Statements on the Meeting with the Authorities of the System on the Day of Eid al-Mab'ath

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

I extend my congratulations on this great Eid to all of you dear brothers and sisters, the officials of the country, our esteemed guests - the ambassadors of Islamic countries - who are present in this session, and also to the great, faithful, and devoted nation of Iran, and to all Muslims around the world, and to all the free people of the world.

Eid al-Mab'ath (the Day of the Prophet's Mission) is the greatest of the enduring historical memories because it has created an extraordinarily sensitive juncture in human history and has presented a path for humanity that if all individuals move along this path, all the innate and natural desires and historical aspirations of humanity will be fulfilled. Throughout history, humanity has lamented the absence of justice. Justice is the great demand of all human beings throughout history. Today, if someone takes up the banner of justice, they are, in fact, presenting a long-standing historical, natural, and innate demand of humanity. The religion of Islam, the movement of Islam, the mission of the noble Prophet, is primarily and among the first objectives, in pursuit of justice, like all other prophets.

Another important and fundamental demand of humanity is peace, security, and tranquility. Humans need tranquility for life, for nurturing thought, for practical progress, for mental comfort; they need a secure and calm environment and space, whether within themselves, in the family environment, in society, or in the international arena. Tranquility, security, health, and peace are among the fundamental demands of humanity. Islam is the messenger of security, peace, and health. When we say, following the Quran and with the teachings of the Quran, that Islam is the religion of nature, it means this. The path that Islam lays out for humanity is the path of nature; it is the way to fulfill the innate needs of humans. With this comprehensiveness, precision, and diligence, the mission of the noble Prophet was established by the Lord of the worlds, and the salvation of humanity was promised and heralded to him; "a bearer of good tidings and a warner." Good tidings, primarily, refer to this calm life, a life accompanied by justice, a life commensurate with human nature. Of course, following this, there is the good tidings of divine reward related to the eternal life of humans. Thus, the mission of the Prophet is, in fact, a mission of mercy. With this mission, divine mercy encompassed the servants of God; this path was opened for humans; it presented justice, security, and health; "Indeed, there has come to you from Allah a light and a clear Book. With it, Allah guides whom He wills to the paths of peace and brings them out of darkness into light." With these commandments, with these teachings, the noble Prophet showed the paths of health and security to humanity. These paths of peace - the paths of safety, the paths of tranquility, the paths of security - pertain to all the environments that are important for humans; from the inner environment of the human heart to the community environment, the family environment, the business environment, the collective living environment, and the international environment. This is what Islam seeks.

What has been introduced in Islam as the target of enmity is precisely those points that are in opposition to these main lines of human life. Those who oppose justice, those who oppose peace, security, and tranquility, those who oppose the purity and elevated spirit of humanity, are the antithesis of the Prophet's invitation. It is for justice that the Almighty God has made jihad obligatory for Muslims. This is not exclusive to Islam; jihad has existed in all divine religions. Those who oppose the invitation are those who oppose the comfort of people, the tranquility of people, the comfort of society, and the elevation of society; they are enemies of human interests; this is the point that Islam targets. From the very beginning of the mission, the noble Prophet of Islam, with the verses that divine revelation brought to him, has specified clear points.

In the same blessed Surah "Iqra" (Read), the first verses of which are apparently the first verses revealed to the Prophet - the subsequent verses were revealed later, but they pertain to the early days of the mission - it states: "No! If he does not desist, We will surely drag him by the forelock - a lying, sinful forelock. Let him call his associates. We will call the guards of Hell." Those who stand against the invitation of mercy, the invitation of dignity, the invitation of tranquility and security are threatened in the first Surah of the Quran.

Or in the blessed Surah "Muddathir" (The Cloaked One), which is also among the first Surahs revealed to the Prophet, emphasis is placed on the opposing element to the lives of people: "Leave Me with the one I created alone. And made for him a vast fortune. And children as witnesses. And made for him a comfortable life. Then he hopes to increase. No! Indeed, he has been defiantly opposed to Our signs. I will impose a mount upon him." In opposition to the one who is against the Prophet, the one who opposes the interests of human society, the one who opposes the path of truth, this great movement and this opposition are highlighted. Therefore, in Islam, there is struggle, there is jihad; however, this jihad is a war against those who oppose the tranquility of human life, those who oppose justice, those who oppose the happiness of humanity. Thus, if you observe the Holy Quran and the conduct of the Prophet, you will see that from the day the Islamic government was established, there were non-Muslims living under the shadow of the Prophet, enjoying security and peace. The Jews who were in Medina, the Prophet made a contract with them to live peacefully alongside him; however, they conspired, opposed, betrayed, and stabbed him in the back; thus, the Prophet stood against them. If the Jews of Medina had not opposed, had not been hostile, had not betrayed, perhaps the Prophet would never have confronted them. Therefore, the Islamic invitation is a spiritual invitation; it is an invitation based on reasoning; it is an invitation to present a clear and prosperous life for humanity.

Opponents arise; Islam removes these opponents from the path. Islam does not act passively. If there is an opponent who is against human happiness, who is against the invitation of truth, Islam confronts this opponent and stands against them. Compare this with what the arrogant powers of the world have done throughout history and continue to do today; they wage wars for the expansion of power, they wage wars for the expansion of injustice.

Today, if you look at the world, the dominant and arrogant powers are manufacturing weapons to threaten humanity, not to promote justice; to expand injustice, not to provide security for humanity; rather to deprive security from those who do not submit to them. Today, this is the issue in the world.

The reason we call the established ignorance of today's world modern ignorance is because of this. The era of ignorance has not ended. Ignorance means opposition to truth, opposition to monotheism, opposition to human rights, opposition to the path that God has opened for humanity towards happiness. This ignorance exists today; in a modern form, using knowledge, using advanced technologies, using nuclear weapons, using various weapons to fill the pockets of the owners of destructive and life-destroying industries.

The story of weapons and military expenditures is today one of the tragic tales of humanity. Today, in the world, arms factories are producing various weapons to sell these weapons. They create wars in the world, pit humans against each other, set governments against each other, create threats so that they can satisfy and fulfill their treacherous and greedy thoughts.

Thus, as long as the superpowers are the driving force behind global issues, wars will not cease in the world. For them, war has material benefits. This war is not a war for justice. The Americans and others lie when they say they wage war to provide security; no, it is exactly the opposite. Wherever they have military presence and military action, it leads to insecurity and injustice and makes life difficult for people. Since these modern tools have emerged in the world, humans have been under pressure. Over the course of forty-five years - that is, from after World War II until 1990 - which is referred to as the "Cold War" period, international official reports indicate that there have been only three weeks in the world without war! Throughout these forty-five years, wars have existed in various corners of the world. Who creates these wars? Those who produce weapons. The military expenditures of the great powers today are among the most staggering expenses. According to their own statistics, in the past Christian year, the U.S. government spent over six hundred billion dollars on military expenditures! We are witnessing these military expenditures today in our neighborhood. These expenditures are spent in Afghanistan to suppress the Muslim nation of Afghanistan; they are spent in Iraq to keep the Iraqi nation under control; they are spent to support the wicked Zionist regime to keep the Middle East perpetually inflamed. Today, the direction of corrupt powers is this. Islam fights against these; Islam opposes these.

Those whose interests lie in having Muslim nations and Muslim governments fight each other, hate each other, fear each other, and consider each other a threat, are the very ones whose continued power depends on the existence of war in the world; for them, war is a means of their plundering. So many humans are destroyed, so many national assets are spent on purchasing weapons, on producing expensive weapons, for what? So that the owners of large companies can make more money and enjoy their lives more. This is the same dangerous, ignorant, tyrannical system that unfortunately dominates the lives of humans far from the path of monotheism.

Certainly, this method will not last; because it is against the truth, because it is false, it will perish; "Truth has come, and falsehood has perished; indeed, falsehood is bound to perish." Falsehood means that which is contrary to the divine tradition in creation; this will perish, this will fade away, this will not remain. And the signs of this decline are observable today. When one looks at the international situation, they see the signs of this decline.

The state of the world has changed; nations have awakened; fortunately, this awakening is more pronounced among Muslim nations; Muslim nations, Muslim governments, understand the importance of Islam and the greatness of Islam and the significance of this reliable and trustworthy support. Today, Islamic awakening in the Islamic world has made it so that the powers no longer have the capabilities they once had. The situation of America today is different from the past. The situation of the powers after America is the same; it is evident. Muslim nations must cherish the path of monotheism and consider the divine promise to be true. Today, the happiness of Muslims lies in uniting around Islam.

Of course, there is enmity, and there will be. Wherever there is more awakening, the enemies of humanity feel more threatened; thus, they become more hostile. We understand well the meaning of the enmities that are directed against the Islamic Republic today; we know them well and understand the reasons for these hostilities: because the Islamic Republic has taken up the banner of awakening for Muslim nations. Because the Islamic Republic invites nations and governments to unity and dignity and says that nations and governments should value their dignity under the shadow of Islam. The enmity is because of this; we know this. We know that these hostilities will fail; just as they have failed until today. For thirty-one years, they have been trying against the Islamic Republic, and for thirty-one years, thanks be to God, the Islamic Republic has become more rooted and stronger day by day. This trend will continue. The more enmity persists, the more our people, the Muslim people, and the popular bases in the Islamic world will recognize themselves; they will recognize their worth more.

We hope that the Almighty God assists all Islamic governments and all Islamic nations to trust in themselves, to rely on themselves, to not fear the arrogant powers; to know that the strength of these powers is declining; it is a false and spurious strength, and this falsehood will not last; what remains is that which is beneficial for humanity, for humans; "And what benefits people remains on the earth."

We hope that the Almighty God, by the blessing of the prophetic mission, brings us all closer to the path of Islam and the ways of Islam; makes our hearts more familiar with divine laws and divine knowledge; brings the hearts of Muslim nations closer to each other; binds the hands of Muslim governments together so that the Islamic Ummah, God willing, can regain its power, dignity, and lost honor.

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