Speech in Meeting with Officials and Administrators of the Country on the Eve of the Eleventh Anniversary of the Victory of the Islamic Revolution

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

Thanks be to God, the Lord of the worlds, and peace and blessings be upon our Master and Prophet, Abul-Qasim Muhammad, and his pure, chosen progeny, especially the remaining proof of God on earth. God, the Wise, has said in His Book: Say, I advise you of one thing: that you stand up for God.

This is a very comprehensive, sincere, and effective meeting. For a long time, I have wished to have a gathering with all the major officials of the country—the esteemed government, the esteemed representatives of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, the legislative branch, the high-ranking officials of the judiciary, the esteemed Guardian Council, the Expediency Discernment Council, and the major administrative bodies of the system. My intention was not to raise a specific issue in this large gathering for decision-making, but rather the very gathering of you dear brothers and sitting together, creating this opportunity for everyone to see and know each other, to be somewhat informed of each other's conditions, to ask questions if we have any, to make recommendations to each other, to present requests if we have any, and even to express grievances face to face, was the objective.

I believe that the great and strong Islamic Republic is the dearest legacy left for the nation and its people after the Islamic legacy of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him). In this system and collection, in this country and base, and in every movement and point of departure, each of us is responsible and has a commitment and duty towards this path. Today, we need these meetings, discussions, this kind of sincerity, cooperation, asking from each other, speaking to each other, expressing grievances, and empathizing with each other.

Our issue is not the issue of a person or a government and a few people; rather, it is the issue of Islam. What prevents us from remaining indifferent to the events that occur before us is the Islamic duty. What prevents us from not doing what we deem necessary, in word and deed, is the Islamic duty; because it is not our issue, but the issue of Islam. We are agents, servants, and obligated. That is why we are obliged to choose our path precisely. There is no difference between individuals. All of us, from the highest official in this system to the smallest official in the executive and judicial hierarchy and others, are responsible. This is the address of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) to all Muslims: 'All of you are shepherds.' Today, it is also addressed to all Muslims. This address is more alive for me and you than ever. Today, everyone must strive for the best situation and the best work: 'For that which is best.'

Therefore, today's meeting is intended for us to be together for a while. The program of the speech is not in its usual sense. Mr. Hashemi intended to speak for fifteen to twenty minutes; but I asked him to speak a little more extensively. The intention is not really to deliver a speech here. Speeches can be made everywhere; but the intention is something else. The intention is that we, as a group of friends, colleagues, and those who have been together for many years and have been together, have traversed this long and winding road and its ups and downs behind that strong, awake, and truly exceptional leader, and have been together in hardships, joys, victories, and defeats, now also manage this country together. This group must work together and be honest with each other. We want to recommend and emphasize this point and help realize it. I am not alone responsible in this matter; each of you is responsible. Such a gathering of the system's officials can be very effective and efficient in this regard.

And as for the points that came to my mind to raise, they are as follows:

First, the content of the verse I recited, and we understand well that this verse was in the mind of our dear late Imam throughout his life: 'Say, I advise you of one thing: that you stand up for God.' Years ago, I visited his writing in the memorial book of the late Waziri in Yazd. That late man took me to his house and, with details, brought out this writing that he had placed in a small chest and almost hidden in a corner of his house, opened it, and showed me the Imam's writing, which he had written in the 1940s, 'Rise for God.' The axis of the talk in his writing was 'Rise for God.' His broad and wise vision applied this 'Rise for God' in that era—just emerging from the Reza Khan's oppression—to the works that he deemed noble and that individuals should do and feel responsible for.

He had written one or two pages. That writing was not indicative of a spontaneous movement and it is clear that in his noble mind and throughout all stages of his life, 'that you stand up for God, in pairs or individually' had precedence. Thanks be to God, nothing remained hidden for all of us and the Iranian nation in the generalities of our Imam's life. Everyone saw that his movement, speech, and silence were for God, and everything he did was with the intention of 'Rise for God.' It was only this one thing that caused a miracle to occur at the hands of that great man—who was certainly at the rank of the prophets and Imams (peace be upon them). What has happened and the great global transformation that followed the Islamic Revolution is truly a miracle. This miracle happened at the hands of Imam (may his soul be sanctified), and Imam also, relying on 'Rise for God,' was able to do this work.

