Statements of the Leader of the Revolution in Meeting with Participants of the Global Conference of University Professors of the Islamic World and Islamic Awakening

In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

First of all, I welcome you dear guests from various countries, as well as our esteemed professors from our universities.

For about a year and a half now, numerous meetings and conferences regarding Islamic awakening have been held in Tehran; however, I believe that the conference and meeting of professors holds a special significance. This is because the creation of a thought, a discourse, a current of thought in society is in the hands of the elites of societies; it is in the hands of the thinkers of society; they are the ones who can guide the thoughts of nations towards a direction that leads to their salvation, just as, God forbid, they can lead them towards a direction that results in misery, captivity, and misfortune. Unfortunately, the latter has occurred in some countries, including our own, over the past seventy to eighty years.

There is a narration from the noble Messenger of Islam, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), which states: "The common people of this nation will not be reformed except through its elites." It was said, "O Messenger of God, who are its elites?" He replied, "The scholars." Therefore, university professors, the wise and scientific elites in any country can lead the movement of the people; of course, on the condition of sincerity, courage, and not fearing the enemies. If fear arises, if greed arises, if negligence arises, if laziness arises, the work will be ruined. If there is no fear, if there is courage, if there is no greed, if there is no negligence, if there is vigilance and awakening, then the work will be done correctly.

In the early days of the revolution, thirty-two years ago, in a very important matter, two others and I, who were members of the Revolutionary Council at that time, went from Tehran to Qom to seek the Imam's (may his soul be sanctified) opinion regarding that matter and important action. When we explained the issue to him, the Imam turned to us and asked, "Are you afraid of America?" We replied, "No." He said, "Then go and take action." We returned and took action and succeeded. If fear arises, if greed arises, if negligence arises, if deviant inclinations emerge, the work will become problematic.

Today, the world is facing a great event; this great event is the Islamic awakening; this is a reality. The Muslim nations and the Islamic Ummah have gradually awakened. Today, domination over the Muslim nations is not as easy as it was after World War I and during the long periods of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Today, if the arrogant powers want to dominate the Muslim nations, it is a difficult task. Awakening has entered the Islamic Ummah and has penetrated and influenced it. In some countries, this awakening has turned into revolution and has changed corrupt and dependent regimes. However, this is only part of the Islamic awakening; it is not all of the Islamic awakening. The Islamic awakening is extensive and profound.

Of course, the enemies are afraid of the term "Islamic awakening"; they try to prevent this great movement from being called "Islamic awakening." Why? Because when Islam manifests itself in its true form, in its real stature, their bodies tremble. They do not fear the Islam that is enslaved by dollars; they do not fear the Islam that is immersed in corruption and elitism; they do not fear the Islamic name that has no extension or conclusion in action and in the masses. But they fear the Islam of action, the Islam of initiative, the Islam of the masses, the Islam of reliance on God, the Islam of good opinion of God's promise that states: "And God will surely aid those who aid Him." When the name of this Islam comes, when a sign of this Islam appears, the arrogant powers tremble - "As if they were startled donkeys fleeing from a lion." Therefore, they do not want the title of Islamic awakening to exist. However, we believe that no, this is an Islamic awakening, a true awakening, and it has penetrated and extended; the enemies cannot easily divert it from its path.

Of course, we must conduct a diagnosis of the damages; this is the first point I want to convey to you. Analyze the movements of the Islamic world, the revolutions that have occurred in Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, and similar places that have succeeded; what are their dangers? Where are their problems? Why do we say that what has happened is undoubtedly Islamic? Look at the slogans of the people; throughout this period, observe the role of those who believe in Islam in the overthrow of corrupt regimes. If the believers in Islam and the large groups that have a place among the people and are deeply committed to Islam had not existed, these massive gatherings in Egypt and Tunisia would not have formed. The pressure that the people's movement and the presence of the masses exerted brought down the decayed structures of figures like Hosni Mubarak and Ben Ali. The people were Muslims with Islamic slogans. The role of the Islamists in the overthrow of these regimes is strong evidence that this movement is an Islamic movement. Then, whenever it was time to vote, the people turned to the Islamists; they strengthened them, they preferred them. And I tell you; today, almost throughout the Islamic world - there may be a few exceptions - if a good free election is held and Muslim leaders and politicians are in the field, the people will vote for them. This is the case everywhere. Therefore, undoubtedly, the movement is an Islamic movement.

Well, we said to conduct a diagnosis. Alongside the diagnoses, the goals must be clarified. If the goals are not clarified, confusion will arise, disorder will occur. The goals must be clarified. One of the most important goals of this awakening is liberation from the evil of the global arrogance; this must be stated clearly. To think that the global arrogance, led by America, might come to terms with Islamic movements is a mistake. If there is Islam, if there are Islamic principles, if there are Muslims, America will do everything in its power to eliminate them; of course, it will seemingly smile. The Islamic movements have no choice; they must define their boundaries. I am not saying they should go to war with America; I am saying they must understand what America's position and the Western arrogance is towards them; they must correctly identify this. If they do not make this identification, they will certainly be deceived and will fall into traps.

Today, the global arrogance rules the world with the tools of money, weapons, and knowledge; however, it is in a state of intellectual void, in a void of guiding thought. Today, the global arrogance has this major problem; it has no thought to present to humanity; it has no idea to offer and no way to show to the masses, to the elites, to the intellectuals. But you have it; you have Islam. When we have thought, when we have a roadmap, we can outline our goals, we can stand firm; in this case, their weapons, their knowledge, and their money will not have the impact they once had; of course, not that they will be ineffective. We must also think against them - if there is time, I will explain - but primarily, we must have thought, a roadmap, and an ideology; we must know what we want to do.

The goals must be outlined. One of the important goals that must be considered in these revolutions is that Islam should not be sidelined. Islam must be central. The thought of Islam and Islamic law must be central. They have tried to portray that Islamic law is incompatible with progress, transformation, and civilization. This is the enemy's claim; no, it is completely compatible. Of course, in the Islamic world, there are many who, with a spirit of stagnation, regression, and rigidity, and a lack of the ability to interpret, have managed to explain and prove this enemy's claim. These people are Muslims, but they serve those interests. We have such individuals around us in some of these Islamic countries; they call themselves Muslims, but one cannot observe even a little new thought, a new perspective, or a new understanding of Islamic teachings in them. Islam belongs to all times; Islam belongs to all centuries; Islam belongs to all periods of human advancement; it is responsive. The thought that can understand Islam's responsiveness to these needs must be found. Some do not have this thought; they only know how to excommunicate this one, to declare that one as heretical, while calling themselves Muslims. Ultimately, one may find that in some cases, they are in the same pen as the enemies' mercenaries! Let us make Islamic law and Islamic thought the center of our activities; this is also one of the goals.

Another important goal is nation-building. If in these countries that have revolted, nation-building does not occur, they will face threats. In these North African countries, we have an experience related to sixty or seventy years ago; in the mid-twentieth century. In Tunisia, a revolution occurred, a movement arose, people came to power; in Egypt, a revolution occurred, a coup took place, a movement arose, people came to power - the same in other places - but they could not build a nation; they did not build a nation, which led not only to the downfall of those revolutions but even those who came to power in the name of those revolutions turned completely around, changed their positions one hundred and eighty degrees; they themselves were ruined. This happened in Tunisia, this happened in Egypt, and this happened in Sudan at that time. Around the years 1343 or 1344 or 1345 in the Iranian calendar, my friends and I were listening to the radio of Sawt al-Arab, which was broadcast from Cairo - where the speeches of Gamal Abdel Nasser, Muammar Gaddafi, and Jaafar Nimeiri were being aired together. We were being crushed under the pressure of tyranny and dictatorship in Mashhad, but we were excited and enjoyed these fiery speeches. Well, after Nasser passed away, you saw what his successors did; you also saw what happened to Gaddafi; Nimeiri's situation was also known. Those revolutions themselves changed; they had no thought, nor could they build a nation. In these countries that have revolted, nation-building must occur; a solid foundation must be established. This is also one of the important issues.

Another important issue is maintaining popular support; they must not become disconnected from the people. The people have expectations, they have needs. True power is in the hands of the people. Where the people gather, where the people unite, where a united and aligned people stand behind the officials and leaders of the country, that is where America and even greater powers cannot do anything. The people must be preserved, they must be kept; and this is within your capacity; it is the responsibility of intellectuals, writers, poets, and religious scholars. Most importantly, it is the religious scholars who have a heavy responsibility; they must clarify for the people what they want, clarify where they stand on this path, clarify what the obstacles are, who the enemy is; they must keep the people aware and insightful, and then no harm can come.

Another issue is the scientific education of the youth. Islamic countries must advance in science and technology. I said that the West and America were able to dominate the countries of the world thanks to science; one of their tools was knowledge; they also acquired wealth through knowledge. Of course, some of the wealth was obtained through deception, malice, and politics, but knowledge was also effective. Knowledge must be acquired. There is a narration that states: "Knowledge is a power; whoever possesses it, conquers, and whoever does not, is conquered." Knowledge must be acquired. When you acquire knowledge, you will gain a strong grip. If you do not have knowledge, those who possess a strong grip will twist your hand. Encourage your youth towards knowledge; this is possible; we have done this in Iran. Before the revolution, we were among the last ranks of the scientific world, with no attention directed towards us. Today, thanks to the revolution, thanks to Islam, thanks to the Shari'ah, those who evaluate globally have stated and it has been published that Iran is now ranked sixteenth in the world in terms of science. This was just a few months ago. The very centers that made this statement predicted and said that within a few years - they specified until what year; for example, until ten or twelve years from now - Iran will reach a single-digit rank; they said fourth in the world. This is because the scientific acceleration in Iran is very high. Of course, we are still far behind the world. Our acceleration is several times greater than the global average, but we are still behind. If we continue at this pace, we will advance. This movement in the Islamic world must continue. Islamic countries have potential. We have good youth, you have good youth; there are good talents. Once in a part of history, the knowledge of the world was in our hands as Muslims; why should it not be like that today? Why should we not expect that in thirty years, the Islamic world will become the scientific reference of the world, where everyone refers to Islamic countries for scientific issues? This is a possible future; let us strive, let us work. All of this comes as a blessing from Islam and the revolution. The religious system has proven that it can have greater speed and acceleration.

One more fundamental issue - it is close to noon, it is time for prayer, and we must go - is the issue of unity. Today, I tell you: Brothers! Sisters! The tool that our enemies can activate and from which they derive maximum benefit is discord; the discord between Shia and Sunni, the discord among ethnicities, the discord among nationalities, and false pride. They are magnifying the Shia-Sunni issue; their effort is to create discord. You see in Islamic countries, in these countries that have revolted, they create discord; they create discord in other parts of the Islamic world; everyone must be vigilant, everyone must be aware. The West and America are the enemies of the Islamic world; this is how we must view their movements. They provoke, their espionage organizations are active; wherever they can reach, they cause destruction. In the case of Palestine, they have caused as much trouble as they could; of course, they have failed. We are moving forward, the Islamic world is moving forward.

The recent issue of Palestine is a very important matter. Between Gaza and the Zionist government, which claims to have the strongest army in the region, an eight-day war occurs; then, when they want to establish a ceasefire, it is the Palestinians who set conditions for the ceasefire! Is this believable? Ten years ago, if you had told someone this, who would have believed that one day between the Palestinians - not all the Palestinians; a corner of the Palestinians, Gaza - and the Zionist regime, a war would occur, and the Palestinians would set conditions for the ceasefire? Bravo to the Palestinians! Bravo! Bravo to Hamas and Jihad and the fighting brigades in Palestine, in Gaza, who fought and showed courage! This is courage. I, on my part, thank all the Palestinian fighters for their sacrifices, for their efforts, for their patience, and for seeing that "Indeed, with hardship comes ease." If we are patient, this patience will lead God Almighty to bring about relief. They were patient, they stood firm, and God Almighty brought about relief; this is a lesson; it is a lesson for them and a lesson for others. Do not underestimate this unity among Muslims; it is a significant issue.

The point that our Bahraini brother mentioned here - the silence of the Islamic world regarding Bahrain - is true. What causes some to remain silent in this regard, unfortunately, are these sectarian issues. That is, if a nation rises against a corrupt government, it should be defended; unless that nation is Shia - like Bahrain - then it should not be defended! This logic exists in some. These must be set aside.

The enemy must be recognized, the enemy's tools must be recognized, the enemy's tricks must be recognized; from where do they enter? We have taken a position in the case of Syria with this perspective. We do not agree with the shedding of blood from the nose of a Muslim; it pains us. We say that those who are dragging Syria into a civil war are to blame. Those who are dragging Syria towards destruction and brother-killing are to blame. All the demands of the nations must be resolved through conventional, normal means and without such violence.

We hope that God Almighty guides us all. We hope that God Almighty blesses your movements. We hope that, God willing, God Almighty leads these magnificent awakenings of the Islamic world to a bright and blessed future for the Islamic Ummah.

Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings.