Speech [The root cause of difference and the need for the nation to be vigilant about discord]

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

In advance I should appreciate the gentlemen for coming here. What I can do is to pray for your success and I beseech God Almighty to grant you all success in serving Islam. Most issues have been addressed in such gathering, in the Majlis and other places. A question I have in mind and consider necessary to address to the nation deals with the Guardian Council. I feel a sense of threat and uneasiness about it. In the past, some people had spoken ill of the Guardian Council. I felt it my duty to settle the problem somehow. I was afraid of the incipient differences. Nevertheless, the same advice I gave to stop the differences were used by some mysterious hands to create new differences. Some days ago, a communique was brought here. I read it. It was unsigned. Undoubtedly, this statement had been issued by either a stupid person, a mischievous man, an ignorant friend or a diabolical person. The matter I had written about the Guardian Council was printed of the page and below was a repulsive remark saying these gentlemen are such and such. There were also the names of esteemed and committed people some of whom I know were active, suffered, tortue, imprisonment and beatings for the revolution. What concerns me is that there is a devil for deviating any course of the action. I believe Satan threatened God that he would not let the servants worship Him. When he was expelled from paradise, he said," You cannot see peole who are interested in you, except who are pure." Everything smacking of difference unquestionably originates from Satan who is a sworn enemy to deviate us. All my fear is that in the holy month of Ramadan, the month of purification of the self and a month when God has invited to His banquet, we treat the host in a way that withdraws His favors. Speakers in assemblies, pulpiteers, men of letters, Friday preachers and those who make pre-sermon speeches know that what worries me is to see difference emerging in this country. That day I said a word to eliminate the difference, but certain elements gave rise to questions that triggered difference. Today, I announce that the gentlemen who ascend the pulpit and preach in this holy month or later events, particularly the holy month know that Islam wants them to be unified. Even if someone has been removed from a high position- which is not the case- one should not displease God Almighty with themselves, just because they have not been successful in a case. If you want real victory, always bear in mnd the gratification of God. See yourselves as servants of God and contents yourselves with whatever happens of you, as was the case with the pure servants of God and honorable saints of God. The more the Doyen of Martyrs approached the afternoon of the day of Ashura, as pointed out by narrations, and his youths were destroyed one after the other, the more his face kindled. «1» It was because he observed that he was drawing near to the goal. When were all want to serve this country, want former issues not to restore and want not to be captive in the hands of American advisors or Russian bullies, we should be unified. This is the way if we want to be like this, like the masses of people. The people are like this and the leaders should follow suit.

At times, if not all times, I fear lest people should go to Paradise and we go to hell. I am fazed by the fear that people in Paradise overlook us in Paradise and we are embarrassed. They acted for God's gratification and brought you gentlemen to the seat of parliament and now bring others to the seat. They work for God. If we go astray and difference emerges among us due to our words, I fear tomorrow we would be in hell and they enjoy blessings. Then they tell us," We came to Paradise on account of you, why are you in hell?" This embarrassment one would suffer that day is more intense than that fire. Majlis deputies should not imagine that they are speaking simply in Majlis and Friday prayer leaders should not think they address a confined place. Today limits have been removed and walls collapsed. If yesterday one spoke in an assembly or the place where Friday and congregational prayer ceremonies were held addressing a limited number of people, today this not the case. This is more serious particularly in Iran, whose Majlis is covered directly. The sermons of the Friday prayer are also reflected everywhere. Occasionally, I hear some news reports from foreign, which are later aired by our own radios. They report faster than we do. In such an environment, our responsibility is heavy. If deviation is found, this deviation is not limited; it will permeate everywhere. If God forbid difference emerges within you, undoubtedly this difference will culminate in defeat. The enemy has stood behind the doors of Iran- they are watchful. These commotions are nothing to be afraid of. These are nothing. That the US wants to send troops to this or that place is just rhetoric. Their principal plan is to do something within the country. The US knows it cannot invade Iran and do something by force. They know it themselves. They have announced that they do not want American marines to be killed in the Persian Gulf. They raise such outcry to drive us out of the scene. There is no ground to fear such things. What is fearsome is that their agents who are still living in Iran trigger difference by these mischievous acts and introduce two groups: one group pulling towards the east one towards the west. They intend to sow discord among `ulama' in cities, dividing them into two groups. Difference of `ulama' triggers difference of the nation. If `ulama' who are influencedin cities and whom people look to, openly dispute with others of the same ilk, this will divide the two cities. If difference of taste leads to difference to be dealt with in Friday and congregational prayer ceremonies and public places, it cannot be a difference like that between Jane and Doe. It is a difference that would divide the city into two parts: one lining this side and the other arraying in the opposite side. This will grow gradually. Our enemies are very patient. They chalk out their plan today to reap it 50 years later. This petty difference moves gRa`dually turning to uncontrollable corruption. A day will then come when the country is prepared for explosion from within. We should not be negligent of this and their agents.

Those who issue these declarations weaken others. One issues a statement insulting and slandering the other. Those who are sound should not imagine such acts are a service these people are doing. They are doing treason to the entire nation and Islam. If they are from among the devils, the nation should be vigilant and keep his eyes and ears open. They are most likely to be from among the devils. Now that all are our enemy, we should be our own enemy. Internal enmity among us contributes to our main enemy to overcome the two, blackening everyone's day. Today, Islam has found a situation in the world that if it, God forbid, suffers defeat; it cannot recover for many years. Big powers have come to realize the power of Islam and know that they should destroy it. Even those who rule in the name of Islam in Islamic countries are afraid the Islam in Iran. They consider Iran's Islam to be different; it is indeed different. We should open our eyes and ears lest we should destroy Islam with our own hands. Islam came here with the hand of our nation and made us proud in the world. The situation has changed so much that the US is withdrawing from Lebanon just because some threatened it there. They are afraid of suicide attacks and blame Iran for such moves. However, they should realize that Muslims of the world have been awakened, as have been non-Muslims. In fact, the weaker or oppressed people have been awakened. Everyone in one's place wants to challenge the aggressors. They have cordoned off the White House and with each day passing tighten the security because they are afraid of Islam, which they want to destroy. They cannot, but they might do it with your hands. Pulpiteers should be vigilant. If they make a single word regarding the former election even though right to give rise to differences, they are responsible before God almighty. Islam will call them to task. Friday preachers should also beware of this. Those who make speech prior to performance of Friday prayer should be aware. The `ulama' everywhere should know that today we need to act according to the words of God almighty wholeheartedly where it says in the Qur'an:" And hold fast, all of you together, to the cable of Allah, and do not separate." «2»

The holy month of Ramadan is before us. One of the blessings God has granted you deputies is that the Majlis was inaugurated in the holy month of Sha`ban and at the beginning of the month of Ramadan it is in operation. This is one of the big blessings God has bestowed upon us. God almighty has invited you in the month of Ramadan to His banquet. As you see fasting is God's banquet; it is not like our parties with those formalities and lavish meals. It is a reception in which one should abstain from desires. Notice that one should perform the rituals in the holy month of Ramadan, particularly its mental rites. One should not be merely engaged in praying- prayer in its real sense is of importance. Remembering God in the real sense of the word is what brings tranquility to the heart." Verily in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest!" «3» Remembrance of God means considering God present everywhere. In the holy month of Ramadan, one should be preoccupied with remembrance of God and His blessings and thank God for His favors.

Remember God so that He will help you succeed and curtail those hands which intend to sow discord among you.

Above all is that one should rectify oneself in the month of Ramadan. We need to purify and refine the self to the last day of our life. Prophets were also in need of this. Grand prophets were also the same, but they had realized their needs and subsequently acted to fulfill their needs. However, since we are veiled, we could not understand our duty and did not fulfill our duties. I hope that this holy month of Ramadan would be a blessing for you. Blessing means that you should plan to act according to the duties God has set for us. Pray in this holy month so that God almighty would make you successful in acting according to His gratification in the service you have undertaken. Ask God not to deprive us of His favors. Appreciate the value of this banquet. This banquet has many delicate and subtle points, which we should appreciate. The supplications handed down to us for the holy month of Ramadan and the month of Sha`ban is our guide to destination. According to our Shaykh «4» (peace be upon him), these are the ascending Qur'an. He described the supplication as ascending Qur'an and the revealed Qur'an as the descended one. Anyhow, there are delicate points in these supplications that are unprecedented. Pay heed to them. These supplications can move man. The holy month can make man succeed in many tasks. It can discipline man in a way that one can control one's passions up to the next month, if not to the end, enabling one not to violate that which gratifies God. I hope that we are all successful in reaching the end of this holy month with remembrance of God and attention to God almighty so that God almighty would grant us a gift in the feast of Ramadan: our complete independence and perfect freedom have been insured and so does the Islamic Republic.

O, God! We are weak servants. We are servants who have nothing. We are nothing. If we do wrong, we are ignorant. Forgive us. Cause us enter this holy month while we have secured your gratification. O, God! Make us efficient to enter the banquet you have invited to act the way pleases you. O, God! Strengthen Iran that has been subjected to attacks from all sides because of siding with Islam.

May God's peace and mercy be upon you!