Full Text of the Supreme Leader's Statements at the Grand Gathering of People in the Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified) Courtyard in Holy Mashhad

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

Thanks be to God, the Lord of the worlds. Peace and blessings be upon our Master and Prophet, Abul Qasim Muhammad, and upon his pure, chosen, and honored family, the guides and rightly guided, especially the remainder of God on earth. O God, send blessings upon Ali ibn Musa al-Ridha, the chosen Imam, the pious and pure, Your proof over those above the earth and beneath the soil, the truthful martyr, with abundant, complete, pure, continuous, and successive blessings, as the best of what You have sent upon any of Your friends. God, the Wise, has said in His Book: 'They want to extinguish the light of God with their mouths, but God will perfect His light, even though the disbelievers dislike it. He is the One who sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth to manifest it over all religion, even though the polytheists dislike it.'

Firstly, we take the auspicious birth of the noble Imam, Ali ibn Musa al-Ridha, peace and blessings be upon him, which this year coincides with the Nowruz festival, as a good omen for the new year and for our dear nation and homeland. Secondly, I extend my congratulations on both Nowruz and this great birth to all of you dear ones who have formed this dense and magnificent gathering here, and also to the great nation of Iran, to all Muslims and followers of the Prophet's household, and to all Iranians around the world.

Today, I thought to use this opportunity to address important issues that I find appropriate at the beginning of this new solar year, and to present a Quranic point as well. In fact, what is presented as a Quranic and Islamic issue, in my opinion, aligns with what our dear nation needs to hear during these days. The Quranic point is that in several verses of the Holy Quran, Almighty God has promised to preserve the religion of God and the true religion against the machinations, enmities, jealousies, and hostilities of the enemies throughout time. This noble verse from Surah 'As-Saff' is one of those verses: 'They want to extinguish the light of God with their mouths.' This noble verse likens the path of God and the religion of God to light, specifically the light of God. Since the light of God is attributed to the Almighty, it is naturally infinitely stronger than all the lights that come to human minds, such as the light of the sun, the light of the stars, and even stronger lights. The enmity of the enemies is likened to blowing with the mouth. Just as someone blows to extinguish the light of a candle or lamp, the enemies want to blow and extinguish the light of God! Naturally, the light of God is stronger than all that comes to human minds. If someone were to say that someone wants to extinguish the light of the sun with the weak air that comes out of their mouth, rational people would laugh mockingly at this foolish and childish decision; let alone the light of Almighty God.

The Holy Quran likens the true religion to this light and likens the efforts of the enemies—whether military efforts, propaganda efforts, political efforts, economic efforts, and generally all that the enemies have done yesterday, today, and in the future against the religion of God—to the same weak air and blowing that comes out of someone's mouth. How weak is this enemy's plot against the will of the sacred essence of the Lord. 'But God will perfect His light, even though the disbelievers dislike it.' This is a promise that Almighty God has made. That is, He has made it certain that wherever a movement, effort, and institution based on the religion of God takes root, the efforts of the enemies of God cannot destroy and annihilate it. Of course, there are conditions, which are mentioned in the collection of religious teachings; but the essence and truth of the matter is this. When we look at history, we see the same thing, and it is indeed true.

Following this verse, it says: 'He is the One who sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth to manifest it over all religion, even though the polytheists dislike it.' The point I want to make is within this noble verse. That is, it says that Almighty God has decided to make His religion, the true religion, the right path, and the straight path of God prevail over all human religions and all that exists in human hands—which is not true and is false—whether what is originally false or what was once true and then, through the manipulation of manipulators and distorters, became false. The religion of God will prevail over all religions; that is, all human cultures, all economic systems, all governmental methods, and all wrong ways of life will ultimately be condemned by the religion of God. Let them roam for a few days and a few mornings, to the extent of the efforts of their companions and the weakness of the companions of truth; but ultimately, the religion of God will encompass the entire earth, and all humans and individuals will benefit from the religion of God. This is the content of this noble verse.

The question that arises here is how will the religion of God dominate the earth? Will the religion of God spread globally through force and political and military power? Certainly, it cannot be this way. It is not an art for those who hold a belief and have swords in their hands and power to spread and propagate their belief over the countries and territories they occupy, forcing people to act according to this belief. A false religion can also have these characteristics. That is, someone can impose a wrong belief on human life with a sword; just as Marxist thought and the communist way of life were imposed by force on countries and nations for several years of this century, and people lived in a communist way. The religion of God does not want to prevail over countries, nations, and other religions in this way. The religion of God dominates hearts, and hearts cannot be dominated by sword and force. The heart must understand, accept, and willingly submit to a method, belief, and faith. When this happens, then it will benefit from the benefits of that faith and religious belief. It cannot be done by force and sword. No; Islam has not wanted such a thing.

Of course, the enemies of God and the enemies of Islam have said many incorrect things in this regard throughout time, which we do not care about. Some have pretended that Islam spread in the world by the sword. Others have fallen from the other side of the roof and said that Islam has no sword at all! Both statements are wrong, and each has lengthy discussions, and I do not want to talk about them. My speech is about another matter that is very important for the people, country, and our officials today. So, if the religion of God and the religion of Islam claims that it will dominate all ways of life, all governmental methods, and all social methods and human-made cultures, it does not mean that it will dominate with the sword. If not with the sword, then with what? The answer to this question is the main point.

Islam has two other means by which it can prevail over all the religions of the world; attract all hearts and defeat all flimsy logics against it. What are those two means? One is the strong logic and firm reasoning and conclusive arguments that Islam possesses. The other is justice in the true sense of the word and in absolute form. These are two tools for the advancement of Islam.

Strong logic and firm reasoning are effective in influencing the thoughts of the people of the world. That is, you look and see that throughout time, many doubts have been raised against Islam, objections have been made, and arguments have been constructed to perhaps weaken and make Islamic beliefs seem illusory; but Islamic beliefs, due to their strength and because logic follows Islamic thought—not only beliefs but also Islamic rulings are the same; because they are based on logic and accompanied by reasoning; because every sound and healthy mind and understanding and reasoning submits and humbles itself before the logic of Islam—have expanded day by day.

Compare Islam today with fifty years ago. Today, in countries where their regimes fight Islam with all possible tools, Islam is expanding. For example, the regime of the United States of America fights Islam with every means it can get its hands on and can, although it maintains appearances and says I have no opposition to Islam, or I have no enmity with Muslims; but this is a hypocritical appearance to distract Muslims from what is happening—but in this very country where the regime is opposed to Islam and if it finds true and pure Islam somewhere, it fights it with every possible means, as statistics show, Islam is the second religion. That is, the number of Muslims in this country is very large, and day by day not only African Americans but also white Americans—native Americans who may have been in this country for several generations—are inclined towards Islam. The same is true in Europe. The same is true in Africa. The same is true in the Far East.

Despite all this opposition to Islam, it is expanding. Why? Because reasoning and logic accompany Islam. This reasoning is not just academic reasoning that we say only scholars understand; no. Islam inherently has beliefs and rulings that attract and convince every person with a sound nature. The issue is not just complex and philosophical reasoning that Islam also possesses. The reasoning of Islam that we say means reasoning that is understandable to the general public. This is one tool that Islam has at its disposal.

Of course, here, I must tell all those interested in and lovers of the expansion of Islam that the exact opposite of this victory is when people propagate superstitions in the name of Islam. The greatest enmity in this part with Islam is when people propagate superstitions in the name of Islam, in the name of the religion of God, and in the name of the love of the Prophet's household, peace be upon them, so that when people become aware of these superstitions, they say 'If this is Islam, we do not want this Islam!' This is a great blow.

A few years ago, I spoke about the issue of self-flagellation, and our dear people accepted and acted upon it with all their being. Recently, someone told me something that was very interesting and strange to me. I will share that with you. Someone familiar with the issues of the former Soviet Union and this part that is Shia-populated—the Republic of Azerbaijan—said: At the time when the communists took control of the Azerbaijan region of the former Soviet Union, they erased all Islamic traces from there. For example, they turned mosques into warehouses, converted religious halls and Hussainiyas into other things, and left no sign of Islam and religion and Shiaism. They only allowed one thing, and that was self-flagellation! The instructions of the communist leaders to their subordinates were that Muslims are not allowed to pray, hold congregational prayers, read the Quran, mourn, or do any religious activity; but they are allowed to self-flagellate! Why? Because self-flagellation was a means for them to propagate against religion and against Shiaism. Therefore, sometimes the enemy uses some things in this way against religion. Wherever superstitions come in, pure religion will be defamed.

