Speech [University and the Cultural Revolution]

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

I appreciate the gentlemen coming here to meet them closely. I would like to express my certainty that with the respected members in the council, there is no longer any concern over universities and God willing other things. Nevertheless, since the question is very important and destiny of the revolution hinges on it, we should always display this sensitivity. One should be sensitive to all issues, yet there is difference in that regarding which this sensitivity should persist. There are things that are settled. For example, we are engaged in war. War is not something important; it will be settled. It is not important and thank God the situation is good. The political situation in the world will also be settled. There are things to which one should be sensitive. The issue of university is an extraordinary thing. The individuals graduated from university are either destructive or constructive to country. In our country, they either push it towards Islam or deflect it. This is something that can be accomplished from university. Similarly, theological seminaries can handle this. It is, therefore, very important.

In the revolutions taking place in the world or the riots or coups there are three elements that should be heeded: break out of the riot, revolution and coup, their substance and their incentive. The revolutions are corresponding to one another. They are either riot or coup or revolution. Outwardly, they are like human beings who are similar as far as their form is concerned. Their meaning however differs. Incentives and contents are important. Sometimes, incentive is good, but the content is not good. At times, content is good, but incentive is not correct. One human being might do a good thing in his sight with good incentive, while he is bad. This man is on a correct path, but his work is wrong. Individuals might do a good act with bad incentive. For instance, one may discover something, while his incentive is bad but his works good. In another case, both elements might be good. A cultural revolution can be of this nature. A revolution is transformation from one state to another, not advancement of the thing existing. The revolution launched in the Islamic Republic is generally speaking of this nature. A revolution was accomplished by people. There was the incentive of the revolution and its content. I hope that incentive of the revolution would have been divinely in people. However, in revolutions, we might launch a revolution, remove a government and make a different government for us. We want to succeed in making money or so without being concerned as to see what would happen. This is of no avail to us whether the incentive is good or bad, because he wants to establish a revolution with the incentive of gaining power. He wants to be powerful. Formerly one has been powerful and now we want to take the power from the former and become powerful. Such a thing does not differ from the former in principle. That is to say, a government has gone, being replaced by the other. Both are similar. It is like the other coups taking place in the world. There is not difference between them. Once an uprising is launched, a revolution for a good purpose, but with no divinely intention. Since it plans a good end to serve the people, the effort is good. It might be worthwhile, but it does not seek the purpose deserving of man. The purpose worthy of man is that one seeks divinely intention in establishing government, in Cultural Revolution and in revolution. This is of value in the sight of God. This is like prophets. Prophets' efforts were praiseworthy not for the depth of their work and, let me say, scope of their work. Whether the scope of their government is wide or not, it is all the same. Prophets who have not been able to do anything or who have done great works are equal in terms of incentive. Both wanted to do something for God and receive spiritual reward. God grants them spiritual reward to both of them. One has succeeded and the other not. The latter has not been responsible for not being successful.

In the Cultural Revolution that which is of avail to you is once useful for government, once for students and once for you gentlemen. That which is useful for you is that you should be inspired by the incentive to push forward the university towards Islam and divinize it. There is no objection as to what lesson they want to study, the lessons that are useful. Islam favors all lessons excluding some of them. That which is of avail to us is that we want to divinize the Islamization, to seek divinizing end in our work and struggle for God. This attitude is of avail to you. Whether you succeed or not, it is useful. If this incentive motivates you, you will certainly seek to accomplish a good work. When one moves with divinely incentive, one cannot seek selfish end and find a path for him or what may happen. Whatever happens one is not concerned. This will naturally happen when incentive is God-oriented. One seeks to accomplish the work so as to gratify God. As such, he will be successful in this work. If he did not succeed in accomplishing, he has not enjoyed greater power to do it, but in the sight of God his value is the same as the one commanding power.

Therefore, that which has value for man, human and spiritual value, divinely value is to preserve this incentive to do the work for God. If you want to raise the children of people, do it for God, educate the youth to do it for God, and train the nation, for God, rule, for God. Govern in the same way that prophets did. Right! Moses was a ruler, so were the Prophet of Islam and `Ali. On the other side, corrupt individuals are also ruler. The outward aspect are similar, unless in minor things. People share corresponding forms. They are like one another, with one essence. If occasionally there is difference, this difference is concerned with physical and animal aspect. That which differentiates between them is the meaning within them. What counts is the divinely incentive. Everything should return to God. God has sent the prophets. The main purpose has not been to rule. The main purpose has not been to establish a system. The high purpose has not been to establish social justice. These are not the sublime goal. Yet they are purposes- some of them are purposes. Of course, justice and its dispensation is a purpose. If you want to administer divinely justice for God Almighty, it is a purpose. If you want to administer divinely justice in order to gain fame and name, to indicate how good you are and to gain so and so, this is bad for you. The essence is good; it is then good for people. Some things are good for people and for university. Some things are good for you. Some things are good for both. If you succeed in developing divinely incentive, not doing things for yourself but for God and for people, this is for God and if this is the case, you are successful in your effort. If God forbid, you fail due to some impediment, this is not your fault and is beyond your power and God will accept. God does not demand beyond your power. Therefore, we should preserve this incentive. One may study a lesson, even divinely lesson, monotheistic lesson and mysticism and yet go to hell, while others who use the products of his efforts go to paradise. It is because he has had a wrong incentive and thus goes to hell. One may study a lesson to gain so and so position, become master of his district, city or country and the world. One may study to become famous in a village or in a city. All return to the self or God: me or He. If man lays foot on this I and become He, he can correct everything. The works are like this in all stages. One should differentiate between doing a divinely work and other activities. One should think about this. Sometimes one will go wrong, but one should think now that I am doing this work and am so happy because I did it for God, if one is found to be more efficient in doing it than I, am I ready to transfer it to him and become happier because he works for God more efficiently or not. If one realized that he was not ready, he should know that his efforts were not divinely-oriented or if it aimed at divinely purpose, he has not been sincerely involved. That which is useful for us is sincerity in doing work for God. God does not need anything; He does not need our sincerity. God has sent prophets to train people and save them. People will be saved if they follow the prophets and develop divinely incentives. If we cannot to this scale, we act as much as we can. Of course, we cannot have the incentive of the Commander of the Faithful. This is clear that we cannot. However, we can have some incentives corresponding to him. We can go that way.

You should move the university forward towards God and spirituality. All lessons should be studied for God. If you can do so, you will be successful whether you reach the destination or not. If you do things for yourselves, the work may be ordinary but brings profit to others though not for you. At times, the work may be to your detriment but is useful for others. It might be harmful to you or useful for you, but harmful to others. You wanted to do a good work but failed and the work has turned out to be bad, but you wanted to do a good work. We should always bear this in mind so that we can be successful in every business. I do not claim that the like of me are such a thing. Never! We are imperfect people and should acquire education so that we can gain perfection. However, among people there were such individuals. At least we know prophets were such people. Immaculate Imams (`a) were such people. Whatever they did was for Him; they did not work for government and so and so. They struggled for government in order to strip the tyrants of it; they exerted pressure to take back the government from tyrants. They did not take it from tyrants in order to rule themselves. They did so in order to administer divinely justice. This work characterizes the prophets who worked to dispense divinely justice for God. Since they acted for God and with sincerity, they were divinely and their work was divinely. We are imperfect. We confess before God that we are imperfect and cannot gain such perfection to the end. However, we should think of this and seek this perfection. We should not turn our back at this sense. We should act for God and I hope you are successful. When there is such an incentive, even in works you could not previously do, you can accomplish with this incentive. With the incentive I explained, you find the power to do. God confirms such an incentive and work. We saw that prophets did big works with empty hands. What was the holy Prophet? Well! He was a shepherd in Mecca. All were opposed to him and harassed him. He was however a believer. This shepherd rose up and did such a big work that has developed the world. So was Jesus Christ. Prophet Moses was also a shepherd. So was prophet Ibrahim. They were of the same mould. They were integrated. Every one of them was a nation; that is, they had everything. What counts is that God was their fulcrum; they struggled for God and moved for Him. They traveled towards God Almighty. Since they journeyed towards God, everything they did was divinely-oriented. Their eating was divinely-oriented. So was their prayer and war.

I hope that we seek this sense. I hope that you gentlemen are successful in what you are doing. Always show sensitivity in it. Never think the matter is over. University is so important that corrupt views seek to find a wrong in it. They are in search of excuse. God willing they will not be successful. One should always be sensitive lest the bunker that can correct or destroy everything should be taken from you or harmed. I pray for you and hope that you will always be successful, sanctioned and victorious, always working for this nation and for God!

May God's peace be upon you!