Full Text of the Supreme Leader's Statements in the Friday Prayer Sermons in Tehran

First Sermon

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

Thanks be to God, the Lord of the worlds. We praise Him, seek His assistance, and ask for His forgiveness. We believe in Him, rely on Him, and send blessings and peace upon His beloved, His chosen one, and the best of His creation. The guardian of His secrets and the deliverer of His messages. The bearer of mercy and the harbinger of His wrath. Our master, our prophet, and the beloved of our hearts, Abu al-Qasim al-Mustafa Muhammad, and upon his pure and chosen progeny and the companions of the sincere Mojahedin. And blessings be upon the leaders of the Muslims and the protectors of the oppressed. I advise you, O servants of God, to be God-conscious.

"O you who believe! Fear God and speak a word of appropriate justice." (28)

I invite and recommend all of you, brothers and sisters, and myself to observe divine piety, to be vigilant about our actions, words, and intentions, and to seek assistance from God to tread His path and the path of truth.

Today, although it is the day of the birth of Musa ibn Ja'far (peace be upon him), and it would be appropriate for us to express our devotion and sincerity to that great figure in the first sermon, however, since in the collection of the topics we discuss in the sermons and speeches, the mention of the sacred name of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) and a description of some aspects of his life is, frankly, insufficient, and the radiant face of that jewel of creation and that unique gem of existence is not as clear to many individuals as it should be—neither the history of his life, nor his ethics, nor his personal and political behavior—I intended to present some remarks about that great figure during the last days of Safar, to the extent of my time and ability; however, I feared that the density of the topics might cause this necessary and obligatory expression of devotion to be missed and delayed. Therefore, today I intend to speak about that sacred existence in this sermon.

The noble Prophet of Islam, apart from his spiritual characteristics, radiance, and connection to the unseen, and the ranks and degrees that individuals like myself are even incapable of understanding, is an extraordinary, first-class, and unparalleled human being in terms of human personality. You have heard much about Amir al-Mu'minin. It suffices to say that the great art of Amir al-Mu'minin was that he was a student and follower of the Prophet. A magnificent personality, with infinite capacity and unparalleled character and behavior, has been placed at the forefront of the series of prophets and saints, and we Muslims are obliged to follow that great figure; as he said: "Indeed, you have in the Messenger of God an excellent example." (29) We must emulate and follow the Prophet, not only in performing a few units of prayer but also in our behavior, speech, interactions, and transactions. Therefore, we must recognize him.

God Almighty nurtured the spiritual and moral character of that great figure in a manner that he could carry the immense burden of trust. Let us take a brief look at the life of the noble Prophet during his childhood. According to one narration, his father passed away before his birth, and according to another narration, a few months after his birth, he died, and that great figure did not see his father. In accordance with the customs of noble and honorable families in Arabia at that time, who entrusted their children to pure and noble women of lineage and nobility to raise them in the desert among the Arab tribes, this beloved child, the light of the family, was entrusted to a noble woman named Halimah al-Sa'diyyah—who was from the Banu Sa'd tribe. She took the Prophet among her tribe and cared for that precious child for about six years; she nursed him and raised him. Thus, the Prophet was nurtured in the desert. Sometimes this child was brought to his mother, Lady Amina, and she would see him and then return him. After six years, when this child had developed remarkably in both physical and spiritual aspects—strong, beautiful, agile, and capable; and in terms of spirit, he was composed, patient, good-natured, well-behaved, and open-minded, which was necessary for life in those conditions—he was returned to his mother and family. His mother took this child and went to Yathrib to visit the grave of Abdullah, who had passed away there and was buried there. Later, when the Prophet visited Medina and passed through there, he said, "My father's grave is in this house, and I remember that I came here with my mother to visit my father's grave." On the way back, in a place called Abwa, his mother also passed away, and this child became an orphan from both father and mother. Thus, the spiritual capacity of this child, who in the future would nurture and advance a world in his moral existence, increased day by day. Umm Ayman brought him to Medina and entrusted him to Abdul Muttalib. Abdul Muttalib treated and cared for this child as if he were his own life. In a poem, Abdul Muttalib says that he treated him like his mother. This old man, about a hundred years old—who was the chief of the Quraysh and very noble and respected—showed such affection and love to this child that no feeling of neglect could ever arise in him. It is astonishing that this young boy endured the hardships of being away from his father and mother so that his capacity and readiness would increase; however, not a trace of inferiority, which might occur for some children in such situations, arose in him. Abdul Muttalib cherished and honored him so much that it astonished everyone. Historical and hadith books state that they would spread a carpet and a cushion for Abdul Muttalib next to the Kaaba, and he would sit there, and his sons and the young men of Banu Hashim would gather around him with honor and respect. When Abdul Muttalib was absent or inside the Kaaba, this child would go and sit on this cushion. When Abdul Muttalib returned, the young men of Banu Hashim would tell this child to get up, as it was the place of his father. But Abdul Muttalib would say, "No, his place is right there, and he should sit there." Then he would sit beside him and keep this dear and noble child in that place. He was eight years old when Abdul Muttalib also passed away. It is narrated that at the time of his death, Abdul Muttalib took allegiance from Abu Talib—his very noble and honorable son—and said, "I entrust this child to you; you must support him as I did." Abu Talib accepted and took him to his home, treating him as his own precious life. Abu Talib and his wife—an Arab woman of strength; that is, Fatimah bint Asad, the mother of Amir al-Mu'minin—supported and assisted this noble human being for nearly forty years as if they were his parents. The noble Prophet spent his childhood and adolescence in such conditions.

The noble moral traits, the precious human personality, great patience and endurance, and familiarity with the pains and sufferings that a human being may experience in childhood laid the groundwork for a profound and intertwined great personality in this child. During his childhood, by his own choice, he took on the shepherding of Abu Talib's sheep and engaged in shepherding. These are complementary factors of character. By his own choice, during his childhood, he traveled for trade with Abu Talib. Gradually, these trade journeys were repeated until he reached the period of youth and marriage with Khadijah and the age of forty—when he became a prophet.

All the positive characteristics of a noble human being were gathered in him; I will briefly mention some of the moral characteristics of that great figure. However, it truly requires hours to speak about the moral characteristics of the Prophet. I only dedicate this few minutes to these topics to express my devotion and to practically convey to speakers and writers that more work should be done regarding the personality of the Prophet, and its dimensions should be elucidated—because it is a deep sea. Of course, there are many books regarding the noble Prophet and, in a scattered manner, regarding the ethics of that great figure. What I have mentioned here is from an article by one of the contemporary scholars—late Ayatollah Haj Sayyid Abul-Fadl Mousavi Zanjani—who has written an article on this subject, and I have utilized his writing, which is summarized, concise, and good.

In summary, we can divide the ethics of the Prophet into "personal ethics" and "governmental ethics." As a human being, his character traits, and as a ruler, his characteristics and behaviors. Of course, these are just a glimpse of the things that existed in that great figure. Many times more of these outstanding and beautiful characteristics existed in him, and I will mention some of them. That great figure was trustworthy, truthful, patient, and forbearing. He was noble; he defended the oppressed in all circumstances. He was righteous; his behavior with people was based on truthfulness, sincerity, and correctness. He was eloquent; he was not harsh-tongued or sarcastic. He was chaste; in the morally corrupt environment of pre-Islamic Arabia, during his youth, he was known for his modesty and chastity, and everyone acknowledged his purity, and he was not tainted. He was clean and tidy in appearance; his clothes were clean; his face and body were clean; his behavior was clean. He was brave, and no formidable front of the enemy could shake or frighten him. He was straightforward; he expressed his words with clarity and truthfulness. In life, he practiced asceticism and piety. He was generous; he was generous with wealth and also generous in revenge; that is, he did not take revenge; he forgave and overlooked. He was very polite; he never stretched his legs in front of anyone; he never insulted anyone. He was very modest. When someone reproached him for something he deemed appropriate—of which there are examples in history—he would lower his head in shame and modesty. He was very kind, forgiving, humble, and devoted to worship. Throughout the life of that great figure, from his adolescence until his death at the age of sixty-three, these characteristics could be seen in his existence.

I will elaborate on some of these characteristics:

His trustworthiness and honesty were such that in the era of ignorance, he was called "the trustworthy" and people entrusted every important trust to him, confident that this trust would return to them safely. Even after the call to Islam began and the flames of enmity and discord with the Quraysh rose, even in those circumstances, those enemies would still come to the Prophet to entrust something to him! Thus, you have heard that when the noble Prophet migrated to Medina, he left Amir al-Mu'minin in Mecca to return the trusts of the people to them. It is evident that even at that time, there were amounts of trust with that great figure—not the trust of Muslims, but the trust of the disbelievers and those who were hostile to him!

His patience was such that things that others could not bear to hear did not cause him to become impatient. Sometimes the enemies of that great figure in Mecca behaved in ways that when Abu Talib heard about one incident, he became so angry that he drew his sword and went there with his servant and retaliated against each of them for the insult they had inflicted on the Prophet; he said, "If any of you object, I will cut off your neck!" However, the Prophet endured this scene with patience. In another instance, there was a conversation with Abu Jahl, and Abu Jahl insulted the Prophet severely; however, that great figure remained silent and showed patience. Someone went to Hamzah and informed him that Abu Jahl had behaved in such a manner with your nephew; Hamzah became impatient and went and struck Abu Jahl on the head with his bow, causing his head to bleed. Later, under the influence of this incident, he embraced Islam. After the advent of Islam, sometimes Muslims, due to negligence or ignorance, would utter insulting phrases towards the Prophet; even once, one of the Prophet's wives—Zainab bint Jahsh, who is one of the mothers of the believers—said to the Prophet, "You are a prophet, but you do not act justly!" The Prophet smiled and remained silent. She had a feminine expectation that the Prophet did not fulfill; I may refer to that later. Sometimes some individuals would come to the mosque, stretch their legs, and say to the Prophet, "Cut our nails!"—as nail cutting had become customary—the Prophet, with complete patience, would endure this rudeness and disrespect.

His nobility was such that he would pardon and overlook even his personal enemies. If there was an oppressed person somewhere, he would not cease to assist him until he helped him.

In the era of ignorance, there was a pact called "Hilf al-Fudul"—a pact of virtue; distinct from the pacts that the people of Mecca had among themselves—of which the Prophet was a participant. A stranger entered Mecca and sold his goods. The one who bought the goods was named 'As ibn Wa'il, a powerful and tyrannical man among the nobles of Mecca. After buying the goods, he did not pay for them. The stranger, having no one to turn to for help, climbed Mount Abu Qubays and cried out, "O children of Fihr! I have been wronged." The Prophet and his uncle, Zubair ibn Abdul Muttalib, heard that cry; thus, they gathered together and decided to defend his rights. They went to 'As ibn Wa'il and said, "Pay him his money!" He became frightened and was compelled to pay. This pact remained established among them, and they decided that whenever a stranger entered Mecca and the Meccans wronged him—who often wronged strangers and non-Meccans—they would defend him. Even after the advent of Islam, years later, the Prophet would say, "I still consider myself committed to that pact." He often treated his defeated enemies in ways that were incomprehensible to them. In the eighth year of Hijra, when the Prophet conquered Mecca with grandeur and glory, he said, "Today is the day of mercy"; thus, he did not take revenge. This was the nobility of that great figure.

He was righteous. In the era of ignorance—as we mentioned—he engaged in trade; he traveled to Syria and Yemen; he participated in trade caravans and had partners. One of his partners from the era of ignorance later said that he was the best partner; he neither acted stubbornly nor quarreled, nor did he impose his burdens on his partner, nor did he mistreat customers, nor did he sell them overpriced goods, nor did he lie to them; he was righteous. It was this righteousness of the Prophet that captivated Khadijah. Khadijah herself was the first lady of Mecca and a prominent figure in terms of lineage and wealth.

