Statements of the Supreme Leader on the Occasion of Eid Mab'ath

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

I also extend my congratulations on this blessed Eid to all Muslims around the world and to the great Islamic Ummah, especially to the dear, faithful, and diligent people of Islamic Iran, and particularly to you, dear attendees, and the country's officials and high-ranking authorities of the Islamic Republic system, and esteemed guests. One issue is the discussion about the sacred personality of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family). From spiritual and moral dimensions, it is better for those who have walked the path of spirituality and tasted its sweetness to speak, as in this realm, it is not our turn. Another issue is the importance of the event of the Mab'ath for history and humanity, which is also one of the significant issues for mankind. If there had been no malice and distortions, and if criminal and mercenary pens had not written against this event and belittled and denied it over several centuries in parts of the world, especially in Europe, perhaps today the circle of Islamic knowledge and enlightenment would have been even wider.

There is a point in this regard that I want to emphasize today. That point is that in the terminology of the Quran, Hadith, and Islamic tradition, the era opposite to the era of Mab'ath is called the era of ignorance. This expression and terminology are used in the Holy Quran; it is also present in the narrations, and the Muslim tradition considers the Islamic era as opposed to the era of ignorance. Of course, there is a boundary and criterion. What is this criterion? There are several points in this criterion that separate the Islamic world from the era of ignorance, which are the main points of Islamic values.

First and foremost is pure monotheism, which means the negation of servitude to anything other than God. This is pure monotheism. Monotheism was not just about putting aside idols. Monotheism is a comprehensive and general meaning throughout history. There are not always the idols of Mecca. There are not always stone and wooden idols. The meaning and spirit of monotheism are that a person does not serve anything other than God and does not bow in servitude to anything other than God. This is the meaning of complete and pure servitude. Now, if you look at this with an enlightened and aware eye, armed with the knowledge related to human life—social sciences, educational sciences, and the like—you will see that the circle of servitude is a wide circle. The chains and bonds imposed on humanity each create a type of servitude for humans. Servitude to incorrect social systems, servitude to incorrect customs and traditions, servitude to superstitions, servitude to individuals and despotic powers, servitude to carnal desires—which is the most common—and servitude to wealth, gold, and power. These are types of servitude. When we say 'There is no god but God, alone, without partner,' it means pure monotheism. It means that all these servitudes should be set aside, and if this happens, true success and salvation will be achieved. When it is said, 'Say there is no god but God, and you will succeed,' this success is a true success. It is not just political success, not just social success, not just spiritual success, not just success in the hereafter; it is success in both this world and the hereafter. This is one point about the distinguishing features of Islam and the prominent points of the Islamic call, which can also be expressed in another way, and that is Islam, submission, 'Islam is the face of God,' and being submissive to God. This is also another aspect and dimension of the same monotheism. This is, for example, one of the distinguishing features of the Islamic call. Wherever this exists, there is Islam. Wherever the opposite of this exists, there is ignorance. Wherever it is between these two, it is between Islam and ignorance; it is not pure Islam, it is not complete Islam, it may be partial Islam.

Another point in the Islamic call is the establishment of justice among humans. The characteristic of ignorance was an oppressive system. Oppression was the common norm. It was not that sometimes one person would oppress. The foundation of the social system was based on oppression, discrimination, and the strong oppressing the weak, men oppressing women, the wealthy oppressing the poor, masters oppressing slaves. Even those masters, in turn, accepted the oppression of kings and power holders. It was oppression upon oppression. The entire life of people was oppression, discrimination, and tyranny. This is the characteristic of ignorant life. Wherever this is the case, it is ignorance. Islam brought the opposite of that. It brought the establishment of justice. 'Indeed, God commands justice and good conduct.' This is one of the characteristics of the Islamic society. Justice is not just a slogan. The Islamic society must pursue justice, and if there is no justice, it must be established. If there are two points in the world, one a point of justice and the other a point of oppression, and both are non-Islamic, Islam has a favorable view of the point of justice, even if it is non-Islamic. The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) himself sent the emigrants to Abyssinia. That is, he placed them under the protection of a non-believing king because of justice. In other words, he distanced people from their homes and living environments because of the oppression they were subjected to. This is also a point. That is, the establishment of justice, adherence to justice, promotion of justice, striving and struggling for justice, honoring justice wherever it may be—even in non-Muslim lands—and condemning oppression wherever it may be. This is also one of the Islamic characteristics, and you see that Islamic life and the blessed life of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) and Islamic history in its best times and healthiest periods are indicative of justice cultivation and justice seeking. This is also one of the distinguishing features of the Prophet's mission (peace be upon him and his family). I mention these as examples. Pay attention so that we can reach a point where we can find a thread for today's movement. We do not merely want to recount history or express an Islamic knowledge in the mind and adorn the mentality. In the Islamic system, for example, let us assume a third point, which is the movement towards noble morals. This is again different from the other two. A society may have individuals with correct morals. The members of that society are people who are forgiving, thoughtful, wise, benevolent, helpful to one another, patient in difficulties, tolerant in hardships, have good morals and interactions with one another, and are self-sacrificing where, for example, sacrifice is necessary. The opposite may also be true. That is, there may be people whose relationships with one another are not based on compassion, chivalry, fairness, and good morals but are organized based on self-interest. One accepts and tolerates another only as long as it aligns with their interests. If it does not align, they are willing to destroy and eliminate them. This is also a type of society. This society becomes an ignorant society and differs from a society where noble morals prevail and is called an Islamic society. The characteristic of the Prophet's mission (peace be upon him and his family) was the call to noble morals. This is also another element and point in the prophetic life and mission. So, it can be said that in reality, one of the boundaries and distinguishing features of Islam and ignorance is the issue of morals.

Another point, which I place as the last point, is not limiting views to worldly life. This is also a fundamental point. One of the characteristics of the ignorant system is that its people consider everything in worldly life. If in worldly life—that is, in eating, sleeping, and what pertains to the individual—they can gain something, they consider themselves winners. But if they are supposed to make an effort and do something whose result is not obtained in this world, they consider themselves deceived, defeated, and losers. This is one of the characteristics of ignorant life. The idea that a person does something and attributes it to God, spirituality, and the Day of Judgment does not exist in ignorant life. Islam also made one of its characteristics that all of life and human endeavor should not be limited to worldly life. These are the characteristics of the mission, with ignorance being its opposite.

Today, the Islamic Republic has raised the flag of Islam. That is, the flag of the mission. That is, these values that are in the mission and must strive to fulfill them. If we are to suffice with the name, this is no longer Islam. Pure monotheism and submission to God must spread in the true sense of the word. The social system must be a just system, and the moral system of society must be humane, emotional, and based on virtues. There should be no submission, servitude, or influence by anything other than God. Especially, the greatest enemy of man, which is 'your own self between your sides,' and carnal desires, which 'the mother of idols is your own self,' and is higher and more dangerous than all idols, must be subdued. The struggle against idols, including the idol of the self, must be prevalent. We do not say that people should entirely become angels, but they should entirely become people who strive and struggle in this path. The very struggle itself is called piety. Any person and any society that makes such an effort and struggle is pious and God-conscious. This is one aspect of the issue. The world of ignorance is considered a world lacking the pillars and values of which we mentioned three or four. Certainly, the content of the mission and the fundamental lines of the Islamic society have more than three or four pillars and values. The ignorant society is a society devoid of the mentioned values and stands in direct opposition to the Islamic society. Now, how should we deal with this opposite—the ignorant society? It is wrong to think that as an Islamic society, we should have a hostile approach towards the ignorant society; no. Our approach should be a compassionate one. That is, we should introduce the values to a world in need of Islamic values. This is the first step. Then, if we ourselves, God willing, possess these values, we should transfer them to the opposite point. The enmity and hostility that exist in Islam are towards those who prevent this exchange, prevent this transfer, and prevent this transformation within the Islamic system. They are the ones who are adversaries, and naturally, Islam deals with adversaries in a confrontational manner. However, the world is a world that today needs the Islamic message.

So, the point I wanted to make today is that the message of the mission is a constructive message and a lesson for us. This message is not merely a social contract; it is a movement, and above all, the officials of the system must adorn themselves with this movement. Each of us who is responsible in this system must compete in this movement. Of course, all individuals are responsible; however, our particularity is that we bear the responsibility of a large number, and this burden is heavy. The first issue is that we strive to move beyond a contractual matter. To say that yesterday this society was a tyrannical society, today we assume that this is an Islamic society, is not enough. Our society, in these fifteen years, thanks to the leadership of a great man who was truly influenced by Islam, has transformed into an Islamic society. Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified) truly understood Islam with all his being, listened to the verses of the Quran, and benefited from them. He aligned himself with Islamic and Quranic teachings and recommended the same to the people. The result of that movement is the great multitude of faithful youth and pious people and men and women who strive in the path of God in our society, which, thanks be to God, are not few and are more than anywhere else. But this movement must continue with the same intensity and strength. Do not pay attention to the enemy's propaganda. The media, which are directed and operated with the illicit money of the powerful and wealthy, have no value. Their words, broadcast from radios, are worthless and have no price. They are, in fact, storing snow. It is clear that everything they say stems from malice, envy, and hatred towards Islam. Above all, it stems from their fear of Islam. It is clear that Islam and the Quran are dangerous for the power-hungry and power-seeking individuals who want the world for themselves, and today, our nation rightly calls them global arrogance. They themselves say it is dangerous. They are right. The truth is also this. Out of malice, envy, hatred, and spite, they mix phrases and words, accompany them with various propaganda methods, and prepare hours of content for a radio station! Baseless words do not constitute evidence.

You have seen and see that they distort the clearest truths of our society. An example is the movement against profiteering that our esteemed government and dear president started, and the institutions followed. This movement is a very blessed movement that has made the people very pleased and happy and is progressing. As soon as the government and our esteemed president started such a clear and evident movement, the enemy's propaganda apparatus also unanimously began to confront this movement. Showing the country's economic issues contrary to what they are, exaggerating the problems, and portraying our people as hopeless is the media's fodder. Are our people hopeless? These enlightened people, these people who, whenever the revolution has called upon them, have been present with all their being and have clearly demonstrated their faith in Islam, the Quran, the system, the officials, the government of the Islamic Republic, the fifteen-year movement until today, and the person of Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified), are they hopeless? Does such a great movement arise from despair? Our enemies used to say these things not too long ago. During the war, when you went to the fronts in the Khuzestan region, Ilam, and other areas, you saw the deserts filled with faithful volunteer Basij elements who, without being part of the army and the IRGC, competed with each other for struggle and sacrifice. Are these enthusiastic and faithful people hopeless? The enemy wants to portray the people as hopeless and the officials as incapable. Indeed, the enemy's plan is to make the people hopeless and the officials incapable if they can. In what matters? In matters right before our eyes. In matters that everyone observes. All the more so in matters and issues that are somewhat hidden. The enemy behaves this way.

Despite humanity's need for Islam, today the enemy is at maximum enmity with Islam. Consider the issue of Bosnia! See what Muslims in Bosnia and Herzegovina are enduring. Wherever Muslims are present and there is enmity against them, the West becomes deaf and dumb. They speak, but they only give slogans. Until today, the United States has made all this propaganda for Bosnia; it has made all these claims and spoken. Which of these words have been put into practice? What have they practically done for the Bosnians? What have they done for the oppressed people who are being killed daily, men, women, young and old? What have they done for the Muslims of Chechnya? What have they done for other lands where Muslims have problems and difficulties? What have they done for the Muslims of Palestine and Lebanon? Today, Muslims have problems in their own home, Palestine. The gentlemen are sitting and, indifferent to the needs of Muslims, chatting about secondary and tertiary issues of the world! Their silence and indifference are due to their enmity with Islam. But Islam is great. Islam is superior; 'Islam is exalted and nothing is exalted above it.' This is what the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) said. This is a reality, and it has shown itself until today. In the future, too, by God's grace, it will show itself. We hope that Almighty God will include all of you, dear brothers and sisters—esteemed officials of the country—in His favors and blessings.

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