In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
The question of the Constitution and the Consultative Assembly, and the obstruction of the splinter groups
I do not have much time, the weather is hot and you my dear ones are uncomfortable here in this tight, crowded place. But I would like to have a few words with you. Some of the problems are basic ones. They constitute the basis of other problems; problems that are tied to the realm of Islam and the independence of the country. After these have been settled, there are other matters that need to be followed up.
We are, at present, afflicted with a series of fundamental problems to which Islam and the country's independence are tied. We should all devote our efforts and use all our power over these basic problems, and after we have an independent Iran and Islam implemented, we will take up the side issues and straighten them out as well, God willing.
Of the issues that lie ahead, one is the question of the Constitution and another, the formation of the Consultative Assembly. These two issues take precedence over all the others. Attempts are being made to prevent us from taking this second step, just as they (the opponents) had made attempts to prevent the referendum on the basic nature of the republic from being held.
After the various groups, the corrupt remnants of the former regime and the corrupt lackeys of the foreigners were defeated and the wretched monarchy was buried, they made serious efforts to prevent the Islamic Republic from becoming a certainty. They planned; they created obstacles. The minions of the foreigners planned and the corrupt remnants of the former regime created obstacles. They boycotted the referendum and set the ballot boxes on fire in some areas. They hindered the people from voting in some cases, but failed. It was a defeat that had no parallel in history!
They have suffered two defeats so far, both of which are unparallel or have few parallels in history. One of these defeats was in the struggle between the nation and the regime with all the power it had and the support of the big powers that it enjoyed. It was a big defeat in that there was no precedent in the world for a nation with empty hands, that had nothing, to overcome a regime that had everything. Of course, the power of faith and the power of Islam brought about this victory. All the strata of the people joined forces in the presence of the power of Islam. The clergy, the academics, the army all joined together and demolished this big stronghold, this big barrier. Such was the power of faith. The next step was the referendum. Our opponents were against the referendum and obstructed it, but armed with the power of faith, our nation succeeded and the referendum that was held in Iran had no precedent either in the country or elsewhere. With the ardor, interest, devotion, and unity of yours, you succeeded with a vote of ninety percent and more, or more or less ninety percent. Victory has been yours in these two stages, while retreat and disgrace has been the lot of your opponents.
The third stage has now been reached and opposition has started once again. The armies of the devils are gathering again on the various excuses; the same ones that they also had before. The Constitution is to be placed at the disposal of the public for every single person to offer any suggestion he has, and the people's representatives- those elected by the nation itself- to study it subsequently. The so-called legal experts are to examine all the points made by the various segments of the public and, considering them all together, eliminate the defects and difficulties, if any, in the Constitution that has been drafted. Now that the matter has reached this stage, the people who are seeking excuses, those that had been defeated in the previous stages, intend to create obstacles in this stage as well.
Brothers, be alert! Recognize your enemies. They do not want the Constitution approved in the way Islam has ordained. Should the Western legal experts give their opinions? We want to draft an Islamic constitution. Should they come from the West to give their opinions about it?! Should the Westerners or the Westernized ones give their opinions? We want Islamic legal experts and these experts- some of them, of course- do not know Islam; what is the meaning of this?!
