In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, and peace and greetings be upon our Master Muhammad, upon his pure household, upon his chosen companions and upon those who follow them until the Day of Judgment
I would like to congratulate you on the great birthday anniversary of the Holy Prophet of Islam (God’s greetings be upon him and his household) and Hazrat Imam Ja’far Sadiq (God’s greetings be upon him). This anniversary is as great as the birthday anniversary of the Holy Prophet. The value of this day and other such days should be appreciated. The Holy Prophet of Islam is the best and the highest human being created by God. The Holy Prophet is better, higher and greater than all prophets, all saints and all individuals in the world throughout history.
“He is superior to other prophets in terms of morality and nature
And he is peerless in terms of knowledge and generosity
And all of them beseech the Messenger of God
to grant them a drop from his infinite sea and a drip of his boundless and immeasurable rain.” [from a poem by Sharaf ul-Din Bosiri]
The Holy Existence of the Messenger of God is the summit of the world and the best spot in the universe in the true sense of the world. The Holy Quran has referred to itself as light. One of the words that the Holy Quran uses to describe itself is light: “God has indeed sent upon you light and the Book.” [The Holy Quran: 5: 15] The Holy Quran is light. One of the esteemed wives of the Holy Prophet was asked to describe him and she said in response, “The Holy Quran is in his nature.” This means that he was the living Quran. So, he was light as well.
Light is a means of providing brightness and ensuring the life of humans. The Holy Prophet too is a means of providing brightness and ensuring the life of human societies. These are things that humanity will reach gradually. The holy existence of the Messenger of God is a source of light in the true sense of the word. An Arab poet says, “Guidance was born and light has imbued all creatures.” This is really the truth of the matter. “And time is smiling and uttering words of praise.” [From a poem by Ahmad Sho’qi] I hope that the world of Islam will be like this as well. I hope that the world of Islam smiles on the birthday anniversary of the Holy Prophet that it will not suffer from sorrow and grief. This is our dream.
I have written down two, three points to discuss with you. One is about Unity Week. We in the Islamic Republic have named this week – starting from the 12th of Rabi al-Awwal and lasting until the 17th of Rabi al-Awwal - as Unity Week. Such naming is not just for the sake of it and it is not a political and tactical move either, rather such naming is based on belief and heart-felt faith. The Islamic Republic believes in the necessity of unity in the Islamic Ummah in the true sense of the word. And there is a precedent for it. It is not particular to our time and to the Islamic Republic era. A great marja taqlid like the late Ayatollah Borujerdi – who was the marja taqlid of the entire world of Shia during our youth – was a serious advocate of Islamic unity. He seriously advocated close relations between Islamic denominations. He was in contact with the great personalities of the world of Islam and of Sunni Islam and he would speak to them frequently. This is a heart-felt and deep belief. Some people think or pretend that this is a political tactic, but this is not the case because it is based on heart-felt faith. We believe in this and we believe that Allah the Exalted has asked us to do this.
Of course, there are different levels for unity. There are different levels for the unity of the world of Islam. The lowest level is that Islamic societies, Islamic countries, Islamic governments, Islamic ethnicities and Islamic denominations avoid transgressing against, confronting and harming one another. This is the first step. A higher level is that as well as refusing to harm one another, the world of Islam should join hands against a common enemy and that they should defend one another with true and sufficient unity. This is a higher step.
Yet, a higher level is that Islamic countries and nations should add to one another. Islamic countries are not the same in terms of science, wealth, security and political power and they can help and add to one another. Those who are on a higher level in every area should take the hands of those who are lower. This is another level of unity.
A higher level is that the entire world of Islam becomes united in order to achieve the new Islamic civilization. This is something that the Islamic Republic has chosen as its ultimate goal: achieving an Islamic civilization, one that is compatible with the requirements of the present era: a new Islamic civilization. These are the different levels of unity.
What was the lowest level? The lowest level was that Islamic countries should avoid confronting each other and stand together in the face of a common enemy. If we had just observed this point, we would not have faced so many calamities in the world of Islam today. The issue of Palestine is the gravest disaster for the world of Islam. This is because they threw a people out of their home and their country, replacing them with others who in turn dominated that land and pressured the owners. This is the condition of Gaza and such is the crimes that the Zionists commit there, as you can see. And the other side of Palestine – the West Bank – is in no better condition either.
If the world of Islam had committed itself to this lowest level of unity, these things would not have happened and the enemy would not have dared do such things. Notice what incidents and what bloody wars have been waged in the world of Islam. We are faced with the issue of Yemen, of the western part of the region and of North Africa. All these have taken place because we have not paid attention to the lowest level of unity which Islam has required. This is a very heavy responsibility.
We are addressing these statements to broad-minded and outstanding personalities. Thankfully, the world of Islam benefits from outstanding individuals and from intellectuals. They should seriously follow these issues. Youth and Muslim peoples are interested in it, but there are seditious hands anyway which should be confronted. In the world of Islam, Muslims ranging from North Africa to East Asia and Myanmar are under pressure. Muslims in eastern and western parts of the world of Islam are under pressure.
As for the issue of Palestine, I wish to raise certain points. Our position on the issue of Palestine is a logical position. It is a definite and logical position. Since before the victory of the Revolution – since the beginning of the revolutionary movement – our magnanimous Imam stressed the danger of Zionist influence, intervention and oppression. And we adopted this position since the beginning of the Revolution. The first thing that the Islamic Republic did was to capture the Zionist center in Tehran, which was in control of the previous regime, and to expel them from the country and then it gave the center to Palestinians. That was a true and symbolic course of action and we have been continuing this position until today. We supported Palestine, we helped the Palestinians and we will continue to do so. We have no considerations on this matter. The entire world of Islam should help Palestine.
In the statements of our late Imam (may God bestow paradise upon him) and those of the officials of the Islamic Republic, the eradication of the Israeli government has been frequently repeated. However, the enemies distort this issue.The eradication of the Israeli government does not mean the eradication of the Jewish people, we have nothing to do with that. It means the eradication of that government and that imposed regime. The eradication of Israel means that it is the people of Palestine – the true owners of that land: whether Muslims, Christians or Jews in that land – who should elect the main elements of their government. It means that they should throw out foreigners, thugs and criminals like Netanyahu and other such individuals - who are real thugs - and they should run their own country. This is what the eradication of Israel means.
And this will happen. Some people think it unlikely asking how Palestine can become independent after the passage of 70 years. However, in the Balkans and in other countries, they became independent after 60, 70 years during which time their country had been occupied by others. Their lands were given back to their people. So, this is not unlikely. “And this is not difficult for Allah the Mighty.” [The Holy Quran, 14: 20] This will happen.
We are the supporters of the Palestinians. We are advocates of the independence of Palestine. We are advocates of the salvation of Palestine and we are not anti-Jewish people. In our own country, there are many Jews who live in complete security. This was another point.
The next point is that we are after unity and we will work diligently to that end. We should know that this idea, this demand and this ideal has dangerous enemies. In the present time, these enemies are headed by the regime of the United States of America and the fake Zionist regime. They are the enemies of Islamic unity. The US is not only an enemy of the Islamic Republic. Some people think that this confrontation is only between the Islamic Republic and the US. Of course, it is true that the Islamic Republic receives more enmity because it is active, but they are the enemies of the world of Islam and Islamic countries as well. They are the enemies of Palestine and West Asian and North African nations. They are the enemies of all Muslims.
The reason behind their enmity lies in the nature of Islam. The reason is that Islam rejects oppression, domination and arrogance. The system of domination – which is headed by the US in the present time: one day, it was headed by England and others, but today, it is headed by the US – is opposed to the logic, identity and definition of Islam. Of course, they show more hostility to the Islamic Republic, but they are opposed to the Saudis as well. Some individuals think that the Americans are the enemies of the Islamic Republic, but that they are friends with the Saudis. No, this is not the case. They are their enemies as well.
When the US says that the Saudis have nothing but money, is this not enmity? What does this statement mean? It means that they have money and that we should fleece them! Is there any worse kind of enmity towards a country and a nation? Well, they should understand this! Their personalities should understand such enmity. They should understand what the duty of an honorable person in the face of this enmity is and they should know what Islamic dignity and Islamic and Arab zeal require in the face of such an insult. They should know what their duty is, but they do not know it. They show enmity to everyone.
US presence has brought about nothing but malevolence and corruption. As soon as they set foot in this region, they brought malice and corruption with them. In whichever area they set foot, they bring about insecurity, they wage domestic wars or they do things like creating DAESH. We want the true face of the US to be seen. We want Muslim nations to know what the true colors of the US are and what stands behind their support for democracy, human rights and other such false and hypocritical statements. The people should understand this.
In my opinion, the main weapon of the US in the region – while we in the Islamic Republic are fully aware of this – is infiltration in sensitive and decision-making centers. its main weapon is creating discord, undermining the national determination of nations, creating a lack of trust among nations, and between nations and governments, influencing the calculations of decision-makers and pretending that the solution for problems is to stand under the flag of the US, to accept its words, to surrender to it and to do whatever it says. It wants to pretend that this is the solution for problems. They want to insert this notion in the mentality of the decision-makers in Islamic nations and Islamic countries. These are their weapons which are more dangerous than hard and military weapons.
What we really see in their measures is what the Holy Quran has specified: “How can there be such a league, seeing that if they get an advantage over you, they respect not in you the ties either of kinship or of covenant? With fair words from their mouths they entice you, but their hearts are averse from you.” [The Holy Quran, 9: 8] They are like this and this is how Allah the Exalted has described them.
The next point is that there is only one cure for such enmity and that is, “Therefore, stand firm as you are commanded.” Allah the Exalted said to His Messenger in the face of problems, “Therefore stand firm as you are commanded - you and those who with you turn unto God.” [The Holy Quran, 11: 112] The solution is resistance and standing firm.
Of course, standing firm involves certain difficulties and it is not an easy task, but surrendering involves more difficulties. The difference between these two conducts is that on the path of resistance and steadfastness, Allah the Exalted will reward you for whatever hardship that you endure: “Because nothing could they suffer or do, but was reckoned to their credit as a deed of righteousness - whether they suffered thirst or fatigue or hunger, in the cause of God, or treaded paths to raise the ire of the unbelievers, or received any injury whatever from an enemy.” [The Holy Quran, 9: 120] Every hardship that you endure is considered as a good deed, but if you give in to the enemy, not only will your sufferings not be rewarded by Allah the Exalted in any way, but you will also be punished for giving in to oppression. This is the command of the Holy Quran: do not oppress and do not surrender to oppression either.
The last point is about deeds of righteousness: “But was reckoned to their credit as a deed of righteousness.” I will tell you that in today’s world, every move, every course of action and every statement in the direction of the political independence of countries, of the cultural independence of countries and nations, of independence and growth in the area of economy, of unity, of the power of the Islamic Ummah, of promoting science in the world of Islam and of helping youth achieve growth in the world of Islam – every move in this direction – is a deed of righteousness.
If you are working in the area of science, research and nuclear energy, this is a deed of righteousness. Nations need nuclear energy. In the future, all nations will be needing peaceful nuclear energy. However, western monopolists want to have it at their own disposal, giving it to them drop by drop in return for their dignity and independence. This is why they confront the nuclear movement of the Islamic Republic. Otherwise, they themselves know that we are not after nuclear weapons because of our principles and religious beliefs and that we are opposed to it. They do not want this science, industry and capability to exist. They have the same outlook towards us and towards others. They say that we should buy it from them and that we should avoid enrichment on our own.
So, every move on the path of achieving this power is a deed of righteousness. Every important economic activity in this regard is a deed of righteousness. Every move in the direction of helping the people, underprivileged classes and the poor is a deed of righteousness. Every move in the direction of promoting the truth and confronting falsehoods is a deed of righteousness.
You intellectuals and ulama of the world of Islam who are thankfully present here – you are the guests of Unity Week and many of you are here from throughout the world of Islam, among whom there are intellectuals and ulama – should know that there is a vast arena ahead of you for deeds of righteousness. Notice how many good deeds you can do! You should write, using your pencils to defend the truth. You should step forward and not fear the enemy: “It is the practice of those who preach the Messages of God and fear Him and fear none but God. And enough is God to call men to account.” [The Holy Quran, 33: 39]
God will calculate your measures and He will duly reward you. I will tell you that by Allah’s favor and grace, the world of Islam will one day – which is not too distant – see the realization of these dreams in their entirety.
Greetings be upon you and Allah’s mercy and blessings
