Speech [Islam, the religion of constructiveness]

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

Islam has essentially come for a constructive purpose. Its aim is to develop the human being. The crusade for construction; the development of man himself, is above all crusades. This is why the Noble Messenger has ordered the greater crusade [jihad al-akbar]. «1» It is a crusade that is great and difficult, and all virtues and attainments follow it. It is the greater crusade. It is the crusade that man engages in against his own taghouti self. You, the youth should begin with this crusade from now itself. Do not let the power of youth slip out of your hands. The roots of moral corruption increase and become more troublesome with the loss of the (virtuous) power of youth, and the crusade more difficult. A young person can soon achieve victory in this crusade; an old person cannot do so quickly enough. Do not let your self-reformation be put back from the time of your youth to the time when you are old. One of the ruses employed by the self against a person and which Satan suggests to a person is that self-development be postponed until old age, and that one's youthfulness be made use of now, and penance done toward the end of life. This is a satanic scheme by which a person's self is given satanic instruction. A person can reform himself while he has the vigor of youth, the tender spirit of youth and until the time that the roots of corruption within the person are few. But if the roots of corruption in a person become strong, if they become a part of him, it will, then, not be possible (to reform). You, the youth who are now ready to crusade for your development, should know that this is the" greater jihad;" one that is done for you to develop yourselves so as to later be useful to your country and to serve it. You should, from this very age itself, start making individuals develop so that, later on, they could possibly deliver a country. If you mold yourselves and allow human virtues to become ingrained within you, you will succeed in all the stages (of life) and will be able to deliver your country. The reason why those people destroyed the country was because of their corrupt practices. Had they developed themselves properly, they would not have betrayed the country; they would not have betrayed Islam.

You must endeavor to serve the nation and Islam. You must strive to take the greater crusade to its very end, God willing, becoming, thereby, perfect human beings and committed Islamic persons that would enable you to be useful to yourselves, your country and nation.

May God assist you and take you to sublime heights, God willing. Today is the day of you the youth. Today is the day that you ought to be constructive in order to achieve these ends. Of course, serving the people is serving God. Serving human beings is serving God. May you succeed, God willing, in this service. I am always prepared to meet the gentlemen. There is no impediment in our part, whether the gentlemen, themselves, come or send their representatives. We will serve all human beings and all nations to the extent we can. And I hope that you will also be of service to mankind and Islam. May God assist all of you.