Most of Iran consists of a youthful population born after Imam Khomeini's blessed life had ended. They were either born after he passed away or were young children at that time. But these faithful youth, living in various parts of the country, loved Imam and his memory so much that it's as if they had been in his company all along. As we say in Samaat prayers: "We rightly and sincerely put our faith in him without being able to see him." They enjoyed pure and sincere faith without having been born during the Imam's lifetime and without having the opportunity to listen to his remarks: this is not peculiar to our nation alone. In many parts of the world, as well as in Muslim countries, people have the same feeling towards Imam Khomeini.
This reality is the result of two factors: one is the greatness of the Imam and the various aspects of his personality, which was unparalleled in recent and contemporary eras; the other factor is the greatness of this Revolution. It is the greatness of a deed that our magnanimous Imam accomplished in the present era by relying on his faith, acumen, and a strong determination. This deed was his initiation of the Islamic Revolution and the establishment of the Islamic Republic. The greatness of this Revolution is indicative of our magnanimous Imam's greatness. Iran's Revolution was a divine miracle[...]
Imam Khomeini (r.a.) left a perpetual guideline for his Ummah -- our nation -- with his words and deeds: meaning that the words of Imam Khomeini (r.a.) guide us through all difficult stages of life, and his testament is one of the best and most influential moral legacies of his time. It is advisable that the people, the different officials, and all youth refer to his testament at different times and reflect on it.
1. Let me refer to some of the points mentioned in Imam Khomeini's testament which is full of useful meaning. The first point is that Imam Khomeini (r.a.) insisted, in his testament, on the fact that the Islamic Revolution is a divine Revolution, and it is mainly based on the will of the people: the Islamic Revolution belongs to the people. This means that no individual, social class, or group can and should claim to be the owner of this Revolution and consider others as a subsidiary. If anyone was to claim to be the owner of this Revolution, Imam Khomeini (r.a.) was the most suitable person who was deserving of ownership. This Revolution was due to his determination and personality, but Imam Khomeini (r.a.) considers his own role as very little and considers the Revolution as a blessing from God.
This is a predominant theme in Imam Khomeini's (r.a.) statements, which has also been stressed and specified in his testament. Therefore, it is the people who are the owners of this Revolution. Protecting this divine gift is a duty that lies upon everyone's shoulders. The people must consider themselves as the guardians of the Revolution. The identity and significance of the Revolution are due to its principals, orientations, and values. There have always been -- and there will always be -- some individuals who have tried to change the revolutionary ideas under the pretext that "conditions have changed." They have tried to separate the aspects related to religion and social justice from the Revolution. They have tried to make the Revolution devoid of its tendency to fight outsiders, hegemony, and autocracy.
They may step into the ring with various motives and under various pretexts to change the revolutionary slogans and aspirations. The people have to be alert: they must know that this Revolution is alive due to its values. Being Islamic, adhering to religious principles, opposing hegemony and arrogance, and supporting the oppressed -- sincerely and openly -- all over the world, are the most essential values among the slogans written on the revolutionary flag. The fact that this Revolution belongs to the general public is one of the best tenets of the Revolution. In this regard, there is no discrimination in favour of a particular social class.
2. The second point is about a prophecy in the Imam's testament that the Revolution would spread to other places, and it will liberate the Muslim world from the clutches of colonialists. That was a prediction that our magnanimous Imam had made. When we look at the reality on the ground, today, we see that his prediction has been fulfilled. In Imam Khomeini's (r.a.) opinion, the Revolution -- unlike other revolutions -- was not to be propagated by sowing the seeds of discord in other countries or by deploying military forces, or by spreading terrorism. Spreading the Revolution among other nations is to be realized through setting an example on the part of the Islamic Republic. In other words, the Iranian nation should help the Islamic Republic reach a point and a position that when other nations look to it, they are filled with enthusiasm and are encouraged to follow in its footsteps. Such an initiative is to occur through propagating Islamic teachings, through public support of the oppressed groups within the Muslim world, and through supporting the oppressed nations that have been downtrodden by the oppressive, arrogant powers. That is what we mean by the spreading of Islamic rule, and it has already begun.
Today, other nations, throughout the world, have fixed their attention on the Iranian nation. They are inspired and motivated by our nation. Today, the anti-domination principals of the Iranian nation have spread to all parts of the Muslim world. If you travel to different Muslim countries, you will notice that their people have a high opinion of your beliefs, motives, and aspirations regardless of their governments. They admire our slogans against oppression, the snake-like Zionist network, and hegemony. They admire the chants that we shout in support of the oppressed and the Palestinian nation: this is what Muslim nations think. Their behaviour is indicative of the spread of an Islamic Revolution. As you can see, even our nation's views regarding nuclear energy -- the fact that the Iranian nation resisted the pressures of the enemies and asked for its right -- have been reflected in the Islamic world: in a way that resulted in Muslim and Arab countries declaring that nuclear energy has turned into a public sense of urgency for all Arab countries.
Both the friends and foes of the Iranian nation admit that the prophecy of Imam Khomeini (r.a.) regarding the spread of the Revolution has been realized today, an instance of which is the Palestinian issue. Like the Iranian nation, all nations are sympathetic towards the Palestinian nation. Like the Iranian nation, all nations consider the "Israeli" regime as an illegitimate and imposed power on the region. Of course, many governments are not supportive of their nations: that idleness is exactly the element that strengthened "Israel." The Zionist regime has no internal power to stand on its own feet. Today, there are two factors that have helped the Zionist regime to resist. One is the unconditional and shameless support of the US for this degenerate regime, and the other is the lack of support for the Palestinian people on the part of the Arab and Muslim governments. Unfortunately, most of the Muslim governments do not carry out their responsibilities in favour of Palestine as they should, and they are not harmonious with their people.
3. The third prominent point -- which is important to our nation and youth -- in Imam Khomeini's (r.a.) testament, and in the statements that he made during the last 10 years of his blessed life, is that the Islamic Revolution helps our nation progress. The Islamic Revolution facilitates innovation, on part of the Iranian nation, which is the exact opposite of what the enemies of Islam have propagated for several consecutive years. The enemies of Islam assumed that being religious conflicts with progression. They assumed that if a nation wanted to achieve progress, it had to let go of religion and become completely westernized. --They tried for decades to instill this belief into the Iranian nation. From the beginning of the Revolution to the last day of his life -- and in his testament --- our magnanimous Imam used to emphasize the fact that the revolutionary spirit is the spirit of progress and innovation; that was what the Iranian nation experienced.
The Iranian nation believes in its capabilities today. The people are confident enough to enter scientific and political arenas. Whenever the Iranian nation has seriously entered an arena, it has managed to take the lead. Our status in scientific innovations, political power, and international grandeur is not comparable to the pre-Revolution era. The nation of this era has awoken: it has been revitalized: all due to the Revolution. The more this revolutionary spirit is revitalized, and the more dynamic it is, the more revitalized the spirit of innovation and creativity will be, just as the Revolution itself which was a great innovation.
Through the Islamic Revolution and by the establishment of the Islamic Republic, Imam Khomeini (r.a.) provided a middle ground between "Westoxication" and backwardness. Before that, nations believed that they had to either remain ignorant or become westernized. But the Imam proved that there was a straight path which led to progress without being "westoxified" or falling victim to the West. Dear youth, in order to help your country progress, you must tread this straight path as tenaciously as possible. You can remove all obstacles in your way by relying on Allah the Exalted and your internal power[...]
4. The other point that stands out in the Imam's testament is the need for attention towards cold war and psychological warfare waged by the enemy. Whenever the enemy fails to achieve its goals in practice, it resorts to psychological warfare to dishearten nations and fill their hearts with despair. Through psychological warfare and intimidation, they try to convince other nations to end their opposition. This can only mean that they have not been able to resist our nation in practical arenas. The enemies' psychological warfare started in the early days, after the Revolution, and it has continued to this day. Sometimes they [the enemy] said the Revolution will not last longer than two months, and sometimes they said it will last for only two years. It has been 30 years now that our Revolution has continued, with full strength, and has made the Iranian nation increasingly unified, hopeful, and dynamic.
Today, they are waging psychological warfare in various ways. They want to convince the Iranian nation and the Iranian youth that they cannot achieve anything without a connection to domineering powers: this is a grave danger that the Imam has drawn our attention towards. The enemy denies the great advances of our nation! The Revolution has managed to overcome several obstacles over the past 30 years. When one delves into the history of world revolutions, they realize that there have rarely been as many obstacles in the way of a nation and a revolution as opposed to Iran's revolution; also, that all other revolutions are normally thwarted by these obstacles and eventually surrender to the enemy, unlike the Iranian nation.
Our Revolution has been able to proceed and reach great summits in spite of numerous threats, sanctions, antagonistic measures, plots, and obstructionism. The Revolution is looking forward to reaching higher summits and is proceeding vigorously. Enemies yearn to take this motivation away from the Iranian nation. I would like to tell our dear youth, who are active at their universities, Islamic seminaries, industrial facilities, in agricultural and scientific fields, or in the arts, that they are halfway through; they have had to face numerous obstacles, so far, yet they have managed to persevere. You, dear youth, can tread on the other half of the path -- the enemy wants to prevent you from treading on this essential half and reaching the summit -- with strong determination, as you have already proven that you are capable of doing so[...]
5. There is another point in our magnanimous Imam's testament, which is a warning to youngsters against plots that are particularly designed for them. If young adults of a country are determined to push their country forward: they need to be lively, dynamic, healthy, strong, and keen towards working on and making progress. In order to destroy this spirit in our Iranian youth, they try to dishearten them through planning various schemes, spreading corruption, promoting immorality, publicizing drugs and forming organized hate groups. The Iranian youth ought to be on high alert. Today, the determined fight against drug use, on the part of the officials of the Islamic Republic, is a great jihad and a deep-rooted movement to help the Iranian nation move forward.
They do not want the dynamism of Iranian youth in workshops, laboratories, universities, scientific arenas, and in agricultural and industrial fields. Youth who indulge in their sexual desires or in drugs are not in the mood to work nor in the mood to think. Such youth with addictions do not have the strength to work nor do they enjoy enough innovation or determination. Today, we should fight the organized plots which are aimed at encouraging the Iranian youth to indulge themselves in carnal desires, drugs, and various sexual entertainments: these are very dangerous plots indeed. First off, it is up to the people, themselves, especially the youth, to fight against those plots. The youth must be cautious. The enemy has found out that the piety and faith of the Iranian youth will help them progress in various fields: the enemy wants to undermine this factor; the Imam issued a warning [in his testament] in this regard. He warned all youth, universities, and Islamic seminaries to be vigilant against the said plots. Deceiving and weakening the youth is synonymous with keeping the nation ignorant. The entire nation must feel responsible, and the officials must make sincere and determined efforts in this regard: this is a great jihad[...]
6. Another pivotal point that is mentioned in the Imam's testament and speeches is the issue of confronting the global tyrants. Of course, there have always been globally domineering and threatening powers throughout history. Scientific and industrial progress, as well as modern communication means, have facilitated this domination. As a result, you can see that the Americans covet the entire world. The USA deploys their forces all over the world under the pretext of defending their endangered interests wherever they may be. It is as if their interests were preferable to those of the entire world and all nations.
How should one react to this bullying, obstinacy, and transgression? There are two reactions: one is resistance; the other is submission. Submitting to these global bullies only encourages them to increase their aggression. Submission of nations, world politicians, and intellectuals of different communities to the threats of the global arrogant powers encourages them to step up their bullying. Thus, there remains no other option for nations than to resist. If a nation wants to rid itself of the pressures from aggressors -- and today, the bullying of the US -- it must stand up to the US with full strength and determination.
Just take a look at the behaviour of the American statesmen -- the US president and his cabinet members -- and observe their rhetoric. Their style of speech is similar to that of psychopathic personalities: they make threats; they order assassinations; they slander; they helplessly beg for assistance; they attack the stability and security of other nations. They horse around like a bunch of lunatics. Their behaviour is not characteristic of logical, wise politicians. Of course, this behaviour is due, in large part, to the reflection of American failure in different parts of the world: their failure in Afghanistan and Iraq. They entered Iraq and Afghanistan with the promise of freedom, democracy, and human rights. Today, after the passage of several years, the situation in these two countries is so severe that no nation would want to be in the same situation. Insecurity, poverty, increasing domination of arrogant powers, jeopardizing their national interests, disregarding the rights of the people and the subsequent total failure in achieving the goals they had once announced, or the interior motives they had not announced are very prevalent there. These failures are reflected in the behaviour of American politicians and in their discord, disagreement, and decisions. That is the way the global bullies behave.
What should one do to confront this bullying? The Imam's advice was to resist. Fortunately, today all the political groups in the country express their loyalty to the path of the Imam: this is an auspicious phenomenon: this was not the case in some eras [after the Revolution]. There were some political movements that openly talked about turning their backs on the Imam's path. Fortunately, today political groups in our country talk about their inclination towards the thoughts and path of the Imam. One of the most prominent points of the Imam's path, which is reflected in his testament and all his remarks, is the need for determined resistance against covetous, arrogant powers.
The Iranian nation, and all the different political groups, as well as the elites inside the country -- who are loyal to the Imam and his thoughts and decisions -- must safeguard this stance with full strength. The Imam, himself, had a similar attitude. He never stopped supporting the oppressed, throughout the world, out of his disdain towards the global tormentors. He used to refer to the Palestinian cause as "a central issue at all times." In his testament and his remarks, he made explicit the point that he considered the oppressed nations' urge for support as important. He openly announced his support for the rights of the oppressed Palestinian nation as well as all other oppressed nations. That is the path of the Imam. That is the Imam's way and advice. Fortunately, the Iranian nation and the government officials have pursued this path, and it is thirty years now that you, the Iranian nation, has been successful and has defeated the enemies whenever it faced American arrogance.
Imam Khamenei, Jun 3, 2008
