Speech [The danger of abusing freedom]

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

At the outset, I should thank you gentlemen for having come from afar to visit us. I am pleased that we are here face-to-face and are able to talk to one another. We have left the past behind us, and have met with success. We should not look back too much on the past; it is the future that is important. What is our present duty? And our duty after this and in future? It does not make any difference in that all of us are obliged to discharge our divine duties whether now or the future. At present, you are aware that chaos reigns and plots are afoot to create disorder. What is our duty at this juncture when the agitators do not want this movement to come to fruition? And what is our future duty? We have so far been successful in gaining freedom. You have all come freely from your houses and are meeting one another. Previously, you had no such freedom, and neither did we. We are now free. Freedom is a great divine blessing. Now that we are free, we have to see whether we abuse it or make legitimate use of it. Freedom is something that God has given us in trust. What are we going to do with this freedom that God, the Blessed and Exalted, has given us in trust and that made us free? Will we use it for the good of the nation and of Islam? Or use it for purposes that are counter to the direction of the movement and against God's pleasure?

We have all been placed now in the test crucible. All the strata of the nation- the clergy, the university students, the Air Force, Army, Navy, the Islamic bazaars, Islamic borders, the tribes of Iran- all of us are now free and under test. God will test us by means of this divine gift. If we use this freedom in the right way, in the interests and service of the nation and for the good of Islam, we will have passed the test with flying colors. However, if, God forbid, we use this freedom against the nation and Islam and now that we are free, plunge ourselves into chaos and anarchy, and now that we are free, oppress those subordinate to us; if we act against the Islamic system and the country's rules, create chaos and because we are free, do not abide by any of the Islamic and national laws, if it is to be so, we will then have used our freedom against the interests of the nation and Islam. Bear in mind that we have to pass this examination with dignity. If I, a seminarian, on becoming free, mistreat my friends, my subordinates, my companions, then I have acted against the movement, against the nation. I have betrayed this freedom that God, the Blessed and Exalted, has given me. If you my brothers of the armed forces wish to abuse this freedom now that you are free and act against the interests of the nation and the country, and against the prescribed rules, then you, too, like myself, will not pass this test. You will have committed treason, God forbid. Safeguards God's trust; do not betray it.

You are free. Use this freedom for the good of the nation, for the good of the country. Freedom does not mean that one can do whatever one wants: dealing in smuggled goods, overcharging the people, disturbing the border regions, upsetting the system, disregarding governmental, national and Islamic regulations. This is not the meaning of freedom. Freedom is that which is within the rules and regulations. The rules have to be upheld. Nobody has the right to mistreat you. You are free and nobody has the right to restrict you. However, everybody must follow the rules. I who am here, and you in the border regions must abide by the rules. All the guidelines that have been laid down for you and for us should be followed, so that we are able to reorganize this country, God willing. If I, who am here, act against the rules, one in Tehran acts against the rules, and one in the border regions also acts contrary to them, then, God forbid, we have been ungrateful to God for this bounty that He has bestowed on us and for which we should be thankful. In such an event, it will be taken away from us, God forbid, thus taking us back to the previous years and the previous difficulties. You gentlemen and we here and you there, and all the people, wherever they are, should make proper use of freedom. It should not be abused. All of us should act according to the rules that have been stipulated by religion and nationality. We must abide by the regulations; all of us together should act in accordance with them.

I wish to express my sincere thanks to you my friends, my respected children who are working hard in the border areas, who are serving Islam and your country in that heat. I hope that you will protect the borders yourselves and not allow smuggled goods to enter (the country); particularly smuggled weapons and narcotics that are harmful to our people. You must make efforts

there and prevent this from taking place. May God grant all of you health, happiness, honor, and prosperity, and place you among the devotees of Islam.