Statements at the Meeting with Participants of the International Quran Competitions

In the Hosseiniyeh of Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified)

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, Abu al-Qasim al-Mustafa Muhammad, and upon his pure and chosen progeny, especially the Awaited One of God on earth.

First, I am very pleased that once again, for another year, the Almighty God has granted us this great blessing to engage with the Quran in the company of our Muslim brothers from other countries. The meaning of the International Quran Competitions is the gathering of a collective of Muslim brothers from various parts of the world around the Quran and its axis; this must be appreciated. First, we thank the organizers of this pleasant and sweet event - from the Organization of Awqaf and other organizers - and secondly, we extend our warm welcome to all esteemed attendees, respected participants, especially the guests who have come from other countries.

What is important is that we recognize the value of the Quran. The Quran is not just for recitation; reciting the Quran is a prerequisite for understanding the Quran and gaining Quranic knowledge; this must be secured for ourselves. If the recitation is correct and appropriate, it should provide us with two important benefits: one is that it deepens our spirituality, enriches our spiritual essence. We are immersed in material matters; humans need spiritual attention, the spirit of spirituality, and this is achieved through reciting the Quran - if we recite it well. The second is that we should assist our thoughts and nourish them with Quranic knowledge; that is, the Quran affects both our hearts and our minds. If we become familiar with the Quran, many concepts of life will become clear to us. Deviations, misunderstandings, despair, betrayals among humans, enmities among humans, humiliating oneself before the tyrants of the world, and similar issues all stem from distance from the Quran. The Quran provides us with both spirituality and knowledge.

The Quran is undoubtedly the book of human happiness, both in this world and the Hereafter. The Quran is not only for the happiness of the Hereafter; it also secures the happiness of this world. Happiness in this world means enjoying divine blessings in this realm; this can be secured with the Quran. Nations can gain dignity, welfare, knowledge, power, unity, and a sweet way of life through the Quran and by acting upon it; all these are worldly matters. The Hereafter, which is the true, continuous, and eternal spiritual life, is also achieved through the Quran. Therefore, the Quran is the book of happiness for both this world and the Hereafter, provided that we act upon it and see what the Quran says.

Look! The instances of not acting upon the Quran among us, the Islamic Ummah, are not few, and our troubles stem from these. For example, consider that the Quran says about the followers of the Prophet: "They are severe against the disbelievers, and merciful among themselves; you see them bowing and prostrating, seeking bounty from God and His pleasure;" (Surah Al-Fath, 29) Thus, "They are severe against the disbelievers, merciful among themselves." Some of us forget "severe against the disbelievers" and set it aside. Like whom? Like those who have allied with America in Islamic countries, allied with the Zionists, trampled on the blood of the Palestinians, and violated the rights of the Palestinians; these have forgotten "severe against the disbelievers" and have become servants of the disbelievers, followers of the disbelievers, and agents of the disbelievers. Many of the leaders of Arab countries are of this kind; they are one group. Another group has forgotten "merciful among themselves" and creates divisions among Muslims. "And the believers, men and women, are allies of one another;" (Surah At-Tawbah, 71) this is what the Quran says.

Then they come and declare the believer in God, the believer in the Quran, the believer in the Kaaba, the believer in the Qibla as infidels; they say he is a disbeliever; this "merciful among themselves" is forgotten. When there is no "merciful among themselves," internal wars break out in Islamic countries; look at Syria, look at Yemen; for over four years, Yemen has been bombarded; who is the bomber? Is he a disbeliever? No, he is a Muslim; he appears to be a Muslim but shows no mercy to Muslims. The meaning of "Those who have divided the Quran" (Surah Al-Hijr, 91) is that they act upon part of the Quran; "Do you believe in part of the Book and disbelieve in part?" (Surah Al-Baqarah, 85) Now many of these have no belief in anything of the Quran.

Thus, reciting the Quran is a prerequisite for action, a prerequisite for knowledge, a prerequisite for familiarity. We should see what we can do in this realm of action. The first is that we do not forget the remembrance of God; then, we should make God-consciousness (taqwa) the criterion of our actions; these are easy tasks, these are possible tasks, these are not impossible tasks that we say, "How?" Remember God: "O you who have believed, remember God with much remembrance; and exalt Him morning and afternoon;" (Surah Al-Ahzab, 41-42) Whatever a person wants to do, he should think whether this action is in accordance with God's pleasure or not; if he determines that it is not against God's pleasure, there is no problem, but he should be careful that it does not oppose God's pleasure; this is divine remembrance. Remembrance is not just with the tongue; attention to this meaning is divine remembrance.

[Then] piety; the guidance of the Quran is in the hands of the pious. The meaning of piety is that we should be careful about ourselves; be vigilant! Like someone who is crossing a narrow path surrounded by cliffs; on both sides are cliffs; here, every step you take, you look under your feet. "Piety" in narrations is likened to walking in a thorny area; that area is full of thorns; they say here you should be careful that your clothes or like our long cloak or your trousers do not get caught in these thorns or that a thorn does not pierce your foot; you are vigilant. How careful you are! Piety means this; it means being careful not to get caught in the thorny world of existence and materiality that surrounds humans with thorns. Of course, piety has levels; its highest level belongs to those who have sacrificed their lives. God's mercy and pleasure be upon that dear martyr (Ali Chitsazian) who reminded us of this word that if you pass through the barbed wire of your own self, you can also pass through the barbed wire of the enemy. God's pleasure be upon these martyrs! They taught us many things.

Now, the same movement that you see in aiding the flood victims in Khuzestan and other regions is the education of our martyrs; today, the massive movement of people from all over the country towards the flood-affected areas is an extraordinary phenomenon; do you pay attention to this? Now Khuzestan is one way, Lorestan another way, Ilam another way, Mazandaran another way, Golestan another way; people, the youth go there and along with the youth of those areas, with their bodies, with their hands, with their resources, some with their money, with their goods, with their gifts, provide assistance; a massive movement has started; these are rare in the world. Now in various places around the world, responsible organizations like the Red Crescent or some government sectors go and do some work, but [the fact that] individuals move in such a flood-like manner to go is a significant phenomenon; this is the lesson of our martyrs.

Dear youth! Most of you are young; you have not seen those days; in the 60s, during the Sacred Defense, young people like this moved with enthusiasm and zeal, selflessly going; "Among them are some who have fulfilled their pledge, and among them are some who are still waiting, and they have not changed in the least;" (Surah Al-Ahzab, 23) Some became martyrs, blessed are they! Some returned safely. Those who returned safely should be careful to maintain their safety; these are the teachings of the Quran, these are the lessons of the Quran that engage the youth in such a way in that field and motivate the believer.

My dear ones! Get closer to the Quran more. What I emphasize and recommend is that you get closer to the Quran more. This divine remembrance and piety that we mentioned, if it becomes a reality for us, then Quranic guidance will also become easier for us; [because] "a guidance for the God-conscious;" (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2) when there is piety, guidance is certain; because this Quran is a guide for some and misleads others; it misleads whom it wills and guides whom it wills; (Surah An-Nahl, 93) this is how it is that some are taken from that side, and some are guided. Guidance belongs to the pious. The higher the piety, the clearer and higher the guidance; we must pursue this.

We thank God that, thanks be to God, our nation has turned to Quranic guidance; there was a time when this was not the case. During the tyranny in our country, there was no news of this; this closeness to the Quran, this enjoyment from reciting the Quran, this effort to memorize the Quran, this effort to understand the contents of the Quran, did not exist. Sometimes there was a reciter who, for example, recited the Quran but did not understand; today, thank God, our youth read the Quran with understanding; they understand what they are reading. This state must be strengthened day by day, this condition must be intensified day by day.

Know that what the enemies are doing against the Islamic Republic in one way, and against the Islamic Ummah in another way - however, the manifestation of enmity towards the Islamic Republic is greater - is the last breaths of the enemy's enmity towards the Islamic Republic. The harder they press, the stronger our will becomes; the more they exert pressure, the stronger we will become. The more they become angry about our adherence to Quranic concepts and Quranic knowledge, by God's grace, our attachment to the Quran will increase. Attachment to the Quran is the source of our happiness, the source of our strength, the source of our dignity; and we ask the Almighty God to increase this attachment in us day by day and to lead us to the goals that the Quran has set for us.

And peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings.