Speech [The clergy's duties in various situations, the referendum issue and the scourge of westernization and being afflicted with a feeling of self-alienation]

I seek refuge in God from the accursed Satan

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

Although I do not feel well enough, nor do I have time to talk, nevertheless now that my gaze has fallen on your kind faces and because you gentlemen, the `ulama', God willing, will assume the Islamic leadership and guide the Muslims, I have to call your attention to something. Our wish is to fully implement Islamic decrees, the way they really are, among Muslims, to present Islam in its true sense and teach, learn and preserve Islamic jurisprudence, because it is through the preservation of Islamic decrees that Islam will be protected; and the protection of Islamic fiats depends on the clerics, may God's peace be upon them. While this is the case, there is a certain point I would like to mention. When I was in Najaf as a theology student, I was preoccupied with my studies as much as my capacity allowed. For the sake of that matter, I discontinued my lessons, discussions, studies and my pilgrimages to the (shrine of) the Imam- may God's peace be upon him. I set out not for Paris, but for Kuwait, from where I was to be gone to Syria. However, it happened by the will of God that I went to Paris. Of course, it turned out for the better, that is, if we were in Lebanon or Syria or another place, we would have still been there, with you here and the Shah over there. However, this trip was to a non-Muslim country.

The point (I would like to mention) is that jurisprudence lessons and discourses are (undertaken) for the preservation of Islam. The day that Islam requires the jurisprudents to enter the fray, they should do so. The day that Islam necessitates that theology schools close down and take up another task for the preservation of the essence of Islam, they should do so. Today is that day which is so very crucial to Islam, the Muslims and our nation. Perhaps no other time could be more so as the fate of the Islamic country will have to be decided.

Now that the monarchial regime is gone and has been destroyed, and, in principle, it should have not existed in the first place, we need to undertake certain activities in order to determine a system of government. Of course, in my opinion, that is, my personal view, we do not need any referendum because the people all over Iran had already announced their votes. They had cast their votes through their cries. But to avoid any problems that may arise in case a (foreign) government finds faults with the results of this referendum not having been recorded or not having a request for its registration, a call has to be made to this effect so that it will be recorded and votes be counted. For this reason, a referendum has to be held. Moreover, since this referendum is a fundamental one that will determine the fate of our country and if we want an Islamic government to be established in Iran, then a referendum must be held.

For this reason, it is essential that the gentlemen, who are up to the task, proceed to the towns and other places, whether or not they are familiar with them, and talk to the people and explain the issues to them. They should invite them to vote for an Islamic republic, using this very term; not a word more, not a word less. This is because some evil elements are saying that it should just be a" republic," that is, a" democratic republic" and phrases such as these. Therefore, you, gentlemen, should go to those places and expunge the ambiguity. It is a good thing to do; just as the respectable theologians here (in Qum) are to dispatch delegations or some individuals to provincial towns around to enlighten the people. It is essential for this to be done. Do not be distressed that your classes will be discontinued. God willing, you will find the opportunity to study your lessons. Thanks God, you are young and there is time to pursue your studies. I was a theology student myself, but when I saw that the situation developed the way it had, I stopped my studies and left; now I have come back to be with you. Even now, I have neither studies nor lessons. I am so preoccupied with my services to you, gentlemen.

In any case, the point is that you should not worry about your lessons being, for instance, discontinued for two or four months. Because sometimes men discontinue their studies to go after amusement or just sit idle, or they stop studying for the sake of God. In the same way that studying for God will be rewarded, recompensed and is valuable in the eyes of the Exalted and Blessed God, sometimes discontinuing one's studies and preoccupying oneself with something, perhaps more important than the lessons themselves, is also an undertaking that merits the pleasure of God. Discontinuing your studies now and going to the towns and remote villages around is going toward a divine destination. It should not make any difference whether you go to a city and meet with a huge citizenry, or go to a village and meet a great number of people. If the destination is a divine one, do not discriminate between this (city) and that (village), it may be that the latter has priority (over the former) Well, in provincial townships, there are numerous types of people; the aspirations are many and, perhaps, the lewd desires are more; however, in remote villages and hamlets, problems like these are fewer. Few people go there and the population is small. Moreover, they are poor and destitute, but greed among them is less. From this angle, the divine aspect (of village life) is higher. It should not be that all of you gather only in major cities. You should disperse everywhere, in cities, towns, villages and hamlets and inform the people that when the referendum is held, they should say they want just an Islamic republic, not a word more and not a word less. Perhaps the communists will go to these places and propagate (their ideas) and because they have suffered a defeat, they have announced they, too, want an Islamic republic! This move they have taken was a prudent one; it was a sensible move and a wisely planned action, because if they had not done so, their number would have been revealed to the people. They did it, so that people would not come to know how many they were, and people would think that all of Iran voted for the Islamic republic, even the communists!

