Statements of His Eminence on the Birth of Lady Fatimah Zahra (peace be upon her)

Mrs. Mohtashami (session organizer): In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. With permission from the exalted authority of the Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist, we begin the session with the recitation of verses from the Holy Quran by our sister, Mrs. Tahmasbi, who is a memorizer of the entire Quran and ranked fifth in the dental entrance exam.

Do you have the entire Quran memorized?

Mrs. Tahmasbi: Only a review is needed.

Good; please review. It is a great blessing. I wish that during the times when we were your age, there were such motivations in society that we could also memorize. Unfortunately, at that time, such discussions did not exist. Blessed are you; God willing, may you succeed. ...

Mrs. Faqih, professor at Al-Zahra University: In the Name of God, the Light, In the Name of God, the Light upon Light:

As its light came down from the exalted throne to the vast earth, All the mercy that God had, descended upon the earth. From its light, mercy shone upon the world from the Lord of the East, As Zahra appeared from the mercy of the worlds. A beauty manifested from the garment of existence, That a hundred suns and moons shone from its sleeve. The descent of the river of light from the grandeur of the throne, Bestowed blessings and mercy upon the thirsty hearts of the Moses-like ones. And whoever's eyes were opened to that radiant sun, Attained the happiness of this world and the hereafter. And the essence of that cosmic light, in the blessing of the existence of the pure Zahra's children, From Hasan and Husayn (peace be upon them) to Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified) and the esteemed Khamenei, by the decree of "Indeed, God intends to remove impurity from you, O People of the Prophet's House, and to purify you thoroughly," came to perfume and purify the souls of the universe. Once again, they have adorned the bride of the heavens and hung the golden curtain over the green courtyard:

... The azure sky has loosened its robe, The mountain of iron has fastened a golden belt. The flower-patterned atlas of this mercury-like abode, Has been woven by the Chinese artists. The cradle of the Lady of the Resurrection is being carried for that, The watchmen of the heavens have closed their eyes. The seeds of the pigeons of the spiritual abode, Have tied the name of the People of the Prophet's House to the wings of the pigeons. The constellation of the love of the pure Zahra is inscribed in the hearts of the believers, And the prayer of this great scripture is written on the foreheads of the suffering people of the Guardianship.

Well done. Whose poetry was this? (From Foad Kermani and Khajavi Kermani) Very good. You must have written the text as well. Very good. It was a very good text. God willing, may you succeed.

Mrs. Khalasi, mother of three martyrs: In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. I am the mother of three Basij martyrs, Davood, Rasool, and Alireza Khalighi Pour. I congratulate the blessed birth of the daughter of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) and the wife of the Guardian of God, the conqueror of Khaybar, and the mother of the Imams, and your own mother, as well as the blessed birth of our great leader of the Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified), which coincides with the birth of Lady Fatimah (peace be upon her), to the sacred presence of Imam al-Mahdi and to our dear leader and to the entire martyr-loving nation, especially the women present in this session and the women of our Islamic country, particularly the mothers, wives, and children of martyrs, disabled veterans, and freed prisoners. I hope the grace and kindness of that great lady encompasses all of us in both worlds.

Madam! We must congratulate you. When did your children become martyrs?

Davood was martyred in the operation of Khaybar in 1983. Rasool and Alireza were martyred by the hypocrites in the operation of Mersad after the signing of the ceasefire.

May God, God willing, unite them with the Prophet and protect you. Have we not reached you?

We still carry the expectation of visiting your blessed presence. We have not yet succeeded in placing your affectionate footsteps upon our eyes.

It is astonishing how we have not reached you! We usually prioritize such matters. God willing, I recommend that we visit you in the not-too-distant future. God willing, may you succeed.

Mrs. Mohtashami: In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. With greetings and congratulations on the birth of the counterpart of the one born in the Kaaba and your mother, who was the first to enjoin good in the path of the Guardianship and a migrant and a fighter in the way of God, and became a disabled veteran and martyr and missing in action to grant leadership to the servants of God and to make the pillars of the land a firm foundation from the lineage of the Prophets. We hope that from the gracious and mystical banquet of the Ahl al-Bayt in the celebration of your mother's birth, the nation will also benefit from your blessed prayers. Thank you for dedicating your precious time to this meeting, which revives the prophetic tradition in the Prophet's Mosque, so that we may recognize our mission and duty in this period of time. The present gathering - eager to experience your presence - consists of a group of various people and non-governmental organizations who have been called today to the intimate gathering of the Imam of the nation. We believed in our spiritual journeys towards the Kaaba of souls that there is neither a time nor a portion; rather, it is a divine invitation. Today, our gathering feels and senses this divine invitation, which is to seek illumination from the presence of the Guardian of God and the representative of Imam al-Mahdi (may God hasten his reappearance).

The members of this gathering are from the esteemed families of martyrs, disabled veterans, and self-sacrificers, committed and specialized women who, with will and effort, in addition to the honor of presence in various social arenas, take on the responsibility of nurturing and motherhood and preserving the family unit, and are always striving for scientific and spiritual growth, enhancing awareness and increasing political insight, and are constantly engaged in serving the Islamic system, defending values, and supporting the system of the Guardianship.

The attendees are groups of professors, scholars, students, researchers, physicians, poets, journalists, teachers, students, domestic and foreign propagandists, artists, employees, and workers, all of whom are powerful and diligent arms for the system and the country in various fields.

Now, with your permission, they will present their views and issues, and if you deem it appropriate, Your Eminence, please bestow your attention and adorn our views and actions with your wise guidance.

Mehris Suyzi, editor of Zan-e Rooz: In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. We are grateful to God for granting us the blessing of being in the presence of Your Eminence. God willing, we will also be aware of the heavy responsibility of this session and fulfill all responsibilities in our activities. I would like to present a matter regarding culture and the press to Your Eminence:

The reality is that culture is a fluid collection that is directly related to humanity. Culture is the outcome of the habits and beliefs that are specific to a society. Undoubtedly, part of these habits and beliefs is a surge that has passed from the previous generation to the present generation, and part of it is an effort that is the fruit of the present generation's endeavors. In fact, culture is the collective identity of a nation. It is a common identity that everyone must strive to protect and defend. We find this meaning in the verses of the Quran; where God the Most Gracious says in Surah An-Nisa: "The disbelievers wish that you neglect your weapons and your belongings, so they may attack you in a single assault"; O people! Your enemies wish that you become heedless of two things: "your weapons," a representation of defense, and "your belongings," that truth and collection of resources. If we become heedless of defense and resources, then "they will attack you in a single assault," a sudden invasion and collective raid by the enemy for a city and land that has no borders for protection will be easy and feasible.

