Statements in Meeting with Various Groups of Qom People on the Occasion of the Arrival of 19th of Dey (Anniversary of Qom Uprising)

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

First, I extend a warm welcome to you, dear, brave, and aware brothers of Qom, who have always been at the forefront of the Iranian nation's struggles. From here, I send my devotion and greetings to all the people of Qom and its various sectors.

To construct a building, one must first lay its strong foundations. The larger, heavier, and more enduring the building, the stronger and more unbreakable its foundations must be. If we liken the struggle of the Iranian nation, which began decisively in 1977 and led to victory, and has now continued for nearly eleven years, to a lofty and solid structure, the strong, unbreakable, and enduring foundations of this solid structure were laid in Qom. You were the ones who spread the message of blood and uprising first throughout the country and then to the horizons of the world.

Qom was a divine reserve for Islam. Approximately seventy years ago, the seminary of Qom was established by a great and chosen man among God's chosen ones, the late Ayatollah Haeri, and this seminary became a center for all seekers. About forty years after this date, the Islamic movement flared up from Qom, and one of the students of that great man's school, our exceptional historical figure, leader, and late Imam, Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified), raised the flag of Islamic struggle in Qom.

If you look with a historical eye, it seems that the Qom seminary had a very early and blessed fruit. That is, from the time the seminary's foundation was laid until it practically and earnestly entered the field, it took forty years, which is a short time in the life of a nation. From the start of this movement until today, nearly thirty years have passed, and you can see what the state of Islam, the Quran, and Islamic values is in the world.

The group that hosted this seminary, supported it, accepted it into their homes, took the students as their children and brothers, and when the movement began, sheltered the initial soldiers of this movement, the students of Qom, and when it was decided that the movement should peak, they sacrificed the first victims in this path, were the people of Qom. This cannot and should not be forgotten in the history of our country and revolution. This is not because we are speaking to the people of Qom, but because it is a valuable and sacred truth that must remain as a clear line in the revolution and be documented in the history of the revolution.

The lesson we must learn from this truth is that the people of Qom, just as they accepted this blessed tree from the first day, supported it, protected and defended it, and when necessary, took the first step in the great Islamic jihad, and just as after the revolution's victory, whether in war, in the political arena, or in all other events, they were always at the forefront, they should maintain this position for themselves in the future.

Qom must always remain that roaring sea in which any opposing current dissolves. It must always be that blessed river that exports its Islamic effects and blessings throughout the Islamic homeland and beyond. Qom is the center of the revolution and Islam because it is the center of the seminary and great scholars and the nurturing ground for individuals who can guide the revolution, the country, and the nation at various levels. You, the people, youth, men, and women of Qom, and you, the Hezbollahis of this city, must always preserve the spirit of guarding these values with the same enthusiasm and sincerity you have always had.

One point regarding the general duties of the nation must be considered, and that is, what was the goal of us, the Muslim nation of Iran, who moved and revolted behind our great Imam, and the people gave their lives and blood and endured hardships and sufferings? The goal of all these great events, which have progressed with divine guidance from the first day until today, was to realize the Islamic pure life in this country and in this house of Islam.

We wanted to make the radiant sun of Islam shine amidst the darkness of the 20th-century ignorance. We wanted to show humanity the life-giving school and the path of healthy, desirable, and sweet living when generations of humans became disillusioned with various schools—from the vile Western capitalism to the atheist Eastern communism—and that is the Islamic pure life. Almost throughout these eleven years, wherever and in whatever part we advanced in the path of Islam, life became sweet in that part, and wherever we did not succeed in moving towards Islam, life remained hard, narrow, and bitter in that part.

Islamic life is the pure life. The pure life means a life that sweetens the human palate and makes one feel peace and comfort with it. We have approached Islam in establishing the Islamic system, government, and authority, and we have observed the values to the extent possible in rulers and leaders. In this part, life has become sweet to that extent.

In the past and today, everywhere in the world, arrogant and domineering rulers are separate from the people and work for themselves, pursuing their personal interests. We had seen this reality in our country during the previous regime. Today, we see this reality in many parts of the world, if not everywhere. Today, this phenomenon does not exist in Iran. Today, the rulers and officials of our country's affairs, those whose hands hold major responsibilities, are pure, from the people, with the people, pious, and God-conscious. In this part, to the extent that we have approached Islam, people feel peace and comfort.

We have approached Islam slightly in the field of distancing people from immorality and corruption. Our youth have attained spiritual and mental health and well-being and have been freed from emptiness, moral corruption, doubts, and disillusionments of life. In various economic fields, in those parts where Islamic policies were implemented, we have approached Islam, and in those parts, people feel peace and comfort. Wherever we did not enter the stage of Islam and the Islamic category, people have the same difficult life and unpleasant situation there. Those who are inclined to analysis, reasoning, and discussion should list them so that it becomes clear to the people.

We must reach the source of Islam so that life becomes entirely sweet. The Holy Quran says: "Those who, if We establish them in the land, establish prayer, give zakat, enjoin what is right, and forbid what is wrong." I want to remind you and the Iranian nation of this forgotten duty of Islam: enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong. All individuals must consider it their duty to command good and forbid evil. This will guarantee the pure life in the Islamic system. Let us act to see its effects. Enjoining what is right has a stage of saying and a stage of action. The stage of action means taking action with hand and force. This stage is today the responsibility of the government and must be done with the government's permission and no other way. But saying with the tongue is obligatory for everyone, and everyone must do it without consideration.

There was a time when if someone committed a wrongdoing and another objected, the ruling system would crush that objection. We had seen that if a sin was committed, the sinner was encouraged, but the objector to the sin was crushed! Today, it is the opposite. Today, it is not that there is no sin in society; there is. Even during the rule of the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him), there was sin in society; but the important thing is that the ruling system and the organization governing society, those who manage and lead the country, tend towards righteousness and oppose sin and transgression.

Telling the sinner about the sin with a pleasant tone and appropriate manner, and sometimes with a harsh tone where no corruption arises, will reduce sin in society and weaken and isolate it. Why are we neglectful of this matter? All individuals, in their workplace, home, among friends, in the classroom, and university, and generally wherever they are, if they see a wrongdoing, they should tell the wrongdoer: This is wrong according to Islam; why are you doing it? Saying this one word is effective. If various tongues and different breaths remind of sin, the sinner will mostly refrain from sin and transgression, whether this transgression is a religious violation or a violation of laws.

It is the same on a global level. Even those wicked ones who today dominate major global policies, if nations told them and objected, they would reduce their wickedness a bit. Today, see what the powerful policies of the world are doing? See what the empire equipped with gold and force, America, is doing with nations, governments, values, and the wealth of people around the world?

Of course, I believe that this is the peak of corruption and consequently its end. I believe that the extent to which the bullying of the powerful, led by America, is rampant in the world today indicates that they are at the end of their course. This indicates that they are on the decline. I have no doubt that they are experiencing the days of peak power, meaning the end of power, and ultimately the world and nations will not tolerate it. Today's American regime came into existence and gained power with the perseverance, innovation, and enthusiasm of the people in previous years, and with the foolishness, audacity, and frivolity of its current leaders, it is heading towards weakness and will hit its head against the wall. If the people of the world and governments stood up and spoke against these frivolities, audacities, and aggressions, they would be stopped.

However, we, the Iranian nation, will not remain silent. We will not emulate or imitate other nations and governments. We will fulfill our duty. We have been able to this day, with Islamic power, reliance on God, and the unity and cohesion of our nation, and with the clarity of the path we have ahead, and we have no ambiguity in our path, to prevent many aggressions in the world. We will continue to fulfill our duty and believe that nations will become aware and familiar one after another and day by day. We see signs of this awareness and familiarity in the world.

The important thing is that the Iranian nation preserves the spirit and revolutionary enthusiasm within itself. You must maintain your courage. This nation, revolution, and country, first and foremost, with the courage of that great leader, who had a courage similar to the prophets and great saints of God, and then with the courage of each and every one of these people, have been able to come this far. Power and courage, not fearing anyone but God, and maintaining revolutionary enthusiasm will, with divine success and assistance, lead us to all our goals.

I sincerely thank you, dear brothers and sisters, and the faithful and Hezbollah people of Qom, especially the esteemed and respected scholars and the honorable families of the martyrs and dear warriors who have made the effort and came in this cold and snowy weather. My recommendation and message are that the people of Qom and all the individuals of the nation preserve that dignity, enthusiasm, and revolutionary courage for themselves at all times and rely on God, knowing that, by the grace of the Lord, victory belongs to this nation.

Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings