Statements of His Excellency at the Great Celebration of the Awaiters of the Appearance Concurrent with the Basij Week and the Birth of Imam Mahdi (may God hasten his reappearance)

In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful Thanks be to God, the Lord of the worlds. And peace and blessings be upon our master and prophet, Abu al-Qasim, the chosen Muhammad, and his pure, infallible, and virtuous family. Especially the stronghold of the oppressed and the refuge of the fleeing. The Remaining of God on earth, may our souls be sacrificed for him.

First, I congratulate this blessed holiday to each and every dear Basij member, as well as to all the people of Iran, all the free people of the world, all the oppressors of the world, and those who are weary from the pressures of injustices and oppression - to all the justice seekers of the world.

The day of the birth of the awaited Mahdi (may our souls be sacrificed for him) is truly the day of celebration for all pure and free human beings in the world. Only those who are part of the foundations of oppression or followers of tyrants and oppressors may not feel joy and happiness on this day; otherwise, which free human being would not be pleased with the expansion of justice, the raising of the banner of fairness, and the removal of oppression throughout the world, and not wish for it? What is certain is that all prophets and saints came to raise the banner of monotheism in the world and to revive the spirit of monotheism in the lives of human beings. Without justice, without the establishment of fairness and equity, monotheism has no meaning. One of the signs or pillars of monotheism is the absence of oppression and injustice. Therefore, you see that the message of establishing justice is the message of the prophets. The struggle for justice is the great work of the prophets. Noble human beings throughout history have strived in this path and have brought humanity closer day by day to understanding this truth that justice is the pinnacle of all human desires.

The series of prophets have been the purest, most sacred, and most luminous human beings in all of history. Among the pure human beings and noble individuals who possess a divine and heavenly spirit, the sacred existence of the Seal of the Prophets, Muhammad Mustafa (peace be upon him and his family), stands out as the foremost, and his pure family and household - which the Quran attests to their purity and cleanliness - are among the best and highest pure and luminous human beings in all of history. Who in all of history is like Fatimah al-Zahra (peace be upon her)?! Where can we find a person like Ali ibn Abi Talib throughout the history of humanity?! The lineage of the Prophet (peace be upon him) has been like radiant suns throughout history that have been able to connect humanity on earth with the unseen world and the divine throne: "the connecting cause between the earth and the heavens."

The family of the Prophet is the mine of knowledge, the mine of good morals, the mine of self-sacrifice and devotion, the mine of truthfulness and sincerity, the source of all goodness and beauty and brilliance of human existence in every era and age; each has been such a radiant sun.

Dear youth; Basij members! One of those radiant suns, by the grace and help of the Lord and by divine will, exists today in our time as the Remaining of God on His earth, as the Proof of God over His servants, as the Master of the Time and the absolute divine guardian on earth. The blessings of his existence and the shining lights from his being reach humanity today. Today, humanity, with all its weaknesses, misguidances, and troubles, benefits from the radiant lights of this spiritual and divine sun, which is the remnant of the household of the Prophet. Today, the sacred existence of Imam al-Hujjah (may our souls be sacrificed for him) among the people on earth is a source of blessings, a source of knowledge, a source of brilliance, beauty, and all goodness. Our insignificant and dark eyes do not see that heavenly face up close; however, he is like a shining sun, connected to hearts and souls and innermost beings, and for a person who possesses knowledge, there is no greater blessing than to feel that the guardian of God, the rightful Imam, the chosen servant, is among all the servants of the world and addressed by the divine caliphate on earth, is with him and beside him; he sees him and is connected to him. The desire of all humanity is the existence of such a noble element. The suppressed complexes of human beings throughout history have gazed towards the end of this horizon, waiting for a noble and chosen individual from God's chosen ones to tear apart the fabric of oppression and tyranny that wicked people have woven throughout history.

Today, humanity is more afflicted by oppression and injustice than many periods in history, and the progress that humanity has made today is more advanced in knowledge. We have come closer to the time of the appearance of Imam al-Mahdi (may our souls be sacrificed for him), this true beloved of humanity; because knowledge has advanced.

