Speech to the Families of Martyrs in Ilam

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

Thanks be to God, the Lord of the worlds. Thanks be to God for His forbearance after His knowledge, and for His forgiveness after His power, and for His patience in His anger, while He is capable of what He wills. Peace and blessings be upon our Master and Prophet, Abul-Qasim Muhammad, and upon his pure, chosen, guiding, and infallible family, especially the remaining proof of God on earth.

This gathering, where our dear martyrs' families are present, holds special value and importance because it is accompanied by the memory of the martyrs. Everything we have is due to the blessing of our dear martyrs. If today Islam holds honor in the world, it is due to the blessing of the martyrs. If today the Islamic Republic is recognized as a people's power globally, it is due to the blood of the martyrs. If other Muslim nations around the world have taken the Iranian nation as a model of resistance and struggle, it is due to the sacrifice of the martyrs. Our martyrs are in the foremost rank. Behind them are other sacrificers, including the war-disabled, freed captives, and the honorable families of the martyrs, in the second rank. If the families of the martyrs had not shown resistance and patience, and had not demonstrated steadfastness and composure, the situation would have been different.

We have read in historical stories that in the early days of Islam, if someone's father or husband was martyred, or if their children or brothers were martyred, they would show patience and resistance. In the Battle of Uhud, when some Muslims were martyred, a woman carrying the bodies of three martyrs, upon reaching the Muslims near Medina, asked first about the health of the Prophet (peace be upon him). The health of the Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his family) was more important to her than the lives of her loved ones. We had read these in history, but what happened in our country, if not more important than the early days of Islam, is certainly not less.

Some lost two children, some three, some four to martyrdom. We saw mothers whose loved ones were martyred, showing such resilience that it amazed people. I have always had, and continue to have, numerous visits and meetings with the honorable families of the martyrs, thanks be to God. It has seemed to me that the mothers of the martyrs are truly unparalleled in terms of strength and power. What force gives a woman, who is strong in emotion and feelings and loves her child passionately, such strength that she shows such power and strength in the face of the martyrdom of one or two or more children? This comes from faith. It was faith that led our people to victory in the revolution. It was faith that brought our nation to brilliant victories in the war. It was the faith of the people that elevated Islam and the Quran in the world and brought the Islamic Republic to this honor and greatness. It is this faith that gives the families of the martyrs patience, strength, and resilience. Value and preserve this faith. This is something that no weapon can counter.

What does global arrogance have? What does America have that it boasts superiority over various countries and governments of the world? It has material weapons, equipment, money, bombs, planes, and equipped fleets. Of course, these are strong and effective against material equipment of their kind, but against faith, what? Against faith, the equipment of global arrogance and America has no effectiveness. Our people are armed with the weapon of faith. Therefore, global arrogance cannot defeat the glorious and magnificent revolution of the Iranian nation. The Iranian nation, due to its deep faith in Islam, is an invincible nation. No power can defeat this nation; neither foreign enemies, nor internal enemies, nor groups, nor saboteurs, nor anyone else.

I say to you, dear families of the martyrs, thank God that the blood of your martyrs was not wasted. Thank God that if your dear martyrs' bodies fell to the ground and blood, their spirits are joyful. They fought and were killed so that Islam would be honored, and Islam was honored; just as the blood of Hussein ibn Ali (peace be upon him) was not wasted. They martyred that great figure in such a tragic manner, and apparently, the enemy was able to martyr those dear ones—the apparent matter was that Yazid was victorious—but in reality, Hussein ibn Ali (peace be upon him) was victorious. Hussein ibn Ali (peace be upon him) sacrificed his blood for the survival of Islam and succeeded in this path and was able to insure Islam. Your dear ones also insured Islam and the Islamic Republic.

The Islamic Republic, thanks be to God, is strong. Today, we fear no power in the world. Global arrogance wants the Iranian nation not to be able to solve its problems under the shadow of Islam in the Islamic Republic. You, the nation, and this capable and serving government must strike at the mouth of global arrogance with work, unity, and solidarity and disappoint them.

Thanks be to God, the country's officials are righteous, capable, compassionate, and interested people who have suffered and endured hardships and are people of jihad and struggle in the path of God. They fully know the path, goal, and line. You, the nation, are also, in terms of faith and belief in Islam and jihad in its path, thanks be to God, the best nations in the world. That government and this nation will be able to develop our dear country and this land of Islam, solve problems, overcome the plots and schemes of global arrogance, and, God willing, do what pleases God.

I see a bright future for this nation and this country, and indeed for all Muslims of the world, in front of my eyes, and this is due to the sacrifice of your martyrs. Honor the blood of these dear ones. Both the families of the martyrs themselves should preserve the dignity and honor of the martyrs, and the rest of the people should recognize the value of the families of the martyrs and honor them, and the country's officials must consider themselves indebted to the dear martyrs and their families.

We hope that Almighty God grants success to all of you and that the sacred heart of the Imam of the Age (may our souls be sacrificed for him) is pleased with all of you, and that the pure soul of our great Imam (may his soul be sanctified) is pleased with you, and that God increases the ranks of our dear martyrs with Him day by day.

Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings