Speech [Anxiety over the masses turning their attention to their personal interests; safeguarding the revolutionary spirit]

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

It is a fact that if the nation is vigilant and united as it was, as divine as it was, and its path known as it was, it is, then, obvious that no power can stand up to it, just as you saw that the satanic power could do nothing. It was fully equipped with all implements. It had the support of all the governments, Muslim and non-Muslim; all the superpowers supported it; yet it could do nothing. This is obvious; still, we should not neglect one matter. Now that we are in this gathering, and consider the nation's situation, we will see that the fervor that was initially there has now lessened. This should not be lost sight of. At that time when all the people poured into the streets, they would all shout," Allahu akbar" [God is the Greatest]. They did not want the Shah; they wanted an Islamic republic. At that time, the fervor of the people was amazingly divine, and they succeeded with that same fervor. They voted for the Islamic Republic with that same fervor and elation, which resulted in a 99.5 affirmative vote; a thing unprecedented in the world. However, it now seems that the people have fallen prey to the conspiracies. They are saying that they need housing, jobs, livelihood, etc. By that initial power that everybody had for a single purpose and had forgotten their problems, they used to pour into the streets. Nobody thought of their work, or that they wanted jobs and houses. Such issues were not raised at all in those days. If the Revolution retains that fervor, we will, undoubtedly, be victorious; we have no doubts at all. But now we observe the situation to be rather different from those days.

It is now the time for all to exert efforts not to lose that fervor they had, that oneness and unity, that unity of expression, those divine deeds, that transformation which took place with respect to ethics and mutual assistance. It was only today or last night that one of the people who had been in the fray stated that when someone brought a sandwich from his house and gave it to somebody, he (the latter) would break it into small pieces to the extent that he possibly could, and give the pieces to the others. A feeling of cooperation and affection had arisen among the people, men and women, young and old, that- praise be to God- drove the enemy away from the scene. Have no doubts about being victorious if we are able to maintain this spirit.

You who are among the intellectuals and learned ones must consider what is happening. On the one side, these are those who enter the factories and fields, and do not allow the farmers to harvest their crops. They also go among the students and say things. They go into the universities and, gathering the students around them, write certain things. You must study this and see what type of people they are and what the source of all this is. Are they people who are moving in the same direction as we are? Are they saying the same thing as the nation that used to clamor for Islam and for an Islamic republic? Or are they opposed to us? They are busy gathering forces and intend moving in a direction contrary to ours. We should not take them lightly. I am not saying that you should go and beat them up whenever their voices are heard. But it should be said that when you see a group of people sitting together, saying things that are contrary to our nation's path, contrary to the Islamic Republic, discussing other matters having no connection with Islam; rather, not in agreement with and, perhaps, opposed to it, it has to be seen where their policies, that are against our nation, originates, in as much as they say that they really are nationalists, but, nevertheless, consider Islam as being harmful to their agenda. A person, no matter how nationalistic he is- even 100 percent- but does not accept Islam, is against the path.

All of us went out many times into the streets shouting," Allahu akbar". The blood of our youth was shed, houses destroyed and set on fire. All this was done only because you wanted to strengthen Islam and install an Islamic government that supports the meek and the weak class of people, and wants to adjust the economy; or did we want to be a country having nothing to do with Islam but, all the same, free- free but heedless of Islam! Was our nation ever like this? If this is not the case and if it does want Islam, its whole purpose then is to see Islamic precepts take effect, that an Islamic republican government assumes form. If you notice a group or an individual moving against this path, there should be no beating, killing and destruction.

However, we have something to say. Just as they say that they are free to express their views and are doing so and writing about them- as they recently did in the newspapers- you, too, are writers, orators, etc. Tread a path that is separate from theirs. You should write, speak and- I must say- demonstrate by means of words and propaganda so that these enemies- some of them are the enemies of Islam and the others of the nation itself- should at no time get together and hatch conspiracies. Now powerless, they should not be allowed to gain strength and create problems for you at some time. You must forestall them at this very moment. We should not say that they are powerless. No matter how feeble the enemy is in his actions, we should be attentive and sideline this weakling. I am hopeful that with the effort of the youth and the learned ones, these matters will be set right and these remnants that are here be curbed as well. I also hope that the ongoing disturbances come to an end, the country be in your hands and that you run it. May God protect and assist you all.

May God's peace and mercy be upon you.