Imam Khamenei added, “We are in need of the martyrs’ messages. We should not assume, ‘Well, everyone knows the messages of the martyrs.’ No, not everyone knows them. The new generations must be informed about what happened in the past, the motives, their thoughts, and such things. Activities that convey a message have this great benefit.”
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution stated that the language of art is the best language for conveying the memory and message of the martyrs. He referred to Martyr Mahdi Zeinoddin as being one of the eminent martyrs of Qom province who became a commander at a young age, “This martyr showed great skill, courage, acumen, and creativity on the battlefield as well as in the fields of ethics, religion, and Islamic matters. These need to be shown, and they cannot be conveyed in any language other than the language of art.”
Imam Khamenei continued on to describe the importance of using art to explain the messages of the martyrs. He spoke of the Ba’ath regime’s air attack on a teenage group singing an anthem and their martyrdom in Qom province. He stressed the need to investigate and explain the different aspects of this tragedy, which also bears a message.
In another part of his speech, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution described martyrdom as a deal with God that ensures the nation’s interests. He said, “So on the one hand, martyrdom is a deal with God. On the other hand, it ensures the national interests. Martyrdom for the cause of God secures national interests and the interests of the nation.”
Imam Khamenei also spoke of how martyrs, martyrdom, and the nations understanding are components that promote national identity. He added that the Iranian nation has achieved greatness in the eyes of the world because of their enthusiasm for martyrdom, “The Iranian nation achieved greatness in the eyes of those who heard about these martyrdoms. Whenever any news leaked out about them, it created greatness for this nation.”
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution likened martyrdom to a rosary bead and described it as being the cause of the solidarity that exists between ethnic groups inside the country. He explained this in the following way, “A martyr who was from the north or one who was from the east of the country were all in the same line. They were martyred for a common purpose, for the honor of Islam, for the greatness of the Islamic Republic, and for strengthening Iran. This is what connects these tribes, cities, and regions together. This is the nature of martyrdom.”
Referring to the eternal effects and honor of events such as the Shahcheragh tragedy in history, he added, “Each one of the events that has taken place from the time of the Revolution and up until today has remained as a bright spot in history, like a star. The tragedy that took place in the Shahcheragh shrine a few days ago is an eternal star. It will remain in history and be a source of pride and honor. Yes, a number of people were left bereaved. Some of these events are tragic and fill the hearts of human beings with grief, but they are stars. They will remain in history.”
In this meeting, the Leader also referred to the city of Qom’s role in the uprising of the Iranian people. He said that the martyrs of the Islamic Revolution were raised in Qom. In speaking about Qom, the Leader said, “Qom [was the city that] opened the way and initiated the movement. Qom answered the call of the magnanimous Imam [Khomeini]. Who else could understand what Imam Khomeini was saying in 1962 and 1963? It was the people of Qom who entered the scene. Even when they felt that [the movement] had weakened a bit, the people of Qom rose up and attended Imam Khomeini’s lessons. Following the victory of the Revolution and up until today, our nation has faced continuous, successive tests, and the people of Qom have done very well in these tests.”
Comment