Speech on the Occasion of the Blessed Birth Anniversary of Imam Ali (peace be upon him)

In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

I sincerely congratulate all Muslims of the world, seekers of truth, nations thirsty for justice, especially the Shia across the globe, and particularly the Iranian nation and you dear attendees, especially the esteemed families of the honorable martyrs, the disabled, the missing, and the dear freed captives, on this blessed day which marks the rise of the sun of truth and justice in the horizons of Islamic history.

Regarding the status of the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him), human tongues and the power of human depiction are incapable of presenting the essence and truth of the matter; indeed, they are incapable of even imagining that lofty status and the essence of the greatness of that noble figure. We can only recognize and understand something by comparing it to our own knowledge. The Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him) is beyond our measures. He cannot be measured and assessed with the yardstick and scale we have for measuring humans, virtues, and beauties; he is above such matters. What we see is the brilliance of that noble figure, which is visible to every human eye—even to enemies and opponents—let alone to friends and Shia; as narrated by Sunni narrators, the Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his family) said: 'Ali ibn Abi Talib shines in Paradise like the morning star for the people of the world'; they see the light, they see the brilliance, but they cannot comprehend and see the dimensions and details.

The relationship of our nation with the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him) is a loving relationship; the matter is beyond belief in his Guardianship and Imamate. Belief in his Guardianship and Imamate exists and is part of our being; it is among the first teachings we receive in the cradle and, God willing, will accompany us to the grave; but another element in the relationship of our nation with the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him) is the relationship of love and affection.

There are so many beauties, manifestations, and attractions in that noble figure that a heart familiar with these attractions cannot remain indifferent to that noble figure. Whoever knows him to the extent mentioned in these narrations becomes enamored with him. Even those who do not accept his Imamate and Guardianship as we do, and do not share our belief, see these virtues and merits mentioned in the books of both sects—not exclusive to Shia; great Sunni scholars have also mentioned these virtues—and when they see these, they become enamored and attracted to the Commander of the Faithful. Therefore, our issue is not about understanding the luminous and lofty truth of the Commander of the Faithful, which we cannot comprehend, imagine, or find a way to understand; except for those whose hearts have been illuminated by the light of divine guidance and knowledge in those dimensions; but this matter of love is an important issue. This friendship and love relationship with the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him) is a shining truth. We must use this shining truth as a ladder to ascend; and this is possible. With the ladder of love, one can reach the highest degrees of knowledge. The main task is love.

Brothers and sisters! This life is short. This world is small for us and for every human soul and passes quickly. Opportunities must be seized, and we should not be occupied with things that do not advance us. This love should elevate us and help us grow. When will this happen? When will this love show such an alchemical effect? When we seriously look at the loving connection between ourselves and the Commander of the Faithful and the saints of religion. How? Seriously looking at love means that we strive to move in the path that leads to that noble figure; otherwise, if we turn our backs on that path and, God forbid, with every action, every step, and every word, distance ourselves from that noble figure, this love will gradually become shallow, superficial, and merely verbal.

There is real love and superficial love. Your real love is your love for your child. No hardship can distract you from your child's illness, from the danger that threatens them, from their worries; this is true love. Another love is verbal love, which abandons a person in critical and sensitive moments. If, God forbid, we distance ourselves from the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him), it will become like this; love will become verbal and claimed; it will not hold our hand when we need it. But if we follow the path that leads to the Commander of the Faithful, the deeper this love will become as we progress.

Regarding Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him), one cannot speak in these few minutes. What I think I should briefly mention is that we should look at the many prominent qualities that exist in the blessed essence and behavior of the Commander of the Faithful—each shining like a sun—and choose a few of these qualities and align ourselves with them.

One of the qualities of that noble figure is that the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him), from the beginning of his life to the end, thought of God Almighty and chose the path of God—even if opposed by all humanity—over the path of non-God and anti-God. The Commander of the Faithful has dozens of such prominent traits; this is one of them.

When he wanted to believe—being the first believer in the Noble Prophet, the Commander of the Faithful—all those in that society were disbelievers in this truth; but he paid no heed to their disbelief, denial, and enmity. In the event of 'Yawm al-Dar', the Noble Prophet gathered the Arab leaders in Mecca and presented Islam to them, saying that whoever accepts faith first today will be my successor and leader after me. He offered this to others, and none of the disbelievers and Quraysh present were willing to accept this invitation; but the Commander of the Faithful, who was a thirteen-year-old child, stood up and accepted, and the Noble Prophet accepted from him—both his faith and his being the second person—so the disbelievers returned, mocking Abu Talib, saying that your son has been made your leader! This was the first step.

Throughout the Meccan period, he never considered or regarded the harshness, fanaticism, opposition, and enmity, and defended the truth. Throughout the Medinan period, wherever there was danger, Ali ibn Abi Talib was there and did not consider anything. In the case of the trench, when everyone lowered their heads, he stood up and bravely volunteered; meaning he considered no status for himself other than defending Islam and defending the truth; for him, it was just one task: to defend the truth.

A person has limited powers and a limited lifespan; these should be placed as an investment at the disposal of the truth. This is the conduct of a believer in Ali (peace be upon him). If such a person emerges among humans—even in a small group of humans—they will be able to rid the world of oppression and injustice. We, humans, attached to food, comfort, pleasure, life, home, prestige, power, and other worldly attachments and distractions, cannot break out of these barriers and move in that path; and the result in the world is what you observe.

If a spark of this spirit emerges in a person, it will be what you saw on the battlefields; you saw it in the martyrs; you saw it in our brave warriors; you saw it in our freed captives in prisons; you saw it in our patient disabled; you saw it in the families and fathers and mothers; throughout the revolution and the war period until today, you saw and observed what a commotion it created in the world. This was a small and incomplete thing; a drop from what the sea of it existed in the great spirit of the Commander of the Faithful.

In his decisions and actions, he did not involve personal considerations, my considerations, comfort considerations, or personal desires at all. After the passing of the Seal of the Prophets, it was the same. During those twenty-five years, he acted as the interests of the Islamic community required and dictated; he did not deviate from the interest and did not show self-interest. After the Commander of the Faithful assumed the caliphate, those who considered themselves rightful and had ambitions for the caliphate, you saw what they did? You saw what wars and bloodshed they instigated? Ali did not do such things during those twenty-five years; even though he considered himself rightful. These are the words and life of the Commander of the Faithful. He considered a right for himself; but he saw the great interest of Islam in remaining silent, being submissive, and going along with the usual flow of society. Even when he assumed the caliphate, close friends, distant friends, and apparent enemies advised him not to rush, not to dismiss so-and-so, not to appoint so-and-so, not to say this, not to make this kind of division, not to cut this money and stipend. That noble figure looked at all these with indifference; he acted on what he considered right; this is one of the qualities of the Commander of the Faithful.

We are lovers of that noble figure. There is no doubt that the love of the Commander of the Faithful surges in our hearts; this is a source of hope and pride for us; but what deepens this love and makes it part of our being and increasingly fruitful? That we emulate this quality of the Commander of the Faithful.

Today, the world is a difficult place for someone who is a Muslim. Today, after centuries of Islam being removed from true manifestations of governance and showing power, it claims governance; it sits on the seat of governance; it runs a country, and laws are based on Islam. In the world, the call of Islam has become attractive. The dead-hearted humanity, the depressed young generations of the world who have become hopeless from everywhere, have turned to Islam. The feelings of Islamic societies are awakening. You see countries where the passion for Islam has excited those nations and stirred them up. Today, Islam, in this situation, has serious enemies; enemies who see Islam as an obstacle to their work, an obstacle to their plundering, an obstacle to their domination over nations, an obstacle to the deception of individuals worldwide; these are serious enemies of Islam.

Today, the enemies of Islam, unlike the time of the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), are not limited to scattered tribes; the most equipped weapons are in their hands; the most money is in their hands; advanced human knowledge is in their hands, and they are against Islam. 'Being a Muslim' in this era is raising a flag that contains happiness, freedom, blessings, and breaking the chains of captivity. Raising a flag with all these blessings is not easy; one must stand firm.

Our nation has a very brilliant experience behind it that it should not forget; that experience is the revolution and then the experience of war; meaning two victories. We succeeded in the revolution and in establishing the Islamic Republic system—this is one victory—we also succeeded in the war. The whisperers try hard to make it seem that Iran did not succeed in the war; this is the talk of the devil or short-sighted people. For a nation where the whole world stands by its enemy and gives it weapons and equipment so that the nation retreats from its borders, its armed forces are destroyed, and its social system collapses; but despite all these conspiracies and pressures, it becomes stronger day by day; strengthens its armed forces; trains its people; firmly holds its borders, is this not a victory?

Brothers and sisters! These victories are a lesson for us. How did these victories come about? By not fearing the world. One should not fear America, and the Iranian nation does not fear. With this spirit of courage, with this reliance on God, with this enthusiasm and passion that exists among the people of our nation—especially among our youth—this nation will succeed; it will achieve its goals and will bring its enemies to their knees. No enemy can prevent the Iranian nation from following this path that Islam has placed before it. Only this point should be remembered that like Ali ibn Abi Talib, one should not fear the multitude of enemies.

I hope that the blessings of this blessed birth will bring joy and happiness and relief in all matters for our entire nation, God willing. I hope that, God willing, your hearts will become brighter day by day with the light of the Guardianship of this noble figure, and the existence of the sacred Guardian of the Age (may our souls be sacrificed for him) will include you in his pure prayers.

Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings