In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
All praise is due to God, Lord of the Worlds, and peace and greetings be upon our Master and our Prophet, Abul Qasim al-Mustafa Muhammad, and his untainted, pure, chosen Progeny, particularly the Remnant of God on earth.
The meeting we had today was very pleasing and enlightening. The student environment is a joyful, dynamic, stimulating, challenging environment, brimming with enthusiasm. That is the nature of the student environment. The things that our friends mentioned here were student analyses and suggestions. They are valuable. Individuals like myself and other officials who are involved in the administration of various sectors in the country need to listen to these [suggestions], think about them, and study them. Some of these proposals are entirely practical and should be pursued. Some proposals may not be practical. Now, one of our dear youth said, “Send us to Palestine.” Well, that is something to talk about. You can be sure that if it was possible to send the young people to Palestine, we would have done this before you brought it up.
I have an expectation from our friends who are analyzing and thinking about matters. Well, it seems that the things expressed by the representative of each student association follows the thinking that goes on in that association. That is probably how it is. The matter has been studied, thought about, evaluated, and then mentioned here. Very well, that’s fine. It should be brought up here, but care should be taken that firstly the suggestions should be realistic, and secondly, they should have been truly evaluated.
Now someone mentioned, “It seems the Leader’s opinion on ‘justice’ has changed compared to 2001-2002.” If it has changed, it has changed in the sense that my insistence on "justice" has increased. This is because we have made little progress with regard to justice. Thus, I insist on it even more. No one abandons justice. However, the aspects of the matter must be understood, evaluated, and observed. And there should be no reference made to individuals. Do not mention anyone’s name in your statements.
Also keep in mind that today, there are individuals working in the government who used to attend this same meeting until several years ago, similar to your attendance today. They delivered speeches here. That is, the expectation that I have always voiced about young students advancing to middle and higher managerial positions has been fulfilled now. There are many young individuals who would attend the student meetings up until a few years ago, but they are busy working in managerial positions with various responsibilities today. This is a reality. Seeing these realities should guide the young mind of today's students in a direction that brings them closer to solving the problems. This is what I expect.
In any case, I would like to thank each and every one of the people who spoke here. God willing, I will look at what they have written, or I will have them summarized and [then] look at them. I thank the respected Quran reciter for delivering a wonderful recitation. I would also like to sincerely thank the conductor of the anthem and the host of the meeting.
Well, it is the last days of the month of Ramadan. You are young. Your hearts are pure. This is not just a pleasantry. It is a fact that the effects of your fasting, recitation of the Quran, and also your prayers during the night, during sahar [the time before the morning call to prayer], and during the day are far greater than someone like me. You surely must have found luminosity during this [month of Ramadan]. Try to maintain this luminosity by staying away from sins.
Some sins may go unnoticed by people, since they may not realize that their actions are sinful. We have to answer for many of the things we say and the statements we post on social media. We need to be careful. “Indeed the hearing, the eyesight, and the heart — all of these are accountable” (Quran 17:36). One must give answers [for what they have done in the hereafter]. We must understand the errors in our own behavior. If they are understood, it will become possible to correct them, repent, and seek God’s forgiveness. If wrongful behavior is not understood, one will not repent. The sins will remain, become hardened in us, and cause the heart to lose its luminosity.
That is a pity. Your hearts are truly radiant. Try to maintain this luminosity that has increased during the month of Ramadan by abstaining from sin, by praying on time, by joining the group prayers if possible, and by being careful and precise about the words you utter. As someone mentioned, I am by no means encouraging conservativeness. I am not telling you that you shouldn’t criticize, be concerned, or make objections. No, this is certainly not my recommendation. My suggestion is for you to be mindful of your words. Think carefully before speaking, writing, or expressing yourself in a way that may result in consequences where you cannot justify what you have said later on.
Well, praise God, this year the month of Ramadan was a good month of Ramadan. The prevalence of the use of the Quran and the recitation of the Quran was very pleasing to me. I thank God over and over again that many individuals from various cities, sometimes even teenagers, recite the Quran so well and fluently, and sometimes from memory. This was one of my great dreams. Praise God, I see this is coming true and has come true. Many times I thank God for this.
Develop a companionship with the Quran as much as you can. Everything can be found inside it by contemplating on it. Of course, this contemplation should be accompanied by guidance. The late Mr. Misbah’s name (ra) was mentioned here a couple of times, which was fitting. His books should be made use of. This great man’s ideology was one that can help steer the minds of the youth in the right direction. The active heyats [social units and institutions that pivots around love for the Household of the Prophet] and the iftars [the evening meal for breaking the fast] given in the streets [to the public] during this month were also valuable events.
I have noted some topics, but I'm not sure if I will have enough time now to address all of them, so I will try to be brief. The main topic I want to address is the issue of students. I would like to mention a point regarding the work undertaken by students. I also want to say a few words about the university and about student associations.
Regarding students, they are known to be young, energetic, motivated, and future-oriented. When you look ahead, you will see that, God willing, you have some 60 or 70 years ahead of you. You have a whole world ahead of you. Of course, given these traits, there are certain expectations from university students. They are young, energetic, future-oriented, educated, and interested in learning, studying, discussions, and the like. Naturally, they should be active and sensitive about the future. What I insist on is that university students should look toward the future.
Today you are criticizing the country’s current state of affairs, like the statements that were expressed here today. There are ten times more criticisms than this with regard to the country’s current situation. There may be, or rather, there are definitely more objections. Yes, if we look at the future today, if we think about it, and if we plan and set up a work and value system, hopefully these problems will no longer exist in the future. This is one of the expectations I have of the student community.
For years we have been discussing certain matters in these meetings. I see that those topics also interest you. Now, you mentioned today, as has been mentioned in detail in other places, that, “You said this and that.” Yes, I have said many things, but how many of them have actually been followed up on in the student environment? We can’t always blame the government officials. Let’s criticize ourselves as well.
What you need to do right now is to look and think about tomorrow and the future, focusing on value systems, planning, and work systems. Create a correct vision, outline a clear future, specify the path that would allow you to reach that future, and move forward step by step. There is no need to act hastily. We don’t need to rush. A normal trend will lead you to your destination. Surely in five years, the situation will have improved compared to today. There is no doubt about that. [Of course], that is if we act upon our thoughts and the things that I’ve mentioned.
It is important to note that a student's main duty is studying. Gaining knowledge is a student's primary responsibility, which if time permits, I will address later. In addition to academic and scientific endeavors, planning for the future, observing society, observing people, and observing problems are essential tasks for a student. To achieve the goal of creating a better tomorrow, we must set specific goals for ourselves.
In order to find these specific goals and know what we must strive for, what we must pursue, and what we must put our full effort into, we need to understand our own situation. While you may already have a personal understanding of your circumstances, thoughts, and behaviors, this is not the case within the overall student community. You must work toward spreading these goals and aspirations throughout the student community. I will talk about this.
First of all, we must correctly understand our own current situation and existence. Today's young students need to know that they were born into a revolutionary system. They have grown up, entered the university, gained access to an academic environment, and come this far within this revolutionary system. We must firstly acknowledge this reality, which many people are unaware of. What is a revolutionary system? It is one that has emerged through a series of difficult struggles and bitter realities. It is a system that has been fought for. This was not the case where we lived during our younger years. There was not a system that had been established based on certain goals and aspirations despite all its problems, but this is a topic that requires a detailed discussion.
However, the system that you are living in was brought into being with struggle, hardship, and effort. The main realities of our present lives revolve around the fact that this system is revolutionary. It may be, or, in fact, it certainly is true that many of the aspirations of our Revolution have not been fully achieved. We are certain about this, but the system we are currently living in is a system that these [aspirations] are expected of because it is a revolutionary system. Therefore, we must always acknowledge the revolutionary nature of our system as being a reality.
In bringing about this system, who was this battle against? This is an important question. It is important to understand who, or what, was at the center of the battle and what reality was fought against. Answering this is essential to understanding our past. We can understand the current realities and judge them correctly only when we understand where our movement began and how our country was governed [in the past]. I will answer this question by saying that the opposing side of this very eventful, complicated struggle that took place over many years was a system that was both corrupt and treacherous. It was corrupt and treacherous — the dependent Pahlavi regime. We must not forget this.
That corrupt system had the following characteristics. Firstly, at the head of the country was a family that was full of problems and evils in every aspect of it. It was a “family” — meaning it was a [monarchial] regime that was ruled based on inheritance — that was ruling the country, a family that was firstly an unworthy, vile one and secondly filled with all kinds of corruption. That was the kind of situation our country was in. The Iran that you see today used to be a country that was led by such people. Despite being a country with deep roots and a long history, such a family ruled over these people and this country.
In terms of the type of administration, it was an autocratic system where people had absolutely no role in it. Now, you are advocating here that people should do such and such, which is right. [But] compare the level of public involvement and presence in the country’s affairs now with the past. Compare where we began with what we have accomplished. Of course, we should not be satisfied with what we have achieved. That is for certain. What the people wanted was completely disregarded in that system, and the people were certainly not taken into account on any issue.
