Speech [The three dimensional danger of the pseudo-pious ones, quasi-intellectuals and the hypocrites]

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

I would like to thank you, sisters and brothers of the relief committee, for coming here today and for your endeavors. I pray for all of you. You are well aware of the fact that there are a lot of destructions everywhere in this country and we need your assistance. Our nation and country needs this relief aid in many different ways. This is because the damage done to this nation and country is multifaceted. To compensate for this destruction we will need your assistance. One sort of aid is material damage. You, gentlemen, sisters and brothers, have endeavored to provide relief aid to make up for the physical damage suffered by the people who had been deprived during all this time. They have been injured. They have suffered miseries. They t have become disabled. They have lost their homes. Their lives might have been ruined. All these calamities were caused by the past regime and the things need to be repaired; thank God, you, brothers, sisters and other benefactors have helped and will help. It is hope that the reparation will be easy and soon.

Another sort of damage suffered by this nation is spiritual in nature. Our nation has suffered both spiritual and cultural blows. Of course, this second kind of damage need more time to be compensated for, more than the material losses. Also, it is the injuries sustained by these individuals and the handicaps, poverty in the country and the spiritual losses that need reparation more than anything else and it is not soon before they could be amended.

Compensating for the spiritual damages requires a lot of researches which should be done by caring experts, and not by those who pretend to be sympathetic towards the Iranian nation. It has become very common foe some individuals to pretend to be revolutionary, nationalist, and sympathetic towards others. Those people who protected the previous regime now pretend to be revolutionary and defendant of Islam. They claim they are against the previous aggressive regime. These are people who change colors under specific conditions. If conditions do change, you will see that some of these writers and intellectuals once again start praising the old regime. These people are among us but their hearts are inclined towards the previous grandeur they enjoyed. If, tomorrow, the tables are turned, once again they will beat their chests in support of the previous regime. And, then, if the banner of Islam is hoisted, they would beat their chests for it, even though they do not have any business with it. If the banner of blasphemy were raised, they would beat their chests in support of it to gain benefit. If the United States defeated us, they would support it. Now right where I am standing there are numerous people who have relations with the United States or with people in conclusion with America. These people are chest-beaters. For them there is no difference between the banner of Islam or the banner of blasphemy. They are after their businesses. They are after fame and name and want people to know them as intellectuals. They want to gain fame as whatever has currency among the people

Now people are inclined towards Islam. However, these hypocrites, too, pretend to be revolutionaries. When others lost their sons, their houses and their wealth, these opportunists were resting at home. They did not assist even if they were silent. They were merely spectators. Some were resting outside the country and were closely watching to find out who the winner would be. Now that the Muslim group came out victorious, they marched behind the banner of Islam but they never cease performing their devilish acts. On the surface, they support Islam and would call the previous regime as" taghout", but deep inside they are against Islam and the Islamic republic. If Carter got control over Iran now they would support and welcome him. Of course, these individuals now continue to have their close relations with the United States. It is one of the traits of the hypocrites to support the man in power. Even at the time of the Great Prophet (s), he was more harassed by the hypocrites than by the infidels. The infidels opposed the Prophet (s). Sometimes they won the battles and at times they lost. But what could he do with the hypocrites who would claim that they were for Islam and believed it? What could the Prophet (s) do with Abousufyan «2» and his followers? They hypocrites told the Prophet (s) they were Muslims and they performed their prayers and even took part in congregations and listened to the prophet's lectures and at times they even shed tears. He could not do anything with these hypocrites.

Nowadays, we are confronting with these hypocrites. Dealing with them is more difficult than dealing with Muhammad-Rida. Muhammad-Rida was firm in his rule; he attached and killed people. The nation knew how to deal with him consequently, they started struggling against him. Today, however, there is group which has pretensions towards Islam, apparently invites people to Islam, talks about Islam, whose writings are for Islam and takes step for it but deep inside opposes it. Behind the curtain, this group differs with it. What must be done with this group? It is difficult to deal with this kind. Resolving the conflict with the hypocrites is arduous. The great Prophet could not solve this issue. The holy Amir[ Imam `Ali ]was afflicted by this issue and could not do anything. Resolving this is an arduous task.

