Speech [The need for government to learn a lesson from the Shah's fate; the difference between a popular government and a puppet government]

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

I wish to reciprocate the greetings of the people and Prime Minister of Turkey.

It is necessary for me to tell you and your government briefly about the basic causes of this movement. The basis of this movement originated from two sources. One was the intense pressure, both external and internal, the plundering by foreign and local elements and the extraordinary repression of the last fifty-odd years during which Iran and the Iranian nation did not see a single happy day; then, the extraordinary massacres that took place recently in most of the Iranian provinces, leading the people into supporting this movement. The other reason was our desire to have an Islamic government of justice which would stand up to the taghouti regimes, and to implement Islamic precepts in Iran as it was at the advent of Islam. It is our hope that all the nations and the governments join this movement, and that their views are directed toward Islam. Islam is ideal for all countries as it has everything. However, foreign propaganda and next, local propaganda, alienated our nations and our governments from Islam. Unfortunately, the propaganda was such that all the aspirations of the youth of the East were for the realization of Western ideals, and so they sacrificed their national dignity for the sake of the West. Some of our youth have also done this. For us this was a spiritual setback more than any other. Our concern is not over the economy except as a means. We are concerned about Islamic education and culture from which they have estranged us. The East has been so influenced by the West as to lose itself. The West has deprived many of our youth of their content. However, we feel that all the nations and the governments should divert their attention to reversing this spiritual defect of theirs. Our youth should not think that whatever there is, is in the West and they, themselves, have nothing. 

As opposed to all the taghouti systems of government, Islam came to mold human beings. The Qur'an is a book that molds human beings. If properly molded people become a reality in these Islamic countries, and the nations and the governments make Islam their agenda, it will not be possible for others to derive illegal benefits from us. Our economy should be subject to Islamic principles. The same applies to our educational system, and the army. At the advent of Islam, the army was a refuge for people. The domain of the army was not separate from that of the people. There was no atmosphere of dread and terror. The environment of a country can become one of love, kindness and spiritual tranquility if the army and the government perform their respective duties and also their Islamic duty. This would be greatly beneficial for the nation, the government and the army. But an atmosphere of dread and terror, such as obtaining in taghouti governments, would be bad for them. The reason why such governments create an atmosphere of dread is that they have done nothing for the people and have alienated them. They fear the people and so they create an intimidating atmosphere in order to suppress the people. It was not so at the advent of Islam. The Islamic army was with the people. The environment was never one of terror. The government that was at the head of the society was not different from the people. In fact, its officials had a lower standard of living. The government did not want to impose itself on the people; it wanted to serve them. Islam has charged the governments with the duty of serving the people. The army should be at the people's service, and so should the governments. The atmosphere of fear will disappear if such a system takes shape and will turn into one of friendship and brotherhood.

The nation supports the government in such an atmosphere of brotherhood, and in such a case the government will not collapse. The Shah would not have fallen had he heeded the advice of the clergy and had served the nation. But he did not serve the nation. But he did not serve it and was treacherous. Therefore, he lost the support of the people who rejoiced when they heard that he had left, just as they did when his father had also left. The governments should learn a lesson from this situation that emerged in Iran. They should know that this happened because the repressive atmosphere they had created was such that it led to an explosion. The governments should be brotherly and friendly toward the people. The people should feel that the government is of them, that it serves them. The people should feel that the army is of them so that when it comes into the streets, it is showed with flowers; not that they run away from it! The main part of government programs is the creation of a moral environment, a brotherly environment. This has the topmost priority in all programs. If this happens and if the government wants to accomplish something the whole nation will assist it. If the government wishes to implement certain programs, the nation will be at its service.

Let us now compare these two governments of Iran. Whenever the previous government wanted to implement some program, the governments become like, the people would not agree to it. In fact, they would create obstruction as much as possible. Now when our government wants to undertake some task, the people come from here and there offering their help. The various classes of the people say that they are ready to be of service in accomplishing the task. They are prepared to help with heart and soul. Now that the government wants to carry out some projects, the nation is expressing such support which is truly amazing. It is significant that while we have not been able to implement Islam in the full sense in Iran, the gentle breeze of Islam that is blowing in the country has resulted in our government being national in character and is wanted by the people. The Prime Minister is not at all afraid of going among the people and of sitting chatting with them. This is contrary to the case of the prime ministers of the previous regime for whom it was not possible to mingle with the people as the people were their enemies, just as they were the enemies of the people. If the governments become like this by paying attention to Islam and infusing the Islamic spirit in the people and in themselves, it will then be in their and the country's interests. And all the projects will be easily implemented.

I hope that brotherhood, an Islamic brotherhood as ordained by the Qur'an arises among the Muslim governments. If such Islamic brotherhood came into existence among the Muslim countries, it would be a magnificent power that none of the world powers would be able to match. I pray to God, the Blessed and Exalted, that this (brotherhood) be realized among all the governments, and that all of them succeed in existing for Islam and in maintaining their Islamic brotherhood. I also pray that they succeed in serving their nations, and the nations in turn support them.

[Here, the Foreign Minister of Turkey thanked the Imam and stated:" One of the questions of societies is the relationship between religion and politics, and also, how human beings can be made more capable. The other issue is that, according to the principles of democracy, there should be no difference among the people and those who hold the reins of government." After he had finished talking, the Imam stated:]

But the issue of the upbringing of a nation lies in its education being of the right kind. You should endeavor to create an educational system of the independent Islamic kind. The youth brought up in such a system are those in whose hands lies the destiny of the country. Their proper upbringing, their serving the nation and their trustworthiness regarding the treasury, will all take effect under Islamic leadership. If a nation is educated like this in a complete system of Islamic education, the country will enjoy peace and progress. Regarding the issue of democracy that you have mentioned, it is true. But, unfortunately, in the West which professes democracy, and in our own countries also where democracy is often mentioned, there is none of it. The West wants to charm us into sleep by this and exploit us. We will not be able to exercise democracy as it should be until we come under the banner of Islam.

I pray to God, the Blessed and Exalted, that all our governments- the Muslim ones- succeed in overcoming their problems together in a brotherly manner under the auspices of Islam and under one flag; that of Islam.