Today, the mindset of humanity is ready to understand, know, and be certain that a noble individual will come and save humanity from the burdens of oppression and tyranny; the very thing that all prophets have strived for, the very thing that the Prophet of Islam promised to the people in the Quran: "And He will remove from them their burdens and the shackles that were upon them." The hand of divine power, through a heavenly human, a divine human, a human connected to the unseen worlds, spiritual worlds, and realms that are not comprehensible and recognizable for short-sighted beings like us, can fulfill this wish for humanity. Therefore, hearts, longings, and loves are directed towards that point, and day by day they are more focused on it. The Iranian nation today has the great privilege that the atmosphere of the country is the atmosphere of Imam al-Mahdi. Not only Shia in the whole world but all Muslims are waiting for the awaited Mahdi. The privilege of the Shia is that this divine and certain awaited one of all Muslim sects, indeed all divine religions, is known by name, attributes, and the history of his birth. Many of our great figures in this era of occultation have visited that dear and beloved one of the hearts of lovers and enthusiasts up close. Many have pledged allegiance to him. Many have heard encouraging words from him. Many have received kindness from him, and many others, without knowing him, have experienced his kindness, affection, and love without recognizing him. In this front of the imposed war, there are many youths who, in critical moments, felt a light and spirituality and sensed a kindness from the unseen towards their hearts and did not recognize or understand it. Today is the same.

This session is for the Basij members, and the Basij members have a special connection with this fundamental point of the emotions of Shia and Muslims. A Basij member is a valuable and exalted title. A Basij member means a heart filled with faith, a thinking mind, ready for all the fields that call a human's duty to those fields. This is the meaning of being a Basij member. All the youth, all the human beings, and all the men and women whose hearts in this country are illuminated by the light of faith feel a duty regarding the great responsibility placed on the shoulders of the Iranian nation. This proud flag that has been entrusted to the Iranian nation, that is, the flag of the dignity of Islam, the flag of the honor of Islam, the flag of the fame and invincibility of Islam; these are now in the hands of the Iranian nation. All those who feel a responsibility towards this great duty are, in fact, Basij members. Wherever there is a duty, a Basij member is present in that field of duty. My dear ones! One day, the enemies of Islam and the enemies of religion were reassuring themselves that there was no news of Islam. At that time, those whose hearts beat with the love of Islam had to hide themselves in this corner and that corner in the face of the onslaught of the enemies of Islam! A Muslim did not have the audacity and bravery to say, "I am a Muslim!" The leaders of Islamic countries tried to make themselves look as much as possible like those who wanted no name of Islam in the world, to disguise the dignity of Islam with their humiliation and to humiliate the people of Islam!

The Islamic Revolution took the dignity of Islam in its hands and showed it to the whole world. The Islamic Revolution demonstrated that Islam can give a nation pride and dignity; it can save a nation from the burdens and impositions of foreigners and pull it out of the humiliating state imposed on that nation. It can bring forth and manifest the talents of a nation in all fields; it can give a nation the power to defend itself, the power to defend its beliefs and its identity and personality. The Islamic Revolution showed this. Therefore, when the Islamic Revolution triumphed and when our great Imam - that great personality, that unparalleled figure of our time - was able to speak on behalf of this nation, all Muslims of the world felt pride and life; they felt that they had come back to life. This fresh blood that flowed in the veins of the Islamic Ummah startled and confused the enemies greatly. They gathered their forces to fight against this great phenomenon - namely, the revolutionary Islam that today a nation is shouting about - from the first day until today - over these twenty years - they have fought! What are they fighting against? They are fighting against the dignity and independence of the Iranian nation and fighting against the identity of the Iranian nation; but since it is Islam that has given this dignity and has provided identity to the Iranian nation; since it is Islam that has empowered the Iranian nation to be able to openly express and pursue its ideals, aspirations, and desires without fear of the frowns of powers and their puppets and corrupt governments; since it is Islam that has granted this privilege to the Iranian nation, they are hostile to Islam. Hostility towards revolutionary Islam, the Islam of Imam, the life-giving Islam, the Islam that when its flag is raised, the whole world turns to it; just as it is today.

Hostility towards this Islam is because Islam has cut off the hands of foreigners from here and has liberated the resources of this country from the hands of foreigners. Therefore, today, serving Iran and serving the Iranian nation is equivalent to serving Islam. Anyone who today honors revolutionary Islam, the Islam of Imam, the life-giving Islam, and the Islam that fights against oppression and tyranny - not that which bows to oppression and tyranny in the name of Islam! That is not Islam; it is deception - anyone who today supports true Islam, and in the words of our great Imam, the pure Muhammadan Islam, is the one who serves Iran and the Iranian nation, for the history of Iran and the future of Iran and each individual of this nation. The Basij members have the privilege of being ready in the field of this service. Basij means presence and readiness in the very point that Islam and the Quran and Imam al-Mahdi (may our souls be sacrificed for him) and this sacred revolution need it; therefore, the bond between the dear Basij members and the Master of the Age (may our souls be sacrificed for him) - the dear awaited Mahdi - is an unbreakable and everlasting bond. I hope, God willing, that the Almighty God blesses this holiday for all the people of Iran, especially for you dear Basij members.

Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings.