Speech [The danger of the disappearance of the Islamic feature of the Revolution; the need to act on the basis of the Islamic codes; the avoidance of the illegal acts]

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

I am really worried. I worry about Islam. We have rescued Islam from the claws of Muhammad-Rida. I fear Islam is being threatened by us now. I am apprehensive hurting Islam even more than Muhammad-Rida. There are some ignorant souls over there who assume they are serving Islam. They act on their own, ignoring principles and rules. They write us about these ignorant, self-centered activities of certain individuals. Such reports are received from Isfahan very frequently. Yesterday I received a letter from Mr. Khadimi once again. «1» In his interpretation people in Isfahan are being plundered. I have also reports from Khorramabad to the effect the people are robbed off of anything they have. There are no rules or regulations. In the old regime everything had been done without considering the Islamic standards, now everything is carried out likewise, considering no rational or logical standards. This makes us filled with awe and sorrow. The regrettable thing is that we have established an Islamic order but we wish to deprive it of its Islamic essence. We have brought about a revolution but want to carry out everything we wish to. And when asked why they reason out that since they have carried out a revolution, they are allowed to rob people of their possessions; they invade people's homes; they confiscate people's farming lands; they trespass people's rights; and they trample people's dignity. What this connotes to people's mind is that Islam is chaotic.

In the name of Islam, sedition communists and Marxists carry out the acts of. They propagate the communist doctrines in the name of Islam. Now this movement of ours is being ruined from inside. It resembles a melon which is shiny outward but is decaying inside. You are working hard for a system which is decaying inside. Those who act on their own with no regards for the Islamic principles are worms which are doing harm to Islam. I do not know what to do; I feel hopeless. We will need a central power. We need an administration strong enough to arrest the agitators and make them stand trial. In every corner of the country, somebody has got a gun and makes trouble for the people by posing at a member of the committee, a revolutionary guard or a member of the mobilized forces. They break into anybody's house because of their personal grudges. They plunder people's possessions because of their hatred towards them. This is a great threat to Islam at this juncture of our revolution. This threat for Islam is even more than that posed to it during the Pahlavi's regime. Chaos now reigns. Regulations and rules are ignored. They are destroying Islam in the name of Islam; they are devastating and annihilating Islam everywhere.

Those who believe in Islam now should assist it. Those who dream of an Islamic order in this country should help it out of this dilemma. A large number of the population is young, but ignorant of the issues. The Great Prophet (s) has stated that there were two kinds of people who had broken his back: the heedless scholars and the ignorant worshippers. The pseudo-pious ones have broken the prophet's back. An ignorant one who performs an illogical act in the name of Islam is, in fact, harming Islam:" Two sorts of people broke my back: the heedless scholar and the ignorant worshipper." You who are at the power pyramid of the revolutionary army should find a way out of this labyrinth. And those officials who are at the top echelons of the courts, or, the Revolutionary Committees should do something for Islam. If things proceed in this manner, sooner or later people will detest both Islam and the Islamic revolution.

Why shouldn't there be regulations, while Islam is rule-oriented and systematic by nature. Islam is not chaotic and nobody is allowed to act against regulations. Everybody should obey laws and principles. These agitators neither obey the religious cannons nor the governmental regulations. They act on their own, with no regard to either their supervisors or to Islam in general. Then people conclude that the Islam is not issue; rather communism is the issue. Even one of the clerics was asking me, while showing his disapproval:" Is this a communist government?" Should the Revolutionary guards be influenced by the communistic dogma?

The agitators try to break the back of Islam here so that a coup d' etat might take us back to a regime worse than the previous one. These agitators hate Islam. Of course, I cannot claim that a policeman who is working hard day and night does not love Islam; rather, he does not know that is under pernicious propaganda. The same applies to the Revolutionary courts and to the committees. They do not know the right way. They are ignorant of the standards. They assume they are free in getting involved in anything they desire.

In a regime based on justice nobody is free to act out as he wishes. There are rules in Islam. Nobody is allowed to evict people by force from their homes. You might confiscate the properties of a criminal if the court allows it, but his family should not starve to death. Enough should be given to the criminal's family to live on prior to taking away his possessions. However, I have received several complaints that their properties have been confiscated. They complain that they have been thrown out of their homes and their carpets have been confiscated. Is this in accordance with religious laws? Is this humane?

What should be done? Contemplate on it. Let us gather together in Tehran; all of you supervisors. Let the heads of the revolutionary guards come together in Tehran. The heads of the revolutionary guards should convene similar sessions. You should consult with one another. You should come up with decisions and regulations. Then distribute these rules. Let us have an administrative organization. You are working hard in Kurdestan. If Kurdestan is taken from us, we would not worry. But what worries us most is the act of being deprived of Islam. We want Islam itself in such a way that neither the Kurds nor the Turks will hate Islam. But the point at issue is that Islam should prevail everywhere. It is not right that people [constantly] complain of the misconduct of the governmental officials. Women and children come crying and begging me for justice. I am getting tired [of all this]. In the previous regime, I was not affected by the pressures which they put upon me. But now I am getting exhausted because of the pressures which are being leveled on me by some of our own people. Why should it be like this. Think of something. If you do not act promptly, Islam would be in danger. We are all responsible for any harm done to Islam. I will do anything in my power. You should do the same. Every one of you should be doing something. The same is true of the Revolutionary council. Anybody who is acting against Islam should be severely punished. He should be expelled from the organization. Anybody who is publicizing for communism and think he is serving Islam in an office should be ostracized from their place of activity. It is useless for us to sit and let anybody do what ever he wants and we sit as mere spectators.

I dislike severe approaches, pressures and commotion. I prefer that thing materialized in a peaceful way. I want everything done peacefully. At the offices, those who are engaged in spreading propaganda against Islam should be purged. It is your task to carry out such a task meticulously. I am not the only Muslim here. You are Muslims, too. Tomorrow, you are accountable to God. There are some policemen under you. You will be held responsible for their behavior. If they carry out any wrong-doings, you will be accountable. If you are not afraid in this world, do worry about the next one. We cannot just do anything we wish; the policemen cannot dolust anything they want; nor can revolutionary guards be inattentive of issues around us and you, gentlemen, just sit and watch. Undesirable elements should be purged. All of you must go to Tehran right now and set up a congregation together with the revolutionary council, and other (responsible organs). Those at the top echelons of power should draw a plan and draft the criteria based on which you carry out the affairs. Things cannot be accomplished without (the right) people or ruler.

Tell me what to do now. Mr. Khadimi has written to me that people are being plundered now. What should I write in reply? This is stated by a cleric. Other people have said the something. Do something for Islam. Let us not destroy Islam with our own hands. If our foes did anything wrong to Islam, we would not be responsible. But now the picture is different. We are accountable for anything which is hazardous to Islam. The Revolutionary Council, as well as you, is accountable for any damage done to Islam. We should not be on-lookers and sit and watch the damage done to Islam. You should come together and prepare some practical rules to get rid of this chaos. If a revolutionary guard does anything wrong, get rid of him; expel him from the service. Do no let chaos prevail. If a revolutionary guard does anything illegal, fire him. Do not let chaos prevail. If you do not act quickly, the number of evil-doers will increase. We hope God will rectify the problematic situation and rescue us from help us out of this dilemma those

close to us who are evil-doers. Sa`di (the Iranian poet) says:" Sa`di cried out complaining about his own people."