In terms of politics, it was a puppet state. They were officially chosen by the foreign powers who controlled them — first Britain, then the US. In some cases, there was a monarch such as Nader Shah who arose and used his own power to take over the country. Yes, it was taken by force. And yes, it was a dictatorship, but he did it himself. That wasn’t the case in the previous regime. They didn’t rise to power themselves either. They were oppressive, they were tyrannical, they were cruel, and they murdered people, but they didn’t rise to power themselves. They were brought into power, both Reza and Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. They were dependent puppets. While they were tyrannical rulers inside the country, they were submissive and obedient to the foreign powers. [They said], “This person must be the Prime Minister, that person must be the Minister of Oil, that other person must be in charge of purchasing weapons for the Ministry of Defense!” In all these cases, they accepted foreign domination.
In terms of culture, they were consumers of second-hand Western products. That is, the leftovers from Western culture were desirable and promotable in their opinion, and they promoted it.
In terms of the society, there was extreme inequality between social classes, discrimination was rampant, justice meant nothing, and favoritism prevailed. Those with connections to the monarchy or the system were able to easily exploit and take advantage of other people’s property. I used to give sermons in the city of Gorgan in 1964. People would come to me and inform me of such things even though it was difficult and dangerous to speak out at that time. For instance, a retired officer came from Tehran with a piece of paper in his hand. He went to people’s farms and falsely claimed ownership of their land, telling them to gather their things and leave.
They would reply, “But why? This is my property and my land. I inherited it from my father.” The officer would say, “This talk is extra!” And they used a tractor to demolish everything on the land and seize the people’s property. This was exactly like the injustices faced by the people of the West Bank at the hands of the Zionist settlers, who forcibly enter their properties, destroy their homes and buildings, and claim ownership. The same thing used to happen in Iran.
I remember traveling from Mashhad to Quchan. On the left side of the road — either between Mashhad and Quchan or Quchan and Shirvan — there were several kilometers of fence, or perhaps barbed wire. I'm not sure which it was. The car kept moving but the fence seemed to be never-ending. This surprised me so I asked what it was. I was told that these were the lands that so-and-so had taken. There was a well-known person at that time whom I don’t wish to name. He was Baha'i and a relative of Nasiri, the leader of SAVAK. He had seized the people's lands using his connections to Nasiri, forcibly evicting residents from their homes, farms, and gardens. That was the situation at that time.
In terms of science and technology, universities had been established in the country for over 40 years. [Yet,] despite having good professors, what new scientific ideas came from the universities during the Pahlavi era? Some of the professors were good and well-educated and had graduated from renowned universities. Figures such as Dr. Hesabi, Dr. Riyazi, and the late engineer Bazargan are some examples of the well-educated professors at that time, so the problem was not a lack of good professors. However, the universities failed to produce any significant scientific results, technological advancements, or innovative plans in management for the country. This was the scientific and cultural situation of universities during that period. It was strongly believed that Iranians were incapable of achieving advanced, precise technologies or reaching high academic positions and scientific frontiers.
In terms of a national identity, Iran was forced to be politically, economically, and socially dependent on another government. This was considered to be an established fact in those days! This is what that era was like. There are many such things to say about the system in Iran before the Revolution. The situation was truly shameful, and that was what the Revolution fought against and emerged from.
The battles began in the early 1940s with people of varying ideologies, including Marxist, anti-Marxist, a mixture of Marxist and non-Marxist, somewhat Islamic, and nationalistic beliefs, initiating the movements. The peak of these struggles was the National Oil Movement led by the late Mosaddegh and Kashani, which ultimately failed. Iranians were humiliated in the National Oil Movement. That is, an American went to the British embassy with a suitcase filled with money, gathered some thugs, crooks, and criminals, and paid them to carry out a coup. It was not even a normal military coup, because it was carried out by thugs rather than the army. They successfully overthrew the government, and then the Shah, who had fled, returned. This event was truly humiliating for Iran. When the country’s government was overthrown in this manner, this signified that the Iranians were truly weak.
In its final, perfected cycle of battles, the people's struggle was guided by ulama [religious scholars] under the leadership of the respected Imam [Khomeini]. This was a perfected movement that drew upon all past experiences. Because it was rooted in religion and led by religious leaders, it was able to mobilize the people and unite national forces. With the national forces united and the right leadership in place, victory was inevitable. The Revolution was successful, resulting in the establishment of the Islamic Republic. This is a reality about us. This is how we emerged, and this is a historical account describing events leading to today’s Iranian nation.
The foundation of this Revolution is based on a combination of being a republic and being Islamic, both being a republic and being Islamic. That is why Imam [Khomeini] declared it to be an "Islamic Republic." Almost everyone voted in favor of the Islamic Republic, including those who did not even believe in Islam. At the same time, questions arose as to how a "republic" and "Islam" could be compatible with each other. In other words, some questioned whether democratic principles, such as republicanism and the participation of the people through voting, could be compatible with the framework of Islam. This doubt was raised at the beginning of the Revolution. Those who answered this doubt were not religious scholars. Rather, they were prominent jurists in the country. The doubt could be answered and it was made completely clear. Everyone accepted it.
Now, with this introduction and the explanations given, as I said, we need to pursue our ideals. In my opinion, the Islamic Republic can summarize its ideals under two general titles: One is "to govern the country in an Islamic manner," and the second title is "to present a model to the people of the world for the effective governance of a country." These are the two goals you need to work for. You need to think and work on the ways that can bring about these two general titles. [This can include] student gatherings, intellectual meetings, studying, and communications with experts who support the Revolution. This is the direction to move in. Think and see what needs to be done, what efforts need to be made, and how to make these happen for success in bringing about these two titles.
One goal is to govern the country Islamically. Now, there is much discussion regarding the implementation of Islamic governance. I could share a few words about this with you. We don’t have much time to delve into this further today, but this is the same concept that has been mentioned in Nahj al-Balaghah. Many of you are already knowledgeable about this topic and acquainted with it, for example, Imam Ali’s (pbuh) letter to Malik Ashtar (Nahj al-Balaghah, letter 53). Islamic government is that of Alavi [Imam Ali’s] government.
In the speeches I had for the youth prior to the Revolution, I refrained from using the term “Islamic government” because SAVAK was sensitive about this term. Instead, I used the term “Alavi government.” They did not know what Alavi government was. Alavi government is the same thing as Islamic government. Now the Islamic administration of a country, both in material and spiritual aspects, must be constantly on the path of progress without any falling back. Material progress entails advancing the general welfare, ensuring physical and moral security, and upholding justice. What does justice mean? For example, our friends give their opinions about justice.
Justice must be correctly understood. Justice means closing the divide between different social classes when it comes to having access to opportunities that are for the public. All opportunities should be equally accessible to everyone, as it is unfair for some to have exclusive access to these opportunities. It goes against [the principles of] justice. If you say something about someone and share it on social media, and they do not have a chance to respond to your words for any reason, this is unjust. It is unfair. It is against justice. Because there weren’t equal opportunities. Justice extends beyond financial matters. It should also be applied to an individual's reputation, work, career, prestige, and other related matters.
Administering a country in an Islamic fashion means being committed to establishing justice, increasing scientific progress, enhancing healthcare services, sustaining a youthful population, promoting various types of development and innovation, and ensuring that these and similar goals are accomplished.
Each of these topics is worthy of reflection and contemplation. For each of these topics, thoughts and theories are needed. I do not want to use the term "idea." My intent is the meaning of the word "idea," and a plan must also be prepared. This is what I expect from you and the student community, not just student associations.
The spiritual aspect is the same too. The topics of ethics, religiosity, collaboration, Islamic lifestyle, sacrifice, perseverance, and similar values require both thought and theory, as well as a plan too. Of course, it's not as if no work has ever been done before. Much work has been done. However, all ideas, theories, and plans need to improve continuously day by day, and this necessitates your ongoing efforts. Of course, the student community does have its own concerns in addition to this. It has its own demands, criticisms, etc., but these issues mustn’t be forgotten.
Regarding the matter of presenting a model to the world, when we talk about the world and world societies, some people smirkingly say, “Oh, so they want to improve the world now!” Well, yes. What is wrong with that? If a society has the determination, skills, and capability to have a positive effect on the world and move it toward correcting itself, why shouldn’t they do so? This means that we want the best for the people of the world. The Commander of the Faithful [Imam Ali (pbuh)] said, “People can be divided into two categories. There are those who are your brothers in religion and those who are the same as you in creation” (Nahj al-Balaghah, letter 53). There are people in the world who share your religion and faith, making them your brothers. Others may not share your religious beliefs, but they are still human beings. You should wish for the best for them and be concerned about them as well. What is wrong with that?
Presenting a world model has already been accomplished to some extent. I can confidently state that despite our many shortcomings and areas where improvement is needed, we have made significant progress in this field. Positive steps have been taken, the results of which are evident today. As today's young students, it is important for you to recognize that many of the events taking place in the region and around the world that excite you and make you proud are because of your country, your society, and your Revolution.