In evaluating the work that happened at the hands of Imam and relying on 'Rise for God,' it is better that I do not enter the discussion; because truly the matter is so great and there is so much to say that it is difficult to do justice to the speech. I will just tell you brothers who have read books and history that for many years the course of the world's movement has been towards distancing from spirituality and religion. For several centuries, the world has been moving in this way, and of course, this has reasons and is not something unknown or without cause. In the last two hundred years—that is, the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, which are conventionally the centuries of enlightenment and humanism and the peak of industrial and scientific advancements—the movement has been rapidly towards irreligion and separation from spirituality. Some of this course is natural; because the things that happened required it. Some of it was also deliberate and planned movement.

All the powerful apparatuses of the world have concluded that religion must be erased from the face of the world. Not that the name of religion should be completely eliminated; but the true and pure meaning of religion—although its appearances may be preserved—should be eliminated. True religious faith had to be eliminated, and how much money was spent and how many people, out of belief—and not treacherously—considered the elimination of religious faith necessary for humanity. They wrote books, did artistic work, made propaganda, used force, spent money to eliminate spirituality in the world—including in the Islamic world.

Then, in such a world where so much anti-spiritual effort has been made, in a sensitive point, a government and system based on spirituality and Islam emerges. This is not the entire miracle; rather, the beginning of the miracle and the emergence of this government and its ten-year establishment is that we have progressed moment by moment during this period. If anyone thinks that we have been stagnant for a moment in these ten years, they are mistaken. In these ten years, we have had progressive and evolutionary movement moment by moment. The establishment and evolutionary movement of this religious system over these ten years has opened all these reins and bonds that had preserved the global system in various ways and has disrupted all these situations.

Know that if the Islamic Revolution had not been victorious and Iran had not become the Islamic Republic, the communist systems would not have disintegrated so soon. Of course, it is true that one day Marxism and Marxist systems would be defeated, but that day was not now. That day might have been thirty or forty or sixty years later. The great transformation that occurred in the world was due to Islam and the Islamic Revolution and the emergence of spirituality. This is not a claim; this is an analysis, and I believe in it.

All the issues that arose in Eastern Europe and the entire Eastern bloc have their roots in the miracle of the Islamic Revolution. The start of this movement was in Poland, and only a few months after our revolution's victory, the Solidarity Union began its activities in an underground and secret manner there. Their dispute with the Polish government was because they wanted to perform their religious ceremonies, but the communist government would not allow it. At that time, in the Revolutionary Council, we discussed this very issue with friends and said it is strange that in a communist country and in a strong anti-religious system, such a demand is raised. Who really thought that they were so hollow inside? In countries where the dominance of ideological power and party organization is the strongest dominance over their system, suddenly such movements emerge from within them.

In Poland, perhaps, for example, thirty-some years, the system of irreligion had been dominant; but in other countries, fifty or sixty or seventy years had been spent speaking against religion, and they had made an atheism museum and gathered all things that signified opposition to God and meant the denial of God in one place for people to see and look at them!! In Poland, suddenly a labor movement called the Solidarity Union emerges, and its slogan is that we want to go to church; why does the government not allow it?! The Solidarity Union in Poland fought for this purpose for several years.

Now take this thread and see where this brick came out of the wall. We Mashhadis refer to this as 'the brick coming out of the wall.' You know that a collection of bricks that are tightly placed next to each other is very solid. Sometimes its solidity can hold a building on itself, but this solidity is as long as these bricks stand in line like this. If you remove one or two of these bricks from this wall, nothing remains, and its solidity is lost. This is the case. I say that what we see in the world today (the disruption of the world's bloc order) is the miracle of the Islamic Revolution and Imam (may his soul be sanctified) and the miracle of 'Rise for God.'

