Statements in Meeting with Members of the Islamic Propagation Coordination Council and Officials of the Ten-Day Dawn Celebrations

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

I extend my heartfelt thanks to Mr. Jannati and the other dear brothers and the joint institutions involved in this great endeavor, for the efforts you have endured, the initiatives, the endeavors, the devotion you have shown, and the reproaches you have accepted. May God assist you, God willing.

I have been somewhat aware of your work. Our dear brother Mr. Hashemi has repeatedly come over the years on various occasions and shared their problems. I know it is a great and difficult task. Certainly, if we did not have this Coordination Council for such tasks, undoubtedly—as Mr. Jannati mentioned—we would have witnessed numerous incompatibilities and problems in creating, launching, and managing various ceremonies. Thanks be to God, this council has existed, and for this reason, it must remain. Even though Mr. Jannati himself has many engagements and responsibilities, all of which require his attention, this is an important matter, and he should always, God willing, oversee this council. The budget for this council must also be provided. This is not the work of one person, one organization, or one apparatus; it is the work of the revolution. The Ten-Day Dawn is the dawn and rise of the revolution. Therefore, its commemoration must be carried out with importance.

However, regarding the issues related to the Ten-Day Dawn and its commemoration—after expressing my gratitude to you brothers and thanks—I must say that the Ten-Day Dawn is truly the period of liberation for the Iranian nation and that part of our history that has separated the past from the future. Everyone knows that our past has had ups and downs. We had dignity, we had humiliation, we had guidance, we had misguidance; but throughout past periods, even when Islam came to this country, because it was far from Islamic centers, an Islamic government in the true sense of the word was not established in this country. Islamic conquests occurred, great Islamic figures came here, greater figures from the Iranians themselves were nurtured here, scholars and prominent figures and scientists of Islamic history and stars of the Islamic sky emerged and grew here; but an Islamic system was not truly established in this country.

We do not consider the Umayyad and Abbasid governments as Islamic systems. Those governments were also monarchies and kingdoms; just another type and form. What difference does the government of Harun al-Rashid or Abdul Malik or Hisham and the likes have with the government of Ardashir I? Do they have superiority because they are called Muslims? Does a name solve the issue? What difference does the government of Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni in this country have with the tyrannical governments that existed before? In terms of governance, what difference did the Ghaznavids have with the Sassanids? The difference that exists is related to the Islamic atmosphere. The Islamic atmosphere compels Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni to perform his prayers. The one who is under his rule also becomes a prayer performer. This has nothing to do with the sultanate of Sultan Mahmud. This is the blessing of the amount of Islam that exists.

In this country, before the era of the Islamic government and the Islamic Republic, the governance and relations between the ruler and the people were always non-Islamic relations—a relationship of the sultan and the subjects, a relationship of the dominant and the dominated. All those who came here and ruled felt that they had dominated these people. From the last one, which was Reza Khan and his son, and going back, the Qajars felt they had dominated these people and had become conquerors. From the beginning, they established their government as conquerors. Before them, the Zand, Afshar, and Safavid dynasties had become conquerors.

If you go back like this, you will see various dynasties that came with money, force, tribalism, bullying, heroism, and various means and conquered these people and brought them under the yoke of their government. Therefore, their relations with the people were always "we command." "I tell the nation," "I serve my nation," as Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified) said, belonged to the Islamic Republic and our Islamic Imam; otherwise, before him, it was "we command" and "we have decreed."

From these words, one can understand the relationship. The relationship was that of a ruler and conqueror and dominant and powerful. They had either gained the sultanate by the sword or inherited it from their fathers; therefore, they were not under anyone's favor and wrote "the sultan, son of the sultan!" It was nobody's business that I am the king; I have inherited it! Like someone who inherits a copper jug from his father and it belongs to him. Can anyone say why do you have this copper jug? He has inherited it. This too has inherited the sultanate and, like that copper jug, it is his personal property, and no one has the right to interfere in it; "the sultan, son of the sultan!" These are points that you should pay attention to.

That king who had gained the government by the sword was not a servant of God; like Nader Shah, like Agha Mohammad Khan, or like Reza Khan himself. They had reached the government by force and power. Of course, Reza Khan was not under the shadow of his own sword; he had gained the government under the shadow of the British government's sword.

The Ten-Day Dawn came and cut off this wrong chain, this flawed geometry, and this sick thread, and it ended. That jug broke, and that measure spilled. The era where the government was dominant and conqueror and master and powerful and in control is over. An era has come where if there is a master, it is the people themselves. When Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified) came to power, the people accepted him, and he was the manifestation of the people's power. He had nothing of his own, he had inherited nothing from his father, he had gained nothing against the people with his sword; rather, the people's sword was in his hand, and he struck against the anti-people, the invader, the colonizer, the conspirator, and the coup plotter. Whenever the people wanted to take the sword from his hand, it belonged to them, and he would hand it over with both hands and had no claim from anyone. See, this is the foundation of the Islamic Republic government. These blessings, this important transition, and this change of course took place at the point of the Ten-Day Dawn. This historical moment is an important moment.

You celebrate the birth of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the Imams (peace be upon them). For hundreds of years, the birth of Jesus (peace be upon him) has been celebrated. Why do births have importance and value? Because they are a sensitive and decisive period and a turning point and a twist in history. That is, history was going in a line; but at this moment, it turned in another direction. This is the point of twist and the point of turning and the point of bending in another direction. If we look at it this way, the importance of the Ten-Day Dawn is very great.

We really do not have anything like the Ten-Day Dawn in history. Even Islam, with all its greatness, had an effect on us during the Ten-Day Dawn. Is it not so? The Islam that the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) brought did not have an effect on us during the Umayyad and Abbasid eras. Of course, it gave secondary effects to this nation, and prominent individuals and unique personalities and mystics and scholars and ascetics rarely emerged and were able to soar in that atmosphere; but the general public and the social system did not see any good from those blessings. Those blessings are showing themselves today.

Of course, the Ten-Day Dawn is among the effusions of Islam. Do not think that the Ten-Day Dawn, minus Islam, is anything. The Ten-Day Dawn, minus Islam, is not worth a penny. The Ten-Day Dawn is the mirror in which the sun of Islam shone and reflected on us. If this mirror did not exist, we would still have to sit like those dark periods and empty centuries and mention Islam. Saying "halva, halva" does not sweeten the mouth!

There were kings whom even our great scholars have praised in their books. Of course, great scholars like Kashif al-Ghita or Allameh Majlisi do not praise without reason; they had a reason for praising them. See how bad these kings were. Really, how bad is Fath Ali Shah? Can a measure be determined for the badness of Fath Ali Shah? How ominous is Shah Abbas Safavi? Can a measure be found for the badness of Shah Abbas Safavi? Now we say Shah Ismail Safavi brought Shiism; what has Shah Abbas Safavi done? He sat on the pulpit of Shiism, became a master, and rose up. Of course, Shah Ismail and Shah Tahmasp have a different account.

The most vile people of the time are these kings who have passed. They are all the same and have no difference with each other. I have read a lot of history, and among the kings, I really do not know of any exceptions. This same Amir Ismail Samani, this same Shia Buyid dynasty, these same Seljuks and Ghaznavids and others, wherever you look at their work, you see that they were the manifestation of the ugliest human characteristics and how much they misused God's blessings. This chain was cut off in the Ten-Day Dawn, and the Ten-Day Dawn became the birthplace of Islamic values. Now you see, for this turning point, how much commemoration should be held and what should be done. This is the point.

The things I said about the Ten-Day Dawn, you all know, and they were not new things to say. The things I will say are the same. We do not have anything new for you; however, as a reminder, we mention some points:

Firstly, the celebration of the Ten-Day Dawn should be taken out of the form of a state celebration. Of course, you say you have done some things, and you are right; but this has not been done and must be done. I know you have tried a lot; but what should be done has not been done. I once said in Friday prayers that the celebration of the Ten-Day Dawn should be like the celebration of the mid-Sha'ban. Now see what kind of advertising is needed, what kind of film should be made, what kind of speech should be given, and what should be done. These are up to you—the Coordination Council of Propaganda—to sit and work on this issue. What should you do so that when a person goes to the street on the night of the twentieth, twenty-first, and twenty-second of Bahman, flags are everywhere, and not just flags and lights on the doors of offices?

The main issue is that the holding of such ceremonies should go among the people. Any institution that becomes popular is lasting; because people are lasting. The most lasting things in this world are the people. If something is connected to the source of the people, it is guaranteed and completed; but if it is cut off, it is doomed. Religion is the same. Religion too—even the best religions—if it is not popular and becomes state-owned; that is, if people look and see that this religion belongs to these people, it is useless—as it has happened to the Zoroastrian religion and also in the early Islam during the time of the oppressive Umayyad sultans, to a large extent—it will be wasted.

This organization must become popular so that it is held like the mid-Sha'ban. You know that for the mid-Sha'ban, no one tells anyone to come and set up an arch of triumph. If one day they say do not set it up, people become more eager to set it up and want to hold it at any cost. The main effort is this.

Secondly, the films and series made on the occasion of the Ten-Day Dawn should remind the happy memories of the revolution and show the presence of the people and their dissolution in the revolution and should not have any bad teachings. Of course, in the past, sometimes there were bad teachings in them, which I now leave the details and do not enter into them. These films should revive the scenes of anti-American and anti-Israeli demonstrations. In the past, I have also told these points to the radio and television, and the brothers who are here from the radio and television should definitely reflect these points.

The best memory of the revolution is that everyone came out of themselves and dissolved in the revolution. During the revolution and at some points during the war, it was the same. Suddenly, an order from Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified) was issued, and you saw that people did not know themselves. The father tells the son, I am going; the son tells the father, I am going; the mother tells both, both of you go. They give wealth, they give life, and the self is not an issue at all. These are the moments that have kept the revolution; do not be mistaken. It is not that we think that in all these twelve-year conditions, we kept the revolution at every moment. No, there were moments when we were untying the bonds of the revolution. Where the revolution has revived, breathed, and risen again, it is these sensitive moments when suddenly a large and significant number, sometimes all the people, forgot about "self" and came to the field of "all" and the field of revolution and country and Islam. Of course, such things can only be realized by the blessing of Islam and religion and nothing else. Your ceremonies should remind people of these.

Thirdly, the march on the twenty-second of Bahman should be held with grandeur. Be careful that before the twenty-second of Bahman, no march or gathering—even small—takes place. Keep in mind to prohibit such marches. If a certain group wants to march in a certain place, it should be after the twenty-second of Bahman. On the twenty-second of Bahman, the whole country should suddenly explode, and people should pour into the streets.

After the passing of Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified) and after his anniversary, this Ten-Day Dawn should show that for the people, the memory of Imam Khomeini is as dear as the person of Imam Khomeini; otherwise, if it is decided that the memory of Imam Khomeini, like all ordinary memories, gradually weakens, one day it will also disappear, and then it will be a disaster. Know this, the day we do not have the memory of Imam Khomeini in this country, a very big loss will occur to this country. You should not let this happen.

The memory of Imam Khomeini is more than ever in the Ten-Day Dawn and the twenty-second of Bahman. Even more than the anniversary of Imam Khomeini's passing, this commemoration shows the personality of that great man. This is, in fact, the birth of leadership in this country; in the same sense that Imam Khomeini and Islam have depicted for us. Before that, Imam Khomeini was the leader of the struggle and movement; but from the day of entering the country and forming the Islamic government, Imam Khomeini became the leader of the Islamic nation. This is more important than the memory of passing.

Try to hold the march as grandly as possible. Talk to the radio and television as well; they are also obliged to cooperate. This work is inevitable. Allocate the best programs for this work.

Fourthly, activate the mosques during this decade. There are gentlemen from the militant clergy here, from whom you can seek help. Of course, there are ceremonies every year; but they have not fulfilled the purpose that the gentlemen themselves had in mind and we also have in mind, or have done so less. Some mosques have been good, and some have not been good. The major mosques of the cities—Tehran and other cities—should be activated. Leave aside speeches and invitations from officials. The speech should be short. If someone comes and speaks for ten or twenty minutes, it is enough.

In these ceremonies, refresh and enliven the people with correct emotional excitement. A year is a period of thinking and studying and learning lessons. In these ceremonies, the energy of that year of studying should be provided. This purpose is no longer provided by studying; rather, it is provided by feelings. In emotions, the strongest are those related to Ashura and Imam Hussein (peace be upon him). That is why it guarantees it more than anything else. Love and hatred, the bond of friendship and breaking away from enemies. These emotions enable a person to speak during the year and find an audience. In fact, you should make the emotions work here so that they can become the audience of revolutionary speakers until the end of the year; otherwise, if there was no enthusiasm and interest and emotion, they would not listen at all and would not care.

The sessions that are held should be joyful. They should give sweets, give drinks, the poet should recite poetry, poets should recite poetry, and someone should give a brief talk, there is no problem. As long as people know that on the occasion of the Ten-Day Dawn, a light is on here at night, and they come and go in groups. If you can do this, God willing, it is of importance. Of course, you should get a lot of help from different classes—especially from the scholars.

In past years, we told the brothers that the most important thing is to think of innovative and new and low-cost ways to make people happy. Two or three years ago, I said in Friday prayers that young people, teenagers, schoolchildren, and the like, wherever they are, should commit to decorating their own streets with these colored papers and keep themselves busy. What is wrong with this work? Tell the schools, they should also recommend it to the children. We said one word, but no one followed it that day; now you should follow this work through its own ways. For example, suppose you keep ten thousand young boys busy with this work in Tehran. They come out with enthusiasm, put up ladders, go up, cut colored paper, and stick it to these threads. Stick it here, stick it there, this child comes down, that child goes up, that child corrects. This is an excitement in itself, and he feels that he is doing something for the Ten-Day Dawn. We hope that the Almighty God grants all of you success and includes the prayer of the Imam of the Age (may our souls be sacrificed for him) for you and makes the sacred spirit of Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified) pleased and satisfied with you.

Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings