Speech [Influencing and being influenced in the socio-political responsibility]

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

On this day when the tragedy at the Prime Minister's Office occured, it is necessary to say a few words in memory of these two great martyrs as well as Mr. `Iraqi «1» with whom I had long companionship. Among the peculiar features of these gentlemen, Mr. Raja'i, Mr. Bahonar and Mr. `Iraqi, which in my opinion is very great, is that Mr. Raja'i was a person who used to peddle in the market as they were saying. In the studies that I had about him, it seemed to me that from his state of being a peddle to his state of being a president, his morale was not affected. Some people will be easily influenced by their position, even if they become the chief of a village. This is because of the weakness in their" self"; they will be affected by the position they will acquire; they are people who will be affected by position on account of their inner weakness. Mr. Raja'i and Mr. Bahonar were president and prime minister respectively. It was not that the position could affect them; they had affected the position; they had brought the position under their clutches; position had not brought them under its whims. And it is a lesson that one must learn from them, and thank God, in this republic there are so many individuals in whose condition position has made no change. From the time they were either in the seminary or the market until know that they have acquired positions, they have not changed. One must see that this issue is important. One who is affected by position is not because of having position. It is on account of being a very weak person. The position overwhelms him and then he follows its dictates, and this aspiration for position is so destructive for himself, for those who are working and for their country. On the other hand, if it were the opposite, it has wholesome effect for himself as well as for the country. And thus, though" I do not exculpate myself. Lo! the (human) soul enjoineth unto evil," «2» I ask the gentlemen to pay attention to the fact that these positions will end after a few days. Those who were at the helm of power passed away after a few days. Likewise, those who lived in austerity and asceticism passed away. These affairs will end. What matters is that we are in the presence of God Almighty and that all the palpitations of the soul are recorded in our book of deeds and we should think about it. Talking about these gentlemen, it is indeed regrettable that the corrupt individuals killed such personalities. Nevertheless, thank God, in their death they also strengthened the Islamic Republic. I have been familiar also with Mr. `Iraqi for many years. At the beginning when these issues surfaced, he was involved in the affair and he was a friend of mine. He was also a very righteous and noble man. May God have mercy on them all.

Meanwhile, since it is the Government Week, I would like to say something about it to the gentlemen. We should be aware that evaluating the government from only a single aspect may give a false picture of the reality and mislead us. We should assess the performance of the government and see whether in this time that we are at war, under economic sanctions and at loggerheads with all big powers the government has been successful or not. It is unfair if we say that it is unsuccessful and that the government has done nothing. Well, it has done great jobs that had not been done for the past forty to fifty years. These have been done by officials in every echelon everywhere. The government has been successful. I advise you, gentlemen, to try to be more successful, though you have been. Do not be content with what has been done. No matter how we would render service to this nation, it is still not enough because it was thank to this nation that all those afflictions came to an end. The monarchial government fell through its hand and we owe it whatever we have. We should render service; verily, we have to render service and no matter hard we try to render service it is still not enough. We cannot adequately appreciate God because we are too weak to thank God adequately. For sure, thanking this heroic and oppressed nation is the same as thanking God. One who does not sufficiently thank the people has not sufficiently thanked God because people are servants of God; they are those who are currently rendering service to this country for the sake of God. Thanks-giving means that we serve them; everybody in whatever position must render service.

I should say that although sometimes certain persons may be good, there might be flaws in one's soul of which one may be negligent. For example, parents love their children very much; they only see the good side in their children; they might be unaware of bad traits in them;" Love of something makes one blind." «3» Thus, it is also like that. When a person has enmity or opposes another person or a group, whatever good you could see is something bad. I advise writers and speakers to be aware of the fact that their pen and tongue are in the presence of God. Tomorrow, they will be called to account. The point is not about the government, the president and the like. The issue is about the system, the Islamic establishment. Whether Mr. Khamene'i (may Allah keep him safe) or someone else is the president, whether Mr. Mousawi or someone else is the prime minister is not the issue. The issue is the Islamic Republic. We are duty-bound to preserve it; all the writers are obliged to preserve the system. When a person, for example, has grievances against another person or observes shortcoming, he should advise him, but the language of advice is not that of mudslinging and undermining others. Regarding the individuals I believe- this is what the Shari`ah which we follow said- if one besmirches a person's reputation for his own carnal desires, he will receive the harshest punishments in the next world and will not succeed in this world. Our language must be the language of advice. One can sometimes observe that the languages are not those of admonition and the pens are not those of admonition. The issue is not the government; the issue is the Islamic Republic. Sometimes prices can go up and down in the market because of a topic written by someone. In such cases, the writer should be aware of the fact that the issue is not the individual but Islam and the Islamic Republic, which we are obliged to preserve. One should not write anything as soon as he finds the opportunity, for example, if one is not on good terms with the prime minister or Mr. Khamene'i, he should not write wherever he wishes. We are in the presence of God and the angels of Allah. All our deeds are recorded. Certain persons might be good, but things in man's soul cannot easily allow man to prevail over the tricks of Satan and the guiles of the carnal self. The prophets were also looking for the way not to be afflicted by such problems.

The gentlemen should be vigilant lest one day their pen may undermine the Islamic Republic. I see that some intended to do so through their pious. They should be vigilant. I always want to deal with the gentlemen through advice and leniency. It should be always such that there should not be any harsh talk. But, if the interests of Islam demand, or one notices that there are some who want to weaken Islam wittingly or unwittingly- of course, those who wittingly want to weaken Islam are few in number and may have been identified so far- then the way we deal with them will be quite different. It is not that everything is the case of advice and leniency; a different treatment would be meted. We are in the process of revolution. Take notice of what has been done in places where revolution has taken place. The Russian Revolution occurred over half a century ago. Yet, newspapers are still under state control and cannot write with freedom. Based on what has been reported to me, in Iraq newspapers cannot publish a subject without the consent of the Ministry of Intelligence about their economy, values and I should say, military. The ministry should give consent as to what is to be published. Some were written; the gentlemen have certainly seen that after two years. They have the right to utter a word about it. Well, what about us? We said whatever we knew. Our economy is such and such; we are bankrupt! Well, we are bankrupt Sir, you say that we are bankrupt. Is it harmful to Islam or to the government? It is harmful to the Islamic Republic. Once the other party understood, we are not bankrupt as the people know. But it is you who write that we are bankrupt, that we have no other things and similar words. This is harmful to Islam and not to the government. If there were something pertaining to the government, well, it was an issue which would have been opened. But you should be aware of the thing that is harmful for the system. Watch over your pens a bit. Be aware of the fact that not everything is supposed to be written or published. I am telling you that if, God forbid, the gentlemen continue doing so, I will assume a different stance.

I pray to the Almighty God, for all of you to be successful and render service. All of you are presently living in the same country. Take note how weak man is. If I got hold of a pen and want to write something about a person whom I love so much, a single offense cannot possibly be found; though he may have thousands of defects, I would not point out even one of them; there is no way at all. It is because friendship does not permit so. If, on the other hand, I have enmity toward a person and I want to get a pen and write about him, it is impossible for me to write even a single word about his goodness. This case is the pen of Satan. One whose pen is human-oriented is one who writes and talks fairly about something. Such a person would be wary that at the time when we have such afflictions, there are things that should not be said though doing so is fair, just as what others are not doing. Well, in those revolutions all newspapers were closed, only one newspaper was open and that under government supervision. All parties but one were banned. Other revolutions are like that. They do not give way to chaos, for anyone to do whatever he wants to do and to say whatever he wants to say. Now, whether it is detrimental to the system or not, let us eliminate our rivals even at the expense of Islam! Some persons hold such view and they have to reconsider it in their works; they should bear in mind that one day, God forbid, there would be no more page (i.e., they would die). When a person understood the obligation, we would no more say," This is my friend, this is my comrade, this is my brother, this is my son."

I beseech the Almighty God not to bring forth such issues. I ask the gentlemen, all the writers and speakers, to be moderate in their works. Do not be under the influence of the carnal self. The government has been successful amid all the afflictions. Now, we are in a state of war; we are under siege; the hands and pens of the entire world are against us. Now, should we tell everything we wish about our own problems? I hope that gentlemen, like Mr. Khamene'i and Mr. Rafsanjani, would also advise them to reconsider their decision concerning the affairs. One is not supposed to state only the defects. Why things that have been done are not mentioned? In some writings, not a single word has ever been uttered regarding things done. From the very beginning, only defects have been mentioned. Some of these are harmful to the prestige of Islam; some are harmful to the system; some are harmful to, and are even affecting, the armed forces. I hope that these will not be repeated any longer. May God save you, our entire nation and us from these mistakes and not humiliate us in His Presence.

May God's peace and mercy be upon you.