Speech [Governments of Muslim nations, the cause of their problems; returning to the true Islam]

Congratulations to all Muslims on the occasion of this blessed month of Ramadan! The most blessed time is when Muslims overcome their difficulties with their sense of duty.

Quds is not the only problem of the Muslims. It is one of the problems that Muslims have. Isn't [the situation in] Afghanistan a problem for the Muslims? Isn't Pakistan a problem of the Muslims? Isn't Turkey a problem of the Muslims? Isn't Egypt a problem? Isn't Iraq a problem of the Muslims? We must figure out what the source of the problems of all Muslims is, and how they should be resolved. Why are Muslims all over the world under pressure from governments and the superpowers? We must find the solution in order to acquire the secret of victory and free Quds, Afghanistan and all other Muslim lands.

The problems of the Muslims are because of their governments. The governments are responsible for the miseries of Muslims. The Muslims themselves are not to blame. They can solve their problems if left to their own devices; however, the problem is the governments. If you consider all the Muslim countries, you would rarely come across an instance in which the problems have not been caused by the governments. The governments have caused the problems as the result of their ties with and allegiance to the superpowers of the West and East. Thus if these governments be disposed of, the problems would be solved. And it is up to the Muslims to accomplish this.

You saw that our problem were greater than those of the others. The Shah's demonic power was greater than that of the others. The superpowers, the Muslim and non-Muslim governments were his supporters. You saw that there was no resource to a country, a power or the superpowers in order to solve this problem. The people, themselves, solved the problem. Our nation changed from a state of cowardice to a one of bravery, from despair to self- confidence, from thinking about itself to thinking about God and from discord to concord. This miraculous transformation caused this very big problem- one that the whole world thought it impossible to solve- to be eliminated.

Do not think that the Iranians had weapons. The Iranians' weapons were stones, sticks and fists[ ]But They had the spiritual weapon which was faith in the creed, faith in the Blessed and Exalted God, dependence on the Source of Power, and the unity of expressions. The guns that you now see in the hands of the people- that is, the civilians- are the ones taken from those connected to the Shah. Otherwise, there were no guns in the beginning. The main element was faith. All people, whether in the capital or in the border regions, used to say one thing. Back then these corrupt groups were hidden, like insects that hide in holes, and the people were in control. Wherever you went- from the capital to the country's borders- all people, even the children, voiced their desire for the rule of Islam and an Islamic republic. Even the sick people in their bed and in the hospitals said the same thing. The youth, the universities and the schools, men and women, all held the same view. Before the movement started, we were in a deep sleep to which the superpowers had put us and thus we were negligent of those issues that were really important. But suddenly a flash of light from God, Almighty, woke us up by which we were able to solve this problem that everybody thought was impossible to solve.

Our problem was the Shah and his associates. And it was up to the nation to solve it. We did not import weapons, and no foreign power supported us. On the contrary, they were all against us. Iraq was against us. Kuwait severely opposed us. And Egypt's stance was obvious. The rest of the governments, as you know, were the same. So even though all the powers were arrayed against us on one side, and we were on the other, our nation, barehanded, accomplished the impossible; it demolished this barrier.

Something must be done to make the nations understand what their duty is. If you and everybody want, if the intellectuals, the `ulama' of Islamic lands and the universities of all the Islamic countries want the difficulties of Islam and Muslim countries to be removed, the people ought to be awakened.

By hundreds of years of propaganda, they had made these people believe that the United States and the Soviet Union cannot be opposed. The other notions also believe this at present. But they should be made to understand that they can be opposed.

The best proof for the possibility of something is its occurrence. And this has happened in Iran. The governments and people of other countries should not presume that Iran had more power and force. No; the weapons that the Iraqi nomads possess are probably more than what Iranians hold. The problem in these countries is that they have brainwashed the people by means of extensive propaganda, and have made them indifferent toward Islam and have made them believe that the superpowers are unassailable. They have achieved this through their propaganda and the work of their own agents in the country.

