Statements of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution in the Eid al-Fitr Sermon

In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful Thanks be to God, the Lord of the worlds. The Creator of all creatures. And peace and blessings be upon our master and prophet, Abu al-Qasim al-Mustafa Muhammad, and upon his pure and chosen family, the infallible guides, especially the Awaited One on earth. And may peace be upon the leaders of the Muslims, the protectors of the oppressed, and the guides of the believers.

I congratulate the blessed Eid al-Fitr to all Muslims around the world, to the noble nation of Iran, and to you dear worshippers, and I advise all dear worshippers and myself to observe piety.

The result of fasting in the month of Ramadan is the accumulation of piety in our hearts and souls, which should assist us in the winding paths of life throughout the year and guarantee the straight path for us.

The month of Ramadan, with all its greatness and dignity and its atmosphere filled with mercy, has passed, and the Muslim people around the world, through the blessing of fasting, supplication, remembrance, and recitation of the Quran, have illuminated their hearts and souls and drawn closer to God.

By the blessing of Ramadan, an opportunity arises for Muslims that they must utilize to strengthen their spiritual life and material vitality. One of the great lessons of Ramadan that we must learn and utilize during the prayers, fasting, and recitation of the Quran in this month is that by experiencing hunger and thirst, we should think of the hungry, the deprived, and the poor. In the supplications of the days of Ramadan, we say: "O God, enrich every poor person. O God, satisfy every hungry person. O God, clothe every naked person." This supplication is not just for recitation; it is for everyone to consider themselves obliged to fight against poverty and strive to remove the dust of deprivation from the faces of the deprived and the oppressed. This struggle is a collective duty. In the verses of the Quran, we read: "Have you seen the one who denies the religion? That is the one who drives away the orphan and does not encourage the feeding of the poor." One of the signs of denying the religion is that a person remains indifferent to the poverty of the poor and the deprived and does not feel a sense of responsibility. In the month of Ramadan, through the blessing of fasting, we have tasted hunger and thirst and the lack of what satisfies human desires. This should bring us closer to the sense of responsibility that Islam has demanded from each and every Muslim regarding the important issue of poverty and the poor.

Of course, the fundamental remedy for poverty in any society is through the establishment of social justice and a just system in the community, so that those who are inclined to infringe upon the rights of others cannot seize the wealth that belongs to everyone for their own benefit. This is a governmental and state duty; however, the people also have a heavy responsibility. The implementation of social programs is only possible in the long-term and gradually; however, one cannot wait for social programs to bear fruit while witnessing the deprivation of the deprived and the poverty of the hungry in society. This is the duty of the people themselves and all those who can strive in this path.

Everyone must consider themselves obliged to mutual assistance. Mutual assistance means not leaving any family of Muslims and compatriots alone with their pains, deprivations, and problems; it means reaching out to them and extending a helping hand towards them. Today, this is a global duty for all human beings who possess conscience, ethics, and human compassion; but for Muslims, in addition to being a moral and emotional duty, it is a religious duty.

Take care of your neighbors and the poor. One of the factors that prevents those who have the ability to help from extending their hands to assist the poor is the spirit of consumerism and luxury in society. It is a great calamity for society that the desire for consumption increases day by day, and everyone is encouraged to consume more, eat more, eat more varieties, wear more varieties, and pursue signs of fashion and anything new for their living and luxuries. How much wealth and money is wasted in these pursuits and remains unspent in places that would please God and alleviate the problems of a group of people!

Consumerism is a great calamity for society. Extravagance deepens the class divides and the gap between the poor and the rich day by day. One of the things that people need to consider as their duty is to avoid extravagance. The responsible agencies in various governmental sectors, especially the media and cultural institutions - particularly the broadcasting organization - must consider it their duty not only to avoid directing people towards extravagance, consumerism, and luxury but also to invite and guide people towards moderation, sufficiency, and consuming only what is necessary while avoiding excess and extravagance. Consumerism undermines society. A society whose consumption exceeds its production will fail in various fields. We must get used to moderating and reducing our consumption and cutting back on excesses.

Young people should form family gatherings and collect the contributions of family members and primarily direct them to the consumption of the poor and needy of that family and relatives, and if there is no need, assist other poor individuals.

Today, poverty exists in our society. Our duty as an Islamic system is to eradicate poverty in society. There should be no deprivation in society. This is our obligation as a government, as an Islamic system, and as individuals. "All of you are shepherds and all of you are responsible for your flock"; this is the duty of all. Each of us should reduce extravagance and excess in some way. This is the lesson of the month of Ramadan. This work requires effort, sacrifice, insight, and awareness. Let us seek help from the Almighty God.

There are many families who are not deprived out of laziness or unwillingness to work, but are truly deprived and needy. These individuals must be identified and found - it is not a difficult task - and assistance must be provided to them.

O Lord! Assist us in fulfilling this great and fundamental duty. O Lord! Make clear to each individual in our community the harms of extravagance and consumerism and the benefits of mutual assistance and caring for the deprived and the needy, and grant them success in this work.

In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful By time. Indeed, mankind is in loss, except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised one another to truth and advised one another to patience.

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 al-Mustafa Muhammad, and upon his pure and chosen family, especially Ali, the Commander of the Faithful, and the pure lady, the Mistress of the Women of the Worlds, and Hasan and Husayn, the grandsons of mercy and the Imams of guidance, and Ali ibn Husayn, and Muhammad ibn Ali, and Ja'far ibn Muhammad, and Musa ibn Ja'far, and Ali ibn Musa, and Muhammad ibn Ali, and Ali ibn Muhammad, and Hasan ibn Ali, and the Awaited Mahdi. Your proofs over your servants and your trusted ones in your lands. And peace be upon the leaders of the Muslims, the protectors of the oppressed, and the guides of the believers. And I seek forgiveness from God for me and for you.

I invite and advise all brothers and sisters who are worshippers to observe divine piety and to avoid that which brings about God's wrath and anger upon a nation.

Today, the responsibilities related to the community and the Islamic nation are directed towards every single Muslim in the world. Today, the Islamic world feels a greater need than ever for unity and closeness. The reason is that the enemy of Islam, the Islamic system, and the Islamic nation has shown its teeth; not just to one country and one community and a group of Muslims, but to the Islamic nation.

Although the agents of global arrogance and their leaders try to cover up the mistakes that led to their secrets being revealed to the Islamic nation - they say we have no enmity with Muslims - but this statement is unsupported and meaningless. Today, the actions and plans of global arrogance, Zionism, and America - which are not so hidden and concealed - show that they are enemies of Islam and the Islamic nation.

The region where the Islamic nation resides is one of the most important regions on the planet. Global arrogance needs their underground wealth, national wealth, consumer markets, and their brains, and must seize them, and this desire cannot be realized with the existence of Islam and the radiant laws of Islam and the life-giving verses and teachings of the Quran. Therefore, they are enemies and opposed to the very essence of these teachings.

One day, the leaders of global arrogance thought that nothing remained of Islam. With the flood and mire of lust that they unleashed in the world, they thought that nothing remained of Islamic teachings, Islamic spirit, Islamic honor, Islamic piety, and Islamic motivation among Muslims; but then they realized they were mistaken. Firstly, the raising of the flag of Islamic authority in great Iran and among this honorable and proud nation; secondly, the Islamic awakening in the entire Islamic world brought them out of their slumber and made them understand that Islam is a very brilliant and solid reality. Therefore, they are fighting against it. Today, the Islamic world and the Islamic nations have understood this truth. Thus, you see that the information they possess tells them that in Islamic countries, America, Zionism, and global arrogance and their leaders are despised.

Today, the Islamic world feels the need for unity. Islamic leaders must strive. We in the Islamic Republic have a heavy responsibility on our shoulders. Today, the eyes of the Islamic world are on the nation of Iran. Any incident that occurs in Iran - whether positive or negative - the Muslim nations turn their attention to it and study it carefully; they are deeply happy with what signifies the victory and success of the Iranian nation and are severely worried about what they perceive as a threat. This is now almost universal in all parts of the Islamic world - especially among the aware and enlightened classes. Global arrogance wants nations that are captive, submissive, and indifferent to their cultural treasures and heritage; nations that do not show sensitivity to the plundering of their spiritual and material resources. Where is this expectation they have, and where is the pride, honor, and lofty ambition of the Iranian nation, which has firmly taken the glorious flag of Islam in its hands and is following its straight path in the face of the threats of the enemies? Today, the Iranian nation is the greatest nation that no threat or temptation from the global powers has any effect on it or its destiny.

I must sincerely thank the entire Iranian nation for the magnificent and glorious rally on Quds Day this year. These are the signs of the power of the Iranian nation and the determination of the youth of this nation to continue the path of Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified) and pursue the goals and ideals of the Islamic Revolution and the Islamic system. The enemy tries to break this power. Wherever there is a sign of the power of the nation, it becomes a target and a goal for the enemy's attack. The power of the system, the power of the government, the power of the officials of the country - which is essentially the power of the nation and a reflection of national power - is a target for their attack. Anything that guarantees your spiritual and material power is opposed by the enemy. The enemy is against mobilization and the pursuit of Islamic laws and the true and steadfast fighters and the clergy and the faithful youth in universities and the pious and serious officials.

Those who sometimes repeat the words of the enemy inside, for various motivations - may God willing, unknowingly and unconsciously and out of ignorance - must be very careful. Any point that the enemy targets and global arrogance and Zionism aim at, you should know that point is one of the main points of the power of the Iranian nation; they want to break this power.

Our youth must be very vigilant; our students must be very aware and attentive; the general public, who have always been aware, must also be very careful and watchful. The enemy must not be able to take advantage. They magnify a minor disagreement and exaggerate a disorder to undermine the unity and integrity of the nation and the officials. They turn minor disagreements and opinions into deep ideological rifts; or if they cannot convert them, they present it in such a way. These are the enemy's objectives; everyone must be vigilant; officials and leaders must also be vigilant; they should not weaken each other, should not insult each other's legal duties, and should not question each other's legal actions.

The branches of power should not weaken each other. The three branches and officials have heavy responsibilities in their respective places and must address those responsibilities with seriousness. When the nation sees that the officials are united and in agreement; they speak with one voice and pursue one path and one goal, the light of hope in their hearts becomes brighter. The enemy opposes this and does not want to allow it.

We hope that the Lord of the worlds awakens all of us and the Islamic nations and compels the officials of Islamic countries to fulfill their great duties.

In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful Say, "He is Allah, [who is] One, Allah, the Eternal Refuge. He neither begets nor is born, nor is there to Him any equivalent."

And peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings.