The following is the full text of the speech delivered on January 8, 2009 by Ayatollah Khamenei, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, in a meeting with people from the holy city of Qom. The meeting was held on the occasion of the anniversary of the uprising 19th of Dey by the people of Qom.
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
First, I would like to express my condolences on the occasion of the martyrdom anniversary of the greatest martyr throughout human history. Second, I would like to welcome you dear brothers and sisters who have come from Qom and who have formed this warm and friendly meeting on the occasion of the awakening of the vigilant and wise people of Qom.
The issue of the 19th of Dey was not merely a fleeting historical event. The significance of this event lies in the fact that part of the people of Iran - the dear people of Qom - felt an event before it occurred. The sense of awakening and vigilance of these people came to their help which led to the beginning of a great movement by the people of Qom. The issue of insulting our magnanimous Imam (r.a.) in a newspaper and by a mercenary paid by taghuti courtiers was not very important from the viewpoint of many narrow-minded and short-sighted people of those days.
They did not feel and understand the depth of this issue and the hidden part of this plot. When one does not feel a plot, one will not naturally show any reaction, but the people and youth of Qom felt and understood it. They understood the significance of the issue. This is the most important part of the event that took place in the history of our Revolution. If you people of Qom had not gained such an understanding in those days, if you had not engaged in defense, if you had not offered martyrs and if you had not brought about that singular disgrace for the taghuti regime, it would not have been clear whether revolutionary activities would take place and continue in the same way or not.
The starting point is very important and the starting point is not an accidental thing. It results from understanding an event many of whose dimensions are hidden. The event of the 19th of Dey showed this artfulness. It showed that they had gained a correct understanding of an issue that has arisen. It showed that they understood this plot and that they knew what should happen and is happening as a result of the article that was written against Imam (may God bestow paradise on him). Because they understood the plot, they were spurred into action.
Today, there is the same lesson. A people's sixth sense should understand events before they occur. They should know what is happening and then they should react. When we take a look at the history of Islam, we see that lack of this understanding and political sense has kept peoples completely unaware and it has given their enemies the opportunity to do whatever they want to peoples. It has given them the opportunity to be immune from peoples' reaction.
You should look at the event of Karbala with this outlook. Many of the Muslims who lived 60 years after the Holy Prophet's (s.w.a.) migration - that is to say, 50 years after his demise - did not have a correct understanding of the events that were occurring and they did not respond to these events. This was why the arena was open for those who were doing whatever they wanted. There was no one to prevent them from making a detour on the path of the Islamic Ummah. This was why they did such things.
This resulted in the rule of a decadent, criminal and notorious person - a young man who did not have any of the requirements which were necessary for Islamic government and who did not enjoy the characteristics of the Holy Prophet's (s.w.a.) caliphate. He did the exact opposite of the Holy Prophet's (s.w.a.) path. It was this person who ruled over the Islamic Ummah and who became the Holy Prophet's (s.w.a.) successor. Notice how strange this event looks to you today. In those days, this event did not look strange to the people who lived in that era.
And outstanding personalities did not sense danger. As for those who sensed danger, their personal interests, their fears for their lives and their desire for a comfortable life did not allow them to react. The Holy Prophet (s.w.a.) introduced Islam in order to draw people towards monotheism, purity, justice, moral health and communal happiness. But someone succeeded him who was corrupt from head to toe. He was decadent from head to toe and he did not believe in God's existence and monotheism at all.
Today, this looks very strange to you, but it did not look strange to many people in those days. How strange! Yazid became the caliph and he entrusted cruel and violent agents with the task of making people pledge allegiance to him. And the people went in groups and pledged their allegiance to him: ulama, pious people, outstanding personalities and politicians pledged their allegiance to him.
What should be done in such a situation in which so much ignorance is dominant over the world of Islam and in which people do not sense danger? What should someone like Hussein ibn Ali (a.s.), who is the manifestation of Islam and who is the exact copy of Holy Prophet of Islam (s.w.a.) - "Hussein is part of me and I am part of Hussein" - should do in this situation? He should do something to awaken, inform and stir the world of Islam - not only the world of Islam in those days, but also the world of Islam in future centuries.
This stirring began with Imam Hussein's (a.s.) uprising. The fact that Imam Hussein (a.s.) was invited to Kufa for the caliphate and that he moved towards this city was an excuse and it was the surface of the issue. Even if Imam Hussein (a.s.) had not been invited, this uprising would have taken place. Imam Hussein (a.s.) must have launched this movement to show what Muslims' responsibility is in such circumstances.
He showed the prescription to all Muslims in future centuries. He wrote a prescription. However, his prescription was not a prescription of sophistry, command and dictatorship. It was a practical prescription. He himself took action and showed people that this is the path. He quotes a hadith from the Holy Prophet (s.w.a.) in this regard: "When you see that Islam is abandoned, that oppressive rulers rule over the people, that they change God's religion and that they behave towards the people in an oppressive way, a person who does not stand up against them and who does not spark an uprising gives God the right to treat him like those oppressive rulers" [Bihar al-Anwar, Volume 44, page 381].
Allah the Exalted will behave towards this silent and indifferent person like those who "consider Allah's harrams as halal" [Speaking in Arabic]. This is the prescription. This is Imam Hussein's (a.s.) uprising. From the viewpoint of Imam Hussein (a.s.), if his pure, blessed and precious life - which is one of the most valuable lives in the world - is sacrificed, this is not a high price. If the lives of the best people - who were Imam Hussein's (a.s.) companions - are sacrificed, this is not considered to be a high price for Imam Hussein (a.s.).
From the viewpoint of Imam Hussein (a.s), the imprisonment of God's household and the Holy Prophet's (s.w.a.) family and the capturing of a personality like Zaynab (s.a.) by strangers was not considered to be a high price. Hussein ibn Ali (a.s.) knew that when he is killed in the desert, they will imprison children and this lady. The price that we pay should be compared with what is achieved for Islam, the Islamic Ummah and society. Sometimes, if we spend a hundred tomans, we are being extravagant and sometimes, if we spend a hundred billion tomans, we are not extravagant. We should see what we obtain in return.
The Islamic Revolution was acting on this prescription. Our magnanimous Imam (r.a.) acted on this prescription. At that time, a group of short-sighted and narrow-minded people - of course, they were good people and we knew them - used to say, "Imam (r.a.) has brought youth to the arena. As a result of this, our best youth will be killed and their blood will be shed". They thought that Imam (r.a.) did not know the lives of these youth would be in danger. They felt pity for him. This resulted from a miscalculation.
Well, we had many martyrs during the imposed war. We had many disabled war veterans and many families mourned for their children. This is a great price, but what did we obtain in return? In return, we preserved the independence of the country, the flag of Islam and the identity of Islamic Iran in the face of that great storm.
The storm that they created was not Saddam's. Saddam was a soldier who served in the front lines for the camp of the enemy. Behind him, there were all the agents of global arrogance and the world of atheism. Even if some were not involved in this plot from the beginning, it was clear that they became involved later on. All of them stood behind Saddam. America entered the arena. The same is true of the Soviet Union of those days and NATO. Those countries which had a reactionary and biased attitude and which were dependent on America entered the arena as well.
They gave Saddam money, information and a plan and they used propaganda. This great army had come to completely crush great, brave and courageous Iran. Primarily, they wanted to help a mean and inferior element like Saddam dominate a region which had been designed for arrogance and secondly, they wanted to help America grab this region in its claws and fists. They wanted to continue the disaster that they had created for our people during two centuries for another one, two centuries. But our people stood firm. So did our Imam (r.a.). Of course, we offered dear lives, great martyrs and lovely youth, but this was not a high price considering that achievement.
Today, the issue of Palestine is the same. The issue of Palestine - the way you see it - is only the surface of the issue. The truth of the issue is that global arrogance, which does not believe in any human principle, is willing to grab the Middle East region - this sensitive region which is full of wealth and different kinds of geographical and political sensitivity - in its fists. And its tool is usurping Israel and the Zionists who are dominant over the occupied Palestine. The issue is this.
All the moves that have been made in the region during the past few years - ranging from the issues of Lebanon to the issues of Iraq and Palestine - can be interpreted and understood with this outlook. The issue is that the region should be in the fists of America and arrogance. Arrogance includes America. Of course, the government of America - the Great Satan - is the main manifestation of arrogance. Arrogance wants to dominate the region and it wants to grab it in its fists. It needs this region and its agent is Israel.
All the stories and events in recent years can be interpreted with this outlook. As you witnessed, during the 33-day war, America's Secretary of State said, "this is the labor pain for the new Middle East region". It means that a new creature is born out of this event. This new creature is the same Middle East region that America is looking for. Of course, the interpretation of this dream was the disaster that befell them. The courage, vigilance, sacrifice and jihad of religious youth in Lebanon was a slap across the face of not only Israel, but also America and all its supporters and followers. The issue of Gaza created the same disaster for them.
They do not want any resisting element to exist in the region. They consider the Islamic Republic to be the epitome of resistance. Of course, they have understood this correctly. This country is the center of resistance. This is a country where the mere existence of the Islamic Republic inspires regional nations even if we do not make any move and say any word. An entity and identity - which has fully grown in the region and which is becoming rooted day by day despite the presence of all arrogant powers - is becoming stronger on a daily basis. The mere existence of this great and glorious entity is a thorn in the eyes of arrogance and a source of hope for nations. This country is the center of resistance and there is no doubt about it.
Other nations have been inspired by this country, but in order to crush resistance, they have targeted the weak link which is the democratic government of Hamas in Gaza. They are oppressing and crushing it. Today, anyone in the world of Islam who considers the issue of Gaza to be a regional, personal and local issue is suffering from the same ignorant sleep that has created a disastrous situation for nations until today. The issue of Gaza is not only the issue of Gaza. Rather, it is the issue of the entire region. In the present time, Gaza is the weaker point and they have begun their invasion from that point. If they succeed, they will not stop causing trouble for the region.
The governments of those Muslim countries which live in the surrounding areas and which do not offer the help that they should and that they can are making a mistake. They are making a mistake. The deeper Israel's nail is knocked into the region and the more arrogance achieves domination, the more the disasters, weaknesses and humiliation of these governments will be. Why do they not understand? And governments drag their nations as well as themselves towards humiliation. A humiliated, obedient and dependent government makes its people obedient, humiliated and dependent as well. This is why nations should be awakened.
Our people showed their vigilance and preparedness on this issue as well. I deem it necessary to thank all the people - particularly the youth who went to airports in Tehran and other cities and asked to be dispatched to Palestine - who showed their position and determination in different rallies, demonstrations and slogans.
Well, our hands are tied. Our hands are tied. If we could show our presence there, we would show our presence because it is necessary. If we could do this, we would not show any consideration for anyone. But it is not possible and everyone should know this. The Islamic Republic and the officials of the Islamic Republic are doing whatever they can to help those oppressed people. They have done whatever they could until today and they will continue to do this in the future. But our youth are enthusiastic youth. Today's generation of youth showed with this move of theirs that they are like the youth in Karbala-5 - These days are a reminder of the memory of Karbala-5 - Val-Fajr, Khaybar and Badr operations. Like the youth of 25 years ago, today's youth are prepared to enter the arena.
The money that the intelligence and imperialist services of the enemies gave to some domestic and treacherous agents to dissuade our youth, to write analyses and to pretend that our youth's preparedness was not wise was wasted. Our youth are moving in the same direction that the Revolution, Islam and Imam Hussein (a.s.) delineated. This is the condition of our country. In the world of Islam, nations should show their presence and determination in a clear way. Nations should ask their governments to do what they want.
A number of Muslim governments made good efforts, but this is not enough. The enemy should be forced to retreat with political and popular pressures. Notice that today's disaster, which has been created in the region by the Zionists, is a unique disaster. One person in a corner of the world falls on the ground because of an accident and organizations in charge of human rights make a fuss about it. They claim to support human rights by telling lies and in a hypocritical, exaggerated and deceptive way. This is while little children and innocent women in Gaza fall on the ground like autumn leaves and these organizations do not say anything.
Allah the Exalted cast light on the claims of those who claim to support human rights, whether those who are in the United Nations, those who work in the so-called organizations in charge of human rights or their governments. In the present time, "human rights" is the catchphrase of these European countries. Which human rights? You do not believe in the rights of human beings.
You are lying and you speak about human rights in a hypocritical way. If you believe in human rights, then how is it possible for such and such a European head of state to see such events and decide not to invade Israel? A number of intellectuals in the world of Islam are worse than these people. Unfortunately, the corruption of the press, news agencies and intellectual organizations in the world of Islam is very regrettable. They write some analyses in newspapers against the current legal government of Palestine in order to justify the crimes of Zionists. Allah the Exalted will not forgive these people.
Such a thing exists more or less inside the country as well. Of course, the decisive thoughts and ideas of the people inside the country and the cooperation of the people and the government in this orientation do not allow some people to follow the same line of deception and treachery. If it had not been for this, some of these people would have ranted about this issue. But the decisive presence of the people and the cooperation and slogans of the people and the government do not allow them to do so. However, this is unfortunately being done in other countries. What is the result and product of these events? In a word, it is definitely the victory of truth over falsehood.
Even if, God forbid, the enemy manages to destroy each and every Palestinian soldier - they are putting up a brilliant defense in Hamas today and they are fighting in a very determined way - the issue of Palestine cannot be destroyed with these disasters. Without a doubt, as it has been witnessed in the past, it will rise again while it is much stronger than the past and it will crash onto and defeat them.
Our Muslim people should preserve this firm determination in their minds and hearts. They should appreciate the value of this insight. They should appreciate the value of the wisdom and vigilance that they enjoy, they should preserve their presence and they should show their positions in a clear way. They should announce to the world that the Islamic Republic is standing up for its anti-oppression positions and that it will show resistance and make sacrifices for the sake of these positions.
Undoubtedly, what it will achieve is much greater and more valuable than what it will lose. The pure souls of our dear martyrs and the immaculate soul of our magnanimous Imam (r.a.) will definitely support the people of Iran, these jihadi efforts and this brilliant defense. By Allah's favor, all Muslim nations will celebrate victory in the not too distant future.
I hope that God helps us benefit from the prayers of the Imam of the Age (may our souls be sacrificed for his sake) and I hope that He will count us as the real followers of Hussein ibn Ali (peace and greetings be upon him).
Greetings be upon you and Allah's mercy and blessings