Sermons of Friday Prayers in Tehran

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

Thanks be to God, the Lord of the worlds, and peace and blessings be upon our master and prophet, Abu al-Qasim al-Mustafa Muhammad, and upon his pure and chosen family, especially the remainder of God among the people of the earth. O God, I praise You, seek Your help, ask for Your forgiveness, and place my trust in You. And peace be upon the leaders of the Muslims, the protectors of the oppressed, and the guides of the believers. God Almighty said: "And the believers, men and women, are allies of one another; they enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong; they establish prayer and give zakat; and obey God and His Messenger. Those are the ones whom God will have mercy upon; indeed, God is Exalted in Might and Wise."

I invite all dear brothers and sisters, and myself, to observe piety towards God. In our speech and actions, we must be careful not to exceed the limits set by God; this is the meaning of piety.

In the verse I recited, the important issue of the connection among believers is raised, which in Quranic expressions is referred to as "Wilayah"; the guardianship of believers over one another. This matter is mentioned in several verses of the Quran. In this verse, the result of this guardianship and solidarity is introduced as divine mercy: "Those are the ones whom God will have mercy upon"; meaning that if you Muslims maintain bonds, connections, cooperation, and empathy with one another, God's mercy will encompass you. Then it states: "Indeed, God is Exalted in Might and Wise"; the noble verse concludes with the mention of God's might and wisdom; perhaps for the reason that divine mercy in this case is commensurate with the might of the Lord and the wisdom of the Lord; because God's mercy includes all the virtues descending from the Lord upon His servants; all blessings, all kindnesses, all events of life are divine mercy; however, in this noble verse, this mercy is commensurate with "might" and "wisdom". Divine might means the dominion of the Lord's power over all of existence; divine wisdom means the firmness and stability of all the laws of creation. Perhaps in this verse, they wanted to draw our attention to the meaning that if Muslims unite with one another, divine might and wisdom are behind them; they can utilize God's endless power, they can benefit from the requirements of the Lord's traditions and divine laws.

So, what does this guardianship mean? It means the bond and solidarity of Muslims with one another; this became the Quranic policy for Muslims. The Quran's policy for Muslims is that Muslim nations, Muslim groups, should have solidarity with one another, and it seems to promise that if you Muslim nations maintain this solidarity, this will lead to God's might being behind you; meaning you will overcome all obstacles, you will be victorious over all enemies; divine wisdom will support you; meaning all the laws of creation will work in your favor; this is the logic of the Quran and the policy of the Quran.

The opposite of this policy is the policy of the enemies of Islam; that is, the arrogant and aggressors of the world. Their policy is "divide and conquer"; their work is based on sowing discord. They have implemented this policy of sowing discord in Islamic countries with various tricks until today, and they are still not letting go, causing the hearts of Islamic nations to become troubled towards one another; however, today the nations have awakened. Today is a day when the Islamic Ummah can overcome this trick of the enemies of Islam and Muslims.

I say that the enemy of the Iranian nation is the same enemy of the Palestinian nation, the same enemy of the Lebanese nation, the same enemy of the Iraqi nation, the same enemy of the Egyptian nation, the enemy of the Syrian nation, the enemy of the Yemeni nation; the enemy is one, the methods of the enemy in different countries are different. In one place with psychological warfare, in another with economic pressure, in another with two-ton bombs, in another with weapons, in another with smiles, the enemies are advancing this policy, but the command center is one place, they receive orders from one place, they receive commands to attack Muslim populations and Muslim nations from one place. If this policy succeeds in one country, meaning it leads to domination over one country, once they feel secure from one country, they move on to the next country. Nations must not allow this.

If any nation wants to avoid being afflicted by the paralyzing siege of the enemy, it must open its eyes from the beginning, be awake; when it sees the enemy targeting another nation, it should consider itself a partner with that oppressed and subjugated nation, help it, cooperate with it so that the enemy does not succeed there. If the enemy succeeds there, it will come after this next point. We Muslims have been heedless of this truth for many years, we have seen the results; today we must not be heedless anymore; we must be vigilant. We must firmly secure the defense belt, the belt of independence, the belt of dignity, from Afghanistan to Yemen, from Iran to Gaza and Lebanon, in all Islamic countries and among all Islamic nations. This is the first point I wanted to present today.

Today, my discussion is more with the Lebanese and Palestinian brothers who are in trouble, which I will address in the next sermon. The second point is that the defensive rulings of Islam have clarified our obligations; both the defensive rulings of Islam, our own constitution, and international laws; even those laws in which we had no influence in writing, but even in those laws, what I am saying is among the established facts, and that is that every nation has the right to defend its land, its home, its country, and its interests against the aggressor; this is the meaning of this statement. The meaning of this statement is that the Palestinian nation has the right to stand against the enemy that has occupied its land, seized its home, destroyed its farm, and ruined its life; the Palestinian nation has the right. This is a solid logic that today international laws also confirm.

To whom does Palestine belong? Who are the Palestinian people? Where did these occupiers come from? The Palestinian nation has the right to stand against them; no court, no center, no international organization has the right to object to the Palestinian nation for why you stood against the usurping Zionist regime; they have no right. Those who help the Palestinian nation are fulfilling their duty; no one, based on any international law, has the right to object to the Lebanese nation, to Hezbollah of Lebanon, for why you supported Gaza, for why you supported the uprising of the Palestinian people; it is their duty, they must do it. This is both an Islamic ruling, a rational law, and an international and global logic. The Palestinians are defending their own land; their defense is legitimate, and helping them is also legitimate.

Therefore, all these attacks and the "Al-Aqsa Flood" that took place last year around this time, was a correct, logical, legal international movement, and the right was with the Palestinians. The brave defense of the Lebanese people for the Palestinian people is also subject to this ruling; it is also legal, rational, logical, and legitimate, and no one has the right to criticize them for why you entered this defense. The brilliant work of our armed forces a few nights ago was also a completely legal and legitimate act. What our armed forces did was the least punishment for the usurping Zionist regime in response to its astonishing crimes; the bloodthirsty regime, the wolf-like regime, and the rabid dog of America in the region. The Islamic Republic will carry out any duty it has in this regard with power, strength, and decisiveness. In fulfilling this duty, we neither procrastinate nor rush; we do not procrastinate, we do not fall short, nor do we become hasty. What is logical, what is rational, what is correct, in the view of the military and political decision-makers, will be carried out at its proper time; just as it has been carried out, and in the future, if necessary, it will be carried out again.

In the second sermon, issues related to Lebanon will be addressed, and the audience of that sermon will be our Arab brothers in the region; therefore, I will deliver the sermon in Arabic.

In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. By time, indeed, mankind is in loss, except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised one another to truth and advised one another to patience.

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

* Second Sermon (Arabic)

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

Thanks be to God, the Lord of the worlds, I praise Him, seek His help, ask for His forgiveness, and place my trust in Him, and I send blessings and peace upon His beloved, the greatest messenger, our master Muhammad al-Mustafa and his pure family, especially Ali, the Commander of the Faithful, and his beloved Fatimah al-Zahra, and Hasan and Husayn, the masters of the youth of Paradise, and Ali ibn Husayn Zain al-Abidin, and Muhammad ibn Ali al-Baqir, and Ja'far ibn Muhammad al-Sadiq, and Musa ibn Ja'far al-Kadhim, and Ali ibn Musa al-Ridha, and Muhammad ibn Ali al-Jawad, and Ali ibn Muhammad al-Hadi, and Hasan ibn Ali al-Zaki al-Askari, and al-Hujjah ibn al-Hasan al-Qaim al-Mahdi, may God's blessings be upon them all, and I send peace upon his chosen companions and those who follow them with goodness until the Day of Judgment, and upon the protectors of the oppressed and the leaders of the believers.

I deemed it appropriate to honor my brother and dear one, a source of pride and the beloved figure in the Islamic world, the eloquent voice of the peoples of the region, the shining gem of Lebanon, His Excellency Mr. Hassan Nasrallah, may God be pleased with him, in the Friday prayer of Tehran, and I will also touch upon some points.

This speech is directed to the entire Islamic Ummah, but it is specifically directed to the dear peoples of Lebanon and Palestine. We are all afflicted and grieving over the martyrdom of the dear leader; it is a great loss, and it has deeply saddened us in every sense of the word. However, our mourning does not mean depression, despair, and turmoil, but it is of the same nature as our mourning for the Master of Martyrs, Husayn ibn Ali (peace be upon them); it brings life, inspires lessons, ignites determination, and instills hope.

Mr. Hassan Nasrallah has departed from us in body, but his true personality; his spirit, his path, and his resounding voice will remain present among us forever. He was the lofty banner of resistance against the tyrannical and plundering devils, the eloquent tongue of the oppressed and their brave defender, as he was a support and encouragement for the fighters on the path of truth; his popularity and influence transcended the borders of Lebanon, Iran, and the Arab countries, and now his martyrdom will enhance this influence.

The most important message of his words and actions in his worldly life for you, the loyal people of Lebanon, was that you should not be overwhelmed by despair and turmoil in the absence of prominent figures like Imam Musa al-Sadr and Sayyid Abbas al-Mousawi, and that you should not waver in your struggle. Double your efforts and capabilities, strengthen your solidarity, resist the aggressive enemy, and thwart him by reinforcing your faith and reliance.

My dear ones, O loyal people of Lebanon, O passionate youth of Hezbollah and Amal! O my children, this is also the request of our martyr leader today from his people and the resistance front and the entire Islamic Ummah.

The wicked and cowardly enemy, unable to deliver a significant blow to the solid structure of Hezbollah or Hamas or Islamic Jihad and other movements striving in the way of God, resorts to demonstrating victory through assassinations, destruction, bombardment, killing civilians, and burning their hearts. But what is the result? The outcome of this behavior is the accumulation of anger, the rise of resistance motives, the emergence of more men, leaders, and martyrs, and the tightening of the noose around the bloodthirsty wolf, and ultimately, the removal of its disgraceful existence from the scene of existence, God willing.

O dear ones, the grieving hearts find tranquility in the remembrance of God and seeking help from Him. The destruction will be compensated, and your patience and steadfastness will yield dignity and honor.

The dear leader was at the forefront of a difficult struggle for thirty years, and he elevated Hezbollah step by step: "Like a seed that sprouts and strengthens, and stands firm on its stalk, it amazes the farmers to provoke the disbelievers. And God has promised those who have believed and done righteous deeds among them forgiveness and a great reward."

With the guidance of the leader, Hezbollah advanced stage by stage, patiently and in a logical and natural manner, and showcased its existential effects against its enemies in various stages by repelling the Zionist enemy: "It yields its fruit at all times by permission of its Lord."

Hezbollah is indeed a good tree; Hezbollah and its martyr leader are the essence of Lebanon's virtues in its history and identity.

We Iranians have known Lebanon and its virtues for a long time; Lebanese scholars have bestowed their abundant knowledge upon Iran during the Safavid and Safavid periods in the eighth, tenth, and eleventh centuries of the Hijra, including Muhammad ibn Makki al-Amili the martyr, Ali ibn Abd al-Aal al-Karaki, Zain al-Din al-Amili the martyr, Hussein ibn Abd al-Samad al-Amili, and his son Baha al-Din, known as Sheikh Baha'i, and others from the men of religion and knowledge.

Fulfilling the duty towards wounded and bleeding Lebanon is our duty and the duty of all Muslims. Hezbollah and the martyr leader, by defending Gaza, striving for the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and striking the usurping and oppressive regime, have taken a step towards serving the entire region and the entire Islamic world. The focus of America and its arms on preserving the security of the usurping regime is nothing but a cover for their deadly policy aimed at turning the regime into a tool for seizing all the natural resources of this region and exploiting them in major global conflicts. Their goal is to turn this regime into a gateway for exporting energy from the region to the West and importing goods and technology from the West to the region. This means ensuring the existence of the usurper and making the entire region dependent on it.

The savage and brazen behavior of this regime towards the fighters stems from the greed to achieve this goal.

This reality shows us that every blow dealt by anyone and any group to this regime is a service to the entire region and indeed to all of humanity.

There is no doubt that the dreams of the Zionists and Americans are mere impossible illusions. The regime is nothing but that evil tree that has been uprooted from the earth, and God's words have been fulfilled: "It has no stability."

This evil regime, rootless, artificial, and unstable, has barely kept itself standing through the injection of American support, and it will not be granted survival, God willing. The clear evidence of this is that it has spent billions of dollars in Gaza and Lebanon for a year, and various aids have been poured into it from America and several Western countries, and it has been defeated in the face of a few thousand fighters and martyrs in the way of God who are besieged and prohibited from any external assistance, and its only achievement has been the bombardment of homes, schools, hospitals, and centers of unarmed civilians.

And today, the criminal Zionist gang itself has also reached this conclusion that they will never achieve victory over Hamas and Hezbollah.

O our resistant people in Lebanon and Palestine! O brave fighters! O patient and loyal people! These martyrdoms, these spilled blood, do not weaken your determination, but rather strengthen it. In Islamic Iran, during three months of the summer of 1981, dozens of our prominent personalities were assassinated, including a great figure like Sayyid Muhammad Beheshti, a president like Rajai, a prime minister like Bahonar, and scholars like Ayatollah Madani, Quddusi, and Hashemi Najad and others. Each of them was among the pillars of the revolution at the local or national level, and their loss was not easy, but the revolution did not stop or retreat; rather, it accelerated.

And today, the resistance in the region will not retreat with the testimony of its men, and victory will be the ally of the resistance. The resistance in Gaza has astonished the world and honored Islam. Islam has faced all kinds of malice and evil in Gaza. There is no free person who does not salute this steadfastness and does not curse its savage and bloodthirsty enemy.

The Al-Aqsa Flood and a year of resistance in Gaza and Lebanon have brought this usurping regime to the point where its most important concern is to preserve its existence, which is the same concern that this regime had in the early years of its cursed birth; this means that the struggle of the men of Palestine and Lebanon has been able to turn the Zionist regime back seventy years.

The fundamental factor for wars, insecurity, and backwardness in this region is the existence of the Zionist regime and the presence of countries that claim to seek peace and security in the region. The main problem in the region is foreign interference. The countries of the region are capable of establishing peace and security in it. Achieving this great and salvific goal for the peoples requires the efforts of their peoples and governments. And indeed, God is with those who walk this path, "And indeed, God is capable of granting them victory."

Peace of God be upon the martyr leader Nasrallah, and upon the martyr hero Haniyeh, and upon the proud commander, General Qassem Soleimani.

In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. When the victory of God and the conquest comes, and you see the people entering into the religion of God in multitudes, then glorify the praise of your Lord and ask for His forgiveness; indeed, He is the Accepting of Repentance.