Speech [Lives of the heads of government at the advent of Islam; advice to the army]

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

The head of the government was not different from the rest of the individuals of the nation. The head of government at the time of the Prophet of God (s) was the Prophet himself. His behavior and style with the people was such that when he held audience in the mosque and people were present too, if someone had to enter the meeting from outside, and was a stranger, he would not know which one was the head of government and would ask which of the persons was. The formality present in the taghouti regime never existed at that time. The head of government at the time of Hadrat `Ali (`a) came to the court of law and while the dispute he had with that Jew or the Jew had with him was being discussed, the judge wanted to pay his respects to the commander of the faithful who promptly told him that he had no right to grant him special respect, as in the presence of the law, all are equal, and then he gave his verdict against him- against the commander of the faithful- and he submitted to it. Islam has such instances: Islam possesses such a freedom; such a democracy. Where else can you find such an instance? Where else will you find that the head of government is summoned to a court of law by a judge who was appointed by himself, attend a session on the petition of a Jew, and submit to the verdict of the judge. In which country- these countries that claim to be free and democratic- can you find such a thing? Bring something comparable to this.

The army in the era of the Prophet of God and in the era of the rule of the companions of the Prophet of God was for the people and the people were for the army. Now also it should be he same role. The army for the nation and the nation for the army and both of them must sacrifice themselves for Islam. We all are in the sacrifice of Islam and we all are for one another; we are behind one another and are at the service of Islam.

I am thankful and grateful to you the non-commissioned officers and soldiers of Imam of the Time (`a). You joined the oppressed masses of Iran; and with your joining the oppressed masses of Iran; and with your joining and linking with the downtrodden masses we prevailed over that evil power. It was you who when our nation was giving blood, responded to our call and joined ranks with the nation and thereby severed the hands of the tyrant. The army of Iran has a claim on us; it has a claim on the people of Iran. The people of Iran too have a claim on the army. These two divine powers- the power of the people and the power of the military- prevailed over the satanic powers behind whom were the other great evil powers, and broke this barrier in the process. It was the people of Iran, who smashed this barrier; the army of Iran broke this barrier; both are indebted to one another and both are indebted to Islam.

Islam has respect for you. From now on, you must also be united and bury those evil plots. All should be together; be brothers but sustain the chain of command. If the chain of command is not honored, weakness will set in; and with the weakness of the army, the country becomes weak. All together in a single voice, single vote, and all united together for Islam; all united together for the commandments of Islam. With the enactment of the tenets of Islam, all of you will attain your respective rights. In this sensitive time for us and for Islam, you must seriously strive to prevent the devils from sowing seeds of discord. Negate the mischief of the devils. Strive for the realization of the Islamic Republic; strive for the realization of the modern law of Islam. With the establishment of the law of Islam; with the realization of divine laws and with the realization of the progressive laws of Qur'an, all of you will attain your rights; all sections of the oppressed will attain their respective rights. Plundering have been buried and shall be buried; oppression and cruelty has been buried and shall be buried.

We shall God willing, look into your needs, and shall communicate them to the places that must be notified. I hope that with patience and forbearance these matters are resolved. You must have revolutionary patience; the nation must have revolutionary patience. People who bore patiently more than fifty years of suppression, oppression, torment, and excesses must have revolutionary patience; must be calm.

These who provoke the people in and around the country and do not allow the country to be calm so that serious consideration can be done for everyone, are traitors. Workers and farmers should not listen to these people. They do not want agriculture to develop, these do not want the factories to start working, because if there is peace and the nation attains its objective, their hands will be severed; the hands of their masters will be cut off. Our nation will not permit these devils to infiltrate; our nation will chop off their hands. Conspiracies shall be buried.

May God grant all of you happiness, and awareness to all of us so that at this point of time, all of us together, march forward with a single voice for Islam, for the revival of the traditions of the Prophet, for the revival of the glorious Qur'an, for the independence of the country and for the freedom of the nation.

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