Thus, those who love their countries and believe in Islam and want to serve it must awaken the people of their own countries, so that the nation that has become alienated with itself, rediscovers itself. The nations, the countries, have become self-alienated. They believe that is impossible to stand up to the superpowers which will do this and that to them. These" impossibles" must be replaced in their minds with" possibles". It is possible. Muslims constitute a population of about one billion and possess many resources, possibilities, and vast lands. They also have Islamic and divine support. Therefore, they must not entertain the thought that it cannot be done. The Soviet Union, that big, satanic power, has been unable to suppress the Afghans in spite of its might. If a nation decides that it does not want something, there is no way to force it. The nation must be awakened so that it would want [independence]. Our nation, too, was asleep about twenty years ago; it was unconcerned. But since that time, the preachers, the `ulama' and the academics had been constantly expressing themselves. Gradually, protests began and the people started to swarm into the streets. Then the cries of" God is the greatest" gradually began. And this big, satanic power was not able to withstand [the cries of] " Allahu Akbar". And these things were happening while all the world powers wanted him (the ex-Shah) to remain in power. I know that all the world powers wanted to preserve their obedient servant- Muhammad Rida Pahlavi- so as to secure their interests in Iran and help themselves freely to our resources. But when a nation refuses, they cannot do anything. The people should be made to realize that they ought to want the thing which they think they should not, and that the thing which they think is impossible, is possible. The nations must ask their governments to accede to their requests, and if they refuse, the people must do what the Iranians did so that their problems get solved. The problems will never be resolved until they remove those individuals who are obstacles to the solution of problems. Wherever you look- not just in the Muslim countries, but in the other ones as well- you will notice that the top government authorities are the ones who deprive the people of intellectual, spiritual and economic development. The authorities appoint their own relatives as university professors, and they are the ones who corrupt the youths. Thus, the governments are the obstacles to the progress of Muslims and of the youths. In this connection, they are, of course, not all exactly the same.

Those regimes who have studied the Muslim countries for centuries, scrutinizing all the various factions, individuals, the different regions- even the tracts of land and jungles- have realized that, in the societies, the only element which can defeat them is Islam. Thus, their main concern is Islam, and for this, they have installed these corrupt governments as barriers against Islam. These governments are responsible. By means of these corrupt governments and their propaganda, they have spread racism and nationalism among Muslims. They have made `Arabs oppose non-`Arabs and Turks, and have made the non-`Arabs confront the `Arabs, and the Turks confront the others. They have pitted all the ethnic groups against one another.

The reason why I repeatedly emphasize that nationalism is the basic cause of misery is because of the fact that it causes conflict between Iran and the other Muslim nations. It pits Iran against all the other nations, and the other nations against one another. It is the imperialist design to keep Muslims apart. The previous Iraqi regime- of course, the present regime [Ba`athist] is much worse than the previous one- claimed that their goal was to revive the glory of the Umayyad «1» dynasty, vis-a-vis Islam. The Islamic religion downplays all glory as being inferior to that of God. This was not something that they themselves were smart enough to do. The world powers had inculcated it into them in order to keep the Muslims disunited and dispersed, and to make them enemies. The same trend also developed in Iran a long time ago. Thus, some individuals who were ignorant of the basic issues, even though they were supposedly not spiteful, stated the same concept of nationalism so as to uproot Islam in Iran.

The message of Islam is that all the races are equal, just like a person's ribs. They are all the same. `Arabs are not superior to non-`Arabs; non - `Arabs are not superior to `Arabs; the Turks are not superior to the others. No race is superior to another. Whites are not superior to blacks, nor blacks to whites; neither of them is superior to the other. Real superiority is based on piety and dedication; dedication to Islam. Nationalism was something that the world powers propagated and wanted to brainwash our people with so that it would be easier for them to exploit us. And, unfortunately, even some good Muslims become convinced.

Many years ago (I think it was in Rida Khan's reign) they set up an assembly that was responsible for producing certain films, propagating poems and giving speeches mourning the victory of Islam and the `Arabs over Persia. They recited poetry and showed films to say that it was a tragedy that `Arabs conquered Taq Kasra and Mada'in; and they mourned this tragedy! These wicked nationalists really cried! They brought out their handkerchiefs and cried because Islam came and overthrew the rulers; the corrupt rulers. This notion has been inculcated everywhere; in a particular way in us, and in the `Arab countries, `Arab nationalism has been supported. This is an inculcated notion. It is contrary to the Qur'an. In non-`Arab countries, they want their own people to be superior. This thought is against Islamic teachings. That is what the world powers wish and in accordance with which they have acted. When they defeated the Ottoman Empire in World War I, they divided it into fifteen countries and appointed their own lackeys to head those states. Unfortunately, those who were not aware of their real intentions did not, and still do not, pay attention to this aspect.

Our problems are our governments. Islam's problem lies with the Muslim governments. This should be dealt with. If the governments change their path and move towards Islam; if they turned from Pan-'Arabism to Islam, from Turkish nationalism (Pan-Turanism) to Islam, the problems would be solved. But if they do not make this move, the troubles will persist until the Muslim nations take action themselves as the Iranians did. Iranians solved their problems with the force of their fists, and so all other countries must follow suit.