Today, we are at the beginning of the third decade of the Islamic Revolution and we expect that we will protect and safeguard the Islamic culture of the Islamic system with important levers such as conveying the invitation, creating habits, and exercising power. Certainly, safeguarding such a culture is safeguarding the Revolution; a revolution that Imam (may God have mercy on him) said: "Do not let it fall into the hands of the unworthy." Undoubtedly, the command of the Imam and his words are a two-sided matter. On one side, it addresses all officials and all program makers of society to pay attention to the meaning that no part of the Revolution should fall into the hands of the unworthy in their selection of measures and appointments of managers. The command of the Imam also addresses the people and the masses of society. Our people, with their presence in various political-social arenas, with precise oversight, with comprehensive support, and even in the directions and areas that are necessary, with timely interventions and guidance, must make everyone aware of their responsibilities. There is no doubt that there is a wide intermediary circle between officials and the people, called the media in general and the press in particular. Undoubtedly, our press must strive to provide accurate and timely awareness to the people. Our press must work to secure the values, authenticity, and ideals of the people. The press can create enlightening movements that make both the people aware of their responsibilities and the officials aware of their heavy responsibilities; just as if the opposite happens, the press with sensational movements and by creating ambiguity and a storm of confusion and division can divert both groups - that is, both the people and the officials - from their main duties.

What is truly being presented today as the mission of the press - alongside the word freedom, which has been a frequent subject of speeches and discussions - is that the mission of the press is a destination that requires a means to reach that destination, and that means is "freedom." The freedom of the press must be a means to secure the mission of the press; not that the mission of the press is sacrificed at the feet of unrestricted and unbounded freedom! This is precisely what the planners and directors of the West and Westernized individuals - even across borders - are openly striving to achieve today, and in fact, they have drawn their swords!

In one of the sessions of the anti-revolutionaries, they explicitly stated that if we are 100 kilometers away from the overthrow of the Islamic Republic, we must undoubtedly cover 95 kilometers of that distance with cultural programs!

Who does not know today that the porters and workers of their cultural programs are the oblivious and protesting pen-holders who are eager to create a background within to turn the joy and hope of the people into the bitter cold of despair; to let the preservation of values and ideals fade into oblivion and to sever the strong bond of the nation with the leader!

But we thank God that behind all these vile and hidden and open programs of the enemy, our nation, our officials, and our committed press are diligently working within the framework of their duties and are not preoccupied with preserving the capillaries of tastes so that, God forbid, they do not fall behind in preserving the main artery of the Revolution. I apologize for the length of my speech. Speaking in the presence of Your Eminence - with the spirituality that is sensed in this session - is a great honor, and everyone has asked us to pray for them that we may visit you on their behalf. May the Almighty God make this gathering a treasure for the hereafter for all of us. I apologize again for taking time from the session.

It is very good; may God bless your souls. I would like to say a word regarding her remarks. It was a very good and solid statement that was expressed very well. There is a point in her remarks that is very correct. However, she did not explain it. I will refer to an explanation of it:

In the field of cultural expansion, or cultural change, or cultural provision, one of the important tasks is "creating habits," which she mentioned in her remarks: "with creating habits." This is correct. Creating habits plays a significant role. The press that seeks to change the deep cultural content - let us assume such a thing - or to direct it towards incorrect orientations, one of the things they can do is to lead the mental taste of the people towards another set of topics. Suppose - this is not limited to the press - Persian films or Persian press try to attract a certain number of people by presenting the image and face of women in attractive forms for men; this gradually becomes a habit; that is, over time, it will be such that if this image - this photo - is not in this film, it will no longer be desirable! While initially, it was not like this, and gradually it became so!

If this situation arises in the press - which unfortunately we see some presses have started and are doing such things - this is an example of "creating habits." I believe it is very important for good and healthy presses to pay attention to this point: why do they turn a matter that has settled in the minds of the people and is substantiated and solid and reasonable - that is, it is not merely an emotional matter - into a questionable issue or a matter of discussion and disagreement with continuous and repeated skepticism?! While this matter can be presented in the same form that it is.

These roles in the press are indirect and very effective roles. The same is true in the opposite direction; that is, when they want to bring society closer to a correct goal or a deep content, if that content is far from the minds of the people, gradually this work can be done. I believe that paying attention to the role of habits - habituating the people, the minds of the people, and the mental tastes of the people to various issues - is a guiding path in choosing the way and in recognizing the methods that the press and cultural means pursue.

Fatemeh Rajabi, writer: In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to God who has guided us to this, and we would not have been guided had God not guided us. I express my boundless gratitude for the opportunity to be in this sacred presence and to visit the exalted authority of the Guardianship. The matters I present today in this gathering are "cultural invasion" or, as you have put it, "cultural blitz" that the enemies have pursued since their entry into Iran and continue in the current stage in the form of blitz. There are three essential axes in this invasion or blitz: 1- Attacking the laws and decrees of Islam and creating doubt and instability in the beliefs of the people. 2- Promoting the compatibility of Islamic laws and principles with the West and its new civilization, which implements a blend of humanism with Islam in society and undermines the practical faith of the people. 3- Spreading and promoting secularism, which is a major manifestation of materialism in the women's sector and begins and continues the attack on the morals of the people.

In all three cases, women are specifically targeted by the enemies; because women are the foundation and essence of preserving and safeguarding the integrity and independence of the country. As Imam said, during the dark era of the treacherous Pahlavis, the escalation of these stages of invasion brought the country and independence to the brink of destruction.

In general, the morals, thoughts, beliefs, and actions of men and women are under attack or blitz by the enemies, which in the new era, the danger of it can be considered in an Islamic guise. In other words, all these stages present the issue of "feminism" for women, which is an anti-divine issue arising from the humanistic thoughts of the West; but in the current stage and moment, unfortunately, the enemies present this womanism or female supremacy under the guise of Islam, which we believe is a deviation that arises more from this stage. I think that if we guide society towards virtue-seeking and virtue-seeking, and we women must take this task upon ourselves, the issue of feminism and higher or lower issues will not have any efficacy in our society. This issue has brought several solutions to my mind. One is to practically explain the conduct of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) to the people and to show the scenes of their presence, which are passionate, attractive, and practical scenes; that in the first ten years - eight of which were during the Sacred Defense - the world became aware of this issue. Now, the world is again observing our women in various scenes.

Second, defining home in its complete sense - not just housework - defining home as the cornerstone of society, where mothers and wives are defined, and people will pursue the authentic values and character of women in the home.

Third, disseminating and promoting cultural work for women, which is a task for the women themselves, and I request that they even take steps to create institutions that will privately undertake the publication of women's works. Not that we want to create two classes of women and men in society; but rather to have a backing. Because I myself belong to the class that writes and find fewer places for printing and publishing. For this reason, I think it should be both an encouragement for cultural work for women and a backing that compels them to write, think, and research more; instead of directing our women in society towards unrestrained presence in organizations and institutions. God willing, in this sacred presence - which I believe was a divine and unparalleled gift from Lady Zahra (peace be upon her) to me that I had the opportunity to attend - we reaffirm our commitment that in all stages, with wisdom, we have accepted the Guardianship and are committed to executing the orders of the esteemed leader.

God willing, may you succeed. You have made very good statements.

Somayeh Ouri, from China (student at Tehran University - Persian literature): Today is a beautiful and unforgettable day. I am Somayeh Ouri, and I have come from China. Last year, I learned Persian in Iran at the Dehkhoda Institute.

My leader! You are on the path of Islam. The light of Islam has illuminated everywhere in the world, and you have been very successful in spreading Islam. I, a non-Muslim girl from China, came to Iran in search of Islam. I want to express my feelings, which are in this article, to relieve my leader's fatigue.

You have provided us with many facilities, such as Quran interpretation classes and Islamic history. Your facilities may not be easily available to foreign students in other countries. I do not know how to thank you for your kindness and the kindness of the people who, despite being poor and eating barley bread, prepare grilled chicken for us - their guests. In a year and a half, I learned Persian. I became acquainted with Islam. Today is a beautiful day for me. As a new Muslim, I participated in this session with my dear friends to meet my leader. It took me several months to write this article for my leader. Today, I thank God that I can present my article to my leader with my own hands.

God willing, may you succeed. Mashallah, you have made good progress. You have learned the language well; you can say and express everything. It is very good. Is this your writing? This is not your handwriting?

It is someone else's handwriting.

Yes, very good, it is very nice handwriting. God willing, may you succeed. The more you stay here and become acquainted with the teachings of Islam in our country, the more you become familiar with our people, and God willing, the more you learn Persian, so that you connect to a vast ocean of knowledge written in Persian and benefit from them, God willing. May you live long.

Bahareh Ranjbaran, daughter of a martyr - student: In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. First, I must point out that whenever we talk about the status and rights of women and, in general, issues related to women, our intention is never to confront men and women; that is, we do not intend to speak about women and their issues in a way that places men and women, as you have said, against each other - placing women on one side and possibly men on the other - our intention in expressing these matters is only that each of men and women should be placed in their rightful and true position - as Islam has commanded and the radiant decrees of Islam have specified.

In fact, we know that the confrontation between men and women is a cursed legacy that has remained from Western culture, and our young girls have felt this well. The bitter experiences that we witness today in the West are the result of the type of view that the West has towards women and the confrontation it has sought to create between men and women. Because of witnessing these experiences, we are disgusted by this issue. The West, due to its view of women, tries to exacerbate needs that are not considered real needs of humanity. For example, it neglects spirituality, which is a real and essential need of humanity, while addressing material needs and presenting them as primary needs, which is not the case at all. For years, the West has fought against spirituality and its manifestations. One of the manifestations of spirituality that the West has never reconciled with is hijab.

Today, in a civilized world that claims to defend human rights, we see that Muslim female students constantly face problems and are deprived of education. Also, Muslim women who are working are deprived of their jobs due to observing hijab. They confront the issue of hijab so severely and always claim that hijab is burdensome and difficult, and it is not possible to appear in various social arenas with hijab! While we are, after all, student girls who are engaged in various environments - whether in study or work environments - and we see that this issue has not posed a problem for us. We do not feel that hijab has created any difficulty or problem for us at all. We consider hijab to be the dress of "social participation" for women, and without it, we truly have problems in the social arena, and we have never felt that it has created difficulty or problems for us. We feel much more comfortable with hijab.

Fakhri Al-Lahiyari, daughter of a martyr - student: In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful - I want to continue the discussion of our sister who spoke about manifestations of spirituality, and I wanted to say something about sincerity. You have emphasized a lot on sincerity in your previous recommendations to the youth regarding self-building. Now, if you allow me, I have a question for you: Please state the ways that lead to strengthening sincerity and tell us how sincerity can be strengthened and maintained in each individual.

I would like to say a word about her remarks, which were completely sound and good. How good it is that these viewpoints are expressed by you educated, enlightened, and aware girls at appropriate levels, so that those who need to discuss these matters can be covered and benefit from them. The more these matters are spoken about - from various voices and in various languages - the better. No one should think that this is something that, for example, so-and-so has said, or another has said, or has been expressed in speeches. Every breath has its own impact.

Yes; this point is completely correct. The Western perspective on the relationships between men and women - because the discussion you have raised is mainly related to the relationships and interactions and types of socializing between men and women - is different from the Islamic perspective that stems from the worldview of Islam. Their worldview stems from human issues. Of course, it is something superficial, but it leads to the main things. The Islamic perspective on the issues of hijab is a very good and clear perspective. What a good expression you have! You say: "We feel comfortable with this hijab, and this is our dress of participation!" Yes; this is a completely correct and good expression. This is a completely correct viewpoint. The more you express this and say it, the better.

And regarding sincerity, as you say. You know that sincerity is a type of selflessness. The more a person can transcend personal motives and reach higher motives, the closer they are to sincerity. Sincerity means purifying and refining the intention. Following the purification of the intention, the act becomes pure and refined. What is the opposite of sincerity? It is when a person works for personal motives - self-centeredness - or material motives, or motives that are of little value.

Some motives are not merely material - in the specific sense - and are tangible; however, they are of little value. For example, gaining prestige in the eyes of people is not materially specific; however, it is a low-value thing that some do for these motives that do not conform to divine motives, the right path, and the straight path. This is naturally the opposite of sincerity. Therefore, the more a person distances their motives from self-centeredness and selfishness and elevates them, this becomes "sincerity." How can one achieve this? Well; it requires a bit of selflessness. Like all other tasks that require human struggle and effort, this is also among them. A person must exercise a bit of selflessness. Sometimes you see in a space that a person feels that if I say this word, it may create a reputation for me, while they do not believe in that word. Well; a person who is not sincere will say that word. A person who is sincere, meaning they want their actions to be purely for high goals - ultimately for the sacred essence of the Lord - will not say this. In fact, it is a type of selflessness. Setting aside some trivial matters, this task, like all other things, requires practice. It is very easy for you; because you are young, radiant, and close to divine nature. For every young person, difficult tasks are easier than for those who have aged and reached old age. You can do these tasks. God willing, may you succeed.

Another student: In continuation of my friend's remarks, who mentioned, "We have truly tried to acquire spirituality alongside various scientific or practical abilities," I think one of the best ways to attain this spirituality is to gain insight from the Quran and to reflect and contemplate on it, which has also been highly recommended; however, my question for you is, how should this reflection and contemplation be conducted so that it does not lead to "interpretation by opinion"?

Contemplation is not for interpretation; it is for understanding the intent. A person can perceive any wise saying in two ways: one casually and carelessly; the other with precision and curiosity. This does not even reach the stage of interpretation. The contemplation required in the Quran is to avoid superficial reading of the Quran; that is, whenever you read any Quranic verse, it should be with contemplation and deep reflection, and you should seek to understand. This is the contemplation, and without needing to impose one's own tastes on the Quran - which is the same as interpretation by opinion - you will see that it opens doors of understanding according to the content of the verse - whatever the content of the verse is.

The main flaw in careless Quran readings is that they do not even pause on the sentences. Well; when you hear a wise saying or a wise statement, you should pay attention to it; without paying attention, a person does not understand the intent at all. Any ordinary book - especially if it is a profound book, especially if a great wise person has written it - has the same state. If you read it superficially and pass by, you will not understand anything. The Quran says: "Do not read me superficially." The Quran is from the highest position; from the peak of the knowledge of the universe. This is why a person must contemplate, and since the depth of these verses and these concepts is very great, anyone who contemplates will benefit from it - even the Prophet - the Prophet himself, if he contemplates - of course, the Prophet and the Imams (peace be upon them) always read the Quran with contemplation and reflection - will benefit from the Quran.

Of course, we also benefit. It is like the various levels of the sea; that anyone who goes to any level will benefit from it - now this analogy is inadequate, but it is for approximation to the mind - of course, anything that a person does not understand, any meaning that is correct, does not grasp, and any complex phrase or expression, they refer to interpretation. My point is that contemplation does not even come close to the realm of "interpretation by opinion".

The same student: I want to present some matters to you again. We young women who are studying at universities feel one of our responsibilities is to have activities in society - that is, in fact, a series of social responsibilities - and of course, the most important thing in this matter is to maintain limits, maintain piety, and maintain the radiant decrees of Islam that we must pay attention to in this path. We expect to be supported from various aspects - after all, both environments, families, and factors that can assist young women in social activities - we expect to encounter encouragement from families. They should pave the way for us with their guidance and assist us in this path. My request is that if there are specific guidelines in this regard, we are all ears.

Then I want to ask another matter - which is not related to this discussion - it is a question that when one becomes interested in someone, they want to know about various aspects of their life. Due to the fact that we mostly deal with young people, the issue of marriage is a very important matter for us. What we have always faced is the question of what the criteria for marriage are. Of course, everyone has their own criteria; however, today, thank God, we have the opportunity to be in your presence and to directly benefit from your statements, I want to ask this independently: What criteria do you propose for the marriage of young people, and if you deem it appropriate, could you share a bit about personal matters - for example, your children who have married, or God willing will marry - what criteria do you consider in such matters that we can benefit from, God willing?

Yes; the criteria that I have in mind are not far from what is in the minds of our common people. I insist on negating some criteria; that is, what I emphasize more is not to provide a specific framework of criteria. As you know, Islam has opened the field, while placing values in the first degree; however, it has not completely restricted the people within that framework - I may give an example - therefore, I do not insist on determining criteria, but I insist on negating some criteria.

One of the criteria that I am very inclined to negate is the issue of wealth. When a young person wants to marry - whether a boy or a girl - they should not consider the wealth of their spouse or marriage candidate at all. In my opinion, this is a misleading attraction, not a true attraction. So this should not be considered; just as it has not been considered in our own cases. In the few cases that there have been - two of my children have married - this meaning has not been considered at all.

Another aspect that should not be considered at all is "social status." This should not be considered at all. I have heard - it has reached my ears - that some individuals search for a son for their daughter or a daughter for their son - fortunately, this is less among the girls and boys; it relates to the fathers and mothers - they search for a bride or groom who is certainly connected to a famous family or a well-known position. This, in my opinion, is a wrong criterion and should not be considered. Some of the attractions that superficially attract young people, in my opinion, should not be viewed as criteria for marriage. For example, boys or girls should not search for whatever catches their eye and consider it a criterion! Whatever catches their eye and attracts them, they should consider it sufficient! This should be strongly warned against and avoided; we want girls and boys to not fall into these traps.

Beyond these, a girl or boy may wish that their spouse has a higher education; another may not care about this. I give this example to show that acceptable and positive criteria are not limited. Do you understand? Or suppose someone is from a certain region of the country, they want their spouse to be certainly from that region; that is, the way is open. Some certainly wish that their spouse is among those who have made efforts in the way of God, have made efforts, are disabled veterans, or from martyr families, and so on. Some do not consider this among their criteria. I want to avoid stating a positive criterion so that it does not mean limiting. I only want to observe the negative boundaries. Of course, in the case of our own children, we have paid more attention to these things.

Of course, I must say that the preference and desire of the girl and boy should be respected. I truly consider this a condition. Although the consent of the girl and the consent of the boy are conditions for the validity of the contract; however, that consent in the realm of legal discussions is different from what I seek in the realization of the marriage of two people. I want the conditions to be such that there is certainly a love that arises; that is, it should not be done without love. Not that I say there should be love before marriage; no, I do not say this. But overall, there should be a preference - both the girl should prefer the boy and the boy should prefer the girl - that this preference should create a lasting love.

Of course, love can fade; but it can also be deepened. This is in the hands of the person. Among the things that God the Almighty has done with the complexity of human beings is that He has given a great deal of control over love to them. Now, leaving aside some intense loves that are said to be involuntary and poets have said a lot about them - they are, so to speak, exceptions of human existence - but the rule is that two people who have a measure of love between them can easily water and nurture this love and increase it. In any case, this is something that is necessary.

Atefeh Mivehchi, medical student at Tehran University of Medical Sciences: In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Regarding the social activities that our sister spoke about; political activities are also one of the branches of women's social activities, and your view is also that students should be political; however, we sometimes see that entering political work is necessary to engage in political activities. That is, sometimes these two issues are very mixed up, making it very difficult to determine whether to act or not. I ask this question because you should provide a criterion and standard for determining how we can avoid the pitfalls of political work while still being political students.

Very good. Of course, I would have preferred that in this session, you ladies speak more and I listen. I would like these good words to come from you, the distinguished and selected women, and I speak less. In any case, I will say this sentence. You see; when I said students should be political, it means that when a person lives in a society, there are issues in this society that relate to the fate of the society; these girls, these boys, these students should not consider themselves detached from them.

Suppose the issue of electing a president is raised. We cannot say that such an important event occurs in a country and the youth say, "The people will choose, what do we care!" and have no opinion. Or suppose the current issues of Iran with the arrogant powers arise - for example, the issue of Iran and America - the youth should not become indifferent to this matter! Now, is there arrogance? Is there an effort against the Revolution? Is there not? What is their intention? They should not have any concern about this matter! I consider this a danger for our society - especially for the university - that they do not think about these things. My point about political work is this.

Of course, when someone wants to think correctly in these areas and gain analytical power, they must read a bit, discuss a bit, exchange views a bit, and occasionally declare their presence in a matter. I have often told various students that, for example, regarding the issues related to Palestine, the issues related to Bosnia, and the issues that have occurred in Europe in recent years - some of the current global issues - what is wrong with our student groups taking a stand? That is, from the depths of this nation, suddenly a large segment declares their position regarding, for example, the treatment of young people in occupied Palestine, or the treatment of the hijab issue in Europe, or the treatment of Bosnia in Europe - the treatment that occurs in the world regarding various issues - they should declare their position, which naturally requires gatherings and associations.

Political work that is a bad thing means that the person who thinks about political issues does not pursue the truth and does not seek to discover and express it; they pursue other goals! This is what we call political work. Like some of the things we see being done both in student environments and outside of student environments. Sometimes the goal is just for someone to say this word and for it to be spread from their mouth, or for someone to be highlighted, or for someone to be attacked, or sometimes the opponent to be driven out of the field. When the goal becomes these things, it leads a person towards unhealthy political work, which we refer to as political work. Just as a person can find a clear boundary between healthy and unhealthy work in all aspects of life with contemplation and consideration - at least in their own personal affairs, they can find it - the same boundary can be found in this matter.

Hakimeh Dabeeran - professor at Teacher Training University: In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to God for the blessings He has bestowed and thanks for the inspiration He has granted. With congratulations on the blessed birth of Lady Zahra (peace be upon her) and the coincidence of the birth of her great and struggling son, Imam (may God have mercy on him) with such a holy day, I would like to present some points regarding education. One of the blessings of the Islamic Revolution is the designation of "Women's Day" on such a holy day. Dedicating the day of the birth of Lady Zahra (peace be upon her) to Women's Day means that the Islamic community of Iran and all Muslims around the world who have accepted this sacred matter announce to all the world that our role model is Lady Zahra (peace be upon her). To recognize a role model, certainly knowledge and awareness are necessary to understand all dimensions of that role model's existence. Since I want to present a few verses of poetry with regard to the spiritual and scientific dimension of that lady, I will briefly address the university so as not to take up Your Eminence's time and to make better use of your statements.

Fortunately, as you recommended, families have paid attention to the education of girls. The statistics presented this year indicate that there has been quantitative growth in families' attention to the education of girls. Thanks be to God for the system and the respected officials who have also provided facilities for the realization of such a matter. God willing, qualitative growth will also accompany it, and the spiritual dimension will be considered by all our dear students, university scholars, and teachers, and they will certainly advance with the two wings of knowledge and piety, as "Indeed, those who fear God among His servants are the scholars." However, as you have also mentioned in your statements, a safe environment for girls is a significant issue. The emphasis is that appropriate environments and conditions in accordance with religious directives should be provided; but the repetition of recommendations will, God willing, make this matter more achievable, and God willing, educational communities in education and higher education will pay more attention to this point, and God willing, the position of our dear, committed, and religious women and girls in higher education - in postgraduate studies and in specializations - which have usually had a smaller share until now - will grow and flourish more.

Regarding the reform of textbooks, thanks be to God, after Your Eminence's repeated recommendations, institutions are engaged in this work, and in part, we have the honor of serving in the field of Persian literature, and we witness that efforts and endeavors are being made to ensure that the books align with the principles and foundations of Islam, and with the opinions of scholars, some of the issues that can be reformed are, thank God, in the process of being addressed and recommendations are being made to the authors.

Some of these existing universities are dedicated to sisters, in which I have had the honor of serving for several years and have witnessed the desire and emphasis of all families for such suitable environments to be spread throughout the country. If the development of universities for girls, even in a small way - in the form of colleges dedicated to several fields - is carried out to the extent that the officials of each region and the people themselves have the means, God willing, it can help in the quantitative and qualitative growth and realization of the education of sisters and the advancement of the goals of society. If in this regard, both the people, who have this heartfelt desire, and the respected officials take action, God willing, it will yield good results for all Islamic communities. I hope that by emulating all dimensions of Lady Zahra (peace be upon her), we can become more aware of her spiritual and scientific dimension. I would like to present a few verses in this regard as a token of respect:

In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. O Fatimah, intercede for us with God.

O Ali, raise the flag and bring forth a banner.

Recite a clear sermon, stirring the world.

The fear of innovation is in the religion, draw the sword of speech.

With a moment of silence, transform the hearts.

With the glory of the chosen one, remember his mourning.

Woe if a dew has not settled on a cheek.

O people, know that I am Fatimah.

Never say anything false in speech, whether much or little.

Explain each ruling in detail.

So that the people of the assembly may know that no one is more knowledgeable than my father and my uncle.

With Ali, say, "Raise your head from the well of secrets."

The balance of justice has fallen from its orbit.

It reaches "Quds" and "Afghanistan" every moment, a new mourning.

"Bosnia" and "Lebanon" are caught by the group of oppressors.

It seems that from every direction, Ibn Muljam has sprouted.

Who does not recognize you, O shining sun and dawn,

Except for someone whose heart is dark and gloomy.

The story of the sun and the moth is good here.

A hidden hand strikes the chest of an unworthy.

Your intimacy with the higher world was not a modern phenomenon.

The point of "being Fatimah" was not an ambiguous statement.

Clearly say, O mother of her father, why did you say your father?

Where does the ring of existence have a better seal than you?

A kiss on your hand was a seal of the love of Mustafa.

You are a part of me, and he has called you flesh and blood.

The Night of Destiny will be illuminated by your radiant face.

This is the secret that there was no companion for you except Ali.

Is the greatest derivation, O Fatimah, from the Creator?

Where should I seek the meaning of your name in which dictionary?

The eye of the wise was the eye of your secrets.

What I have said of your praise is but a drop from the sea.

It is very good. God willing, may you succeed. Madam, do you have a lot of poetry?

In the presence of Your Eminence, who is a great poet, if we even claim to be poets, it is a mistake. There are a few instances that I will send to Your Eminence. There was a poem about the bloody pilgrimage, which began as follows:

Welcome, O pilgrims, O souls devoted, welcome.

The gem of the soul has a price in the market of truth.

Very good. God willing, may you succeed. Very good.

Zahra Sadat Lajvardi: In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. I am Zahra Sadat Lajvardi; the daughter of the oppressed Sayyid, Asadollah Lajvardi. In this gathering, I had a brief presentation regarding education that I will try to express very briefly. The point that has occupied my mind since my entry into university is that in advertisements, the emphasis is placed on the quantity of students, while not much is done regarding quality, and this has led to the situation where especially our young girls feel that the only path to growth is entering university, and when they enter university, after years of effort and enduring hardships, they feel that they have not gained the scientific weight they should have. I wish our officials would emphasize more on quality so that our students, when they leave university, possess a greater scientific weight. Thank you very much.

Yes; that is correct. First, let us express our respect to our dear martyr Mr. Lajvardi, your esteemed father. He was truly a very selected and noble person. The sincerity that one of the ladies spoke about earlier was embodied in the late martyr Lajvardi.

Yes; quality is very important, you are right. I also believe that our students during their university years must truly work and without working and without exerting effort - both studying and reading and questioning the professor - the goal will not be achieved. From all the expenses that are incurred for the country's universities, the complete goal is not achieved, and a bunch of semi-literate individuals - whether girls or boys - come into existence. While this is a reality, the entrance of young people - and especially the entrance of girls in our time - into universities is inherently a good thing. The reason is that, after all, the place for studying and reading and becoming enlightened and aware is mainly the university. It is true that someone can read books outside of university and become knowledgeable and aware; however, this happens less frequently. Naturally, women in the university environment - most women are like this - gain a blossoming and blooming and courage to engage with scientific matters, and their minds open up. Of course, boys are the same; it cannot be said that it is specific to girls. Therefore, entering university has been a topic, and this quantity has been pursued for a while, and it has been good. Now, it should not be that if we have paid attention to quantity for a while - as you said, without paying attention to quality; perhaps it is indeed the case - we should also raise the slogan of quality for a while and completely forget about quantity. No; I do not agree with that. I would like universities to gain more capacities, and as far as it is feasible - of course, as far as there are professors and educational space and laboratories and so on - the more they expand, the better.

Mrs. Salimi (Advisor for Women's Affairs at IRIB): In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to God and we seek His assistance. With greetings to the sacred presence of the Awaited Imam and expressing sincere respect to the exalted authority of the Guardianship. If you allow me, I would like to present a point regarding the issue of art and pose a few questions that we are eager to have fully resolved. If we talk about the development of art and name its tools, one of its tools is, in fact, a keen and delicate view of the world of creation, and the other is having a sacred feeling, and the third is a love for beauty; which I see all three of these areas are more readily available in women by nature. However, in materialistic societies, planners of artistic affairs have paid less attention to this matter. Given their goal of material development, they use women to attract more viewers and achieve their goals in that direction. In fact, they have committed two major injustices against women: one is that they misrepresent the face of women; in such a way that they present women as a weak, aimless existence. The second is that they have distorted the artistic environment; in such a way that if a woman has a correct goal and enters this field, it is rare that she can maintain her dignity and composure.

Of course, our Islamic Republic has tried to have a correct perspective on women in all areas and has sought to eliminate deviant thoughts; but unfortunately, we are still far from reaching the desired level. Although we hope that with the entry of committed individuals into this field, we can shorten this distance as much as possible. However, the problem we currently feel is that there is a lack of proper understanding of these issues by artistic factors. Unfortunately, we are faced with both excesses and deficiencies; in such a way that our society has lost the truth in the midst of this issue and has not been able to reach the desired level. The second issue is that a thirst for thought has arisen in our young generation, which we truly need to respond positively to in the field of art with a proper program; so that art can be used as a tool for understanding higher and more profound truths.

Mrs. Ayatollahi from Qom Seminary: In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. We thank God that on such a day, He granted us the opportunity to be in the service of Your Eminence. As a seminary student, I wanted to convey this point to you that with the establishment of the Center for the Management of Women's Seminaries, about 160 seminaries across Iran have been identified, which are mainly managed by the sisters themselves. We currently have more than twenty thousand students studying, and apart from the Qom Seminary - Jamia al-Zahra - which has various sections for full-time, part-time, and non-residential studies, and even non-Iranian students from forty countries are studying there - the activities of the esteemed sisters in various fields, including teaching in seminaries and universities, management and propagation inside and outside the country - even in managing seminaries abroad - are ongoing.

However, an important point that may be considered a fundamental issue for sisters is that our seminaries, despite the numerous requests from those who want to enter the seminary, I could say that they can only respond to about seven percent of the requests, and mainly sisters face negative responses. In terms of quality, in the preliminary levels - levels one and two - studying for sisters may be somewhat easier; however, in higher levels, which Your Eminence has also noted and has been raised among the officials, the conditions are not provided for sisters.

Therefore, the request of the sisters is that if it is possible, in the third development plan, the position of the sisters in seminaries across Iran should be clarified; of course, with the necessary coordination that we can have for our graduates. Thank God, the officials are also aware that most of the sisters in the centers of the seminary have been successful. God willing, this opportunity will be provided, and sisters can benefit from more spiritual and educational facilities. Currently, in the special section of Jamia al-Zahra, there is very little acceptance, and with the conditions that have been set - that they must reside in Qom - overall, they can only accommodate about 150 students, who are in higher levels - of course, in five fields: jurisprudence and principles, philosophy and theology, propagation, Islamic history, and interpretation - sisters face many difficulties in attending the lessons of experienced professors and great Ayatollahs, even though they are in Qom. In the seminaries of the cities, we also have lessons in the level of Kifayah and the end of Makasib; however, they still face a shortage of professors and facilities.

The number of 150 students in higher levels is very good; why do sisters not attend the lessons of the gentlemen?

The lessons of the gentlemen are mainly held in the seminaries of the brothers, which poses problems for the presence of sisters there. Only the interpretation class of Ayatollah Jawadi Amoli, which was in the Grand Mosque, was coordinated by him so that sisters could benefit. Other lessons are also allowed by some gentlemen; however, various problems still exist that have not yet been resolved, and mainly, they use video to attend the lessons of experienced professors.

These issues can be resolved; these are not difficult matters. God willing, they will gradually be resolved. We hope they will be resolved.

Another sister from the seminary: In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. I am one of the students of the Qom seminary. They said to briefly share some of the work I have done. We see in the verses and narrations that there are special considerations for women; now from the creation that God has created women in such a way that they have a sensitive role in nurturing the human generation. Some of the world’s history-makers are women. One of the attributes of God’s perfection is His mercy, which we encounter in women with a strong affection.

Islam has a very special consideration for women to grow and for their talents to flourish. We see this in the various ways of the greats of religion. We see that the Prophet (peace be upon him) in the era of burying daughters alive says that a daughter is a fragrant flower. In practice, we see specific recommendations, such as: the faith of a man increases when his love for women increases, and that seeking knowledge is obligatory for both women and men. In the realm of politics, we see that wherever there has been a scene for allegiance, women have always been present. In the migration from the land of disbelief to the land of faith, women were alongside men. In the realm of supporting the Guardianship, many times it is these women who enlighten the minds of society in deviant currents.

We see that the first martyr of the Muslims is a woman. We often see the considerations that religion has for women. In the family core, where sometimes the problems of women become critical, we see that religion presents a thesis in the Quran - in various languages, repeatedly - that "Either hold them with kindness or release them with kindness." In other words, it is expressed in other words that family life should be in this way, and religion does not accept anything other than this. Either living with goodness and happiness, or separation, which even this separation should also be with kindness. On one hand, we see this divine consideration for women’s issues, and on the other hand, we look at society and see that the gap is very wide. In reality, that religion still takes a long time to implement its rulings in society. On one hand, we see that shortly after the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) passing, as soon as people in the world - East and West - see a little of the implementation of the rulings in practice, they flock to Islam. Certainly, in today’s era, which we must say is the era of "human bewilderment," in women’s issues, which are constantly undergoing trial and error and are still confused, if we can implement and present the religion in relation to women’s issues as it has been proposed, we will certainly see miraculous effects. For this reason, we thought that women should strive more and work on this issue; because women are more familiar with the issues and problems of women. Therefore, we have tried to start working in one section - a number of our sisters from the seminary and a number of our university sisters - the general criterion that was raised is the same as what God said: "And for them is the same as what is upon them in kindness."

What is raised is the issue of justice, which includes both rights and duties. We have seen several problems in society: one problem is cultural. The cultural problem was in two sections; one is that women, unfortunately, sometimes did not correctly believe in their own abilities. The other part is that men sometimes apparently did not accept well that opportunities for growth and advancement should be provided for women and that they can also soar to the heights of the heavens. This section needed work. Thank God, from the beginning of the Revolution until now, good work has been done in this regard; but there is still much work to be done.

The other issue is the laws that exist in society. One problem is the drafting of laws, and the other problem is the implementation of laws. In the issue of drafting laws, the work we did with our specialized sisters - both seminary and university sisters - was to practically carry out several tasks. Cooperation with each other has, thank God, had many blessings. Part of its blessings was that in this cooperation, the subject identification by our specialized sisters was done very precisely - good examples of the subjects were determined - and we could help clarify the boundaries and limits that religion presents regarding women’s issues. Our specialized sisters helped us so that we could draft laws that are based on religion and compatible with today’s society and have the necessary effectiveness in today’s society.

As I mentioned, this cooperation had a blessing that I saw was somewhat neglected in the cooperation between the seminary and the university, and that is that sometimes we encountered some rulings that in the political turmoil of some societies, we saw that sometimes an issue is proposed that the women’s problem in this issue is solved in this way. When we looked at the texts, we saw that such a statement could not be made; truly, this discussion has no place in religious matters.

In cooperation with our university sisters - because the sisters who collaborated with us were usually those who had a good scientific freedom in these matters - we often saw that many of the things we accept with commitment - and sometimes may not be acceptable to some - when we delve into the essence of the matter, our university sisters clarify that the wisdom of many of the religious rulings is what it is; the wisdoms that were previously unclear to us, and this was one of the blessings we gained from this work.

We worked on various topics in the legal issues of women: discussions related to marriage - the essence of marriage, polygamy, temporary marriage, and divorce - discussions of blood money, retribution, and various other discussions. We saw that our jurisprudence today answers various issues; we must incorporate jurisprudential discussions into law. Although we have many good statements in the realm of law, there are still gaps.

Sometimes we also saw that there are some issues that exist in our religious texts; however, they have not entered jurisprudence, which seems to be mainly because this question may not have existed in the past for the jurist to refer to religious texts, and perhaps we women see this question today and refer to religious texts and eventually find the answer. However, we had one or two problems in our work. Now, I wanted to convey this to you that a major problem we have in this matter is that, unfortunately, sometimes we encounter thoughts that have become self-defeated in the face of laws that are proposed regarding women by the West! Sometimes this self-defeat truly creates problems for us.

The other issue was that, unfortunately, sometimes we saw a lack of attention from some of our jurists. For example, they did not clearly and explicitly explain the issues of women from a religious perspective. This section, unfortunately, in some places also strikes a blow to the religious beliefs of our people - regarding women’s issues. Our sister will also mention some of the executive issues that are raised regarding women’s rights. Ultimately, if you would kindly have a good prayer for our continued path and also provide guidance, we would be grateful.

Very good, very good.

Mrs. Khosroshahi, investigative judge of the judiciary: In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Given the legal and judicial problems of women in the courts and the negative propaganda against our judicial system and our religious and jurisprudential laws by some foreigners who are unfamiliar with Islamic laws or foreign malefactors, it is necessary to state that regarding the discussion that our sister had and the research that was conducted to identify the problems of women in the courts and also the tangible and visible presence of female researchers in the courts and also from my side, we have concluded that the fundamental cause of the problems of families and women in obtaining their rights is that, firstly, there is a weakness in the culture of society regarding the attention to the growth and elevation of women in all areas, especially in legal matters related to women.

The second issue, which is deeper and more fundamental, is the lack of awareness of women regarding their legal and religious rights and duties and also how to assert their rights in the courts, which causes problems for them. Despite the feminist views that attribute the cause and issue to the deficiencies of our religious and jurisprudential laws, we see that in Article 10 of the Constitution, which is derived from Islam and our religious law, the family is recognized as a fundamental and essential unit of society, and in addition, in Article 21 of the Constitution, the duties of the government regarding the assertion of rights and the awareness of women are mentioned.

A Muslim woman in Islamic law is a woman who has the right to choose and is the one who creates the bond of marriage; that is, the essential and main pillar of the marriage contract is created by the woman - which is the proposal of the contract - but the dissolution of the marriage bond is entrusted to the man. However, this is not the case in all instances; that is, there are several instances in civil law where the permission of the spouse is waived for the dissolution of the marriage bond and is entrusted to the religious authority. However, women can, in asserting their rights and utilizing their legitimate conditions in their future lives, in addition to Article 1130 of the civil law - which anticipates the cases of hardship and distress for women - use an easier way, which is to utilize the conditions within the marriage contract that were registered and recorded after the Revolution at the suggestion of Imam and with the support of the late Ayatollah Beheshti and the approval of the Supreme Judicial Council at that time, fourteen conditions in the marriage contract were recorded, and now couples who refer to the offices become familiar with these conditions. Women can, in addition to the conditions mentioned there, use other conditions that are permissible and do not contradict the marriage contract’s requirements - some of which are mentioned in Article 1119 of the civil law - such as the condition of employment, the condition of housing, the condition of education, the condition of the husband’s remarriage, etc., to their advantage with awareness of the conditions within the marriage contract.

In the pursuit of these conditions and the awareness of families and women regarding their legitimate rights, brochures have been prepared and organized to be given to the offices - so that their contents can be explained to the parties upon their visit - however, in terms of expressing the executive problems, this is one case that has not yet been implemented. That is, despite the fact that this decision has been made and the text of the brochures has been prepared and organized by experts, it has not yet been practically utilized.

Another issue is the use of media and high schools; meaning that the topics mentioned in this regard should be included in the textbooks. Of course, the rights of families and the duties of both parties in marriage are anticipated as units in higher education institutions and also local counseling centers, all of which have been anticipated and initiated; however, there is a need for more support and broader activities.

Another issue is the organizational weakness in implementing the laws that have been approved for years to protect and support the rights of women. Such as the establishment of the guidance and assistance unit in family courts - approved in 1991 - which, due to executive problems and sometimes economic issues, has not yet been launched; however, its necessity is truly felt in family courts.

Another issue is legal problems. Given the issues that Mrs. Ayatollahi mentioned, in cooperation with the sisters who were involved in the review of the civil law that was of Your Eminence's concern, researchers and specialists, members of parliament, female judges, sociologists, and psychologists have been working for years to identify the articles of civil law and the problems that exist, and we have concluded that there are no fundamental and root problems in the articles of civil law; however, some articles need to be reviewed, amended, supplemented, clarified, or ambiguities removed. For example, we have an article that refers to the good conduct of women and men in the family system; however, the concept of good conduct or the clarification and mention of examples of bad conduct has not yet been legally clarified, and thus creates problems.

The issues that currently need to be reviewed and considered include custody, visitation of children, divorce, and other matters that, God willing, the sisters will complete this plan with their expert work and present it to Your Eminence.

With God's help; very good, very good.

Hajar Hosseini from America: In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Peace be upon you, O People of the Prophet's House. Greetings to the representative of Imam al-Mahdi and our dear leader and father. The birth of Lady Fatimah Zahra is blessed. Today is also the anniversary of the birth of the pure son, Imam Ruhollah Khomeini. I am Hajar Hosseini from America, a seminary student and journalist. I was a follower of the spirit of Jesus Christ and still am. It was after Him - Jesus - that He took our hand and entrusted us to the spirit of Ruhollah of this time. Thank God, today our children are ahead of us. I brought them with a group of young Americans called the "Migration Foundation" to the Islamic Republic. God has granted this nation many blessings and bounties; blessings and bounties that are not seen in America. In America, men and women live behind a dark curtain - under the worst oppression and injustice - Lady Zahra (peace be upon her) understood her time; the youth must also understand their time. Every action that the youth perform in the Islamic Republic has an effect in the world. I hope that, God willing, the flag of monotheism will be raised throughout the world. We are waiting for that day. And peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings.

And upon you be peace and God's mercy. Very good. Do the ladies have any remarks? Since it is time for prayer, I will say a word and we will rise to pray, God willing.

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

Our intention was to honor Women's Day in this manner. Thanks be to God, it has been honored in the best way; because the best honor is practical honor. With the presence of you knowledgeable, learned, and wise women in various fields, it has become clear that, thank God, Iranian women are at a high level. This is important. We may give many slogans that we want to do this or that, or we have done this or that, or we should do this or that; however, none of these slogans, which are mere words, hold as much value as showing that today Iranian women are at the level we observe in this session.

Of course, if all the sisters had expressed statements, there would certainly have been prominent and valuable content among them, this purpose would have been more realized; but the opportunity was limited. We have been sitting here for nearly two hours. There was no more time; however, the statements of our young girls, our university women, our seminary women, and the women who have taken on various responsibilities and are present in various cultural sectors of the country have shown that today, in terms of the elevation of the intellectual level of women in the country, we are, thank God, enjoying a noticeable progress - compared to always and compared to the past - this is very valuable.

Of course, I have opinions regarding efforts for the issue of women, and these opinions have been stated many times; that is, it is not something hidden and concealed, and it has been repeated in various discussions. What I want to say to you ladies now is that in the field of women's advancement, in terms of revealing the many talents that God has placed in their existence - both the common talents of women with men, which are the most numerous; and the special talents that women have, in contrast to the special talents that God has placed in men - there is a very wide field.

The advancement of women in this field is the first point of concern; both for this and for organizing the relationships between husband and wife within the family, which I believe is today the most defective part of the issue of women in our country; that is, if someone wants to criticize the issues of women, the most attention will be in this area. That is, in my opinion, the relationships between husband and wife within the family are not the relationships that Islam and the Quran intend! This, of course, is the result of many factors and is not specific to Iran. Such things exist almost everywhere in the world; but with differences.

Whether for advancement in this area - that is, working and reforming in this area - and whether for clarifying the viewpoint of Islam regarding women and valuing women - what things elevate women to the desired perfection and value - this has become three areas: the area of cultural advancement and revealing talents, the area of reforming family relationships, and the area of announcing and clarifying the viewpoint of Islam regarding women's issues from legal, social, and other perspectives. If work is to be done in these three areas, it must be done by you. My point is this. You ladies are the ones who must work in these three areas. We will have a season in our country that this season has begun; a season between the period in which we had problems in all areas of women's issues and the period in which, God willing, these problems will not exist at all. It is a season in which, in this season, a necessary effort is required. Of course, this effort must be made by everyone; but you ladies must strive more than others in this regard; intellectual efforts, work efforts, and all the other efforts that must be made in various social issues and dilemmas, so that a struggle is made that will bring about those results. You should not withhold any of these efforts. God willing, we hope that the Almighty God will assist you and that your efforts will be pleasing to the Lord and will be pleasing to the heart of the Awaited Imam and will secure the blessings for the future of the country; because if in a country, women of that country can reach that purity, spirituality, elevation, and intellectual advancement, no problem will remain in that country. That is, women have a tangible impact on men. Both on their husbands and on their children, they can have decisive influences. Therefore, in reality, the reform of society is with the reform of women, which will be achieved through the issues that have been mentioned. God willing, may you succeed.

And peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings.