Radio-Television Message [Appreciating the nation's resistance and martyrdom-seeking spirit]

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

I congratulate the approach of New Year to all worlds Muslims, particularly the heroic people of Iran and different layers of the nation and those engaged of serving Islam in warfronts, those serving in behind the frontlines, the families of martyrs, the war disabled, their relatives and all. God willing, this year will be auspicious for the Muslims of the world and God Almighty will ordain the hands of the superpowers and those affiliated to them would be curtailed and the people of the world would live in peace.

All problems of the world are due to these big powers who claim that they are doing these works for peace. They commit so much crime, drown countries in blood and claim that they cannot see human rights being trampled. These are mere claims and have no reality. Contrast of this is the reality. Muslims are neglectful. Oppressed peoples of the world are neglectful. If people of other Muslim countries join in the rays emerging in Iran and all shake hand and stand against so many crimes perpetrated against human beings and humanity, the works would be mended. Unfortunately, however, this work has not been accomplished and I do not know what will happen. I hope that God Almighty grant us power to resist. Today, resistance is necessary. The holy Prophet (May God's peace be upon him and his progeny) was concerned as to whether his people would resist or not. Although the verse has been mentioned in another Sourah or chapter, it does not have what follows this verse. This indicates that the Prophet (s) appeared to be concerned over whether his people would God forbid refuse to resist. The Iranian people, government, army, revolutionary guards corps and all layers of people should note that resistance in the face of oppression and these big powers is among the issues that has been prescribed. It is resistance against the enemy. It has been ordained to resist. If you put up resistance, you will be victorious. Thank God, Iran and many of the layers of people are characterized by this feature. I do not forget the incident of Friday when people displayed that glorious resistance brilliantly. I observed the people displaying dignity amid those sounds with those showers of guns. «2» I was particularly watching to see the people's conditions. I did not see even a single one to be unstable and shaky. Then the Friday prayers leader spoke with those vociferous voices. «3» The people responded and crying that they seek martyrdom. I was told that one of those who achieved martyrdom in the event had already said his last will, in which he has written that when I participate in the Friday prayers ceremonies, I say my last will. He was martyred in the same place. One cannot challenge such a nation. Such people cannot be challenged. When it is announced that they planned to bombard the Friday prayers site, people come in greater number to say their prayers in congregation. Even those who did not attend the prayers in previous weeks, as I have been narrated, participated this week. They are such a nation. Such a people cannot be dissuaded by virtue of bombardment and mischief the enemy commits. Why should the people give up his idea? They are working for Islam which is a trust in our hand. Islam has been born in early days of Islam with pain and suffering. Whatever Islam has proceeded, it has experienced hardship.

From the outset when the Prophet of Islam (May God'speace be upon him and his progeny) invited people to Islam until the time he ascended the heaven, he was at war. Even when he was at death bed, he mobilized people for war. He experienced those afflictions wreaked by friend and foe. It was the case thereafter. Muslims have suffered, our Immaculate Imams have experienced pains and the Commander of the Faithful has suffered those hardships. Well! Since those pains were for Islam, they welcomed. We should strive to follow suit and act in a way that all hardships would be sweet as it was for them. This is the meaning of satisfaction with God's providence.

Once one should surrender. Right! We are Muslim that once one should be satisfied with what He has ordained. It does not make difference for one who is satisfied as to whether one experiences hardship or blessing. One sees everything as blessing. One attributes everything to Him, the Beloved. Let us suppose that if one's superficial beloved expresses something unpleasant, one will like it. If we arrive at such conclusion and I hope we will reach seriously, we will like everything from Him. Now we see that our youths go to warfronts for martyrdom, these are the types of people who are satisfied with God. It is because they feel like martyrdom in their heart. They consider it from God. Since they attribute martyrdom to God, it is not hard for them to achieve martyrdom. We should train ourselves to be satisfied with what God Almighty has granted us. Whatever He ordains, even appearing on evil, is good. It is actually the same, because God Almighty loves His creatures. Sometimes evil is blessing for man. Sometimes blessing is evil. God Almighty wants to educate people. Those who are attracted towards Him, their education is at times to exert pressure on them and occasionally granting them blessing. When pressure is exerted, the souls fly to other worlds. It is in pressures that such a thing happens.

Therefore, we want a nation- the people themselves are, thank God, like this- whom pressures do not smosh. If we, Islam and Muslims like other layers of world people seeking property, name and fame and the like and finally for their belly and lust would be annoyed if these desires ran short. However, a nation that move out for martyrdom, a nation whose women and men love martyrdom and cry to be martyred, such a people will not complain of deficit in such and such thing. These people do not lament for economy. Lament is for those who are dependent on economy. Those who love God, they do not get annoyed with something to be insufficient and other thing abundant, cheap or expensive. Such things are not considered by one who seeks martyrdom. One who seeks martyrdom will care not a rap if one tells him his property has been stolen. If you tell him that the price of goods has gone up, he has not gone for bringing booty. The booty he wishes to bring is that which is not perishable. It is what cannot be defeated. It is a work no one can manage save God Almighty and our people are seeking this. I hope that we all develop this mentality. Of course, though I say these things, I am not like this myself. But I wish others to attain to this state. I myself like to reach it. All should do so.

Thank God, I hope that this New Year will be a good year for us. I deem it necessary to note that we do not like even those who are our enemy to suffer if they do not stand against us and not oppose to Islam. We do not want them to suffer the least. We do not like the places where their economy centers and where people of Iraq converge to experience the slightest suffering. If Saddam does not do these things, our government will not also do. But when he does, it will go out of our control. Our people are the one to decide. It is beyond our control and even the control of the government. We are not therefore planning to wage war. We did not initiate the war. We did not want war. We do not want war. We want the world not to encourage and clap for the corrupt man who has committed so much corruption. Now the world wants to prop him up and keep him. Why does the world want to keep him? It is because of disturbing the whole situation and because Islam would not exist. All their concern is lest Islam should come, as Islam is not for such bad treatments, with such debaucheries, such tragic events and such bullying. It is because they are afraid of this and Saddam has stood against Islam. For this reason, they have propped him up lest he should suffer so and so. But if God Almighty has willed, all these tricks will bounce at them. Our duty is to stand against oppression and slap on the mouth of the one who has aggressed upon us. As long as this story is not accepted by the world, this war will persist. This war has been initiated by them not us. Hitting such centers is also done by them. You come and hit the Friday prayer center. When you hit the Friday prayer campus, you imagine the nation would retreat? You see what they did in Friday prayer. This is a matter worthy of historical appreciation. As far as one has not seen the scene, one cannot believe that women with their children in their arms, men taking their children in their embrace having been stuck in the crowd and under pressure with no one being able to move and then a blast while from another side the unmanly ones opening fire as you all observed. In spite of this all were sitting with dignity in their own place without making a move. Our nation is such a people. Such a people are no longer concerned as to whether meat is cheap or expensive; they seek to magnify Islam. So was the holy Prophet (s). The Prophet of Islam (May God's peace be upon him and his progeny) sought to strengthen Islam. In his cause one may be killed, one's child may be killed or taken captive, as was the case with the doyen of martyrs. Right! You see narrations read that the nearer to the noon of `Ashoura, the greater the Doyen of Martyrs cheered up. Why? It was because he saw he was departing towards God. The Doyen of Martyrs concentrated on Him and not such mundane matters. Whatever was connected with God, he appreciated because of having been linked to God. Foregoing this, he did not appreciate things because of having a son and children. He was not concerned from this aspect.

Therefore we should resist. That which causes concern for the Prophet fearing lest his people should not resist and not obey this command of God. We should act in a way that such a concern would not apply to us. I implore God Almighty would keep all layers of the nation ranging from the wounded and disabled of the war, the martyrs and their families and those missing in action as well as the prisoners of war. May He grant peace our martyrs and grant them blessing in His presence, keeping the others healthy and giving them victory. God willing, our prisoners of war and those missing in action would return to their country and our nation would proceed with power and strength. Do not fear these things in the lEast. It is something that has been proven to our nation- our enlightened nation. If one wants to be wakeful and independent, should pay the price. If you want to be servile, join the US. All these words will come to end. No war will break out. Join the Soviet Union. Again no war will come about. But what? You will remain a weak and backward nation suffering setbacks to the end. However, if you want, if a nation wants to be proud, and honored, it should no longer think of whether the value we have is as much as the fact that our yoghurt is expensive! Or churned sour milk is so and so! If this is the case, we are gone from now. But we see this is not the case. Our nation thank God is not like this. I hope they will become stronger and happier in this New Year. I implore God to grant all power and health, awaken us and help us with our resistance.

May God's peace and mercy be upon you!