Statements of the Supreme Leader in a meeting with Hojjatoleslam Mohammad Rezaie and Hajj officials

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

While the arrival of the blessed month of Hajj should be congratulated to all Muslims around the world, it is especially important to congratulate those who have received the divine gift of Hajj, particularly those who have the honor and pride of being among the facilitators of Hajj for a group of pilgrims, of whom you are among the most complete and evident examples. Blessed are you. God willing, may God accept your deeds, purify your efforts, and increase your success.

Today, thanks be to God, it is firmly established in our society that Hajj is the distinguished obligation among all Islamic duties, possessing both divine and spiritual aspects as well as social dimensions that set it apart from other obligations.

As for its divine and individual aspect, Hajj is a long, continuous obligation, composed of various forms of worship; its obligatory acts, recommended acts, prayers, circumambulations, running, standing, supplications, overnight stays, and invocations. Any individual who can truly benefit from these few days of Hajj can find sufficient reform for their entire life through this one journey. Of course, if you compare one Hajj with one prayer or one fast, the superiority of Hajj in terms of being filled with spiritual concepts, spiritual states, and connection with God and supplication is clear.

The same applies to its social aspect. It could be said that most of the obligatory acts of Islam - even prayer - have a social dimension; however, the social aspect of Hajj is a unique realm, a gathering, a lasting phenomenon; but this time not in the memory of an individual, but in the memory of a nation and a people. If a season of Hajj is utilized correctly from a social perspective, one Hajj ceremony in a year is sufficient to transform the Islamic world. If relationships are correct; hearts are connected; a blessed stream of concepts, cultures, and knowledge flows from various nations into the hearts of others; Muslims find each other there, see the collective, understand the meanings of circumambulation, running, standing, and overnight stays, and comprehend the social concepts behind them, truly one Hajj can reform the affairs of a nation. It is that blessed.

The losses of the Islamic world are not few. Since the heavy shadow of the nefarious policies of global arrogance, despotism, colonialism, and exploitation has created a gap between the Muslim people and the truths of knowledge and the proper flow of affairs, we have suffered many such losses; this is one of them. However, from any point of loss we turn back, there is benefit. Our nation, thanks to the revolution, thanks to the warm breath of Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified), and thanks to the broad vision that this truly divine man had - divine in the comprehensive sense of the word, not just a person who is divine within themselves; encompassing both inner and outer, the apparent and the hidden, spirit and body - has turned back from loss. Today, thanks be to God, our Hajj is very different from the Hajj of the years before the blessed Islamic revolution. People move with a purpose. Hajj, in essence, means intention. People set out with a specific intention and pursue a goal; at least this is the prevailing aspect. This must be strengthened. The first aspect must also be reinforced.

My dear ones! Our practical experience is this. Let us set aside the concepts and knowledge that scholars know and have taught to others, to us, and to all. Apart from those, our practical experience is that if a nation that is moving towards righteousness, prosperity, revolution, and true transformation disregards meaning and distances itself from spirituality - if it does not benefit from spirituality - it will not gain anything politically or materially.

If the leader of this revolution were not a man like that spiritual person, that pure, devoted mystic, this revolution would not have reached this point. No matter how rationally and wisely it was conducted, it would not have been like this. The backing and essence of meaning is what gives life and color to the layers of social, individual, political issues, and so on. Without it, it cannot be done. The main source is spirituality and connection with God and attention to God. Therefore, in Hajj, maximum attention must be paid to this aspect as well. It is not that we say to establish connections, engage in political work, declare disavowal, and promote various issues of the Islamic Republic; but we should not neglect crying, night prayers, supplication, recitation of the Quran, and drawing light from that sun of spirituality and from that molten furnace of love and affection. No, it is not like that. This is also the backing of that. Both aspects are important. Of course, since negligence towards the social and political aspect has increased, special attention is needed for that part. This must be kept in mind.

What seems most important in Hajj is three matters: First, that we can convey to our audiences - whoever they are - the greatness, effectiveness, and the vast scope of the Islamic Ummah from various aspects. This is the first duty. In the Islamic world, the discussion is not about thousands or millions; there may be hundreds of millions or more who do not know the greatness, glory, effectiveness, and immeasurable volume of the Islamic world; thus, they perceive themselves as weak and feel alone and powerless in the face of all global arrogance. It must be conveyed what the Islamic world and the Islamic Ummah means.

If someone wants to understand the greatness of the Islamic Ummah - which truly cannot be conveyed with these simple descriptions - they should look at the small part of the Islamic Ummah that is the Iranian nation. How much of the Islamic Ummah are we? You see that when this part of the Islamic Ummah decided, made a decision, and stood firm on its decision, all the global powers - this is no joke, this is not exaggeration; you know well - were forced to retreat in military war; in political war, they had to accept feelings of defeat; in economic war, they had to endure their own failures. Is it not so?

Look; Iran is part of the Islamic world. Just as this part recognized its identity, its dignity, and its capabilities and decided to express its will and stand by it, it caused the bipolar world of that day - which now has a different shape - and those who were at the top to realize that collectively and in unison, they could not confront it and carry out their own agenda; while this part cannot even claim that it stood its ground in the best way; no, it could have done even better. From here, the greatness of the Islamic Ummah can be understood.

If all Islamic governments just utter one word together, no power in the world can act contrary to that one word. Right now, if you want to account for any of the issues in the world, it is the same. If the leaders of these current Islamic governments say a “no” on an economic or political issue, no power in the world can perform any affirmative action against that “no.” If they want something to be done, nothing can prevent them.

The second point is the issue of unity. Promote unity. Of course, we do not say that unity should be realized now. It is natural that there is a deep gap between words, beliefs, and actions; however, today the promotion of division and fragmentation is being done, as you see examples of it. This must be fought against and opposed. It must be conveyed that unity among Muslims is obligatory for a hundred reasons and is possible for a hundred reasons. This point must be pursued in the propaganda of linguists, preachers, speakers, and even ordinary pilgrims who may find a friend from another country and exchange a few words with them.

Who are the enemies of unity that can be pointed out one by one in the world? Who are the supporters of unity? Do God, the angels, the prophets, and the saints rejoice in unity, or are they displeased? These can be fully understood with the common religious and Islamic conscience shared among all Muslims.

Another issue that requires much attention is the matter of religion and politics. The separation of religion from politics, which has perhaps been on the agenda of the enemies of the Islamic world for nearly two hundred years, is a very important point. Even repeat this phrase that “the politics of Islam is not separate from its religion, and the religion of Islam is not separate from its politics.” This should be repeated, stated, and heard by all.

When the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) first arrived in Medina, he established a government. What does government mean? He did not go sit in a corner and say, “Whoever wants to ask a question, since the Quraysh infidels are not here to disturb us, let them come freely and ask!” Or for example, “Whoever wants to learn prayer, let them go learn from someone else or from us.” First, he established a government and a leadership. This is the first task of Islam. Then, immediately this government began to perform the tasks of a powerful government: fighting, struggling, and gradually writing letters here and there and resolving other matters. In the face of this reality, who can argue anything other than what the explicit meaning and concept of the unity of religion and politics in Islam is?

The last point I want to mention is the issue of ethics and behavior. My dear ones! In a social transformation, the last thing to be reformed and changed is ethics; ethics, not behavior. Of course, the behaviors of individuals with each other, which are commonly referred to as “ethics,” also change slowly; however, that is not what we mean. What changes the slowest are the ethical and moral characteristics of human beings; whether individual or collective; different groups in the world have their own moralities: one nation is known for its prejudice, another for its ease-seeking, and so on. These change very slowly. If there is something bad of this kind in a nation and there are ugly morals, they change very slowly.

If you want to influence your audiences - whether that audience knows the point we just mentioned or not - you must engage with them ethically. You must show that our ethics have changed. We must prove that Islam has penetrated and permeated into the very essence of our being and into the depths of our souls; otherwise, if it is just the name of Islam, the appearance of Islam, the claim of Islam, and the claim of the Islamic Republic, others have done it before us; others will do it after us, and it has little value; sometimes it is even detrimental.

If you want to secure that spiritual attraction of Islam in the other side - every Muslim in the world, even a non-practicing Muslim who is eager for true Islam - this can be achieved through Islamic ethics, Islamic behavior, forgiveness, wisdom, broad-mindedness, maturity, humanity, goodwill, and chivalry. This can be done in all matters.

Of course, this does not mean that we should not declare disavowal so that they think we are people of chivalry, ethics, and compromise; no, even in armed jihad, correct ethics can be applied: He cast his gaze upon Ali, The pride of every prophet and saint. Then Amir al-Mu'minin (peace be upon him) rose and moved: I strike with the sword in pursuit of truth, I am a servant of the truth, not a servant of my body. Even in war, it is like this. When savagery comes, when brutality comes, when wolf-like behavior comes, that is what happened in the cowardly aggression during the eight-year war against us, which was epitomized by chemical and microbial attacks, bombarding cities, and killing children, and other examples shown by others. Yet, still, this ethics can be maintained. If this happens, know that the effective rain of spirituality will certainly penetrate into the hearts and souls of your audiences; whether we immediately perceive its effect or not.

We hope, God willing, that this journey of Hajj will also pass for you as a spiritual journey, with true spiritual joy, and God willing, in that place where that great one (may Allah hasten his reappearance) is present during those days, all of you will benefit from that delightful, pleasing, and beloved fragrance of existence - not just the Shiites - in one way or another and pray for the deprived.

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