A word with the West-worshippers
I am talking generally because those people who are among the Islamic ranks and have pursued Islamic studies are living abroad. I have something to say to those Westernized ones; to the people who are under the influence of those that are Westernized. Should we get out Islamic Constitution from the West?! From the Westernized individuals? It has to be seen as to who is competent; which legal expert is competent enough to express an opinion in our Islamic Constitution. We do want an Islamic republic to come to fruition. We do want to codify the Constitution of the Islamic Republic. Do we have turn to the Western legal experts- if there are such experts?! And the intellectuals who are uninformed about Islam and do not know what it is? Whenever we want to draw up the Constitution of a republic or of a democratic republic, you the gentlemen that are legal experts and Westernized intellectuals are competent to express your views. But you are not competent to do so when Islamic Constitution is to be codified and Islamic issues discussed. You have no knowledge of Islam. You say that Islam is not meant for this age! The reason is that you do not know Islam and do not believe that the One who gave Islamic laws is God. It is God that encompasses everything and all the ages. It is the Qur'an that is the Book for all the ages. It is the commandments of the Messenger of God that are valid for all the ages. You have no knowledge of the Qur'an, or of the Traditions, or of Islam. We will not allow you to meddle with the contemplative sciences. Yes, you have the right to express your views on certain administrative matters and executive affairs. But the main point is that you do not want an Islamic constitution. You are terrified by Islam. You are justified in this because Islam has shut the door to your personal gain! Islam drove your friends out of Iran. Islam sent the criminals- who were the friends of some of you- to hell! You are in dread of Islam and rightly so. But the Islamic nation, the Iranian nation cannot be subjected to your selfish fancies. It cannot abandon the Qur'an and accept a Western constitution. It will not allow you to interfere in an affair about which you are uninformed and ignorant. Your information «1» is to the extent of the issues of the West. You know Western laws, but you have not yet studied the Qur'an. I wish to say that I am not referring to these people en masse. There are individuals who are Islamic and well informed among them. I am referring to those who say that Islam is of no use anymore. I am referring to those who say that Islam belongs to (the period of) fourteen centuries ago.
The criterion: the nation's vote
We will not allow any interference in these affairs by people, who are uninformed of Islamic laws; who are not aware of the spirit of Islam and who do not know what will happen if Islam is put into effect. Yes, they do have a right to vote. They can vote against Islam as they accordingly did. They are at liberty to vote. They, however, should not say that they do not want one with five hundred to six hundred members! They should not make excuses.
What is the Constituents' Assembly anyway? Is it anything other than those people who are elected to sit down and deliberate on the Constitution? Should there necessarily be six hundred to seven hundred people so that you, too, get your turn?! If the entire nation designates thirty people, are they, then, not its representatives? Is such an assembly not the Constituents' Assembly? After the Constitution has been studied and brought to the consideration of the experts on Islam, the clergy, the committed `ulama' and the people's representatives, we will further put it to the public to express its opinion. The nation itself is the basis. If the Constituents' Assembly has credibility, it is for this reason that the Assembly has been appointed by the nation. The nation itself has no right to vote, but its legal representative has?! What nonsense! I, myself, have no right to use what is mine but my legal representative has this right?! You, yourselves, have no right to vote; your legal representative has the right?! The deputies have this right because they are your legal representatives; otherwise, what right have they? What right has one person to vote on behalf of 35 million people? What right has fifty to six hundred people to vote for a nation of 35 million? They have this right because it is you that want to vote. It is your vote. The criterion is the nation's vote. On some occasions the nation itself votes; on other occasions it designated some people to vote. That holds true in the second degree; otherwise, it is the nation's own right in the first. You gave victims; should the legal experts decide for you? You must decide for yourselves. It is you, this deprived nation, these deprived people of the university, the deprived university youth, these deprived youth of the Faydiyyah Madrasah, these deprived youth in the army, these deprived youths in bazaar, these deprived youth in the factories and farms; they must cast their votes. Put your excuses aside; fear God; do not play games with the nation; do not disregard the people's vote; take them into account.
Conducting a direct public poll
Must we be subjected to Western designs? Have we nothing to do with Islam?! Should we follow whatever the West says?! So far, the West has been what it was. We had been afflicted by the West up to now. Our policies were Western and our difficulties were because of the West for over fifty years as the majority of you may remember- some of you and I, myself, remember- and for twenty-five years as most of you remember. Should the same difficulties crop up again? Should they even draft our Constitution for us?! Should they vote? It is you that constitute the criterion. Even one such as Dr. Musaddiq «2» - whom these people accept, though some of them are telling lies that they do- had said about a certain matter, which I do not now remember, that he would talk to the people themselves, that he had nothing to do with the deputies who were the voice of the people and that he would speak to the people themselves. We want to have your opinion from yourselves. You are the criterion even if we do not take any deputy.