They shouldn't just sit down, hoping that their governments would take action. These governments only think about themselves. These Muslim governments have nothing to do with Islam. And if they ever mention Islam it is merely to deceive their people. Saddam's Islam is like Muhammad Rida Khan's Islam. The Islam of that Egyptian, Sadat, is also like Saddam's Islam. They may speak of Islam, but when it comes to practice, they even establish bases to assist them cooperatively in destroying Iran. What is Iran? It is a Muslim country. He pledges assistance to non-Muslims to destroy Muslims. This is Sadat's brand of Islam. This is what his Islam is. Saddam's Islam is also like this in that he says" Islam"," Muslim"; and what not. He says that he is with the Iranian nation [ ]. In some of his speeches, he has stated that he has no animosity with the Iranians, that he is with them and with the Iranian government, but there is not a single day his army does not bombard and raid our border areas. This is their genre of Islam; imported from the United States and the Soviet Union.

Our problems will persist unless we return to Islam; the Islam of the Apostle of God. We will not be able to solve the problems of Palestine, Afghanistan and other regions, unless we revive the pure Islam of God's Messenger. Muslims must revive that faith which existed in the early period of Islam. If the governments do the same, it would be all right. But if they don't, the nations must take the matter into their own hands and deal with their governments as Iranians did with theirs so as to solve the problems. If not, just shouting that they will take Quds and gathering and voicing discontent will not stop them (the governments). Yes, of course, words are sometimes effective, but Muslims do not even take this step.

If on the Quds Day, all the people had risen and shouted, their stupid government «2» would not have been able to confront them. The problem was that only a fraction of their population protested. If all the Muslim nations revolt on the Quds Day, not just for Quds, but to free all the Muslim lands, they will win victory. We ousted Muhammad Rida Khan with the strength of our shouts. You think we had guns? No; we shouted" Allahu Akbar" and repeated this slogan so much, that they lost their nerve and fled from this country.

Muslims must shout; they must not perceive that shouts and slogans are useless, not at all. They are absolutely effective, but if they all shout together. If just one person, one neighborhood or even one city shout their discontent, it will not be effective. Consider Iran: it's not just the people of Tehran, Qum or Ahwaz [; all over Iran people voice the same issues]. You see when the pasdars ask the people to shout" Allahu Akbar" on the roofs of their houses on a certain night, the people obey. But this was not the case before the Revolution. It was not possible for someone to speak out and others listen to him [without being persecuted]. But now when the esteemed theologians of Qum call people to demonstrate, the people and even some of the respected `ulama' in Qum stage protest marches. Other nations must so transform themselves that when some group among them tells them to do a certain thing, they must consider it as an order issued by their superior and comply with it. We desire that all the nations become like this.

When we say that we want to" export" the Iranian Revolution, we mean to expand this spirituality that has developed in Iran. We want this phenomenon that has emerged in Iran to spread to the other countries. We do not intend to wage war. Iraq has been attacking us for some time now, but we do not attack them at all. They attack us and we defend ourselves. Defense is necessary. We want to disseminate the revolutionary culture and the Islamic movement in all the Muslim countries. And if this happens, all the problems will be solved wherever the revolution spreads.

You should endeavor to awaken the nations so that they would be willing to revolt and get ready for all the consequences, like Iran. Those who love their countries and Islam must awaken their nations so that this divine transition that has changed Iran, also moves those nations. Everything will turn out well wherever this change takes place. If such a transformation takes place, there will be no need to fear a few corrupt people occupying the al-Aqsa Mosque. There would be no reason to fear anymore. But if the Muslim nations split up into numerous antagonistic factions and their governments do not rule according to Islamic tenets, they should not expect to be victorious with such a mentality and such a government.

Muslims ought to follow the teachings of Islam, and just as it has commanded us, all the believers must be brothers [and sisters] wherever they are «3». They must unite and hold fast to His (providential rope) «4». They must neither disperse nor dispute; otherwise they will become frail. «5» The only way that the Muslims can free themselves from the bondage of the world powers and their governments is by complying with this command given by God. God has invited us to follow this command. This is His command from the time of the advent of Islam and must be carried out until the very end. Just telling the people about it is of no use (unless it is followed). If Muslims do not follow the Islamic teachings, they will not succeed. We will be successful only if we think according to Islam and begin complying with the Islamic injunctions and the Qur'an. We must follow the pristine teachings of Islam.

I am hopeful that you who have come here for the Quds Day, succeed in your cause. I further hope that all the Muslims succeed in this direction and that some day all the Muslims be brothers and sisters. I hope that some day the sources of corruption in the Muslim countries be uprooted. And I hope that this corrupt root (that is) Israel gets ousted from al-Aqsa Mosque and the Muslim lands so that, God willing, we would some day in the future visit Quds and recite the prayer of unity together in that holy city.

May God's peace, mercy and blessings be upon you.