Speech [The grandeur of faith in God and its role in the victory of the Revolution]

I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Satan

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

" Faint not nor grieve, for ye will overcome them if ye are (indeed) believers." «1» Do not be weak nor sad; if you are believers, you have a lofty position and are above all. But faith is important; and how do we acquire faith?" Islam" is the two testimonies. Iman[ faith ]is the delight of the soul. It is what the tongue utters and suggests to the heart and which the heart accepts and believes. If you believe that God, the Blessed and Exalted, is Omnipotent, Eternal, and Almighty, if you believe in this, there will then be neither grief nor feebleness. A manifestation of this faith had arisen in you, and because of it, this great barrier, unbelievably, broke down- the barrier that was supported by all the powers, all the superpowers and all the governments. All the Muslim governments, with the exception of one or two, had been its supporters. All the big powers had supported it.

America repeatedly declared its support; Britain repeatedly declared (support). He (ex-Shah) was a good servant of theirs, and the regret that they later expressed was because of his being a good servant. Of course, they should express regrets for one who handed over the country to them during the course of his life! Why should they not feel sorry?! Why should the American Senate not regret over Iran executing some murderers?! They are sorry because they have lost these servants, and they have a right to express regret. Human beings are of no importance to them; their interests are important. Faith is not important; oil is important. And because of their materialistic mentality and their being oblivious of faith and unaware of God, they thought it impossible for handful of people, who had nothing, to prevail against a satanic power that possessed all the implements of war and enjoyed the support of all the big powers. They had reckoned on the material things; they had not taken faith into consideration. They were right materially speaking; ordinarily speaking; it was as they used to say. We had nothing; just a handful of empty-handed people. But they had everything. Then came the power of faith, and with it they broke down those big barriers. And as long as you have this power of faith, you will prevail. So long as you safeguard this power of faith, you will be creatures of the highest order. Try to acquire faith and keep it.

A manifestation of faith tore this big barrier down and deprived the foreigners and the big powers of access (to the country). It was faith that crushed two big empires in the early days of Islam; material power had nothing to do with it. In the war against Rome, the vanguard of the Roman army consisted of sixty-thousand warriors followed by seventy-thousand others whereas the Muslims in their entirety totaled thirty-thousand. One of the Islamic commanders «2» asked for thirty people to accompany him to enable him to go in the night and fight against these sixty-thousand. After urging him- according to history- sixty individuals went with him. Sixty Muslims set out and defeated sixty-thousand Roman warriors that were armed to the teeth! Following that, the other seventy-thousand Romans also suffered a defeat and departed.«3» It was faith, the power of faith that accomplished this, and as you saw, the power of faith did the same thing in Iran. The spiritual transformation that was wrought in our nation was above the demolition of this barrier. I have time and again said that policeman would come to the Tehran bazaar, one of the biggest in Iran, and say that it was the fourth of Aban «4» and that flags should be hoisted. Nobody dared to disobey. It did not even occur to one that the order could be disobeyed! But within approximately two years, and recently when the movement had more or less come to a head, this very community, these same people poured into the streets and avenues shouting," Death to this regime"! These people, these bazaris, who used to fear so much a policeman, poured out into the avenues empty-handed, shouting," Death to the regime," and that they did not want it, but wanted Islam.

Faith overcoming the army of Satan

They succeeded because they wanted Islam. No group, no individual, nobody has a hand in it. It was God. The power (that did it) was divine power. Safeguard this divine power, this gift of God. It is divine power that has taken you to the stage where you have become free and independent. None of the countries can bring about a change in your country. It was faith; it was divine power. Safeguard this divine trust. You will overcome as long as this trust is safeguarded. Losing this trust, God forbid, will be followed by slackness, feebleness, grief, gloom, and defeat. You ought to safeguard the secret of victory if you wish to be triumphant. The secret of victory was faith. Faith gave rise to that unity of expression. Faith brought about unity of expression in that everybody throughout the country clamored for the same thing. They gathered together from the center to the ends of the country, and their clamor for an Islamic republic and Islam was heard everywhere. They looked upon martyrdom as victory for themselves. The people who used to run away from everything, attacked tank and cannon overcoming the taghout and the army of Satan. Guard this secret; safeguard this movement and this unity of expression. All the ranks of the people ought to be united: the clergy with the academics; the academics with the clergy; all of them with bazaar merchants; the farmers; office-goers; employees- all should stand united. Henceforth, our need for unity of expression will be greater.

The need to recognize the remnants of the taghout

We now find ourselves becoming slack which is inevitable after every victory. One becomes slack on believing that victory has been gained. But do not give way to slackness for we have not achieved victory as yet. The rotten roots of the regime and the aliens are still there in our country; in every nook and corner of it. They will band together if we weaken; it would be dangerous for us if they do so. This movement, this unity of expression must be safeguarded. Do not return (to the former state). Our people must not grumble again about their lacking houses and dwellings. You will have everything once you are victorious. However, we have not gained victory. Recognize these people who are creating problems in every sphere. Recognize those who do not want the Islamic Republic to become a reality. They are the same ones who wanted the Shah while he was here and they still long for him. But they will not live to see their wish fulfilled.
I thank you the clergy, the `ulama', the believers who have come from afar to meet me and are listening to what is in my heart. We are now up against certain groups that are opposed to our movement in various ways. I hope that they will be guided.
I wish to thank Mr. Mar`ashi «5» who has come here. I also thank all the other gentlemen. It makes me happy to see all these faces. May God make all of you prosperous. May He place you in the army of the Imam of the Time (`a).