In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
The importance of the bazaar in supporting Islam
The country's bazaars, the Tehran Bazaar in particular, have been a source of support to Islam in the course of history. It will continue to be so, God willing. Some of the elderly people might remember even if you don't, that in the past, most probably in the regime of Rida Shah, they had come to the conclusion that the institution of the bazaar of Tehran must not exist in Iran. They were afraid of these covered complexes. They were afraid of these walled, covered complexes where the believers, the pious and the committed youths would collect. They were afraid of the mosque, the place where these bazaaris would gather, and of the bazaar itself, the place where the people used to assemble. The bazaar has always championed Islamic causes. It has been a strong and sturdy pillar of support where the advancement of Islam and Islamic economy is concerned. And it is the same even at present. In the past, because the governments under the previous regime and the past regime itself was not with the people and the people not with it, perhaps Muhammad Rida did not have the courage to visit the bazaar even once. But now it is not like that because the government and the bazaar, the president and the bazaaris are brothers. They are from the bosom of the people. It is not that they, in their own words, are high ranking but, in reality, low enough for the people not to accept them. Whatever difficulty arose for Islam and the distinguished Islamic spiritual leaders, it provided sufficient grounds for half the bazaar to be shut over the matter until the difficulty was resolved. The bazaar is a great support to Islam. The bazaar merchants should very meticulously maintain this support.
In all the classes of people there are some who are against the general interests of the Muslims and whose activities are directed towards filling their own pockets. In the bazaar, too, there are some godless, perverted individuals who at such a time when our country is involved in a war, and the old men and women of the villages are contributing all they have to the cause of Islam and that of the war, are obstructing the work of the government and the war effort. It is a matter of regret that while millions of people in the towns, cities, districts, and villages are worried about the war and are supporting the war, the war victims, the army, and the pasdars, a few people are to be found in various places and in the bazaar itself who are confronting this great multitude of people and are opposing Islam and the Islamic country. You must try; the bazaar merchants should see to it that such people do not accuse the bazaar or soil its reputation. The bazaar of Iran enjoys a good reputation. It has always had been a support to the country the nation and Islam. In every difficult situation, the bazaar has been instrumental in solving the problems. It has always been a part of the nation. It is the same nation and they are the same people who gather in the bazaars and are engaged in the economic activities of the country and in performing good deeds. You should exercise care in not allowing a small group to incriminate the bazaar or attribute any statement to it because they have lost their interests; that is, their illegitimate interests, or fear losing them. If at any time they (the opponents) publish something and attribute it to the bazaar, the merchants should protest. They must tell them to mention their own names in their announcements. We should be very vigilant about such matters nowadays. If the people of the bazaar follow the Islamic path- which they are doing, thank God- they will keep the country from harm. This is the bazaar that supports the army, and has been supporting the country and the government in these (troubled) times. If there be any discord in the bazaar, and if the sowers of dissension are allowed to engage in their activities, they will, God forbid, destroy this sturdy pillar supporting Islam. You ought to be vigilant. You are aware that all the problems that have existed since the time of Mirza-ye Shirazi «1» up to now, used to be solved in the bazaars. If one of the `ulama' of Tehran wanted to leave Tehran because of the bad behavior of the governments of the Qajar period, the bazaar used to be closed down which would make them repent, and by beseeching that clergyman, they would keep him from going. It is the bazaar that must pay attention. It is the various types of merchants that should pay attention and fill the mosques with their own numbers and so make them thrive. In the countries of the Sunni sect, as I have seen in the Hijaz, when the call to the noon prayer is given, the shops are either shut or remain open with the police guarding them. The merchants go to either the MAsjid al-Haram or the Prophet's Mosque to pray.
The bazaar must be the absolute manifestation of Islam and justice. It should avoid the things that are contrary to Islamic precepts, while taking to those that are in accordance with them. The bazaar must be cleansed of the practice of usury. In case there be individuals among the bazaaris, who, God forbid, practice usury, the bazaaris themselves must advise them. Let not this disease spread and devastate our country. Taking interest will destroy the bazaars and ruin the people. God forbid, that such a great sin be prevalent in the bazaar which God has placed above all sins, even above adultery, «2» and amounts to warring with Him. «3» Let there be no such thing in the bazaar. It is not fair that there be overcharging in the bazaar. At a time when the people of Iran, the women and children of Iranians, are foregoing their own benefits for the sake of the war-stricken people, and are donating whatever they have to them, there should be nobody in the bazaars who overcharges the people and thereby inconveniences and paralyzes them. If, God forbid, our actions lead to a setback for Islam, we will be held responsible to a very great extent by the Blessed and Exalted Lord.
Issues concerning the army, the courts, the police, the pasdars and so on that could undermine them should not be raised in the bazaar, particularly in the case of the (personnel of the) army, the guards corps and the gendarmerie that are now fighting in the war on the front line and are offering their lives and getting killed. Issues should not be raised in the bazaar or other places that could undermine their morale. It should be borne in mind that the laypersons are not conversant with the art of war. It is the army that knows it; a top-class one only and not every army. They advance one day and retreat on another. Such issues should not be raised in the Majlis or the bazaar. In other places, too, they should not be mentioned in speeches and questions raised as to why such-and-such thing happened. You are not acquainted with the methods of warfare. They call for advancing one day and retreating another day. These matters should be left to the experts to carry out. Those who cannot understand these things and are sitting in their houses should not come among the people and raise such questions repeatedly. These are topics that should be avoided at the present time. Regarding this war in which we are embroiled, I would advise everybody not to express opinions by saying," In my view, it is like this." Whatever be your views, you must not air them. You must not say anything that cases the army chiefs, the president and the government to feel uneasy, or say things without knowing what you are saying. You think that you are doing a service, but actually it is not so. You must pay heed to all these matters. Whoever goes to the front should not, on his return, shout about the situation there. You and I cannot determine as to what should be done on the front. Only the experts can say what ought to be done, how the position on the front should be maintained and the tactics of war put into effect. We will all be held responsible if, God forbid, any slackness or despondency emerges on the front because of our words and actions.
The bazaar must cater wholeheartedly to the front and provide back-up support. The Majlis must provide behind-the-scene support and strengthen the front. The orators, the writers, the newspaper columnists, the print media and the radio and television must all be in quest of victory. They should not just sit around and find fault with our security forces and undermine them. I would like to give the good news to the military and security forces that are now fighting devotedly in the border areas, and also to all the categories of the people, whether the tribes, the ordinary civilians, the army and the other armed forces such as the police, the pasdars and all the rest, that Iran is right behind them. This land of Iran stands behind them. They should pay no heed to certain things that are said sometimes. It is possible that some of these people utter such things out of malice. But perhaps most of them bear no grudge. They have not considered the issues. Our forces, fighting devotedly in the border areas at present, must rely on God. They must know that there is no army in the whole world that has the nation's approval to this extent. The Iraqis are now totally opposed to their army whereas our people are absolutely in accord with our army and support it. All the Muslim bazaars support it. The masses support it. If there are some people that are the remnants of the past regime, the dregs of that corrupt system, or some that are the devoted servants of the superpowers and are causing disturbances and despondency, they are not of the nation. Those that constitute the nation are the Muslim bazaaris. Those that constitute this nation are the ones in the fields and factories; the ones who are working for the people. They are in line with you. Do not feel dejected if somebody says something. By relying on God, concentrate on your work with all your power in the way that your plans necessitate, and move ahead. I am hopeful that all our problems will soon be solved, that all our bazaars will turn Islamic and all of us be guided
towards Islam. May God, the Blessed and Exalted, keep you safe and healthy and make you prosperous. May He give you success in serving Islam.
May God's peace, mercy and blessings be upon you.