We decided to set up an assembly just to lessen this whining and whingeing. You may name it the" Constituents' Assembly" in case you very much like to appear Westernized. If your heart is really set on drawing the people's attention to yourselves, you may name it the" Constituents' Assembly"; otherwise, our work is with the people. The procedure was to draft the Constitution, send it everywhere so that all the people could see it, and then ask them whether or not they wanted it; to hold a referendum. As you speak much of" intellectualism", we wish to offer you some concessions. But no matter how much we compromise, you will demand more! We say that the people themselves should appoint individuals to study the Constitution that has been drafted. They can offer whatever opinions and plans they have, whether these be against the Qur'an or in agreement with it. However, we cannot accept the contrary ones, while you are intent on having them accepted. You can name this assembly as the" Constituents' Assembly". Even after this Constituents' Assembly has been set up, we will deal with the people; what have we to do with the deputies?! It is you, the people that we know; we are your servants. [Expressions of emotion by the people with cries of" Praise be to Khomeini."]
Why insult the nation?!
The gentlemen say that the nation is uninformed! I say that you (the gentlemen) are uninformed. If the nation is uninformed, you are more so! The reason is that Islamic knowledge is required here, and some of you have no knowledge at all. Some of you do not even know how many prayers there are (daily)! Why do you say that our nation is uninformed? Why do you consider our nation as being so weak (in knowledge)? Why do you insult the nation? What right have you? There is everything in our nation. If Islam is the only flaw, yes, you are right. Our people are Muslim, and for your part, you do not accept Islam. So our nation does not know anything as it is Islamic?! And Islam is something that opposed to all kinds of knowledge?! Is this what you are saying? Ponder a little over your words, think a little about your points. Do not let the nation suddenly get annoyed. The previous regime had provoked the nation; you do not do it. Think a bit. Do Islam some justice; do the Muslims some justice; do the Islamic brothers some justice.
The main issue now to which you of the army, I a seminarian, the religious reference authorities, the distinguished `ulama', the academics, the bazaar merchants, the farmers, office-goers, and employees- everyone of them- should give your attention is that this Constitution, by which we wish to implement Islamic principles, be formalized. After our Constitution, God willing, has been finalized by your voting for it- in spite of the people who do not want it done- and after you have freely voted for the deputies to the Consultative Assembly- you voted in all freedom in contrast to these last fifty years- and appointed the President of the Republic yourselves, we will then turn our attention to the second issue; in case they do not say that we have no right to do so and that they who are Westernized should appoint him for us. You, yourselves, will appoint him?! I am aware that you have difficulties. We have difficulties, too. You are aware that there are certain problems in the army; we, too, know that it has problems. And the case is the same with offices, the ministries, the bazaar, the various localities and even our schools. These schools of ours have problems, too. But this is not the time for us to pursue our respective paths. We ought to tread the same path together. I should not go to see how many rooms the schools have, or how many students there are and what their marks are. And you go to find out what the problems are that beset the army; whether it needs a council or not. Discord at this juncture is contrary to our path. Do not now bring up the differences in taste. All of us should now deal with these tasks. I sometimes give an example of an earthquake occurring, God forbid, and destroying a city. Is it right for me at that time to sit in the school studying my lesson, or for you in the army- I should say- to take part in a parade? No, it is not. All of us should gather to rescue the earthquake-stricken people.
Westernized, worse than being earthquake-stricken
Sir, our country today is Westernized which is worse then being hit by an earthquake! Certain people in this country do want Islam to be realized. They are misleading some of the authorities; they want to prevent Islam from being realized. This is not the time to grumble about not wanting this kind of thing and wanting that kind of thing. It is now the time for all of us to join hands and say that we want Islam, as everybody accordingly had said. All of you made headway with Islam. Do not bring up your problems at present; leave them for a later time. Let Islam be realized. Let the country become a proper one. After that we can come to the question of how the military of the country should be; how the seminarians should be; how the merchants should be. I am also aware that there are problems everywhere. But right now we have been stricken by an earthquake; we are stricken with Westernization. All of us should join hands and, having come so far on this path, press on for the remaining distance ahead with bandits lurking in them. We have already come through one or two of these defiles. There are robbers in the other defiles as well; they are lying in wait in every guise. We all have to join hands and pass through these defiles. After having passed through them and arriving at our destination, we can sit down to talk about our problems and see what they are. This is not the time to raise difficulties. It is the time to move forward. I request all of you, I entreat the Iranian nation, I kiss its hands; they want to wipe out Islam.
The need to ostracize the Westernized individuals from the universities and intellectual circlesremoved
One of them has already gone; those remaining can follow suit; and the intellectuals too. The Islamic intellectuals should shunt aside the" imported ones"; they should remove the Westernized ones. Their number is not much, but their meddling is. Their number is not much, but their pretensions are! For the sake of God, for the sake of Islam, for the sake of the country's independence and for protecting its freedom, the committed Islamic intellectuals should, themselves, remove those among them who are found to grumble and hinder the progress of the country's affairs. They should pray near these (Westernized) people's ears for them to go back to Europe to the life of pleasure they used to lead! They have come here now. Those members of the Bar Association that are against Islam should be removed. Not all of them are (against Islam). Some of the lawyers are very clean and upright persons; many of them. But those who are meddlesome should be expelled from the Association.
The West-worshippers' fear of the clergy and the pious university circles
Our university that ought to be the center of molding human beings, and the students, who are committed to Islam, made sacrifices for it and endeavored for its sake, should now be vigilant about a limited number of people who go into the university premises with the intention of preventing Islam from coming to fruition. It is not that they want the university to be reformed; no. They are afraid of it being reformed. May God bless the late Fayd Qummi's «3» soul; may God be pleased with him. During the time of Rida Khan, in this Faydiyyah Madrasah, near the place where there was a pool, he had once said to me:" Well, what does it matter? They want to segregate the pious (clerics) from the impious." They had wanted to subject them to an examination which was meant to do away with the clergy. He had believed that they wanted to set the pious clergymen aside and send the bad ones away. I had told him that they feared those that were upright, the pious clergy. What fear had they of the bad ones? The impious were with them, they were in league with them. They feared those who were pious. The university should also reform itself; the academics, the pious ones, themselves, should do it, those people that have now come here and, as they say, want to reform the university, are actually worried about its being reformed. The fear that somebody (pious) might, at sometimes, arise from the university and strike them in the mouth! Those people (at that time) also used to fear that a pious clergyman might strike them in the mouth! Everybody is afraid of an upright person. Nobody fears a manikin!
A rational approach
They (who are Westernized) do not want any proper person to be found in the university. You should make efforts to expel those people who have entered the universities and are engaged in seditious activities. You should not complain that somebody has come and is saying certain things. Well, go and confront him; ask him what he is saying. Ask him whether his heart burns for the nation. If so, why did he oppose the referendum? Why is he not allowing the farmers to reap their harvest? Is it other than to create a market for America? The Shah used to do this, and now the little shahs are doing it! Why is he not allowing the factories to start operating? In case they started working, our requirements from abroad would decrease. They would decrease from the West. They are operatives that want to make us dependent on them (the West). Recognize your friends and your enemies. The intellectuals should ostracize the enemies of Islam from their centers. The Bar Association should remove the lawyers who are the enemies of Islam or lack of understanding. I beseech God, the Blessed and Exalted, to give you sound health and I apologize to you for having put you to inconvenience in this heat. But what is to be done? The problems must be mentioned and the nation alerted so that, God forbid, they are not influenced by what is being said. May God make our nation prosperous. May God deliver our country from the mischief of the devils. May God place you among the committed Muslims and the army of the Imam of the Time (`a).
May God's peace, mercy and blessings be upon you.