From childhood, the Prophet was a clean individual. Unlike the children of Mecca and the children of the Arab tribes, he was clean, tidy, and orderly. In his adolescence, he combed his hair; later, in his youth, he had a beard and combed his hair; after Islam, even when he had passed the age of youth and was an old man—fifty or sixty years old—he was completely committed to cleanliness. His precious hair, which reached to his earlobes, was clean; his beautiful beard was clean and fragrant. In a narration, I read that he had a water jug in his house in which he would see his blessed face—at that time, mirrors were not so common and widespread—"He would arrange his turban and beard when he wanted to go to his companions"; (30) when he wanted to go to his friends and companions, he would certainly tidy his turban and beard before going out. He always perfumed himself. In travels, despite his ascetic lifestyle—which I will mention, the Prophet's life was extremely ascetic—he would carry a comb and perfume with him. He would take a kohl container to apply kohl to his eyes; as it was customary for men to apply kohl at that time. He would brush his teeth several times a day. He would also instruct others to maintain cleanliness, to brush their teeth, and to keep their appearance tidy. Some mistakenly think that a tidy appearance must be accompanied by ostentation and extravagance; no. One can be organized and clean even with patched and worn clothes. The Prophet's clothes were patched and worn; however, his clothing and appearance were clean. These seemingly small matters are very effective in social interactions, behaviors, external appearances, and hygiene.

His behavior with people was pleasant. In public, he was always cheerful. When he was alone, then his sorrows and worries would appear. He did not reveal his worries and sorrows in front of people. He was cheerful. He greeted everyone. If someone upset him, his displeasure would be visible on his face; however, he would not complain. He did not allow anyone to insult others or speak ill of anyone in his presence. He himself did not insult anyone or speak ill of anyone. He treated children with kindness; he was affectionate towards women; he had the utmost good behavior with the weak; he would joke with his companions and hold horse racing competitions with them. His bedding was a mat; his pillow was made of leather filled with palm fibers; his staple food was barley bread and dates. It is written that he never filled his stomach with wheat bread for three consecutive days—not with colorful foods. Umm al-Mu'minin Aisha says that sometimes a month would pass without smoke rising from our kitchen. He would ride a beast without a saddle and bridle. On the day when valuable horses were saddled and adorned, he would often ride a donkey in many places. He would adopt a humble demeanor. With his own hands, he would patch his shoes. This is the same action that the prominent student of this school—Amir al-Mu'minin (peace be upon him)—often performed, and you have heard much about this in the narrations. While he considered earning a living through lawful means permissible and said, "Indeed, wealth is a good aid to piety"; (32) he would spend any wealth he obtained from any source on the poor. His worship was such that his feet would swell from standing in prayer. He would spend a significant portion of the nights in wakefulness, worship, supplication, crying, seeking forgiveness, and praying. He would converse with God Almighty in secret and seek forgiveness. Besides the month of Ramadan, in the months of Sha'ban and Rajab, and during the rest of the year—so I have heard—in that hot weather, he would fast every other day. His companions said to him: "O Messenger of God! You have no sin; "God has forgiven you what has preceded and what will follow"—which is mentioned in Surah Al-Fath: "So that God may forgive you what has preceded of your sin and what will follow" (33)—why do you pray and worship so much?! He would say: "Should I not be a grateful servant?" (34) Should I not be a grateful servant of God who has bestowed so many blessings upon me?!

His steadfastness was such that no parallel can be found in human history. He exhibited such steadfastness that he was able to establish this eternal divine foundation. Could it have been possible without steadfastness? It became possible through his steadfastness. Through his steadfastness, such companions were trained. Through his steadfastness, in a place where no mind could imagine, the tent of enduring human civilization was raised in the middle of the barren deserts of Arabia; "So call upon [God] and remain steadfast as you have been commanded." (35) These are the personal ethics of the Prophet.

And as for the governmental ethics of the Prophet. That great figure was just and wise. Anyone who reads the history of the Prophet's arrival in Medina—those tribal wars, those attacks, those leading the enemy from Mecca into the middle of the deserts, those successive blows, those confrontations with the obstinate enemy—will observe such strong, wise, and comprehensive planning throughout this history that is astonishing, and there is no time for me to elaborate on it.

He was the guardian and protector of rules and laws and did not allow the law—whether by himself or by others—to be violated. He himself was also subject to the laws. The verses of the Quran testify to this point. According to the same laws that people were to follow, that great figure also acted precisely and strictly and did not allow any violations to occur. When the men of Banu Qurayzah were captured; their traitors were executed, and the rest were taken captive, and the wealth and property of Banu Qurayzah were brought, several of the mothers of the believers—one of whom was Umm al-Mu'minin Zainab bint Jahsh, one was Umm al-Mu'minin Aisha, and one was Umm al-Mu'minin Hafsa—said to the Prophet: "O Messenger of God! So much gold and so much wealth has come from the Jews; give us some too." However, the noble Prophet, although he loved women and was very kind and well-behaved towards them, did not agree to their request. If the Prophet had wanted to give some of that wealth to his wives, the Muslims would not have objected; however, he did not agree. Later, when they insisted, the Prophet distanced himself from his wives and stayed away from them for a month because they had such an expectation from him. Then the noble verses of Surah Al-Ahzab were revealed: "O wives of the Prophet, you are not like any other women" (36), "O Prophet, say to your wives, 'If you desire the worldly life and its adornment, then come, I will provide for you and release you in a goodly manner. (37) But if you desire God and His Messenger and the home of the Hereafter, then indeed, God has prepared for the doers of good among you a great reward." (38) The Prophet said: "If you want to live with me, it is a life of asceticism, and transgressing the law is not possible."

Another of his governmental traits was that he was a keeper of promises. He never broke a promise. The Quraysh broke their promises with him, but he did not. The Jews broke their promises many times, but he did not.

