Statements of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution in Meeting with the Officials of the System and Various Classes of the People

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

I congratulate this great Eid to the entire Islamic Ummah across the world, to nations, to governments, to our dear and proud nation, to the officials of the country, and to the esteemed attendees of this session, especially the honored guests and political representatives of Islamic countries present here.

The Day of the Ascension (Mab'ath) is a celebration for all; it is not just a celebration for Muslims. The birth of every prophet and the emergence of every mission is a celebration and a new day for all of humanity. Each of the divine prophets, upon their arrival, guided the wandering caravan of humanity towards perfection, knowledge, ethics, and justice, bringing them one step closer to the stages of human perfection. All human reasoning throughout history has stemmed from the teachings of the prophets. The moral qualities of human beings—which provide the power to sustain life—are all derived from the teachings of the prophets. The concept of monotheism and servitude before God is a lesson from the prophets. The prophets prepared life for humanity and transformed it into a field of growth, movement, and evolution; and the noble Prophet of Islam (peace be upon him and his family) is the seal of the prophets and the bringer of the final and unending message for humanity.

We Muslims must certainly appreciate this; we must reflect on the phenomenon of the Ascension; we must learn from it; we must illuminate this glorious past as a beacon for our difficult future that lies ahead.

Today, there are several undeniable realities in the world. The first reality is the awakening of the Islamic world; no one can doubt this. Today, Muslims around the world—whether in Muslim countries or in minority regions—feel a tendency towards Islam and a sense of reclaiming their Islamic identity. Today, intellectuals in the Islamic world, disillusioned with socialism and Western ideologies, are turning towards Islam and seeking solutions for humanity's pains from Islam, asking for guidance. Today, the hearts of the Muslim Ummah have developed an unprecedented inclination towards Islam over centuries. After the political and cultural dominance of the West and East over Islamic countries for decades, today the horizon of the youth in the Islamic world and their gaze is directed towards Islam; this is a reality; even the Westerners and the arrogant powers acknowledge this. They have repeatedly stated that in any Islamic country, if free elections are held, the elected representatives of the people will be those who are committed to Islam and promote Islam. This is why the claim of Western democracy today is contradictory. On one hand, they wave the flag of democracy and popular sovereignty; on the other hand, they do not dare to raise this flag in the Islamic world in its true sense; because they know that in any Islamic country, if the people's votes and choices are taken into account, without a doubt, the proponents of Islam will seize power and governance, and the elected representatives will be Muslims.

Today, the Western world and America, along with the policymakers of Western thought—the Zionists and Western capitalist circles—know well that the great movement of the Palestinian people stems from their inclination towards Islam. Because they have placed Islam at the center, they have gained courage and have truly devoted themselves to struggle. Wherever a nation finds this spirit, no power—military or non-military—will be able to confront or suppress them; they understand this well. The issues of the Islamic world all affirm this reality. It is an undeniable fact that today, Islamic awakening, indeed the Islamic movement, is a clear truth in the Islamic world; no one can deny this.

The second reality is that the number one enemy of this awakening and Islamic inclination and this quest for freedom is the arrogant powers. The reason is clear; because Islam opposes domination; it opposes the dependency of nations on foreign powers; it opposes the scientific and practical backwardness that has been imposed on Islamic countries for many years; it opposes the blind imitation of nations and looking at others without discernment. All of these are directly opposite to the colonial and arrogant policies that have been imposed on the Islamic world by the arrogant and Western powers for over two hundred years; today, they have defined their own interests for this region. Islamic awakening is precisely the opposite of their desires; hence, they oppose it with all their might and engage in political and propaganda opposition.

Today, they are employing all propaganda tactics against Islam. Look at what the Western governments are doing against Muslims and Islam—both in America and in Europe—how complex and extensive it is. All artistic tools at their disposal are serving this wicked goal. They have employed enmity at the highest possible degree, mixed with cultural, security, political, and military activities against Islam; this is also a clear and undeniable reality.

The third reality—which everyone knows, although many deny it—is that the manifestation of this Islamic awakening is not represented by those who today display the face of terrorism in the Islamic world. Those who commit atrocities in Iraq; those who act against Muslims in the name of Islam; those who make it their primary duty to create discord among Muslims—under the pretext of Shia and Sunni, under the pretext of ethnic nationalism—cannot in any way represent or symbolize Islamic awakening; even the arrogant powers know this. Those who try to introduce Islam through the faces of extremist and terrorizing groups to the Western world know that the reality is different. The Islam that the Islamic world feels the awakening of today is an Islam of thought, reflection, and new ideas; it is an Islam that offers solutions for the challenges of human life; not a stagnant Islam, not a blind Islam, and not an Islam devoid of any free thought; this is understood by the arrogant powers.

Today, the slogan of the Islamic Republic is free thought; it is the development of knowledge and understanding; it is attention to human rights and human freedoms; it is kindness and compassion among human beings; these are the slogans and messages of Islam; the world is seeking these.

The logic of our great Imam (may his soul be sanctified) was the logic of reason, the logic of thought, the logic of enlightened action, the logic of humanity and human norms, and the ethics of humanity and moral virtues; the world is seeking this. The manifestation of Islamic awakening is not represented by those who confront the entire world—with even believers and Muslims—with a grim and sullen face; who excommunicate some; who attack some under the pretext of ethnic nationalism, some under the pretext of sectarianism, and some under false pretenses. The existence of these individuals is highly suspicious, whether they are indeed such individuals or in fact the agents of the intelligence services of Israel, America, and Britain who are conducting such activities; they have also involved a few unsuspecting individuals in their operations. This is another reality that cannot be denied.

Another reality is that the Western world has not been able to overcome Islamic awakening with all its might. In various Islamic regions, they have conducted extensive propaganda against Islam, against the Islamic Republic, against great Islamic leaders and reformers, and against Islamic laws; they have created numerous mercenaries to slander Islam and accuse it and its laws; they have used military means, economic means, and have employed extensive media propaganda in astonishing and surprising ways; yet they have not made progress so far. The greatest inclination of Muslim youth in Islamic countries is towards Islam and Islamic thought. This enthusiasm and love is growing day by day in the hearts of Muslim nations.

What follows from these realities is that the Islamic world must recognize the value of this reality. Today, the only way for the Islamic world to preserve the interests of Islamic nations is to unite around the axis of Islam; to say “no” to the colonial goals and ambitions of the enemies and the arrogant powers. The goal of arrogance is to erase national and religious identity in the Islamic world, especially in the Middle East. Countering this goal requires greater unity, greater solidarity, adherence to Islam, promotion of Islam, and standing firm against the excesses of America and the arrogant powers, and nothing else. Today, America has a disreputable and tarnished image worldwide. Today, the Americans have trampled all their slogans underfoot with their actions. Today, the pressure from the Americans on the Iraqi nation, the existing insecurity in Iraq, their unconditional support for the murderous and bloodthirsty Zionists, the atrocities they have unleashed in Afghanistan, and the pressure they exert on Islamic governments—all of these have created a hideous and loathed image of America in the Islamic world. Today, the Islamic world can stand against this greedy power, and it must stand; it has no other choice.

Islamic governments, in order to preserve their national interests, to win the affections of their nations, and to fulfill their historical responsibilities, must rely on the fundamental points of the identity of the Islamic Ummah; they must explicitly defend the Palestinian nation; they must defend the complete independence of Iraq and the transfer of authority to the Iraqi people; they must defend the Afghan nation; they must defend the Muslim nations in Europe, Asia, and Africa; they must defend the Quranic identity and the laws of the Quran in their countries; they must strengthen and deepen their communications with one another; they must be sincere with each other; they must help each other and extend their hands to one another; then the Islamic Ummah will be able to liberate itself from the yoke of arrogance and overcome the threats that the world of arrogance poses to the Islamic world today.

We hope that God awakens us; that He awakens the Islamic nations; God willing, may He make us aware of our duties and include the pure prayers of His Holiness the Mahdi (may our souls be sacrificed for him) for all the Islamic Ummah, especially the dear nation of Iran.

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