Anyway, the only term (we will accept) is" Islamic republic." I, too, will vote for it. God willing, I will place my vote in the ballot box and like yours, mine will be for an Islamic republic. If, God willing, you pursue (this goal), hopefully you will gain victory; and you will because God is with you. The Exalted and Blessed God is looking at you with kindness and this is why we triumphed. While we were nothing, that is, we did not have anything- we did not have these rifles that you see now after the victory- we had nothing; we were alone, with only our grievances, miseries, cries and clenched fists, God willed that the people's lamentation, outcry and bare fists overwhelm immense powers like those of (foreigners), with all their weapons and accoutrements. Nevertheless, God so willed that discord was created among them «1» and they joined us; as they realized that it was their good that we wanted and the clergy wanted. The Army also realized this and joined us; the Air Force did likewise. I should say people from all strata joined us and this unity, which the Exalted and Blessed God has engendered, brought about our victory.

God willing, you will triumph; a government of Islamic justice will gradually (be established), so that the people of the world will understand what the meaning of Islam and its government is. Has there been any government like it before? Now that the oppressive government is gone, we understand what treasure in banks and other things they had taken and stashed away in (foreign) banks. He (the Shah) looted the nation's wealth and then fled. Was that government a (true) government or that government (of Imam `Ali) the leader of which had dry bread and salt to eat? According to narrations, when (his companions) brought milk, bread and salt for Amir al-Mu'minin to eat the night on the morrow of which he was martyred- and of course the kind of bread he would eat was not the sanggak «2» you normally eat- he retorted," When did I ever have two kinds of stew that you have brought me these?" He took the salt and told the person (who brought the food) to swear by his life to take the milk back, and the latter obliged. Then he (Imam `Ali) ate two morsels of the bread with salt. «3» The next morning he attained martyrdom without a word and without anything. He made things with his own hands, but he endowed all of them. When water spurted out of that big artesian well, which Hadrat Amir dug painstakingly with his own hands, he exclaimed," Glad tidings be upon my heirs!" «4» However, he did not bequeath it to his heirs; he endowed that, too. Is that type of government a better one (or the unjust governments)? Was the government of that ruler whom everybody would distinguish because of the pageantry of his office better or that of the Messenger of God, during whose time people would have to ask which one of them was the Prophet when there was a congregation in the mosque, because he would sit among the people and his companions? This was how the Islamic government had been. Of course, we cannot establish such an Islamic government. We are not able to do so; but we can somewhat approach it. We can sever the hands of the thieves and thanks God, the hand of most of the big ones have been cut off. Most of the heads of the groups who looted our treasury and deposited them in banks (abroad) have had their hands severed by stealing huge amounts. It is hoped that we will be able to retrieve what they had plundered and stolen.

Anyway, this is now the time to make efforts in order to implement an Islamic republic and obtain the people's votes. We will ballot the people to vote for the Islamic republic. Everybody is free (to vote), but you must guide the people. It is not necessary that you assign proctors to oversee the balloting as it used to be done in the previous regime, when watchers would be assigned to oversee the voting, and they would not let the people cast their votes; they cast the ballots themselves! They would cast and read out the ballots and the whole affair would be done with. No, the people are now free, but you (the clergy) must guide the people. Our people are Muslim and they want Islam. Introduce Islam, Islamic rules, and Islamic decrees. Make them understand that they should aspire for a government of justice, an equitable government if they want to live in comfort; if they want the poor to live in comfort; if they do not want the governments and the wealthy to oppress them; if they do not want the policemen and army to oppress them;(tell them) if they want such a government, they should vote for the Islamic republic so that God willing, Islam and its decrees are implemented. Of course, this will take a long time. The devastation that the country had is beyond imagination. Offices and ministries have suffered so much destruction that (the situation) cannot be remedied so soon.

As I have been told, the situation in ministries now is the same as it was during the taghout regime, and this is what I have told the government to attend to. Islamic ministries should not have a sacrilegious atmosphere. Uncovered women should not come to Islamic ministries. Women may come but they should don Islamic covering. It is all right for them to enter ministries, but if they work there, they should put on the religious cover; they should observe the religious law rules that apply. They should not use gold- or silverware as plate, which, according to Islamic decrees, are religiously unlawful. They must not keep the superfluous ornaments that have adorned ministries here and there. All these must be deposited in banks or in the treasury house to be used for the nation. The nation wants justice, not big rooms. The nation wants a ministry, an Islamic ministry, not the palatial buildings of the justice ministry, the prime ministry, the finance ministry and other palaces here and there. These palaces are for the nation. The government must look into the grandiose embellishments adorning these palaces, most or some of which are religiously unlawful. A government which says it is Islamic, and it is, should not be so influenced (by the ostentatious decorations) as to let the ministries remain the way they were at the time of Muhammad Rida Khan. So, what are you «5» for?! You say you are Muslim; as such what are you supposed to do? Do we have to tell you what to do about each and everything? Do we have to remind you item by item? All this must be corrected. And you «6», whom I know are Muslims and some of whom I (personally) know and some of whom have been recommended to me, are all committed and Muslims, but weak-willed. They are afraid that perhaps some foreign guests may come to the Justice Ministry or the prime ministry palatial buildings and see the modest trappings there. Must it all be as in the West?

You are of a weak disposition, gentlemen! For as long as you are pusillanimous, you will remain servile to the mighty. When your (spiritual) self becomes robust and turns away from worldly allurements, then you will command respect. Delve into a study of the early days of Islam and see how things were at that time, how the life of those who conquered countries and the world was and how they demonstrated their might to the whole world. When a group of young Muslims (of the time) came to an imperial court, they saw that the floor was covered with silk carpets. They said," Although silk carpets have not been decreed as religiously unlawful, we are not going to sit on silk carpets because, as narration goes, silk garments are forbidden religiously. «7»" Afterwards, with the tip of their swords they pushed aside the carpets in the presence of the king and then sat on the floor. These youths were ordinary human beings, but they were strong-willed. The one at the helm of power (Imam `Ali) led a life more humbly than any one else.(He said)," Perhaps in Yamamah or the borders, a person is hungry, or cannot lead a decent life; hence I should live in a way that my food must consist of a morsel of bread and a pinch of salt." This was how our (Islamic) government had been. Certainly, we are not able to resist (the vanities of this world).(Imam `Ali) said," Certainly, you cannot do so, but at least support me in piety, exertion, chastity and uprightness" «8» Assist Amir al-Mu'minin, may God's peace be upon him.

Governments must realize that power does not mean eating out of gold or silver platters; power is not measured by having such and such (costly) curtains; greatness and grandeur do not mean having such and such curtains or furniture bought out of the wealth of this oppressed nation! Should the people reside in caves while you (the government) reside in the justice ministry and prime ministry palaces? Take a middle course in life; if you do not begin with yourself, you will not be able to reform others. Reform the ministries. All our afflictions emanate from our being Westernized. We have been under the yoke of the West and America for many long years. We became accustomed (to Western life) for many long years. Our hearts have become Western oriented. We have been transformed into western people.

You will not be able to return (to your true selves) this soon; but you should endeavor to do so. Now, you want to say that you want to stand on your own feet; do you still wish to adopt a Western way of life? Now, that you are saying you will stand on your own feet, do you still say" democratic republic"? that is a Western-type republic? We are independent; we want to be independent. Islam is our religion. Our laws are the laws of Islam, the rich Islamic laws. Everything has to be transformed. I do not remember very well what Hadrat Amir's exact words were, but he said to his people, in his commandments, that they had to undergo a transformation in a way that the ones at the bottom had to climb to the top and vice-versa, like a ladle stirring the contents of a cauldron, bringing up the ingredients at the bottom to the top. We must transform ourselves in the same way that our nation has done during a short period. The nation has been transformed so miraculously. The same nation that used to obey the rules of a policeman, or (the merchants of) our big bazaar that used to obey the rules of a policeman one day, refused to obey even the first person of the country the next day! One day people would not dare mention even the Shah's name with disrespect in their own homes, the next day, the very same people took to the streets shouting" Death to this (Shah)!" They were transformed in such a way. Who did it? Islam, the power of faith, did. Otherwise, a human being cannot do it. This is not something you, others, and I can do. This is something only Islam can do.

You must resort to Islam. Transform yourselves. The first thing a human being must do is to transform himself. A human being must shed his westernization. Should our ministries have to have so much pomp and ceremony that everyone who goes there will think it is not Iran?! That it is another country? That it is another order?! One night some people wrote to me about some areas in Tehran, about thirty-odd districts where slum-dwellers lived in dilapidated hovels and shacks; these shanty towns were the results of the blessings brought by the" Land Reform" programs (of the Shah), which forced people to migrate from their areas and flock to Tehran to lead wretched lives. I have not seen such places. A few nights ago, I saw a program about this on television here in Qum. If a person has some sense of fairness, just a little sense of justice, he ought to feel such remorse that a group of Muslims, that is, human beings, are living like this and we are heedless of them!

Gradually (the government keeps saying)! (The government) keeps postponing it day after day! When we were in Tehran, we told (the provisional government) that all the property belonging to them (Pahlavi family) and everything that Muhammad Rida Khan, his father and their cronies had looted from this nation had to be nationalized. And the proceeds will be spent for the welfare of the needy; the government does not have any right to take it into its possession. These things have been gained through the nation's movement, that is, the lower class of the nation. Gather data on the number of casualties, if you, or anybody wherever he is, can. Collect information in this regard and find out if there was a civil servant, a major businessman, a feudal lord, a commander, a minister or a communist among those killed and then inform us! All those killed were Muslims, who took to streets and shouted" Death to him (the Shah)!" and" We want an Islamic republic!" All the victims were from this group. Conduct a survey, find out and make known how many reputable businesspersons, feudal lords, heads of these or those offices, ministers or director generals were among them. You will not find any of these people among those killed! Whatever has been achieved was achieved by the nation, by the masses of the people and the populace, that is, the Muslim nation. All the things obtained belong to them and must be given to them, to those who were injured and whose family members were killed and who sacrificed their youths, to those old women whose young sons lost their lives. Things plundered (by the regime) should be used to provide for the living expenses of their bereaved families. There will be so much that if you do spend it on these people, there will still be an excessive amount left. You can run a whole country with what they (Pahlavis) had plundered! This (wealth) only includes what is inside Iran. Regarding their wealth abroad, it has recently been reported in the newspaper that it was about 15 to 23 billion dollars I do not remember exactly how much but it was approximately 23 billion dollars, that is, 23 thousand million dollars! If you want to put these money bills side by side, they will span the distance from here to Jupiter! God knows what other items they last carted off to foreign countries and the money they stashed away in Swiss banks! We can never figure out its full amount! All the wealth I mentioned is only what belongs to this wretched man and does not include that of his cronies." Lady Farah" used to receive fifty million (tumans) out of the petroleum revenues each month! She would get fifty or thirty million from oil sales. Let alone the amount of money she would get from other sources! They had holdings in all the companies in Iran, they were partners in all of them; not that they had bought the shares. In order to plunder the people's wealth, factory owners made them their partners. Or, if some of them would not cater to plundering activities, they made them partners so that they would be immune from the aggression of the SAVAK agents and the likes of them. Hence, all would be partners in the thievery and they would be fellow-looters in the caravan (of plundering)!

When I was coming from Tehran, I told some gentlemen who came there that things had to be carried out this way and they agreed to do it. But later it seems that they want to do their task gradually. In this movement, too, some individuals advised us to move systematically, saying that we had to take the first step and then the next. I told that gentleman, who came to see me in Paris and told me about this, that the enemies would break his leg at the first step!

May God grant you all health, well-being and prosperity. God willing, now that you are known as the army of God, you will truly be the army of God, that is, you endeavor for God. May God make you prosperous in this world and the other.

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