He was also discreet. When he was moving towards the conquest of Mecca, no one understood where the Prophet intended to go. He mobilized the entire army and said, "Let us go out." They asked, "Where to?" He said, "It will be revealed later." He did not allow anyone to understand that he was heading towards Mecca. He made it so that until near Mecca, the Quraysh were still unaware that the Prophet was coming!

He did not consider enemies to be the same. This is one of the important points in the life of the Prophet. Some enemies were those whose enmity was deep; however, the Prophet, if he saw that they posed no major threat, did not concern himself with them and was lenient towards them. Some enemies, however, were those who posed a threat, and the Prophet would keep a close watch on them, such as Abdullah ibn Ubayy. Abdullah ibn Ubayy—an arch hypocrite—was also conspiring against the Prophet; however, the Prophet merely kept an eye on him and did not take action against him, and he remained until the end of the Prophet's life. Shortly before the Prophet's death, Abdullah Ubayy passed away; however, the Prophet tolerated him. These were enemies who did not pose a serious threat to the Islamic government and community. However, the Prophet was very strict with enemies who posed a threat. That kind, compassionate, forgiving man ordered that the traitors of Banu Qurayzah—who numbered several hundred—be executed in one day, and he expelled Banu Nadir and Banu Qaynuqa. He conquered Khaybar because these were dangerous enemies. The Prophet had shown utmost kindness to them at the beginning of his entry into Mecca; however, they betrayed and stabbed him in the back and conspired and threatened. The Prophet tolerated Abdullah ibn Ubayy; he tolerated the Jews inside Medina; he tolerated the Quraysh who sought refuge with him or were harmless. When he conquered Mecca, since there was no longer any threat from them, he even treated people like Abu Sufyan and some other notable figures with kindness; however, he severely suppressed that treacherous, dangerous, and untrustworthy enemy. These are the governmental ethics of that great figure. In the face of the enemy's temptations, he was vigilant; in front of the believers, he was humble; in the face of God's commands, he was completely obedient and a true servant; in the face of the interests of Muslims, he was impatient to act and execute. This is a summary of the character of that great figure.

O Lord! We ask You to make us among the followers of the Prophet. You know that our hearts are filled with love for the Prophet; keep us alive with this radiant and heavenly love and take us from this world with this endless love. O Lord! Grant us the visitation of the Prophet's face on the Day of Resurrection. Make us act according to the commands of the Prophet and emulate the ethics of that great figure. Make him our true example and make Muslims appreciate that great figure.

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

Say, "He is God, [who is] One. God, the Eternal Refuge. He neither begets nor is born, nor is there to Him any equivalent." (39)

Second Sermon

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

Thanks be to God, the Lord of the worlds. And blessings and peace be upon our master, our prophet, and the beloved of our hearts, Abu al-Qasim al-Mustafa Muhammad, and upon his pure and chosen progeny. Especially upon Amir al-Mu'minin and the pure and chaste lady, the mistress of the women of the worlds. And upon Hasan and Husayn, the masters of the youth of Paradise, and Ali ibn Husayn, Zain al-Abidin, and Muhammad ibn Ali al-Baqir, and Ja'far ibn Muhammad al-Sadiq, and Musa ibn Ja'far al-Kazim, and Ali ibn Musa al-Ridha, and Muhammad ibn Ali al-Jawad, and Ali ibn Muhammad al-Hadi, and Hasan ibn Ali al-Zaki al-Askari, and the awaited Mahdi, the proof of God over His servants and the trustworthy in Your lands. And blessings be upon the leaders of the Muslims and the protectors of the oppressed and the guides of the believers.

In the second sermon, I will discuss how this national unity, which is our slogan this year and is severely threatened by enemies and malefactors, can be achieved. I hope that all those who are deeply committed to the Islamic system and this constitution will pay attention to today's remarks. Those who do not believe—thankfully, there are not many in our society—if they pay attention, it may serve as a means for them to prepare for divine guidance. Of course, today this gathering is a great one. Besides the dear people of Tehran who are participating in the Friday prayer, a group of good and faithful youth from Qom and a number of esteemed scholars and respected prayer leaders of Tehran are also present in this prayer today.

The revolution is a fundamental transformation based on a series of values and is considered a forward movement. What occurred in our country was the Islamic Revolution, which was a tremendous transformation in the political, economic, and cultural pillars of society and a forward movement and an action towards the advancement of this country and this nation. Of course, in the system that was established based on the revolution, we did not take a model from the East or the West. This is a very important point. We could not take a model from those whose systems we considered wrong and contrary to the interests of humanity. The issue of religious, sectarian, and geographical bias was not raised; the issue was that the foundations upon which the Eastern communist systems were built—of which today there is no such identity in the world—were also wrong foundations upon which the Western systems were built; therefore, we could not and did not want to take a model from them. Our model was other values, of which I have referred to some.

But why did we not take a model from those two global regimes—the Eastern communist regime and the Western capitalist regime? Because they were false regimes. The communist regimes were despotic regimes that came to power under the slogan of popular governance; however, they were also aristocratic! Although they claimed to be against aristocracy, they were, in practice, aristocratic governments. In terms of despotism, they were at the highest degree of despotism, and the absolute dominance of the state over the economy, culture, politics, and various social activities was evident! In the Eastern regimes, the people were completely powerless. I had gone and seen these countries closely in their last days. Even at the head of some of their backward and poor countries, there was a so-called workers' regime in power; however, they repeated the same aristocratic behaviors and the same wrong actions of the old courts! There were no elections in these countries, nor was there any popular vote; however, they called themselves democratic and claimed to be popular! The people were completely powerless: economically, they were entirely dependent on the state; culturally, they were entirely dependent on the state! It was clear that such regimes were doomed to perish. Of course, because their slogans were shiny and attractive, they managed to attract young people from around the world and establish governments; however, they could not last long. You saw where they ended up; after several decades, they completely disappeared. It was natural that those regimes could not serve as models for us. On the day our revolution triumphed—twenty-one years ago—there was no revolution in the world that, when victorious, did not lean towards that Eastern regime—whether Marxist or the lighter version of socialism; however, Islam and the Iranian people and the leader of this nation rejected it and did not accept it and set it aside.

