Speech [Spiritual blessings of the Feast of sacrifice - explaining the sacrifices of combatant youths]

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

Reciprocally, I congratulate all the gentlemen, the Muslim people of Iran and the deprived people of the world on this blessed feast. In Islam, there are two occasions have been recognized as Islamic feasts: the holy Fitr Feast for Allah's banquet and the holy Sacrifice Feast for proximity to God. The former is prelude to proximity to God. Prophet Abraham was ordered to cry so that people would gather around him, because the path should be traversed with the help of a guide from God. The path should be traversed with the help of God's guides. Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him) was the guide of the time for all generations and the holy messenger of God the guide for the entire world. With their help one can reach wherever they wish.

After Abraham (peace be upon him) traversed some stages, he said:" I have turned my face towards Him Who created the heavens and the earth." Abraham says," I have turned away my face, and for the Prophet of God" it reads" then he drew near and come down until he was the length of two bows away." Although these two are the apotheosis of perfection, there is difference between them.

Of the blessings we have are the supplications handed down to us by Immaculate Imams. Supplications of Immaculate Imams as well as the holy Qur'an can be likened to a table that has been made for all strata of people to use. As you see, the Qur'an contains noble verses which the majority of people can use, and there are verses that prominent `Ulama use, some verses are used by philosophers. There are some verses, which have attracted the attention of mystics. There are other verses that some chosen saints use, and verses that the holy prophet has benefited and transmitted to competent individuals who have put them at our disposal. In this respect, there are many verses, which the Gnostic people can use such as:" Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth."" He is the First and the Last, and the Outward and the Inward."" He is with you whosesoever you may be." There are other verses of this type which, on the face of it, ca be interpreted, but it is very difficult for the people except those who have received relations to understand their true sense and drive pleasure from them. He is the Manifest and the Hidden. When the verses were handed down to us, we said He is the Revealer, but this is not the case." Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth." When the verses were handed, down to the ordinary man, it was interpreted as" the one who brightens the heaven and the earth", but this is not the case. It is the same with narrations. The supplications handed down to us are tables that have been opened for all to use- everyone according to his understanding. Mostly there are things which common people use. There are items in supplications, which philosophers use, items which mystics use and items which the chosen saints use. The supplication, which the doyen of martyrs (may God's peace be upon him) has recited on the day of the feast, on the day of Arafah, mostly consists of things which can be used by people reciting it. There are, however other things, which are difficult to use even for, noted mystics." Is there any manifestation for other than You." This is different from" He is the Revealer."" Is there any manifestation for others, which You do not enjoy." Means that all manifestation originates from You, everything is Your manifestation. When have you been absent that you may need a guide to lead towards you never have been absent. All should deduce their manifestation from you, not vice versa. This is among great blessings that have come for creatures of God and which everyone can use proportionate to their capacity. There are many who think they have used these blessings, but the fact of the matter is very difficult. That is to say, there are some matters, which are easy to verify, but difficult to visualize. There are some concepts that man cannot visualize but can verify. The issues related to the Gnostic people are of this sort. It can be verified that He is the Manifest, but visualization of this concept is very difficult, except for those who are chosen saints of God. In the glorious Feast of Sacrifice, people were called upon by Abraham to gather around him and around the messenger of God when he is delegated as prophet and move towards the wali when there is one. Moving towards him signifies moving towards God. Moving towards him is exactly moving towards God. It therefore signifies inviting people towards God. However, this is the path and the way of reaching God. Feast for Abraham (peace be upon him) is due to his sacrifice who was he fruit of his existence. Abraham was prepared to sacrifice his son. The messenger of God also made a sacrifice for the nation. Sacrifice has also been interpreted as ransom, and in some narrations to Imam Hussein the Doyen of Martyrs. Abraham proceeded to the extent of sacrifice, but God almighty send him a ransom. The holy prophet also proceeded to the extent that he achieved, because sacrifice was made. Instances of this are found among humans, but with differences, which are due to the stages of gnosis.

