Statements at the Meeting with Organizers of the Congress Commemorating 24,000 Martyrs of Isfahan Province

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

Thanks be to God, the Lord of the worlds, and peace and blessings be upon our master and prophet, Abu al-Qasim al-Mustafa Muhammad, and upon his pure and chosen progeny, especially the Awaited One among the inhabitants of the earth.

Welcome, dear brothers and sisters, and the Mojahedin (fighters) in the path of God. I consider those who work to revive the memory of the Mojahedin and martyrs as Mojahedin in the path of God; this itself is a jihad in the path of God. Strive to fulfill "Jahidu fi Allah haqqa jihadih" (Strive in the way of God as is His due); perform this jihad as it should be done.

Isfahan has been a pioneer in all signs of civilization; in science, industry, art, architecture, nurturing scholars, valor, and all these aspects; this is part of history. The events of the revolution showed that Isfahan is also a pioneer in the matter of sacrifice for the sake of God and jihad in the path of God; this adds a unique and unparalleled distinction to Isfahan's merits during the revolution and the sacred defense.

The great martyrs who sacrificed their lives for Islam and the independence of this country form a long list, and as they said, ten percent of all martyrs in the country are from Isfahan province. In terms of its population ratio, Isfahan has given more martyrs than any other province in the country. These are realities. What is important is that this chain, this thread — the thread of sacrifice and the luminous thread of martyrdom — has continued from the past to today in Isfahan; we have martyr Modarres one day, then at another time, for example, martyr Beheshti and others like him, then at another time martyr Khorramzadeh and martyr Hemmat and Shahbaz, and so on, then at another time martyr Kazemi, then martyr Zahedi and Nilforushan, or these few martyrs who were martyrs of security and were martyred in these few days — three of whom were from Isfahan; this means that this thread of martyrdom is not a temporary matter that we can say, well, one day 370 martyrs were buried, it’s over; no, this is institutionalized in Isfahan; this is important. You who honor the memory of the martyrs, highlight these points, show them. Today's youth, the current generation, needs to know these; they are the identity of Isfahan.

A significant point regarding Isfahan is the matter of piety; the piety of Isfahan. Now, I have perhaps mentioned this in some previous meetings with the dear people of Isfahan, I myself witnessed gatherings and meetings in Isfahan that we did not see anywhere else in the country, including our own Mashhad at that time — this was many years ago; fifty or sixty years ago — in terms of people's inclination, people's attention, continuous gatherings from Ramadan to Muharram, which were not even mourning months; where? In the bazaars of Isfahan. Now, these are actually preliminary and somewhat superficial matters; the piety of the people of Isfahan can be recognized from the long list of scholars from Isfahan. Now you mentioned the late Ayatollah Abul-Hasan Isfahani; yes, he was a great scholar. If you look at the era of the teachers of Ayatollah Abul-Hasan Isfahani (may God be pleased with him) in Isfahan, there are so many great scholars at the level of the late Ayatollah Abul-Hasan Isfahani and Mirza Naeeni, all of whom are students from Isfahan, that one is left in wonder as to how to describe so many scholars; from Isfahan itself, from Najafabad, from various villages of Isfahan, from other places like Khansar where the Khansari tribe, the greatest of whom were the late Ayatollah Muhammad Hashim and others, came there. The greatness of the people of Isfahan and their piety can be recognized from the names of this long list of scholars from Isfahan. These are not from the 10th and 11th centuries, not from the time of Majlisi and Safavid; they are from our own recent century. This is the piety of the people of Isfahan!

Well, there is a point here; why do we emphasize the piety of the people of Isfahan? The point is that Isfahan shows that the current of religiosity and adherence is intertwined with the currents of science, industry, culture, civilization, and the like; not only do they not contradict each other, but they are indeed intertwined. This is an example of our Iranian civilization; Iranian civilization that once stood at the pinnacle of human civilization has, from ancient times, even before Islam, been accompanied by religion, by piety. The attempts of some to forcibly separate the components of Iranian civilization from each other, to create a distance between religion and science, industry, culture, art, and the like, are both incorrect and contrary to reality, as well as futile and impossible. Today, our best youth are engaged in our most advanced scientific centers; this is still the case. In our own era, the most outstanding talents in our country have been at the service of the most progressive scientific movements. The late Dr. Chamran (may God be pleased with him) in the fields related to science and so on in those universities in America where he studied — he himself narrated to me — had advanced to the last points where Americans do not allow non-American students to reach; who was he? Chamran; the devout Chamran, the Mojahed Chamran who takes his wife and children from America to Lebanon, in the service of the struggle; then he is also willing to be separated from his wife and children to stay and fight and strive, ultimately receiving his reward of martyrdom. This intertwining of religion and signs of civilization in Iranian civilization is a truth, a reality that is undeniable, and they are futilely trying to show otherwise.

Honestly, the efforts of the Iranian nation and our youth and their sacrifices have been the foundation and sustenance of the Islamic Republic until today; after this, it will continue in the same way. If it were not for these sacrifices, the Islamic Republic would not have been able to survive and continue its existence. Even if something called the Islamic Republic remained, there would be no possibility of preserving its principles and foundations; it would become a meaningless entity, like some other places. Throughout various periods, from the beginning of the revolution, from revolutionary struggles to the victory of the revolution, to various issues in the early revolution, to the sacred defense and after that until today, it has been these youth who, with their sacrifices, have been able to preserve the system, sustain it, and God willing, it will continue to be so; just as our scientific and religious movement is also in their hands.

What I recommend is, first and foremost, that the activities you undertake in these commemorations be done in a way that is effective. Simply producing a book is not enough; simply making a film is not enough; it may be that a film is made with great effort, but it has no viewers, no one watches it. A film that does not have good direction, is not well made, does not have good content, is not sweet and beautiful, well, you have worked hard, spent money, and no one watches this film! Go for the best director, the best screenwriter, the best producer; seek these people. Instead of making ten films, make two films, but two films that when broadcast, everyone says to broadcast again; this is good. So that you can introduce martyr Hemmat, martyr Zahedi, martyr Kazemi, martyr Khorramzadeh and Radani Pour, and others and others. There are many; there are so many names of prominent martyrs from Isfahan that one can go on and on. This is one point: seek effectiveness. Create books in such a way that after one print is finished, customers come asking for the second and third prints, and so on until the end. And the other works you undertake.

Another point is that you should measure the impact — I have mentioned this to some others who came from another city — that is, set up a means of monitoring; see how your youth, after seeing your works, have changed in their behavior, lifestyle, clothing, attending congregational prayers, going to mourning ceremonies, facing political issues, how they have changed compared to the past. Of course, this requires effort, it is very difficult, but it must be done; that is when your work is a truly effective, impactful, and vital work in the path of God, that these points must be observed.

I suggest that the military units of Isfahan also become active in this matter; for example, the units of the IRGC, Imam Hussein Brigade, Najaf Brigade, or Qamar Bani Hashim Brigade — which now, of course, that area is not part of Isfahan; at that time, it seemed to me to be part of Isfahan — or for example, the army units, the eighth base [which] has not been inactive in this matter, the artillery center in Isfahan and other centers that existed, should sit down and narrate the events and stories of the period of the imposed war or perhaps before and after it, how? In the form of video games. Today, in the world, video games are one of the tools of message transmission; it is not just a game. Thoughtful individuals sit down to design a game about the war between Iran and themselves, and they design it in such a way that when an American youth, an American teenager sits down at the computer and watches this game, he feels empowered, feels capable, and becomes hopeful that we will be victorious in this struggle. For example, this is how we should move forward.

Or [narrating] short anecdotes; for instance, someone narrates a ten-line memory, from what? From the moment of martyrdom of a certain friend of his at the front; neither the person narrating is a famous person, nor the one being narrated about is a famous person, but when you read this anecdote, this youth reads it, it leaves an impact deep in their heart; these require artists, these require the entry of artists.

In my opinion, if these works are carried out and the narration of the great events of the past is done correctly and wisely, many problems will be resolved and works will progress. And the memory of these martyrs itself revives and creates the outstanding and striving spirit of today's youth. The life of martyr Kazemi truly produces martyr Hajji; when one reads it, this is produced, this comes into being. Therefore, you should pursue this, God willing. May God grant you success.

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