Speech [Spiritual transformation of the nation, need for planning in the affairs of the country, resistance of the nation in the face of difficulties]

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

Firstly, I must thank the respected theologians of Hamedan province and the theologians of Isfahan; and the brothers that have come from Khark and the brothers that have come from all over the country in connection with planning for having given me the opportunity to meet with you from close. I hope that all the gentlemen are successful wherever they are and are blessed with the endorsement of the Blessed and Almighty God.

I would like to make a statement to all the gentlemen that is mutual among all the gentlemen and the whole nation and all the theologians throughout the country and all the combatants and other strata wherever they are, may be blessed with success and favors of Blessed God. My discussion includes those who are engaged in government or legislative or national service as well as those are engaged in Jihad on the warfronts and behind the frontlines; and finally all the sisters and brothers of the Islamic Republic of Iran. As the gentleman stated, the Blessed and Almighty God has favored and blessed us. We cannot thank Him sufficiently for this blessing. One was a blessing of negation. Praise be to God, our nation with Divine favor, and with the blessing of Islam and the blessing of the honorable nation succeeded in setting itself free from the claws of oppression of a corrupt regime. We have been getting rid of a regime that was on the verge of corrupting the whole of Iran and all the youth of Iran; and from the oppression of the superpowers whose claws and teeth had been dug into this count and from sufferings with the blessing of Islam and the blessings of the honorable nation of Iran, we have been liberated.

One positive aspect is that a transformation occurred in Iran whose likes you cannot find in history; a transformation that transformed all the strata from the circumstances they were in; from the sufferings that they had- the ethical sufferings or the material sufferings or the spiritual sufferings. They were transformed into human beings that would strive all together for the cause of God, for Islam, for independence and freedom. A person cannot imagine that what a motivation all over the country; right from the two and three year-old child to the ailing old man lying in the hospital- all of them reverted from a natural state to a Divine state. Now whichever part of the country you go, you shall see that the common public, the masses are focused on Islam. Whatever problem occurs for the government; for the bodies of the government, for the army, for the Guards Corps, for the Komitehs and for the rest of the combatants, the people are ready to support and back them and they take action. If this transformation, which the Blessed and Almighty God favored this country of ours; if this Divine transformation had not occurred and this manifestation of faith was absent, no one would have believed that those wolves that had control over this country and were maintaining their hold over all the resources of the country by hook or by crook, would be thrown out. One could not imagine that all the superpowers and those who follow them whether in the region or outside the region, had joined hands and from the aspect of propaganda, armaments and military power were all opposed to this innocent nation that had revolted for the cause of God. Nevertheless, the Blessed and Almighty God blessed this country with strength to nullify all their plots and God willing, shall nullify. This is something for which we cannot thank Him fairly enough. But to the extent that is possible for us in thanksgiving and in gratitude for this blessing, firstly, we should observe piety and fear of God and regard the Blessed and Almighty God to be present and overseeing all our affairs both covertly and overtly. We should be aware that the Blessed and Almighty God is watching us both when in the state of war and the state of peace, in poverty and in abundance.

The whole universe is the God's presence. Whatever takes place is in the presence of God. Whatever danger we feel in our heart occurs in the presence of God. We must be devoted to the Blessed and Almighty God in thanksgiving for this blessing, these infinite blessings, which He has favored us with; and in gratitude for this blessing that he has bestowed to us of late, we must observe piety. We should beseech the Blessed and Almighty God not to withdraw His blessings, support us, and not leave us to our own discretion.

A word for the theologians of Islam and especially, the theologians of Iran and the clergymen that have arrived from Hamedan and Isfahan provinces and finally to all the theologians and Friday and congregational prayer leaders of all over the country who are either Friday prayer leaders or propagators which is that call upon the people to piety. Invitation to piety is the foremost mandatory act. Say it in the `Arabic or Farsi version, and call upon the people to observe piety. In the second sermon, also it is a mandatory precaution to invite the people to be pious. The reason that why in this sermon, it is mandatory to call upon the people to observe piety is because in the ranking of the Exalted God, piety ranks higher than the rest of the favors. We and you the clergymen and the congregational prayer leaders and the theologians who are the Friday prayer leaders, wherever they are, they should invite the people to observe piety and to worship of the blessed and Almighty God. This summon to piety and invitation to worship of God that shall God willing be effective for al souls, will result in perpetuation of the favors of the Blessed God to us and in His safeguarding this blessing for us.

Yet another thing that pertains to the theologians and to the rest of the nation is that the theologians of the land, the Friday and congregational- prayer leaders and the propagators should call upon the people to be present in the arena. Until now, whatever blessing has accrued to this Islamic Republic and whatever victories have been achieved by this oppressed nation that has been oppressed throughout history is because of the presence of the nation and all the strata in the arena; and because they regard the Islamic Republic to be their own and of course, it belongs to them. Islam is not the monopoly of some people and not of others. Islam is the Islam of all and the Islamic Republic serves all and belongs to all.

I say this to both the theologians and the propagators that they should always remind the people and tell them that it was their presence in the arena, their backing for the Islamic Republic, parliament, government, judiciary, army, Guards Corps and; this was the key to the victory that they have earned. In gratitude for this triumph, you should call upon the people to be present in the arena and the people should not sit back and watch whenever there is a problem for the government or the legislative assembly or the army; they should be present in the arena and take action. Your actions have kept alive this republic and God willing, your actions shall also keep it alive and cause it to flourish.

Of the things that again is the duty of all of us and the duty of the clergymen for which they should invite the people in keeping with their presence in the arena, is that the Council of Experts elections that we have ahead of us. It should not be such that the clergymen and the others should move aside and be indifferent. They should call upon the people to participate, they themselves should cast their ballot; they should call upon the people to cast their votes. However, the nation and you and every person is always free to vote for whoever he pleases even if the clergymen or for example, the theologians of the Tehran or Qum theological schools have not endorsed them. You are not obliged to vote for whomever they endorse. Of course, they have investigated the matter, they are specialists in this matter, and they have investigated the issues and have come to this conclusion on that basis. However, this does not mean that a person should force someone and insist that he should vote for such and such candidate. You are free and you must consider the consent of God, and be devoted to God and go to the polling booths after they announce it and cast your ballot. This is a vote for Islam. In the same way that you went and voted for the Islamic Republic and almost hundred percent voted for it, here, too, it is hoped that God willing, its similar will happen in this case.

A word also for some of the groups, which have come here, but with regard to those who have arrived here from Khark Island, I must thank them very much. As their respected Friday Prayer Leader mentioned to me before I came here that young and old men and women went to pour soil over the sites that the terrorists wanted to destroy so that they were unable to destroy it. This is of the same transformations, which have occurred in our nation that I mentioned. You should not be under the impression if they destroy the whole of Khark Island during the era of the" Taghouti" regime, you would find a single person question it; maybe the people would have also rejoiced that this Shah and these royal actions should be got rid of it. Today, the Blessed and Almighty God has cast His protection because of Islam on all and His compassionate shield over the whole nation. It is because of Him that old and young are in the arena. They rush to the place where there is likelihood of terrorism and yet they go and perform these actions. I am very grateful to them and implore God to protect them. May the Blessed and Almighty God grant us the blessing of not taking away His favors from us and grants us the favor to continue serving.

I would also like to express a few words to these groups that are engaged in planning. The question of planning is of utmost importance for the country. If a country wants to be governed without planning, it cannot be done; there must be planning. The plans must be undertaken with utmost attention to detail by the specialist and the individuals who are specialized in political subjects, social and Islamic issues. They must research thoroughly and undertake the planning jointly together. However, one point I must mention is that if planning is undertaken without the supervision of the clergy; i. e. the specialists who are of the clergy, this will result in the planning that is taken to the parliament for ratification to be rejected by the parliament. If they accept then you will take it to the special commissions and they reject it. If it passes this stage then the Council of Guardians will reject it. This will cause delay. The task that you wish to undertake, you should invite the clergymen who are specialists in this subject to supervise so that God forbid, nothing is done against Islam because if something is planned, which is against Islam then your efforts have been wasted. This is because finally when it reaches the Guardian Council; it will be rejected by them. At that stage, all your efforts are wasted and you must start all over again. This should be handled right from the beginning by a person who is a specialist in Islamic affairs, who has good judgment and is aware of the problems facing the country and the troubles we have today in the country. Generally, he should be aware of the overall issues and he should be prepared to help you out and supervise so that the matters are in conformity with Islamic values. When it conforms, then it will be easy; when it goes to the legislative assembly, it will be accepted and when it goes to the Guardian Council, there, too it will approve. This will result in acceleration of the tasks, whereas if it is otherwise, the tasks will be delayed. So that while we need the planning and our country is in need of planning, it would take months for the tasks to move from one hand to the other and from this channel to that channel and finally without any result. But if the specialists in the main planning, specialists in Islamic affairs join hands and prepare the plans so that it is in keeping with Islamic values, then the task will be done quickly and in a more appropriate manner. I hope that God willing, you take this seriously so that it is accomplished. The main thing is that as I mentioned earlier, you observe piety. Piety is necessary for every person and it is even more necessary for persons who are the administrators of the affairs of the country.

