Ayatollah Khamenei stressed that although there is a strong bond between the Shia and this auspicious occasion, the event which took place on the day of Ghadir relates to the whole Islamic world because this event was inspired by the real spirit and meaning of Islam.
"Almighty Allah tells the Prophet - despite all his endeavors - some 70 days before his departure that ‘O Apostle! Deliver what has been revealed to you from your Lord; and if you do it not, then you have not delivered His message...' (5:67)
"This verse clearly shows that what happened on the day of Ghadir was the manifestation of the real spirit and meaning of Islam," he noted.
The Leader went on to say:
"There are two important aspects to this event: First, the appointment of the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali (greetings be upon him), to the position of Velayat; and second, the criteria and reasons that Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) cited in his sermon on the day of Ghadir for this appointment.
"Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him), referring to the qualities and characteristics of the Commander of the Faithful, said: ‘He is the most righteous and the fairest among the people.'
"Indeed, Imam Ali (greetings be upon him) was the paragon of justice and virtue in its true sense. Even today, if we want to define justice, there is no better example than the conduct and behavior of the Commander of the Faithful. This is why the Prophet introduced him to the people and appointed him to the position of Velayat on divine orders.
"Therefore, considering the important aspects of this event, it becomes clear that the main objectives of this appointment were to administer justice and equity, promote virtues and establish divine rule in Islamic society. This is why the issue of Ghadir relates to all Muslims."
Further in his remarks, Ayatollah Khamenei stated:
"Today, nations throughout the world are thirsty for justice. Unfortunately, despite all the scientific achievements, discoveries and inventions and in spite of the remarkable progress and development in different fields of technology, there has been a sharp decline in morality, as the world powers are flagrantly bullying other nations and have no respect for human rights.
"Even some of these powers have openly said that the world public opposition would pose no obstacle to their military aggression against Iraq! This is quite a brutish attitude, since it reveals utter disregard for human rights, justice, morality and virtues.
"Despite all this, the realities of the world will never change. These realities indicate that oppression and injustice cannot last long, and that the will of the nations and spirituality and morality will ultimately prevail."
In conclusion, Leader of the Islamic Republic prayed that some day the Islamic world and the whole mankind would enjoy the kind of justice that was introduced by the Commander of the Faithful and benefit from the blessings of Ghadir through divine grace and favor.