In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
The common duty: recommending fortitude and (following) the true path
I wish to thank all the gentlemen who have taken the trouble of coming here from distant places; from Tabriz and Khurasan, in this cold weather, and having traveled long distances, have gathered here with difficulty in this cramped and humble place. I request the Almighty to grant you and the entire nation, health and success. My brothers! You know that Iran is now facing difficulties; external and internal difficulties. It will take some time to eliminate them. The thing that is essential for us to know and which the Blessed and Exalted God has told the believrs is that all human beings incur losses except the believers who do pious deeds. The Lord has mentioned two things concerning this: recommending fortitude and truth. He says:"1) By the declining day, 2) Lo! Man is in a state of loss, 3) Save those who believe and do good works, and exhort one another to endurance «۱»".
All the people are in a state of loss except the believers; the ones who perform pious deeds and recommend fortitude and truth. Today, each one of us needs to exhort our friends to truth and invite them to Islam which is the ultimate and absolute truth. We must also urge them to maintain tranquility at such a time when we are beset with difficulties; and invite them to (be faithful to) the Islamic Republic. We must exhort them to have fortitude. If people want to attain truth, to establish the government of truth and implement Islam, which is the absolute truth, in the country, they must have fortitude, just like the Saints of God (s) had in all the stages (of life) and in all the misfortunes and difficulties that befell them.
We have not experienced such difficulties as the Apostle of God (s) had encountered at the time he arrived in Mecca and, after that, in Madinah. He was encumbered with various difficulties such as economic blockades and military attacks. In those few years that the Noble Messenger was forced to seek refuge in a hilly cave because of the pressure exerted on him, the polytheists, the hypocrites and all corrupt people had so cut off supplies to him as to keep him waiting for even his daily bread which would be obtained with difficulty. Subsequently, on migrating from Mecca to Madinah, he and his companions were subjected to such military assaults and armed attacks from the polytheists and the powers of the time that we ourselves have not experienced so far. America and its allies are subjecting our country to economic pressure, and all the non-Muslim countries and governments are putting our people and government under all-round pressure. Nevertheless, as the issue is one for which the people rose, they, more than anybody else, are in the forefront in safeguarding the Revolution and the Islamic Republic. These economic sanctions and armed attacks are not so troublesome for our people. Thank God that all the strata of our nation and everybody who lives in Iran- men and women, adults and children- are diligently trying to safeguard their Islamic campaign. All of them consider themselves to be at war. Our valiant youths from all over the world are volunteering to fight the ones who have deceived by the pagan Ba`athists.
The need for the nation itself to remove the shortages
My brothers! You are aware as to how many problems Iran had in the early days of the Constitutional Movement. You know the efforts (the people of) Azarbaijan made in this matter, and how much trouble the" Sardars" (commanders) who had risen up in Azarbaijan had to endure; how they suffered but yet emerged victorious; our whole nation is now like (the people of Azarbaijan. At that time, there was Azarbaijan and some other places like Gilan and the rest, more or less. But history does not know of any situation as the one now existing. Now the whole nation from all over the country and all the classes of the people consider this movement to be theirs. They look upon its victory as their own. It is not like the past when there used to be divisions between the government and the nation; between the army and the people. The people used to consider the army as an alien one. Thank God that with the exception of some perverted ones who are subservient to the superpowers; all the people consider this country and this government to be their own. They also look upon all the armed forces and those that are at the helm of affairs as being from among them. For this reason, they are able to put up with the pressures being brought to bear upon this country. Patience is required, and exhortation to be patient. Patience is necessary in demanding our rights. If we want Islam; if we want the Holy Qur'an to be implemented in this country and, God willing, in other ones, and if we desire to have an Islamic government, we must recommend truth and exhort (the people) to truth. Those who are in the committees, the volunteer corps, the pasdars, the judiciary and the police everywhere in the country ought to recommend Truth. God forbid, if any deviation is observed in anybody, or if some perverted leftists, or pseudo-leftists serving the rightists, have infiltrated the ranks of the people, they should be urged to follow Truth. Nobody should act against it. If a country claims to be an Islamic Republic and wants the Islamic Republic to take effect in it, then all the people of that country must enjoin good and forbid evil. They should iron out all the inconsistencies by themselves. If some offense takes place in a committee, those working in the committee and the people themselves ought to urge the authorities to set the matter right. Truth and fortitude ought to be recommended. Difficulties should be endured and patience recommended. All the persons in charge of the affairs ought to invite the people to Truth.
The people themselves should not allow those that have infiltrated the organs and other places to commit offenses or act against religious principles and the common good. Such individuals should be enjoined to do good and forbidden from doing evil things, so that the Almighty's exhortation that everybody is at a loss except the believers who do pious deeds and invite (one another) to Truth and endurance, be acted on.
The importance of enjoining the good and forbidding evil
Today, we have an obligation. It is binding on all the Muslims to enjoin the good and forbid evil. Avoiding evil acts is compulsory for all Muslims. Exhorting to Truth, which is enjoining the good, and forbidding evil, is mandatory for all Muslims. You and we have a duty to command towards good in all the executive organs. If there happen to be persons who do wrong; we should make them known to the officials concerned with the prevention of wrongdoing. The difficulties that exist today for Iran and a war stricken country must be endured. We must endure them till they are removed. Today, you see the country as yours. You see the government as yours. The president, the army, and the interests of the country you see as your own. You consider whatever corrupt acts are done in the country as your own shortcomings. You and we are duty-bound to urge (the wrongdoers) that anything contrary to Truth must not be done, and that Truth be practiced in Iran. They must endure the difficulties that have arisen for our country because of the war, the Revolution and our opposition to the superpowers. They must also urge their friends to be patient. I hope that, God willing, your patience will earn. The Almighty's blessings, and that our country and our people will gain relief.