Speech [The poor and the needy in the forefront of society]

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

Beforehand, I would like to thank the theologians and the pious believers who have come here and for me having succeeded in meeting them. Of the issues that we must pay attention to is that the Islamic Revolution has introduced innovations that are unprecedented.

After the Revolution, certain groups and certain societies came into being that I do not think it has a precedent in history. This very Relief Committee group has not been established in any country that I know of whose efforts are directed towards attending to the poor and needy and the peasants that are living in the most distant towns and the deprived of the society. Likewise, government bodies such as the Guards Corps, the Komiteh and so forth, the Basij volunteers are initiatives that have been created by the blessing of Islam and the faith of the nation in Islam, and are unprecedented.

It is unprecedented that as soon as a revolution occurs, a group called the Guards Corps, a group called the Komiteh, a group called the Basij arise from the people themselves to ensure the internal and external security. It is unprecedented that in a country the people and the theologians and the pious believers themselves create a relief committee with the objective of serving and granting relief to the poor and the needy throughout the country. These are the blessings of Islam and these beloved groups and committees and likewise, this Relief Committee have a pleasant, precise and noble cause and by this action God willing, they will be able to eradicate the roots of poverty throughout the country with the help of the honorable nation of Iran and the efforts of the honorable government of Iran. The action of you sirs throughout the country is a very noble and God-like one that will earn the pleasure of the Blessed and Almighty God. The Blessed and Almighty God is so concerned for the poor and the deprived that it is not clear He has so much concern for the other strata.

You have accepted a task and have accepted the responsibility of performing a task that the Blessed and Almighty God has reserved His exclusive favors for it. However, I must draw the attention of the sirs to this that although they themselves are aware that this deed must be performed with certain tact so that the poor and the deprived do not think that this relief is being provided to them because they are from the lower strata of society. Indeed, they are at the forefront of society. The poor, the needy and the far-flung are of the frontline of society and it was these same slum-dwellers and these same lower strata and this same deprived that brought about this Revolution. It was these that sacrificed all they had in the path of the beloved Islam during the former regime and all of them are now busy. It is these same people that are busy making sacrifices on the warfronts; it is the youth from this same strata that are busy endorsing Islam all over the country- both inside and outside the country. The noble nation of Iran is grateful for such youth and such families that hand over such youths to the society and most important is that these individuals have a special radiance in the presence of the Blessed and Almighty God. Were it not for these deprived of society that have no craving for this world in the manner that the higher strata have; if it were not for the efforts of these deprived and the efforts these villagers and the efforts of these poor city dwellers, then neither the tyranny of the former regime would be exterminated nor we would be able to resist in the face of difficulties. All these are by the blessing of those who you have arisen to provide relief; and they deserve that we serve them with humility and give them service; we must all be their servants. We are indebted to them for having liberated us from the shackles that the superpowers had tied our hands and feet with. Our country has an obligation to them for having brought about the rule of the beloved Islam in this country; we and you are not doing anything for them. They took us to where we were able to stand in the face of all the powers and be honored that we are neither on the side of the East nor the West and nor do we need to be dependent on them. We are an independent nation. We are a free, independent and honorable country that has eradicated all the roots of corruption; or God willing, if there is still a decade root remaining, we shall eradicate it- and this is made possible by the blessing of these same deprived. These same slum-dwellers whom I saw on the television and I cannot forget that from one of these slums a number of old men, aged women and children and so on came out and one of the was asked where they were going and they replied that they we going to join the protest demonstrations. These are the same that did not have lunch or dinner to eat but with their lofty courage; with their divine spiritual strength they came out during the former regime, gave martyrs and triumphed. In the Islamic Republic also, it is this same people that give support and are offering resistance both on the warfronts and behind the warfronts. Of course, we must say that all strata of the nation were oppressed; because our powerful governments had made them weak and they had weakened all the nations of the world. In the former regime, all strata in their view were weak and must obey orders; from the strata of the clergy to the bazaar trader, to the villager and the people living all over the country. Today all of them have been liberated from the shackles and for the same reason that these deprived and weak and other strata revolted, started a movement and had no fear of anything. The Blessed and Almighty God assisted them with His Invisible Assistance and spiritual manifestations and support of His Holiness the Savior Trustee of the Age- may our souls be sacrificed for him- and liberated us. Thus, they have done us a favor and we must serve them; we must be their servants.

It is fair those that are in possession of some wealth and can serve them to do so for this service will remain eternal while properties and what they deposit in banks shall not remain for them. What remains is the spiritual dimensions that a person performs. The spiritual dimensions, the greatest of which is serving the creatures of God; serving the deprived human beings. This is what remains eternally for a person and which helps him in the after world. The wealth that a person leaves behind is of no use to him. The wealth of good deeds that he sends in advance shall be of use to him. I hope that those who possess certain affluence take care to attend to the poor that are our benefactors and help with their payments to the account that they mentioned. This is order that the decayed roots of this deprivation is God willing, eradicated with the lofty efforts of the entire country and all the theologians and non-theologians and all individuals of this nation live a middle class life that they must live and can easily engage to serve Islam.

I hope that God willing, no harm is inflicted by the corrupt upon this country. You are aware that the government of Iran has since long asked the United Nations to send a representative to witness these crimes that the ungodly Ba`ath regime has perpetrated in Dezfoul, Pol-e Dokhtar and the rest of our cities. However, there is no sign of them doing such a thing until now and we do not expect them to do. When the hypocrites and their likes tell a lie that everyday hundreds of people and small children are being killed on the streets and what all we are doing in Evin prison and so forth, they base their stories on the statements of an enemy of Islam and create an uproar and issue statements and so forth but they are not willing to send a representative to see what they have done to the cities of Iran; what they have done in the province of Khouzestan. They who say they are `Arabs and have so-called `Arabic honor should see what they have done with this Arab nation; with this Muslim nation; with these Kurds. That claim to be supporters of human rights are not ready to listen to the words of these oppressed that are under the oppression of the tyrants led by the tyrant oppressor America that is responsible for all our sufferings. They are not ready to see what has happened. On the other hand, they issue statements against us and issue declarations that condemn us. We don't care neither for their condemnation nor for their lack of presence.

Secondly, I would like to thank the sirs for this very noble and great service they have undertaken. Do not allow these your beloved brothers who have throughout history been oppressed, been deprived to face deprivation again. They must not face deprivation in an Islamic regime; they must also be delivered from deprivation. Your biggest efforts is to be directed towards the far-flung villages that had nothing in the former regime and thank God, a lot of work has been accomplished in those places. However, your efforts must be directed more towards them and to serve them more. God Almighty grant all of you success God willing and amputate the hands of the oppressors from the oppressed of the world and may the Almighty and Exalted God grant us the light of His own guidance.

May God's peace and mercy be upon you.