Statements on the Birth of the Prophet (PBUH)

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

I congratulate you on the auspicious birth of the great Prophet, Hazrat Muhammad ibn Abdullah, and also on the blessed birth of his esteemed son, Hazrat Ja'far ibn Muhammad al-Sadiq (peace be upon him), to you esteemed attendees, dear guests of this gathering, and also to the great nation of Iran and the vast Islamic Ummah and to all truth-seekers and freedom-lovers of the world.

The birth of the noble Prophet marked the beginning of a brilliant dawn in human life. With this birth, divine tidings appeared before the people of that era. The congress of the palaces of tyrannical kings was destroyed, the fire temples were extinguished, and the hollow and superstitious sanctities were eradicated by divine power in various regions of the world. This birth was the precursor to the Prophethood, and this Prophethood was a mercy for all the worlds; as He said: "And We have not sent you except as a mercy to the worlds." All of the world has benefited and will benefit from the blessings of this sacred existence. What we see in the advancements of humanity, scientific progress, various awareness, and the great discoveries that have emerged in the world is due to the emergence of the light of Islam in that remarkable historical period. And this blessing has been placed in the hands of the people. If humanity had greater awareness, deeper understanding, and recognized the Prophet and Islam and knew his message, today the page of human history would be different. Our ignorance, our shortsightedness, has held us back. Certainly, as history progresses and as human understanding and capacity for comprehension increases, this shining sun will reveal itself more; the benefit from this light of life will increase. And today we are witnessing signs of this.

Today, the world is overwhelmed by the heavy burdens imposed by material civilization and is seeking a way out. What you observe today in the Islamic awakening in some Islamic countries like Egypt and Tunisia is a sign and an example of the humanity's weariness. When the devils dominate the lives of people - the devils of mankind are more dangerous than the devils of jinn - the arrogant powers of the world interfere in the social lives of people, in their private lives, in their economies, in their understanding and insight, leading them astray, and life becomes a dark space, and this heavy and dark atmosphere is incompatible with human nature, and eventually, human nature awakens; this is what is happening in the world today. The Western world, which is enslaved by the wheel and the dominance of material power, is also overwhelmed today. If we Muslims could properly introduce Islam, if we could align our behavior with Islam, rest assured that the world would develop a universal and general inclination towards Islam. The weakness is within us, the fault is within us, and we are the first audience of the Quran and the message of the Prophet. We must reform ourselves, we must correct ourselves.

Today, thanks to Islam, nations have awakened; this awakening can be observed on the global level of the Islamic world. The first effect of this awakening is the expression of disdain for the presence of the arrogant powers in this region. The Americans, with their numerous advertisements, are trying to distance themselves from the massive movement of the people that is currently observed in some Islamic countries; however, this is not possible. These movements are primarily against the dominance of global arrogance over this region. What has humiliated nations is the dominance of global arrogance; what has caused Muslim nations not to extend brotherhood to one another, not to understand each other, not to combine their forces, and for the Islamic Ummah not to take shape in its true sense, are the plots and interventions of global arrogance in this region; this must be eliminated. Nations must free themselves from the interference and dominance of global arrogance and be saved; this is the key to solving the problems of this region. The afflictions of the people and nations, the afflictions of governments - governments that have distanced themselves from their own people, from their own nations - are due to the presence of arrogant powers, with the United States at the forefront. The remedy for the problems of this region is for nations to awaken, for governments to awaken; to remove the Great Satan from interfering and controlling the destinies of their nations.

The American Middle Eastern policies in this region have caused nations to oppose their own governments; a rift has emerged between nations and governments. If nations were to accompany their governments, no power would be able to dominate the countries; no power can resist against nations. What has happened today in some Islamic countries is the presence of nations in the region, in the arena of struggle, in the field of combat. When nations come to the scene, the blades of powers become dull. Powers cannot impose their will on nations. They impose individuals from their own close circles, mercenaries upon the people, and they oppress the people. When nations come to the scene, they strengthen their governments; if they accompany their own nations. This is the remedy for the problems of this region.

Today, the illegitimate Zionist government in this region is like a cancerous tumor that has afflicted the region with disease and calamity. All the efforts of global arrogance are to maintain this cancerous tumor in the region. The existence of this cancerous tumor in this region has become a source of war and discord and misguided policies in this region. In order to preserve it and maintain their base in the region, they exert all their efforts. This is what we observe today in terms of its effects and results, and that is the reaction of nations. When nations awaken, they do not tolerate this situation.

We believe that the movements we observe today in some Islamic countries are a reaction and response of nations to the long-standing humiliation that the arrogant powers have inflicted upon them. Today they have found an opportunity, they have come to the field.

The duty of religious scholars, political elites, scientific and academic elites is very heavy. Today, people in these countries need the guidance of these elites; whether political elites, scientific elites, academic elites, or religious elites. A heavy responsibility lies upon them. They must not allow the system of arrogance, with its various means, to appropriate this massive movement of nations, to steal the uprising of the people from them; they must be vigilant. They must guide the people towards the lofty goals that are the aspirations and ideals of every country. If this happens, the future of this region will be bright; the future of the Islamic Ummah will be bright.

We are a population of one and a half billion in the world and are located in the most sensitive points in terms of geographical position, in terms of natural resources and underground resources; yet others govern us, others determine our fate, others dictate the terms of our oil, others dictate terms for our governments. This situation must change, and undoubtedly it will change; today signs of it are being seen. This is the Islamic awakening, thanks to Islam.

Islam educates its followers in this way: "And those who are with him are severe against the disbelievers, and merciful among themselves; you see them bowing and prostrating, seeking bounty from God and His pleasure; their mark is on their faces from the effect of prostration"; this is the sign of the Islamic Ummah. These are the spiritual qualities that exist within them; that reliance, that attention to God, that remembrance, that humility before the Lord. This is the characteristic of nurturing a Muslim and faithful person. Islam nurtures such a person: humble before the Almighty God; merciful and kind to their faithful brothers; maintaining Islamic brotherhood; but standing firm against the arrogant, against the oppressors, like a solid mountain; "And their example in the Gospel is like a seed that sprouts and strengthens and grows upright on its stalk." This is the growth stages of the Islamic Ummah; it emerges, grows, becomes flourishing, and becomes solid. "The farmers marvel"; those who prepared this ground are astonished. This is the hand of divine power that nurtures such individuals. "To provoke the disbelievers"; when the arrogant enemy looks at this nurtured, developed Muslim person raised in the lap of Islam, it is clear that they become angry and upset. We must act in this way. We must build ourselves. We must align ourselves with the Quran. We must regulate our ethics, our behavior, with friends, with opponents and adversaries, with the arrogant, according to the Quran's program. The Almighty God has promised that those who act in this way will be rewarded, will receive a reward. This reward is both in this world and in the Hereafter. In this world, there is dignity, enjoying the beauties and divine blessings in this world - which He has provided for humanity - and in the Hereafter, there is divine pleasure and divine paradise.

This is the path that you, dear nation of Iran, have taken, are pursuing, are moving forward on, and with divine grace, you will continue on this path, and this is the path that, fortunately, today we observe that Muslim nations in various corners of the Islamic world are gradually and slowly moving in this direction. The Almighty God has said: "And the end is for the pious." If we make this piety our way of action, certainly the end and conclusion of the matter will belong to the Islamic Ummah, and this future, God willing, is not far away.

I hope that the Almighty God grants all Muslim nations, the Islamic Ummah, especially the elites and influencers of this Ummah, the success to maximize the blessings of the Prophet's existence and the teachings of the Quran. We ask the Almighty God to bestow His vast mercy upon our dear Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified), who opened this path before us, and upon the dear martyrs who sacrificed their lives on this path.

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