Speech [Methods of Islamic invitation]

In advance, I should thank the gentlemen who have come from remote places to their country which has been subject to oppression throughout history and suffered pains and martyrdom for this sacred purpose. I implore God Almighty to grant ever-greater success to all for great Islamic ideals. In the gatherings of the respected Friday and congregational prayer leaders from different countries in Iran the Muslims predicaments and the solutions to be adopted have been sufficiently treated. No more things have remained to be told. Let me draw your attention to one point regarding the life-style of he holy prophet and Immaculate Imams of Muslims. The holy prophet invited people by divine revelation at the time when he was alone and had no companies except one or two persons. He did not wait for the number of his followers to increase. He did not wait for multitudes of people accompany him. He began his call from the beginning, inviting people to embrace Islam and find the right path. When he entered Medina and established the government, he did not wait to gain great power. He carried out his invitation more widely and made people aware of their personal, social and political duties. Qur'anic invitations both in holy Mecca and in Medina were not personal invitation between individual and God almighty. It can be said that without exception, God's invitations even in things that are individual's personal duties- personal relationships between man and God- carry social and political sense. After the messenger of God (peace be upon him and his progeny), we observe that in times the Imams of the Muslims (peace be upon them) were under hard pressure of Bani Umayah and Bani `Abbas, yet they communicated their subjects to people as much as possible. Even in their supplications if you study the supplications of Imam Sajjad and other Immaculate Imams, you see that they brim with advice to prepare people for higher stations, which are beyond the grasp of ordinary people. Invitation to monotheism, purification of the self, detachment the world and confiding God Almighty did not meant that people should retire at home, overlook the interests of Muslims, and devote all their time to recitimg prayers or supplications. As you see, the Imams (`a) were not like this. While the holy prophet fulfilled his personal duties and confided God, he established government and sent delegations to all parts of the world to invite people to the faith. He was not supposed to retire to the seclusion of home, only to retire prayers. Of course, herecited prayers, but even than recitation was for self- discipline. He said prayer, but the prayer was meant for self-discipline, mending the people's way and mobilizing people to put up resistance. All the supplications uttered through his tongue and by Imams of Muslims are calling people to spirituality, thereby improving the Muslims' problems. Unfortunately, the interests of Islam and Islamic subjects undergone distortion were distorted especially by Bani `Abbas in the early days of Islam.

The holy Qur'an that is in the hand of Muslims has remained intact as of the early days of Islam. No a single word has been added or deleted from it. When one studies the Qur'an with awareness, one will see that the invitation was not exclusively meant for people to sit at home, recite prayers and confide to with God. The invitation aimed at society, politics and statecraft. All these concepts are acts of worship, which are not separate from politics and social expediencies. In Islam all, the works one has been invited to carries devotional aspect. Even working in factories, on the farm, at school carries the connotation of act of worship in the context of Islamic expediency. However, Islamic expediencies as prescribed by the holy Quor'an were not observed because they found it in contrast to their desires for power. From the beginning, what they saw in the Qur'an running counter to their interests, they interpreted the Qur'an to comply with their liking because they could not make any changes in the Qur'an itself. They interpreted crookedly. They forced the clerics affiliated to them to make a crooked interpretation of the verses, and tamper with the Qur'an. However, thank God, the Qur'an remained intact among the Muslims and they could not make attention in the Qur'an. If they had been able, they would have done so. One of them who wanted to take out a letter of the Qur'an, an `Arab drew his sword and said:" We answer with this sword." Muslim did not let the glorious Qur'an undergo any change. It is the same Qur'an that was revealed to the messenger of God. Therefore, we have such a Book containing personal, social and political expediencies as well as statecraft, no to mention other things. Obviously, there are interpretations handed down from interpreters and we cannot willfully interpret the Qur'an. We should take the Qur'an through revelation and those affiliated to the Qur'anic revelation. Thank God, we are rich in this respect. However, the deviations taken place among the powerful people from beginning to the present time and are being afflicted with, these are the deviations that the gentlemen see in contrast to the holy Qur'an invite to discord, separation. The holy Qur'an says;" Cling to the rope of God and don't get dispersed." They call for discord.

We should not expect the US and the Soviet Union not to act against the Qur'an. They intend to pound the Qur'an and Islam. If they strike Iran, they do not do so because it is Iran but because Iran favors Islam. Their preachers, radios and the press present a tarnished image of Iran, but it is not because of Iran. If Iran takes a step towards the US or the Soviet Union, all will praise Iran. However, since it moves in contrast to their path, almost all mass media act against Iran and at times explicitly says Islam in Iran is threatening. As you see they assert this unequivocally. Their agents who cannot openly express that Islam is a threat, say Iran is against Islam. You `ulama' who have come from around the world should cling to the tradition of the holy prophet and Immaculate Imams of Islam. Even when their hands were tied and they could not raise voice against the policy of the ruling government they invited people with their supplications. They recited prayer and thereby invited people. Any time they found some opportunity, they made the invitation open. We should cling to them and to the holy Qur'an. The holy Qur'an drives Muslims to unity and shunning difference as discord would weaken them. Unfortunately, some clerics affiliated to Islamic states work to debilitate Muslims. They cannot attack Islam at an Islamic center; they attack Iran that wants to implement Islam. The judge in Hijaz or Egypt or elsewhere invites in contrast to the holy Qur'an not in explicit manner, but implicitly, thus separating Muslims. This judge is an oppressive judge. You should suppress them. You who return to your countries should highlight these in Friday prayer sermons and the supplications you recite. As sermons carried political connotation in early days of Islam and Friday prayer was a political gathering, your sermons are also political. Friday prayer is a pyrely political act of worship. Unfortunately, one sees in places that in Friday prayer ceremonies there is no talk of matters dealing with the needs of Muslims. The Friday prayers should be performed in the maner of early days of Islam, when mosques, gatherings and prayers had political aspects. Troops would be mobilized and sent to the battle from the mosques. Political issues were hammered out in the mosque. Mosque was a place where political issues were discussed. Unfortunately, we turned mosques to places very remote from the interests of Muslims. The plans charted against us were put into operation at our own hands. Moreover, all of us witnessed what happened to Muslims. Today, however, Muslims should waken up. When they see their government acts against Islam, they can expressly raise voice. If hey could not, they can oppose the oppressors, aggressors and opponents of Islam by supplication and in sermons. Enrich the sermons and do not simply recite a few supplications and prayer, as it has so far been the case.

You are strong. People accompany you. People do not cooperate with tyrant governments. People accompany the `ulama'. You are strong. Every one of you in your own capacity commands the same power, as do the Iranian clerics here. They acted against a power unrivalled in the region, a power which none of the regional powers could cope with. These very people in the street, farmers and workers were awakened due to the Islamic teachings imparted by the Islamic `ulama'. They launched an attack against such a power and drived him out. You also can. Do not expect the governments to work for you. They work for themselves. You should strengthen Islam. You should present Islamic interests and people's social interests in your countries in Friday prayer sermons for which Friday prayer has been set up, and in your supplications, pilgrimage to holy places and whatever activity. Don't touch on private matters; highlight social issues. If you dealt with such questions and they banned you from performing your prayer, you should not object. People will react. If a government closes down your Friday prayer because of your Friday prayer sermons, they will confront the people's reaction. This is what we want. Do not wait for a day when you command an army and, I do not know, find weapons. You do not want to wage a war; you want to project the interests of Muslims. Do not wait for a time when you gain power and then challenge. You should challenge so that you can gain power. Iran did the same. Iran objected and gained power. Iran did not wait for gaining power. If Iran wanted to wait for such a day, the opportunity would never be provided for it. In the face of the power possessed by Muhammad-Rida and the support he received from all, the Iranian `ulama' did not sit to grow in number and then rise up. Muslim `ulama' in Iran first invited the people and at every opportunity whether on the pupilt, down the pupilt or in the mosque bravely invited people and gradually gained power. You should also do the same. You can. If you think you cannot, know that you will not. Inject in yourself that you can and know that you will be able to do. Any action is first motivated by thought. Every action is accomplished first by contemplation around the job. If we are weak in spirit, we cannot do anything. Strengthen your spirit and your heart and trust God. There are numerous supplications inviting people to rely on God because He is the center of power. All these invitations have been made to drive man not to resort to other than God, to instill in him a sense of power and to make him realize he has a great supporte that is God. One who trust God, why should he fear anything? If you work for God, is there any reason to fear any power? Are you afraid to be martyred? Is martyrdom scary? Are you afraid to be imprisoned? Is imprisonment in the cause of God frightening? Are you afraid to be tortured? Is torture in the cause of God hard? Iran sustained all sorts of afflictions in the cause of God but did not relinquish. The clerics mobilized the people and transformed them. Today, everyone from a kid just beginning to speak to the old man who has lost several children speak against big powers and rise up against them with one voice. Do not say we cannot! Never think that you cannot. Always think you can. Always think God is with you. Always think Islam is your dignity and you should strengthen this Islam.

If you display laxity, big powers will destroy Islam because they know if Islam emerges in the region, they will have no chance to exercise domination. Unfortunately, some regional `ulama' did not understand and regional rulers will not understand. Constantly Iran is being portrayed as a big threat. It is inculcated that if Iran gains power, it will pose a serious threat. Yes, it is a big threat but not for Muslims but for the US and the Soviet Union. It is mercy for Muslims. Definitely you have been told in the mass media that there is absolutely no security in Iran, that people including small children and pregnant women are gunned down in the street, but you visited the prisons and perhaps you have been to the warfronts too and saw that our battlefields are like mosques in the battlefields here is more rememberance of God than in mosques. Today, our fronts are more. Battle with the likes of Saddam is an act of worship. Depict the situation of Iran to people outside of Iran and invite people to rise up as Iran did. Tell them what the situation is in Iran. They say that in prisons Middle Age tortures are being practiced. Well, the US should make such claims. Thee US that is torturing the world and that is destroying the world by worse than Middle Age tortures and the Soviet Union complain that Iran is exercising divine punishments and Middle Age tortures. They consider Islam obsolete. Muslims should wake up and know what they are doing and what they will do. It is a religious obligation upon Muslims to preserve Islam and not sit so that others preserve it for them. Others will not do so. Superpowers have girded up their loins against Islam, so have other shallow powers. The Egyptian government has invited `Arabs to form a united front against Iran, does it really mean Iran? Is Iran the threat? Is it Iran or Islam that threatens them? The invitation to get united against Iran translates into a consensus against Islam. It is because they consider Islam to be against their interests.

The Friday prayer and congregational leaders and Islamic `ulama' across the world should notice that today all powers have risen against Islam, not Iran! Notice that our duty is great at this juncture. If they find the opportunity and if your attention is diminished, they will eradicate Islam today. Today differs from yesterday. Yesterday they had not come to realize the power of Islam; today hey have realized that when the voice of Islam stated to be heard in Iran, its reveberations were felt even in the US. They have understood this. Today their interests are at stake. We have no doubt in it, because they want to occupy the Persian Gulf as well and pump the oils, but Islam is hindering them. The US wants to impose its power on all parts of the world. From the other side, there is Soviet Union. God knows, if these two powers were not against each other what mighgt have happened to the world. Those who speak about human rights, peace and rapport and the like- you know, everybody knows, they themselves know they are telling lies because they want to attract the attention of people to themselves and distract it from their rival. Neither the Soviet Union nor the US seeks the interests of people. Both of them pursue their own interests. That which wants the interests of people is Islam. That which has invalidated racial discrimination is Islam. That which draws no distinction among races is Islam, which calls all to piety. The criterion is piety, not color, race, country or any other things. They want Islam not to be in force. They want to keep other races under their own domination and Islam rejects this approach. They want to discern the interests of Islam and Muslims and act accordingly, but Islam raises voice as they guarantee their own interests by doing so. We openly announce that Iran and Islam are opposed to the interests of the US and the Soviet Union, the interests to which they imagine Iran should succumb. We retain our independence and freedom and hope that rays of the independence and freedom reach the entire world and the world-oppressed people will be liberated from the domination of arrogant powers. This is something that should be accomplished by `ulama' of Islam.

I implore God almighty to grant happiness and health to all Muslims of the world. We even beseech God to grant happiness to the oppressed people although they may not be Muslim and rescue them from the domination of arrogant powers. I hope God almighty will sanction the `ulama' of Islam to think of Islamic interests and do not fear anyone save God almighty. Do not see anyone to possess power, as all power comes from Him and everything is from him. All and we are nothing.

May God's peace and mercy be upon you!