Speech [Eschewing secondary matters and endeavoring to endorse the Constitution]

[In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful]

At the outset, I would like to thank you for carrying out such activities in the south of the city. This is a great crusade which you have undertaken and the Lord will approve of you, God willing.

The fact of the matter is that these things have been taken into account for the welfare and such things of that place. Perhaps these tasks will be accomplished soon. In this crusade for constructing (the country) - the Reconstruction Crusade- greater attention is due to be given to the lower classes, and to the residents of the city' south and the villagers, etc. It is not that they will be neglected. It will, of course, take a little time; there are problems to deal with right now that are more difficult and more vital. You are aware that the issue of the Constitution is now on the agenda. It is the basis of the Islamic government. We have to formulate it and then determine what the government's functions should be.

Very often, after victory has been gained in any revolution, the people start thinking of their own problems. Prior to that, their attention is focused on attaining victory. And after finding themselves victorious, a sort of apathy arises in them. Their attention to their own problems increases. It is like a caravan going from one place to another- say four farsakh (24 kilometers) away- in those days of the caravans. Nobody would feel tired while en route, but would do so on arriving at their destination. Weariness is felt at the destination. If they had been asked to go half a farsakh further, they would not have been able to do it as fatigue overcomes one on arriving at the destination. The case of the Revolution is also like this. When all of us are moving forward to demolish the barrier, we do not tire nor become slack. The further we go, the stronger we get. On arriving at the point where we break the barrier down and believe that we have gained victory, we revert to the issues of the slum-dwellers and their condition; of what should be done about the ordinary people and the schools. The reason is that we have assumed that we have triumphed; therefore; we want to return to our own problems. However, if we consider the matter carefully, we will realize that victory can only be ours when our main aims, at least, have been achieved. One of these aims has already been realized; the referendum on the Islamic Republic. The other stages, however, remains: the Constitution which is the basis of a country; then the Consultative Assembly which is necessary for a country and the office of the President as well. If we are to imagine that we have already gained victory and that I, a seminarian, can now pursue my calling and you gentlemen attend to your own affairs and deal with your own difficulties, it is possible that something could go wrong with these principal issues; and that could be extremely dangerous.

In my opinion you and all the gentlemen, the various strata, men, women, scientists, laymen and all should now make efforts to have the Constitution endorsed. I mean that there are many people opposing it; there are many who are against it. Their main purpose in opposing the Constitution is that they do not want Islam to take effect. They are afraid of Islam to take effect. They are afraid of Islam, just as their masters are. I know that the slum-dwellers have so many problems. It is our duty to take our problems lightly at the present time; for two or three months until the Constitution is endorsed, the Consultative Assembly set up and the President determined. Let us not think that these difficulties are the issues to contend with.

We must protect the principles. After these are realized, the secondary issues are there to be dealt with; there is no doubt about it. While this is the case, the government, nevertheless, is to do the needful.

Now the matter that is very important in my opinion, and which the devils are obstructing, is that this Constitution be published just as the government has proposed; and it is right, too. Subsequently, the people are to choose seventy-five individuals, the number that the government has fixed. The individuals are to examine the Constitution whereupon it will be put to a referendum for the people to vote on it and thereby endorse it. This is the basic step. Following that, the Consultative Assembly will be set up by which the tasks will be facilitated. After these basic issues have been taken care of, we can then see what we can do about the other matters. Of course, I am not saying that no action be taken on them at present; these issues have to be dealt with as well. But all our efforts should not be expended on the problems of the slum-dwellers or the condition of our schools and districts, for example. All our efforts should not be directed toward these matters. The basis of the matter as the principal issue should be our overriding concern. Let us finalize the basis and then deal with its ramifications. These efforts are underway now itself; the authorities are busy. The construction of houses has started from that side. They have started taking steps to construct houses; but from the outer regions, from the sides of Iran, proceeding toward the center. They have also taken action from this side on the issue of this (reconstruction) crusade. They are busy with this crusade as well. Thanks to God that all the resources are being mustered for the purpose. It is hoped that these issues would also be finalized soon.

What is important is this basic matter- the Constitution. Some people are going around saying,"No." They say that the real assembly should be the Constituents' Assembly as it has been in the West. The gentlemen also want it, not because they care for the Constituents' Assembly. They want to postpone the matter and delay it so that these corrupt elements that are bonding together, gain strength and destroy this basis. We have to expend all our efforts on this matter at present. These (secondary) issues are of course, also under consideration. They have always been. I hope that after an Islamic government has been established and we are able to put into effect the Islamic government just as Islam wants us to do, all the problems would be subsequently dealt with. The poor are our concern; the first, just as Islam has ordained. Islam came for the sake of the deprived; they are its prime concern.

[The spokesman of the Association: If you permit me, I would like to say that the important issue under consideration that I had first mentioned to you, concerns the publicity which is very little in the south of the city.]

Imam: Well, these things must also be done to counter it. All this ought to be done as well. I know that the mosques according to a plan, they can look into the question of the mosques. The mosques should be the hubs of political activities, just as they were in the early days of Islam. The mosques were not like these as to be the centers of worship only. The Friday prayer sermons were always political in nature. The mosques were the centers of mobilizing armies, and of Islamic propagation. All those things will be planned out, God willing.

[The spokesman of the Association: Because the so-called counter-revolutionar are exploiting the matter.]

Imam: Yes, I know these things. I know them.