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The opposition of the west to Islamic Awakening

“The other reality is that the western world has not managed to overcome Islamic Awakening in spite of all its power. In different areas which are populated by Muslims, they broadcast a lot of propaganda against Islam, the Islamic Republic, great Muslim leaders and reformers and Islamic ahkaam. They employed many mercenaries to insult Islam and level allegations against Islam and Islamic ahkaam. They used the military option. They used the economic option. They launched widespread propaganda on a surprisingly large scale. But they have not made any headway so far. The youth in Muslim countries have the strongest tendency towards Islam and Islamic thought. This enthusiasm is increasing in the hearts of Muslim nations on a daily basis.

The conclusion is that the world of Islam should appreciate the value of these realities. Today unity around the axis of Islam is the only way in which the world of Islam can protect the interests of Islamic nations. The only way in which the world of Islam can protect the interests of Muslim nations is to say ‘no’ to the colonial goals and greed of the enemies and the arrogant powers. The goal of the arrogant powers is to eliminate national and religious identity in the world of Islam, especially in the Middle East. Countering this goal is possible only through further unity, further solidarity, adhering to Islam, promoting Islam and standing up against the greed of America and other arrogant powers. Today America’s image has been tarnished in the entire world. With these actions, today the Americans are trampling on all their slogans. Today the pressure that the Americans are exerting on the Iraqi nation, the current insecurity they have caused in Iraq, the unconditional support they offer to the blood-thirsty Zionists, the tragedies they have caused in Afghanistan, the pressure they are exerting on Islamic countries – these factors have all created an ugly and hideous image of America in the world of Islam. Today the world of Islam must stand up against this greedy power. There is no other choice for the world of Islam.”

Part of a speech delivered on September 2, 2005 in a meeting with government officials on the occasion of Mab’ath

“Today global arrogance, the political bullies of the world and the empires of wealth and power across the world – which are submerged in corruption – are opposed to Islam and the Islamic Republic. This is because Islam and Islamic Awakening would expose their true nature and pose a threat to them.”

Part of a speech delivered on June 16, 1989 in a meeting with the Minister of Education and a group of teachers and students from Tehran

“The atrocities that the arrogant powers committed during the recent years in different parts of the world are a reaction to the awakening and courage of nations. When humiliated nations stand up and try to put an end to their humiliation, the powers that have humiliated them must be careful to protect themselves. These powers received a blow, and they will receive further blows in the future. In Islamic communities, the wave of turning to revolutionary Islam is a dynamic movement, and they cannot do anything to stop it. Of course they try to suppress such movements and treat their supporters violently. They level allegations against the activists. They label them as terrorists even if they are not at all related to the Islamic Republic, but they claim that these people are affiliated with the Islamic Republic in order to deal a blow to both sides. The enemy is doing these things, but there is one thing they cannot do: they cannot eliminate this widespread tendency towards revolutionary Islam among nations. They could not stop it, and they will not be able to so in the future either.”

Part of a speech delivered on November 4, 1989 in a meeting with families of the Sacred Defense war veterans and martyrs

“But the opposition of the arrogant powers to Islam is not limited to what they did to Iran, the people of Iran and the Islamic Republic, rather opposition to Islam was seriously pursued on a larger scale through political and propaganda campaigns as well as through cultural methods. The pressure that has been mounted on Muslim activists, freedom fighters, religious scholars and intellectuals in Islamic countries by the regimes which are dependent on America, the pressure that has been mounted on Muslim minorities in non-Islamic countries, the clear cases of a political battle against Islam, producing articles, books and insulting films against Islam and distributing them in Islamic and non-Islamic environments – these are clear cases of the cultural battle against Islam. Arrogant powers such as America, England and others are currently spending huge amounts of money on these hostilities and criminal activities. Unfortunately there are authors and artists who trade their intellectual and artistic products for material gains, and they start to serve the evil goals of powerful people by suppressing their artistic and literary conscience.”

Part of the Leader’s hajj message issued on July 5, 1989

Awakening, the element that overcomes the power of colonialism

“Today the awakening and determination of nations is the only thing that can overcome the wild spirit of colonialism. If a nation is vigilant, it knows its rights, it knows its enemy, it knows what the goal of the enemy is and it can stand up against that enemy. Then the power of the arrogant powers and America and all military equipment become ineffective. In such a situation the arrogant powers cannot do anything. This is the essential thing that the Islamic Revolution relied on since the beginning and the Islamic Republic built its firm foundations on it.”

Part of a speech delivered on July 30, 2003 in a meeting with a group of youth from the city of Ahwaz

The threats to Islamic Awakening

“Autocratic governments, colonialists and bullying governments which were opposed to Islam, humiliated Muslims and kept them backward for centuries. Now that Muslims are moving towards dignity and Islamic Awakening, the enemies will definitely lie in ambush along the way. It is necessary to watch them. I would like to mention one of these threats: discord among Muslims, among Muslim ethnicities and among Islamic denominations.
Is there anywhere in the world of Islam in which treacherous hands are not after fomenting discord? Is there anywhere in the world of Islam where evil minds serving the arrogant powers have not employed naïve and weak people to further their goals? Our goal and giant leap is to create unity among Muslim ethnicities, Islamic denominations and different groups of Muslim. There are some people whose responsibility is to foment discord in order to deal a blow to the movement which will bring about dignity for the world of Islam. Identify those people and counter them in a clever way. If Muslims remain vigilant and consider the glory of Islam as their own glory, then this movement will undoubtedly manage to reach its goals.”

Part of a speech delivered on June 5, 1991 in a meeting with foreign participants of the ceremony marking the 2nd demise anniversary of Imam Khomeini (r.a.)

Lack of self-confidence among leaders of Islamic countries

“Unfortunately most of the politicians in Islamic countries added their lack of self-confidence against foreign powers to their lack of gratitude for the great power of their nations. Instead of taking advantage of the great opportunity which the victory of the Islamic Revolution had provided for them and instead of revising their negative and shameful relations with America and Europe, they simplistically adopted a hostile position against our auspicious Revolution which had strongly attracted the hearts of nations. As a result, they sank deeper into the quagmire of opposing their own people and submission to the imposition and bullying of the satanic powers. They acted against the Quranic warning: ‘Those who take the unbelievers for guardians rather than believers. Do they seek glory from them? All glory belongs to God.’ [The Holy Quran, 4: 139] They tried to seek glory from America. The appropriate punishment for this misunderstanding and misdeed is to leave them alone to worry about the destiny of their government in a pathetic way and to clearly feel that America and other leaders of global arrogance will not be able to save them once they are in danger. They should be left alone to feel with their body and soul the falsity of the belief that America is able to do whatever it wants.”

Part of the Leader’s message issued on October 25, 1990 on the occasion of National Day of Fighting Global Arrogance

The challenges and deviations of the Islamic Ummah

“Today in almost every part of the world the arrogant powers are fighting a determined and conspiratorial battle against Islam and Muslims. This is the important point that all Muslims should know, and they should feel responsible to counter it. Although this battle is not new in its essence and although its signs have been completely identified in the history of European colonialism, one can say that the diversity and severity of the methods employed and the fact that it is no longer kept a secret are unprecedented in history. A brief look at the current situation of the world of Islam would reveal why the battle against Islam has grown more severe and why it is no longer a secret. The reason is nothing but the spread of the wave of Islamic Awakening. The truth is that Muslims have started a deep-rooted and genuine movement in the west and east of the world of Islam and even in non-Muslim countries, and it is appropriate to call this movement ‘revival of Islam’. Contrary to what yesterday’s colonialists and today’s arrogant powers expected, currently not only have the youth – who are highly educated and are aware of the latest developments –not forgotten Islam, but they have also turned to Islam for a solution with their enthusiastic religious faith which has grown even stronger than before due to the progress of human knowledge.

The establishment of the Islamic Republic in Iran and its increasing stability and power are the peak of this deep-rooted movement by the youth, and this has played the most important role in spreading Islamic Awakening. This is what has forced the camp of arrogance – which has always pretended to avoid fighting what nations believe in and hold sacred – to openly step in and make use of all the available methods, including the use of violence in some cases. One can find many leaders and politicians in America and in European countries who have openly declared that the spread of Islamic faith is a great threat and that it is necessary to fight it. The more Muslim youth have turned to Islamic faith and actions, the more explicit these statements have become, statements which are rooted in anxiety and hostility. And today the situation has become so bad that even the leaders and politicians of certain Islamic countries – who used to hide their enmity towards Islam under a veil of hypocrisy – follow in the footsteps of their American and European masters and openly speak about the threat caused by Islam in an explicit way. They consider the holy faith of the people they are ruling as a threat to themselves.”

Part of the Leader’s hajj message issued on May 18, 1993

The psychological warfare of the arrogant powers against Islamic Awakening

“Psychological warfare – including humiliation, promoting despair and showing off power and material comfort – is the most important weapon that is available to the arrogant enemies who know that the awakening of the Islamic Ummah is a threat to their illegitimate interests. Today thousands of propaganda tools are being employed in order to make Muslims disappointed in achieving a bright future and try to encourage them to accept the kind of future that is in line with their evil intentions. And such propaganda tools will be used for the same purpose in the future as well. Since the beginning of the era of colonialism, this psychological and cultural warfare has been the most effective tool used by the west to spread its hegemony over Islamic countries. The target of this poisonous arrow is primarily Muslim intellectuals and elites and then ordinary citizens. The only way to counter this plot is to turn one’s back on the domineering and imposed western culture. Western culture should be purified by Muslim elites and intellectuals. The useful elements should be adopted and the harmful, destructive and corrupt elements should be eliminated from the mind and behavior of Islamic communities. In the process of this great purification, the standard is Islamic culture and the rich and helpful ideas extracted from the Holy Quran and Sunnah. This is an essential chapter in the all-out and auspicious battle which should be fought by religious scholars and political intellectuals and elites across the world of Islam.”

Part of the Leader’s hajj message issued on March 2, 2001

“The US and other arrogant western powers have finally concluded that Muslim countries and nations, especially those of the Middle East, form the core of this awakening and resistance to their plans for global domination. If they fail to control or suppress this Islamic Awakening in the next few years through economic, political, propaganda and military tools, all their plans for an absolute global hegemony and control of the most vital oil and gas resources – which are essential for their industrial machinery and their material advantage over the rest of humanity – will be ruined. If that happens, big western and Zionist capitalists, who are the ones that control all the arrogant governments, will fall from the peak of their imposed power.”

Part of the Leader’s hajj message issued on January 18, 2005

“Unfortunately the Islamic Ummah has faced certain challenges and deviations over many centuries. We strayed away from Islam and got busy with things that Islam has prohibited. Over many centuries, we got busy with internal conflicts. Satanic powers kept us busy with these things. As a result, centuries after the introduction of Islam, Muslim nations could not accomplish the objectives that had been delineated by Islam and the Holy Prophet (s.w.a.). In spite of the fact that Allah the Exalted has bestowed many sources of wealth on Islamic countries, sources which could have been used to make progress, Muslims came to be among the most backward nations in the world in terms of knowledge, industry and many other indicators of progress. This was not what Islam had determined for us. This was the result of our bad actions and lack of vigilance. ‘Whatever misfortune befalls you, it is from yourself.’ [The Holy Quran, 4: 79] It was us who gave rise to this situation over time because of our lack of vigilance.”

Part of the Leader’s speech delivered on May 19, 2003 in a meeting with government officials

“The internal weaknesses of a society prepare the way for the aggression of the enemy of that society. But it is the enemy who imposes weaknesses on a healthy society through his tools and facilities. We should not make a mistake in this regard. The path of the Islamic society should remain the path of fighting arrogance and global hegemony, which are unfortunately pressuring the entire world of Islam in their clutches. They are opposed to Islam. They are opposed to the awakening of Muslims. They are opposed Islamic Iran because it is Islamic. All their efforts are focused on preventing the revival of the Islamic movement in the world. Of course this hostility is headed by the oppressive and belligerent US government, which is being supported by all the big and small powers that have long been hostile to Islam – powers whose interests are in conflict with Islam or powers that are afraid of Islam. And the reason why they are opposed to Islamic Iran is that Islamic Awakening started from Iran. Today Muslim nations across the world are encouraged by our movement and our successful Revolution, and they move forward with firm determination. If, God forbid, they manage to defeat Islam in Iran, they will achieve their biggest victory against the Islamic wave throughout the world.”

Part of a speech delivered on July 29, 1991 in a meeting with clerics and religious scholars

Part four: duties of nations towards Islamic Awakening

The need to counter cultural and political plots of the west

“For many years, the degenerate culture of the west has been wreaking havoc and promoting corruption in Islamic countries without facing any obstacles. Unfortunately corrupt and dependent governments did not manage to build a strong wall to counter the cultural and political plots of the enemies, and this is something that is expected from a righteous government. Therefore, the leaders of western countries continued their political hegemony and economic plundering and started to spread their degenerate and humiliating culture in Islamic countries, and nobody tried to stop them.

The arrogant powers falsely believe that they can deal a blow to us by imposing wars on us, broadcasting negative propaganda, imposing sanctions and leveling allegations against us. They are unaware of the fact that Islam and Islamic Awakening have shaken the foundations of their power. And with every passing day, the fearsome waves of Islamic Awakening will further shake the thrones of the pharaohs of the world.”

Part of a speech delivered on July 13, 1989 at a ceremony marking the 40th day of Imam Khomeini’s (r.a.) demise

The sense of responsibility towards Islamic Awakening

“Today the Islamic Ummah is experiencing these successes and failures. In the face of these realities, both Muslim governments and Muslim peoples have great responsibilities to fulfill, and the world of Islam is going through a sensitive stage of its history. Becoming familiar with these responsibilities and feeling responsible can turn the page of afflictions and weakness in the history of Islam and start another era of dignity and glory for Muslims and spiritual and material brilliance for the world of Islam. Today the western world, which has strengthened the weakness and backwardness of Islamic countries, has to deal with great and irremediable afflictions. Materialistic corruption and capitalism are gradually revealing their effect on the materialistic civilization of the west. The chronic maladies which were hiding under the dazzling brilliance of wealth and industrial progress are gradually revealing themselves and tell them that a crisis is around the corner. After many years of suffering, the world of Islam feels the soothing wind of Islamic Awakening. The world of Islam can see the signs of this wind across the world of Islam, especially in Iran, Palestine and Lebanon. The rays of hope have enlightened the hearts of the youth everywhere and put an end to the humiliation and domination of the west.”

Part of the Leader’s hajj message issued on March 2, 2001

“Today, more than ever before, the world of Islam is in need of solidarity, unity and adhering to the Holy Quran. On the one hand, the potential of the Islamic world for development and restoration of its dignity and power are more evident than ever before. Today the youth and prominent figures throughout the world of Islam aspire to restore the grandeur and glory of the Islamic Ummah. The hypocritical slogans of the imperialists have lost their charm and their foul intentions have gradually become exposed for the Islamic Ummah. On the other hand, the domineering powers which entertain hopes of global domination are alarmed by the awakening of the Islamic Ummah and its unity. They regard Islamic Awakening and Muslim unity as the obstacle in the way of their destructive plots, and they are trying to prevent them.”

Part of the Leader’s hajj message issued on January 18, 2005

Return to Islamic principles

“Today the situation of the world is very different compared to the past. Islamic Awakening is tangible across the world of Islam. A great movement, which is at different stages, has started in every part of the world of Islam. There is a tendency to return to Islamic principles, which are a source of dignity and progress. The intellectuals, religious scholars and politicians of the world of Islam should strengthen this movement. It is a mistake to think that the wave of Islamic Awakening among the youth of Islamic countries is harmful to Muslim governments. No, Muslim governments can use this Islamic Awakening to restore the dignity that the arrogant powers have taken away from them.”

Part of the Leader’s speech delivered on May 19, 2003 in a meeting with government officials

Hope and determination, a source of power for nations

“The world can see that since the victory of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, Muslim nations in every part of the world are confidently taking certain actions to restore their Islamic identity and culture. This is because the selfless battle of the Iranian nation has foiled the colonial and arrogant plot which says eastern and Muslim nations are not capable of forcing the US and European powers to retreat. The battle of the Iranian nation has shown the importance of genuine power. Faithful people of a country are the source of genuine power for that country, and no material power will be able to impose its will on such a country, no matter how powerful it is.”

Part of the Leader’s message issued on October 25, 1990 on the occasion of National Day of Fighting Global Arrogance

“It is a fact that the arrogant powers have used the new advances, TV and radio stations, the tools of propaganda, money and industrial facilities to increase their domination over nations of the world and their daily life. But divine rules have preordained that nations of the world should awaken, and we see today that nations of the world are awakening on a daily basis. This is because they are hopeful about the future. Hope is awakening nations. Undoubtedly the victory of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, the establishment of a government which was independent of the west and the east and promoting the policy of resistance against the arrogant powers have been the most important source of hope for nations of the world during the past ten years. These realities gave hope to the people of the world, especially Muslims. These realities awakened the people of the world. This had been preordained by God.”

Part of the Leader’s speech delivered on March 13, 1990 in a meeting with government officials on the occasion of Imam Mahdi’s (a.s.) birthday anniversary

Continuing Islamic Awakening until achieving the ideals

"Today an awakening has occurred in the Islamic world, and the enemies of Islam have been disgraced. It is necessary to continue this path. This is the path that can help our nation achieve its genuine ideals. That is to say, this path can help our nation achieve dignity, spirituality, power, welfare and scientific glory – the ideals which are popular among nations. The correct path that the children of this Revolution have followed will lead to those ideals, providing that we are steadfast. Being steadfast means that we should not lose our way, that we should not be deceived by material manifestations, that we should not give in to our passions, that we should not abandon Islamic rules and moral and spiritual obligations, and that we should not go after hedonism and carnal desires. These are essential requirements."

Part of a speech delivered on October 9, 2002 in a meeting with members of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps on the occasion of Imam Hussein's (a.s.) birthday anniversary

"In spite of all their concerted efforts against Islam, the Islamic wave and the Islamic uprising in Asia and Africa, this wave of Islamic Awakening is spreading on a daily basis, and they cannot do anything to stop it. This is because of your Revolution and your brave and faithful uprising."

Part of a public address delivered on November 9, 2000 in a meeting with a large group of people from the city of Qom

"One of the issues that deserves our attention at this point is that the Islamic Ummah should establish a bond with its history and its favorable destiny. The historical background of the Islamic Ummah is something that colonial powers have tried to distort and wipe off the memory of Muslims since the time they entered Asia and Africa. Domination over natural resources of Islamic countries and their manpower and taking the destiny of Muslim nations into their hands have been the goal of colonial powers since the late 18th century. Destroying the pride of Muslims and separating them from their glorious past were the requirements to achieve this goal. In this way, Muslims could be encouraged to abandon their culture and ethical values and to accept western culture and colonial teachings. And this plot proved effective because the domination of corrupt and autocratic governments over Islamic countries had completely prepared the way for the hegemony of colonial powers. And the aggressive norms of western culture and the promotion of all the concepts that were deemed necessary for political and economic domination of colonial powers started flowing like a flood. As a result, within 200 years all Islamic countries became an easy target for western plunderers. They did everything ranging from direct government to appropriating Muslim nations' natural resources, changing their orthography or language, insulting what is held sacred by Muslims and even complete occupation of an Islamic country like Palestine. And they deprived Muslims of the blessings of political, economic and cultural independence – including scientific and cultural growth."

Part of the Leader's hajj message issued on June 16, 1991

"The hearts of members of the Islamic Ummah should get closer to one another on a daily basis. We must not let tools of fomenting discord, which the enemy has imposed on Muslim nations, prove effective in a situation in which Muslims have awakened. Muslims should become unified and overcome their geographic, local, linguistic and racial differences, and they should move towards the great Islamic goals."

Part of a speech delivered on July 13, 1989 at a ceremony marking the 40th day of Imam Khomeini's (r.a.) demise

"Today all our people enjoy a kind of greatness. There is nobody in our Islamic society who feels humiliated, provided that they have faith in Islam and the Islamic Revolution. This is a great phenomenon. This is how an Islamic society should be. The enemies want to make Muslims develop a feeling of weakness and humiliation. After the Islamic Revolution took place and attracted the attention of the world, this feeling of humiliation was significantly reduced among nations. Backward and oppressed nations which felt humiliated were revitalized by the Islamic Revolution, and they developed an identity. This was because they saw how the Islamic Republic and the Iranian nation managed to stand up against the biggest superpowers of the world and defeat them. All great nations of the world as well as all backward and third world countries saw this with their own eyes, and this created enthusiasm among them."

Part of a speech delivered on November 4, 1989 in a meeting with families of the Sacred Defense war veterans and martyrs