Message on the Occasion of the Great Hajj Congress on the Fourth of Dhul-Hijjah 1436 Corresponding to the Twenty-Seventh of Shahrivar 1394

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 the Master of all creation, Muhammad, his pure family, his chosen companions, and those who follow them with goodness until the Day of Judgment.

And peace be upon the noble Kaaba, the center of monotheism and the gathering place of the believers, and the descent of the angels; and peace be upon the Sacred Mosque, Arafat, Mash'ar, and Mina; and peace be upon the humble hearts, the remembering tongues, the opened eyes of insight, and the enlightened thoughts; and peace be upon you, the fortunate pilgrims who have been granted the opportunity to respond to the divine call and have seated yourselves at this bountiful table.

The first duty is to reflect on this global, historical, and eternal response: Indeed, all praise and blessings belong to You, and the dominion is Yours; there is no partner for You. This is the perspective given to the pilgrim at the very first step of this profound and meaningful obligation, and the continuation of these rituals is shaped in harmony with it. Then, it is presented as an everlasting teaching and an unforgettable lesson before Him, and the organization of life based on it is requested from Him. Grasping this great lesson and acting upon it is the source of blessings that can invigorate and enliven the lives of Muslims and free them from the troubles they face—both in this era and in all eras. The idols of self-indulgence, arrogance, lust, the idol of global arrogance, the idol of laziness and irresponsibility, and all the degrading idols of the noble human soul will be shattered by this Abrahamic cry—when it arises from the depths of the heart and becomes a way of life—and freedom, dignity, and health will take the place of dependency, hardship, and suffering.

Brothers and sisters, pilgrims from every nation and every country, contemplate this divine word of wisdom and, with a precise look at the troubles of the Islamic world, especially in West Asia and North Africa, define a duty and responsibility for yourselves, considering your personal and environmental capacities, and strive in that direction.

Today, the malicious policies of America in this region—which are the source of war, bloodshed, destruction, displacement, as well as poverty, backwardness, and ethnic and religious conflicts—on one hand, and the crimes of the Zionist regime—which have brought the usurpation of Palestine to the utmost degree of cruelty and wickedness, along with repeated insults to the sacred precinct of Al-Aqsa Mosque and trampling upon the lives and properties of the oppressed Palestinians—on the other hand, constitute the primary issue for all of you Muslims that you must contemplate and recognize your Islamic duty in the face of it. Religious scholars and political and cultural elites have a much heavier responsibility, which unfortunately is often neglected. Scholars should not ignite the fires of sectarian disputes, politicians should not remain passive in the face of the enemy, and cultural elites should not be distracted by trivial matters; they must recognize the great pain of the Islamic world and accept their mission, for which they are responsible before divine justice, and fulfill it. The heartbreaking events in the region—in Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Bahrain, and in the West Bank and Gaza, as well as in some other countries in Asia and Africa—are the great tribulations of the Islamic Ummah, which must be seen as the fingerprints of the global arrogance's conspiracy, and solutions must be sought for them; nations must demand this from their governments, and governments must remain faithful to their heavy responsibilities.

The Hajj and its magnificent gatherings are the highest place for the emergence and exchange of this historical duty; and the opportunity for disavowal, which must be valued by the participation of all pilgrims from everywhere, is one of the most eloquent political rituals in this comprehensive obligation.

This year, the bitter and damaging incident at the Sacred Mosque has soured the experience of the pilgrims and their nations. It is true that those who lost their lives in this incident while praying, performing Tawaf, and worshipping have attained a great fortune and are resting in the safe and merciful embrace of God—God willing—and this is a great consolation for their survivors. However, this cannot diminish the weight of the responsibility of those who are committed to the security of the guests of the Merciful. Acting upon this commitment and fulfilling this responsibility is our definite demand.

And peace be upon the righteous servants of God.

Sayyid Ali Khamenei

4 Dhul-Hijjah 1436

27 Shahrivar 1394