The Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei attended a ceremony marking the auspicious birth anniversary of Her Holiness Fatimah (greetings be upon her), the noble and dignified daughter of Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his immaculate household), on Sunday, July 16.
The ceremony, which also marked the birth anniversary of the late Founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran Imam Khomeini, was attended by a large number of poets and eulogists and devoted adherents of the holy prophet's household (greetings be upon them).
Addressing the gathering, the Leader felicitated the audience on the auspicious occasion. He also touched on some important issues, including the crimes and atrocities that are being committed by the Zionist regime in Palestine and Lebanon and the outrageous endorsement of these crimes on the part of the United States and certain other Western countries.
Ayatollah Khamenei noted that the fair-minded and conscientious individuals throughout the world condemn these unprecedented crimes and brutalities that are being committed by the Zionist regime and its supporters. He added that this judgment would surely prove decisive and influential.
Referring to the all-out attacks launched by the usurper Zionists on Gaza and their heinous crimes in Lebanon and the silence of some Arab and Islamic governments, the Leader stated that the atrocities that are being committed by the Zionists and their trampling on human values in Palestine and Lebanon one again prove that the Zionist entity is a diabolic and cancerous entity in the region, and that the Zionist regime is a suppurated tumor for the entire Islamic world.
Ayatollah Khamenei further pointed out that the incumbent U.S. administration is the ugliest government in American history, "since it is flagrantly supporting the Zionist regime's massacre of defenseless men, women and children in Palestine and Lebanon."
The Leader added that what figures prominently in the face of the Zionist regime's unprecedented crimes is the authentic Islamic movement of Muslim nations seeking justice, a movement which is of much greater dimensions compared with the past. He stressed that the progress, power and glory of this movement are now exemplary and serve as good news for the Islamic world.
Ayatollah Khamenei also stated that Muslims in various Islamic countries feel proud of the valorous and vigorous movement of the Islamic resistance force Hezbollah in Lebanon.
"Such sentiments did not exist in Arab and Islamic countries in the past, and in such a country as Lebanon, where many attempts had been made to turn this country into a major base for Western culture, today the culture of jihad, resistance and honor is prevalent among the youth; this is contrary to the goals of the world's hegemonic and domineering powers," he told the audience.
The Leader of the Islamic Republic further hinted at the U.S. president's recent remarks to the effect that the Lebanese Islamic resistance force Hezbollah should be disarmed.
"This will never happen, because the Lebanese people are grateful to Hezbollah and know that it is the strong and capable arms of the Islamic resistance force that have stopped the Zionists and caused their dream of dominating Lebanon not to come true," the Leader pointed out.
Elsewhere in his remarks, Ayatollah Khamenei described Her Holiness Fatimah (greetings be upon her) as the genuine source of benevolence and mercy for the Islamic Ummah. He noted that the existence of great virtues and spiritual values in Her Holiness Fatimah (greetings be upon her) indicates the high status and decisive role of women in society from the viewpoint of Islam.
"Contrary to the views held by some schools which regard women as a tool for gratifying the sensual desires of men, Islam confers genuine freedom, dignity and honor on women and considers their status to be as high as that of the teachers of mankind," the Leader observed.
Ayatollah Khamenei criticized the way women are treated in the so-called civilized world and referred to the false slogans in support of the women's rights as a painful deceit aimed at degrading women.
"Today, the Islamic Republic of Iran is taking the Western world to task for maltreating women and using them as merely a tool for fulfilling sensual desires," Ayatollah Khamenei added.
Further in his statements, the Leader of the Islamic Republic underlined the heaviness of duties of the government as well as those of preachers and relevant organizations to expound the real status of women from the viewpoint of Islam and to raise public awareness and knowledge in this regard.
"The progress and welfare of Muslims are contingent on their servitude to Almighty Allah and their acting upon the Sunna of the Holy Prophet of Islam (peace be upon him and his immaculate household); thus, the love for and the devotion to the holy prophet's household (greetings be upon them) should lead to the fulfilment of religious obligations and compliance with Islamic injunctions," Ayatollah Khamenei told the audience.
At the ceremony, a number of poets and eulogists of the holy prophet's household (greetings be upon them) recited their poems and eulogies in praise of the noble virtues and sublime character of Her Holiness Fatimah (greetings be upon her). A choral recitation was also performed with the same theme.