Did we, when people like us and you were in dark dungeons and cells and hidden houses and environments of exile, running and striving, believe in such a miracle that has happened today? In those days, there was a lot of pressure on us and people like us, and I myself was threatened by the regime from two sides and was being pursued for two cases. I had found a place to stay for a few days. I was moving from one place to that place. When I walked on the street, I likened my situation to that of a person moving on a smooth icy surface—like glass—and had to walk with utmost care, not sure that the next moment he would not fall hard to the ground and break his bones. We and all the brothers who were in the apparatus lived like this for years. Did we think that one day Iran, which is the stronghold of global arrogance, would turn into a stronghold of resistance against it? But you saw that it happened.

What we have before us today is a prosperous and complete Iran, envied by both friend and foe. They look at our country, industry, agriculture, government, and social justice with admiration. In your opinion, is reaching from here to that point more difficult than reaching from that point to here? No, in my opinion, it is much easier. Reaching from there to here, meaning turning the safe fortress of global arrogance into a stronghold against it—which today, thanks be to God, Iran is and will be—is much longer and more difficult and unattainable than the path we want to take today to reach that desired point—a prosperous, free, just, orderly, good, Islamic, vibrant, active, honorable, and dear country. This path is much closer and more attainable and feasible, and its tools are more available than that path. We can take this path; but its condition is 'Rise for God.'

We did not know either. We people did not know anything. We must admit that that divine man taught us 'Rise for God,' and where it was necessary to rise for God, he took our hand and lifted us. God had given him this power. My speech is that from now on, too, it must be 'Rise for God,' and we must work for God and speak for Him and act and criticize and praise and enmity and friendship and silence for Him and write for Him. Truly, set aside those things that enter into divine motivation; because they deceive us. Today is not a day for us to be deceived by our own selves.

If this 'Rise for God' does not happen, at most we will be drawn towards a normal situation in the world, which has no attraction for us. Suppose we become like Japan—no higher than that—or like a degree lower than that; still, when there is no 'Rise for God,' this collection has no attraction. When there is no spirituality, when there is no work for God, when the formation of an exemplary human society is not the goal, fundamentally effort and toil have no justification.

We must move for God and strive within the framework of divine goals. 'And for that let the competitors compete.' A person must strive, toil, and work; otherwise, his existence is useless. There are so many countries in the world, some prosperous, some ruined; but what we are after is the realization of divine values and goals. There are major values for us that we must pursue. We must secure the ideals and goals of the revolution with 'Rise for God.'

The values we want to strive for in the revolution and our work is for them have two bases: doctrine and people. Doctrine without people is not conceivable; because our doctrine is not one that can be separated from the people. This is a deception that we come and separate Islam from the benefit and multitude of people and say leave the people and their fate and cling to religion and God and Islam! This is the same distorted Islam. This is what Imam (may his soul be sanctified) fought against from the beginning of the struggle. Many good and learned people understood the Imam's words in this path, and of course, some of the ignorant and stubborn ones did not understand until the end, and still, some do not understand this truth. Islamic thought is not separate from being for the multitude of people and for the people. Anything you see that seems Islamic to you but is separate from the welfare of the people, know that you are mistaken in recognizing and understanding that it is Islam, or there is definitely a mistake in understanding that thing itself. Therefore, the foundation of our Islamic and revolutionary values is based on two bases: doctrinal and popular.

Here, I will present a few values that are among our main values, which all our efforts must be based on:

In the domestic political environment, one of the things that is necessary is 'social justice.' Without ensuring social justice, our society will not be Islamic. If anyone thinks that it is possible for the divine and true religion—not just the religion of Islam—to be realized, but in it, social justice in its correct and broad sense has not been realized, they should know that they are mistaken. The goal of the prophets is to establish justice: 'That people may stand for justice.' The prophets came to establish justice. Of course, establishing justice is a stage on the way and not the ultimate goal; but those who came, their first task is to establish justice and save people from the evil of the tyranny and oppression of tyrants and oppressors. The goal of the government of the Imam of the Age (may God hasten his reappearance) at the end of time is also this justice.

