During this ceremony, Ziyarat Arbaeen was recited, and a speech was delivered by Hujjat al-Islam wal-Muslimeen Aslani. Elegists of the Ahl al-Bayt (pbut) recited elegies in mourning for the Master of Martyrs [Imam Hussain (pbuh)], and the ceremony concluded with Ayatollah Khamenei leading the noon and afternoon prayers.
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution delivered a brief speech between the two prayers, highlighting the themes of Ziyarat Ashura pertaining to the importance of friendship with the friends of Imam Hussain (pbuh) and enmity towards his enemies until the Day of Judgment. “The battle between the front of Imam Hussain (pbuh) and the front of people like Yazid [oppressors] is a never-ending, ongoing battle,” he stated.
Ayatollah Khamenei stated that the goal of Imam Hussain's (pbuh) uprising was to fight against oppression and injustice. “This war has taken place in various shapes and forms. It was carried out in one form in the era of swords and spears, and in another form in the age of atomic [technology], artificial intelligence, and so on. But it continues. In the era of propagation using poetry, odes, hadith, and spoken words, it was carried out in one way. And [now] in the era of quantum [physics], the internet, and the like, it is carried out in another way,” he remarked.
He pointed out that this duty manifests differently during one’s years as a university student compared to the period when a person assumes greater responsibility. “The fight of the Hussaini front against the Yazidi front does not always mean taking up arms; [rather,] It means thinking correctly, speaking properly, understanding things accurately, and hitting the target with precision,” he said.
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution emphasized that pursuing this path will provide life with meaning and purpose. “Young people should appreciate the current era, in which the Islamic Revolution has opened a way before them. They need to act promptly with proper planning, study, and correct thinking, which requires familiarity with the Quran and pondering over it,” he stated.
Imam Khamenei underscored that this timely action may sometimes find meaning within the university environment, at other times in social or political spheres, and at certain moments on the path of Karbala and Palestine, as well as the pursuit of lofty goals.
He concluded by asserting that the youth's use of this historical opportunity will signify success and salvation, while failing to seize this opportunity and fulfill their responsibilities will lead to failure.
