Speech

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
Isfahan: the center of knowledge and the great `ulama' of Islam
Isfahan has always been the center of knowledge. According to what I have heard, there have, at times, been seven thousand or more scholars and theology students in Isfahan which has produced very great `ulama' and thinkers. It is a center of knowledge even now; it has eminent `ulama' even now. I hope that the well-endowed and great seminary there will be the support of Islam and the promoter of Islamic precepts.
The grave duty of the clergy in the Islamic Republic
The seminaries ought to be very careful at this time and in the present situation which we are in with our enemies finding fault, especially with the learned people, the `ulama' and theology students. We must be very careful at this time- when they are under scrutiny and the object of attention- about any aberration occurring on the part of those in clerical attire as it is possible for Islam to be blamed. If during the previous regime, a clergyman; a person clothed in this dress did something wrong, it was not known whether it would be attributed to Islam. The people would say that the wrongdoer was deviationist, a SAVAKi or a courtier. With the government now being Islamic and with all eyes fixed on you, if, God forbid, any deviation occurs in the madrasahs, the committees, the law courts and other places, the blame will be laid on Islam. It will be said that it( the system )is an Islamic republic and that this is the Islamic Republic; it is what you see. Our duty today is, therefore, very heavy. Our duty today is to safeguard Islam's reputation. Our duty is to promote Islam and safeguard its reputation by means of our conduct, our words and actions. And if, God forbid, there is any deviation, you have to check it. If you notice anyone ignoring his duty of a cleric; his human-Islamic duty, you ought to disallow him from doing so. But if you are not able to dissuade him, you must put him aside. Everybody should carry out his Islamic duty. We should not give others the opportunity nor our enemies the excuse to corrupt us and then say that the `ulama' are either dictators or deviationists, or that they want to set up something for themselves. The issues of today are most important and differ greatly from the past. Just as the gentlemen are diligent in gaining knowledge, they should also be diligent in refining their morals, their actions, their beliefs and their moral virtues, because knowledge without( good )deeds and without piety is harmful in many instances. An `alim( a learned person )ought to be pious and have God, the Blessed and Exalted, in his thoughts so that he is able to train the community. He ought to be trained himself in order to train the community.
Expressing opinion regarding the Constitution
At this time that the Constitution is to be reviewed, it is hoped that each one of the gentlemen directly express whatever opinion he has, and then send it to the place where the views are collected. Sending them to me now is of no use. Send your views there, and bear in mind that you should just not sit by silently for others to express their views. Any defects in this draft ought to be mentioned; »1« they must be dealt with afterward. And more important than that is for you to bear in mind that deputies have to be appointed in the future to review the Constitution. So, be careful and appoint people that are religious, well informed, committed and who believe in Islam and this Islamic movement so that, with consideration to their judgment, an Islamic Constitution in all respects is prepared, God willing.
I thank all the gentlemen, the honorable elders, the scholars, the congregational prayer leaders and others, for having come here in this heat and are seated here in discomfort. May God assist all of you and keep you safe and sound. May He make everybody prosperous.
May God's peace, mercy and blessings be upon you.
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( 1 )Before the establishment of the Assembly of Experts on the Constitution, the draft of the Constitution was made available for the public to express its views and propose amendments.