Those who are not occupying administrative positions, piety is something that is effective for the person himself and perhaps also for those group of people who are in contact with him while impiety also infects and has an effect on the person himself and those individuals that deal with him. However, the administrative authorities because of the position they hold, if God forbid, are not pious, you will find that if those that are at the head of affairs are not pious, this will infect the whole country and God forbid, bring ruin to the whole country. Thus, for them, the need to be pious is far greater than for private individuals. For them, too, it is good; it is good for their friends and also good for the country- for the whole country. If we act with sincerity, piety, and goodwill in all places, there shall be no disputes. All these disputes that you see in the same way that the disputes occur in big governments, is because they do not have piety; they do not have political piety; they do not have social piety; they do not possess personal and moral piety. This causes this one to want to dupe that one and that one to want to dupe this one. This results in quarrels. However, if there is, piety involved, and if every person acts within his own limits, there would not be so many fights and quarrels.

Now, in our country, praise be to God, the people are moving towards piety and towards Islam and towards the commandments of the Qur'an and Islam and are moving on that path and direction. For us, for ourselves, this question is important that the administrators of the affairs of the country, whether the government, or the Judiciary or the Legislature, those, which are responsible for serving this nation; and those that are on the war fronts and are engaged in combat or preparing the logistics for war; all the people and especially these, if they want this country to make progress; they must get rid of these differences. We all know that if God forbid, these differences crop up, they will bring ruin to the nation. If differences crop up among the leaders of a nation, it shall spread and then suddenly we shall see that they have been divided into groups and each one of them plays a different tune. If you wish to serve Islam; if you wish to serve the glorious Qur'an; if you wish to be vindicated in the presence of God; if you wish to be exonerated when tomorrow you pass out from here to that door then it must be such that the tasks you perform are done with sincerity, integrity, piety, and goodwill. It is very good to question for example; in the legislative assembly; there must be exchange of views on an issue, there must be questions asked but the questions of the type that are theological. When two clergymen sit down together and talk, sometimes it reaches a crescendo, this one shouts at that one and that one shouts at this one but all of them are trying to seek the truth. Then after the arguments and debates are over, they are two friends who go and sit together and have a cup of tea. The students of religious schools sit freely at the classes of their theologians; they speak out freely; it is not that the right to speech is not given to this one or to that one. All are given equal rights. If a child also consults; if a young clergy also refers and questions, he is given a hearing; he is given an answer. This is constructive criticism. Both want to find the truth. It is the same with you and our nation must be in this manner. If they want to have Islamic training; they must pay attention; they must listen to what Islam has commanded; we, too, must follow that. If they air their own opinions and God forbid, their own grievances, then they shall ruin themselves as well as ruin others. This goes for planning; this goes for the ministries; this goes for the legislative assembly; this goes for its military and armed forces; this goes for the rest of its people; this goes for its judiciary and especially the judiciary, which is more important than other departments because the judiciary is involved with all aspects of the lives of the people. They must with trust in the Blessed and Almighty God and goodwill and devotion to Islamic matters- which they have- follow such policy and likewise, it goes for the rest of the brethren that are in this country.

If such is our policy then be sure that no harm shall come to us. We shall be vulnerable only on the day when we rot from within; the inside of individuals rot and this decay spread, destroy, and putrefy a group. Then that group infects another group and so on. It is the coup occurs and you will be exterminated; it is then that the big countries will set their greedy eyes on you and will destroy you with your own hands. Usually, in places where these big governments and these corrupt powers have gained control over the people, it has been the people themselves through whom they have gained control. It is seldom that a government comes out and on its own efforts accomplishes anything. Always they sit and hatch conspiracies, and create divisions among the nation themselves. If they can then they make something out of the nation itself, and destroy the nation, destroy the countries. We are a country, which has faith in God we want to be independent; we want to have this poor things that we have to belong to ourselves; we do not want to have all the big things and be a captive. Of course, if we even now submit to any of the superpowers, they will give to us whatever we desire. If even now your government, your nation submits to America, they will give you an abundance of everything. However, what thing? The same thing that they give to their animals; they will give you that same thing that they give to their horses; that same thing that they give to their servants. But if we take a stand and say; `no' we are neither of the East nor of the West; that we neither want this one nor that one and we have no quarrel with anybody; that whoever is on peaceful terms with us and is ready to let us live with our own independence, we shall also have relations with them; and whoever does not accept this idea then we do not want to have relations with them.

Finally, the foundations of a country are[ strengthened ]by the unity of its people. If the independence of a country is to be safeguarded, the people must feel that they want to have independence. For a country to be free; its people must feel that they want to be get free; they must despise to be under the leadership or under subjugation of other countries for the sake of their stomach. The nation must feel this that they do not want to have foreign dolls so that they give them us to and we submit to their dictates. We do not want to have these foreign sustenance and glitters brought to us. We want to be independent; we want to make them ourselves. If the nation feels in this way, then it will never be able to lose this freedom and independence; they will never set their greedy eyes on it. All the greed is for sowing discord; creating hostilities between this one and that one; this judge with that judge; this magistrate with that magistrate; this provincial governor with that provincial governor; the people against them; the Friday prayer leaders against the people; the people against the Friday prayer leaders and such things. If these issues crop up, then fear that God forbid, the blessings of God being taken away from us so that we revert to that same shameful situation of those days; a situation in which they would take away our youth to destroy them totally; take them away in order to disrobe them of all human dignity. But if God willing, you remain alert; you pay attention to matters as you have been doing; pay attention to Divine issues as you have been doing; be aware of who your enemies are as you have been and be aware of who your friends are then nobody will overcome you and there will be no need to engage in war or disputes.

What you see is taking place in a part of our country where there is a war going on since two years and all those losses that have been inflicted on us and themselves is because they found a madman- a person who could not grasp what he was doing. Now also the way it is quoted in the newspapers- I do not know if it is true or false- they say that because he has been defeated and must flee, he is planning to destroy their own resources and don't think this to be impossible from this man. However, intellectuals, enlightened individuals, suppose that such as these same governments of the superpowers that are aware of issues, they themselves will never come on to the field. They always exploit these animals, involve them in wars, and destroy them. We must resist and you should not think that there is a war going on and we are facing the hardships of war. Sir, each of you is aware of the world- war, the Second World War. I remember even the First World War but this Second World War, which probably most of you remember, although we were not involved in the war in any way, yet because of this same war, there was scarcity in Iran. You could not find a loaf of bread in Iran; what passed, as bread was black something like the color of my robe; something coarse and thick that they would give the people. You would not find a single traditional bread baker in Tehran. In Qum where we lived, all the shops were closed and nothing could be found. Today, thank God, everything is plentiful. You say; there is inflation, then take a look at the rest of the places. Is there any place where there is no inflation? I agree that prices must be checked. I agree that it requires efforts. It is a government that is working hard and serving. Now, bunches of immoral elements are complaining because they have not succeeded in coming to power and the administration has fallen into the hands of upright individuals. Well, they shall be accounted separately. Our nation takes into account and sees that the performance of this government is in line with the Islamic teachings; it sees that it is in line with it. However, if there is any discrepancy, the legislature removes it. If there is any discrepancy in the legislature also, the Council of Guardians shall not show any leniency.

Therefore, if the hardships of war occur, any part of the world, they even devour the people. In Iran, despite the hardships, the foreign currency reserves have increased; the foreign currency that was in short supply at the beginning of the war is now in a better position. The foreign reserves that had decreased during the war at one stage have now risen up. What else could this be other than the fact that our government is an intelligent government and is working hard to serve. The rest of the administrative apparatus is also doing great service. However, when two persons go to a magistrate, one of them always comes out unhappy and this just verdict also causes discontent. But this must not be taken into account. We must take note of the fact that the problems are because we are in a state of war and revolution. Wherever a revolution occurs, in some places more than a million people have been killed. Here, a revolution has taken place. Of course, the Revolution also has inflicted losses, but here they have been few losses. Now also thank God, everywhere there is peace and security. There is also a war going on at the frontiers between a mad man and an intelligent person. When he, too, is driven away, God willing, it will come to an end. Every person who hears these complaints must give back the reply and ask them that in which country is there no inflation? Well, of course, this is how a state is, can you find any place in which there is so much bounty as is present now in Iran! Of course, certain things that are non-essential such as cigarettes for example, are in short supply. Now also the supply of cigarettes has increased, for example; there is now shortage of luxury items. What have you to do with luxury items? Luxury items are those same things that the former regime would import and enslave you with and eliminate your foreign currency. However, those things that are the essential items are bread and for example, meat and such things. Now, those are expensive and I agree that they are expensive, but we must not complain simply because something is expensive although it is sufficiently available; it is not that it is unavailable. I myself witnessed with my own eyes in those days that a group of people attacked a dead horse and took away its meat. I saw it myself. Today, meat is available but it is expensive. I agree but they are making efforts to set it right. I promise you that your country, God willing, will become a good and proper country on the condition that you remain devoted to Islam and be aware that the blessed and Almighty God has granted us this blessing and we must safeguard it and not be ungrateful. I fear, God forbid, that if God sees this ingratitude from us, despite having bestowed so many blessings upon us, if He sees that we are thankless, God forbid, He lessens His favors, and we become destroyed. Be thankful for the blessings of God. Be devoted to God. God willing, all of you shall be successful and all of you shall progress and your country shall become an exemplary country; and may all of you be healthy and prosperous.

May God's peace, mercy and blessings be upon you!