Islam: we will rise to the Heaven either we kill or be killed. There is no defeat to this logic. It is not the logic of the world in which they go to the Hell or a worse place- if there is one!- in case they die. This is the logic of religion; the logic of Islam and Qur'an. There are no fears when there is piety; when one is Godly. No fears there are if people or the whole world turn their backs on us. That is because God is with you; and if- may God forbid- His favor is removed, it is no use if you had all the world on your side. All super powers supported this guy «6» but it was no use; also did all Arab states who are now saying such and such. Those who were his brothers and supporters, all turned their backs! All nations turned their backs on him. His own folks have turned their backs on him too. You think he is saved from the pest of his own family and folks now? The very folks drive him nuts. There will be no comfort for him anymore.

This is the cost paid by those who rise against God and His decrees; those who betray Islam, and the Muslims' country. This is a simple consequence; there are worse ones. This guy's Paradise is to stay in the world at any damned cost! The guy will not manage to repent. I do not say that he does not have to; I say he will not be able to. As the traditions relate, Hadrat Sajjad (`a) taught Yazid how to repent. Imam Sajjad says that Hadrat Zaynab asked:" You taught it to `him'?!"[ Imam Sajjad answered, ]He will not succeed to repent. One who kills an Imam «7» will not succeed in repentance. If he could repent in the right way, God would accept him, but he won't succeed in that. That is because the heart so changes that one is not able to save it from the disposition, from the darkness, it has acquired. Just pray that no one becomes like this; that God does not seal away one's heart; a sealing after which even he himself cannot do anything about.

May God grant all of you strength, health, steadfastness, and the honor of safeguarding the Revolution. However, from now on, too, we will need you. All of us need God. We need this (young) force. We need these productive youths all over Iran. You are the truthful guardians of Islam. You are like the youth of the early days of Islam. You saved Islam. From now on, also you must safeguard the Revolution so that it attains its ultimate fruition. May God grant success to all of you.

May God's peace, mercy and blessings of God be upon you.