I have noted some other topics about students, but we’re running out of time. So I will move on to discuss several matters about the university.
You see, regarding the university — the honorable minister and university officials are probably present here today — I would like to bring to their attention that if we were to define what a university is, the main element of this definition would be "science," or knowledge. Of course, while other elements such as political and social aspects are also integral to defining a university, science remains the central focus.
Universities have three main responsibilities. I ask our university officials and students to please pay attention to this! [Universities] have three main duties. Their first duty is the education of scholars. The second duty is the production of scientific knowledge. Their third responsibility is to give direction to the education of scholars and the production of science. Now universities around the world educate scholars and they produce scientific knowledge. However, they have shortcomings with respect to the third duty. What is the outcome of this? What happens as a result of this is that their products become tools in the hands of the world’s Arrogant and Zionist Powers. All of the elements in a university, including managers, professors, students, textbooks, and the educational processes must pay attention to these three important duties.
We need to strengthen the country's scientific knowledge base and make it rich in science. Today, a large part of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s reputation around the world comes from our universities, research centers, and [advancements in] science. We have made significant progress in science and subsequently in technology, which is a byproduct of science. This has greatly contributed to our credibility around the world today, and it is essential for us to maintain this and protect it. Of course, the Arrogant Powers don’t want us to have such universities. I have written several pages of notes about our universities, but there is not enough time to discuss these now as it is almost time to pray.
Now, a few words regarding student associations. You are all part of student associations, which I have very high expectations from. Here, you have expressed the expectations you have of the government, the system, me, and others, but you should know that the expectations I have of you are much more. I have many expectations from student associations. Firstly, I expect you to be influential in the student environment. This influence is not apparent. It is barely ever seen. You are student associations, which means you should primarily focus on inside the university. [However], your main focus is usually on outside the university environment.
You should think about outside the university too. As I previously mentioned, it is important to analyze issues, be critical, identify problems, and offer solutions. While these are all valuable actions, it is even more important to focus on matters inside the university. Work on your own universities. Our student associations are not working hard enough inside the universities, and there is truly a lack of effort in this area. What is happening within the university and in the classrooms? What topics are being explored in theses and dissertations? In Iran's Islamic universities, there is an effort being made to encourage students to find their identities by following the West! This effort is being made today.
I have been informed by credible, reliable sources that efforts are being made both inside and outside the classroom to push students in this direction. Who should stand against this? The security forces? It is your responsibility to be actively involved in this matter and prevent such things from taking place. I am aware of university professors who discuss the division of our country in their classes, a topic that even critics of the Revolution find unacceptable. Imagine a professor supporting the idea of dividing our country in the classroom! I raised this issue with the head of the university at the time, but appropriate action wasn’t taken. It is your responsibility to address such issues.
It is important to strengthen yourselves with theoretical and intellectual knowledge. Without strengthening yourselves theoretically, student associations will face challenges in their work. Not only will they find it difficult to promote the ideas of the Revolution, but they themselves may even dwindle away, as has been seen in some cases. Some uses the name of Islam, but they act, speak, and promote ideas that are against Islamic principles.
One of my expectations is for you to have a critical outlook while also acknowledging and being proud of the progress being made in the country. I can see that there have been significant advancements made in various sectors of the country, so why aren't these accomplishments being acknowledged by student associations? Criticism is necessary, there is no doubt about that, but hold your heads up high and be proud of the important work that has been accomplished in various sectors.
Anyway, student associations are one of the country's great opportunities. I consider student associations — all of you — to be some of the great opportunities. I know you have differences in opinion and conduct, and there is nothing wrong with that. But having a difference in opinion is different from quarreling and arguing. What I said at the beginning of the year and have repeated — I will repeat it again and I say this must be avoided — is regarding disputes. Disagreements should not lead to fights or grabbing each other by the throat. There is no problem if you disagree with each other, but the existence of associations is a great opportunity for universities. Well, I think perhaps two or three minutes have passed since the call to prayer. It was a very good meeting.
O Lord! By Muhammad and the Progeny of Muhammad (pbut), I beseech you to place our dear youth among the great soldiers and fighters of Islam with a pleasant, desirable future and keep them steadfast on this path. O Lord! By Muhammad and the Progeny of Muhammad (pbut), allow the Iranian nation to truly benefit from these dear groups of young people. O Lord! Preserve the luminosity in our hearts, especially the hearts of these youth. Make the sacred heart of the Imam of the Time pleased with us. Make the pure souls of the martyrs pleased with us. Make the pure soul of the magnanimous Imam [Khomeini (ra)] pleased with us as well.
May God’s greetings, mercy, and blessings be upon you.
