Statements of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution in Meeting with Participants of the Islamic Unity Conference

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

I welcome all the brothers and sisters present here and congratulate you on the occasion of the appointment of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), the greatest messenger and the source of enlightenment in human history. I also congratulate all of you and all Muslims on the brilliant victory of our brothers in Lebanon against the Zionist regime, which was indeed a victory for Islam. Our brothers in southern Lebanon were on the front lines of the Islamic Ummah against the Zionist aggressors.

This session is a very important and significant gathering. You have gathered here from the Islamic world. Undoubtedly, the future of the Islamic world must be understood through the plans of the elites of the Islamic world; the scientific elites, the religious elites, and the political elites. If these distinguished groups of the Islamic world look at the Islamic Ummah with a perspective of truth and pain recognition and seek remedies, the Islamic Ummah will have a bright future. If we do not recognize our duties or do not act upon them, the Islamic world will continue to suffer from the same pains it faces today for many years to come. Our duty is heavy.

The topic of your discussion is the Islamic minorities in non-Islamic countries. This is indeed an important issue, and it is appropriate for the Assembly of Unity and the elites of the Islamic world to think and plan regarding this matter. I appreciate what you have done in this regard; however, I want to emphasize that our primary issue in the Islamic world is "the unity of the Islamic Ummah." If we can overcome the enemy's schemes and neutralize their plans to create discord, many of our problems will be resolved. The issue of Islamic minorities is among these problems that will be alleviated.

We are afflicted with a deadly disease that we must strive to eliminate. The divisions within the Islamic world and the disharmony that fuels enmity are very dangerous diseases. I must tell you that if in the past this disease naturally existed in the body of the Islamic world and the Islamic Ummah, today political hands are actively seeking to exacerbate this disease. We see examples of this in the Islamic world that make one shudder. We do not fear external enemies. The might of America and the arrogant powers has not instilled fear and doubt in us; hostile military campaigns, propaganda, political, military, and economic pressures have not placed us in a position of passivity and will not do so; however, we tremble and fear this internal disease within the Islamic world. This must be treated.

Since the flag of Islam was raised in Iran and the Islamic Republic was established with the aim of realizing Islamic goals, the enemies of Islam have meticulously designed and pursued the plan of discord; because when Muslims feel dignity and honor, when they see that the flag of Islam can be raised, when the spirit of Islamic identity awakens and comes alive within them, when the masses of Muslims chant the slogans of Islam everywhere, they realize that there is a serious threat to the interests of global arrogance in this vast Islamic region, and their aggressive interests are endangered.

The Islamic world, with a population of nearly one and a half billion, with abundant climatic, geographical, natural, and human resources, and unparalleled wealth at its disposal, can form a vast and united entity. For over two hundred years, the bag of Western colonialism has been continuously filled from this region; whether during the colonial era, the era of neo-colonialism, or the modern era, this region has served the political goals of global arrogance, with America at the forefront. If the Islamic Ummah regains its unity, if Islamic power manifests itself in the true sense of the word, if true Islamic independence is realized in these regions, the economic, political, and cultural dominance of the enemy will be cut off. They are not satisfied with this and are making every effort to prevent this from happening. The path they have found is to create discord, and unfortunately, this disease has infiltrated the body of the Islamic world. I urge you to think seriously about this issue.

We often mention Islamic unity and everyone talks about Islamic unity; we all speak of Islamic brotherhood; in practice, a group of the elites of the Islamic world truly feel brotherhood - the spirit of brotherhood and fraternity is palpable in this session - we all consider each other as part of ourselves and do not place distance between ourselves. This is a reality; however, we are not representative and indicative of the realities of the Islamic world in the political arena, in the realm of governments, among the masses of people, in the true sense of the word. The enemies sow the seeds of discord among the Islamic Ummah, and impure politicians, misguided prejudices, and a failure to see the lofty horizons of the Islamic world while being confined to small containers create the ground for the growth of these prejudices.

Some friends have referred to Iraq. Look at what is happening in Iraq. Today, in Iraq, in some other countries, some Sunni and Shia brothers are standing against each other and are almost competing in enmity towards each other! Why? Who has injected these false motivations among them? This is not from Islam. Let us make Islamic unity a reality and prepare a charter that all Islamic scholars, all intellectuals of the Islamic world, and all sincere political elites of the Islamic world can endorse and strive to implement, so that no Muslim dares to declare takfir (excommunication) against one who utters the word of monotheism from another sect or faction; so that brothers can be united.

What we mean by Islamic unity is not the unification of beliefs and Islamic sects. The arena of confrontation of sects and Islamic beliefs and theological and jurisprudential beliefs - each sect has its own beliefs and will have them - is a scientific arena; it is a field of jurisprudential discussion; it is a field of theological debate, and differences in jurisprudential and theological beliefs can have no impact in the realm of the realities of life and in the political arena. What we mean by the unity of the Islamic world is the absence of contention: "And do not dispute, lest you fail." There should be no contention, no discord.

The Quran says: "And hold fast, all of you together, to the rope of Allah, and do not be divided." Holding fast to the rope of Allah is an obligation for every Muslim; however, the Quran does not suffice by commanding us to hold fast to the rope of Allah, but rather tells us to do so in a collective manner; "together"; all of you hold fast. This unity and this gathering is another obligation. Therefore, in addition to the fact that a Muslim must hold fast to the rope of Allah, he must do so in conjunction with other Muslims and in cooperation with them. We must correctly understand this holding fast and implement it. The noble verse of the Quran states: "So whoever disbelieves in Taghut and believes in Allah has certainly grasped the firmest handhold." This defines for us what it means to hold fast to the rope of Allah. How is holding fast to the rope of Allah achieved? By believing in Allah and disbelieving in Taghut.

Today, the greatest Taghut in the world is the regime of the United States of America; because it has created and supports Zionism. America is the successor to the previous greatest Taghut, which was England. Today, the aggression of the United States regime and its allies has placed the Islamic world in a difficult situation, and the Islamic world is under pressure from America and its allies in its progress, its positioning, and its material and spiritual advancement. In the recent aggression of the Zionist regime against Lebanon - which culminated in this great Islamic epic by Hezbollah and divine assistance descended upon them - America explicitly entered the battlefield and did not limit itself to verbal, financial, and political support, but provided weapons for the Zionist regime, sent them, and assisted them. In reality, this war was initiated by the Americans.

In many parts of the Islamic Ummah, there is faith in Allah; however, there is no disbelief in Taghut. Disbelief in Taghut is necessary. Without disbelief in Taghut, holding fast to the divine firm handhold is not possible. We do not invite countries and nations to wage war against America; we invite them not to submit to America. We invite them not to cooperate with the enemy of Islam and Muslims. One form of not cooperating is to disregard their temptations regarding the unity of the Islamic Ummah and to preserve the Islamic Ummah with its unity.

Today, in our view, the most important issue in the Islamic world is the issue of unity. If this unity is achieved, we can also achieve scientific progress; we can also achieve political progress. You see how much pressure the enemies of the Islamic world are exerting on the issue of nuclear energy in Iran. They know that we are not pursuing a nuclear bomb. They are upset about scientific progress in this country, about technological advancement in an Islamic country. An Islamic country that has shown that it does not submit to American policies; that has shown it is not afraid of America. This Islamic country must not be equipped with the most important technology of today’s world - namely nuclear technology. They exert pressure for this reason. Of course, we have made our decision. The Iranian nation, over the twenty-seven years since the revolution, has understood through experience that the only way to escape the schemes of the enemies is to rely on God, to be patient in the field, and to strive. We have followed this path until today and have tasted its sweet fruits, and with God’s grace, we will continue on this path with full strength, the effects of which we are already witnessing.

Dear brothers and sisters! Today, the Islamic world is in an exceptional situation. It can be said that for centuries, this opportunity that the Islamic world has today has not come to the Islamic world. Today, there is a very great opportunity before us; the Islamic nations have awakened, the wave of Islamic awakening has spread to the corners of the Islamic world, the Islamic nations have become aware of their rights, and many Islamic leaders - even if they do not show it - are filled with animosity and enmity towards global arrogance, which we can see. In many Islamic countries, leaders, politicians, and officials are very disheartened and upset by the behaviors of America and the arrogant powers. This is a great opportunity for the Islamic world, and this opportunity must be utilized. Politicians have one duty, and intellectual and cultural leaders have another duty. This second duty is no less important than the first. Islamic scholars, intellectuals, and prominent thinkers of the Islamic world, those who have public platforms and can shape the thoughts of their people, have a great responsibility and must properly convey the national power, the power of the masses in the Islamic world to them. For several centuries - from the beginning of the colonial era until now - the system of arrogance has sought to convince the Muslim nations that they are incapable; that they do not have the ability to confront us. Of course, colonialism has managed to convince a large number of Muslims of this over a long period, and the betrayal of some politicians has also helped this. The result of this false belief has led to great troubles, the foremost of which is the issue of the holy Quds and the issue of Palestine.

For nearly sixty years, Palestine, the home of Islam, which contains the first Qibla of Muslims, has been taken from the Muslims, from its rightful owners, and the Palestinians have become refugees in other countries or in their own homes, under the pressure of the usurper who brazenly sits there, and the enemies of Islam also support him. This great sorrow, this great calamity, arose because Muslims were oblivious to their own capabilities. If this awakening that exists today in the Islamic world had been present in the 1930s and 1940s, the issue of Palestine would not have occurred, and the usurping government of England would not have dared to seize an Islamic country from its people and hand it over to a foreigner. Now, we must gradually compensate for what we have lost. This can be done through planning; this can be done through wisdom and prudence; this can be done with resolute determination; but with a tendency towards passivity and submission, the Islamic world will never achieve its goals; with fear of the enemy and disbelief in the power of the people, the objectives of the Islamic world and the Islamic Ummah will never be fulfilled.

These millions of people you see in Islamic countries represent a tremendous power that, if activated, no foreign power can stand against it. An example of this is the recent event that occurred, and God Almighty has made the proof complete for us. The incident in Lebanon and the clear victory of Hezbollah, which truly exemplified "A small group defeated a large group by the permission of Allah, and Allah is with the patient," has completed the proof for us. Of course, the enemies of Islam have denied the power of the people and have caused politicians to lose faith in their own nations. In our view, one of the greatest talents of our late Imam was that he recognized this power of the people, discovered it, and utilized it; and he trusted the people. The situation in Iran before the victory of the revolution was not good; the people were in a state of uncertainty, the enemies were dominant, this place was a base for Israel and a resting place for the leaders of the Zionist regime, who came, took, consumed, and exploited politically and financially. On the day when some Arab countries decided to use oil against Israel, the Shah of Iran reassured the Zionists and said, "I will give you oil." This was the situation in Iran at that time, and no one had any hope; but our late Imam (may Allah sanctify his noble soul) when he resolved to engage in this struggle, had no force other than the power of the people. He recognized this power; he relied on this power, and God Almighty, who has everything in His hands - "And you did not throw when you threw, but it was Allah who threw" - turned hearts towards this truth. When hearts turned towards this truth, forces came to the field, and the power of the tyrannical regime and the dependent Shah weakened, and the Islamic system rose in this country. We are at the most sensitive point of the Islamic world and at a crossroads, and the greatest point of trust for America and global arrogance in this region was the royal regime of the Shah.

The power of the people must be recognized. This power is a tremendous force. To bring this power into the field, determination, resolve, sincerity, and struggle are necessary. If the people enter the field and politicians and leaders of countries come close to the millions of people in their countries, no power can stand against them, and no threat will affect them. Of course, without jihad, without enduring hardships, one does not reach anywhere, and the Islamic Ummah must endure hardships to achieve its lofty goals; these are our important duties today in the Islamic world.

We thank God that He has guided the hearts of a large number of Muslim nations and elites, scholars, and distinguished individuals towards the right path. The foundation of this work is to not let the nations become hopeless; do not let them obscure the horizon before them, and do not let the might of global arrogance cast its heavy shadow over our hearts, determination, and will; and do not let our discord weaken us. Today, unfortunately, one sees that the words of America and England are echoed by some politicians in the Islamic world! What they want, these individuals repeat, and they fuel the fire of discord between Shia and Sunni and the sectarian conflicts of the Islamic world. This is exactly in accordance with what the enemies of Islam desire. We must confront this.

We ask God Almighty to grant us success in what pleases Him and to help us fulfill our duties, God willing. We in the Islamic Republic are wholeheartedly happy with the fulfillment of divine promises and we continuously witness the fulfillment of divine promises. Of course, we are threatened, and there are constant threats; nothing new exists - from the beginning of the revolution, the Islamic Republic has been threatened; however, the Islamic Republic, with its steadfastness, has been able to neutralize these threats, and it will continue to do so; after this, threats will also be neutralized - and every Muslim country that stands against the threats of global arrogance and does not succumb will have this successful experience of witnessing victory; they will observe the fulfillment of divine promises with their own eyes.

We extend a hand of brotherhood to all Islamic nations, to all intellectual and political leaders of the Islamic world, and we ask them to strengthen this bond of brotherhood more and more, and we hope that God Almighty will illuminate the eyes of the Islamic world with greater victories in various fields, God willing.

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