Speech to the Families of Martyrs, Missing, and a Group of Disabled Veterans and Freed Captives of Lorestan Province

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

Thanks be to God, Lord of the worlds, and peace and blessings be upon our Master and Prophet, Abul-Qasim Muhammad, and his pure, chosen progeny, especially the remainder of God on earth. God, the Wise, has said in His Book: 'Do not consider those who have been killed in the way of God as dead; rather, they are alive with their Lord, receiving provision.'

Rejoicing in what God has given them of His bounty, and they receive good tidings about those who have not yet joined them, that there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve.

In this blessed gathering among you, the esteemed and honorable families of our dear martyrs, the fragrance of martyrdom and the spirit of sacrifice and struggle is palpable for those with insight. Even if decades pass, what must be considered the highest value is the value of martyrdom and the sacrifice of our dear martyrs. Time makes everything old, except the blood of the martyr. Consider that centuries have passed since the martyrdom of the Master of Martyrs (peace and blessings be upon him), yet the memory of the martyrs and their blood becomes more prominent day by day.

All martyrs are dear. In all times, a martyr is precious; but some martyrs are dearer. Who are these dearer martyrs? Those who came to Islam's aid in critical moments and sacrificed themselves. If this account is correct, in my view, the martyrs of the Islamic Revolution and the imposed war are among the dearest martyrs throughout history. Why? Because in this time, Islam became more estranged than ever. The enemies of Islam, the superpowers, the arrogant powers, the worldly and the savage, for many years attacked Islam and Muslims; they used all tools to crush Islam, spent money, devised plans, and during the years of colonialism, inflicted damages on Muslim nations. It was in such a time of estrangement that our great revolution, our great leader, and our noble nation rose up. Your young ones, your children, and your dear ones who were martyred on the fronts and behind the lines stood up against all the oppressive powers of the world; this is no joke.

In our time, the issue was not about a hundred, a thousand, or a million Muslims; it was about the entire Islamic world. They wanted to erase Islam and eliminate the name of Islam so that no trace of Islam would remain in the world; because Islam confronted their tyranny. America feared Islam and still fears it. The global powers, the recognized bullies of the world, feared Islam and still fear it; thus, they were determined to destroy Islam. Your youth rose up, slapped the superpowers, and thwarted their plans. These same young people, these eighteen-year-olds, twenty-year-olds, twenty-five-year-olds, these Basijis, soldiers, and guardsmen, whether on the battlefield or behind the lines, were able to defeat all the dominant global powers in our time; they made the flag of Islam proud in the world.

My dear ones! Muslim and devoted men and women of this martyr-nurturing region! Know that the blood of your youth, thanks be to God, was not wasted. Your youth, like their master and lord, Hussein ibn Ali (peace be upon him), were able to honor Islam with their lives and elevate Muslims. Today, Muslims have become strong in the world, and young people in various parts of the Islamic world have risen with enthusiasm for Islam. Who did this? Who gave this honor, glory, and greatness to Islam? Who created this dignity for the great Islamic community today? It was your young ones, your dear ones, with their lives and blood. This is the lesson that the martyrs taught us. We must never forget this lesson, and we will not.

Let no one think that the superpowers have reconciled with Islam. Let no one assume that today the Islamic community does not need to stand firm and resist the global bullies. Whatever they have not done to us, they could not do. Whatever they can do against the Islamic community, they will not hesitate. We must be vigilant. We must stand firm. We must not forget what the Quran demands of us. We must not forget the message of these pure bloods. We must always keep the testament of our great Imam in mind. He knew the enemies of Islam well. The enemies are the same ones our Imam mentioned.

The enemy is weak against a nation that has risen like ours. The enemy is strong in material terms, but in spiritual terms, it is severely weak. Our nation must remain on the scene with this spirituality, this faith, this unity, and this alertness and cleverness that it has shown since the beginning of the revolution. The dear families of the martyrs, the youth, you young ones whose brothers were martyred, whose fathers gave their lives on the battlefield of truth against falsehood, must be ahead of others; thank God you are.

Today, the families of the martyrs have shown such dignity and nobility that the enlightened face of Islam has been introduced to many people around the world through them. Other countries have also had wars, they have also had casualties, they have also had fathers and mothers and families of the deceased; but have they endured like you? Have they accounted for God like you? Have they shown alertness like you? Absolutely not. I have read the histories of nations that have had wars and lost their young ones. Perhaps it can be said that there is no parallel to the families of our dear martyrs in any nation; this too is a blessing of Islam. That mother who has sacrificed two sons, three sons, or four sons in the way of God, stands and says that the other children I have—or if I have any—are also for the sake of Islam, we do not find this spirit elsewhere; this is unique to you.

I tell you that today they are designing great conspiracies against the Islamic community; they are also plotting against our nation. This economic siege of ours is a conspiracy. The propaganda they spread is a conspiracy. The corruption and immorality they inject into our society to afflict our youth is a conspiracy. The lies they spread are all conspiracies. It is a conspiracy to uproot this structure, to demolish these strong foundations, and to once again establish a colonial structure here like during the oppressive monarchy; but they are unaware that our nation is awake and alert, and the families of the martyrs are vigilant.

I tell you, the families of the martyrs, to maintain your vigilance, awareness, dignity, and increasing awareness of Islam; which, thanks be to God, you have maintained. May God be pleased with you and may the sacred heart of the Guardian of the Age (may our souls be sacrificed for him) be attentive to you, and may you be included in his prayers, kindness, and satisfaction, and may the soul of Imam (may God be pleased with him) be pleased with you.

Alongside our dear martyrs and their families, the living martyrs of the revolution, namely the disabled veterans and their families, are there; those who have suffered, those who have given their health in the way of God. Alongside them, these dear freed captives of ours are there who for many years on the front line—in the prisons and captivity camps of Iraq—defended you and your ideals and your martyrs and preserved the dignity of Islam. The patience of the families of the freed captives is something great and deserving of immense reward before God and His saints. These dear missing ones of ours, from whom we have not yet found any trace, but we know that some of our dear ones are still in the prisons of Iraq, how much they have endured and continue to endure; their families as well.

O Lord! By Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, grant the reward for these patience and sacrifices from Your treasury of mercy and grace to all these dear ones and their families. O Lord! Cut off the hand of the enemy from this land and this dear nation and this glorious revolution. O Lord! Solve the problems of this great and dear community soon and easily with Your power. O Lord! Strengthen the love and unity among this nation day by day.

I am very happy to have been able to visit you dear ones. I entrust all of you to God.

Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings