In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
To God we belong and to Him we shall return
Honoring the sacrifices of the people of Khouzestan province and other war-stricken areas
Khouzestan has delivered upon its debt to Islam. Khouzestan has and is striving for Islam, human values, and its own dignity and the honor of the country and is exhibiting great chivalry and has dispatched off its great martyrs to God Almighty. Khouzestan has been an exemplary leader in combating the aggression of falsehood upon truth. These martyrs, whose photographs are here before us, have hastened toward God and have positively responded to the invitation of Islam and have attained salvation for themselves as well as honor and dignity for the west and the south (of Iran) and for the entire country and, in fact, for all mankind. Our consolation in such difficult times that we are all facing together is remembrance of the fact that to God we belong and to Him we shall return!
We have nothing of our own. Whatever we possess is granted to us as a trust by the favor of God." Inna lillah" says that we are all from God and that we all belong to Him and shall finally return to Him. Those who have chosen with their struggle and jihad, to stand up against kufr, and have surrendered their lives to God and have returned to Him with honor and dignity are the ones who have ultimately gained felicity. All of us are bound to die ultimately but those who have bravely confronted the armies of kufr in order to defend Islam and the Islamic country and have sacrificed their lives and have hastened toward God have earned eternal salvation for themselves and have attained honor for their country. Man has to traverse this path and he has to eventually die. How much better it would be to instead attain salvation through a voluntary death, attaining martyrdom, and reaching God in the robes of martyrdom and with the honor and the awareness of a martyr and to hand over the trust safely to its Owner. Dying in your bed is ordinary death but giving your life for God is martyrdom and results in honor and dignity for the individual and for all mankind.
All of you from the west of the country as well as the south and the other border areas have bravely confronted the tyrants and the aggressors against Islam and have given martyrs like the early days of Islam. Our nation cherishes the memories of many martyrs from among you. You have secured the honor of this nation and God Almighty is bound to be pleased with you. Islam is proud of you and the nation supports you and all the other soldiers; and the martyrs that you have offered for the cause of Islam are national martyrs. Every problem this nation faces belongs to the entire nation and so does its honor. How fortunate these beloved and courageous youth are, the pictures of some of whom are present here today, evoking both grief as well as pride within us!
Martyrs are the flag-bearers of the caravan of salvation
I congratulate all the people of Khouzestan as well as the other bordering areas who have faced aggression and remind you of two verses from the Book of God:" That ye grieve not for the sake of that which hath escaped you, nor ye exult because of that which hath been given" «1» God Almighty teaches man- from the beginning to the end- not to grieve for things that seemingly appear to be" losses" because these are not losses at all; and so neither should you regret and nor should you become sorrowful for things that you have lost because you have only apparently" lost" them but they are, in reality, not lost at all and have brought you dignity. At the same time, you should not unduly rejoice on gaining worldly things because everything that belongs to this worldly realm perishes and only that which is offered to God is lasting and eternal. These martyrs are alive and are" with their Lord full of sustenance." «2»
They have now attained spiritual and everlasting sustenance in the Presence of God Almighty and have completely handed over to Him that which they held in trust, which was their lives that they surrendered to God Almighty and He will and has honored them while we have been left behind. It is we who should regret not having been able to tread their paths. They were the leaders and have now left our presence and have attained salvation while we have lagged behind on this path and could not pace up with the caravans and tread their paths.
We are all from God, the entire universe is from God and is His manifestation and the entire universe shall return to Him. Thus, it is better that man chooses a voluntary return to God through martyrdom for Him and for the cause of Islam. May God bless all the martyrs of the path of Islam as well as those who were rendered disabled or homeless for the cause of Islam with eternal salvation!
This grief is shared by all of us and the honor and dignity that these youth have attained is the dignity of all mankind. They have established human values and may their God accept them and shower them with His mercy!
I express my condolences to the survivors of these martyrs. I also congratulate them as well as the people of Khouzestan and the others from the south and the east of Iran for their sacrifices, valor, and brave resistance. All the visitors to these areas heartily laud the great morale that you people of Khouzestan and the south and the west have demonstrated and they all praise you for your greatness of spirit. I am hopeful that with such morale, the Iranian nation will succeed in overcoming all the corrupt forces. And I also hope that our country will soon be freed of these criminals and that our people can return to their own places. Loathe upon the enemies of Islam and your enemies and may peace, mercy, honor, and dignity be showered upon you brothers and sisters! Blessings be upon your martyrs!
May God's peace, mercy and blessings be upon you.