Statements of the Supreme Leader on the Eighteenth Anniversary of the Passing of Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified)

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 Muhammad, and upon his pure and chosen progeny, the guided, the infallible, the honored, especially the remainder of God on the earth.

God, the Wise, says in His Book: "Have you not seen how God has struck a parable? A good word is like a good tree, whose root is firm and its branches are in the sky. It yields its fruit at all times by permission of its Lord. And God strikes examples for the people that perhaps they will be reminded."

This is a great assembly. And even greater than this, are the millions of hearts that throughout the country, indeed across the world, beat in remembrance of our great Imam these days. All of this reflects the greatness of that personality who, by divine grace, was able to bestow greatness upon a great nation, and indeed upon the Islamic Ummah.

The Almighty God has likened the good word to a pure and fruitful tree; its roots are firmly established in the ground, and its branches are scattered in the sky, yielding its fruit to the eager ones according to the situation and expectation: "It yields its fruit at all times by permission of its Lord." The good word is every thought that sprouts in the heart of a great and divine human being and becomes a source of blessings for the people; every action that emanates from the limbs of a righteous person and possesses blessings for the guidance of humanity and the growth of the human world. Likewise, the good word is that human being in whom this good thought or this righteous action has been realized and manifests itself.

After this verse, the Almighty God says: "God will keep firm those who have believed with the firm word in this world and in the Hereafter." That firm word causes the one who believes in it to attain stability and permanence. The good word is both the saying and the one who says it; it is both the thought and that which is produced from that thought; it is also that chosen human personality upon whom this thought and action depend.

This is how you see that our great Imam seems to become more alive every day; in the atmosphere of our society and in the international Islamic arena, day by day, our great Imam becomes more prominent, and his thoughts and path are understood more clearly and tangibly. What has brought about this permanence, this continuity of existence, these blessings? It is sincere faith and honest action.

Our great Imam was the embodiment of this noble verse: "Indeed, those who have believed and done righteous deeds will have for them the Most Merciful a good outcome." His goal was a divine goal; his behavior was a faithful behavior; and his actions were righteous actions. This is why, in the mindset of the Islamic community, such a being remains and does not fade away; like the series of divine prophets and divine saints whose bodies have departed from the people, but whose essence and identity remain alive.

Material leaders try to keep themselves alive in the hearts with various tricks, but it does not work. Lenin's body - the leader of the Soviet Union - was mummified to remain and be in view, but it did not last. That mummification - a worthless body - that thought and those principles, all are doomed to decay; both in his own society and on a global scale.

The difference between spiritual leadership and material leadership is this. The reason is the connection with the original source of power, the relationship with God, knowing everything from Him, and doing everything for Him. This is the secret of the authority, permanence, and influence of the men of God. With this vision and this foundation, the Imam will remain alive. His enemies, his opponents, his religious and political adversaries have come and will go; but the great Imam, with his thoughts, his identity, and his true existence, will continue in the Islamic community and in the great human society, becoming more prominent, stronger, and more tangible day by day. This is the secret of the spiritual power of our great Imam.

The secret of this remarkable influence that this great man found in the hearts of vast masses of Muslims in various countries, and the secret of this great influence is this: passing beyond oneself, not striving for oneself, seeing God, drawing inspiration from God, and striving for God in every sense. This is the secret of the greatness of our great Imam and spiritual leadership. The prophets also had the same secret of their influence and permanence; otherwise, the superficialities and political maneuvers and the mouth-filling slogans that appeal to the masses are all known to be given; others also do these things. This is not what makes a spiritual leader penetrate the hearts; it does not establish authority over hearts. His governance is not of the type of superficial governance; it is of the type of the governance of the prophets; it is never of the type of the governance of tyrants and oppressors. Thus, when you look at the life of the Imam, this connection with God and attachment to God creates a tranquility and calmness in him. Where others became frightened, he was calm! Where others fell into instability, he was decisive and determined. In his will, he also addresses the people of Iran, indeed the Muslim nations, saying goodbye to them with a calm heart and assured spirit as he departs for the mercy of God. Even at the moment of death, he leaves this world with a calm heart.

Some wondered how the Imam, with such precision and concern for the laws of religion and regarding life and property, and with all the martyrs we had in the revolution and in the war, was not troubled and could leave the world with a calm heart and meet his Lord; they would say, who will answer for this blood? The Imam's response to these whispers is that the one who will answer for this blood is the same one who answered for the blood of Siffin and Nahrawan. The one who will answer for these hardships is the same one who answered for the hardships and sufferings of Amir al-Mu'minin during his lifetime. The revolution for the salvation of a nation has a cost; an eight-year war for the defense of a nation's independence has a cost; standing against the arrogant powers of the world to assert one's rights has a cost. The Imam paid this cost. The cost that the Imam paid was the public trust of the people. This public trust was activated and spent by the Imam on this path, but the Almighty God compensated this cost. What the Imam spent was returned to him many times over.

At the funeral of this great man, the crowd that attended was larger than the crowd of people on the day of his reception. This means that "Whoever is for God, God is for him." The hearts of the people were directed towards him. He did not want this capital for himself; this capital, in his view, was the property of the Lord; it had to be spent in the way of God, and he did; and God returned this capital to him in multiplied form. The way of God is like this; the way of God requires striving, it has a cost, and that cost must be paid.

If a nation is not God-fearing, does not accept religion and the Hereafter, and wants to attain dignity, it must pay the cost; if it wants to achieve independence, it must pay that cost; if it wants to preserve its rights against the arrogant powers of the world, it must endure that cost. One cannot sit in a corner and expect and wish for progress, development, dignity, and supremacy, but show no effort or endeavor in the field of action; this is not possible. Some only know how to complain, to point out shortcomings, to lament; but how do they pay their share in the progress that must be made? They do not speak of this. When it is time for effort and endeavor, they are spectators; when it is time for judgment, they judge ruthlessly and unfairly; this cannot be. A nation, a community, an individual, in order to achieve its lofty aspirations, must strive. Our nation made this effort and was able to achieve victory in the revolution. It made this effort and was able to emerge from the imposed eight-year war with its head held high.

All the powers joined hands, pushing the Ba'ath regime of Iraq forward to destroy the revolution; to eliminate the Islamic Republic; but the nation stood firm. This steadfastness resulted in the world realizing that an Iranian, when it comes to defending the truth and defending his rights, never retreats from the field of danger. And the only way for a nation to attain its rights is through this conscious and insightful steadfastness. They must be aware, recognize their rights, and insist upon them. One cannot beg others for their rights and take them.

The Imam understood the superpowers well; one cannot speak with the arrogant and aggressive powers with begging. As long as you beg, retreat, and show flexibility, the nature of the arrogant is to tighten their fists, make their threats more serious, and show a more furious face and advance further. Rights must be taken with steadfastness. The Iranian nation attained its rights through reasoning, secured its dignity, ensured its borders, and established a stable government in the country thanks to this steadfastness, thanks to this struggle; it felt powerful.

My dear ones! Great nation of Iran! Dear youth! Take yourselves seriously. Believe in yourselves. You have been able and you will be able. What the arrogant powers want to grant a nation is not worth taking. The right to access nuclear energy should not be begged by the Iranian nation so that the arrogant powers of the world and the undeserving great powers accept that it has the right to nuclear energy! No; this is not the demeanor of a free and independent nation. All other rights are of this kind.

Another point is that our great Imam was able to create a new identity in the chaotic world of politics, in this region, and that is the identity of the Islamic Republic and the living nation of Iran that was able to establish and safeguard this republic. This is an Islamic identity and a national identity, and this identity does not belong solely to the Iranian nation. The Islamic identity belongs to all Islamic nations. Our great Imam, with the efforts of the Iranian nation, was able to create and revive this identity.

For many years, the dominance of the West over this region had been solidified. After World War II, the work of domination over the Middle East was nearly complete. For years, colonialism had begun, and during this period, they saw the work as completed. Iraq was under one form of domination, Iran under another, and the Arab countries - Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, and others - were each in some way under the heavy domination of Western and European colonizers and then Americans. To solidify the matter, they also established the usurping regime of Israel in this sensitive region to ensure that the West, through the Zionists, had a tangible, military, political, and active presence in this sensitive region and controlled everything.

In the last years of the first half and the early second half of that century, movements for freedom arose in various countries, but the Westerners quickly managed to control them and bring them under their grip. Iraq was one way, some other Arab countries were another way, and Egypt in yet another way; they would not allow control of this sensitive region, rich in vital resources, to slip from their hands. In such conditions, suddenly the Islamic Revolution caught them off guard. They did not believe that the movement of the clergy and the leadership of the Imam would turn into such a massive popular movement. The Iranian nation entered the field as one. The determination of the Iranian nation and the unparalleled leadership of our great Imam created this miraculous event.

In the world of politics, no one believed that in this region - especially in Iran where the Americans had a hundred percent influence over the statesmen and the court - suddenly a regime would rise that was based on religion, built on the foundation of religion, and held the banner of Islam and "There is no god but God, and Muhammad is the Messenger of God" in its hands. On that day, all those who looked deeply at politics understood that the course of the region had changed. Of course, the arrogant powers made great efforts to extinguish this flame; to eliminate this movement; to trample this newborn before it could grow; but the insightful individuals saw and understood that the hand of divine power was revealing itself. Day by day, this fruitful sapling grew stronger and took root. This sapling of the Islamic Republic is that good word; "Its root is firm and its branches are in the sky."

Today, the Islamic Republic system is the most stable system in this entire region. The Iranian nation today is the most fervent, determined, and active nation in this region. And the Islamic Republic has been able to make very significant strides in all areas during this time. In the field of politics, it has changed the political literature of the world with important elements; in the field of science, it has shattered the absolute stagnation that prevailed in this region and this country. Our youth have become hopeful; they have believed in themselves. The general movement of the nation and the government towards ideals is a rapid movement. Various governments and statesmen have progressed in the direction of the Islamic Revolution throughout this time, and great works have been accomplished, and the face of the Islamic Republic has become brighter day by day in the Islamic world, and the dignity of the Iranian nation has increased.

Today, in every corner of the Islamic world and among the Islamic Ummah, among the youth, among the academics, among the masses of people, if you go and seek their opinions, the Islamic Republic, the great Imam, and the nation in this system are accepted, recognized, supported, and loved by the majority of them. The nation is present; the system is progressing; the country is moving towards its ideals; and the hearts of the youth are full and overflowing with hope. But we must know and pay attention that the continuity of this blessed movement depends on our never forgetting the main lines of this movement; just as until today, the majority of the Iranian nation and a large portion of the elites of this country have not forgotten it and have pursued it.

If we want to highlight a few more essential points among the main lines, one is being Islamic; one is being popular; one is being new and innovative.

Being Islamic has various characteristics. Different dimensions of this matter, of this title of being Islamic can be understood, which must be taken into account. We say our system is Islamic; that is, it belongs to Islam; it is of concern and acceptance to all Muslims; it is not specific to one sect of Muslims. It is true that this system emerged from the depths of Shia teachings and was led and guided by a Shia religious authority, but the Islamic Republic has never provided itself with a single sectarian identity. This is why, throughout the Islamic world, youth from various Islamic sects have been supporters and admirers of this system and have honored and sanctified the name of the Imam. Throughout these twenty-eight years and until today, in Arab countries, in many non-Arab Islamic countries in the East and West of the Islamic world, youth have been enamored with the name of our great Imam and the Islamic Republic.

Today, Sunni youth in Palestine, like the devoted Shia youth in Lebanon, look to the Islamic Republic. They accumulate hope in their hearts by looking at the Islamic Republic. The steadfastness of the Islamic Republic gives them hope. They feel dignity from the dignity of the Islamic Republic. In every country of the Islamic nations, whenever any of our high-ranking officials went to a university, went among the people, the people embraced them like their own lives; they love them. The clearer and more explicit the positions of an official reflect the positions of the Islamic Republic, the more the love and affection of the Islamic world towards him increases. Therefore, being Islamic in our country means being non-sectarian and having a non-sectarian identity. The majority of the people of our country, who are Shia and devoted to the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them), alongside the majority of the Islamic world, who belong to various Sunni sects, and alongside our Shia brothers in Iraq, Lebanon, Pakistan, Bahrain, and other places, look at the Islamic Republic with one gaze and are ready to sacrifice for the Islamic Republic. In the imposed war, we had individuals from other countries who were ready to sacrifice for the defense of the borders of the Islamic Republic. Being Islamic means being dependent on Islam and based on the sacred law of Islam.

Another dimension of being Islamic is that we derive moral values and political and social systems and general rules of religion from the Book and the Sunnah and are committed to them. We take pride in our commitment to the Book and the Sunnah and believe that a correct understanding of the Book and the Sunnah can open hundreds of paths for various life issues for an open and enlightened Islamic society. Some think that commitment to the Book and the Sunnah limits a person in various and successive experiences and innovations in global life. This arises from not properly understanding the Book and the Sunnah and having a superficial view of the Book and the Sunnah. A juristic view of the Book and the Sunnah can open various paths for a person to manage society, themselves, and various systems and find open ways before them.

An important aspect of being Islamic is that Islamic jurisprudence can respond to all needs, and the scientific backing of jurists, theologians, philosophers, and scholars of Islamic sciences can open paths.

The second main line is being popular. Being popular in the Islamic Republic system is a main branch; that is, the vote of the people, the identity of the people, the dignity of the people, the will of the people, are among the main elements in the Islamic Republic system, and this is a solid foundation. The vote of the people is decisive. The needs of the people are the primary goal of the statesmen and the Islamic Republic system. These needs are both material needs and spiritual, moral, and psychological needs.

In the Islamic Republic, just as the economy of the people is important, the security of the people is also important; just as the physical security of them is important, the moral security of them is also important; just as maintaining the national structure is important, maintaining the family system is also important. The Islamic Republic sees itself obligated to all these needs of the people, and the people, in the true sense of the word, are the owners of the vote and the decision; unlike the democracy prevalent in the West; the discredited liberal democracy of the West. Western democracy is not truly the choice of the people; it is the choice of the wealthy; it is not even the choice of the body of the parties, but the choice of the leaders and heads of the parties. They are the ones who bring governments to power and remove them; they are the ones who make the big decisions. The people are excluded from most major decisions; no one pays attention to them. They are so occupied with work and concerns that they cannot find the opportunity to express what they want.

The dictatorial and tyrannical structure has taken a very modern and advanced form, today in many Western countries, at the head of which is America. There, the people, in the sense of being individuals with authority and will, have no role in bringing governments to power; it is money and the power of the owners of capital and the wealthy that determines everything and sets everything in motion according to their desires.

The Islamic Republic rejects that democracy based on the false foundations of the West. Religious democracy means the true dignity of man and the movement of the general public within the framework of God's religion and not within the framework of the traditions of ignorance and the demands of economic companies and the self-made principles of militarists and warlords. In the Islamic Republic, the movement is contrary to them; it is a movement within the framework of God's religion, and the will of the people is absolutely decisive.

Today, the Western systems, at the head of which is America, want to forcibly impose this poorly experienced and poorly tested democracy on some countries. They do not accept the Palestinian government that has arisen from the votes of the people; they create all kinds of problems for the Iraqi government that has genuinely emerged from the votes of the people; they fully support military coups and military coup leaders as long as they are under their command, while they still talk about democracy!

The third characteristic is innovation. I insist on advising our political and cultural elites to express the foundations of Islam as understood from the Book and the Sunnah and to present them in front of the questioning gaze of the people of the world or the people of our own country. It is very bad that some of us, perhaps due to a feeling of inferiority in front of the Westerners, try to express Islamic thoughts in a way that conforms to Western views; this is very inappropriate and unworthy. We have teachings today; our political literature in today's world has appeal. Some, because they are enamored with Western concepts, express Islamic thoughts, governmental foundations, and various social rules in a way that conforms to Western foundations so that they will be pleased!

We must think that this Islamic innovation, which has shown its blessings so clearly until now - even though we have many shortcomings in practice - can be conveyed to the world; we must introduce it to the world. Today, there are countless seekers of genuine and true spiritual teachings - genuine spiritual teachings, not what some deviant schools present as spirituality - in the world; many. Material life, the wheel and gears of machine life, has exhausted many people. The school of Islam can open a window for them; show them a new world. We must not destroy the Islamic truths and innovations by conforming them to the false foundations of others and ruin this manifestation. We are not ashamed to learn from others. Whatever we do not know, we learn from others. We accept any good words that others say; this is the command of Islam; but when we want to express the words of Islam, we must provide the pure words of Islam.

Let me say in one sentence: Dear brothers and sisters! This new identity that our great Imam created faced disbelief from the entire world. The day he was able to endure against the imposed war and register victory in his name, he once again astonished the world; the day he was able to prove his capabilities with his scientific advancements in nuclear issues and other scientific matters, he once again astonished and captivated the eyes of the discerning individuals. I say that a long road lies ahead of you, and on this long road, countless successes await you. What the Iranian nation has achieved in terms of success so far is nothing compared to what it will achieve in the future, God willing, thanks to steadfastness, insight, and awareness. The future of the Iranian nation will be far better than its past.

Today, the enemy's media empire is trying to reflect a distorted and false image of the Iranian nation and the Islamic Republic; but the true image is this: the Iranian nation has triumphed over all the threats and challenges it has faced in these twenty-eight years; the Iranian nation has been able to preserve its principles and orientations against all the various pressures they have brought; the Iranian nation, through its patience and perseverance, has been able to elevate its rank in scientific advancements and what pertains to scientific and technological progress, in social and political management of the country, and in the aspect of international dignity to very high ranks, and finally, the Iranian nation has been able to become a model for the Muslim nations of the region. Nations feel greatness from the steadfastness of the Iranian nation; they feel dignity; they consider the dignity of the Iranian nation as their own dignity. This is the identity that the Islamic Revolution has created through the perseverance of this great man and the efforts of the Iranian nation.

We have heavy responsibilities that we must fulfill. The statesmen have heavy responsibilities that they must fulfill. The nation has the right to expect and demand from the officials that the first thing they observe is justice. To secure justice, which is very difficult, everyone must work; everyone must strive. At the beginning of the year, I said: the economic issue is an important issue for the country. The issue of the enemy's psychological warfare is another important issue. The issue of scientific advancement is also a third issue that is very important for our nation.

Our dear nation in the economic field and economic activists must strive as much as they can. In the field of investment, in the field of labor, in the field of technical and industrial innovations, in the field of agricultural growth, everyone must strive as much as they can.

In the work of national unity and confronting the enemy's psychological warfare, everyone must be vigilant. The Iranian nation, by the grace of the Lord, has the ability to overcome dangers; to overcome what the enemy considers a threat. The enemy is fixated on the points of disagreement among the great Iranian nation to highlight or create points of disagreement. At the end of this year, we have elections; the enemy thinks it can create division and discord among our people with electoral challenges. With God's help, we will turn the upcoming parliamentary elections into another means for the growth and dignity of this nation.

The bond of brotherhood among the nation is necessary, but it is not enough; the bond of brotherhood, in addition to within the nation, must also be established among the Islamic Ummah with other countries and nations. The Shiite-Sunni conflict is one of the great conspiracies of the enemies. A group of ignorant, fanatical, and unaware individuals of the realities of the world and unaware of spirituality are incited against Islamic sects - in Iraq one way, in Lebanon another way, in other regions another way - to create discord.

Muslim brothers, whether in Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Lebanon, Palestine, or other regions of the world, regardless of their sect, know that our view is this, and the view of the true scholars of Islam is that: "Shedding the blood of a Muslim brother is among the unforgivable sins." Who stains their hands with the blood of their Muslim brothers in the name of following Islam?! In the name of adherence to Islam?! This is a departure from Islam. Everyone should know: the brotherhood of the Iranian nation with other Muslim nations is a real brotherhood; sectarian differences exist - a Shia is a Shia; a Sunni is a Sunni - there are still ideological and sectarian differences among Sunnis and among Shias; but all of these must be under the banner of "There is no god but God, and Muhammad is the Messenger of God" and stand firm against the enemies of Islam and the enemies of the Islamic Ummah.

O Lord! Unite our great Imam with the prophets; make us grateful for his invaluable spiritual legacy; make us grateful for his unique personality. O Lord! Grant victory to the Iranian nation; make the Iranian nation successful; make the Iranian nation more esteemed day by day. O Lord! Elevate the great Islamic Ummah with all Your blessings and honors. O Lord! Make the great Islamic Ummah more united day by day. O Lord! Grant Your favors to the brothers who are devoted to the Islamic Republic and to the beloved Imam of this nation wherever they are in the world; make the heart of the Master of the Age (may our souls be sacrificed for him) pleased with us.

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