Statements of the Supreme Leader in Meeting with Officials and Administrators of the System, on the Occasion of Eid al-Ghadir

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

I also extend my congratulations on this blessed and great Eid to all Muslims, the oppressed, and seekers of justice around the world, to the noble and dear nation of Iran, and to you dear ones, especially to the brothers who have come from distant places and have practically demonstrated their love and devotion to the exalted position of the supreme Guardianship.

In the event of Ghadir, many truths are hidden. The apparent aspect of the matter is that for the nascent Islamic society of that day, which was about ten years past the victory of Islam and the formation of that society, the noble Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) resolved the issue of governance and leadership—with all its broad meanings—and appointed the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him) as his successor at Ghadir Khumm on the return from Hajj. This apparent aspect is, of course, very important and for those who are engaged in research and contemplation on the issues of a revolutionary society, it is a divine strategy. But beyond this appearance, there are great truths that if the Islamic community pays attention to these prominent points, the path and way of life will become clear. Essentially, if in the matter of Ghadir, all Muslims—whether the Shia who consider this matter as one of leadership and guardianship or the non-Shia who accept the original event but do not interpret it as leadership and guardianship—focus more today on the points that are in the matter of Ghadir, it will have many benefits for the interests of Muslims.

I will briefly mention one or two of these points. One of these important points is that by presenting the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him) and appointing that great person for governance, the criteria and values of governance were made clear. The Prophet, in the matter of Ghadir, placed before the eyes of Muslims and the eyes of history someone who was fully endowed with Islamic values. A faithful person; possessing the highest degree of piety and abstinence; devoted to the path of religion; indifferent to worldly ambitions; tested and proven in all Islamic fields: fields of danger; fields of knowledge and science; fields of judgment and the like. That is, by presenting the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him) as the ruler and Islamic leader, all Muslims throughout history must know that the Islamic ruler must be someone in this direction, with these dimensions, and close to this model and example. Therefore, in Islamic societies, those who do not share in those values; who lack Islamic understanding, Islamic practice, Islamic struggle, charity and sacrifice, humility and modesty before the servants of God and those characteristics that the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him) had, are not worthy of governance. The Prophet provided this criterion to Muslims. And this is an unforgettable lesson.

Another point that can be understood from the event of Ghadir is that the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him), in the few years that he reached the caliphate and governance, demonstrated that the priority in his view was the establishment of divine and Islamic justice. That is, justice, meaning fulfilling the goal that the Quran has stated for the sending of messengers and the revelation of books and heavenly laws: 'That mankind may maintain justice.' (Quran 57:25) Establishing divine justice. Justice and equity, with the instructions that Islam has determined, are the best guarantees and providers of justice. This was the first priority in the view of the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him). The Islamic society is sustained by justice and equity and can be presented as a witness, herald, guide, and model for the nations of the world. Without justice, it is impossible. Even if all material and apparent worldly values are provided, if there is no justice, in reality, nothing has been accomplished. This was the most prominent issue in the governmental life of the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him). The Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) who appointed such an element to the governance and leadership of Muslims, in fact, expressed the importance of justice. The Prophet knew in which direction the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him) would think and move. That noble person was nurtured by the Prophet; a student of the Prophet; obedient and acting according to the command and lesson of the Prophet. By appointing the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him), the Prophet, in fact, emphasized justice in the Islamic society and the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him), throughout those four years and nine or ten months of apparent governance, focused most on establishing justice in society. That noble person considered justice the essence of Islam and, in fact, the spirit of Muslim and Islamic society. And this is what nations need and human societies have been deprived of in different periods. They were deprived at that time; they were deprived before that time; and today, if you look at the world scene and the actions of the superpowers and the governmental methods that material rulers practice in the world, you will see that the problem is the same. The problem of humanity is, in fact, the lack of justice and Islam and the governance of Ali and the method and approach of the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him).

The Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him) implemented justice among Muslims and the Islamic society and prevented the public treasury from being spent wastefully. He did not allow the hand of aggression to be opened. He did not allow anyone to unjustly consume the public treasury of Muslims.

Of course, the public treasury of Muslims at that time was such that the revenues of the Islamic society were distributed per capita among the people. This new financial method and the form that exists in the world today were not common in those days. That same income was equally distributed by the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him). The public treasury was distributed equally among the companions and non-companions, Quraysh and non-Quraysh, and non-family of the Prophet and everyone, and this caused many objections; but the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him) did not pay attention. Today, the distribution of the public treasury in a fair manner is not like that. Today, it is not distributed per capita and there are other methods for establishing justice. Today, those who deal with the public treasury of Muslims must refrain from spending and using the public treasury in non-public and non-people's expenditures. This is the way to distribute the public treasury fairly. If an official, God forbid, is extravagant in the matter of the public treasury, or uses it for personal expenses or for friends and relatives and associates, this is a deviation from justice and the real position in the matter of the public treasury. The public treasury of Muslims must be spent in the way that is legally determined and in the public expenditures and sections that have a duty of the country's responsibilities. Therefore, the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him), at that time, was so strict with those who were responsible for the affairs of the country that, as we say today, he issued a directive: 'Sharpen your pens'; sharpen the tips of your pens with which you write finely. Both saving in pens, saving in paper, saving in ink! 'And bring your lines closer together'; write the lines you write on paper close together and save on paper. 'And aim for the essence of the meanings'; write the necessary matters. Avoid excess and excessive writing.

