Message [In praise of the personality of Martyr at the Altar Ashrafi Isfahani and condemnation of the action of the munafiqin]

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
Verily, to God we belong and to Him we shall return
How glorified are those who spend a lifetime in the service of Islam and Muslims; and who at the end of their lifespan attain the immense glory, which those enamored with union with God aspire. How fortunate and glorified are those who during their lifetime endeavor for the purification of the soul and the greater strive, Jihad, and who end their lives in the path of Divine objective by joining with the martyrs of the path of the Truth. How fortunate and triumphant are those that in the vicissitudes of their lives have not fallen into the satanic traps and given in to carnal temptations. They have thrown aside the final curtain separating them from their Beloved with the blood of their visage; and have been admitted into the meeting place of the combatants in the Path of God. How fortunate and successful are those that have shown their backs to the material world and its trappings and have passed a lifetime in piety and self-denial. They have attained the ultimate degrees of bliss at the altar of worship and establishing the Friday prayers by being assassinated by one of the brutal and deviant munafiqin and thereby joining the loftiest degree of martyrdom at the altar of prayer by the hands of the cruelest of the cruel criminals.
The beloved Martyr of the Altar of this Friday of ours was an eminent personality whom I regarded highly. I was acquainted with this blessed and devout soul since approximately sixty years. I know the late honorable martyr Hujjat al-Islam wal-Muslimin Haj `Ata'ullah Ashrafi during this long period as being a pious, peaceful and assured person who was devoid of carnal cravings and one who was abstemious and obedient of the commandments of the Master and a knowledgeable theologian and a doer of good deeds. At the same time, he was a sacred fighter and a powerful and devout character. At the frontline of the defense of the truth, he was among those individuals who were a source of encouragement for the young holy warriors and an outstanding example of" Men who spoke the truth about the covenant that they had made with God." «2» His departure has left a void for Islam and plunged the society of the clergy into mourning. God place him in the same status as the martyrs of Karbala and shower His curse and damnation on the killers of such men. Eternal shame be upon them for taking away from our nation a peaceful personality who would not caused an inconvenience even for an ant. They have thereby introduced themselves at the Court of the Glorious God and to the self-sacrificing nation more hated and more criminal than before. This honorable soul, like the rest of our beloved martyrs has united with the mercy of the Truth and our sacred fighter nation and our combative armed forces shall carry forward the Revolution with steely determination. Those who make false claims of being the supporters of the masses and act in this manner with the creatures of God which everyone is aware of, what justification do they have for such a great crime? By martyring a servant theologian and an honorable eighty-year-old man, what power do they attain and which side are they supporting? Those who shed crocodile tears at the dastardly act of these criminals and who complain about the commandment of God about them, what objective do they pursue? Is taking revenge on the Islamic Republic, martyrdom of a pious theologian and burning of a group of children, women, men and toiling masses? Is the way to come to power and govern in committing such heinous crimes?
O, God! With what incidents and with what faces are our sacred fighter nation is being confronted- an era in which the Muslim governments are of that sort; the mass media of that sort and the superpowers of this sort. It is an era in which wrong is presented to the people as being right and crimes are committed in the name of peace. It is a time in which the enemies of Islam and the Muslims are doing with the nations what Changiz Khan did not do; and the majority of the Muslim governments support the criminals in the crimes they perpetrate against their own nations. It is a time in which one cannot complain in the Inviolable House of God against the enemies of Islam and the perpetrators of crimes against the Muslims. It is a time in which the cry of" Death to Israel and America" is regarded as being contrary to Islam. It is a time when for the establishment of an Islamic rule and putting into practice the tenets of Islam in a country, the claimants of Islam take up arms and engage in propaganda against it and fight Islam in the name of Islam.
O God, the sacred fighting nation of Iran is innocent in this era of ignorance and darkness; and except by seeking refuge in Thy Court and trust in Thy Favors, they have no shelter and they beseech Thee at Thy Blessed Court. They continue on the path of the truth and are not afraid of this savagery; and they will not surrender the honor that is due to Thee and to Thy Prophet and the pious believers for the brief and passing life of this world.
O God, I seek your mercy for the much-loved martyrs and especially the Martyr who became victim this week; and healthiness, happiness and patience for the nation- especially those left behind by the martyrs and the respected residents of Bakhtaran. I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured and revenge from the enemies of Islam. Salutations to the purified soul of the martyrs; salutations to the families of the martyrs. Peace to the injured and salutations and peace of God and those closest to His Court be upon His Holiness, the Savior Twelfth Imam- may our souls be sacrificed for Him and may God's peace be upon the righteous servants of God.
Rouhullah al-Mousawi al-Khomeini