Now in this era, you see there are youths who actually make sacrifices; they actually move towards martyrdom. There are those who actually send their youths to achieve martyrdom and are happy for that. This is of the same type. However, the difference lies in the fact that knowledge in the case of prophets is a sublime knowledge, while the knowledge of the second group is at a lower stage. This is the sample of former one. The sacrifices of our dear youth and their fathers and mothers are the same as the prophets. These are sacrificed in the same way that Ishmael was and in the same way that Ishmael's ransom was reportedly sacrificed. We should admit that we are unable to imagine the sacrifices these people are making. Thank God. These sacrifices have created such pride for Islam that will remain in the course of history. They made sacrifices for their country that will remain through the history. We hope that all nations will be able to feel this sense of pride. I also hope that all nations and all oppressed people will be able to achieve like ours. On the other hand, despite all these sacrifices for Islam, lots of crimes are committed in the world. Big States against humankind carries out many appalling crimes. Nowadays the world is suffering at the hands of two poles, and the humanity is suffering at the hands of these two. Wherever they can, they interfere and wherever there is apparently a reason not to interfere, they instigate others to do so and to spread corruption. Look at Saddam and what he did to this nation, Islam and the people of Iran in this span of time. Meanwhile, you see he considers himself to be peace-lover. Mass media everywhere introduce him as such. This story of Saddam put me in mind of An `Arab poet's anecdote. It is narrated that once a person asked a poet who the foremost `Arab poet was. The poet said, come along with me to show you. They entered a house and saw a disheveled old man sitting and sucking the udder of a goat. The poet said the man you see is my father. The reason he is sucking the udder is that he is so miserly that he does not want a drop of milk to be wasted in the bowl. The foremost `Arab poet is the one who, in these long years, glorified `Arabs for such a father!

I think, well I guess one should ask Saddam who the formost `Arab orator in his time. Maybe he would take the person to Khorramshahr, Howizeh and Sosangerd to show the signs of defeat they suffered at the hands of Iran. The most eloquent `Arab orator is one who awards medals of bravery to his army men despite all these defeats, and trumpets their courage. He can go further and say the foremost `Arab orator is the one who has inflicted all these damages, one who attacks people with and ask all governments for help to wreak destruction. The foremost `Arab orator is one who has presented himself as peace loving.

The circumstances have changed so much that a person who is procuring arms from everywhere to attack targets, which have nothing to do with the military, tries to present himself to the world as peace loving and trumpets it loudly. Ha cannot withstand our army so after each defeat he starts hitting the poor `Arab-populated and Kurdish-populated cities with long-range arms. Saddam is providing arms every day from here and there to areas irrelevant Recently, one of the presidents- President of Guinea- had a peace proposal. He (Saddam) had written a lengthy letter in which he had expressed readiness for any form of peace. From the beginning, he said he was ready for peace. What peace; Peace between who and who? While he is hitting, he calls for peace. While he escapes, he is brave. It seems that words have lost their meaning in our age. It appears that a development had occurred in words and meanings. France also presents itself as a civilized, liberal, to name but a few. People might be so, but the French government also sends arms, Fighter and bomber plans to prevent Iran from overpowering. I believe that if the French top officials were wise enough, they would not provide Saddam with such arms, because his foolishness brought him to this state. If he had a little prudence, he would not be deceived by the US into attacking Iran, the US assumed that the story would be over I just a few days. Saddam came and realized it was impossible and has bee so until now. As you know, our youths started advancing into Iraq in the last two; three days are doing so now. With all these expertise can those jet fighters of mirages sent by France, numbering 60 as has been said, do anything? These weapons should be commanded by one who has the men. One who has not the men to employ these weapons cannot do anything but waste them. When a number of our dear pasdars attack a regiment of them, they escape. They cannot do these things. They are sitting in their cities and borders and hit Abadan and other places everyday with their long-range missiles. We are embroiled in this world situation. All are helping him while they see he cannot do anything. Are the things Russia has given Saddam less than those France has? He had those weapons as well but could not do anything. Of course, he caused damages but no advancement; he suffered defeat everywhere. This defeat is because that they don't have what our pasdars enjoy. He only tries to imitate the things we do here, as soon as he hears Iranians make donations, he brings his men to show up that people are donating. The foreign radios there have revealed in their writing that the agents search houses and ask for donations and vouchers. If one does not have the voucher-indicating donation of gold or jewelry, he will be taken as offender. He has heard that people here donate their gold and wants to imitate. They make a queue of their forces to show people are donating. However, the fact is that his agents take these things from people by force. He has heard that our children compete to participate in war and he once said that a child told him he wanted to join the battlefield. But there is a great difference between these two. Anyhow, we are today embroiled in such a situation in the world, which is deplorable.

Our forces advance because they follow Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him) and said yes to prophet Abraham (peace be upon him). What do they call when they want to advance? They said yes to Aflaq. Right! One who says yes to Aflaq and one who says yes to Abraham friend of God are different. That is why they escape and our forces can, if the need arises, advance as far as it is deemed advisable.

Well! You see today that Lebanon is in trouble and so many crimes are being committed there. Yesterday, these crimes were perpetrated directly by the Zionists, but today by Jomail, Amin Jomail. In other words, the US is committing these crimes. The US does not want to see a peaceful region in which countries can think and decide for themselves. Wherever possible, the US directly intervenes, and when it is difficult, it sends its agents so that they can at least create discord among people. The munafiqin (hypocrites) who wanted to bring about those events, who wanted to commit crimes and they did, who escaped from the country, and those who remnants still exist are following the same route. Before going to France, perhaps there were doubts about their true nature, but now every thing is clear. These munafiqin who claim to be popular have formed a friendship with Saddam who is pounding this Islamic country everyday. Although they are in utmost disgrace, they are staying abroad instilling. The only thing they can do is to insult. Anyhow, we should say yes to Abraham and to the prophet of God and make sacrifices by saying yes. We should preserve our glory and the glory of Islam.

The youths, the elderly, men, women, children and all should make sacrifices in the cause of Islam, for the glory of Islam, the country, people and the holy Qur'an. One of the sacrifices is that they should try to avoid discord and if there is a petty difference, they should settle it among them. Thank God, there is unity among our army, Sepah and others. They are advancing on with this unity. As long as this unity persists, victories will be followed by victories God willing. We should always bear in mind that whatever we achieve is from God. Is there any manifestation for others than You do not enjoy? Everything comes from Him. If this concept takes root in our heart that everything is from Him, we will fear neither defeat nor anything else. Everything is from Him. If this concept is ingrained in our heart, there will be no defeat. Uprising for God!" I recommend you to do one thing: rise up for God. God Almightily has chosen among all preaching this one. Tell people: I recommend you to do one thing." He recommended this, because everything lies in here. Everything lies in uprising for God. Uprising for God creates knowledge and awareness. Uprising for God generates selfless people for God and for Islam. Everything is found in this uprising for God. Therefore, the only exhortation God has selected among others is ye rise up for Allah's sake, by twos and on your own. The latter is for attainment of knowledge of God and the former is for achieving God's purposes. I hope God almighty grants success to you, the nation and we to traverse this path and do our works for God.

I hope God almighty draws the attention of these nations to these issues and awakens the governments in Islamic countries from their slumber. They think Israel is backing them and are helping it. They think Israel, which intends to seize al `Arab countries, is a staunch `Arab supporter of them and they may assume that the US supports them. The US wants your oil. The US wants to reap benefit from you. The US wants you to be market for it. So is the Soviet Union. They don't differ. They want to exploit you. They want to bleed the resources God has given you and you serve them as coolie. However, if you are in trouble, none of them will come to your aid. At that time, they say," We don't know them." These people who are engrossed in their interests and worldly issue accompany someone as long as he can serve them. the moment they drive no benefit, they will leave him- even if he is their best friend- in the lurch. Have you heard the story of Churchill? In World War II, Churchill was the British Prime ministry. The Soviet Union was in their camp. In war with Germany, the Soviet Union accompanied them. The US was also their companion. As soon as they defeated Hitler, Churchill said it is now time for us to attack the Soviet Union, which was their friend, joined them in war against Germany and helped them clinch victory. He said that the time was ripe then. However, the British parliament did not allow it. When this scheme was revealed, the British parliament turned it down. This is their situation. When they realize that they can make better friends and that their former ones in their interests they will discord and get rid of him ... This is their station. One, who does not believe in God, in the resurrection, does not know human values cannot be relied upon. Should we accompany the US until it stabs in the back? The US wants your oil. The US wants oil from government of Hijaz. The US will not bring any benefit to you. He bleeds you. Why do you put yourselves and us into trouble for the US? I hope God will awaken all and make all vigilant and this feast blessed. It is blessed when the hands of big powers and criminals have been curtailed from the oppressed peoples of the world. I hope such a day will be near.

May God's peace and mercy be upon you!