We also did not want and could not take a model from the West; because the West had some things, but at the cost of lacking more important things. In the West, there was knowledge, but there was no morality; there was wealth, but there was no justice; there was advanced technology, but accompanied by the destruction of nature and the enslavement of man; there was the name of democracy and popular governance, but in reality, it was the rule of capital, not popular governance; and today it is still the same. What I am saying is not my claim. I do not quote a certain biased Muslim writer; I quote from the Westerners themselves. Today, in Western countries and in America itself, what exists under the name of democracy and elections is a facade of elections. The essence of it is the rule of capital. I do not wish to name the writers and their books; however, the American writers themselves describe and write about how municipal elections, parliamentary representative elections, and presidential elections are conducted. If someone looks, they will see that there, the people's votes have almost no role, and what speaks first and last is money and capitalism and modern advertising methods that deceive and attract superficial-minded people! The name is democracy, but the essence of democracy is absolutely absent. Scientific advancements in the West were a means of exploiting other nations. As soon as the Westerners gained scientific power, they converted it into political and economic power and set off towards the East and West of the world. Wherever they could lay their hands on a country and exploit it, they did so without hesitation. Wherever they could not, they did not! In the West, there was freedom, but freedom accompanied by oppression and lawlessness and chaos. Newspapers in the West are free, and they write everything; however, to whom do the newspapers in the West belong? Do they belong to the people?! This is a clear matter; they should go and look. You can show me a notable newspaper in all of Europe and America that does not belong to the capitalists! So, when a newspaper is free, it means the freedom of the capitalist to express his views; to defame anyone he wants; to elevate anyone he wants; to sway public opinion in any direction he desires! This is not freedom. If someone emerges and speaks against Zionism—like that French gentleman (40) who wrote several volumes against the Zionists and said that the claim that Jews were burned in the furnaces is not true—they treat him differently! If someone is not affiliated with the capitalists and the centers of capitalist power, his voice will not be heard, nor will he have freedom of expression! Yes; the capitalists are free to say whatever they want through their newspapers and radios and televisions! This freedom is not a value; this freedom is an anti-value. They lead people to lawlessness and disbelief; they create wars wherever they want; they impose peace wherever they want; they sell weapons wherever they want. Freedom means this!

It was natural that for a nation that had risen with its life and its loved ones, and at its head was a divine scholar and the successor of the prophets, the Western system could not serve as a model. Therefore, we did not take our model from either the Eastern or the Western regimes; we took our model from Islam, and our people, due to their familiarity with Islam, chose the Islamic system. Our people had read Islamic books; they were familiar with the narrations; they were acquainted with the Quran; they had sat at the pulpits. In these recent decades, religious intellectuals—from scholars, clerics, and academics—had done a lot of work. A series of values had become established among the people, and they were seeking them. In the environment of the previous regime, there was no news of these values. The revolution was to attain those values. And what are these values? Here, I will mention some of these values. Of course, if we want to express these values in one word, I would say Islam; however, Islam is a brief word and has various details. Our nation was seeking values that are all contained within Islam, and I will refer to some of them:

The first value is faith. The people were disgusted and dissatisfied with the hedonism and lawlessness and disbelief and wanted their hearts to be firmly anchored in faith. The next value is justice. The people saw that society was an unjust society. They were mercilessly oppressed from top to bottom; they were oppressing themselves as well. Within the regime of the tyrant, there was also mutual oppression among people; the people were endlessly oppressed. There was injustice in judgment, injustice in the distribution of wealth, injustice in work, injustice towards remote cities, injustice towards weak individuals. In every place, oppression was palpable, and a person felt oppression with their own skin and flesh. The people were seeking justice and the elimination of class gaps and the alleviation of poverty. This was another value that the people were pursuing. This issue is distinct from justice. In society, someone or a group was at the peak of wealth and prosperity; however, a number of others were deprived of the essentials of life. This is something that everyone is disgusted by and does not accept. The people were seeking to eliminate class gaps and to narrow the distances. We did not claim like the communists that everyone should come and be a dependent of the government and that we should give equal rights to everyone; no. However, the class gap in this manner and with this depth was unacceptable for the people and the revolutionary Muslims and their leader.

The tyrant regime and the regimes before it in Iran were not people-oriented. The people were powerless. A person had come to power with the help of the English, staged a coup in Tehran, and called himself king. Then, when he wanted to leave Iran—meaning they wanted to take him away because he had grown old and was no longer useful to them—he appointed his son as his successor! Who is this son, and what is he?! So, what role do the people play, and what is their vote?! These matters were not even raised. Before them, there were the Qajar dynasty. A corrupt person would die, and another corrupt person would take his place. The people were completely powerless in governing and determining the government. The people did not accept this. The people wanted the government to belong to them; to arise from them; to have their vote reflected in it.

The next value is religiosity. The people wanted to be religious. That previous regime, everywhere—in society, in the military, in universities, and in schools—sought to lead the people towards irreligion; however, the people did not want that. The people were religious. The people showed that faith and belief in Islam penetrated to the depths of their souls.

Another value was the avoidance of extravagance and luxury at the level of the rulers. Of course, extravagance and luxury are bad everywhere; however, what made the people sensitive to this issue was the extravagant and luxurious behaviors and wastefulness with the people's money at the level of the government. This was one of the things that the people did not want. The Islamic system was established based on this value that such things should not exist.

Another value is the moral and ethical integrity of the rulers. The people wanted those who are at the head of society to be religious; not corrupt; their morals should not be corrupt; their behavior should not be corrupt; they themselves should not be corrupt; their close associates should not be corrupt, which they were at that time!

The promotion of virtuous ethics was another value. The people desired that good morals and desirable Islamic traits spread among them, and brotherhood, love, cooperation, patience, forgiveness, helping the weak, and speaking the truth should become common among them.

Freedom of thought and expression was also one of the values of the revolution. The people wanted to think freely. At that time, there was no freedom of thought, freedom of expression, or freedom of decision-making. The people did not want that; they wanted these freedoms to exist.

Another value is political, economic, and cultural independence. The people wanted this country not to be politically subjugated to a certain European regime or America; economically, its economy should not be dependent on global companies that could do whatever they wanted with this country. Culturally, it should not blindly follow and be a follower of foreign culture with its profound and rich culture.

When we say values, we mean faith, religion, political independence, economic independence, cultural independence, freedom of thought, the promotion of virtuous ethics, a popular government, a righteous government, and individuals endowed with faith and piety at the helm of affairs. What were the tools to realize these demands? The spirit of faith, jihad, sacrifice, and selflessness of these faithful people. What enabled this lofty edifice and this Islamic structure to be established in this country after centuries? It was that values of this kind—which we have mentioned—should be the foundation of the new system and that a new life should be established in this region of the world based on these values. For these, the people sacrificed and placed their lives and the lives of their children in the path of jihad in the way of God and martyrdom, and many were martyred. The people knew what they wanted; the people were seeking these values. I will later mention that all these values are realizable in society, and what was established by the Islamic system was to the extent that no one even imagined it or conceived it.

Of course, today, as we compare ourselves with the desired situation, we are very behind; however, if we compare it with the situation that existed at that time, with the situation in other places, then we see that this system has been able to move forward with great success in this field, and this revolution truly demonstrated its effectiveness, and the people wanted this. Then they should sit down and say that the people did not know what they wanted! No, the people knew what they wanted. The people wanted Islam. Islam is not just praying and prostrating—those are also part of Islam—Islam means establishing a social system and a public life for a nation, based on solid foundations that can secure their worldly and otherworldly happiness. It can provide knowledge, progress, industry, wealth, international dignity, and everything for them. The people were seeking this.

Those who neither knew Islam nor deep down desired such Islam; at the very least, they did not dare to turn their backs on the Western tyrannical regimes or to be indifferent; today, they sit and say here and there that the people did not know what they wanted in the referendum of the Islamic Republic! How could they not know what they wanted?! If the people did not know, how did they carry out the eight-year imposed war with their sacrifices?! How could they sacrifice for something they did not know?! The people knew very well what they wanted; today, they also know what they want.

These values that exist in society and are the foundation of the Islamic system must first be accepted in one place. If we accept some of them but not others, the work will be incomplete. If we give importance to some but not to others, the goal will not be achieved. Secondly, the revolution itself is a movement and transformation and a move forward. Based on these values, society must move, transform, and advance. It must correct wrong methods day by day and take a new step to be able to achieve results.

My dear ones! The revolution is not an instantaneous matter; it is a gradual matter. One stage of the revolution, which is the change of the political system, is instantaneous; however, over time, the revolution must be realized. How is this realization? This realization is that those parts that are backward and have not transformed must transform, and day by day, new methods, new works, new thoughts, and new approaches must emerge within the framework and based on those values in society and move forward so that the nation can move towards its goal with vitality and strength. Going back is wrong; retreat is a loss; however, standing still is also wrong; movement must be made and progress must be achieved.

And where are these advancements? This transformation that we say must occur and this movement forward is in all areas related to the life of society. Laws must transform and should improve and become more complete day by day. In the culture and in the public ethics of the people, there must be transformations and progress day by day. In the scientific and educational systems of the country, in economic activities, in art, in governance and administration of the country, even in the religious seminaries, there must be thoughtful, courageous, and insightful individuals who pursue new methods, new works, new thoughts, and new ideals day by day. The foundation is the same values. They should move forward within the framework of those values and bring about transformations. Then the revolution will be a complete revolution and will not be finite. This evolution is not finite; it means that every ten or twenty years, if one looks at the country, they will see that progress and advancement have been made in various sectors.

Thus, three elements are necessary here. I want the youth to pay more attention to these points, especially those elements that are influential in political activities. Three elements are fundamental here: one is that the values upon which the revolution was founded should be taken into account and should be fiercely protected. The second is that these values should be seen together. It should not be the case that one pays attention to political, cultural, and economic independence but does not pay attention to religiosity; or pays attention to religiosity but does not pay attention to freedom of thought; or pays attention to freedom of thought and expression but does not pay attention to preserving the faith and religion of the people. If it is like this, the work will be incomplete. The third element is movement forward. Stagnation and stillness and silence will lead to rigidity and obsolescence, and the values will lose their effectiveness. Obsolescence leads to destruction. If they want to avoid obsolescence, they must pursue progress and movement forward. This movement forward is what I referred to on the day of Tasu'a as "revolutionary reforms." If reforms, progress, and innovation are not based on the values of the revolution, society will face failure. These are the fundamental principles. Let us pay attention to the values; let us not discriminate among the values; let us pursue transformation and movement forward with utmost seriousness within the framework of the values.

Of course, naturally, there are individuals in society who pay attention to some of these three pillars but not to others. Some individuals pay attention to the values but do not pay attention to progress and transformation. Some, on the other hand, pay attention to transformation and progress—but do not pay sufficient attention to the values. It is not that they do not accept them—they do accept them—but their primary concern is not the values; their primary concern becomes progress and transformation. Some also, on the contrary, do not have a problem with transformation, but their primary concern is preserving the values. In the area of values, one may pay more attention to the religiosity and faith of the people; another may pay more attention to the independence of the country from the grip of the powers; another may pay more attention to the issue of freedom; another may pay more attention to ethics. Of course, this is a natural matter and is not problematic. The best situation is that everyone pays attention to all components; however, if some individuals pay attention to one section, and others pay attention to another section, very well, they can complement each other. Those who value the values are complementary to those who value transformation and progress. Those who value transformation and progress should complement those who pay attention to the values.

Of course, differences arise, but this difference is not significant. It is possible that those who pay more attention to the values may criticize those who pay more attention to transformation, saying that you disregard and disrespect the values; or those who give more importance to transformation may criticize those who pay less attention to transformation but pay more attention to the values, saying that you do not care about progress and advancement and promote stagnation. These exist in society and may arise; however, it is not problematic and is not significant. They should tolerate and accept each other. When the foundation is accepted by all—namely, the values and movement within the framework of these values—then whether a group pays less attention to one section and more to another section does not matter much. There should not be a quarrel.

The boundary that exists between them is not a real boundary and is not a determining boundary. They can form a general unity; they can form the overall identity of the Islamic and revolutionary society and, in fact, act like two "wings". Two wings mean two wings of a bird. If both wings of a bird move well, the bird will rise and advance. Those who are committed to the values, if they maintain this commitment well—of course, without being indifferent to transformation—and those who are committed and attached to transformation and progress and moving forward and changing, if they maintain this—of course, while paying attention to the values—society will benefit from both, and both wings will act for the benefit of society and, in fact, complete the revolution and realize progress in the shadow of the values.

Of course, what can encompass all these values and include progress in all areas is what has been foreseen in our constitution and in our jurisprudence, and that is that a just and time-aware jurist should be present in society whose guiding finger can lead the affairs forward.

Why should he be a jurist? Because he should know the values of religion and Islamic values. Some may be good people, but they may not be familiar with religion and may not be able to correctly understand what is contained in the Quran, Sunnah, and religious concepts. They may make mistakes and have no ill intentions. Therefore, he must be a jurist.

Why must he be just? Because if he deviates from his duty, the guarantee of execution will be lost. If he is concerned only with his own interests, his own worldly affairs, his own desires for power, and his own desire to maintain his position, then the necessary guarantee for the health of this system will not remain. Thus, if he falls from justice, without anyone needing to dismiss him, he will be dismissed himself.

Why must he be time-aware? Because if he is not time-aware and does not understand the world, he will be deceived. He must be time-aware to recognize the enemy, to recognize the tricks and schemes, so that he can prepare and carry out what is necessary for his duty and responsibility. These necessary mechanisms have been foreseen in the constitution. This is what is desired.

Of course, today in our social system, the factions I mentioned—some of which pay more attention to the values, and some pay attention to transformation and progress—tolerate each other less! If they tolerate each other more than they do today, the existence of two factions is not only not harmful but also beneficial. They can help each other and complement one another. The desired situation is that everyone pays attention to all necessary components and acts accordingly. However, if that does not happen and some pay attention to this section, and some pay attention to that section, at least they should not be hostile to each other.

There are dangers here. The important thing is that attention should be paid to the dangers. Both sides of the issue are threatened by dangers. Those who pay attention to the values and ignore transformation and change are threatened by stagnation; they must be vigilant. Those who pay attention to transformation and change and do not prioritize the values face the danger of deviation; they too must be vigilant. Both sides must be careful. Let not the first group fall into rigidity and stagnation. Let not the second group fall into deviation and pave the way for the enemies and opponents of the values. If both groups pay attention to this, then society can be a society that, with the unity that is desired and necessary, moves towards the perfection and elevation that Islam has envisioned for it.

Thus, one danger is that both factions and both sides may become negligent and face danger. However, there is an even greater danger. What is that? That is the danger of infiltration. From both sides, individuals may infiltrate. Sometimes an enemy infiltrates from both sides: from one side, they come under the guise of valuing the values and oppose any transformation; they even oppose the paths that have already been taken and want to reverse the revolutionary movement. More dangerous than this is the other side of the issue; under the guise of change and transformation and progress, individuals may come who oppose the very foundations of the values and the essence of Islam and the essence of the people's religiosity and the essence of social justice; they are afflicted with the same Western capitalist mentality; they are after filling their own pockets; they oppose the very principle of eliminating class discrimination; they oppose the name of religion, even if they do not express it! These are the ones who, under the name of transformation, under the name of change, under the name of progress, under the name of reform, come to the field and take the lead. We know some of these as well. Now, some of them are remnants of the previous regime who fed off it and chewed on its flesh and have now managed to insert themselves among the people and now want to take a breath and raise their heads and claim freedom and democracy! These are the same individuals who were the agents of oppression and tyranny of the regime that ruled this country for more than fifty years and there was not a shred of democracy in that fifty years; now these same individuals, who worked with all their might for that regime, come and shout for reform! What does this reform mean?! This reform means the same American reforms! It means now that the Iranian nation has cut off the hand of America, come back and reform your ways; allow your American masters to come back in and take control of the economy, culture, and administration of the country again!

There are also some individuals who are not from that regime; however, from the very beginning of the revolution, or even some before the revolution, they showed that they have no deep commitment to running the country according to Islamic laws. They want the name of Islam and love the name of Islam. They are not enemies of Islam in that sense; however, they have no belief in Islamic jurisprudence, Islamic laws, and Islamic governance. They believe in the same individualistic methods. In the early days of the revolution, some of these individuals managed to seize control and take charge. If Imam had not intervened to save this revolution, these gentlemen would have returned the revolution and the country to the lap of America! These individuals also shout for reform; sometimes they even mention Islam; however, they align themselves with those who openly shout against Islam and express solidarity with them! Sometimes they mention Islam, but they align themselves with those who advocate secularism and governance devoid of religion and anti-religious governance! It is clear that these individuals are infiltrators. They are not among those who accept the values and are committed to transformation; no. They are infiltrators; they are outsiders. A few months ago, I raised the discussion of "insiders" and "outsiders" in this very Friday prayer; however, some people shouted why I said "insiders" and "outsiders"! Yes, these are outsiders; these individuals do not accept the revolution, Islam, and the values; the factions that are insiders must be vigilant.

I will mention two or three more points here: The first point is that both those outsiders, their foreign supporters, the intelligence services, those who provide them with propaganda support in the media, and those who may openly or covertly send them money should know that this revolution will not allow it. As long as I am responsible and as long as I breathe, I will not allow them to play with the interests of this country. I am no one; they should know this; even if I am not here, whoever else is in this position and responsibility will do the same. There is no other possibility. The divine and heavenly hand that placed the principle of the Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist in the constitution understood what it was doing. The one who is in this position, if he does not have this spirit of defending the interests of the revolution, the interests of the country, the supreme interests of Islam, and the interests of the people, and this spirit and action, his conditions will be revoked; then he will not have the qualifications. Thus, you see that they oppose this principle; because they know that the issue is not about individuals. Zaydi with this name has taken this responsibility; of course, they are enemies of him, but they know that the issue is not concluded with him; if he is not here, another will be, and the issue will remain the same; therefore, they oppose its essence. They should know that as long as this luminous principle exists in the constitution and this nation believes in Islam from the bottom of their hearts, the conspiracies of these individuals may cause trouble for the people; however, they will not be able to shake this solid structure.

My message to the factions is this: Dear brothers! Relatives! Come and define new and fresh boundaries. The Islamic system relies on the faith of this vast multitude of people. It may be that politically, some people are committed to one faction, and some to another faction—let them be—but they believe in Islam. They should not think that the day when that faction wins in the elections, it is one way; and the day when that other faction wins, it is another way; no. These are political tastes and political doctrines and assessments. Belief in Islam belongs to these people. The people will elect the one whom they believe will save this country from poverty, discrimination, injustice, and the other weaknesses it has based on Islamic values. The people are seeking Islam. These two factions within the system should define new boundaries. First, they should blur the boundaries between themselves and get a little warmer with each other; secondly, they should clarify their boundaries with those outsiders.

You see, the discussion of how the government and state behave with the opponents of the system is one discussion; however, the discussion of how a political faction within the system defines its positions against the opponents is another matter. As a government, we have this opponent who exists within society—even if he opposes the system—so long as he has not conspired and opposed, his life, property, honor, and reputation are a trust; we must defend him, and we do. If a thief goes into the street and steals, we do not ask whether he stole from a supporter of the system or an opponent of the system; whoever he has stolen from, he must be punished. If someone unlawfully commits murder, we do not say whom he has killed; if he has killed unlawfully, he must be punished; there is no difference. When we want to assign the police and security personnel to maintain security, we do not say go and maintain security in that area and house and city where the people are more committed to the system; no. The government has a duty towards all individuals; whether they are Muslims or non-Muslims; whether they are supporters of the system or opponents of the system; as long as they have not become conspirators and opposers and agents of the enemy, the government's behavior towards them is like that of the believers and like that of the other people, and there is no difference. This is one discussion; however, the behavior of the political factions is different from the behavior of the government. The political factions must clarify their positions. They must clearly define their positions against those who oppose Islam, those who oppose the revolution, those who oppose the path of Imam, and those who oppose the Islamic basis of this system. Similarly, they must clarify their positions against those who, on the surface, appear to be religious but have no belief in the transformation of the revolution and the essence of the revolution—those who are rigid and stagnant. They must clarify their boundaries. We do not say they should fight and quarrel; however, they must clarify their positions. This is my message to the political factions.

Of course, the positions of the masses are clear. My message is not directed at the masses; the masses know. I mentioned that day that I truly have no complaints about this great, brave, faithful, revolutionary, loyal, self-sacrificing, and sincere nation. What is expected is from these political influencers; from those who write; from those who speak. They should not allow what the enemy wants to be realized.

Today, the basis of the enemy's movement against this system is still a cultural and psychological movement. They want to make the people pessimistic and hopeless about the future of this country. They want to make the people pessimistic about the revolution. They want to make the people pessimistic about the religious officials who are in various sectors—in the executive, judicial, and legislative branches. They want to create division among the officials and incite discord. They want to create a dark image of the future. What caused me to complain about the media was this. Those corrupt media outlets were doing exactly these things; they were creating a distorted image of the future: a crooked, distorted, and hopeless image. An image of the current situation: a false image, creating a tense atmosphere in society, creating distrust among the various strata. Some even sought to create the idea that the officials are ineffective! This is one of those mistakes; no. The government is effective, has capabilities, and can do things, and they are busy and, by God's grace, are fulfilling their duties. The enemy's desire was precisely what I mentioned. No one should assist in this.

All those who are present in the political scene of the country should trust the values and fundamental foundations of this revolution. They should know that what can save this country is the same things that are all contained in Islam, and it is Islam that can. Thankfully, today the officials of the country are capable and faithful individuals. I reiterate that the officials of the country, the heads of the branches, the president, many members of the government—of course, I have some criticisms of some members of the government and believe that they either do not recognize their duties correctly or do not show proper commitment—members of the parliament, and God willing, the future parliament, these are individuals who can strengthen this hope in the people that the future in this country will be a good one, and the energies of these people, God willing, will be directed towards the material and spiritual construction of this country, and by God's grace, the enemy will not be able to prevent these people from continuing on this path, and the people will not allow the devilish and hellish domination of the arrogant and demanding foreigners to return to this country.

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

And by time. Indeed, mankind is in loss, except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience. (41)

I will say a few sentences in prayer: We ask You, O God, and we call upon You. By Your great and supreme name and by the steadfast Quran and by the greatest Prophet, O God, O God, O God.

O Lord! Grant victory to Islam and the Muslims. O Lord! Grant victory to this faithful and brave nation. O Lord! Cut off the hands of the enemies from this nation. O Lord! Untangle the small and large knots in the affairs of this nation with Your powerful and wise fingers. O Lord! Make the hearts kind to one another. O Lord! Send down Your blessings upon this nation; send down Your rain of mercy upon this nation. Today we spoke about the noble Prophet, and part of our time was spent praising that radiant and heavenly existence. About the Prophet, Abu Talib has a poem that says:

"And a white one, whose face is sought for rain by the clouds, The solace of the orphans, a refuge for the widows." (42)

That is, that great figure is the one whose beautiful face causes God Almighty to send down the rain of mercy upon His servants. Today we have mentioned that great figure; we beseech You by the right of the Prophet, bless the parts of this land that are suffering from drought this year, and indeed all parts of this country, with the blessing of that sacred existence with Your bountiful and blessed rain. O Lord! By Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, make us recipients of Your mercy and forgiveness.

And peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings.