Statements on the Anniversary of the 19th of Dey Uprising in Qom

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

Welcome, dear brothers and sisters; we thank each of you for taking this path and filling this Hussainiyah with your warm and sincere presence, a testament to the sincerity and affection we have always observed in the brothers and sisters of Qom.

I thank God and am pleased that this meeting occurs shortly after my trip to Qom, where the dear people of Qom, the youth of Qom, men and women of Qom, demonstrated their commitment and loyalty to Islam, to the faith, to the Islamic system, and their insight in such a way that even the enemies of the Iranian nation could not remain silent and acknowledged it.

The reactions of the enemies can always indicate the significance of actions; this is one way to discern the importance of matters, actions, and topics. If you imagine walking down the street and someone lightly bumps into you, you do not react; however, if they attack you with a fist, a hand, or a weapon, you will react, showing movement. This indicates that the action taken against you in the first instance is trivial, not worthy of attention; in the second instance, it is significant. Reactions can determine the greatness of actions or their insignificance.

Throughout the events of the revolution, whether major issues, minor issues, daily incidents, or ongoing significant matters, one can see this principle in action. The very reaction against the revolution and the establishment of the Islamic Republic in the world of infidelity and global arrogance indicates the magnitude of the matter.

From the very first day of the establishment of the Islamic Republic, the institutions wielding global power, wealth, weapons, propaganda, and media began coordinated actions against this system, indicating that this event is of great significance to the perpetrators of oppression and global arrogance and is intolerable for them. This is indeed the case; because Islam is the religion of justice, Islam is the religion of humanity, Islam is the religion of opposing injustices and oppression. Those whose very existence is rooted in oppression, whose essence is injustice, whose philosophy is to suppress human beings and their emotions, are naturally terrified of the presence of Islam, become fearful, and confront it. This is the reason for the opposition to the Islamic Republic. Of course, excuses are fabricated; every so often, they create a pretext; but the truth of the matter is this.

Islam and the Islamic Republic presented a new path to humanity; a new movement to nations; it showed that a nation, despite lacking such weapons, despite lacking material resources, can resist the mightiest governments in the world, stand firm, not submit to them, pursue its own path, and raise the banner of justice and fairness, raise the banner of humanity. This is something new in the modern world; you opened this door. This is true in all the various matters of the revolution.

Regarding you, the people of Qom, the sensitivity among the enemies of the country and the enemies of the revolution is very high. They are vehemently opposed to Qom, the Qomites, the seminary, the youth of Qom, and the spirit of the people of Qom; why? Because they have received a blow from Qom. Global arrogance, the anti-Islam front, the anti-Iranian front has been struck by Qom. One of the instances of this blow is the 19th of Dey. The people of Qom felt their duty earlier than others, recognized the situation, felt the responsibility, and came to the field; this is very important. Both recognizing the situation is crucial—it requires insight—and feeling a sense of duty is important; it requires a spirit of commitment and faith for one to feel a sense of duty. Some see the shocking events, see the enemy's plans; however, they do not feel a sense of duty, they do not move. Some see that the enemy is mobilizing. Well, when the enemy mobilizes, we must also feel a sense of duty in response; this is a necessity of commitment, a necessity of faith. Some do not have this feeling. Of course, in the dear Iranian nation, this spirit existed, was strengthened by the Islamic movement and the Islamic uprising, became rooted, and manifested itself in the revolution; however, there were various places. The people of Qom were at the forefront. On the 19th of Dey, they felt their duty and entered the field. Well, the field was not an easy one—it was a difficult field—facing bullets, facing the brutal suppression of the police and security apparatus of the tyrannical regime, showing no mercy; yet, the people of Qom entered the field.

This insight, this sense of duty, this presence in the field was a strong blow to the enemies; it was this that suddenly echoed back from Tabriz, rose from Yazd, and emerged from other cities; thus, this great movement, the groundwork of which was prepared by our great Imam over several years, came into being; this is the blow. When the enemy receives a blow, they harbor resentment and retaliate. Now, as we want to evaluate ourselves, we must calculate. When the enemy shows its teeth fiercely against us, we must feel that our capabilities are high; we can strike this enemy.

The very movement that the dear people of Qom undertook during my brief visit, the seminary undertook, the scholars undertook, the youth undertook, was a blow to the enemy; it hurt them. They showed that in the face of this display of power, this insight, this comprehensive presence of the people, they are vulnerable; this is a lesson for us, the Iranian nation.

Wherever we have been able to understand correctly, to discern correctly—that is, the same insight—and following that, we felt a sense of duty, a sense of commitment and responsibility, and entered the field, victory has been with us; "When you enter it, you will be victorious." (1) When you enter the field of confrontation with faith and insight, victory is with you, you are the winners; why? Because your opponent lacks faith, lacks religion, lacks deep spiritual motivation. Those who are the field agents for them are mercenaries, deceived; the very planners and stage directors are also faithless people. When you enter the field with faith, you are the winners; this is an experience for the Iranian nation.

Over these thirty-one years, the Iranian nation has been able to achieve great things with this experience; it has been able to elevate itself in terms of material criteria—these scientific advancements, these technological advancements, this constant employment throughout the country are signs of material progress—and it has also been able to elevate itself to a high and noble spiritual level. We have seen divine signs, we have seen signs of God's assistance. Previously, we read about divine assistance and the support of God's power only in books; today we feel it in the scene, we touch it; just as our great Imam felt it and told me. His heart was assured because he saw the hand of divine power.

The Iranian nation has felt divine assistance, divine support in various fields; when it is in the scene, when it is ready for struggle; in the imposed war in one way, in various matters in another way, in political movements and in seditions in another way. In the sedition of 2009, the hand of divine power was present; the people awakened, the people entered the scene, and thwarted a great movement.

There is still much to analyze and clarify regarding the angles and dimensions of this sedition that the enemy had designed. The enemy had made very precise calculations; however, well, their calculations turned out to be wrong; they did not understand the Iranian nation. The enemy, behind the scenes, observed everything. Those whom you call the leaders of the sedition were those whom the enemy pushed into the scene. Of course, they sinned. One should not become a plaything of the enemy; one must immediately understand the situation. If one has been negligent at first, when they realize in the midst of the work, they must immediately change course. Well, they did not. The main agents were others who had designed it, thinking they had calculated. In their imagination, the Islamic Republic was to be dismantled; not only the truth of religion but even religious slogans would not remain; this was the plan. The design was that if they could arrange the government according to their desired form, then afterward, their path of action would be clear; if the government and state were not arranged according to their wishes and it was not possible for them, they would plunge the country into chaos; in their imagination—I once said—they would create a caricature of the Islamic revolution; like shadows that imitate the movement of a hero, they would mimic the heroes, mimic the revolution; this was their program. The Iranian nation struck back at them and dismantled their plans.

Today, the revolution, the Islamic Republic, the Iranian nation, the correct line of religion in this country is much stronger and clearer than before the events of last year. The reason is this: the Almighty God gives a grade for every test He administers. When in a test, someone, a group, a nation passes, the Almighty God gives them a grade; this grade is that He elevates them. Divine tests are like this. Just as if we perform poorly in a test and fail, the Almighty God gives a failing grade, and that failure is a decline and degradation—humans become worse than they were—so too in passing, it elevates nations.

In one period, people failed a test; they shed the blood of Amir al-Mu'minin in the prayer niche. Well, that was a bad test. Why should the state of a society reach a point where someone like that embodiment of justice, spirituality, and monotheism is killed by the most wicked of people? This indicates a bad test that the people failed. When they took this test, they failed; thus, God brought them down; their situation reached a point where they killed Hussein ibn Ali before their eyes!

When you perform well in a test, God elevates you. Today, the line of Islam, the line of faith in God, the line of revolution in the country and among the nation is much stronger, more pronounced, and higher than it was before this sedition. Why? Because the people passed the test well. This is the divine grade. This has become our guideline. In all matters, we must act this way. We must see correctly, measure correctly, calculate correctly. We must be careful not to make mistakes in discernment; we must not confuse principal matters with subsidiary matters; we must not underestimate significant events and important incidents while overestimating minor events; we must discern correctly. This is the first step. Then we must feel responsible. A living nation, its pure life is like this. The pure life that the Almighty God has promised to the believers—"And We will surely give them a good life" (2)—means this; it means moving and progressing day by day in various tests. Those who pass away during this path reach divine communion, attain high levels of happiness; those who remain also continue to make spiritual and material progress in the world. Material progress is also present.

The Iranian nation has embarked on a path, has succeeded in many tests. The test of the imposed war was a significant test; the nation triumphed in this test. Not only victory in war—which was important—but more importantly, victory in spiritual and divine criteria; because it demonstrated its patience, its self-sacrifice, its insight, its dedication, its readiness to move in the path of God. The Almighty God has elevated and raised this nation until today. After this, it will continue to be so. The enemies who confront the Iranian nation do not understand and do not comprehend these truths.

Today, the Iranian nation is powerful in its domestic policies; it is powerful in its foreign policies; it is influential in the region; it is influential in important global issues; these are realities, these are truths. The enemy seeks to enter through all these avenues to confront the Iranian nation, to prevent it, to create obstacles; however, they will not succeed. The enemy wants to create economic problems for the people, to trouble the officials of the country; these sanctions and the rhetoric you hear. Well, they could not. In foreign matters, they try to scare countries, governments, and nations away from Iran. All this extensive propaganda regarding human rights, regarding nuclear energy, regarding the imaginary atomic bomb, which the Americans are doing, the Zionists are doing, and the Europeans are following them, some miserable and wretched governments are also following them, is to corrupt the world's and the region's mindset regarding the Iranian nation; however, they have not succeeded. The reason for their failure is that today, in our own region, America has failed in the Palestinian issue, has failed in Lebanon, has failed in Afghanistan, has failed in Iraq. When did they fail? From the correct policies of nations. They say that in these various regional matters, Iran is on the opposing side. It is not Iran. The Islamic Republic of Iran's influence is a spiritual influence. Yes, the power of the Islamic Republic awakens nations; there is no doubt about that. The result of this is that a government comes to power in Iraq that the Americans are trying with all their might to prevent from coming to power, but due to the awakening and awareness of the people, it comes to power. This is the influence of the Islamic Republic. It is the same in other places.

We will continue this path. We have recognized the peaks; we know where we want to move; "So that you may be witnesses over the people." (3) This path is one that must lead our nation to pure and complete Islam; in which lies the goodness of this world and the hereafter. The pure life of this world and the hereafter is in complete Islam. We are still at the beginning of the path. We have many shortcomings. We are far from that complete Islam. This is our path. We have recognized these peaks; God willing, God has shown us the way; the determination and will of the Iranian nation and the officials of the country to move on this path is a good determination and will, a strong determination and will.

Of course, we must be vigilant. Everyone must be vigilant. We do not want and should not place a soft pillow under our heads, sing lullabies to ourselves; constantly say the enemy has been defeated, the enemy is weak, we are strong; this should not lull us to sleep. We must be vigilant; just as Amir al-Mu'minin said: "And indeed, the brother of war is the most alert, and he who sleeps is not free from it." (4) When there is a confrontation, you must be alert. The confrontation is not at our discretion. The enemy wants to have a confrontation; now it may be a political confrontation, a security confrontation, an economic confrontation. Not all confrontations are military. When there is a confrontation, one must be alert. The youth must be alert, the clergy must be alert, the university must be alert, the officials of the country must be alert. The vigilance of the officials is to serve the people as much as they can, to work; and to maintain this unity—which is like a thorn in the eyes of the enemies—as much as possible.

God willing, may you be successful and supported. O Lord! Bestow upon these dear people from the fountain of Your grace and blessings. O Lord! Make us steadfast on this path. O Lord! Unite the pure souls of the martyrs and the pure spirit of our great Imam with Your saints.

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