Speech [Freedom and its limits]

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

I shall explain this issue in general. I am not concerned with how individuals are. Generally speaking, in every country, the print media of that country and the television and radio networks of that county must move along with the nation and be at the service of the nation. The newspapers must see what the people want; what course the nation is taking; be enlightened about the issues and guide the people. If there is a newspaper that takes a route which is opposite to that of the nation, and the path that they are taking is different from the path of the nation, this newspaper, assuming that the government also permits it to write and talk about it, cannot gain the acceptance of the nation and must not be regarded as a national publication and a popular newspaper of the country. And if, God forbid, in writing or not writing- writing deviant articles and not writing articles that are in the direction of the nation and operating in this manner, it would appear that there is a plot at work; this is contrary to the freedom of the press.

The gentlemen who mention the word `freedom'- whether they are the gentlemen who work for the publications and whether they are from other strata who talk of freedom- are not defining it correctly, or do not know what it means. In every country, freedom is within the bounds of the law, within the limits of the laws of that country. People are not free to break the law.

Freedom does not mean that any person can say whatever he wishes against the rules; against the constitution of a nation and also against the laws of the nation. Freedom is restricted to within the laws of a country. Iran is an Islamic country and the laws of Iran are the laws of Islam. In the constitution of the previous era also, this point was mentioned that whatever against the laws of Islam is not a law, and that the law must be in agreement with the laws of Islam. In addition, no legislation that wants to have legality in Iran can be a legislation that is contrary to the teachings of the Prophet of Islam; that is contrary to the teachings of the Qur'an. Therefore, freedom- when it is said that the newspapers are free and there is freedom of speech and expression- does not imply that people are free to do whatever they want; for example, they are free to steal, or they are free to visit prostitutes or free to build brothels. These freedoms are western freedoms- of course except the stealing part of it. It is western freedom where every person does whatever he likes to do even if it is prostitution; even if it is to indulge in indecent acts. Freedom must be within the confines of the law. The laws of Islam must be observed; it must be within the framework of the laws of Islam; within the framework of the constitution, we can have free speech, and free discussion. Other sort of freedom than this is a mistake that they make.

Those who shout for freedom are westernized; they want western freedom. These who speak of democracy want the same western-style democracy; they want western-style freedom meaning no restraints on behavior. It means we too should follow whatever happens in the west! These people are among those who are influenced by the west. Newspapers should be free to write on any subject, write on any issue; but are they free to insult- for example- the sanctities of the people? Are they free to abuse the people? Are they free to slander the people? Such a freedom cannot exist. There cannot be freedom to plot. Suppose if a newspaper- I do not wish to mention that such is the case with a newspaper- wants to plot against the direction of the nation by writing things that are against the direction of the nation, and by not writing things that are in line with the nation; if it wants to hatch a plot and go the path that the enemies of a nation are going; promote the actions of the enemies of a nation, write things that pertain to the enemies of a nation; if it is of such a type our nation cannot accept such types of freedom.

Our nation has borne so much suffering, and given so much blood, and toiled so much and cried out so much- they have done these things for the sake of Islam. People want Islam.

If we did not have Islam, now the same set up of old would be present. People will not go to sacrifice their blood for other purposes other than Islam. People want to achieve martyrdom. Even now, individuals come to me and urge me to pray for them to be martyred. For what purpose do they wish to be martyred? Do they want martyrdom so that for example, something other than Islam be realized? Do they want a western democracy to be established? Do they want a freedom along the lines of the Soviet Union? Do they want a freedom- for example- of the American type? Or do they want to have Islam?

If there was no Islam, those that are shouting" freedom, freedom!" would have either lived in Europe or in caves! Iran brought them out of the caves and brought them from abroad to inside their country. Now that it has brought them, again they utter words whose line is not the line of Islam. What Islam did was to liberate you all, freed you from the prisons, and brought you back from exiles. You who went and sat abroad in foreign countries and watched idly until the blood of the people was spilled, have now grabbed the opportunity and have come to Iran.

It was their actions that you are now free of; but is it freedom to talk against Islam! Is it freedom to talk against the very thing that has freed you now! Is it freedom to talk about everything except Islam! You talk about every matter and say that everything is okay but make no mention of Islam! If a person talks about Islam, you attack him! There are no such things involved. The print media and all the publications that are present in a country must be in the service of the nation; they must be educative for the nation; they must clarify the direction of the nation and not that they act against the path of the nation. Everywhere and every daily newspaper, every publication and whatever there is in these so-called communications media- all of them must be in the same line as the line of the nation and not stray from this path. This is both in their interest as well in the interest of the nation and is also in agreement with the relevant laws of a country.

I implore the Sublime and Glorious God for the success of all of you in your service. Today is the day that all of us must serve. Today is not the time for every person to pull in a different direction. We must all be in line with the nation that is on the move. We must see what the nation has done; what the nation wants; and the very fact that the nation wants, we must go after it. We must go after it in order to save the nation. If we let go of this path, and constantly sit down and discuss, and create differences constantly discuss a subject, the effect will be that we will not be able to take this movement to its destination.

I will give a warning to the newspaper journalists; to the radio and television network; to the groups that have come up now; to all the groups. This is a warning to all the associations, if they do not want to betray the trust of the nation; and if they want to serve the country, they should study to see what was the direction of this nation; why did this nation come out into the streets and said" God is the greatest"; why it sacrificed its youth and at nights went to the rooftops and cried out" death to so and so" and" long live so and so". For what purpose was it? It was for Islam. They wanted Islam. The question was not only that we wanted freedom; the government of Iran, the people of Iran does not want freedom minus Islam; the nation of Iran wants Islam. There should be freedom, but should it be like the Soviet Union? There should be freedom, but should it be like another country? Should it be foreign? When did our nation want such a thing?! These gentlemen are mistaken. I do not say they are traitors, I say they are in error; they must correct their mistakes.

All must be together. In the same way that all of us reached here together, all of us should together cover the distance from here to the end of the path- whereas we are now at the beginning. May God guide all of you! And may we all tread on the path that earns the favor of the Sublime and Glorious God.