Religious preachers, religious scholars, religious thinkers, lovers of the expansion of Islam, those interested in Islam and the Prophet's household, peace be upon them, should pay attention that Islam and the Quran are accompanied by reasoning and logic. The school of the Prophet's household is accompanied by logic and reasoning. If reasoning is separated from it and instead of reasoning, God forbid, something is introduced that is far from logic and has a superstitious aspect, this will act exactly against reasoning. So, one tool for the expansion of Islam and its dominance over all religions and communities and nations and countries is logic, and the other is social justice.

The difference between social justice and logic is that logic and reasoning can be presented by all Muslims, even if they are in the minority, to those who are doubtful about Islam. For example, suppose an Islamic scholar lives in a country where Muslims are in the minority, he can present Islamic beliefs and reasoning and logic. But what about social justice? Islamic social justice can only be presented and offered when an Islamic government is established. Islamic justice is when there is an Islamic government and system in a country; otherwise, how can Islamic justice be implemented?

In parts of history where Islamic governance has been truly in place—like the era of the Commander of the Faithful, peace be upon him, or some other periods of early Islam—the amount of Islamic justice that remains has attracted hearts. You see how many non-Muslim writers and scholars have written books about the Commander of the Faithful, peace be upon him, and have spoken about his justice; they have recognized Ali, peace be upon him, due to justice and have become enamored with him. Justice is like this. If a society that is established based on Islam has social justice, legal justice, judicial justice, and executive justice among its people, and justice in the absolute sense is implemented among the people, and there is a correct distribution of wealth, this justice in this society will itself be a factor for attracting the hearts of nations and people all over the world to Islam. Why? Because people suffer from injustice.

Today, even in countries that have abundant material and scientific wealth, there is injustice, and justice in the true sense of the word does not exist. Therefore, the majority of people in those countries suffer. Why? Because justice is not implemented for them. When they see that in a corner of the world there is a government and a system that is based on Islam and in this system, justice is established and people benefit from justice and there is no injustice and oppression of individuals against each other and no violation and aggression against the rights of others, and there is no oppressed person who cannot reach justice and judiciary, they are attracted to that system. This itself is a factor for the expansion of Islam. So, the second factor for the expansion of Islam is justice. Justice is a matter that today the Islamic Republic is addressed to.

Of course, complete and absolute justice is not something that can be established in two years, five years, or ten years by imperfect humans like us. Justice is a very difficult matter. Justice is very hard to achieve. Society must be morally built so that complete justice can be implemented in it.

Another point is that from the beginning of the establishment of the Islamic Republic government until today, by the grace of God, many efforts have been made to establish justice. Those oppressions, those tyrannies, those usurpations of the rights of the people from above, those wealth accumulations by the powerful—where the one who was at the head of power was wealthier than all the people of the country—were not ordinary matters. The Qajar kings, the Pahlavi kings—we do not have accurate information about the previous ones, and we do not care about them—those who were at the head of the government and the one who lived as the king in this country and was the head of the country, were wealthier than all the individuals of the nation. Where does this come from? Is it possible without oppression? They took the people's wealth. Reza Khan, wherever there was a good property, wherever there was something eye-catching, wherever there was a beautiful building, he would lay his hands on it and create a huge and massive wealth for himself, and how many areas of the country did he lay his hands on and made them his own! His successors were the same. At the head of power, there was absolute injustice. The lower you went from the head of power, this injustice also went lower and spread. Whoever could reach out in that system to oppress another, did so. There was no prevention. There was no restraint. Those systems were like this.

In the Islamic Republic system, thanks be to God, the matter is the opposite. If sometimes a report of some injustices or aggressions and violations comes, it is absolutely not related to those who are in the high ranks of government. Those who are at the head of power; those who are at the head of government, have lives like the lives of the average people—sometimes lower than average—they have no greed for people's wealth, they have no greed for worldly wealth. We thank God that the Lord of the worlds has placed this good tradition and custom in the Islamic Republic that none of the officials wants to boast about wealth. In those days, they boasted about wealth because it was a privilege; but today, having wealth for officials is a negative aspect. If one of the officials has wealth, has property, has a grand house, has such a situation, this is a negative matter. It is negative both from the perspective of the people, thanks be to God, and from the perspective of the officials, and those who have it know that it is a negative point. This is a very important issue in the Islamic Republic system. This is the same movement towards justice that started from the beginning of the revolution, thanks be to God—our great Imam was the epitome of chastity and piety and indifference to the world—and it was prevalent, thanks be to God. It is the same in today's government system.

Therefore, both the work that has been done and what is meant by absolute justice require a long-term movement; but what I want to say to the officials and the people is this point that in the period of reconstruction, the danger of worldliness is greater than ever. In the period of reconstruction, wealth accumulates; because the period of reconstruction is the period of accumulation of work, the period of accumulation of wealth, the period of increased economic activities, and the period when if someone can make an effort and make an economic move, the way is open for them. In such a period, people who are worldly, people whose hearts are attached to worldly adornments, people who prioritize their personal interests over the interests of the country and the nation and the interests of the revolution, have their hands open to, God forbid, move towards aristocracy and wealth accumulation and collecting wealth and misuse. The period of reconstruction is the period of the flourishing and progress of the nation and the period of building the country. But at the same time, this period is the period of the danger of the tendency of weak people towards aristocracy and luxury and wealth accumulation and economic misuse. Therefore, everyone must be very careful; both the officials and all the people.

Almighty God has desired wealth and prosperity for society. Almighty God is not pleased with a poor society and a needy nation that cannot provide for its life. Almighty God has desired wealth and prosperity and having life facilities and extracting underground resources and the like for a society. Islam has desired this. Islam has asked us to cultivate the earth and increase the wealth of society. This is correct; but at the same time, Islam has desired that in society, the gap between two classes of society—the poor class and the rich class—should not be wide and there should not be a deep chasm and a gap should not be created. It should not be that in society, some people suffer from poverty and hardship and misery, and the basics of life do not reach them; but some people create legendary wealth. Islam does not want this. This is against justice. This is the same thing that if it arises in society and is given a field, then ensuring social justice in society will take on a legendary form. It will no longer be possible to hope that society will reach social justice. This must be prevented. What I want to say on the first day of the solar year 1376 and the day of the birth of Imam Ali ibn Musa al-Ridha, peace be upon him, to all of you, to the entire nation, and to all the officials is this point.

Yesterday, in the first message of the year, I told the Iranian nation to make saving your slogan. Saving does not mean stinginess that some say why do you not let people use God's blessings. No; let them use, but do not waste and overdo. Waste in society is a necessity of aristocracy and unequal distribution of wealth and a cause of wasting public wealth and God's blessing. Proper saving—the same that in Islam is called contentment—does not mean not eating. It means not overdoing, not wasting God's wealth, and not wasting God's blessing. If a society wants to practice contentment and saving—which is an Islamic command—it must be aware that in the overall form, social justice and the issue of justice should be addressed. To be able to continue this path, everyone must strive. Now that, thanks be to God, the country is moving towards construction, do not neglect justice and do not open the field for abusers. Judicial officials, with the firmness of courts and judicial systems; executive officials, with precision in entrusting responsibilities and tasks and plans and wealth to trustworthy individuals; legislative officials and members of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, with appropriate legislation, must provide this ground.

This is what I told the dear people of Ahvaz and Khuzestan and in fact to the entire Iranian nation a while ago that we must take the fourth step of the revolution, which is the step of moral and spiritual transformation, and in society, in a sense, this movement is more difficult than all movements and it is very difficult to morally renew and transform the entire society and eliminate moral vices and establish spirituality in society, because without a deep and widespread moral transformation, we will not be able to achieve social justice as Islam intends. Justice will wound and displease some. Justice will provoke those who seek to misuse public wealth to protest. Those who protest in these situations are not those who cannot reach anywhere. Those who have means and wealth can create issues. Foreign enemies also help such people.

The Islamic system is a system of justice. Therefore, in the noble verse of the Quran, the sending of prophets and the revelation of heavenly books is determined for the purpose of establishing justice: 'So that people may uphold justice.' Society moves with justice. When there is justice in society; when everyone who is diligent and active sees that they can work and be active in society and when everyone sees that opportunists, those who are brazen, those who violate and infringe on the rights of others are stopped by law and law enforcers, they are attracted to Islam. Not only them, but all nations and countries and all people and all those thirsty for justice in the world are attracted to Islam.

People in the world are intensely thirsty for justice. Today, in countries that claim democracy, injustice is more prevalent than anywhere else. In this very country of America, despite many years passing since they officially announced legal equality between blacks and whites on paper, still, discrimination between blacks and whites prevails. In some European countries, there is discrimination. The racial issue is still present in those places. Still, the powerful in these countries—including in America—if they observe internally that someone, something, or a group opposes their absolute capitalist power, they ruthlessly crush it!

Those who are knowledgeable about news and the press remember that a few years ago in the United States, a group was burned alive! Seventy, eighty men, women, and children were burned in America—in the same place where they claim that dogs and animals have rights and if someone oppresses their cat or dog at home, they claim that they will file a lawsuit against them—in broad daylight and in front of the eyes of the people of the world! This very country openly supports the most terrorist countries and governments in the world—that is, the Zionists. Today in the world, no system or regime is more ugly and black-faced in terms of inclination towards discrimination, oppression, fascism, and terrorism than the Zionist regime. The Zionist regime is terrorist, usurper, racist, oppressive, deceitful, cunning, and disruptive in the affairs of governments and countries and nations, which if someone examines their disclosed security documents, they will see all these. Such a country, in front of the eyes of the people of the world, commits the greatest injustices against the Muslim Arabs who own that land—not just residents of that land; owners of that land. Out of a hundred of their injustices, not one is objected to by global powers, and even if one of their injustices—like the recent case—is objected to in the Security Council and a resolution is issued against the Zionist regime, America vetoes it! See how badly they behave; how much they support darkness and oppression and ugliness.

People today are thirsty for justice. When there is justice in the Islamic Republic system, people from all over the world will raise their heads; they will look at this shining truth, they will admire it, and they will be attracted to it. Then this noble verse will be realized: 'He is the One who sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth to manifest it over all religion.' This is a duty; both the duty of the people and the duty of the responsible institutions. As I said, both the judicial institutions, the executive institutions, and the legislative branch, each must see what duty is incumbent upon them to complete and expand and intelligently implement justice at the national level and in all economic activities—which, thanks be to God, exists to some extent, but must be completed—especially in this period, and they must perform that duty.

The people are wholeheartedly interested in the Islamic Republic system. The people love their officials and system and representatives. These sincere, devoted, honest, loyal people who are present in all necessary fields in the Islamic Republic must be made even more hopeful with the implementation and expansion and application of justice.

My dear ones! Let me tell you that these two verses are together. This verse says that Islam will dominate the world through its internal factors—which we said are logic and reasoning on one hand and social justice on the other—not through conspiracy, not through the sword, not through the actions that the enemies of God have always done elsewhere and the enemies of the Islamic Republic are still doing now; but through logic and through the implementation of justice. This is one verse. The previous verse also says that 'They want to extinguish the light of God with their mouths'; let them threaten as much as they want. When Almighty God considers the enemy's plot weak against Islam, it is not just the plot of the disbelievers of Quraysh in the time of the Prophet. This means all the enemy's conspiracy, all at once against the Islamic Republic. This means economic blockade. This means widespread propaganda conspiracy everywhere. This means political pressures. This means the Zionists sitting and whispering with other anti-Islamic Republic powers day and night and working against the Islamic Republic day and night. All these are included, and the Quran says that in the face of this nation's adherence to Islam and the path of God; in the face of this nation's unity and solidarity; in the face of the love that has moved this nation from the first day towards the path of God and the Quran; in the face of this nation's perseverance and patience and wisdom and vigilance, all these powers, all these conspiracies, all these deceptions and alliances and all these enmities, all at once are doomed to failure.

We thank God that He has filled our hearts with hope in His mercy. We thank God that He has not placed a speck of despair and hopelessness about the future of this great nation's movement in any corner of our hearts and souls. We thank God that our nation is moving. Let me tell you, dear brothers! This movement and this effort and this solidarity and this enlightenment and this vigilance—wherever the vigilance of the nation is necessary—will defeat your enemy, will make you victorious, will please the sacred heart of the Imam of the Age, may our souls be sacrificed for him, and will make the holy spirit of the departed Imam happy.

O Lord! By Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, subdue and condemn the enemies of this nation wherever they are and in whatever guise they are. O Lord! Grant this nation all its lofty Islamic aspirations. O Lord! Increase day by day the grandeur and honor and power and greatness of this nation and the Islamic Republic.

Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings