The
following is the full text of the speech delivered on November 25, 2014
by Ayatollah Khamenei, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, in
a meeting with participants of the International Congress on "Extremist
and Takfiri Orientations from the Viewpoint of Islamic Scholars".
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, al-Mustafa al-Amin, upon his immaculate and pure household and upon his chosen companions. May goodness be showered upon them until the Day of Judgment.
First of all, I would like to welcome the dear guests, the honorable participants and you ulama who have participated in this meeting from different Islamic denominations. I thank you for your active and valuable presence in this important two-day congress.
I deem it necessary to thank the great ulama and scholars of Qom - particularly Hazrat Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi and Hazrat Ayatollah Sobhani - who put forward and implemented this idea. Thankfully, they prepared the ground for this task. This movement should continue. I was briefed on the statements of the honorable speakers who delivered speeches during the past two days. I too would like to raise a few points:
First, the purpose of this congress is attending to the issue of takfirism which is a harmful and dangerous orientation in the world of Islam. Although this takfiri orientation is not new and although it has a historical background, it is a few years now that it has been revived and strengthened with the plots of arrogance, with the money of some regional governments and with the schemes of the intelligence services of colonialist countries such as America, England and the Zionist regime.
The purpose of your meeting, your congress and your movement is to confront this orientation in a comprehensive way. The purpose is not to confront what is known today as DAESH. The orientation which is known as DAESH today is only one of the branches of the malevolent tree of takfirism, not the whole of it. The corruption - this act of destroying people and shedding the blood of innocent individuals - that this group of people is involved in is only part of the crimes of takfirism in the world of Islam. We should adopt this outlook towards the issue.
I am sorry from the bottom of my heart that today, we have to focus our attention on the problems that arrogance has created in the world of Islam. This is while we should focus all our energy on confronting the plots of the Zionist regime and the move that they made against Holy Quds and al-Aqsa Mosque. This should move and stimulate the entire world of Islam. However, there is no other option. In fact, attending to the issue of takfirism is something that has been imposed on the ulama, activists and scholars of the world of Islam. The enemy has brought this to the world of Islam as a custom-made product and problem. Therefore, we have to attend to it. However, the main issue is the issue of the Zionist regime. The main issue is the issue of Quds. The main issue is the issue of the first qiblah for Muslims which is al-Aqsa Mosque. These are the main issues.
There is an undeniable point which is the fact that the takfiri orientation and the governments which support and advocate it move completely in the direction of the goals of arrogance and Zionism. Their work is in line with the goals of America, the colonialist governments in Europe and the government of the usurping Zionist regime.
Certain signs confirm this claim. The takfiri orientation is Islamic on the face of it, but in practice, it is at the service of the great colonialist, arrogant and political orientations that are working against the world of Islam. There are clear signs which cannot be ignored. I would like to mention a few of these signs: one is that the takfiri orientation managed to make the movement of Islamic Awakening deviate from its path. The movement of Islamic Awakening was an anti-American and anti-arrogance movement which was against the elements that America had installed in the region.
It was a movement that had been launched by the masses of the people in different countries of North Africa. These countries were against arrogance and America. The takfiri orientation changed the direction of this anti-arrogance, anti-American and anti-tyranny movement. It turned it into a war between Muslims and into fratricide. The front line of fighting in the region was the borders of occupied Palestine, but the takfiri orientation came and changed this front line to the streets of Baghdad, the Jameh Mosque of Syria and Damascus, the streets of Pakistan and different cities of Syria. These places became the front line of fighting.
Take a look at the condition of today's Libya, Syria, Iraq, Pakistan and see against whom the forces and swords of Muslims are being used. These forces should have been used against the Zionist regime. The takfiri orientation changed the direction of this fighting to our homes, our cities and our Islamic countries. They cause explosions inside the Jameh Mosque of Damascus. They kill people by causing explosions in Baghdad while they are holding their ordinary rallies. In Pakistan, they fire a volley of bullets on hundreds of people. As you can witness today, they are creating such disastrous conditions in Libya. All of these are among the unforgettable and historical crimes of the takfiri orientation.
It is this orientation that has brought about this situation. This movement is at the service of arrogance. It is at the service of America and England. What they do is at the service of the intelligence services of America and England. It is at the service of Mossad and other such intelligence services.
Another sign is that those who support the takfiri orientation compromise with the Zionist regime so that it fights against Muslims. They do not even frown at the Zionist regime, but they deliver all sorts of blows to Islamic countries and nations and they hatch all sorts of plots against them.
Another sign is that the seditious movement which the takfiri orientation launched in Islamic countries - including Iraq, Syria, Libya, Lebanon and other countries - has led to the destruction of the valuable infrastructures of these countries. Notice how many roads, refineries, mines, airports, streets, cities and houses have been destroyed in these countries. Notice how long it takes and how much money is necessary for these countries to go back to their prior conditions. This has happened as a result of domestic wars and fratricide. These are the losses and the blows that the takfiri orientation has delivered to the world of Islam since a few years ago until today.
Another sign is that the takfiri orientation damaged the reputation of Islam in the world and it painted an ugly picture of it. Everyone in the world saw on TV that someone is made to sit on the ground and they behead them with a sword without charging him with any crime: "Allah forbids you not - with regard to those who fight you not for your faith nor drive you out of your homes - from dealing kindly and justly with them: for Allah loves those who are just. Allah only forbids you - with regard to those who fight you for your faith, and drive you out of your homes, and support others in driving you out - from turning to them for friendship and protection. And whoever makes friends with them, these are the unjust" [The Holy Quran, 60: 8-9].
These people did the exact opposite of this. They killed Muslims and innocent non-Muslims and the pictures were broadcast all over the world. The whole world saw this. These acts were done in the name of Islam. This was the way they introduced Islam, which is known for its mercy, reason and logic and for "Allah forbids you not - with regard to those who fight you not for your faith nor drive you out of your homes - from dealing kindly and justly with them". Is there any crime greater than this? Is there any fitna which is more malevolent than this? This has been committed by the takfiri orientation.
Another sign is that they left the axis of resistance alone. Gaza fought alone for 50 days. They resisted on their own for 50 days. Islamic governments did not help Gaza. Oil revenues and dollars were not put at the service of Gaza although part of them was put at the service of the Zionist regime. This is another sign.
Another sin and another sign was that the takfiri orientation changed the direction of young Muslims' enthusiasm and valor which existed throughout the world of Islam. Today, youth from throughout the world of Islam enjoy a certain kind of enthusiasm and valor. Islamic Awakening has influenced them. They are prepared to move forward at the service of the great goals of Islam. The takfiri orientation changed the path of this enthusiasm and valor. It drew some ill-informed and ignorant youth to beheading Muslims and slaughtering women, children and infants of a village. These are among the sins of the takfiri orientation.
We cannot ignore and forget about these signs and proofs easily. All these signs show that the takfiri orientation is at the service of arrogance, the enemies of Islam, America, England and the Zionist regime. Of course, there are other signs and proofs as well. We have been informed that an American transport plane dropped the ammunitions that this group, known as DAESH, needed. This was done in order to help them. We said to ourselves, "Perhaps, this was a mistake". Then, we saw that they kept doing it. According to the reports that I have received, this was done five times. Do they make a mistake five times?
This is while they have formed a so-called coalition against DAESH. This is a downright lie. This coalition follows other malevolent goals. They want to keep this fitna alive, pit the two sides against one another and continue the domestic war between Muslims. This is their goal. Of course, you should know that they will not manage to do this.
There are some great duties which need to be carried out. You honorable gentlemen came up with some solutions and specified certain responsibilities in this two-day congress. I too would like to mention two, three tasks that cannot be ignored. One is the formation of a scholarly, rational and comprehensive movement by ulama from all Islamic denominations with the purpose of uprooting the takfiri orientation. This movement should not be confined to certain denominations. All the Islamic denominations which believe in and feel sympathetic towards Islam share this responsibility. A great scholarly movement should be launched.
They entered the arena with the false slogan of following "the righteous predecessors" [salafu saleh]. We should prove the righteous predecessors' animosity towards the things that they are doing and the movement that they are launching. This should be done with the language of religion, knowledge and reason.
You should save youth. There are some people who are influenced by these deviant thoughts. These poor individuals think that they are doing good deeds. They are the manifestation of these holy ayahs: "Say: ‘Shall we tell you of those who lose most in respect of their deeds? Those whose efforts have been wasted in this life, while they thought that they were acquiring good by their works?'" [The Holy Quran, 103-104]. They are the manifestation of these ayahs. They vainly think that they are fighting in the way of God. These are the same people who will say to God on Judgment Day: "Our Lord, We obeyed our chiefs and our great ones, and they misled us as to the right path. Our Lord, give them double penalty and curse them with a very great curse" [The Holy Quran, 33: 67-68]. These are the same poor people.
Those who murder a great scholar in the Damascus Mosque are among these people. Those who behead Muslims with the excuse of apostasy are among these people. Those who shed - by causing explosions - the blood of innocent people in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Baghdad and in different cities of Iraq, Syria and Lebanon are among the same people who will say on Judgment Day: "Our Lord, We obeyed our chiefs and our great ones, and they misled us as to the right path. Our Lord, give them double penalty".
