At the beginning of his statements, the Leader felicitated the audience, including the guests from other Islamic countries, the Iranian nation as well as the whole Islamic Ummah on the occasion of the feast of Mab'ath, or the day marking the appointment of Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him and his household) as the messenger of Allah.
Ayatollah Khamenei noted that the appointment of the Holy Prophet opened a new chapter in the history of mankind, since his appointment as the divine messenger came at a time when mankind had sunk in the quagmire of ignorance and worldly and sensual desires. It came at a time when corruption, discrimination, oppression and unbridled sensuality were prevalent in the world.
"This situation did not exist only in Hejaz, as the two big powers of the time, namely the Sassanian Empire and the Roman Empire, which surrounded the Arabian peninsula, also suffered from such maladies. Although these powers enjoyed scientific knowledge and advanced civilization as well as order and discipline enforced by their despotic rule, they lacked virtue, moral and human values, which mankind always needs. Human beings in all ages are in need of justice, virtue, clemency, compassion and other human values. "Furthermore, in both Sassanian and Roman empires, the wealth and power were in the hands of only a few and the majority of people were under pressure, oppression and the yoke of tyrants. In Hejaz also, where most people lived under primitive conditions, similar maladies were prevalent," he pointed out.
Leader of the Islamic Republic went on to say, "The advent of Islam was a turning point in the history of mankind, as Islam belonged to all humanity. ‘It is naught but a Reminder for all mankind.' (81:27)
"The Holy Prophet faced the bitter realities of his time and managed to change them. He managed to crack the walls of injustice and oppression. The Holy Prophet had been entrusted with a very heavy task by the Almighty, since when corruption and evil dominates the centers of power and politics, it will pose the greatest threat to humanity."
Ayatollah Khamenei also stated, "Today, in the 21st century, mankind is facing the threats posed by certain powers that consider themselves to be entitled to do anything they want to, while they have no right to what they claim. This situation also existed at the time of the advent of Islam. However, the Holy Prophet did not submit to that reality, but instead stood out against it.
"Some people, in order to justify their weakness and inaction, say that one cannot change the existing realities and has no way but to submit to them. This is not a correct idea! One should stand out against those realities that certain powers try to impose on mankind by brandishing their military might. It is not logical to say that the power of the global arrogance is a reality, and that we cannot do anything about it! This is an imposed and fake reality. Brave men, divine religions and those with noble ideals always stand out against such realities and make every effort to change them, and they will ultimately succeed in changing them.
"This was what happened when the Holy Prophet was appointed as the messenger of Allah. When Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him and his household) chanted in Mecca the slogan of ‘Say there is no God but Allah in order to attain salvation', nobody could even imagine that some day this slogan would turn into a reality. Indeed, considering all those awesome idols which were hanging from the walls of Kaaba and which were supported by the deep fanaticism of the pagans, and all those influential and wealthy aristocrats of Mecca who felt threatened by this slogan, as well as the powerful Sassanian and Roman empires, there seemed to be no suitable ground for this slogan to become a reality.
"Weak individuals usually stop making an effort when faced with such obstacles. However, the Holy Prophet of Islam acted upon his duty that had been entrusted to him by Almighty Allah. He managed to change the dominant atmosphere in Hejaz, in the first stage, and then in other parts of the world over some 20 years. And less than half a century after the advent of Islam, more than half of the civilized world was under the influence of Islam. In other words, those powerful empires, despite all their military might and arrogance and self-conceit, could not resist the firm belief based on strong logic of the devout and determined Muslims."
Further in his remarks, the Leader stated, "A similar situation also exists today. Islamic faith, which is a belief based on strong logic and reasoning, is what ensures the prosperity and salvation of mankind. Perhaps this was not quite acceptable some forty or fifty years ago. At that time, socialism challenged all other ideologies. And the Western liberal democracy, for its part, was full of empty claims. Today, socialism has collapsed, and the Western liberal democracy has revealed its true face. You can see one of the realities hidden under the guise of the Western democracy in the current propaganda against Iraq, which is being threatened with military aggression. The United States, which claims to be the cradle of democracy, sees itself entitled to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries, especially those in the Middle East. This is nothing but flagrant bullying and dictatorship.
"The United States, on the pretext of countering dictatorship, is itself practicing the worst kind of dictatorship! It is doing the greatest harm to nations on the pretext of opposing their rulers! This is also what the United States did in Afghanistan! The White House officials are imposing pressure on other nations in order to further their own military and political interests and in order to get access to oil resources in other parts of the world. This is the practical outcome of the Western liberal democracy!
"Another outcome of the Western liberal democracy is the blind support for the usurper Zionist regime. The West is insisting that the Islamic countries recognize this occupier and oppressive regime which has no belief in human values and which has no right to the land it has occupied, a regime that is doing the utmost injustice and committing the most heinous crimes and atrocities against the Palestinians who are the real owners of the occupied territories!
"You have witnessed the escalation of Zionist crimes and brutalities against the Palestinians over the past two years. All this while, the United States has been blindly supporting this corrupt, covetous and usurper entity. Their affront to the Al-Aqsa Mosque yesterday was another sign of the evil nature of the Zionists and another result of the Western liberal democracy!"
Referring to the Islamic ideals, Ayatollah Khamenei noted, "Islam is an ideology that promotes human values, encourages compassion and clemency and fosters brotherhood among all humans. It is an ideology that aims to establish a society in which a person who has no wealth or power can easily obtain his rights from someone who is wealthy and powerful. This is the kind of society that Islam aims to establish. This is the message of Islam that attracts nations throughout the world. Which other ideology or school of thought can claim to follow these ideals?
"Today, Islam is still conveying the same pervasive message that is based on a strong logic. It has already displayed its power. Islam showed its power in Iran through the Islamic Revolution of the Iranian people and in Palestine through the strong resistance of the Palestinians against the Zionist occupiers of their homeland. Therefore, it is now up to us, the officials of this Islamic country and the officials of other Islamic states, to show that we are deeply committed to Islam and its ideals. We should show that we have understood the message of Islam, and that we are ready to promote its objectives. Indeed, the officials of Islamic countries shoulder a heavy responsibility in this regard.
"Muslim nations have shown that they are ready to make great sacrifices for the sake of Islam. The Iranian nation bravely displayed its commitment in the course of the Islamic Revolution and in the following events and is still as committed to Islam as ever. The Palestinian and Lebanese nations and Muslims in other countries have also expressed their willingness to make any kind of self-sacrifice for the sake of Islam. Therefore, we, the officials of Islamic countries, should also face up to our commitment and responsibilities. The feast marking the appointment of the Holy Prophet as the messenger of Allah should remind us of our heavy responsibilities toward this divine religion."
In conclusion, Leader of the Islamic Republic prayed for more divine blessings upon late Imam Khomeini, who brought about an Islamic renaissance in the Muslim Ummah, and upon the revered and beloved martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the sake of Islam. He also prayed for further progress and stronger unity of Muslim nations.