Khamenei.ir

Observe individual duties in Hajj

Hajj has two complementary aspects: an individual aspect and a social aspect. It is necessary to pay attention to both aspects. The individual aspect of hajj belongs to individual hajj pilgrims. Each hajj pilgrim should establish a relationship with Allah the Exalted during his pilgrimage and he should repent and take spiritual provisions for himself. In a holy ayah relating to hajj, piety has been advised. “Surely the provision is the guarding of oneself, and be careful (of your duty) to Me, O men of understanding” [The Holy Quran, 2: 197]. Each and every one of the honorable pilgrims who are blessed with this great opportunity should think of how to make the best of this provision. “And you that ask forgiveness of your Lord, then turn to Him” [The Holy Quran, 11: 3]. Hajj pilgrims should repent. They should pray. They should ask Allah the Exalted for whatever they need. They should make a covenant with Allah the Exalted to remain committed to their future, their lives and their activities. This is the individual aspect of hajj. As far as this individual aspect of hajj is concerned, every hajj pilgrim should try to move closer to Allah the Exalted on his pilgrimage. He should cleanse his heart. He should take provisions for the rest of his life. Spiritual blessings for individual pilgrims originate from this pilgrimage, from these rituals, from these days. Hajj pilgrims should appreciate the value of this opportunity. There are certain things that an individual can achieve only during hajj pilgrimage. Seeing Ka’bah is worship. Tawaf around Ka’bah is worship. Praying in Masjid ul-Haraam is worship. Visiting the shrine of the Holy Prophet (s.w.a.) is worship. Arafat is an arena for speaking to God. Mash’ar is an arena for attention to God. The same is true of Mina. Pilgrims should make use of each and every one of these elements to cleanse their hearts, to improve their spiritual status and to take provisions for the rest of their lives. This is the individual aspect of hajj.

We consider the use of WMDs as Haram

Leader's speech to members of Ahlul Bayt World Assembly and Islamic Radio and TV Union

"The Middle East" is a wrong name. This is West Asia. This is Asia - a large continent - and we are in West Asia. This region is a very sensitive region

There is no difference between Shia and Sunni when it comes to supporting oppressed

In supporting the oppressed, we do not look, have not looked and will not look at the other side's religion and denomination. This is our magnanimous Imam's (r.a.) guideline. Imam behaved towards Shia resistance in Lebanon in the same way that he behaved towards Sunni resistance in Palestine. He behaved towards them without any difference. We supported our brothers in Lebanon in the same way that we supported our brothers in Gaza without any difference. The former were Sunnis and the latter were Shias. The main issue for us is defending Islamic identity and supporting the oppressed. The main issue for us is the issue of Palestine which is the main issue for Muslims in the present time... We behave in the same way towards our enemies. Our magnanimous Imam (r.a.) fought against Mohammad Reza Pahlavi who was apparently a Shia. Likewise, he fought against Saddam who was apparently a Sunni. Of course, the former was not a true Shia and the latter was not a true Sunni either

Education, Ethical Edification and Sports

If I'm asked to answer in a few words what I'd advise a youth, I would say: Education, ethical edification and sports. Ayatollah Khamenei, 4/27/1988

Leader's speech in meeting with ambassadors of Islamic countries

The world of Islam has one single prescription today and that is unity. This prescription exists in all Islamic countries. Nations should be united. The Iranian nation should be united. No division and discord should emerge out of nuclear, non-nuclear and other such events.

Leader's sermons at Eid ul-Fitr prayers

Speech

Leader's speech in meeting with government officials and ambassadors of Islamic countries

The Zionist regime was planted in the region to create discord

They inject this discord into the world of Islam. Why do they do so? It is because the interests of superpowers lie in it. They do not want the Islamic Ummah to be united. They do not want this great power to arise in the horizons of global powers. They do not want this. If the Islamic Ummah were united and if it relied on its common points, it would undoubtedly become a unique power in the firmament of global politics. Considering its large population, underground resources and provisions, and natural and human sources of wealth and considering the countries that are located in this sensitive area of the world, if we became united, such a phenomenon would dominate the world. They do not want this to happen. They have planted the Zionist regime in the region so that they can create discord and busy regional countries with themselves.Nations resisted the Zionist regime and they did not surrender to them. You should pay attention to this point. During the 10 years when the Zionist regime increased its materialistic power on a daily basis with the assistance and support of England and later on America, some weak governments and vicious individuals in Muslim governments were drawn to the Zionists. Many Muslim governments and some politicians in the world of Islam - including the former sinister regime in our country and some others - established close relations with the Zionists. This was while the Zionists were usurpers, transgressors and murderers.

This discord is an imposed one

Today, the world of Islam is facing many problems. Islam has placed great emphasis on the unity, unanimity and brotherhood of Muslims. We can hold fast by the rope that Allah stretches out individually, but Islam does not advise this: "And hold fast, all together, by the rope which Allah stretches out for you" [The Holy Quran, 3: 103]. All of us should hold fast by this rope together. We should be together. Despite all this emphasis, today we Muslims do not unfortunately obey this command of Islam. And as you can witness, this is the result. I want to ask all Muslims - particularly ulama, intellectuals, officials, politicians and outstanding personalities in all Islamic countries - to see the treacherous hands of the enemies of the Islamic Ummah in this discord. This discord is not a natural one, rather it is imposed on and suggested to us. Muslims can naturally live together. Experience has shown that when the enemy's temptations, deception and malevolence do not enter the arena, they can live together. We have seen this in our own country. We have seen this in Iraq and other Islamic countries.

Photos of Eid ul-Fitr prayers in Iran

Leader's response to President Rouhani's letter on nuclear negotiations

The following is the full text of the letter written on July 15, 2015 by Ayatollah Khamenei, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution in response to President Rouhani's letter on the nuclear agreement between Iran and P5+1. In his letter, President Rouhani thanked the Leader for his valuable instructions and guidelines in the process of reaching the nuclear agreement. He stressed that the agreement was reached after world powers realized that the weapon of sanctions cannot prevent the people of Iran from making progress in different arenas. President Rouhani reiterated that the secret to reaching the final agreement was domestic unity and unanimity and the Leader's guidance.

Leader meets with President and Cabinet members

Leader Meets with Students

A large number of ISIS's suicide attacks are carried out by European youth

Depression means the effort of a European youth to become a member of ISIS. The reports that we have received show that a large number of ISIS's suicide attacks are carried out by European youth. Such youth want to commit suicide. They think that this kind of suicide is exciting and that it is better than drowning oneself in such and such a river in Europe. This is why they go there and seek excitement as a result of their depression.

Speech

Leader's speech in meeting with students

One of the ways to gain the power of attraction is to find new ideas: "Say novel things as there is a special sweetness in novelty" . You should put forward new ideas.

Leader's Speech in Meeting with University Professors

Those who claim to support human rights train terrorists themselves

The goal of the enemies of the Iranian nation is to prevent our country and people from achieving their true civilizational position. They felt that this movement has begun in the country and this is why they have imposed sanctions on us. I too believe that sanctions were not imposed because of the nuclear issue, the issue of human rights and the issue of terrorism. They [the Americans and westerners] themselves train terrorists. They themselves are opposed to human rights. Are they pressuring a country only for the sake of human rights? The issue is not this. There are more important calculations behind this issue. A people, a movement and an identity have come into being that pivot around principles opposed to those of global arrogance and the oppressor-oppressed system. They do not want this to develop. We are in such a condition. We are in such a position. Therefore, we should move forward and work hard.

The country needs striving and enthusiastic youth

Today, the country needs those youth who can become strong arms for the progress of the country, who are full of religious motivation and insight, who have firm determination, the courage to take action and self-confidence, who believe in "we can", who are hopeful about the future, who see future horizons clearly and lucidly and who have the spirit to be self-sufficient. Self-sufficiency does not mean refusal to learn from foreigners. We have not recommended and will not recommend this at all. We are willing to learn from those who have more knowledge than us. The spirit to be self-sufficient means refusal to be influenced, to accept others' impositions and to become victims of sharing knowledge - this is fairly common in today's world of science which is the world of arrogant power. This spirit should exist in youth. They should gain a correct understanding of where we are, where we want to go and how we want to make it... We need youth who have the spirit to be decisive in the face of transgression and attempts to undermine national independence. University professors can instill and inject these spirits and positive characteristics into the minds of the young generation of the country - those youth who are studying and acquiring knowledge. University professors are like this.

Leader's speech in meeting with poets

Leader meets with poets

Leader meets with Judiciary Officials

Leader's speech in meeting with families of the martyrs of 7th of Tir

Month of Ramadan draws people's attention to life after death

One issue that is repeated in the prayers of the auspicious month of Ramadan is drawing people's attention to the worlds after this material world, the world of death, the world of the grave, the world of the Judgment Day and one's difficulties in facing divine calculations and divine questioning. This is one of the issues that exist in the prayers of the auspicious month of Ramadan. Paying attention to this is very important for us officials who have certain responsibilities. A factor that helps us control and monitor this is attention to these worlds. When we understand that "Not the weight of an atom becomes absent from Him" [The Holy Quran, 34: 3] that no small move, action and statement will escape the eyes of divine calculators after our death and that we will be questioned about all these things, this will deeply affect our behavior, our statements and our moves.

Leader's speech in meeting with government officials

Leader's speech at annual Ramadan Quranic meeting

Leader meets with Prime Minister of Iraq

Leader's message following the burial ceremony of Sacred Defense martyrs in Tehran

Leader's speech on 26th demise anniversary of Imam Khomeini (r.a.)

Shiism thoroughly introduces the personality of the Savior

All Abrahamic religions believe in an end-times savior. All Abrahamic religions believe that someone will emerge who will save the world from the morass of oppression and cruelty. In Islam, the name of this savior has been mentioned. All Islamic denominations refer to this divine person and this great and extraordinary individual as Mahdi. Perhaps, there is no Islamic denomination that does not believe Mahdi (a.s.) will emerge. He is a descendent of the Holy Prophet (s.w.a.). Islamic denominations have even specified the name and epithet of that noble man. The feature of Shia ideology is that it thoroughly and clearly introduces this personality. It considers him as the son of the eleventh Imam - Imam Hassan al-Askari (a.s.). From the viewpoint of Shia historians and writers, his birth date is completely clear. Most of other Islamic denominations have not specified his birth date or they have not accepted it, but the Shia prove the existence and birth date of that great personality with strong and cogent reasons. Some people have dismissed the possibility of the existence and survival of a person over this long time. This is the only question that opponents have raised regarding Imam Mahdi (a.s.). However, the Holy Quran dispels this doubt with its clear words. The Holy Prophet (s.w.a.) says about Prophet Noah, "We sent Noah to his people, and he tarried among them a thousand years less fifty" [The Holy Quran, 29: 14]. This does not mean that he lived for 950 years. It apparently means that his mission - to invite people to God - lasted for 950 years. Therefore, this questioning is groundless.