In another part of the Holy Quran, God says, "For each one there is double" [The Holy Quran, 7: 38]. Both of you leaders and followers will be punished. "Truly that is just and fitting: the contending one with another of the inmates of the fire" [The Holy Quran, 38: 64]. These people fight against one another on that day. Therefore, they should be saved. These youth should be saved and this falls on the shoulders of ulama because they are in contact with both intellectuals and the masses of the people. They should try to do this. Allah the Exalted will ask ulama on Judgment Day: "What did you do?" They should take action. This is one task.
The second task which is really urgent is illustrating the role of the arrogant policies of America and England. This should be illustrated and explained. Everyone in the world of Islam should know what the role of America's policies in this regard is. Everyone should know what the role of the intelligence services of America, England and the Zionist regime on this matter is. Everyone should know that they are working for them, that the plot has been hatched by arrogance and that these takfiri orientations receive support and money from them. They receive money by the regional puppet regimes. It is these puppet regimes which give them money, but the plot is hatched by arrogance and as a result, they ruin these poor takfiri youth. They create such a problem for the world of Islam. This is another necessary task that should be carried out.
The third task that should definitely be carried out is attending to the issue of Palestine. You should not allow the issue of Palestine, Holy Quds and al-Aqsa Mosque to be consigned to oblivion. This is what they want. They want the world of Islam to ignore the issue of Palestine. You can see that the Zionist regime cabinet has recently announced that Palestine is a Jewish country. It announced that Palestine is a Jewish country. They have been pursuing this issue from long ago. Now, they are openly declaring it. By pursuing the ignorance of the world of Islam, the masses of the people and Muslim nations, they are after occupying Holy Quds and al-Aqsa Mosque, and weakening the Palestinians as much as they can. We should pay attention to this.
All peoples should ask their governments to pursue the issue of Palestine. Islamic ulama should ask their governments to pursue the issue of Palestine. This is an important and major responsibility. We thank God that in the Islamic Republic, the government and the people share this belief. From the beginning, the Islamic Republic government and our magnanimous Imam announced and raised the policy of supporting Palestine and showing enmity towards the Zionist regime. This policy has continued until today. It is 35 years now that we have not deviated from this line and our people too are supportive with complete eagerness.
Sometimes, a number of those youth whose requests are not granted in this regard write a letter to me and say in an insistent manner, "Allow us to go and fight against the Zionist regime in the front lines". Our people love fighting against the Zionists and the Islamic Republic has proved this as well. By Allah's favor and grace, we have passed through the barrier of denominational discord. We helped Hezbollah of Lebanon - which is a Shia group - in the same way that we helped Hamas and Islamic Jihad and we will continue to do that [audience shout "Allahu Akbar"]. We did not become a prisoner of denominational limits. We did not differentiate between Shia, Sunni, Hanafi, Hanbali, Shafi'i and Zaidi denominations. All Palestinian areas have to become armed.
We looked at our main goal and we offered help. We managed to strengthen the fists of our Palestinian brothers in Gaza and by Allah's favor, we will continue to do that. I announced- and this will definitely happen- that the West Bank should be armed like Gaza and be prepared for defense [audience shout "Allahu Akbar"].
I will tell you dear brothers that America's splendor should not intimidate you. The enemy has become weak. The enemy of Islam - which is arrogance - is weaker now compared to all other eras during the past 100, 150 years. Take a look at colonialist governments in Europe. They are faced with economic, political and security problems. Today, these governments have all sorts of problems. America is worse than them. It is faced with moral, political and serious financial and monetary problems. It is faced with disgrace and damage to its superpower status everywhere in the world, not just in the world of Islam.
Besides, the Zionist regime has become weaker compared to the past. This is the same regime which used to chant the slogan of "from Nile to Euphrates". They used to shout and say openly that the region from Nile to Euphrates belongs to them. However, they could not conquer Palestinian tunnels in Gaza for 50 days. This is the same regime. They used all their power for 50 days so that they can sabotage, destroy and conquer the underground tunnels of Hamas, Islamic Jihad and the Palestinians, but they failed. This is the same regime which used to say, "The region from Nile to Euphrates belongs to us". Notice how it has changed. Notice how weak it has become.
The problems of the enemies of Islam are many. The enemies of Islam were frustrated in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. They were frustrated in different areas and their goals were not achieved. As you saw, in order to confront the Islamic Republic on the nuclear issue, America and colonialist countries in Europe gathered and used all their power so that they could bring the Islamic Republic to its knees on this matter, but they failed and they will continue to fail [audience shout "Allahu Akbar"].
This is the weakness of the other side. But by Allah's favor, you will become stronger on a daily basis. The future belongs to you and "Allah has full power and control over His affairs" [The Holy Quran, 12: 21] [audience shout "Allahu Akbar"].
Greetings be upon you and Allah's mercy and blessings