In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful,
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, and peace and greetings be upon our Master and Prophet, Ab-al-Qassem Al-Mustafa Muhammad, and upon his pure and immaculate household, especially the one remaining with Allah on earth.
I am very pleased, and I thank God for giving me another opportunity to be present at this enlightened and promising gathering, and at this very important and sensitive center. This arena, this generation, and this group of young individuals are blossoming manifestations of life in our dear country. Basically, the life and blossoming of a nation depend on strengthening the elements and criteria of power, and on utilizing and benefitting from them at the right time and in the right place. What is being witnessed, in this arena today is an example of this general principle.
Let me give you an explanation in this regard. Before this explanation, I want to recite a Quranic ayah (verse) for you, my dear youth. The holy ayah is from Sura (Chapter) Al-e Imran, and it is in the ayahs about the hostile enemies of Islam and the Islamic community. There are several ayahs about the hostile enemies, who are filled with a grudge against Islam, Muslims and the Holy Prophet: "Rank hatred has already appeared from their mouths. What their hearts conceal is far worse." [3: 118]
The Holy Quran mentions the characteristics of these enemies. These characteristics are the same as the characteristics of your enemies and the enemies of the Muslim people of Iran and Islamic Iran now: "Rank hatred has already appeared from their mouths. What their hearts conceal is far worse" or "If good befalls you, it grieves them." [9: 50] If you achieve and succeed, they become deeply upset. After citing these ayahs, the Holy Quran states: "But if you show patience and observe piety, not the least harm will their cunning do to you." [3: 120] This is a law: the law of creation. Patience and piety will prevent the hostile enemy – this ugly capsule of grudge and hatred – from causing the least harm despite all his capabilities: "Not the least harm will their cunning do to you."
They will not be able to carry out the slightest harm against you. What are the conditions for this? The conditions are patience and piety. Today, in this meaningful and significant arena, I want to discuss this with you dear youth – who are truly the apples of our eyes. This is not only a lesson for you, rather it is a lesson for all people: it is a lesson for the entire Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps: it is a lesson for all Armed Forces and for all individuals in society, particularly for the officials and managers of the Islamic society. Patience and piety are a lesson.
What does patience mean? Patience means staying in the arena, not walking away from it. Some individuals flee from the arena. Some individuals do not flee from it, but they leave it gradually: this goes against the notion of patience: patience means having endurance, staying in the arena and resisting. Patience means keeping our eyes on distant goals and distant horizons. It means looking at distant goals. Sometimes, we become pleased, happy, or proud of a certain achievement. The dangerous thing is to become content: this is dangerous because it prevents us from staying in the arena.
You should look at the distant goal and at the peak of that goal. You should see what the real message of the Revolution and the Islamic government is, and to which place this message wants to take the Iranian nation, the Islamic Ummah, and finally the human community. You should look at that destination. The movement of the Islamic Revolution requires such patience.
You should look at the early Islamic era. In the early decades when there were many difficulties – particularly during the time of the Holy Prophet – Muslims showed patience and resistance, and the result was that despite great disorder, which had been caused against the true edict of Islam, the peak of human civilization belonged to Muslim nations and countries during the third and fourth centuries of the Hijri calendar: the issue is much like this.
If we show patience, distant horizons will be ours. If you stand firm today, future generations will reach their peak. --It is they who will reach it, but this will be your art and your achievement. Of course, I hope that by Allah's favor, you, who are today's youth and today's generation, will witness that day as well. And you will witness it, God willing. The Revolution is deeply-rooted with a bright future ahead of it, and it requires steadfastness. --This was about patience.
As for piety, piety has been mentioned in this holy ayah, in a broad sense of the word. It has been used in the general sense of the word which means taking care of oneself to avoid deviation from the straight path of Islamic sharia. This meaning of the word has been used in many places, and it also means taking care of oneself in the face of the enemy. This is because the previous ayahs are about the enemies. You should be careful because the enemy is in front of you. We live a certain life in the arena of war, and we live a different life when there is not any war. We sit, rest, and sleep in a particular manner when we are in a trench, and we sleep and live in a completely different way in our comfortable space. You should know that you are faced with an enemy: all of us should know this.
Piety means this: taking care of oneself in confronting the enemy and lack of trust in the enemy. You should not trust the enemy. --This is what piety means. It means being cautious about the enemy's tricks and deceptions. Not only should you not trust the enemy, but you should also understand his plots. You should know what he is doing and what tricks are up his sleeve. You should be prepared and vigilant. The enemy's plots are not confined to the military arena. Piety also means revealing acumen. You should avoid doing things which are against the rules and against reason. You should avoid laziness and negligence. --This is the meaning of the holy ayah.
If, primarily, you, dear youth and officials in charge of military, security, and economic matters, and secondly other individuals and the masses of the people of Iran show patience and piety, then "Not the least harm will their cunning do to you." They will not be able to harm you, and by Allah's favor, this will be the case.
Let us go back to the elements and criteria of power. My dear ones, notice that for almost 57 years, the English, and then the Americans, used to rule over this country -- in the real sense of the word -- during the rule of the Pahlavi dynasty. What does this mean? It means that it was they who brought the Shah to power and who ousted him after that. Later on, they brought another Shah. The administrations would be formed on the basis of their opinion and desire. The major policies of the country would be formulated according to the opinion of the English and the Americans. The country used to be ruled like that for 57 years.
Before that, too, during the late Qajar era, the situation was terrible in a different way, and there were other disaster-generating factors. --This means that the people did not have any role in that era: they were mere spectators. Sometimes, they were not even spectators. If you asked someone in that era who the representatives of their cities were, they would not know because they were not the ones who had chosen them. Similarly, if you asked who is in charge of such and such a ministry, they would not know. Many times, they would not even know who the prime minister was. The people did not have any role: they stood aside.
When the Revolution was carried out – the elements which led to the Revolution require a long and separate discussion and analysis – these shackles and chains were broken from the people's hands and feet. The people used to be captives, and they did not have any power. Others were dominant, but this domination over the people of Iran came to an end, and the Iranian nation tasted independence and freedom. With the presence of the Iranian nation in the areas of the Revolution and with the victory of the Revolution, national self-confidence was achieved. The people realized that they were in charge of the affairs and that they could influence the conditions of their country in a magnificent way. They realized that they could uproot – as they say – the 2,500-year monarchy and throw it in the dustbin. The people felt this, and this gave the Iranian nation self-confidence.
This national self-confidence was accompanied by the power of faith. We were not Godless and without reliance on God and spirituality -- like other countries which carried out a revolution -- so much so that we would stop in the middle of the way. Faith preserved and guided us, and it moved us forward. Faith was a precious jewel: it was like a soul in the body of that public movement. It was the faith which gave us the spirit of hope. It was the faith which revived the spirit of self-sacrifice in us.
When a mother sends her three sons – whom she raised like flowers in her arms – to the arena of war, while she knows that she is risking their lives and when she feels proud of doing so, this is not possible except with faith. When a young man gives up his comfortable life, and cries and begs his commanders to send him to the arena of war, this is not possible except with faith. Faith inspired the people to have hope, to sacrifice, and to act. The youth began to move, and as a result, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, Jihad, Basij [mobilized forces] and other public movements were established. The Armed Forces were given fresh impetus, and they managed to show their real presence in the center of the arena.
Moreover, public service organizations, construction and, scientific associations were established, and the scientific movement was liberated in the country. The people, outstanding personalities, activists, and diligent individuals tasted their own independence, honor, and dignity; these things are the elements of national power: National power means this.
National power does not mean giving the country's funds to a foreign country in order to buy its modern weapons and keep them in warehouses, while we are not even able to use those weapons! This is foolishness, this is not power! National power does not mean allowing a certain country from the other part of the world to build military bases and to show its presence for the sake of supporting a certain government. It does not mean allowing another country to suck the blood of people and do whatever it wants in order to preserve a sinister ruling household in that country. --These peculiarities are not a show of power, rather these are signs of humiliation! Power means the growth of people from the inside, in a way that they can achieve science, military expertise, construction, progress, and international dignity: these are the elements of the Iranian nation's power.
Today, you have these elements, and you have very good elements. These elements are available to you at maximum capacity, God willing. These elements of power should be utilized at the right time and in the right place.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps is an element of power. The quality of the Guards should be improved on a daily basis. I read the reports that the brothers send to me. Good tasks are being carried out, but the Guards Corps has much more capacity and room for advancing. Who should do this? You, the young ones, this falls on you. You should prepare yourselves for the improvement of the Guards Corps and for the progress of this element of power.
Some people say to me that I should not exaggerate in describing the power of the Iranian nation. I would like to say in response that I am not exaggerating and that I am just stating the facts. The greatest reason for the power and strength of the Iranian nation is that while it is 40 years now that one of the most vicious, cruel, and ignominious powers in the world – the US – has been busy creating obstacles in the way of the people of Iran, it has failed to bring any harm to this nation. It has not been able to damage us one bit, and the people of Iran have taken their own path: they are moving forward, and they have become stronger. --This is a sign of the Iranian nation's power.
If the Iranian nation and the Islamic Republic were not strong and powerful, then one-tenth of the efforts made by the enemy would be enough to defeat our people and take away their beloved government. The Islamic Republic has stood up against the enemies, and it has become stronger on a daily basis.
Foreign powers were not the only ones who confronted the Islamic Republic. There were some groups inside the country as well. I will tell you that from the first day of the Revolution, there have been three hostile orientations which have confronted the Islamic Revolution and the movement of our magnanimous Imam: one orientation was the so-called liberal orientation which leaned towards the West and the US. It was deeply attached to the US and the West. Another orientation was comprised of armed Communists who had no scruples and would do anything. The last orientation was the disgraceful MEK [aka Monafeqeen or ‘hypocrites’ among Iranians] which had an Islamic appearance but was vicious and without any faith and identity in reality. They were even willing to stand under the flag of the notorious Saddam and to use him for their own goals. These were the three main hostile orientations in the country, but all three were defeated by the Islamic Revolution.
In the present time, they are living in the shadows of countries like France, England, the U.S. and the like by flattering them and giving them information or intelligence. Of course, there was another orientation which was comprised of domestic reactionaries; they, too, would fight against and create obstacles for the Revolution and the revolutionary movement in a different manner. Of course, they were not noteworthy and important, and the people moved on from them. They were an orientation comprised of reactionaries and anti-religious forces.
With the people's help and with the innovation and power of the youth, the Islamic Revolution managed to force those foreign and domestic enemies into retreat. Not only did they not manage to harm the Islamic Republic, but they were also unable to prevent it from making progress.
My dear ones, my young ones: today, you are witnessing the Islamic Republic which has drastically changed compared to the day when you were born in this Republic. The movements, resources, capabilities, experiences, and performances have drastically improved. By Allah's favor, spirituality will continue to gain strength among our youth. This spirituality definitely exists in an important and noteworthy section of our young generation.
One indication of why the Islamic Republic is strong is the coalitions that the U.S. is forming in the region. If the US could achieve its goals with regards to the Islamic Republic, it would not need to form coalitions with the notorious, reprehensible, and reactionary countries in the region or to ask for their help in order to cause disorder and chaos. --This is a sign of power for Iran. Of course, their enmities – America’s enmities – have increased, but the Iranian nation's hatred of the US has increased on a daily basis.
I will tell you that after being disappointed at all other measures, the enemy's plan today is to create a rift between the Islamic Republic and the dear people of Iran: this stems from their ignorance. They do not know that the Islamic Republic is nothing but the people of Iran: they are inseparable. The Islamic government is not a bureaucratic government which is sitting in palaces and castles while being separate from the people. The Islamic government is a government formed by the people, themselves. It is dependent on the masses of the people and on their faith, kindness, and sentiments. --The Islamic government is this.
How do they want to separate it from the people? Of course, six [U.S.] presidents before this one made the same effort, and all of them were eliminated from the arena, and they failed to achieve their satanic-like goals. The economic pressures, which they primarily exert on the people, pursue a goal of tiring and exhausting the people. By Allah's favor and grace, we will strengthen our bond with the people. We will preserve our enemy-breaking solidarity. By Allah's favor and grace, we will strengthen pious, motivated, and active youth every day, more than ever before.
The courageous and motivated youth of the country should know that the enemy is opposed to their independence, dignity, progress, and presence in the arenas of science and politics. Enmity towards the Iranian nation means enmity towards the dignity, independence, progress, and transcendence of the Iranian nation. The enemy will not give up its malice as long as it can, but he should know that he will not gain anything from this malice provided that by Allah's favor, the people of Iran will continue this path with the same strength as they have until today. And this path is the path of resistance, patience, and piety accompanied by vigilance, acumen and national solidarity.
Some people write another prescription. They say that we should surrender to the enemy so that he will not show malice against us. They do not know that the cost of surrendering is much higher than the cost of resisting and standing firm. Of course, resisting might be costly, but it will bring about achievements which are 100 times more valuable than that cost. However, there is nothing in surrendering to a hostile, obstinate, and vicious enemy except for being trampled upon and humiliated and losing one's identity: everyone should know this.
This is an inviolable law of God: "Be not weary and faint-hearted, crying for peace, when you should be uppermost, for Allah is with you and will never put you in a loss for your good deeds." [The Holy Quran, 47: 35] You should not lose your strength, and you should not invite one to compromise with the enemy. Allah the Exalted has made you superior, and you are better than them. "And will never put you in a loss for your good deeds." This means that Allah the Exalted will not withhold His blessings for the efforts that you have made. He will give you the reward for this effort in full.
I want to add another point at the end of my statements. What we should know about the enemy was discussed briefly, but we ourselves should be careful about what we do. All of us -- from youth to the elderly, from ordinary people to officials, particularly, officials -- should avoid negligence, laziness, aristocratic lifestyle, arrogance in the face of the masses, and reliance on temporary managerial positions.
If this happens, Allah the Exalted will continue to bestow His blessings on you people of Iran as He has done so to this day. The day when the people of Iran will be in a position where the enemies will not even dare think about launching a military, economic, security, or political attack on them will not be distant, God willing. By Allah's favor, you dear youth will witness that day.
Greetings upon you and Allah's mercy and blessings,
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