Statements at the Meeting with Hajj Officials and Organizers

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

We express our heartfelt gratitude to the Almighty God for granting us the opportunity to witness once again the Hajj ceremonies and the pilgrimage of the pilgrims towards that beloved center of the hearts of Muslims throughout history.

The perspective on Hajj should be that of a great divine blessing and opportunity. All acts of worship are like this; prayer is also an opportunity, a blessing. If prayer had not been made obligatory upon us, we would have been at risk of drowning in the sea of utter negligence. This great blessing, which draws us several times a day towards meeting with the Lord, conversing with the Lord, and humbling ourselves before the Lord, is a very significant blessing, a tremendous opportunity; Hajj is the same. The distinction of Hajj over other obligatory Islamic duties is its universality, its international nature. This humility that every Muslim needs in their heart to submit to the Lord, to humble themselves, finds a public and international manifestation in Hajj. All Muslims, despite their linguistic differences, their ethnicities, their customs, and traditions, when they arrive there, are all humble, all supplicating. This is a very strange phenomenon that we have become accustomed to, and we do not fully grasp its importance and greatness. All Muslims gather, focused on one center, one point, humbling themselves before this point; let us look at Hajj in this light, as an opportunity.

If we view it as an opportunity, then our vision will broaden, and we will pay more attention to our duties. You find this opportunity to express your servitude in the House of God alongside other Muslims. This is the first point of this opportunity. If we see it as an opportunity, then it follows that one should not miss it at any cost. It is a pity for a person to be in Mecca or Medina, in proximity to the grave of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the graves of the Imams (peace be upon them all) and the graves of the great companions and martyrs of Uhud and other great figures who shine like the sun in history, and instead of focusing and reflecting, to think about worldly matters; that too, trivial worldly matters, personal matters; wandering around the markets and visiting this corner and that corner for trivial tasks that we unfortunately engage in throughout our lives; in that precious moment of time, every minute, every hour of which holds immense value and opportunity - every particle of this liquid has such greatness - to spend it on these trivial daily matters that we could do in the markets of our own cities and in any place; or on other inappropriate distractions. This is the first point. In Mecca and Medina, let us think about gathering provisions, about increasing our capital of faith, our spirituality, our remembrance, our humility before the Lord. This is the first step.

Another manifestation of seizing this great opportunity is the opportunity to connect with the body of the Islamic world. The world consists of people, not politicians, not tyrannical commanders, not the arrogant powers of the world. Sometimes you hear; these arrogant ones attribute their corrupt mindset to the global community: the global community wants this! The global community means billions of masses of people. The Islamic community is the same. The Islamic Ummah is not just Zayd and Amr who have seized control over a part of this vast body by any means and govern. The Ummah is this body of people. The blessings and goodness lie within this vast body, and it is their will that can move mountains; their movement can spread Islamic values globally and universally. This is in your hands. Every year during Hajj, the pilgrim faces a vast multitude of this magnificent body of the Islamic Ummah and the Islamic world. This should be cherished. This is an opportunity and must be cherished.

How can we seize this opportunity? Well, there are various ways. One of the easiest ways that everyone can do is that a Muslim Iranian living under the banner of the Islamic Republic and the governance of Islam introduces the Islamic Republic through their behavior, their actions, their demeanor; they introduce themselves; they show the impact of Islamic upbringing on themselves. This is one of the easiest ways.

A pilgrim who behaves in accordance with Islamic etiquette in the Masjid al-Haram or Masjid al-Nabi, or in Baqi, or while visiting the martyrs of Uhud and similar places - in Mina, in Arafat - their behavior is that of a person who is respectful of Islamic etiquette; a person who is nurtured by Quranic education; one who is humble, one who is modest, one who does not insult others, one who is inclusive, not divisive. We have so many narrations regarding the reward of participating in the congregational prayers of the Sunnis during the time of the Imams (peace be upon them) that it is narrated that praying behind them in the Masjid al-Haram is as if you have prayed behind the Prophet. What does this mean? It is clear that Imam Sadiq does not compare the prayer of that Imam with the prayer of the Prophet. He does not even compare it with the prayer of one of his own followers, but he says to pray behind him. What does this mean? This is a demonstration of unity. Show unity in practice. It was on this basis that our great Imam (may God’s mercy be upon him) - that awakened, aware man - advised all of us, all Iranian pilgrims, to participate in the congregational prayers in the Masjid al-Haram, in the Masjid al-Nabi; to be present in these gatherings, which is one of its manifestations. It should not be that at the time of congregational prayer, when everyone is engaged in prayer, someone’s eye falls on an Iranian pilgrim who is busy carrying luggage towards their accommodation. These are things that are detrimental. Respectful behavior towards Islamic etiquette is one of the highest virtues. Even if you do not know the language, do not make contact, just the fact that it is clear you are an Iranian pilgrim and you have this behavior; you are respectful, you are clean, you are prayerful, you are engaged in remembrance - this supplication of Kumayl that, thanks be to God, has been established for years - this is the greatest advertisement. This is more important than many advertisements. This large congregation of believers sits before the Almighty God, supplicating, seeking forgiveness, shedding tears; this becomes an advertisement.

Participation in the ceremony of disavowal is a great advertisement. The very presence is an advertisement. This indicates that you have accepted Hajj with all its dimensions as a complete package.

In Hajj, there is monotheism. Monotheism itself has two parts: one is Allah, and the other is there is no god but Allah; one is affirmation, and one is negation. The manifestation of monotheism is Hajj; the affirmation of the authority of Allah and the negation of the authority of others. This is the disavowal.

Another point regarding Hajj is that, according to the needs of the time and the Islamic Ummah, the large Iranian Hajj caravan - which, thanks be to God, is a source of pride for the Islamic Republic - should carry out tasks that respond to these needs. Every year, we should see what the needs are. One feels that in this era, in these few years, including this year, at least one of the important needs is the need for Islamic unity; unity among Islamic sects. Look at what the enemies of Islam are doing; the enemies of the Islamic Ummah spend so much to create divisions and rifts among them, to set them against each other. One of the clear objectives of these bloody events, an example of which you heard yesterday in Iraq and many other examples occurring in Pakistan and elsewhere, is that a group of Muslims are being annihilated through blind terrorism, are being destroyed, or are being injured and mutilated. A significant part of this work relates to the creation of discord between Shia and Sunni.

In Iraq, for centuries, both Shia and Sunni have lived together. The same books, the same beliefs that exist today were also there then, perhaps even more intense. Such events have not occurred in the past several centuries; that they would act against each other in this way, that they would fall upon each other. Who are these? Or these bloody events that sometimes occur in our country over time and recently, or these actions that happen in Pakistan; Shia against Sunni, Sunni against Shia. These are not Shia and Sunni. Those who carry out these actions, either directly or indirectly, are foreign agents; they are foreign agents; they are foreign hands. Those who appear next to a Shia pilgrim, an Iranian pilgrim, in Baqi, in the Masjid al-Haram, in the Masjid al-Nabi, and insult the sanctities or even assault their women, who are they? Everyone must be vigilant; everyone must be alert. Governments have responsibilities; the Saudi government has a responsibility; it must not allow the pilgrim of the House of God, the pilgrim of the Sacred House of God, the pilgrim of the sacred grave of the Prophet and the Imams (peace be upon them) to be assaulted; that someone comes and acts against a pilgrim or against a Shia cleric or against anyone and that the Saudi officer stands by and watches or perhaps even intervenes in favor of the aggressor. This is not right; this is fundamentally against unity; this is exactly what America wants; this is exactly what foreign intelligence services want. The pilgrims of the Sacred House of God cannot remain oblivious to the events of the Islamic world.

Today, Iraq, Afghanistan, the oppressed Palestine, parts of Pakistan are under pressure from foreign soldiers, under the pressure of arrogant actions. Can the Islamic world not see these? These are matters that must be considered during Hajj. Hajj must be a manifestation of the will and firm determination of the Islamic Ummah against those actions that harm the unity of the Ummah, or harm the progress of the Ummah, or seek to strike a blow to the raised flag of Islam among the Ummah, which today, thanks be to God, the Islamic Republic holds firmly in its hands. We must be sensitive to these matters. These are responsibilities; these are matters that our planning in managing the caravans, in advertising, and in matters of this nature must be attentive to these issues. Our cultural planning, our political planning, our management planning of the caravans, our selections, and our groups of pilgrims must all be subject to these needs, and these needs must prevail.

Of course, I thank all the esteemed officials of Hajj and those who have worked hard over the years to carry out this great task and this great duty; from Mr. Reyshahri, from Mr. Khaksar, and from other government officials and esteemed ministers who have helped in these years and other sectors; from the heads of the caravans, from the esteemed clerics, I sincerely thank all of you.

The task is great, the goal is very lofty, and the duty is very heavy. We hope that the Almighty God grants you all success and that the prayer of the Awaited Savior (may our souls be sacrificed for him) encompasses all of you.

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