Speech [Nobility and virtue of Hadrat Zahra' (`a)]

I congratulate all you ladies and the women in all Islamic countries on this joyous feast marking the auspicious birth anniversary of Hadrat Fatimah az-Zahra' (`a). I implore the Almighty God to guide all the respected women along the path that He has laid down, so that they can achieve lofty Islamic goals. It is a source of great pride for the women to designate Hadrat Fatimah's birthday as anniversary Woman's Day. It is a source of pride and responsibility.

I do not consider myself adequate for the task of speaking about Hadrat Fatimah (`a), so I will content myself with reciting a sound narration, which can be found in the noble al-Kafi. This narration quotes Hadrat Sadiq (`a) as saying:" After the death of her father, Fatimah, upon whom be peace, lived for seventy-five days. She was in this world, but grief overtook her. Gabriel, the Trusted Spirit, came to her regularly to console her and tell her of future events." «1» So, according to this, in these seventy five days she had contact with Gabriel on many occasions. I do not think that such a thing has happened for anyone else other than the great prophets of the highest rank that in seventy five days Gabriel, the Trusted Spirit, would come and spoke about the events that were to happen to her offspring in the future. Imam `Ali wrote down what Gabriel said. He was the scribe of these revelations just as he had been the scribe of the revelations the Noble Messenger had received. With the death of the Holy Messenger, those revelations which brought divine laws, ended. He was the scribe of the revelations to Hadrat Fatimah during these seventy five days. Gabriel's appearing to someone should not be taken as a trivial affair. One should not imagine that Gabriel would appear to just anyone. The necessary relationship has to exist between the spirit of that person to whom Gabriel would appear and Gabriel's station as the paramount spirit. Whether we believe that it is the greatness of the spirit of the saint or prophet that brings Gabriel down to this lower station, or that it is God who sends him to make such revelations, whether we side with the experts in their views or those who interpret the literal meaning in theirs, it still remains that unless the necessary relationship exists between the spirit of that person to whom Gabriel would appear and Gabriel, the paramount spirit, then it would be impossible for such a thing to happen. The relationship existed between Gabriel, the paramount spirit, and the prophets of the highest rank such as the prophet Muhammad (s), Moses, Jesus and Abraham. It did not exist with just anyone, and after these prophets it did not exist with anyone else. Indeed, I have not heard of Gabriel descending to even the Imams as he did to the prophets. As far as I know, it was only to Hadrat Fatimah Zahra', upon whom be peace, that Gabriel appeared repeatedly during the period of these seventy five days, revealing future events which would happen to her offspring and which Hadrat Amir Imam of the Time (`a), in which case he may have mentioned events in Iran too. We do not know. It might have been so. Of all the virtues attributed to Hadrat Zahra' (`a) - she had very great virtues- I consider this to be the greatest, as no one, except the prophet- not al of them, but those of the highest rank- and some of the saints who were at their level, had such a virtue. The fact that she had communications with Gabriel in those seventy five days and that he has appeared to no one since then, demonstrates an excellence, which is, but one of the characteristics of Hadrat Siddiqah (`a).

You and we should be proud for designation of this day as Woman's Day. You should accept the responsibility the day entails. If you accept Jumadi ath-Thani which is the birthday of Hadrat Zahra', as Woman's Day, you will have to shoulder many responsibilities. If a nation accepts that a certain day is the day of struggle, it should be busy in struggle on that day. If one is not preoccupied with struggle, it means that he has not accepted that day as the day of struggle. If at a certain time a nation agrees on a day as the day of war, but does the contrary, it has actually acted against his human responsibility. Likewise, if you women here and indeed all our women across the country, have accepted today as Woman's Day, falling on the birthday anniversary of Hadrat Fatimah Zahra', with all the perfection it represents and the position it enjoys, then you have a great task to perform. The task includes struggle, just as she struggled, to the best of her ability, during the short span of her life. She addressed the governments of the time and passed judgment on them. To accept her birthday anniversary as Woman's Day, you should emulate her. To accept it, you should follow her example in her renunciation of the things of this world, in her devotion and piety and in all the virtues she possessed. If you do not do this, then you have not entered the true spirit of Women's Day. Whoever does not accept these things has not entered the true spirit of Women's Day and has not recognized its true nature.

I hope you will accept and perform those duties you are obliged to carry out. You should strive both in education, which is an important matter, and in defense of Islam. These are among the important tasks, the performance of which is incumbent on every man and woman and young and old. Concerning the defense of Islam and the defense of the Islamic country, none of the `ulama' of Islam and none of those who have lived in Islam and are Muslim has a dissenting opinion. All consider it obligatory. That which is controversial and disputable is the case of the primary Jihad (holy war). It is not obligatory on women. But it is incumbent upon everybody to defend one's sanctity, country, life, property and Islam. If defense were incumbent upon all, the preliminaries of defense should also be done, among which are the military training and learning kinds of military weapons for those able to do so. It can not be incumbent upon us to defend when we do not know hoe to do so; we have to know how to defend. Of course, the environment in which you will receive military training should be a sound environment; it must be an Islamic environment. All aspects of decorum should be observed; all Islamic aspects should be observed.

Thanks God, in all public issues in the Islamic Republic, women have been at the forefront, they were at the forefront of Tobacco Boycott; they were at the forefront in the Constitutional Movement; and they enthusiastically address the issues befalling our country and I should say that doubly do so. If a number of women go to a certain place, for instance, a battle arena, apart from the fact that they themselves are engaging in battle, they multiply the strength of men who have feelings towards them. It is not that if, for example, they engage in defense, it is only they who have engaged in defense. They have engaged in defense and encouraged others to engage in defense, as well. Men are sensitive with respect to woman. If a man sees hundreds of men get killed, perhaps he would not be so touched, but if he would see a woman being disrespected, he would be touched even if that woman is alien to him; he will not do anything bad either against her. This is a sensitivity that men have. Thus, being at the forefront in all issues including defense, jihad, helping in the warfronts and participating in any activity would encourage men to join more enthusiastically and vigorously.

Although we are now facing a massive wave of hostile propaganda and experiencing such an imposed war, we are victorious on both fronts. May God approve our youth who are currently sacrificing their lives there. I would like to thank those who are together; those who are united. Now, there is no distinction between the army, the revolutionary guard, the mobilized forces (Basij) and the city police. Nothing of this sort exists. Now, they are all busy driving back this corrupt force. Thanks God, all of those who are in the warfronts are- as you have heard- victorious. On the other hand, the defeat of Saddam is obvious from the bravery medals he is now giving to his commander. In Khorramshahr, if you remember, although they were driven back, Saddam gave medals to them. Now, as has been said, in the case of Faw, all of them acknowledged that Faw has become so, through they may distort the facts in their propaganda, yet in this case, I also heard that they gave signs of valor. Therefore, during these days he has to give so many signs of valor to them! Since they are defeated every day, he has to give signs of valor!

You ladies should bear in mind that just as it is necessary for men at the fronts to push forward and spearhead the battle, it is also necessary for you to help on the home front and be prepared. If, God forbid, the general defense would become obligatory for all, without any exception anyone having strength was obliged to defend. You must be prepared for defense. Of course, the educational front is also a defensive front; it is the defense for the entire culture of Islam. You know that the culture of Islam during this period was suppressed. During the past hundreds of years, and even since the death of the Prophet (s) till now, the culture of Islam has been suppressed; the laws of Islam have been suppressed. This culture must be revived. And you ladies, just as the gentlemen are busy, just as the men are busy in the educational and cultural fronts, must be busy as well. I hope that God grants you all success and that you would make advancement in this stronghold. You should pray for the victory of those who are in the warfronts defending their country and Islam, God willing. May you all be successful, triumphant, healthy by the will of God.

May God's peace and mercy be upon you.