Statements of His Eminence in Meeting with Commanders and Members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on the Occasion of Guards Day

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

Today is a very great day and a magnificent and beautiful gathering. We thank God for granting us the opportunity to meet with you, the remaining followers and the pure group of the Mojahedin in the path of God, on Guards Day, in remembrance of the great guardian of Islam, Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) and those who followed his path.

I hope this day is blessed for all our dear guards—whether those present in the prestigious and pioneering organization of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps or those serving in the police force from the former committee—especially for the veterans and those injured during the sacred jihad and their families.

If we look at today, everything is promising. If we look at the international scene, at the presence of Islam in various corners of the world, at Muslim nations, and at those who, before the revolution, even if they were Muslims, either did not pay attention to their Islam or, if they did, did not feel proud of being Muslim and perhaps even felt ashamed, we see that today those same people feel proud of Islam and being Muslim. Not just a pride in the realm of mentality and as empty feelings, but a pride that also leaves effects in life. They claim independence and control over their affairs and the sovereignty of Islam; examples of which you see in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Chechnya, in African regions and countries, and elsewhere.

These international scenes are promising. They indicate a great leap from Islam that occurred through a valiant and bloody struggle by you, this great nation. For any nation, the greatest success is that its path does not remain strange, unknown, and condemned, and continues.

If you look at the domestic scene, it is the same. If someone looks inside the country, they will see that the old royal foundations gradually collapsed; they did not collapse suddenly. Only the royal crown suddenly broke, the royal palace was destroyed, the foundation of the royal system was ruined; but many false foundations have gradually collapsed to this day. Contrary to the analysis that says: 'The further we have moved from the revolution, the further our situation has moved from the revolution.' A painful mistake that exists in the minds of some. While the revolution and the new system are living entities that have grown stronger, their limbs have become more robust, their rationality has strengthened, and their capabilities have increased as they have progressed.

The revolution and the new system are a great entity and a divine pure word. Many things were not present in the early days of the revolution, and if they were, they were slogans; but today they have become fundamental and deep. On that day, the issue of devotion and submission to God's command and prohibition was not raised. On that day, our devout Islamic intellectuals, in order to present Islamic rulings, tried to offer some favorable aspects to make them presentable. But today it is not like that. Today you see a generation has come to power and a class of revolutionary youth has grown, who have been born intellectually in this revolution. For this generation, devotion to divine rulings and submission to God's command—which is the essence of Islam—is an established and deep matter.

Today, all corners of the country, in terms of social issues, have the same right to the revolution; deprived areas, villages, cities, distant and nearby, have no difference with Tehran, a matter that was obsolete in minds. During the previous regime, deprived areas had no right to demand. You see how much the perceptions and understandings have changed due to the continuous work that has been done compared to what exists today!

If I want to enumerate the tyrannical and royal ideological, intellectual, and practical foundations that were created in this country over the centuries and have been destroyed or greatly weakened over the past fifteen years, I can name more than sixteen foundations. But today I do not want to discuss that.

Today I want to present another discussion: there are many good tidings—wherever we look. It is enough for people to remove the glasses of pessimism from their eyes; pay some attention to the past situation of this country and the current situation of countries similar to our past, and then look at the Islamic Republic of Iran; they will understand what a great miracle the revolution has performed. We are like those people who walked in the sun and had no shadow. One asked the other: 'Where is the sun they talk about?' He said: 'Look behind you.' He looked and saw his shadow. He understood what the sun is. Because within the Islamic Republic system, one is familiar with truths and realities, the power of comparative judgment is weak. Therefore, a superior view is necessary. Today I will pass over this topic and do not want to discuss it.

I want to present another matter, and that is that in the Holy Quran, a bitter truth is presented that if we want to name it, we can call it 'regression,' meaning a return to the past, or 'apostasy,' meaning turning back, regression, loss, and losing achievements. This topic has been discussed in the Quran, hadith, and history. Unfortunately, this topic relates to societies and nations that are in the best spiritual and divine states. It does not relate to the people of the age of ignorance, but to the people of the age of Islam. Because they are the ones who may be affected by this microbe in their temperament. It is a disease specific to countries and nations that have taken a great step forward with a great movement and, in today's terms, have made a revolution, reached a place, and brought themselves closer to God. In other words, that disease is specific to those whom God Almighty has blessed.

You see how important this issue is that we must repeat a sentence that somehow refers to this bitter truth several times every day in Surah Al-Fatiha: 'Guide us to the straight path, the path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor, not of those who have evoked [Your] anger or of those who are astray'; the path of those whom You have blessed. However, those whom God has blessed are of two types: the first is someone who has fallen into the calamity of divine wrath and the disease of misguidance after guidance, who says: 'God, do not place me among these blessed ones.' The second type is someone who has been blessed, but has not been subjected to subsequent wrath and subsequent misguidance. He says: 'Place me among these.' 'The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor, not of those who have evoked [Your] anger, nor of those who are astray.' Place me among those blessed ones who are like 'those upon whom God has bestowed favor from among the prophets, the truthful, and the martyrs,' not like those about whom You have said: 'Remember My favor which I have bestowed upon you and that I preferred you over the worlds.' Meaning the Children of Israel. The Children of Israel were also among those whom God Almighty blessed, and the Quran explicitly states this: 'O Children of Israel, remember My favor which I have bestowed upon you'; 'I also blessed you.' and 'I preferred you over the worlds'; 'I gave you a very great blessing; that you gained superiority over all humanity because of that blessing.' But these same Children of Israel were the ones whose actions later reached a point where God Almighty sent a permanent curse upon them, and we have in the narrations that the meaning of 'those who have evoked [Your] anger' is the Jews. Meaning those who experienced that bitter historical test and trial. Of course, such a thing is also possible for Muslims. For this reason, the Quran has warned Muslims.

Last year, on the occasion of the remembrance of Hussein ibn Ali (peace be upon him), I raised this point that the story of Imam Hussein is not just a lesson, but a lesson and a warning. The lesson is that it tells us: this great person acted in such a way. We must also act in that way. Imam Hussein has given a great lesson to all humanity that is very magnificent and preserved in its place. But besides the lesson, there is something else, and that is the warning. The warning is that a person looks and sees how it happened that Hussein ibn Ali (peace be upon him)—the same child who was so honored in front of the people by the Prophet and about whom the Prophet said: 'The master of the youth of Paradise'; the leader of the youth of Paradise—was killed in such a tragic manner after half a century from the time of the Prophet?! How did it happen that this nation killed Hussein ibn Ali in front of the eyes of those from the same generation who had seen him riding on the shoulders of the Prophet and had heard these words from the Prophet about him, in such a tragic manner?! This is the warning. Was it a joke that the daughters of the Prophet were brought like the daughters of non-Islamic conquered lands in front of the eyes of the people of the streets and markets and insulted someone like Zainab (peace be upon her)?! How did it happen that things reached this point? This is the warning and it is higher than the lesson. This is looking into the depths and details of history and events.

Now, on the occasion of the discussion of 'regression' or 'apostasy' or 'return,' I want to say that in this very event, Zainab the Great (peace be upon her) mentioned the issue of 'regression'; meaning she referred to this disease and said in Kufa: 'Indeed, your example is like the one who untwisted her spun thread after it was strong into untwisted fibers'; 'You are like those who, with effort, turn wool or cotton into thread and then sit down with great effort, untwist these threads and turn them back into wool or cotton!' This means regression and return, and Zainab the Great referred to this meaning. Meaning in the nation of the final Prophet, peace be upon him and his family, this danger exists to the same extent as in the nation of Moses. After the time of the Prophet—despite the warm breath of the Prophet—these events are no joke! During the time of the Prophet—this human being who was connected to divine revelation—regarding all the small and large events that occurred, Quranic verses were revealed and divine revelation was revealed clearly and unambiguously; now after that construction that the Prophet had, such a painful, unforgettable regression occurred in history! So this microbe is the microbe of 'regression' or 'apostasy' or 'return.'

My dear ones! With whom should we share the fundamental issues of the revolution? Who is more sympathetic, interested, and familiar with this revolution and the Islamic system than you?! The audience of this statement is you, the faithful, sincere, pure-hearted young people who are truly sympathetic to the revolution, whether in your attire or in other attires—military attires; whether army, Basij, police, and ordinary and clerical and non-clerical attires. I want to say that: Gentlemen! The great enemy of the revolution within the revolution is this microbe of regression; this microbe that grows in revolutionary societies, multiplies, infiltrates, causes disease, and its disease is contagious. From the first day, America and the Eastern bloc of that day and other enemies and regional reactionaries thought that with military intervention, neighbor provocation, economic blockade, and so on, they would be able to uproot this sapling. But no matter how much they cut, sawed, and did other things, this sapling became more robust and rooted day by day. It truly became the embodiment of the noble verse 'Have you not considered how God presents an example, a good word like a good tree, whose root is firmly fixed and its branches [high] in the sky.' The roots were strong and the branches were in the sky.

Today I do not want to say that the armed enemies with money and power are idle and do not strike. They strike and you hear their words. Today they have become so shameless that they openly say: we went to such and such a country and told them to cut off their relations with Iran, or such and such a country to conduct its dealings in such a way. The shamelessness of our enemies—more than all the Americans—is such that they even explicitly state it! The baseless, unknown, fabricated-natured Zionists who did not dare to make any presence and all their efforts were spent on defending themselves, now due to the misconduct of some Arab leaders in the region, have reached a point where they go here and there and say behave with Iran in such and such a way! It was said: 'One was not allowed into the village, he asked for the headman's house.' Their presence in the region is excessive, now they are running around saying such and such!

Today the most important plan of the enemy is 'waiting.' The enemy is waiting for this microbe to affect this healthy and strong body; meaning the body of the Islamic system and the Islamic Republic. Therefore, we must be vigilant. Today they are waiting for corruption to infiltrate within this country; for doubt to infiltrate the minds of the youth of this country; for distracting and corrupting entertainments to prevail over great ideals; for worldliness and engagement in wealth and worldly adornments to become prevalent and for the pleasure of money and comfortable and luxurious living to show itself under the teeth of revolutionary elements.

These are the carriers of the microbe of regression. Not that people or revolutionaries should not live! The blessings and bounties of God are for everyone and everyone should use them. But engaging in the world and desires; engaging in wealth and hoarding wealth; engaging in oneself more than engaging and thinking about the collective and the goal and God and the religion of God; falling into moral corruption—whether financial, sexual, administrative corruption, and internal conflicts which is also a very dangerous type of corruption—and wrong and illegitimate ambitions, as is discussed in the Western world, are factors that destroy the ideal palace of the revolution and Islam and any truth. New buildings will be constructed; but tyrannical, non-divine buildings, buildings against Islam and against the values for which the blood of our martyrs was shed. And this means the same regression and return, which the enemy is waiting for.

If you see that the issue of cultural invasion or cultural raid or cultural massacre is being intensely pursued by the enemy in this country; if you see that the enemy's propaganda is more focused on the Islamic Republic than other places around the world and if you see that they are constantly trying to capture the minds of the nation—especially the youth and believers—within the Islamic Republic, it is for this reason. The enemy and enemy institutions, through experience, have understood that humans are vulnerable. They say: 'Every human being can be corrupted. Whoever it is, they can be corrupted.' Of course, they are right; with one exception: 'except the pious.' The pious cannot be corrupted. They do not understand this; meaning the meaning of piety. Yes; humans can be corrupted and the beauties of the world can be paraded in front of their eyes through unlawful means and their hearts can be taken; so that they throw away all values and sacrifice them in front of material manifestations. But if there is no piety: 'except the pious.' Piety affects in the Hereafter, it affects in the world, it affects in politics, it affects in preserving the system, it affects in war. And you yourselves have understood and felt this and seen it.

My dear ones! I want to say that the heavy burden of preserving this divine trust—the Islamic Republic—is on your shoulders. Of course, know this: I am a person who knows the different classes of society and has connections with them. I now thank God that these walls and veils have not been able to cut off my connection with various classes of people. I am very optimistic. I see that the enemy, out of a hundred efforts, fails in ninety efforts. I am also familiar with the gatherings and assemblies of the guards, thanks be to God. There are so many beautiful things and one observes so many great works, high ambitions, and legendary sacrifices among you dear young people that I have repeatedly thanked the great God for the existence of such high ambitions and great spirits and great and silent personalities and—I tell you—I have felt ashamed. I have compared myself to this young person and seen where we are and where this young person is! There are many of this kind. I know these and I know that the enemy has really not been able to make one-tenth of its efforts effective in the country's situation. But that same ten percent and one-tenth worries me.

I want to say to you dear young people, to you dear guards, to you the magnificent and glorious organization of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, to you Basijis, to you faithful and sympathetic army members and those shaped and formed by the Islamic Revolution and the Islamic Republic, to you young people of various classes in this country and to the various families, from the middle class, lower than the middle class, and higher than the middle class, that my dear ones! The heavy burden of preserving this divine trust, which is the trust of the prophets, is on your shoulders. The Islamic Republic is the historical trust of the great prophets of God. It is the wish of Moses and Jesus and the wish of all our great saints and Imams that has been realized today; albeit incomplete. (Its completion, God willing, will appear and be revealed during the great government and the great guardianship of the Master of the Age, may our souls be sacrificed for the dust of his feet.) This is a very heavy burden and a valuable cargo. You must preserve this and this is not possible except by preserving the self. The goods of the world, the pleasure of good, money, wealth, and worldly luxury—even in the limits that people like you and me might have in our lives—are much less and more worthless and insignificant than for a person to weaken their spiritual foundation for them and endanger carrying this burden. Be vigilant and thwart the enemy.

This readiness, which you say 'we are ready,' is very valuable. But know that this readiness is harder than readiness on the front. This is a very difficult readiness. Those readinesses will be possible if a person gains readiness here. Those who were able to stand firm there had emptied their hearts of these loves. You yourselves, refer to that history and your own memories! Remember how you were not thinking about anything in this world! You were not thinking about wealth, riches, house, life, parents, spouse, and children! If someone told you that we want to give you a very good house in such and such a place in the city, you would laugh at them and say 'what is a house?!' You were so pure that you were able to do those great things. Those who trembled in the face of material desires could not resist. Go back to the Holy Quran and read the story of Goliath! 'And David killed Goliath.' Read this story with care and reflection to see what a valuable and important role resistance and steadfastness play in difficult fields.

I hope that God Almighty grants success, and the favors and attentions of the Master of the Age, may our souls be sacrificed for him, help so that we can all be ready to move in this field.

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