Speech [How to cling to the leadership of the Commander of the Faithful (a)]

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

Reciprocally, I congratulate the audience, the Iranian nation and oppressed and innocent peoples across the world on this great feast.

What a good assembly is this that on such a feast the real owners of the revolution, i.e. the slum dwellers, farmers, workers and strugglers have come here and we get spiritual benefit from their presence. A matter for regret is that the Commander of the Faithful did not have or was not given the opportunity to implement the rule of God in the world the way hr desired. He wanted to establish this rule so that the world understands what Islam had brought, and what personalities it has. When the government was not in his hand, he did not have the opportunity; when the government fell into his hands, still he did not have the opportunity. They waged three big wars during his rule, so he did not have the opportunity to form the government he desired. We should regret this situation for good. If such an opportunity had been found for him, his government would have served as a model for all those who want to establish justice and divine affairs. Such a government would have been a model. Unfortunately, it was not realized. However, even that forms of government he established, is still giving out rays. Even now, that slight impact we inherited from him concerning rule and governce is sufficient to clarify what the situation should be like. Another thing to regret is that he did not have the opportunity to find the right people who were able to pass down all sciences he had in his heart. No doubt, the science he could not find a good transfer for was the science of mystries of wilayat and monotheism. All mystics should regret that he did not find the opportunity to reveal all the mysstries ha wanted to. This is the cause of great regret that he ddid not find the opportunity. And all, especially mystics, philosophers, ulama' and scholars have to live to regret this.

Today is a blessed day and one of the greatest Islamic feasts. In proporation to ourpopulation, it is the greatest feast because it is the corollary of prophethood, spirituality of the prophet of God, and the divine rule. So it is the greatest of feasts. On this auspicious feast, one of the things related is that we should recite" Thanks God Who placed us among those who resort to wilayat of the Commander of the Faithful and household of the prophet Muhammad (s)."

What is resort to wilayat of the Commander of the Faithful? Does it mean we just read the above and pay no hed? It means resorting to wilayat of the Commander of Faithful in the true sense of the term wilayat. It does not mean resorting to the love of the Commander of the Faithful. That kind of resorting is meaning less. Resorting to position of wilayat of that great man means that since we are himan beings we cannot fully implement that true social justice he had in mind. We and no other people are able to implement justice, but try to find that model. Now that we have power to a small extent, we should resort to him. This is thw meaning of resorting to the position of wilayat. One of its meanings is that we should be like the shadow of that wilayat. Wilayat is custodianship of the affairs of Muslims and ruling over them. When a government is formed, it should resort to wilayat of the Commander of the Faithful and it means that it should try to implement justice as much as it can. The government should resort to wilayat of the Commander of the Faithful and implement the justice enforced by the Commander of the Faithful as much as we can. Merely professing that we resort to the Commander of the Faithful is not sufficient. This is not resorting. When the government sets the Commander of Faithful (peace be upon him) as model, it has resorted to wilayat of the Commander of Faithful. If the Imam is not taken as model or that great model is violated, our repeated recitation of" O, God place us among those resorting to wilayat of the Commander of the Faithful" will not be anything but false statement. If Majlis that is one of the highest authorities of the country sets what the Commander of the Faithful wanted as model and the justice that the Imam implemented at that time with the small opportunity he found and implement the rules and affairs the way did by the Imam or pass it and care for the model of the Imam, then it can be said our Majlis is the one that has resorted to the Commander of the Faithful. If the Majlis cannot do it or does not want to do it or some individuals do not let these works to be done, then we cannot say that we have a Majlis that has resorted by the Commander of the Faithful. Such is the case with other branches of the government such as the Judiciary. If the judiciary does not follow the way of judgment of the Commander of the Faithful and the judgment of Islam and fails to resort to Islamic judgment, whatever it says we are among those resorting, is false. Resorting is true when the judiciary acts in accordance with the model of `Ali (a) that is the very Islamic model. Our nation, who recites this item:" O, God place us among those resorting to wilayat of the Commander of the Faithful," should note that resorting to wilayat of the Commander of the Faithful entiles following his goals.

Simple pronouncement that we are followers of `Ali and resort to wilayat of the Commander of the Faithful is not sufficient, this is not the way. Such things are not verbal. We cannot actually be the Imam's follower by words and phrases. We have to practice and actually follow the wisdom behind such following. Those who claim to be followers of the Commander of the Faithful should obey him in word and deed and whatever the Imam did. If this obedience is absent and we simply say we are followers of the Imam, we have said idle talk and nonsense.

During his rule, which was brief and full of unpleasant events, you see when he writes that letter to Malek Ashtar he reiterates important political and social issues. It was a circular or a letter to one of his followers in which it has been related that if a person dies to prevent forcefully taking off an ankle-ring from the leg of a- infidel woman living in the Islamic country- his death is beyond reproach. This is shi`ah, it should be like this not like us. shi`ah is that if in Islamic government, Islamic country injustice is done to a Dhimmi, and that a trifling oppression of removing ankle-ring from the leg of a Dhimmi, the Imam says if one dies, he should not be blamed and his death is beyond reproach. This is important!

Today we see that in different lands of Muslims, injustices are being done to Muslims. In Lebanon the fire they have kindled, America has kindled, and that military expedition organized by the US and France and their other servants for a handful of innocent shiites and oppressed Muslims there. Other Muslims are just standing by. The ultimate thing this year governments did was not to celebrate the feast. Is it sufficient? This is a thing they have done, but the aggressors are continuing with their oppression. They are killing our youths in Lebanon and Palestine in great numbers. They are committing those crimes in Afghanistan. They are committing those crimes in Iraq. They have afflicted Iran with these crimes. Does it make any different if we do not celebrate the feast? Does it absolve the governments from their responsibility? They are advancing with bayonet and cannon and tank and the oppressed people have been left alone and are still slapping the aggressors on the face, but the governments are jut standing by: The ultimate thing they do is not to celebrate the feast. Do not celebrate the feast, the US and Israel will have the festivity. Your position has been undermined to the extent that you cannot do anything else exceptrefusing to celebrate the feast. What effect the acts of yours have in the world? When you should stand against the US and Soviet Union and Zionists and other criminals with clenched fists and confront them with all the resources you command, this refusal to celebrate may I have some impact. But when you give them oil free, render them moral support, try to utmost to fettet the Muslims and not let them utter a single word, you do not need to do with our celebration what effect can it have? This is an act to deflect minds and conceal the truth. They want to conceal the truth and instill the idea among their nations and Muslims of the world that they are standing against Israel. Is refusing to celebrate anything against of guns and tanks? You don't have the power! If you cut your oil to the world for ten days, the world will humiliate before you.

These are the calamities befalling Islamic countries. All consider themselves followers of Islam, but what Islam prescribes is not at all performed. Islam says outright in the Qur'an that oppressors of the world and infidels of the world should not dominate Muslims. You struggle and help them dominate Muslims. What is the situation in Lebanon today? What is the situation of Lebanese shiites and Muslims? These governments still want to compromise with the US and follow it compromise Israel and Amin Jamil. «1»

What does this compromise mean? You who have the power to punish them and rescue a group of innocent people, and Islam has obliged you to protect the innocent people against infidels, now all the thing you have done is to cancel celebrating the feast. You make feast for Israel and for the US. They are celebrating all their days because they see they have done something in the region to contain Islam, with Muslims being unable to make a step forward. Everyday they are celebrating and everyday we are mourning.

We want to spread and disseminate Islam all over the world, but not at bayonet point, we would like to do so by inviting all.

We intended to introduce a model, although imperfect, of Islam in the world so that all wise people of the world- excluding those criminal by nature- and all oppressed nations understand what Islam has brought and what it plans to do. What does Islam want to do for the deprived, oppressed and afflicted people to save them. You the gulf and non-gulf governments are trying hard to prevent Islam for spreading beyond Iraniam borders. However, to your humiliation. It has been able to spread beyond our borders and will do so in the future. Honestly, one should say that these Islamic governments excluding a few of them are not at all concerned with Islam. For them Islam is an instrument for gaining position. Islam is nothing but an instrument. They orally professed Islam, as did Rida Khan and Muhammad-Rida Khan. With their version of Islam, they even printed the Qur'an. Rida Khan had commemoration gatherings for Iman Hussein, the army held mourning ceremonies, and even the mourners would take to the streets. I saw all of them, but he had taken aim at the basis of Islam. This way he wanted to destroy the basis. More insidious than him was Muhammad-Rida who worked with scheme. Their activities aimed to destroy the basis. Now the Baath Aflaquites Party is doing the same. It has now become pious and Muslim, but the pious and Muslim as put by `Ubayd Zakani. «1» They do not accept the basis. They consider Islam inconsistent with their purposes and it is. Their aim is to beat and pound and press people, plunder, and take away whatever people have and reserve in foreign banks for their personal purposes the way Muhammad-Rida did. Islam does not approve of such schemes. They know Islam is not like this; therefore, this basis should no longer exist.

We hope that a manifestation, however imperfect, of wilayat of `Ali (peace be upon him) has occured in our country.[ We should note that just chanting slogans and pretending are not sufficient. The government should deeply sympathize with the deprived people the way `Ali (`a) did with the deprived, like a father who is desparently trying to feed his hungry children, the government following the Commander of the Faithful should try to serve its subjects. There are many like this thank God. Of course, I don't say anyone can be like the Commander of the Faithful. He himself said we couldn't. Actually, we cannot. However, we can help him with self-restraint and piety. We can help as much as we can. Everyone has some extent of power to keep one and the Islamic Republic. When these small powers are put together, they constitute a big power.

Today Iran, with a population of forty million is a big Islamic power. God willing, if the condition is as stable as it is now, if people continue to support the government and Majlis, if they help with the wars waged against this country and these conditions persist. Then definitely one of the manifestations of wilayat will appear in this country. All organizations and Islamic institutions should try to emulate and preserve the goals of `Ali (peace be upon him). They should keep on going along this path. They should not feel content with what they have achieve. They should not besatisfied with that.

Man has not limit. Man is limitless. In spirituality, there are no limits for man, and he goes until he returns to the source of absolute perfection. Such is the case with regard to power. Islamic human power is limitless. Therefore, all our country should note that if they were dilatory, the wolves would rip them apart. The power that is now prevailing in warfronts and thank God bringing victory for Islam every day should be preserved. If these powers are sluggish and if the nation is tardy, the wolves sitting around will seek the opportunity to swallow the entire nation. It is you who should protect the nation. You slum dwellers to whom we are indebted and who brought victory for Islam and you who lost your health for Islam and we are indebted to your struggles should note that this divine unity should be preserved. Beware of the devils that will tempt you by arguing that today no change has been made for the better. These devils want to restore what was there in the time of Muhammad-Rida such as dancing parties- I do not know- orgies and the perverse cinema. Of course, nothing of this source has taken place and will never take place. Those who argue that nothing has changed in this country and that the situation is the same as the past and have even worsened consider it worse in their own view. They want the former conditions. They want to see alcoholic drinks stream in the entire country like water. They want abscenity to prevail permeate everywhere. These things will no longer be here. Obviously, they are discontent. Nevertheless, you slum dwellers, farmers and workers who are the powerhouse of this country and pillar of this country should not submit to the temptations of the devils that might dissuade you from doing your duties.

You see what tasks have been accomplished in this short span of time. Following the oil leakage, which was caused by the Baath Party missiles, there, was a commotion in the world and blamed it on us. They raised a tumult and announced that all should get together and do something, that an international fund should be established, that America should do this and Britain should do that. Our youths who are committed to Islam and have come to realize that they should work for themselves did the job. Let them sit and talk idly. Our youths worked this miracle. Therefore, you can do. Our friends, these slum dwellers and these workers have put factories into operation. They can do all works. However, they should not be negligent of God for a single moment.

Negligence of the source of power annihilates man. God is the source of power, everything is controlled by Him, and we are nothing. We are grateful that God Almighty showed us favored and granted this country a slight manifestation of His imperishable power.

Today your power is a divine, invincible one. It will be so as long as you are like now, and are not impressed by propaganda trying to inculcade that something is missing. Well, you may not knowwhen there is war- civil war, external war- there is every kind of problem such as economic sanctions. In such conditions all countries are opposed to us, big powers are at loggerheads with us and the government is in straintned circumstances. Nevertheless, the government has not borrowed a single penny and is handling the affairs. The Majlis with its power is passing Islamic laws in the interests of Muslims and Islam. Others are busy get working to build up the country and have so far accomplished many works. Though they have talked much, they have done numerous works. Iran has now felt that it should stand on its own feet. When such a feeling emerges among the population, these miracles will follow. At that time, we were led to feel that everything was impossible for us to do; that foreigner should come; that everything should come from abroad; and that we had to be westernized from head to toe. After such a feeling had prevailed, minds were frozen, and people thought they were unable to do things and needed a foreigner to take their hands. Others did not help you; they took away your property and treasury. Today, we feel we can. This feeling generates power and and reminds us that one should work wherever he is, and give services wherever he is. As long as this feeling persists, you will be able to proceed.

I hope that this feeling will always prevail and your country will move forward and a day will come when you can do whatever used to be done in other countries. I hope God will place you as followers of the Immaculate Imams and `Ali (`a). May God mend the way of your enemies or destroys them.

May God's peace and mercy be upon you!