What are we afflicted with now we are e a group of hypocrites, who, on the surface support Islam but deep inside are antagonistic towards it. It is extremely difficult to deal with them. Their cases are different from the cases of Nasiri and Hoveyda. They were obviously the enemies of Islam and Muslims and people knew what to do with them. They finally took revenge on them. But what are we supposed to do with the pseudo-pious who hold a rosary in their hands and claim to serve Islam. Nothing can be done with this clan of hypocrites. From its inception, Islam has been facing with this bunch [of hypocrites]; and finding a solution to this issue is harder than any other issues Islam and Muslims have been faced with. Those who cry out and shouted slogans for Islam, nationalism and being Islamic turned out to be pseudo-Islamic and they were so" nationalistic" that later were found to have relations with the United States. Some of our intellectuals are like this; they are hypocrites. They could have stood firmly and professed to be a Shah's supporter. Among those who have executed one stood up and declared he was a supporter of the king. «3» This man stood firm, and was killed. He went directly to hell, however.

Now what should we do with this bunch of hypocrites who enter the arena but are not men enough to say that they dislike Islam and that is a thing of past and is no longer useful! Directly that they hate Islam. Your relief committee is not capable of dealing with these people. You could help an injured person or a poor one or rescue the weak ones, and may God bless you for saving them. But neither you nor other layers of society could deal with these deceitful people solving the hypocrites' issue is one of the biggest problem which has afflicted our nation and Islam from the very beginning. What could Islam do with Mu`awiyah who was the Friday Imam? He used to tell the people of Damascus that he was a Muslim and claimed he would got to war for God Islam and serve (the people) he was a hypocrite. But an enemy of Imam `Ali (`a) can not be a Muslim. He used to propagate that Imam `Ali (`a) was not a Muslim so much that when Imam `Ali (`a) got martyred at the altar, the people asked: Would Imam `Ali pray? What was he doing in the mosque?

Now, what should we do with these hypocrites? We can only seek refuge in God, the Blessed and the Exalted, we should only disclose their activities; that is what the people must do.

These people who proved to be hypocrites, have entered the ranks of Muslims and are sabotaging Islam and Muslims should be identified and every file found on them should be exposed to reveal that they are hypocrites. We should resist against them to expose [their true identity]. There are those like a merchant whose forehead shows the marks of prostration or a writer who starts whose writing with" In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful, praise the Islamic Republic and eulogize and loud it, but behind all this, they damage Islam. There is nothing that can be done with these elements. Whatever measure we take, they would profess they were Muslims and reputable people; unless they are exposed and their true identity revealed, we cannot do anything. One way is for anybody who finds any information on their past and treacheries to report them. Such pseudo-pious men would pray behind a [the congregation prayer] leader and even pay him the determined Imam's share to deceive him. However, they are against this (Islamic) regime and would like to apple it. It is hard to deal with this kind of people. We have no other choice but to expose them disclose the facts. People should report on the past of these people. Of course, a Muslim's dignity should be protected. Nobody has the right to accuse whoever they wish as an enemy and therefore is a member of or related to SAVAK unless it is proven that he wanted to denigrate Islam's dignity. In which case he no longer commands respect.

Act on [Islamic tenets] cautiously. Base your actions on the Islamic codes. Follow the Islamic regulation in your committees. Do not misuse your power. Nobody is allowed to accuse others of the wrong-doings they have not committed. We should act in an Islamic so we can face God, the Blessed and the Exalted, with a clear conscience. Or, if we are caused of doing something [wrong] then we can stand [before God] with a clear record. The same thing applies to all walks of life who are in the services from those working in the courts to policemen, the army, the gendarmerie and all groups of people now are at the services of the Islamic Republic. Everything should be Islamic. All members of the police force and the army and the committees should abide by the Islamic rules and regulations.

Nobody is allowed to practice (usury) and then work in the Islamic Republic of Iran. This act contradicts Islam. It is strange to be a policeman of the Islamic Republic and then do injustice. A revolutionary guard of the Islamic republic should safeguard Islam, not oppress the servants of God. Such a person should assist Islam and Muslims. I mean all layers of society should act according to Islam. Everybody should rely on Islam. Today, we are struggling against an evil-power, and the world is closely watching us the waves of your opposition to this power have reached shores around the world. We should come out victorious in this combat between Islam and unbelief. We should win even if we get defeated in the military and economic aspects. We should act like the warriors at the outset of Islam who struggled and then got martyred. May God keep all of you. I thank you all. I pray for you. I am at your service.