Youth from different social backgrounds and with different appearances had participated in this year's Ehya [keeping vigil] ceremonies -- which were held during the month of Ramadan -- and in different ceremonies for dua and supplication. If a shallow person would see one of the boys or girls in, let us say certain unusual clothes, he would assume that they do not know God.-- But this is not the case. The hearts of our youth seek the truth. Their hearts are pure and enlightened. I do not remember at all, of the past years -- during my youth or teenage years -- if the people ever went to mosques, in the entire country, or Goharshad Mosque in order to participate in I'tikaf ceremonies of Ramadan. During Ayam ul-Beiz [white days], three days in the months of Rajab and Sha'ban, we used to see few people in Qom who engaged in i'tikaf and these people were clerics. It was not common for other people to do so. Today, during I'tikaf days, universities, mosques throughout the entire country, and Jameh mosques are full of people who engage in I'tikaf. What kind of people participate? Older men? Older women? No, the youth and the younger people participate. This is an unprecedented event throughout the world. This is our young generation today. Today, the majority of the people in our society are oriented towards religion and revolutionary values.
Today is the 13th of Rajab, a day for I'tikaf [that is, worship in seclusion]. As you know, today thousands of our youth have gone to different mosques across the country and have engaged in i'tikaf. They are now talking to God and have engaged in supplication in this hot weather while they are fasting, and while their lips are parched, and they are hungry. This is very valuable. Our nation must appreciate this i'tikaf. Now I would like to give a piece of advice to the officials in charge of i'tikaf affairs... In i'tikaf, the youth have in fact decided to talk to God in private. For the most part, i'tikaf is a solitary activity in which one forms a relationship with God. The group activities of these centers must not undermine the participants' state of solitude and emotional relationship with God. They must give the youth the opportunity to read the Quran, Nahj al-Balagha, and Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya.
I particularly recommend Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya for these days. This Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya is indeed marvellous. Fortunately, it has been translated into Farsi now, and there are some translated versions available. Last year, I received a good translation of Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya. I perused it: it was excellent. The youth are well-advised to read and benefit from the teachings included in the prayers by Imam Ali Ibn Hussain (a.s.) that are preserved in Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya. They must reflect upon the text. These are not just prayers. They are lessons that we can learn from. These words by Imam Sajjad (a.s.) -- and all the prayers that have been handed down from the Imams (a.s.) -- are full of Islamic teachings.
So it is Rajab now, the month of praying, turning back to God and supplication. It is the month of becoming similar to the Commander of the Faithful. Let us strengthen our relationship with God so that we can go through the various stages of life with strong determination, steadfastness, and awareness. In order for a nation to gain honor and glory, it must have a strong will, know what it wants, and be confident due to remembrance of God.
In my youth, on certain days of the month of Rajab, during which i'tikaf ceremonies are traditionally held, only about 10 to 20 seminarians would take part in I'tikaf ceremonies; and this was Qom Islamic Seminary: the center of all Islamic seminaries. Itikaf was not very common at that time, and people did not know much about it. Today in different universities throughout the country, thousands of young students -- both girls and boys -- take part in I'tikaf ceremonies. They worship God for three days, and they establish a relationship with Allah the Exalted. Itikaf ceremonies are even more impressive in big mosques. These are manifestations of spirituality. Our people love spirituality, but our spirituality is accompanied by a sense of responsibility. This spirituality must not at all distance us from our great revolutionary responsibility, rather it should help us continue our revolutionary movement. Those who try to distance our society and our youth from politics by relying on piety, those who try to prevent our youth from playing an active role in the country in the name of piety, these people, are making a mistake. They are suffering from a deviation. These dimensions go hand in hand.
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