In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
To esteemed clerics throughout the country, grant reference authorities of Islam, honorable teachers and students of theological seminary, and leaders of the Friday and congregational prayer- may their blessings last:
Salutations and peace of God and His Messenger be upon the pure souls of the martyrs especially the beloved martyrs of theology seminaries and the clergy! Benedictions be upon the carriers of the trust of revelation and the mission of the martyr-guards, who have shouldered on their red and bloody commitment the pillars of the grandeur and prestige of the Islamic Revolution! Peace be upon the ever-living epic-makers among the clergy who have written their intellectual and practical mission at the threshold of martyrdom with the ink of blood, and on the pulpit of guiding, exhorting and addressing the people they have made carbuncle out of the candle of their lives! Glory and eulogy be upon the martyrs of the seminary and the clergy who, at the time of warfare, severed the bonds of attachments to lesson, discussion and school, and took away the bond of yearnings to the world from the foundation of the truth of knowledge and the light-winged ones attended the banquet of the empyreans and have sung the song of presence at the gathering of the celestials!
Peace be upon those who in quest for truth, and became the sincere fear-strikers for their community and nation, whose drops of blood and limbs of torn bodies have borne witness to the articulate account of their sincerity! And, indeed, nothing can be expected from the upright clergy of Islam and Shi`ism except the fact that in the invitation to the truth and the bloody path of their people's struggle, they would offer the initial sacrifices and the seal of their life account would be martyrdom. Those who have comprehended the circle of remembrance of the mystics and the dawn supplication [du`a sahar] of the supplicants of the seminaries and the clergy have not seen anything but martyrdom in the ecstasy of their presence and of the gifts of black bosom of desires at the first winter solstice's night of life and signed the contract of union with God and martyrdom with the dawn of love. Condition of the negligent one who has not yet been brought into being from hiding men, how could I have an attribute existence from the attribute of the leaders of caravan? I and those similar to me, we can only hear the sound of bell from this caravan There is no doubt that throughout the history of Islam and Shi`Osm, the religious seminaries and committed `ulama'( distinguished religious scholars) have been the most important stronghold of Islam vis-a-vis onslaughts, perversions and deviations. Throughout their lives, the great `ulama' of Islam have strived to propagate the issues of what is religiously lawful [halal] and unlawful [haram] without any omission or commission.
If it was not because of the beloved jurisprudents, it would not be clear today what kind of sciences were imparted on the masses under the name of the science of the Qur'an, Islam and the Household of the Prophet. The compilation and preservation of the sciences of the Qur'an and Islam, the works and narrations of the Noble Prophet, and the traditions and life style of the infallibles (`a), as well as recording, classifying and expurgating them at the times when the facilities have been so limited, and the kings and tyrants were utilizing all facilities at their disposal to eradicate all works (traces) of the Messengership [risalah] and mission (of Prophet Muhammad) have not been an easy task. Thanks to God, today, we can witness the result of such efforts in blessed books and works such as the Four Books «1» and other books of the early and recent authorities in jurisprudence and philosophy, mathematics and astronomy, fundamental of jurisprudence and theology, hadith and rijal, commentary of the Qur'an and ethics, gnolicism and language and all the divergent sciences. If we would not label all these efforts and hardship as struggle in the way of Allah, then what shall we term them?
There are so many things to mention about the intellectual services of the religious seminaries that mentioning them is not possible in this short account. Thank God, in terms of sources and methods of argumentation and ijtihad, the seminaries are rich and innovative. I do not think that there is a more appropriate method of in-depth study of all facets of the Islamic sciences than that of the early `ulama' (distinguished religious scholars). The more than one thousands years history of study and research of the upright `ulama' of Islam bears witness to our claim in the fruitful way of laying the sacred edifice of Islam. For hundreds of years the clergy of Islam has been the support of the deprived ones. The downtrodden have always become quenched by the limpid fountain of the knowledge of the esteemed jurisprudent. Not to mention their intellectual and cultural struggles, which are indeed superior to the blood of martyrs in many aspects, «2» in every period they have endured hardship and pains in defending Islam and their homeland. Along with enduring captivities and banishments, prisons, injury, tortures and foul languages, they have offered worthy martyrs to God. The martyrs of the clergy are not confined to the martyrs of the struggle and war in Iran. Certainly, the number of the anonymous martyrs of the seminaries and the clergy is too many. In propagating the divine knowledge and laws, they have lost their lives as strangers at the hands of mercenaries and dastards.
In every divine and popular movement and revolution, the `ulama' of Islam have been the first persons who have drawn blood and martyrdom on top of their foreheads. Which popular-Islamic revolution we know in which the seminary and the clergy have not been in front of the garb of martyrdom, not undergone the afflictions of the world, and their pure corpses have not stood on the cobblestones of the bloody events toward martyrdom? On Khordad 15 and on the events before and after the victory, the pioneer martyrs have been from which stratum? We thank God that from the walls of the Faydiyyah (Madrasah) up to the horrible and isolated prison cells of the Shah's regime, from the alley and street up to the mosque and the altar of Friday and other congregational prayers leadership, from the offices and workplaces up to the initial line of the warfront and mine fields, the pure blood of martyrs of the seminary and the clergy has floriated the horizon of jurisprudence. At the glorious end of the imposed war the number also of the martyrs, disabled war veterans and those missing in action from the seminaries is greater compared to other strata. More than two thousand and five hundred students of religious seminaries throughout Iran have been martyred during the imposed war. This figure shows to what extent the clergy has been ready to defend Islam and the Islamic country of Iran.
Today, as in the past, the imperialist predators throughout the world- in Egypt, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Iraq, Hijaz, Iran, and the Occupied Territories- have been looking for the lionhearted clergy opposing the East and the West, and relying on the principles of the pure Muhammadan (s) Islam. Hence, the Muslim world is also a witness from time to time to the outburst of the world-devourers' wrath against a good cleric. The authentic `ulama' of Islam have never been subservient to capitalists, money-worshippers and khans, and have always kept this nobility for themselves. It is blatantly unjust for one to mention that the noble clergy advocating the pure Muhammadan (s) is one siding with capitalists. God will not forgive those who are spreading such lies. The committed clergy is thirsty for the blood of leech-like capitalists; they have never been nor will they be in good terms. With asceticism, piety and contentment, they have received their education. After attaining intellectual and spiritual positions, they have also lived in the same ascetic way, devoid of attachment to the glitters of the world; they have never acquiesced to favor and abjectness. The meticulousness and study in the lives of the early `ulama' speak of their poverty and ultimately, magnanimous spirit in acquiring knowledge- how they have studied under the candlelight and moonlight, and how they lived with contentment and dignity.
In propagating spirituality and jurisprudence, neither force nor asset of the money-worshippers and the affluent people is at work, but rather their skill, sincerity and commitment for their being anointed by the people. The opposition of the clerics in the past toward some manifestations of civilization has been merely out of their fear of foreign influence. The sense of threat of the spread of the alien culture, particularly the cliche culture of the West had made them deal cautiously with inventions and phenomena. The upright `ulama', who had seen enough lies and deceits of the world-devourers, were not relying on anything. For them, devices such as radio and television were prelude to imperialist penetration. Thus, sometimes they would issue a decree, prohibiting their use. Were the radio and television not responsible for presenting the Western culture in countries such as Iran and others? Was the previous regime not using the radio and television to discredit religious beliefs and disregard national customs and ceremonies? At any rate, noble characteristics such as contentment, bravery, patience, asceticism, quest for knowledge, lack of dependency toward the powers, and above all, sense of responsibility for the masses have revived, perpetuated and endeared the clergy. Is there any honor more sublime than the fact that the clerics, with poor facilities, have implemented the authentic Islamic thought in the land of Muslims. Have they not implanted the sacred bud of jurisprudence at the rose-garden of the lives and spiritualities of thousands of researchers? By the way, if somebody would think that imperialism have not and do not monitor the clergy with all these eminence, grandeur and influence, is this not simplemindedness?
The Satanic Verses, «3» is a calculated move aimed at striking at the root of religion and religiosity, on top of which stand Islam and the clergy. Certainly, if the world-devourers could only do so, they would have burnt the root and name of the clergy, but God has been always the guardian of this sacred torch. God willing, from then on it will also be so provided that we would recognize the deceit, trick and ruse of the world-devourers. Of course, this does not mean that we have to defend all the clerics because the surrogate, sanctimonious and intransigent clerics were and are not also few in number. At the religious seminaries, there are individuals who are engaged in activities against the revolution and the pure Muhammadan Islam. Today, posing as sanctimonious, some are undermining religion, revolution and system as if they have no obligation other than this. The menace of the foolish reactionaries and sanctimonious clerics at religious seminaries is not insignificant. The dear seminary students should not neglect, even for a moment, the thinking of these outwardly good serpents. They are propagators of the American Islam and are enemies of the Messenger of Allah. Should the unity of the dear seminary students not be preserved in facing these vipers?
When the( World )Arrogance was frustrated in effacing the clergy and the seminaries, it chose two ways to render a blow; one is the way of intimidation and force while the other is the way of deceit and influence in the contemporary century. When the weapon of intimidation and threat was not so effective, ways of influence were intensified. The first and most significant move is the induction of the slogan of separation of religion from politics. Unfortunately, this weapon has been so effective in the seminary and the clergy so much so that involvement in politics was considered unbecoming of a jurist and entrance in the arena of statesmen would bring about accusation of being affiliated to foreigners. Certainly, the combatant clerics have incurred more wounds from this penetration. Do not imagine that the accusation of being affiliated to the foreigners and the calumny of impiety have made by non-clerics toward the clergy; not at all. The blows of the wary and unwary mercenary clergy are definitely more effective than that of the non-clerics.
At the beginning of the Islamic struggle, if you would say that the Shah is a traitor, you would hear a reply that the Shah is a Shi`ah! A number of the retrogressive sanctimonious ones used to declare everything as unlawful and nobody could have had the courage to challenge them. The intense suffering that your old father has experienced from this group of reactionaries can never be compared to the pressures and sufferings brought by others. When the slogan of the separation of religion and politics became prevalent and when jurisprudence in the logic of the ignorant was equated with drowning in individual and devotional precepts and the jurist were also naturally not permitted to go beyond this limit not to interfere in politics and government, the folly of a cleric in associating with the people became virtue. In the opinion of some people, the cleric is worthy of respect and honor when he removes the folly from the totally of his existence; otherwise, the" political" cleric and clever and shrewd cleric were something else. These issues were prevalent in the seminaries in that anyone who was deviant was acknowledged as" more religious". Learning a foreign language was considered a sign of infidelity, and philosophy and gnosticism an indication of sin and a sing of polytheism. At the Faydiyyah Madrasah my child, the late Mustafa, drank water from a jug; they rinsed the jug with water because I was discussing philosophy! I have no doubt that if such trend continued, the status of the clergy and the seminaries would have become that of the churches of the Middle Ages. However, God granted favor to the Muslims and the clergy and preserved the true dignity and eminence of the seminaries.
The religious `ulama' (distinguished religious scholars) were trained in the same seminaries and separated their ranks from others. Our great Islamic uprising has radiated from the same ray. Of course, the seminaries are still associated with both ways of thinking and one must be careful for the idea of separation of religion and politics from the layers of thinking of the intransigents not to permeate the young seminary students. One of the issues that must be described to the young seminary students is this case- during the heydays of influence of the ignorant sanctimonious and illiterate simpleminded ones, how a number of people have resolved to do something and sacrificed their lives, honor and assets for the deliverance of Islam, the seminary and the clergy. The conditions were not like what is today; anyone who did not believe in the struggle would retire from the scene to the house under the pressures and threats of the sanctimonious ones; the propagation of the notion of the Shah as the shadow of God, or one cannot resist empty-handedly against cannons and tanks, or that we are not obliged to engage in jihad and struggle, or" Who will take responsibility for the blood of the killed ones?" and the most fragile of all, the misguided slogan that" any government prior to the advent of the Imam of the Time( `a )is illegitimate" and thousands of other in qultus were serious and life-taking problems, which could have been prevented through admonition, passive resistance and propaganda; the only solution was struggle and sacrifice of blood whose means God had provided. The committed ulama and clergy had prepared their bosoms in facing every poisonous bullet which would be shot toward Islam, and they arrived at the slaughterhouse of love. The first and most significant bloody chapter of the struggle was written on the `ashoura of Khordad 15. On Khordad 15,1342 [June 5,1963] it was not only facing the bullets of the Shah's guns and machineguns; if it was only so, it would have made the confrontation easy. Instead, apart from it, there was the bullet of deceit, sanctimoniousness and intransigence within our own front; it was the bullet of foul language, hypocrisy and two-facedness that would burn and tear the heart and life a thousand times than gunpowder and lead could do. At that time not a single day would pass without any event to take place; the obvious and secret agents of America and the Shah resorted to rumors and accusations, even accusing those who had the responsibility of guiding the struggle of abandoning obligatory prayers and of being communists and British agents. Indeed, the true clergy were shedding tears of blood in isolation and captivity as to how America and its servant Pahlavi want to take out the root religiosity and Islam, and a number of informed or beguiled sanctimonious clerics. A number of those affiliated (to the foreigners), whose faces became clear after the victory, used to pave the way of this severe treachery.
Islam so much has received a blow from these sanctimonious and pseudo-clerics such that it has not received from any other strata. Its obvious example is the oppression and alienation experienced by the Commander of the Faithful (`a), as is clearly recorded in history. Let it be so and I would not make the taste bitter more than this. Yet, the young seminary students ought to know that the case of thinking of this group is still open and the method of sanctimoniousness and selling religion has changed. Those who were defeated yesterday have become the political players of today. Those who were not allowing themselves to get involved in the political affairs became supporters of those who came forward to overthrow the system and stage a coup. The riots in Qum and Tabriz «4» with the collaboration of the leftists, monarchists and secessionists of Kurdistan are not the only example that we can cite; in that event we were frustrated but they did not relented as they staged the Nouzheh Coup d'etat; «5» again, God disgraced them. Another group of pseudo-clerics who, prior to the revolution, used to consider religion as separate from politics and used to frequent the royal court, suddenly became religious and accused of being Wahhabis and even worse than Wahhabis the beloved and noble clerics who experienced all those tortures, displacements, imprisonments, and banishments for the sake of Islam. Yesterday, the foolish sanctimonious ones used to say that religion is separate from politics and that resistance against the Shah is unlawful; today, they are saying that the officials of the system have become communists! Till yesterday they used to consider selling liquor and being indulged in fornication, debauchery, government of the oppressors as important and paving the ground for the advent of the Imam of the Time (may our souls be his ransom); today, on account of the fact that religious violation occurs in a certain corner, which the officials never want, they are shouting," Oh Islam"! Yesterday, the Hujjatiyyahs «6» had declared unlawful the struggle and in the midst of the struggle they tried their best to frustrate the protest on putting lights on Nisfu Sha`ban «7» to the benefit of the Shah; today, they have become more revolutionary than the revolutionaries! The Wilayatis «8» who, yesterday, have found the reputation of Islam and the Muslims in their silence and intransigence, broken the back of the Prophet and the infallible and pure Ahl al-Bayt in practice, and for whom the title of wilayah [guardianship] has been nothing but for business and pleasure. Today they designate themselves as the founders and inheritors of Wilayah and begrudge the wilayah during the Shah's period! By the way, from whom that the American, Russian and eclectic accusations, as well as the accusation of making lawful what is unlawful and vice versa, and the accusation of killing pregnant women and sanctioning of gambling and music would be issued? From the irreligious persons, or from the intransigent and foolish sanctimonious ones?! Declaring aloud the unlawfulness of fighting with the enemies of God, calling in requisition the culture of martyrdom and the martyrs, and expressing sarcasms and ironies regarding the legitimacy of the system are done by whom? Done by the common or specific people? Specifically by which group? By those who are apparently having turbans (`ammameh), or those who have no turbans? Let it be as too much has already been said. All of these are the product of influence of foreigners at the site and educational system of the seminaries; to confront these threats seriously is also so problematic and complicated.
It is no easy job explain the truths and realities and to implement what is rightful and just as much as we can on the one hand and, on the other, to be watchful for the helms of power not to fall into the hands of the enemies.
Although in our country there is no favoritism between the clerics and non-clerics in the implementation of justice, once a violator from among the clerics with good or bad records is to be seriously dealt with religiously and legally, the groups will immediately shout," Why are you sitting? The Islamic Republic wants to remove the prestige of the clergy." In case a certain person deserving amnesty is pardoned, they will propagandize that the system is giving unsuitable privilege to the clergy.
The beloved people of Iran should be vigilant so that the enemies could not take advantage of the system's decisive dealing with the offenders from among the so-called clerics, and not make the minds pessimistic toward the committed clerics by creating commotion through propaganda. They should consider it the proof of the justice of the system that no privilege is ever given to anybody. God knows that personally I do not entertain in my mind a speck of immunity, right and privilege for myself. If I ever commit an offense, I should be punished. Now, the question is what should be done in order to prevent the repetition of those painful events and to have certainty in cutting the influence of foreigners in the seminaries? It is problematic, yet what solution is to be sought? The foremost religious and divine duty is to preserve the unity and solidarity of the revolutionary seminary students and clergy, or else, a gloomy night is ahead of us and the fear of wave and whirlpool is so horrible.
Today, there is no religious and rational reason why the differences in tastes and understandings and even attempt to weaken the administrators would shatter intimacy and unity of the committed seminary students and `ulama' (distinguished religious scholars). It is possible that in his mentality and ideas, each person has criticism of the performances, management and tastes of others and of the officials but the purport and explanations must not deviate the minds of the society and future generation from the way of recognizing the real enemies and superpowers that are the source of all the problems and inadequacies, the secondary issues. God forbid, all the weaknesses and problems would be attributed to the management and responsibility, and as such, it would be interpreted as monopoly. This act is totally unjust and will eliminate the credibility of the officials of the system and prepare the ground for emergence of indifferences and indolence in the scene of the revolution.
I am of the opinion today that it was not clear that the most powerful individuals in the fight against all these conspiracies, enmities and war-provocations existing in the world against the Islamic Revolution could achieve more success compared to the existing individuals. I have to say that in a fair analysis of the events of the revolution, especially the events during the ten years after the victory, in most of the objectives and arenas the Islamic Revolution of Iran has been successful. With the help of God Almighty, we are not overpowered and defeated in any arena. Even in the war, victory belonged to our nation; the enemies achieved nothing in imposing all those damages.
Of course, if all the means and causes were at our disposal, we could have seen and achieved loftier and higher objectives in the war, but this does not mean that in our basic objective, which was to repeal aggression and to prove the dignity of Islam, we have been subdued by the enemy. Every day of ours in the war we have had a blessing from which we have benefited in all scenes. In the war, we have exported our revolution to the world; in the war, we have proved our being oppressed. We exposed the tyranny of the aggressors. In the war, we removed the curtain from the face of trickery of the world-devourers. We have recognized the friends and foes, we have arrived at the conclusion that we have to stand on our own feet and we undermined the pageantry of the two superpowers of the East and the West. We strengthened the roots of our fruitful revolution and gave expression to the sense of brotherhood and patriotism in each of our people. We showed to the people of the world, particularly the people of the region, that one can resist against all the powers and superpowers for many years. Our war led to the assistance of Afghanistan; our war will lead to the conquest of Palestine; our war made all rulers of the corrupt systems to fell humble before Islam; our war led to the awakening of Pakistan and India. It was only during the war that our military industry attained a growth. Most important of all, the perpetuity of the spirit of revolutionary Islam was realized in the war.
All of these were from the blessing of the pure blood of the beloved martyrs of the eight-year war. All of these stemmed from the effort of the dear mothers, fathers and people of Iran during the ten years of struggle against America, the West, Soviet Union and the East. Our war was the war between truth and falsehood and it continues; our war was the war between poverty and affluence; our war was the war between faith and meanness. This war exists from Adam till the end of life. How shortsighted are those, who imagine that, since we have not attained our ultimate aim in the warfront, all our martyrdom, valor, devotion, self-sacrifice and firmness are in vain! This is while the voice of Islamic inclination of Africa is from our eight-year war; the people's interest in the knowledge of Islam in American, Europe, Asia and Africa, that is, in the entire world, is from our eight-year war.
At this juncture, I do formally ask apology from the mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, spouses and children of the martyrs and disabled war veterans for the erroneous analyses these days. I invoke God to admit us in the company of the martyrs of the imposed war. Even for a moment we do not repent and regret for our function in the war. By the way, have we forgotten that we have gone to war to perform our duty and the result has been its offshoot? So long as our nation felt that it had the capability and the duty to go to war, it performed its duty. Blessed are those who did not doubt till the last moment- that time when the expediency of perpetuating the revolution was in the acceptance of the Resolution- submitted and have performed their duty again. Should they worry for they have performed their duty? We should not act wrongly in expressing opinions and beliefs just for the sake of pleasing some mercenary liberalists in such a way that the beloved Party of Allah would feel that the Islamic Republic is deviating from its essential positions. Would expression of the idea that the Islamic Republic of Iran has achieved nothing, or has not succeeded not end in debilitation of the system and taking away the confidence of the people?! Delay in achieving all the objectives cannot be a reason for us to deviate from our principles. All of us are bound to perform our duty and obligation, and not wait for the result. If all the prophets and Infallibles (`a) are responsible for the result on their respective time and place, they had not been supposed to go and say beyond the scope of their capability. To mention the overall and long-term objectives that have been feasible in their apparent lives. However, by the grace of God Almighty, our nation has succeeded in most aspects in which it has chanted slogan. We have witnessed in actuality the slogan of overthrowing the Shah's regime; we have ornamented the slogan of freedom and independence in our practice; we have watched the slogan of" Death to America" in the action of the zealous and heroic Muslim youth in occupying the US den of corruption and espionage; we have tested in practice all of our slogans. Of course, we confess that many hindrances have emerged along the way of action that has compelled us to change approaches and tactics. Why we have to underestimate ourselves, the nation and the officials of our country and sum up all talent and management of the affairs in the thinking of others?
I give warning to the dear seminary students to take lesson from the bitter experience of coming to power of the pseudo-revolutionari and the so-called brain of the community who have never been in good terms with the principles and objectives of the clergy. Be watchful of the insinuations of the pseudo-clerics and sanctimonious clerics and people. Let not their past thinking and treason be forgotten, and inappropriate sympathy and simplemindedness allow them to take key and destiny-making positions in the system.
Today, ten years after the victory of the Islamic Revolution, I confess as in the past that some of the decisions in the early part of the revolution on entrusting important posts and affairs of the country to a group that had no pure and real belief in the pure Muhammadan Islam, whose bitter effects do not easily go away. Although at that time I was not personally amenable to their coming to power, I deemed it expedient with the approval of the friends and agreed. Even now I hardly believe that they will be contented on anything less than deflection of the revolution from all its principles and every move leading toward the world-devouring America, while in other works they have skill except speaking and claiming. Today, I do not regret that they are not in our midst. They have been among us from the beginning. The revolution is not indebted to any group. We still suffer from the prick of giving our confidence on the groups and liberals. The bosom of the country and the revolution is always open to all those had and have to intention to return and render service, but not at the expense of their putting into question all the principles-" Why did you cry, `Death to America'? Why did you join the war? Why are you implementing the law of God in relation to the hypocrites and the anti-revolutionaries? Why have you chanted, `Neither East nor West'? Why you have occupied the den of espionage?" and hundreds of other" whys". The important point in this connection is that we should not propagate under the influence of inappropriate and compassions to the enemies of God, oppositions and violators of the system in such a manner that the laws and limits of God be put to question. I do not consider some of these cases as beneficial to the country. I believe that the enemies make benefit from them. To those who have access to the radio-television and the press as well as those who are uttering so much the words of others, I categorically declare that as long as I am around I will not allow the government to fall into the hands of the liberals. As long as I am around, I will not allow the hypocrites to eliminate Islam of these helpless people. As long as I am around, I will not deviate from the principles of" Neither East nor West." As long as I am around, I will virtually curtail the hands of the agents of America and the Soviet Union in all arenas. I am totally certain that all the people, in principles, as in the past, are backing their system and Islamic Revolution. Apart from the tens and hundreds of scenes of announcing their presence and readiness, on this year's Bahman 22 [February 11] march rally they also showed to the people of the world the veracity of their total readiness and really surprised the enemies of the revolution- to what extent they are willing to sacrifice. At this point, I consider myself embarrassed and more humble than that which I would praise and appreciate them. God will give the magnificent reward for all these sincerity, maturity and servitude, yet I advise those who are unconsciously accusing our noble and dear people of turning back from the principles what the revolution and the clergy should be careful and meticulous in speeches, words and writings, and not to attribute their inapt understandings and notions to the revolution and the people. The other issue is that today, confronting and disintegrating the clergy is to whose benefit? The enemies have long been ready to sow discord among the clergy. Negligence on it means spoiling everything. Now, let the difference be in any form; intense pessimism with respect to the officials might be high; the demarcation between the traditional and dynamic jurists, and the like. If the students and teachers of the religious seminary are not harmonious, it cannot be predicted who would be successful. If assuming the pseudo-clerics and intransigents became intellectually dominant, what answer the revolutionary clerics would give to God and the people?
God willing, there is no difference within the society of revolutionary teachers and students; if there is any, about what- about the principles or about the tastes? Have the esteemed teachers, who have been strong pillars of the revolution in the religious seminaries- God forbid- deserted Islam, the revolution and the people? Were they not the one who issued a decree on the illegitimacy of monarchy during the period of struggle? Were they not who, when a cleric apparently occupying the post of religious authority [marja`iyyah] drifted away from Islam and the Revolution, introduced him to the people? Did the beloved teachers not support the warfront and the combatants? If, God forbid, they were defeated, which force would replace them? Will the agents of (the World) Arrogance, who have consolidated the pseudo-clerics up to the level of marja`iyyah, make other persons have control over the religious seminaries? Could those who, during the storm of fifteen years of struggle prior to the revolution and the ten years of back-breaking events after the revolution, have neither worried for the struggle nor cared for the war and the administration of the country nor been touched by the martyrdom of the dear ones, and with peace of mind and tranquility have been engaged in the lessons and discourses, be the support of the Islamic Revolution? By the way, the victory which party and which current will the defeat of any party of the revolutionary `ulama' (distinguished religious scholars) and seminary students, the combatant clerics and clergy, and the society of seminary teachers ensure? Party that would emerge victorious is certainly not the clergy and if that party has to refer to the clergy, to which stratum and way of thinking of the clergy will they go? The difference, in whatever form, is crushing. When even among the forces faithful to the Revolution the terms" traditional jurisprudence" and" dynamic jurisprudence" are distinguished from each other, that will open the way of the utilization of the enemies. Factionalism will finally bring about dispute. Every faction chooses terms and slogans for the removal and ostracism of the other faction; one will be accused of leaning toward capitalism while the other will be accused of eclectic; to maintain the balance between the factions I have always given bitter and sweet reminders because I consider all as my own children. Of course, I have never been worrying for acrimonious argumentations on the branches and principles of jurisprudence, but I am worrying for the confrontation and altercation of the factions faithful to the revolution lest it should end up in consolidating the faction of the indolent destabilizing comfort-mongers.
I come up at the conclusion that if the clerics supporting the authentic Islam and the revolution do not move immediately, the superpowers and their servants will settle the issues to their interest. The society of seminary teachers should consider the dear revolutionary students who have suffered, beaten and gone to war as among themselves. They should definitely meet them and welcome their proposals and views while the revolutionary students should deem honorable the dear teachers supporting the revolution and treat them respectfully. They should altogether be a single hand in facing the incompetent, opportunist and destabilizing specter. They should make themselves more ready for sacrifice and martyrdom in the way of guiding the people whether the people and society are seeking the truth like in our period in which the people have truly been and will be loyal to the clergy more than what we think of, or are not seeking the truth like in the period of the Infallibles (`a). Yet, the noble nation of Iran must be aware that a sort of anti-clerical propaganda taking place is aiming at effacing the revolutionary clergy. At the time of vicissitudes and hardships, the legions of Satan approach the people, saying that the clergy is the source of problems and inadequacies. It refers to which clerics- the indolent and irresponsible clerics? No. It refers rather to the clerics who, in all the events, are closer than others to the verge of danger. Nobody is claiming that the people and the barefooted have no problem and that all facilities are at the disposal of the people. Obviously, the effects of ten years of blockade, war and revolution will manifest in all places and inadequacies and needs will surface, but I bear witness with certainty that if only non-clerical individuals were at the forefront of the revolution and decisions, today nothing would have been left for us except disgrace, abjectness and shame in front of America and the world-devourers, as well as deviation from all Islamic-revolutionar beliefs.
It needs to be mentioned that recalling some of the events of the revolution and the clergy does not mean that the dear seminary students and clerics have to demonstrate radical and revolutionary acts after this writing. The aim instead is knowledge and awareness of the points in choosing insightfully the way, and better recognition of the dangers, passages and ambush sites. But concerning the lessons and research in the seminaries, I am in favor of the traditional jurisprudence and Jawahiri «9» ijtihad and do not allow for infringement of them. Ijtihad is the same correct method but it does not mean that the jurisprudence of Islam is not dynamic; time and space are the two determining elements of ijtihad. An issue having a ruling in the past is apparently the same issue that a new ruling can possibly be found on the dominant relations of politics, society and economics of a system. It means that with precise recognition of the economic, social and political relations, the same earlier issue which apparently makes no difference with the one in the past has indeed become a serious subject, which naturally calls for a new ruling. The mujtahid should be knowledgeable of the issues of his own time. It is inadmissible for the people, the youth and even the laymen for their marja to say," I will not express opinion on political issues." Familiarity with the method of dealing with the tricks and guiles of the dominant culture in the world. Economic insight and outlook; information on the manner of dealing with the dominant economic system in the world, understanding the policies and even the statesmen and their dictated formulas, and comprehension of the stance and points of weakness and strength of the two blocs of capitalism and communism, which actually design the strategy of ruling over the world, are among the peculiar features of a competent mujtahid. A mujtahid must have the acumen, tact and sagacity of guiding a grand Islamic and even non-Islamic society. Apart from sincerity, piety and asceticism that the mujtahid must possess, he must be really a manager and efficient. Government in the view of the true mujtahid is the practical philosophy of the entire jurisprudence in all aspects of man's life. Government is the manifestation of the practical dimension of jurisprudence in dealing with all the social, political, military and cultural questions. Jurisprudence is the real and complete theory of administering man from cradle up to the grave.
The main purpose is how to implement the way we desire it the firm principles of jurisprudence in the practice of individual and society and how we could have answer to the intricate questions. All the fear of (the World) Arrogance emanates from this issue that jurisprudence and ijtihad would find objective and practical dimension, and bring into existence the power of confrontation for the Muslims. By the way, for what reason were the world-devourers so inflamed following the issuance of the religious and Islamic decree unanimously agreed upon by all the ``ulama' (distinguished religious scholars) concerning a foreign mercenary «10», and the heads of kufr (disbelief), the Common Market and the like have engaged in suicidal efforts and search? Is it other than the fact that the heads of (the World) Arrogance have been alarmed by the power of Muslims' practical dealing on understanding and resisting their wicked conspiracies, that they recognize today's Islam of the Muslims as a proud, dynamic and epical school, and due to the fact that the area of their wickedness has been limited and their mercenaries cannot be certain, as in the past, to defame the sanctities, they have been disturbed? I have said before that all the conspiracies of the world-devourers against us from the imposed war to the economic sanction and the like is for us not to say that Islam is the answer for the society and for us to definitely ask their approval for our issues and steps. We should not be negligent; verily, we have to move in such a way that, God willing, all the veins of dependency of our country on such a frightened world would be cut off.
The Western Arrogance might have imagined that as they would mention the" Common Market" and" economic sanction", we will be afraid and reconsider the implementation of the decree of God Almighty. It is so interesting and surprising that these outwardly civilized people as well as thinkers, when a mercenary writer will hurt the feelings of more than one billion Muslims through the stroke of his venomous pen, for some of them it does not matter if some of them become martyred in this regard, and this is exactly the catastrophe of" democracy" and" civilization". Yet, when there is a discussion on the implementation of the decree and justice, they will recite the elegy of affection and humanitarianism. We can obtain the rancor of the Western world with the Muslim world and jurisprudence from these very points. Their case is not the case of defending an individual; it is the case of defending anti-Islamic and anti-value current that the Zionist establishments, Britain and America have operated. Through their folly and haste they have put themselves in confrontation with the entire Muslim world. Of course, we have to observe how some of the Muslim states and governments deal with this great disaster. The fact is that it is no longer the issue of Arabs vis-a-vis non-Arabs, Persians and Iran; rather, it is insult to the sanctities of Muslims from the advent of Islam up to now and from today throughout history; it is the result of the foreigners' influence on the culture of the school of Islam; if we neglect, this is just the beginning of the episode and imperialism has so much in store of these dangerous vipers and pens for hired stories.
In such circumstances, it is not necessary for us to pursue extensive relations and links because the enemies would possibly think that we were so much dependent on, and interested in, their existence such that in spite of the insult to our religious beliefs and sanctities we remain silent and calm. They still believe so and analyze that we have to reconsider our policy, principles and diplomacy, that we have become rude and that we should not repeat the mistakes of the past. They believe that the harsh slogans or war caused the pessimism of the East and the West toward us, and finally, the isolation of the country. If we act realistically, they will also behave humanely with us and mutually respect our nation, Islam and the Muslims. This is an instance that God wants the publication of the blasphemous book, The Satanic Verses, to take place at this time, so that the world of vanity, arrogance and barbarity would reveal its true face in its old enmity to Islam so that we desist from simplemindedness, not to attribute everything to mistake, mismanagement and inexperience, and for us to totally comprehend that the issue is not our mistake but rather the design of the world-devourers in annihilating Islam and the Muslims; otherwise, the individual issue of Salman Rushdie is not so much important for them such that all the Zionists and (the World) Arrogance have to stand behind him.
The Party of God's dear clerics and people as well as the esteemed families of the martyrs have to be thoroughly aware that through these wrong analyses and notions, the blood of their beloved ones would not be disregarded. My worry is that ten years from now, today's analysts would sit to make judgment, saying that it should be seen whether the Islamic religious edict and sentence to death of Salman Rushdie has been in conformity with the principles and rules of diplomacy or not. They will arrive at the conclusion that since the declaration of the decree of God has had consequences, and the Common Market and the Western countries have taken stance against us. We should thus not be rude and pass by those who insulted the sacred station of the Prophet, Islam and the school of thought! In sum, without paying attention to the deceitful West and the aggressor East and devoid of the dominant diplomacy in the world, we have to rise up to realize the practical jurisprudence of Islam, or else, so long as jurisprudence is remained hidden in books and bosoms of the `ulama' (distinguished religious scholars), it is not harmful to the world-devourers. So long as the clergy has no active involvement in all issues and problems, it cannot realize that the current ijtihad is not enough in administering the society. The seminaries and the clergy should always have at their disposal the pulse of thinking and future need of the society. They should always be ready for some steps of appropriate reaction ahead of the events. So, many existing methods of administering the affairs of the people would change in the coming years. Human society would find the need for the new issues of Islam in order to solve its problems. The honorable `ulama' of Islam should think of this subject from now on.
The last point, attention to which is necessary, is that the clerics, `ulama' and seminary students should consider judicial and administrative works as sacred affair and divine value for themselves. They should believe in their personality and merit and should not just stay in the seminary but rather simply leave the seminary in order to implement the decree of God and occupy posts in the Islamic government. If a seminary student sees vacancy for the post of Friday and congregational prayer leader or of judging on the affairs of the people and has the administrative ability but would not assume responsibility under the pretext of lesson and discourse or being fond of ijtihad and lesson, he would surely be called to account in the Presence of God Almighty. His excuse would never be accepted. If we do not render service to the system today and overlook the people's unprecedented acceptance of the clergy, we would never have another opportunity and circumstances better than this. I hope that we have not been hurt by the friendly advices and reminders of this old father and humble servant of yours. At the time, when prayers are accepted, with your sacred spirits and radiant hearts, you would pray and ask forgiveness for me. I am not also negligent of praying benevolently for the true clergy and the religious seminaries.
O God! Increase the ability of the `ulama' and the clergy in serving Your religion. O God! Perpetuate forever the religious seminaries- this fortress for guarding jurisprudence and the authentic Islam. O God! Shower the martyrs of the clergy and the seminaries with boundless grace and bounties of Your Presence. O God! Endow health to their disabled veterans and patience and recompense to the families of the martyrs. Let the missing in action and prisoners of war return to their homeland as soon as possible. O God! Increase in our hearts and sights the value of rendering service to Your religion and the people, and show forever that" Verily, You are the Owner of grace". May God's peace, mercy and blessings be upon you.
Rouhullah al-Mousawi al-Khomeini
Esfand 3,1367 AHS