When you read the narrations related to the Imam of the Age (may God hasten his reappearance) and also the prayers and visitations related to him, you see what is emphasized: 'And you are the one who will fill the earth with justice and equity after it has been filled with oppression and tyranny.' The word 'after' is in only one or two prayers. I once said in Friday prayers that 'fill the earth with justice and equity after it has been filled with oppression and tyranny' I did not find anywhere. I said: except for two places, in the narrations, it is 'as it has been filled with oppression and tyranny.' One of those two places is an unreliable visitation, and the other, which is a relatively good visitation, does not have a correct chain of transmission. 'Peace be upon the complete and perfect peace,' there too it is 'after it has been filled with oppression and tyranny.' In all these narrations and prayers, the issue of the coming of the Imam of the Age (may God hasten his reappearance) is attributed to this that the great one will come and bring justice and equity to the world. The problem of the world is that there is no justice and equity. The problem of the world is increasing day by day.

Currently, there are transformations in the world's situation that, of course, we do not know what will happen in the future. The world's fate and its polarizations are still unknown. The East and West power that had balance and competition and rivalry with each other has been broken, and the East is no longer against the West as before. When there is no East, the West also no longer exists in that sense. Now it is not clear whose hands the world is in. Of course, the Americans are strengthening themselves more and more, and Europe is also thinking for itself; although today it is harder for Europe to think than last year.

Last year, around this time, Europe was thinking about a united Europe in 1992; but today this talk no longer has much meaning. All these great transformations happened in less than a year. Some of the cohesion of this united Europe was due to such an Eastern bloc and such an American. Today that cohesion is also gone, and the world is a world that still does not have a clear situation in terms of polarization and political reference; but among all these uproars, we see the flames of oppression and tyranny and the oppressive and arrogant system becoming more and more inflamed: 'as it has been filled with oppression and tyranny.' Now the world is filled with oppression and tyranny, and truly nations have no refuge. If we keep ourselves under the shadow of Islam, we can be a refuge for nations. Therefore, the great goal of the prophets and the goal of the uprising of the Imam of the Age (may God hasten his reappearance) is to ensure social justice. The first value in our system in terms of practice must be to ensure social justice. This important matter must be considered in all planning and actions and the like.

Another task we must undertake is to cleanse the society of three major enemies, namely poverty, insecurity, and illiteracy. Every backward society has three fundamental enemies that we must eliminate from society. We must plan and work and strive to eliminate them. Insecurity in a country—whether judicial, occupational, or civil insecurity—is contrary to the recommendation of Islam and is an anti-value. Work must be done to ensure it. Illiteracy and poverty are the same.

Fighting poverty is different from ensuring social justice. These two should not be considered the same. Social justice means establishing justice in society and eliminating all kinds of discrimination, a higher value and a different issue. Of course, I should also say that eliminating those three enemies or ensuring social justice is all within the framework of Islamic teachings.

Many in the world have tried to eradicate poverty, but what methods did they use? All the talk is about these methods. For example, they used the same method of socialism, but you saw that this method turned out to be wrong. Those who invented the method of socialism from the beginning perhaps—and certainly—did not have a bad intention; rather, they thought their work and path were correct. They said let's take all the capital from the people and give it to a government that distributes resources fairly so that capitalism is overthrown. They were unaware that the government is also made up of a group of people who have the same feelings as those capitalists. After a while, they even turned into something more harmful and useless than those capitalists.

You observed that this is the situation of Eastern European countries. That socialist country's leader who gave fiery slogans, his daughter used a golden scale to weigh her dog's food!! We do not care about the truth and falsehood of it. In any case, these words and statements indicate reality. Which capitalist in the world works worse and more filthy than this?! Socialism is like this. We can only eliminate poverty, establish social justice, create security, and eradicate illiteracy through Islamic teachings. Without Islam, we cannot achieve these goals, and our objectives will not be fulfilled.

Another value is that our foreign policy should be based on three principles: dignity, wisdom, and observing taqiyya—in those cases where taqiyya should be observed.

The meaning of dignity is that the Islamic society and system should not act in any of its international interactions in a way that leads to the humiliation of Islam and Muslims. Of course, being humiliated is different from being weak. Someone may be weak but not humiliated. There is a difference between these two. Those skilled in these matters can understand well.

Wisdom means that the Islamic system should act wisely and not move based on emotions and without attention to the necessary interests and benefits we should gain from relations with the world. The view should be completely wise and mature. It may be that we have to sit down and make a friendship plan with an enemy with whom we ultimately have a confrontation. This is wisdom. Do not think these are not from Islam; no, where it is appropriate, it is from Islam; just as the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) negotiated with many, including the Jews around Medina. Of those three tribes, he fought with one tribe and exiled two tribes: 'He is the one who expelled those who disbelieved among the People of the Book from their homes at the first gathering. You did not think they would leave, and they thought their fortresses would protect them from God, but God came to them from where they did not expect, and He cast terror into their hearts. They destroyed their houses with their own hands and the hands of the believers. So take a lesson, O people of insight.' You Muslims also did not think that these people would leave here one day; but they left. It was decreed that God would expel them, and you saw that He expelled them.

The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) made a treaty with the disbelievers of Quraysh at Hudaybiyyah. He even had long-term agreements with some disbelievers. That is, there was no motivation for conflict. This matter is also specified in the Quran itself: 'God does not forbid you from those who do not fight you in religion and do not expel you from your homes to deal kindly and justly with them.' Those disbelievers who have no issue or conflict or bad history with you and have not wronged you and have not expelled you, you can have good relations with them. Therefore, when we talk about wisdom, it means considering the interests of the Islamic Republic and taking into account all the benefits this system can gain from relations with those governments. We must move based on this.

When we talk about taqiyya, you might say taqiyya belonged to the time when a dominant government was in power, and we were also hidden and did not say anything out of fear of it. No, even then, taqiyya was not a matter of fear. 'Taqiyya is the shield of the believer': Taqiyya is the shield of the believer. Where is the shield used? The shield is used in the battlefield and comes into play during confrontation. So, taqiyya is in the context of confrontation; because it is a shield and a protection and a fortification.

Even then, it was like this. When we practiced taqiyya, it meant that we struck the enemy's vile body with the sword; but in such a way that he neither saw the sword nor the hand holding the sword nor its raising and lowering, but only felt its pain. Taqiyya was this. Those who practiced taqiyya in those days did so in this way. They secretly and away from the enemy's eyes, in hidden houses, with a thousand precautions and care, for example, prepared a statement that when distributed, completely discredited the regime. This action was like a sword strike that, when raised, hit the enemy's back and head. Therefore, we practiced taqiyya; meaning we did not let the enemy understand what was being done. Taqiyya was a shield, and the one practicing taqiyya hid behind the shield. This is the meaning of taqiyya. Now it gives the same meaning.

Currently, global arrogance has power, and you have goals and want to do things. There is no need for everyone to constantly announce from the platforms and compete that we want to do such and such a thing and then not do it!

One of the experienced and knowledgeable Muslim leaders I saw during my political work was 'Sekou Touré.' He was a very knowledgeable, experienced, and informed person. In several trips he made to Tehran and the numerous meetings I had with him, he was very fond of the revolution. Although he was weak and could not go his own way and make 'Guinea-Conakry' the way he envisioned and liked, and although arrogance had surrounded him in various ways, he was a successful and healthy person and understood correctly. He really loved this revolution and truly had devotion to the Imam from the bottom of his heart.

In the meetings I had with him, I heard words from him that were very correct. Of course, we heard words from many, but this was different from them. It should not be imagined that he said something to please us and we believed it. No, I have sat and talked and listened to many people in these ten years. Some people speak, but it does not go beyond their tongue; but some are not like that. This truth is discernible. Therefore, he was telling the truth.

Once he told me: 'You only have one flaw, and that is that you constantly say and raise all the things. Not all things need to be said. Why do you say it? What do you say it for?' Perhaps in the first year of my presidency when I heard this from him, I did not accept it from the bottom of my heart. I told myself that this world is not the world he imagines, that if we say something, the world understands, and if we do not say it, it does not understand, and our saying creates a problem. Later, experiences showed me that he was mature and understood.

Now I have the same belief. Some brothers, in places, think they are the only ones and therefore express and say goals and aspirations that the enemy exploits. We have had such words. You must be careful not to give the enemy an excuse. Now the world is an important world. In this regard, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and those dealing with foreign policy and the parliament and other parts of the government and some of the Friday prayer leaders are of primary importance. Therefore, the issue of 'taqiyya' is very important and must be considered in foreign policy work.

Another of those ideals is comprehensive independence. We must show and tell the nations that we can move towards independence and have comprehensive independence. This is one of the obligatory and necessary tasks.

The next point is the governance of the righteous. Dear brothers! If we ourselves are righteous and the government is also righteous, we can spread righteousness everywhere in the world and first of all in our own country; but if we are not righteous, no positive event will occur in the direction of the goals. Anyone who tries will have tried in vain. Therefore, I and you must be good. Being good does not have a complicated meaning. It means we must be religious and pious and not lie and not backbite and not be greedy for worldly wealth and not be fond of luxury and extravagance and not be malevolent and not make false claims.

The person of Imam (may his soul be sanctified) was a good person. His goodness was able to make all the realm of his presence good and radiant. When someone is good, his surroundings are also affected, and he makes his home and friends and country and world good. Imam (may his soul be sanctified) was like a lamp that illuminated everywhere; because he himself was illuminated. Even the enemies of Imam accepted his person in terms of asceticism and piety and disinterest in the world and truthfulness in claims.

Perhaps it is correct that we should say to ourselves the address of the Commander of the Faithful (peace and blessings be upon him) to Uthman ibn Hunaif—which Imam (may his soul be sanctified) also referred to at one time. 'Behold, you cannot do that': you cannot be that good, and we cannot be that good either. Then he says: 'But help me with piety and effort.' Have piety, avoid the pitfalls, and strive and exert effort. This effort will be accompanied by God's help. Brothers! Without effort and striving, a person does not become good. I wish we could hear these words from Imam (may his soul be sanctified). Now I have to say these words, while I am the most deficient and in need of hearing these reminders; but what can I do, my duty is to say these things to the brothers.

We must have chastity, be chaste, and be aware of the filthiness of our human nature. Brothers! This nature is very dangerous. Humans are like this, humans have slips. To keep oneself from slipping, the way is not to go to the edge of the cliff. If you have vertigo, why do you go to the edge of the roof? If you have shaky knees, why do you go where a person might fall headlong to the ground and be destroyed? Do not approach financial and power pitfalls and other various pitfalls. I do not want to name the multiple pitfalls here one by one. There are all kinds of pitfalls and filth. Be careful and watchful.

We must become righteous. The government is in the hands of me and you and everyone. Everyone is part of the government. If we become righteous, then the destiny that God has determined for the righteous will belong to us. 'But help me with piety and effort and chastity and correctness.' Watch over yourselves and practice piety. Brothers! If this immunity is not there, we ourselves will become our own enemy and the enemy of the system. Currently, while we are looking for the internal and external enemies of the system—from the bloodthirsty and criminal America to the groups and hypocrites—let us be careful that the enemy of the system is not standing where I and you are standing. I and you who have spent a lifetime working for God and hoped and wished to be killed and perish in His path, may God forbid, might turn into the enemy of this path. If we do not watch over ourselves, this possibility will become certain.

The next point is about the details of the first development plan, which our esteemed and dear President has spoken about and will speak about again, God willing, and others have spoken about, and you are fully aware of it. I just want to say that designing and perfecting and speeding up the program and following it should become a value. If one day someone considered himself obliged to act according to his own ijtihad, this should end and be eliminated. Ijtihad and personal judgment and understanding must be within the framework of the program—and not outside the program. This work should be considered a value, and deviation from the program should be considered an anti-value. If the program has a defect, complete it; but when there is a program, everyone must accept it as the framework of work. All government, parliamentary, judicial, and military bodies must consider this work a value, and a competition should start for the various parts of the program to be realized even earlier than the predicted time. One of the characteristics of the program is 'time,' which must be realized on time or earlier than time. Of course, there is much to say, and as the poet says:

If I were to explain this meaning completely

An eternity would pass, and this would remain incomplete

We hope that each of us, wherever we are, will be able to understand our duty, God willing. Now we are on the eve of the decade of Fajr, which is enough for our meeting in terms of occasion and blessing. God willing, we will hold this decade as best as possible, and wherever the gentlemen are and wherever they go, they should encourage the people to participate in the ceremonies of the decade of Fajr—especially the 22nd of Bahman, which is the day of public gathering and march; because this year our enemy is watching us, and many of our actions and words are under his scrutiny.

Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings