Speech [Call of the Qur'an to unity among Muslims; the great responsibility of the clergies]

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

One of the blessings of the revolution is that today we, clergies, can have close contact with the whole country. I guess this is the first time I have a meeting with the `ulama' of this region and can talk to them. `Ulama' and clergies of oter places also come here to talk and raise issues. This is one of great blessings. Part of your talk was about the fact that Hadrat Amir (God's peace be upon him) spoke about Islam and Jihad. What I want to say is that Islam has dealt with everything. The Qur'an has put emphasis on the issue of unity and has mentioned it using various expressions. «3» The important thing is that Muslims must act on Islam and Qur'an; this is our duty. Islam pays attention to everything related to human life here and there and everything related to human development, human education, human value and in none of the current schools of thought- the perverted ones- have such issues been accorded this much attention. For instance, before a man and woman enter into marriage, Islam adequately talks about the rules of marriage, pregnancy, raising and bringing up children. No one should say about Islam that there is something which is not in Islam and now we found it. In case we once see that we cannot find it we have to search for where it is, because it is definitely there, it is a problem for Muslims. Islam has talked about everything, but Muslims must go after it. Even this issue of unity that you talked about and now praise be to God, it is Unity Week and the birth of the prophet (s) and his great son Sadiq, may God's peace be upon him.

Human beings can achieve their aspirations- aspirations of this world and the next world. Unity has been recommended and called for in the Qur'an. Imams of Muslims have called for it. Basically, the call for Islam is a call for unity; that is, all should be united by the word Islam and be in peace. But as you have seen, they did not let this unity materialize. Lately, they have aggravated the disputes, because their experts realize that if this big Islamic community ever come together and get united, no power can stand up against it and no power can dominate it. The they use to get to their evil purposes is to create disunity among all the groups. Wherever you go, even small towns, you can see disunity, though it is in decline. Disunity is still there. In every city or area there are some conflicting groups.

In `Ashoura which is supposed to be a focal point of unity in all the cities, we saw that even in holy cities there are differences among the chest-beating processions. This shows that we are not mature and that there are hands at work that have penetrated all places including the chest-beating processions. Instead of coming together under the banner of Imam Husayn (God's peace be upon him) the mourners are engaged in disputes. This group does it this way and that one in a different way. There are disputes among quarters. Apart from such cases, they have even created disputes in big cities between the clergies and the people. They would set up a party which was a source of dispute and whatever they came up with was intended not to let this society unite. Unfortunately, it had an impact even on the highest echelon of the clergies and intellectuals. Instead of checking these disputes these clergies themselves got involved in it. I think today is the day when we have understood everything. The people have also understood it. By the grace of the Islamic Revolution, the political perspective of layman has also broadened. Today, they are involved in all the issues. All strata of people have understood these issues; they have matured. Women who were totally excluded from everything in the society and who could never find a way, are, thank God, involved. In a very appropriate way, they maintain the religious standards and have classes, propaganda and everything.

The clergies must know these things. If a clergy is upright, everything will be right; if, God forbid, he is corrupt, the people will be corrupted too. «4» When I was young, sometimes I used to go to some places where people were good. I used to go to Mahallat, a city near Khomein. I saw how religious and good the people were. At times, when one became aware, one saw how good that clergy was over there. One or two clergies were good and people were good by following them. Whenever a clergy is good, everything will be good too. Of course, he should be a rational and religious clergy. If corruption, God forbid, finds its way into this stratum, it will spread. The people have their eyes on this stratum to see what they do.

For this reasons we have a big responsibility on our shoulders. None of us, none of the Friday prayer leaders, congregational prayer leaders and none of the `ulama' have any excuse anymore. If we had this excuse sometimes back, today we do not. We used to argue that we could not confront force and that if we said a word we would be put to jail. Well, these were excuses. Today, we do not have any excuse. God has finalized the matter for us. We cannot say we did not do it because we could not. Today, all of you can reform your own environment. By reforming yourselves and by developing rapport with people and the officials everything can be reformed.

For this reason we are all duty-bound to preserve unity in our areas. Each one in his city, town or village! If all of us develop rapport among ourselves and spread the word that we must all unite and work together to resolve the problems we are facing, people will, thank god, follow suit. You can see that if something was to be done in the past, the people took the trouble to do it because they saw that the government was corrupt. Supposing tat it wanted to do something in the interests of people, they would look down on it. If they told the people to say" there is no God but God", people would hate it. They would see that this" there is no God but God" came out of a mouth that did not believe in it. Today, as you can see, all over the country the people are after furthering this movement. If there are a few individuals still engaged in dispute, the people themselves will settle the dispute.

The clergies are of great significance. If the clergies in their own areas carry out their spiritual and moral duties people will be reformed as they are prepared to accept. Islam has provided program for everything. You can also put them to practice. But there was a time when you could not, because you did not have the power. Today, you have the power to reform the people; you also have the power to do, God forbid, the opposite. You do not have any excuse. Neither you nor others and I have any excuse to say it is not possible to do it or we cannot do it. Everyone has the ability to propagate everywhere and make peace between one group and another group when they are in conflict. Generally speaking, the congregational prayer leaders are popular among people and they are ready to follow them. That of congregation prayer leaders, because the former group has a sensitive issues, and as a result people are ready to follow them. For this reason their responsibility is heavier, and if there is a discrepancy between what they say and do it will be communicated quickly. People understand and do not spread rumors. If Friday prayer leaders all over the country call people to goodness and Islam, these people who accept Friday prayer leaders will follow them. They will do what they are told to do. Every time you call upon people to- let's say- help with the economy or culture, they will do that. This is what you talked about.

I would like to say a few words about the situation of your own region. Of course, we all know that while this region is rich for this country but they did not let any development take place there. Well, it would be better for the region to invite a number of preachers to reform it. They saw to it that they sent the corrupted ones to this region and when the people saw that they were corrupt, they worked less. Your region is a very tough one for you to do some activities. No other region has been like this; because in the former regime this region was corrupted by them; it was the center of corruption for both Rida Khan and after him his son who was worse, and forother individuals who used to come here for pleasure and as a result let the youths astray. Therefore, your problem is tougher than others'. For example, it is much easier to reform the youths of Qum, but Rasht is a problem so are Gilan and Mazandaran. They call for lots of efforts.

You are not the only ones with lack of clergies; it is a problem all over the country. The main point is that at the time of these two, father and son everything was taken from the clergies. There was only one mosque run by- say- a retired person who faced many limitations. Everywhere was limited. You could not say a word about what you wanted to talk about. Everything was taken from the clergies. That is why when the clergies in a society cannot do anything and the corrupt ones come and have place for their own amusement, a place to attract corruption and all these instances of fornication and all these houses of fornication, all these are gone now and in your area it was worse especially around this sea and these amusement places. Therefore, you should make more efforts than others and the lack is felt here more than anywhere else. That's if a clergy can work in one place or in a village, in your region two or three clergies are needed. The lack is everywhere and I already talked about the reason which is that everything was taken from the clergies.

When, if some of you may remember" Dawar" «5» wanted to open up a class to accept theology students, many corrupt people went and signed up there. This was one way how they undermined theological seminaries in Qum. They exercised pressure from one direction and from another they opened doors and offered jobs to the clergies. Therefore, after the time of the late Shaykh Muhammad «6» (may God's peace be upon him) who passed away, there were four hundred religious students in Qum. They were not four hundred who could do something but four hundred desperate ones who were almost strangers in this country. God wanted to have their hands cut short. Now they are in minority and the strangers. However, your hands are free, though you have shortcomings. We know that you have shortage and it is that back then you could not say anything. Back then you could not do anything except discussing something or saying prayer. Today, you can do lots of things. We need more individuals like you. We must set up seminaries. The seminaries should open their doors. There must be one seminary in every place there so that you can bring the villagers and educate them and prepare clergies for the future. Notice that the problem of judgment is a serious one because it affects the lives and property of people.

Today, we are short of judges because the clergies were denied judgment and as a result could not train judges. The book on judgment had been forgotten. Today, you have become free; it is up to you to educate and train individuals for judgment.