Statements of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution in Meeting with Members of the Association of Pen

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

I consider this session with you dear friends and the points you have raised to be very valuable. Some of you have noted that what you wanted to say was somewhat retouched and expressed briefly. However, the unspoken dimensions and the overshadowed aspects of your remarks are also discernible to me. Just as many of the thoughts you had in mind were not articulated: "Listen, I speak with silent lips." In fact, with silent lips, you conveyed what needed to be understood. Almost all of your statements are correct, and we accept them. Of course, you raised some questions, and since I did not take notes, I may not be able to respond to all of them. Additionally, there are broader issues that may be important to address; for instance, Mr. Nourizad asked about the Shahnameh. Yes; I agree that Ferdowsi should be honored, the Shahnameh should be analyzed, and the wisdom of Ferdowsi should be extracted so that everyone knows whether this wisdom is Islamic or non-Islamic. This commemoration that was held was entirely at my request; however, since it was towards the end of my presidency, I told Mr. Engineer Hajjat to pursue it and elevate Ferdowsi. Ferdowsi must be elevated. Ferdowsi is at the pinnacle. We hope that the shortcomings mentioned by friends do not catch up with us so that we can express the wisdom of Ferdowsi. We are the ones who named him "Hakim Abolqasem Ferdowsi"; the enemies of religion did not give him this name. Well; who is this sage, and what is his wisdom? Is it Zoroastrian wisdom, the wisdom of irreligion, the wisdom of monarchy, or Islamic wisdom? This can be extracted. If someone looks at the Shahnameh, they will see a sometimes narrow and hidden, and sometimes broad current of the spirit of monotheism, reliance on God, trust in the truth, and striving in the path of truth flowing throughout the Shahnameh. This can be extracted, seen, and understood. Especially some of the characters in the Shahnameh are very prominent and must be recognized and extracted. I once said that "Esfandiar" is like the Hezbollah youth of today! In the culture of the Shahnameh, there exists a zealous, religious, and combatant Hezbollah. Yes; you should do these things so that others do not.

I do not understand the intent behind the question of whether one should engage in political matters or not. Anything that brings this wise, mature, knowledgeable, dignified, and composed group out of this state and throws them into emotional turmoil is bad. Various issues arise: international matters such as the Iraq war, the Balkans, and so forth, as well as various domestic issues. Some of these issues are like the flame of a straw, but the flame of straw is essentially nothing. Now, you also come and enter this flame; what will happen?! The meaning of this statement is not that you are distanced from politics or that religion and culture are separate from politics. Today, the essence of your work—whether you want it or not—is entirely political. Today, anyone who supports Islam, the independence of the country, and true freedom is engaging in purely political work; because those who oppose our values, foundations, and principles do so with political motives, and the political motives are quite clear; that is, the methods are complex, but the motives are not. Well; what does a merchant, a company owner, and an exploiter in the world want? What is their primary goal in Iraq besides oil?! This is clear. The methods they employ to obtain this at a low cost are complex; however, the goal is clear and certain. Their political actions are also for this known purpose and goal. The nature of your work, which stands firm and solid against them like a mountain, is political. It is inevitable this way, and there is no need for you to become flustered and take a position on a particular internal issue, a particular party, a particular election, or a particular incident just to avoid being labeled as political or complacent. I do not find this necessary. Each person may take a position according to their circumstances; however, it is not necessary for the "Association of Pen" to take a position.

As for how important this association is; in my opinion, your work is of the utmost importance. Let me tell you—not because your name is the Association of Pen and you have this specific form—anything that gathers a committed group of thinkers and artists together and can unite them like a string of beads is one of the greatest blessings and gifts of God. You have done this work, and there are reasons for it that are clear to you, and I will briefly refer to them.

What you must do is first keep this association strong; that is, prevent the bricks and foundations of this organization from becoming loose. The second task is that to maintain it, you undoubtedly need to regularly introduce new breath and blood into it; because a closed and stagnant collection without the infusion of new blood and free air will naturally become worn out and old after a while. You must introduce new blood. Of course, ensure that you bring in healthy blood and be careful not to introduce hepatitis or AIDS blood! Of course, I do not want to reject or accept the criteria you mentioned—you must have reviewed and decided on them, and I do not express an opinion on them—but in any case, be clear and know that there is hepatitis and AIDS blood, and it can enter! Even if it creates some vitality; however, it will lead to incurable and fatal diseases in the long run. For this second task—introducing new and pure blood—it is necessary for you to develop some individuals. Thus, a third task arises, which is to search for good and brilliant talents, select them fairly and justly, and bring them into the collection. Do not doubt this. Right now, an extraordinary public movement has begun across the country; from these small student groups to university students and beyond. There are now thousands of points and centers in this country. In Tehran and various cities, there are many. Perhaps in Kangaur itself—where Mr. Nourizad was so affected and angry—there is one. All of these are fighting purely out of a sense of duty. This cultural invasion banner that we raised a few years ago and some pelted with stones, fortunately, these individuals have accepted and raised. Now, in all these small, unknown, and unaccounted organizations, there is a common direction, and that is the struggle against cultural invasion. When you ask the children what they want to do; why did you write this book, play, pamphlet, brochure, and poem, and why did you establish this association? They say they want to fight against cultural invasion. This is a very blessed endeavor, and do not underestimate it. Among these, you will find those diamond and gold mines: "People are like mines of gold and silver." Go and identify and select them and introduce them into the collection in a calculated manner. Of course, you can make the collection have corridors and various realms to comfortably and without worry introduce them; that is, pass them through an unseen quarantine and then introduce them into the main collection. These are the tasks you must undertake.

Well; let us turn to the rightful words that Mr. Zarshenas mentioned. I often raise similar points with cultural friends. Well; we have a low capacity for production, courage in production, and the ability to sell, distribute, and advertise, and these are our shortcomings. How can these shortcomings be resolved? You suggested several ways to me. For example, to tell the research center, the Qom Advertising Office, the Organization of Advertising, the Basij, and others. Saying these things is easy; that is, with two lines of writing, these points will be made. They also certainly want to do something, but how can they do it? The first need is to gather a wise group with the necessary maturity for this work, convey the matter to them, have them accept it, believe in it, and be willing to produce in front of us with or without us. Well; see that the importance and impact of these preliminary works is longer and more significant than the actual ordering of me! I say that these works should be done by the Association of Pen; that is, you should do all the work. Look at these collections you mentioned that are at your service. Know that anything I can provide for you will be at your service. You should make them like a printing house; that is, you produce the material, do the typesetting and layout yourself, and give it to them to print and distribute for you. Try to make the work come out this way so that they do not have to resort to populism and populist approaches to print a religious book and, for example, distribute a low-quality bestseller. We returned to the first issue that the Association of Pen must be preserved. I look at this collection with this perspective. ... Yes; I look at this association and similar ones and at you friends with this perspective. I know some of you closely and with very pleasant memories. I have heard the names of some or read and seen their works. I know most of you and truly believe in your group, and I believe in this sense that I know you have the competence and power for this work: you have both spiritual and intellectual competence and practical competence. In the Name of God! Enter and do these works and advance the organization based on this. The more rapid and meaningful the work of a collection is, the more enduring it will be. Human organizations live by work. For example, if you do not give a military unit movement, program, and orders, after a month of staying in one place, it will dissolve on its own. There is no need for anyone to dissolve it; it will dissolve on its own! The power and influence of command in all parts of this collection is what brings them to movement and vitality and preserves their collective life. You should do this work; that is, in this collection, you should breathe such life into it that its movement is permanent, and the thought that this collection might one day split or dissolve should not even cross anyone's mind. Of course, your financial problems are serious, and the seven million tomans that he mentioned is truly a miracle; that is, we also agree that this is a miracle. Well; one cannot live with miracles, and it is not advisable for a person to constantly live with miracles. We agree that somehow, by any means, you should be helped. Of course, this requires that friends think and propose reasonable ways. I will cooperate as much as I can in this regard; however, draw the collection towards cultural work.

Dear ones! Culture is the foundation of our work. In fact, culture, with all its branches, that is, science, literature, and so forth, is the spirit of the body of every society. Undoubtedly, culture is like the soul. Certainly, it is culture that drives society towards work or idleness, towards rapid or slow work, and towards a specific direction or against that direction. Therefore, the role of culture is the role of the soul in the body of society—the great human body. The subjugation of nations through the injection and imposition of foreign culture is not a newly recognized task; rather, it has been around for a long time; however, in the last two centuries, due to the knowledge that the Westerners have acquired and the way they have organized and conducted all their affairs systematically and with formulas and programs, they have also done this with formulas and programs. They know how to do this and where to target more. They have also gained experience and are indeed extraordinary in the fields of advertising, cultural creation, and cultural imposition on countries and nations. Now, look; if you tell most Islamic countries that you are going to reach a peak economically, they will accept; however, if you say that you are going to compete with America and bring America to its knees, none of them will accept! This is a culture and understanding that has been given to them. This should not be taken as a sign of their realism; because the reality is not like that. A nation like the Malaysian nation, if a capable person is at the head of its affairs, can at least achieve this through coalition.

I told you in another session that America is currently in a predicament regarding Iraq. One should not pay attention to these blusterings. These are politics, and one cannot calculate matters with them. It becomes clear that even atomic bombs are not effective in these areas. The advertising capabilities and the existence of professional, round-the-clock political apparatuses in America and its allied countries are also ineffective. They are in a predicament regarding Iraq. If there were time, I would explain to you, and you would confirm that they are in a predicament. They may attack; however, their attack will be unintentional. Right now, the American ideal is to dominate Iraq without war. If they had not done all this advertising for war and proven with a thousand and one reasons that "Saddam" must be eliminated and Iraq must be conquered, they would certainly have put their tails between their legs and returned! However, with all this advertising, they have no way to turn back. This is the issue.

Well; this is a reality that exists. Therefore, a superpower of the size and magnitude of America cannot act in a matter like Iraq—where there is a completely imposed sovereignty over the people—without incurring significant costs. Of course, they can; however, the costs of this will be much more expensive for them than Iraq. The goals they have in Iraq are extremely vulnerable. Right now, the issue of Palestine, the issue of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the issue of Islamic awakening in the Islamic world, the issue of Iraq, and the half-issue of Afghanistan—let's consider this a half-issue!—have created many problems for America. As the late "Haj Sheikh Hossein Lankarani" said, America is like someone sitting on a dome with a walnut cloth in their hand, and the corner of this cloth has opened, and the walnuts are falling from the dome, and they are trying to catch the walnuts from the top of the dome! One falls from this side and one from that side; if they try to move, they will fall themselves! The current situation of America is truly like this.

So see, culture in a country and in a nation creates this effect that the Americans feel, understand, and believe that they are incapable of doing anything. Culture has this miracle.

Today, when we look at our past and future, we see that our great task lies ahead. Our issue was not that a corrupt government that was in power should go, and a few non-corrupt individuals should come to power. This was a preliminary matter. The fundamental issue is the revolution; that is, a true transformation in the pillars, foundations, and infrastructures of society towards the establishment of justice, the establishment of freedom, the elevation of thought and science, and ultimately the flourishing of human personality and emerging from the barren state of scientific, cultural, and economic stagnation. We have not yet reached this point. We want to go until we reach it. This is regarding the preliminary part of the work.

In the final part of the work, the goal of the revolution was to expand this issue throughout the entire Islamic world. The goal of those who thought, worked, and discussed about the revolution, and the goal of Imam—who embodied the revolution—was this. Now, someone may say that if we engage ourselves with international goals, we will fall short of our short-term goals domestically. Very well; adopt tactics. As we move along the road towards a goal, we reach places where the road naturally bends in the opposite direction; for example, we are heading south, and it turns back towards the east or north; but this is temporary. Adopting tactics does not contradict the fact that one should never forget that fundamental strategy. This strategy and goal are before our eyes. We cannot overlook this goal, and this requires a healthy and strong cultural foundation. All cultural elements, including you brothers of the Association of Pen and others who work in these areas, must consider this a duty on their shoulders.

If we want to genuinely work towards the real expansion and development of culture and thought and science, we need to utilize the God-given blessings, foremost of which is free thinking. Free thinking in our society is a victimized slogan. As soon as free thinking is mentioned, some immediately think that all foundational principles will be shattered, and they, being attached to those foundations, become afraid. Others perceive that free thinking must shatter these foundations. Both groups do injustice to free thinking—which is a necessary condition for the growth of culture and science. We need free thinking. Unfortunately, the past culture of our country has made the space for this free thinking very narrow. The very point you mentioned regarding translation is correct. The meaning of translation is not just the translation of books, but the translation of culture, the translation of thought, the translation of foreign theories, treating them as revealed truth, and placing them in an unassailable position has been a calamity that has existed in our society. We have repeated those translations; we have repeated everything that others have said and have become stagnant. If we want to grow, we must be able to soar in the infinite space of thought; we must move. If we want to operate in economics, culture, human sciences, philosophy, and in all scientific and cultural fields within the framework of the theory that someone has said somewhere and a group has found supporters, and now a translator has translated it or we have learned it ourselves; that is, moving within the framework of that thought as an untouchable sacred object, this is not free thinking, but rather a continuation of becoming a "paper kite." We call these kites "kaghazbad" in Mashhad. It thinks it is flying in the air, but it is following a paper kite, and the string is in someone else's hand. This is not free thinking. The environment of free thinking is a specific environment that must be created; that is your task. Of course, in my opinion, free dialogue should start from the seminary and the university.

Look; the Islamic Republic brought freedom in the true sense of the word into our society; however, the use of freedom has its etiquette. We must also learn and teach the etiquette of using freedom. This is also the duty of the Islamic Republic. Some have trampled the boundaries of virtue and truth in the name of free thinking and have ignored, belittled, or mocked all the sacred true principles in the name of free thinking and innovation. Some others, as a reaction or for other reasons in their minds, have clung to foundations that should have been innovated upon. We should not be satisfied with what has been said and become rigid; that is, rigidity in the face of boundary-breaking and excess in the face of deficiency. Just as some in the political sphere do not accept the distance between chaos and dictatorship at all and believe that in society there should either be chaos or dictatorship! As if there is no way out of these two. In the cultural sphere, it is the same: either there should be chaos and blasphemy and insult to all sacred and established values, or minds should be closed, and if someone says something new, everyone should immediately boo them and create a commotion against them! As if there is no middle ground between these two. We must find that middle ground, that "matter between two matters" and balance. Of course, this is also achievable through respectful, rational, fair, and reasoned dialogue. This work must be done in the seminary and in the context of seminary issues, in the fields of jurisprudence, philosophy, theology, and other prevalent sciences of the seminary, and also in the university.

Thinkers must be able to present their thoughts in a specialized environment without demagoguery, without populism, and without excessive imposed commotion, and that should be critiqued; sometimes it will be completely rejected, sometimes it will be completely accepted, and sometimes it will be corrected in critique and take its proper form. This must happen. We do not currently have this. Of course, let me tell you that the seminary environment is better in this regard than the university environment. The reason is that in the seminary, critique is one of the main axes. All these great figures of the seminary that you observe—whether they are those who are present today or those who were greater in past generations—have grown up in this environment of critique. No theologian, philosopher, or jurist hesitates to completely refute a previously established jurisprudential, principled, or theological opinion; nor do they care if someone asks them why they refuted it; because such things are not said in the seminary. It is the tradition of the seminary to present the opinions of the past. You observe; Imam, may God’s mercy be upon him, when he was in Qom, would mention the contemporary opinions, which were the opinions of the late Ayatollah Naini, in his principles class, and then he would, firstly, secondly, thirdly, fourthly, and fifthly, completely dismantle the essence of the argument. No one would say why. Well; if someone supported that theory, they would go to their own class or in a margin they wrote on the notes of the teacher, they would write that they do not accept this teacher's statement. The notes of Imam in some sections have been published. You see, in many cases, Imam has demolished the foundations of the greats before him and has placed a new foundation in their place. At that time, the commentator who is Imam's student and note-taker has, in many cases, commented and objected to Imam that this statement of his is not correct and that the statement of, for example, the owner of the previous foundation is correct. Neither does the owner of the previous foundation diminish in anyone's eyes, nor does anyone object to Imam, nor does anyone object to the commentator who is Imam's student. This is the nature of the seminary.

Of course, these works must be organized. We must accumulate the experiences resulting from healthy, respectful, courageous, and reasoned discussions so that we can utilize them and enrich knowledge. The same issue exists in the university. I have often said, this software movement that I have emphasized so much in university meetings means just that. We must produce knowledge and culture, and we must do fundamental work. The government must openly support the healthy confrontation of thoughts.

One of the duties of the Islamic Republic system is to explicitly support the healthy confrontation of thoughts. This work requires a container and channel, and this channel must be organized by the university and seminary friends themselves in various sectors. They must create this channel and provide the opportunity.

Today, unfortunately, the atmosphere is such—because we have not done these works—that if someone comes, not necessarily with a new theory, but with a novelty, a breaking of a tradition, or a trampling of a boundary, and raises a commotion, they can gather some people around them in a populist manner. Their opponent also confronts them in the same way and begins to condemn them from a position of rejection and cursing. Perhaps the condemnation itself is correct; however, very often the method is not correct. Sometimes we see that good works are done in this regard. Of course, both works are wrong; because if that theory is a new theory, it must first be presented in a specialized assembly, and a reputable jury must confirm its scientific validity, which is based on scientific foundations and is not mere rhetoric, demagoguery, or commotion. First, this must be clarified. After it is established that it has scientific value, it should be critiqued, and the rights and wrongs, objections to its instances, and the establishment or rejection of its foundations should begin. This meaning is applicable in universities in all scientific fields, even in pure sciences, basic sciences, natural sciences, and human sciences, and it is also applicable in cultural, ideological, and religious knowledge and seminary sciences. These works must be done. The seminary and university must do these works. You are a group that can play a role in this collective work, and we truly need it.

Unfortunately, some have confused principledness with rigidity and thought that principledness means rigidity! While principledness does not mean rigidity. Principledness means accepting and adhering to logical, substantiated principles and aligning one's behaviors with those principles; like indicators that guide a person on a road. "Indeed, those who said, 'Our Lord is Allah,' and then remained steadfast." This steadfastness is principledness. The meaning of rigidity is defending anything that has entered the mind of a person as a belief, without having solid reasoning and substantiated references, blindly and fanatically. "When those who disbelieved had in their hearts zealotry, the zealotry of ignorance." The "zealotry of ignorance" grips some people, and they defend something blindly. Principledness should not be confused with this ignorant and fanatical defense. When it is said rigidity, some minds immediately go to the rigidity of religious factions. While the so-called enlightened and modern factions among us are not any less rigid than the religious rigid ones, rather in some cases, they are much worse. I do not forget, before the revolution, in these gatherings that were held with students and some leftist political activists, if someone said something that slightly contradicted the principles of Marxism, reasoning was not necessary; they would say this statement is false and wrong! Just as it is said in the Quran: "Indeed, we found our forefathers upon a nation." Because they have heard this, they would insist on it and invalidate every logical statement based on it. Rigidity is more prevalent there.

Therefore, principledness is one thing, and rigidity is another. Just as free thinking is different from licentiousness. Free thinking is one thing, and licentiousness is another. Free thinking is that you free yourself in the movement towards the unknown territories of knowledge, go, utilize your forces and energies, and move; however, the meaning of licentiousness is that in the movement towards the peak of a mountain, you do not care which way you go. The result is that you go a way that leads you to a point where you have no way forward or backward, and only a way down! In mountaineering, those who are accustomed to going to heights have fully experienced this.

Well; to reach the peak, there is a way; that way must be recognized. There is no harm in having a roadmap and saying that these are the ways that lead to the peak, and keeping this roadmap in our pocket and protecting it. This does not mean that we are rigid; rather, it means that we are wise and know that without this guiding map, our thoughtless movement will lead to our downfall. Therefore, these works are necessary. Today, we have an urgent need for free thinking—which will produce culture and science and will genuinely expand and develop—to grow in society and be able to attract the talents of individuals towards itself. We hope that the talented elements, with effort and reliance—whether in the seminary, the university, or in collections like yours—will appreciate this work. You should not doubt that the very act of gathering together is a great blessing and a true work that has been accomplished. Do not let this work become null and wasted. Utilize it and, God willing, arrange subsequent works based on this.

Well; it has become very lengthy. I had a study session tonight; because tomorrow morning I have a class, and there is no time for study before the class. If our class tomorrow does not turn out to be a substantial one, part of it is due to this gathering of friends that we had tonight! However, I do not regret spending study time in the service of meeting you friends—sisters and brothers. We hope that your services will be pleasing to the heart of the blessed presence of Imam Mahdi (may our souls be sacrificed for him) and that the prayers of that great one will assist you and, God willing, divine guidance will lead you in the right direction.

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