If today they want to repeat these words, it would be in this form: refrain from creating unnecessary departments, unnecessary employments, and unnecessary expansions. That is, we must refrain from unnecessary paperwork and excessive writing that wastes time. These characteristics were observed by the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him). At the end of this sentence, some of whose phrases I have mentioned, he says: 'For the wealth of Muslims cannot bear harm.' They did not tolerate anyone wanting to harm public wealth, even to a small extent. This means considering oneself and all officials as trustees of the public treasury. This is the justice of the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him). And this is the peak we must reach. That great person—Imam (may God sanctify his soul)—also said, and we all said: It is obvious that we do not reach the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him). It is obvious that ordinary humans, neither in this time nor even in that time, are capable of acting like that great person, or implementing justice in that way, or living in that way. The point is that that noble person is the complete example. We must strive to bring ourselves closer and more similar to that complete example. If our movement is such that we are moving away from that complete example, this is deviation and error. This focus on justice and attachment to justice is the main secret of the enmity of the enemies of Islam with Islam, especially in our time. In ancient times, it was of course the same. But today, the reason you see the superpowers opposing us—with the Islamic Republic; with you, the nation—they feel enmity, if they can inflict a blow, they do not refrain, is this. Because the Islamic Republic is the herald of such justice. Justice among all nations; among all humans; without considering who belongs to which race, or which blood, or which color. The Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him), in the Islamic society of that day and under his governance, did not look at whether this person is Muslim or Christian or Jewish. He was like a father to all of them. He was the protector of their interests.

Today, our Islamic society wants this and the superpowers are not willing to tolerate such a thing. The life of the superpowers is based on bullying; it is based on excessive demands; it is based on occupying the living environments of nations and depriving them for their own benefit. Therefore, you see they are displeased and dissatisfied with the Islamic Republic. They conduct propaganda; they exert propaganda pressures; they exert political pressures; they impose economic blockades and with whatever is in their power and ability, they try to place the Islamic Republic in isolation and under their blows and strikes. This is due to the fear of justice; the fear of that Islamic justice of which you, the Iranian nation, are the herald.

Nations love justice. They are thirsty for justice; and if they see a nation holding the banner of justice and standing against the tyrants and bullies of the world and sacrificing and standing firm for justice, they become encouraged and hopeful. And this has happened. Since the victory of the revolution until today, nations have constantly looked at you, the Iranian nation. They have looked at your sacrifice, your patience, your loyalty to Islam and the Quran, your love for the Quran and Islam and the position of the supreme Guardianship, your interest in following this path, your faith, that a good life is secured under the shadow of Islamic faith and nothing else. And this is the case. Welfare, happiness, joy, peace, and security for a nation are secured under the shadow of faith in God and the governance of divine values and nothing else. This has been understood by our nation.

Our nation's steadfastness has also been recognized. This is why the superpowers are angry. Weak nations also look at this nation and learn from it. Your steadfastness has made the world stand against the oppression and tyranny and bullying of global arrogance. The world was not like this! The only remedy against the oppression and aggression and inhumanity of arrogance is steadfastness and persistence on the same criteria and standards that Ghadir symbolizes and is the real symbol of; that is, justice; striving for God; valuing piety and struggle in the way of God. Steadfastness on these criteria will be able to open and smooth this path further for the Iranian nation.

If the superpowers think they can defeat a nation whose heart is faithful to divine and Islamic principles, they are mistaken. Such a nation cannot be defeated. Thanks be to God, the Iranian nation, with the sacrifices it has made and steadfastness in this field, has seen its sweet effects and results itself. Today, our nation is dear, proud, independent, and not under the influence of any policy. The nation's forces are ready to work and strive and plan for the country's progress. These are values for a nation. When the superpowers are dominant over a country and a nation, they take these opportunities and chances away from that nation; just as they had taken from us during the dark years of the tyrants' rule.

We ask Almighty God to keep us steadfast on the path of faith in the Quran and Islam and the position of Guardianship and to bestow His blessings upon us. God willing, Muslims in all Islamic countries and from any sect of Islamic sects they are, should strive to bring their hearts closer together and maintain unity and solidarity among themselves. This, in itself, is a great weapon against the enemies of Islam.

Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings