In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
All praise is due to God, Lord of the Worlds, and may peace and greetings be upon our Master and our Prophet, Abul-Qasim al-Mustafa Muhammad, and upon his untainted, pure, chosen Progeny, particularly the Remnant of God on earth.
Welcome dear brothers and sisters. We are on the threshold of the month of Rajab, which is a month of prayer, worship, and invoking God. Let us seize the opportunity of this month to connect our hearts, souls, and intentions to the boundless ocean of divine mercy. All matters are in God’s hands. Let us ask Him for determination, strength, and the success of servitude to God. The supplications for the month of Rajab are rich with profound meanings and concepts along with exalted Islamic, divine teachings. Ask God for well-being, for success, and for His help.
Our meeting today is held on the anniversary of the martyrdom of our dear martyr, Martyr Soleimani, as well as the anniversary of the martyrdom of a number of pilgrims who were visiting his shrine last year. Some of their families are present here, along with a number of Lebanese brothers and sisters — some of whom were injured in the events in Lebanon. This is a gathering of martyrdom and sincerity. The atmosphere of this Hussainiyah is illuminated by your presence and the presence of these luminous people.
God Almighty has shown that honor is in His hands. This is an honor that people travel a long distance, sometimes from other countries, to make a pilgrimage to Martyr Soleimani’s tomb and shrine on his martyrdom anniversary and recite Surah Al-Fatiha for him. Isn’t this honor? This is honor. When you work for God, He responds in this way. Of course, this is in this world. As for his status in the realm of divine mercy and blessings, it’s impossible for us to even imagine. But his reward in this world is what we are seeing. This is his shrine, which thousands of people journey to visit. This honor is granted by God. When we act with sincerity, God responds in this way. Some pursue honor using the wrong means and tools.
The Quran says, "Do they seek honor from them?" Do they go to the unbelievers and to the hypocrites to gain honor? “Indeed, all honor belongs to God” (4:139). Honor is in God’s hands. It belongs to God. It is in God’s control. This verse is from Surah Al-Nisa. Another verse in Surah Fatir says, "Whoever seeks honor [should know that] to God belongs all honor" (35:10). Honor is in God’s hands. These need to be understood and these teachings and understanding should affect the lifestyle and the direction we take in our lives. We should know that if we are seeking honor where true honor comes from and what’s the source of honor.
I would like to share a few points, one of which is about Martyr Soleimani. Well, a great deal has been said and written about Martyr Soleimani. Books have been written about his characteristics and his personality. Artistic works have been created, and many have talked about him. I have spoken extensively about him in the past too. Today, I will briefly mention a few points about Martyr Soleimani so that we can learn from him and remember him to move in that direction.
The first point I would like to mention is that from the very beginning of the US military’s evildoings in our region in the early 2000s, namely in Afghanistan and Iraq — where the US officially entered and truly committed acts of villainy — Martyr Soleimani entered the field from the very beginning. He didn’t think about the dangers or the enemy’s might. Their main target was Iran, of course. Their attack on Afghanistan to the east of Iran and the attack on Iraq to the west of Iran were both undertaken under different pretexts. This was the appearance of the matter. The underlying goal was for Islamic Iran and the Iranian nation to be surrounded from both sides. This was the goal. When those two attacks were thwarted, the enemy naturally didn’t achieve its objectives. Martyr Soleimani entered the field from the very beginning.
This noble, sincere man’s role in this jihad was unique. He neither spoke of it nor wrote about it, and I doubt that anyone else has been able to write about these characteristics and the details for this information to remain. This is indeed a pity. Of course, there is a wealth of knowledge available on this matter that I and others are aware of. However, these accounts must be preserved as a part of our country’s political understanding. These matters must be documented so that future generations can learn about them.
From the very beginning that the foreign forces had invaded Iraq and attacked the cities there, such as Najaf, Karbala, Kazimiyan, Baghdad, and other places, and, in Najaf, some people had taken refuge in the holy courtyard of Imam Ali’s (pbuh) shrine defenseless and with no proper weapons or even adequate food, Soleimani felt he had a duty. He started communicating with them, helped them, and saved them. Of course, the Religious Authority [there] took a very positive, highly effective step at that time that was extremely important. [Yet,] first, Soleimani entered the field.
The US hadn’t come to Iraq to remove Saddam and leave on their own. They had come to remove Saddam and take his place. First, they appointed a military ruler, a military general [named Jay Garner], to govern Iraq. Then they realized that this was very unfavorable, so they removed him and appointed a political figure named [Paul] Bremer in his place.
The one who was the cause behind this second person being removed and through a difficult, complex, lengthy process allowed Iraq to be taken over by the Iraqis themselves so that they could choose their own rulers was Martyr Soleimani with the actions he took at that pivotal moment. He initiated a hybrid war, which included a cultural war, a military war, a war of getting information out, and a political war. Haj Qasem did these things at that time.
After a while, it was the DAESH’s turn. When the US realized their direct involvement in Iraq and other areas of the region wasn’t to their benefit, they created the DAESH. The US has admitted this itself that they created DAESH. The person who again entered the field and confronted the DAESH was Martyr Soleimani. I will mention an important point about this later.
The Iraqi youth shone brightly. They truly excelled in this matter. However, the role of Martyr Soleimani was vital. If he hadn't been there, it wouldn’t have been possible. So in a significant regional event where the life and death of the region depended on him, he entered the field with such initiative, courage, and strength putting his own life on the line. Strange events have taken place during these few years in the confrontations that I mentioned. That’s one point.
The second point is that Martyr Soleimani’s consistent strategy in his jihadi struggles was to revive the Resistant Front. What does that mean? It means he used the capacities and youth who were ready to serve in those countries, and he did this in the best possible way. He would mobilize the local forces of each country wherever he went — in Iraq it was one way, in Syria it was another way, and in Lebanon yet another way. He mobilized the local forces that were ready to act.
For example, in Iraq the Religious Authority issued a fatwa or ruling against DAESH saying that the youth and people should come forward and stand up against them. Thousands of young people were ready to fight, but what could thousands of young people do without any organization, weapons, or training? Who organized them? Who gave them weapons? Who provided them with short-term training? It was Martyr Soleimani with the assistance of Iraqi friends — including Martyr Abu Mahdi — who did this. Don’t underestimate Martyr Abu Mahdi. He was a truly remarkable man. He was a person of great value, like Martyr Soleimani and others. Praise God, many of these people are still alive while some of them have attained martyrdom. It was Martyr Soleimani who brought these forces into the battlefield. This was another quality of this martyr. These are lessons — that is, making the best use of existing capacities for important work, knowing what to do, and being determined. This is what Martyr Soleimani did.
Another point I need to mention about the martyr is that in every stage of this important battle that this dear brother and dear close friend of mine undertook, defending the sacred sanctuaries was one of his tenets. He deemed it his duty to defend the Al-Atabat Al-Aliyat [the noble shrines in Iraq], to defend the Zainabiyya [Lady Zainab’s shrine], to defend the resting places of the companions of the Commander of the Faithful — some of whom are buried in Syria and others in Iraq — and to defend Al-Aqsa Mosque, which is a great sanctuary for the Islamic world. That’s why the Palestinian leader [Martyr Haniyeh] referred to Martyr Soleimani as the “Martyr of Quds” in his speech here before the Friday Prayer. Martyr Soleimani defended that sanctuary. He even referred to Iran as a sanctuary and defended Iran as such. Pay attention to this! The logic of defending sacred sanctuaries, sacred shrines, is a very important logic. This was another of this honorable person’s characteristics.
Another of his characteristics was that Martyr Soleimani’s outlook regarding the country’s issues wasn’t narrow and limited. This is very important. He viewed the country’s issues through a global, international lens. What does this mean? It means he believed that every significant event in the region, or even in the world, had repercussions inside the country that affected the country’s affairs.
As far as the country’s affairs pertained to him — there were matters unrelated to him, such as economic issues, which weren’t related to Martyr Soleimani — he recognized, understood, and calculated the impact of global events and addressed them. He identified threats outside the borders and sought remedies. This is what Islam teaches us that people need to recognize a danger in advance. The Commander of the Faithful said that he didn’t become heedless or fall asleep with the enemy’s lullabies [Nahj al-Balaghah, sermon 6]. This is how he [Martyr Soleimani] was. This was another of his characteristics. These are some of the qualities of this dear martyr.
Well, these qualities were present in Martyr Soleimani, but not merely as an individual. Martyr Soleimani as a person and as a human being is of secondary importance. What matters is his role as a member of a school of thought and one who was on a path toward a goal. Martyr Soleimani possessed these qualities as a school of thought, and he pursued this and felt he had a duty. This is what we now call the “Soleimani school,” which is the school of Islam and the school of the Quran. He adhered to this school and practiced it. [So,] he became a model, an axis, and a center.
If we also have that same faith, do the same deeds, and do the same righteous actions, we will become Soleimani. If any of us is committed to this path with the same dedication, we will also receive that divine grace. Well, this was the first point [which was] regarding Martyr Soleimani.
The next point is about the issue of "Defense of the Shrine." "Defense of the Shrine" is a concept that became so familiar to our people and our Iranian society that the best of our people were ready to sacrifice themselves for it. The blood of righteous individuals was shed, and precious lives were sacrificed for this cause to defend the shrines. Some people who — I don't want to use a negative expression — lack a proper analysis, a correct understanding, and the necessary awareness of issues imagine, talk about, and perhaps promote the idea that due to recent events in the region, the blood that was shed in defense of the shrines was wasted! This is a grave error and a significant mistake that some people are making. The blood of the martyrs was not in vain.
If these people hadn’t gone, if this battle hadn’t been fought, if Haj Qasem Soleimani hadn’t ventured into the mountains and deserts of this region with such courage, and if he hadn’t taken those Defenders of the Shrine with him, these sacred sites wouldn’t have existed anymore. You can be sure about that. Not only would there be no trace of Lady Zainab’s shrine, there would also be no trace of Karbala or Najaf. What’s the reason for this statement? Samarra. There was some negligence regarding Samarra. You saw how they destroyed the dome of the Askariyyayn Shrine. They shattered the zarih. Who did that? The takfiri groups with the help of the US did it.
It would have been the same everywhere. If there hadn’t been this defense, the fate of these sacred shrines, these qiblas of the hearts of the Muslims, would have suffered the same fate as the dome of the Askariyyayn Shrine that was destroyed. They went there, struggled, worked hard, confronted the enemy, struck the enemy hard, and were able to defend a great truth. This great truth isn’t just the sacred place itself. It’s about the owner of that place [who is buried there]. It’s about the school of thought of that noble Imam.
Let’s also understand that in the Quranic culture, basically any blood that is shed on the path of God is shed rightly and not in vain. No [such] blood is ever wasted. Even if victory is not achieved, blood that is shed is not in vain. Hamza's blood was shed in the Battle of Uhud. Was it in vain? No. Above all, the blood of the Master of the Martyrs [Imam Hussain (pbuh)] was shed in Karbala. Was it in vain? No.
Blood that is shed on the path of truth is never in vain. The Quran also speaks of this. It states, “And whoever fights in the way of Allah, and then he is slain, or he subdues [the enemy], We shall soon give him a great reward” (4:74). It doesn’t matter whether you are victorious or are killed, defeated, and lose. The essence of this effort is valuable before God. This jihad is valuable and significant before Almighty God. And, of course, victory is certain. Don’t be disheartened by the current parade of falsehood. Know that those who are parading today will one day be trampled under the feet of the believers.
The next point is related to the Revolution and to the Islamic Republic. The events of these past years, where Martyr Soleimani, his comrades, and his friends were active and visible — for example, during the events that unfolded during the Defense of the Shrine — have shown that the Islamic Revolution and the Islamic Republic is alive, flourishing, and a fruitful tree "that yields its fruit every season by the permission of its Lord" (14:25). This has been shown. The youth of the 2000s and 2010s, like the youth of the 1980s, entered the field, fought, and sacrificed their lives. Similar to how some young people would plead with their parents in the 1980s to allow them to go fight in the war, some of the youth in the 2000s and 2010s also begged their parents to allow them to go.
Martyr Hojaji kissed his mother’s feet asking her to give him permission to go fight in the battlefields and defend the holy shrines. This shows that the Revolution is alive. Many social movements take place around the world. They initially begin with excitement, vitality, and momentum, but then they often turn into despair and come to an end. But after more than 40 years, the Islamic Republic is still alive today. Even today, this dear young person stood up here, and he undoubtedly represents millions of young people who say, “If necessary, if it’s necessary to defend Islam against the enemy, we are ready to sacrifice our lives.”
The Defenders of the Shrine proved that the banner of the Resistance still flies high. Despite all the investments and costs incurred by the enemy over these years, they haven’t been able to lower the flag of the Resistance, not in Lebanon, in Palestine, in Syria, in Iraq, or in Iran. They haven’t been able to do that, and they won’t be able to do it.
An important point I have made a note of here is that this steadfastness and this national strength have certain underlying factors in any country, and these factors must be protected.
One of the major mistakes some countries make is that they remove the factors that bring stability and strength from the scene. A group of young believers who are willing to sacrifice their lives are the most important factor for a nation's strength. They shouldn’t be removed from the scene. This is a lesson for us. Well, praise God, this is practiced here to a large extent. Other countries should also pay attention to this point. They need to understand what their stabilizing factors are. When they remove those factors, the same thing will happen that has happened in some countries in the region. When they remove the factors of stability and strength, it becomes like Syria. There’s chaos. It leads to the occupation of Syrian territory by foreigners. The US from one side, the Zionist regime from another side, and other assaulting countries from other places enter.
Of course, they cannot stay there. Syria belongs to the Syrian people. Those who have invaded the land of the Syrian people will one day be forced to retreat in the face of the power of the devout Syrian youth. There is no doubt that this will happen. The transgressor must withdraw from the land that belongs to a nation; otherwise, they will be forced to leave. Today, the US is continuously building bases in Syria, but these bases will undoubtedly be trampled under the feet of the Syrian youth.
Lebanon is a symbol of Resistance. It has suffered blows, but it has neither faltered nor fallen to its knees. The enemy strikes, but [as the Quran states,] "If you are suffering, they are also suffering like you" (4:104). The enemy has also suffered blows, and the ultimate victors will be the ones who possess the power of faith. Lebanon is a symbol of Resistance, and it will be victorious. Yemen is also a symbol of Resistance and will be victorious. God willing, the enemies and transgressors, the head of which is the greedy, criminal US, will have no choice but to take their hands off the people and nations of the region and withdraw from this region in humiliation, God willing.
May God’s greetings, mercy, and blessings be upon you.
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