Meeting with Various Segments of the People on the Occasion of the Birth of Imam Ali (peace be upon him)

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

I congratulate you, dear brothers and sisters, and all Muslims around the world who hold Imam Ali (peace be upon him) in high esteem, as well as all the oppressed, the free, and the justice-seekers of the world who have heard of the justice of Ali. I ask the Almighty God to make us true followers of Imam Ali in the real sense of the word.

I would like to say a few words regarding the commemoration of this blessed birth. The characteristics of Imam Ali (peace be upon him): the brilliance and radiance of his pure faith, the difficult and arduous struggles he undertook from the beginning of Islam until the end of his life, his unparalleled justice—which has captivated not only Muslims but also aware non-Muslims to this day—and his sincere and humble worship, along with the other outstanding qualities of Imam Ali, are matters on which Muslims, regardless of sect or denomination, do not disagree.

Imam Ali (peace be upon him) is a figure about whom all Islamic sects agree on his greatness, his characteristics, and his high status in Islam. Therefore, it can be boldly stated that Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him) can serve as a point of commonality and unity among Islamic sects. Throughout all times and eras, Islamic sects—except for a small group of the Nasibis who are outside the Islamic sects—have regarded the status of Imam Ali (peace be upon him) as the same high and distinguished status that you find in the books of both Shiites and Sunnis. Thus, Imam Ali (peace be upon him) is a meeting point and a source of unity among Muslims.

This is what the Islamic world needs today. Today, when the enemies of Islam—who are neither supporters of this sect nor that sect; sometimes supporting one sect against another, and sometimes the opposite—are seeking to create division and rifts among Muslims, in such a time when Muslims urgently need unity and solidarity, Imam Ali (peace be upon him) can be a manifestation of this unity; a point at which all Muslims can acknowledge and recognize. No one can claim that Imam Ali (peace be upon him) belongs solely to them. Well, we Shiites say in the Ziyarat al-Jami'a: "We are known for our devotion and love for Imam Ali and the family of the Prophet; however, we cannot claim that Imam Ali belongs only to us." No, all Muslims of the world—from various sects—agree that this great personality, this unparalleled human being, and this complete manifestation of Islam never deviated even for a moment from following the Prophet Muhammad; he did not falter; he did not neglect; from childhood to adolescence, to the prime of youth, and until the end of his life, he never ceased in his struggle for God, for Islam, and for the Quran.

So this is a point that we—whether Shiite, Sunni, or from various sects—should come together and make Imam Ali (peace be upon him) the criterion and axis of unity. Imam Ali belongs to everyone, and he himself has pursued slogans and methods in his blessed life that belong to all humanity, which I will discuss. This is one point.

The next point is that the love for Imam Ali is very valuable. It is narrated that whoever has love for someone in their heart will be resurrected with that person on the Day of Judgment. Love is of great importance. However, love alone is not enough; following and adhering to him is necessary. We, who are known in the world as Shiites, have defined Shiism in this way: "The Shiites are those who follow Ali"; we must move in his direction and pursue his goals. It is clear that we will not reach the rank of Imam Ali with all our efforts, but we must strive towards that peak.

Now, let us pay attention to what Imam Ali prioritized in his rich and meaningful life. One of the issues is justice, which may be said to be the most prominent aspect of Imam Ali's conduct. Not tolerating the oppressor, empathizing with the oppressed, and helping to obtain the rights of the oppressed from the oppressor are matters that are clearly observable in the life of Imam Ali, in his words, and in the sermons of Nahj al-Balagha, in hundreds of instances. Pay attention to these profound words of Imam Ali: "By God, it is more beloved to me to spend the night on the thorns of the thorny bushes or to be dragged in chains than to meet God... as an oppressor to some of His servants and usurping something from the worldly possessions." See! This is the hallmark of Imam Ali's governance; that is, if I find myself in the most difficult circumstances of life, it is impossible for me to commit even the slightest injustice to any of God's creatures and to gather worldly possessions for myself; to seek worldly treasures for myself. The world, in the eyes of Imam Ali—meaning what a person considers as the benefits of life—is completely rejected and abandoned. He addresses the world, saying, "Deceive someone else"; O pleasures! O beauties of material life! Go deceive someone else; you cannot deceive Ali. This is the slogan of Imam Ali.

Today, in the Islamic system—the system that has been established in this country in the name of Islam—what is more important and requires more sensitivity than anything else? Justice. That is, if Imam Ali (peace be upon him) were present in our time, in this society, and among these people—who express their love for him in this way—what would he pursue more than anything else? Certainly justice. Justice is not the demand of a specific group of people or the people of a country or a nation; justice is the natural and historical demand of all human beings throughout the history of humanity. It is what humanity is thirsty for, and justice has not been implemented in its true sense except under the governance of the great prophets—those who attained governance—or the distinguished saints like Imam Ali. The worldly possessors and those whose hearts are filled with worldly desires cannot implement justice. Implementing justice requires a rich spirit, a strong will, and a firm step. We must strive to follow Imam Ali in this path. We acknowledge that we will not be able to implement justice like Ali ibn Abi Talib; we accept this. We are smaller and weaker than to stand firm—like steel, like a rock—against these waves; but we must strive as much as we can.

Imam Ali also demanded justice from his officials, even though they were not at the level of Imam Ali. Thus, the responsibility of implementing justice lies upon us as well; we must pursue it. This is something that the people must desire; it must become the public culture of our nation. Our people must desire justice and fairness above all else; both in domestic affairs and in global issues. This injustice that exists in the world today and this blatant oppression that is being perpetrated by the bullies and tyrants of the world against humanity and nations must be considered a great sin to be fought against—by a Muslim who lives for the governance of Islam and under the Islamic Republic. This must be our slogan in our lives; both in domestic matters and in global issues.

If we want to implement this justice, the first step is to trust in divine assistance and strengthen our relationship with God; here we arrive at the issue of prayer, worship, supplication, and seeking refuge in God. The month of Rajab is the spring of worship and supplication and seeking God. We must not underestimate these days of worship—this month of Rajab, the month of Sha'ban, and above all, the month of Ramadan. If we want to traverse the straight path and the firm path that Islam has shown us with strength in the arenas of life, we need to strengthen our relationship with the Supreme Origin, with the Almighty God. This relationship is through prayer, through avoiding sin. Thus, you see that Imam Ali—this brave, steadfast, and strong man whose courage in battle is among the most well-known facts of the world, with no one disagreeing—when he stands in the place of worship, "he trembles like a snake bitten by a snake"; he sheds tears; he cries; he places his forehead on the ground. Look at the supplication of Kumayl and this supplication of Sha'ban that is attributed to Imam Ali; see how this great and noble man supplicates before the Lord! This is a lesson for us.

I thank God that I see our people, especially our youth, inclined towards spirituality, towards God, towards prayer, and towards supplication. Today is the thirteenth of Rajab; the day of the beginning of I'tikaf. You see thousands of our youth have gone today and are sitting in various mosques—throughout this country—engaged in I'tikaf; with fasting mouths, empty stomachs, and thirsty lips, in this hot weather, they are supplicating and speaking with the Almighty God. This is very valuable; our nation should appreciate this I'tikaf.

I would like to make a recommendation to the relevant authorities regarding these I'tikafs: Although gathering thousands of people in various places is a good opportunity, and we have heard that some mosque officials organize collective programs during these opportunities so that individuals can benefit more; however, I want to say that these collective programs of the I'tikaf centers should not interfere with the solitude of each of the participants. This I'tikaf that the youth are performing is, in fact, a time for them to be alone with God. I'tikaf is primarily an individual act; it is about establishing a connection with God. It should not be such that the collective programs of these I'tikaf centers weaken or take away the personal and heartfelt connection with God from individuals. They should be given space; they should take their time; they should be allowed to read the Quran, Nahj al-Balagha, and Sahifa Sajjadiyya.

In particular, I recommend the Sahifa Sajjadiyya during these days of I'tikaf. This Sahifa Sajjadiyya is truly a miraculous book. Fortunately, it has now been translated, and there are good translations available. Last year, I was given a good translation of the Sahifa Sajjadiyya, and I saw it; it is a very good translation. They should utilize the knowledge contained in the supplications of Imam Ali ibn Hussein (peace be upon him) in the Sahifa Sajjadiyya; they should read it; they should reflect on it. These are not just supplications; they are lessons; these words of Imam Sajjad—and all the supplications that have been transmitted from the Imams (peace be upon them) and have reached us—are full of knowledge.

So, it is the month of Rajab, the month of worship, the month of seeking the Lord, the month of supplication; and in this path, it is the month of emulating Imam Ali. Let us strengthen our connection with God so that in the arenas of life we can enter every field with a firm will, a steady step, and a clear mind. A nation must have a determined will and know what it wants in order to achieve its sovereignty and dignity; its heart must be assured in the remembrance of God.

Today, our nation faces global challenges because of Islam. Islam has taught us that if you want to traverse the straight path and if you want to achieve happiness in this world and the Hereafter, you must be independent and not submit to the oppressive, arrogant, and tyrannical powers. This is the point that has created a rift between the Iranian nation and the enemies of the Iranian nation. The essence of the conflict lies here. The Iranian nation wants to remain free from the yoke of global arrogance; it wants to sacrifice its interests for the sake of global arrogance. What the global arrogance—led today by America—seeks is precisely the opposite of this issue. Their goal is to seize the resources of nations, the living space of nations, and the capabilities of nations for their own benefit; all their seemingly humanitarian claims and slogans are pure lies, and their true objective is this. Therefore, if a nation truly wants to live independently—not "the deception of independence"; like some countries that appear independent but are actually under the thumb of the superpowers—its water will not mix with the superpowers.

Well, such a challenge lies before the Iranian nation. If the Iranian nation wants to succeed in this challenge and achieve its dignity and independence, it needs a strong will and a steady step; thanks be to God, in these two or three decades since the Islamic Revolution and the Islamic Republic, the Iranian nation has proven that it stands firm against the aggressive, bullying, and greedy powers. This steadfastness—which is the dignity of the Iranian nation and the dignity of Islam—can continue with reliance on the Almighty God, with seeking assistance from divine power, and with trust in God.

The superpowers have this characteristic that they try to intimidate nations with fear, threats, and intimidation to drive them out of the field; they know that they cannot wrestle with nations. The arrogant powers can easily replace governments that are not based on the people; as you see, they do this in many places, and in many places, they threaten, and their threats are effective. However, the arrogance cannot confront a government and a system that relies on the people, on the will of the people, on the emotions of the people, and on the faith of the people. Because it is a confrontation with the people and with nations.

From the beginning of the revolution's victory until today, America—whose hand was cut off from Iran due to the revolution—has repeatedly tried to drive the Islamic Republic and the officials of the country out of the field with these intimidations and threats; but it has not succeeded, and it will not succeed in the future. Because the Islamic Republic is based on the votes of the people, it is based on the emotions of the people; the foolishness that the superpowers and prominent politicians sometimes commit truly astonishes one. Now they say that we must mobilize the people against the Islamic Republic! They spend money, approve millions of dollars to position the people against the Islamic Republic. Well, this is sheer foolishness. This means that they want to set the people against the people themselves! How can this be? The Islamic Republic is the same as the Iranian nation. How can they incite and mobilize the Iranian nation against the Iranian nation?! The day a government becomes disconnected from the people, yes, that government is in danger; but the Islamic Republic, which is based on the votes of the people, on the emotions of the people, on the faith of the people, and on the decisive support of the people, cannot be confronted in such a way. Now they threaten; they make excuses; sometimes they use the nuclear issue as an excuse, and sometimes they use other issues.

Let me speak about the nuclear issues—we have told the Iranian nation many times, and we will say it again—this achievement that the Iranian nation has attained in the field of nuclear technology is a great and historical achievement; and the Iranian nation is not under the burden of anyone's favor. This has become a native knowledge; it has been brought to the Iranian nation by the talents, enthusiasm, and insight of your youth and your officials; it belongs to the Iranian nation, and no power can take this privilege, this technology, and this great right away from the Iranian nation.

Fortunately, the officials are diligently pursuing this matter. We differentiate between those who, out of enmity with the Islamic Republic, want the Iranian nation not to have this privilege—like America, which explicitly states that it opposes the Iranian nation having this privilege—and those who say, no, let us sit down and negotiate with Iran about various issues—including the nuclear issue—to find a way to alleviate any concerns. There is no problem; we agreed to negotiate with the European countries. Previously, negotiating with them was not very desirable for us; but we saw that they respect the Iranian nation, they honor it, and they explicitly state that they recognize the rights of the Iranian nation and do not mention or refer to the red lines that the Iranian nation and the officials of the country have in mind; we said very well; the officials accepted and are negotiating. However, the Europeans—who are the negotiating party with the Iranian nation—must pay attention that negotiations proceed in an atmosphere free from threats. The Iranian nation is a proud nation. The Iranian nation does not like to be threatened that if you do such and such, we will do such and such! We dislike threats, and the Iranian nation will not submit to any threats.

The officials of the country make decisions regarding the nuclear issue with the necessary insight. The body responsible for advancing and managing this country is the Supreme National Security Council, which the respected President heads; they are the decision-makers. What is stated and expressed regarding the nuclear issue by the President and the officials is agreed upon by all the officials of this country. The enemies' attempts to use a word to create the illusion of division and discord is a foolish effort on their part. The heads of the three branches are united; they are representatives of the leadership; with thought, reflection, and responsibility, they are pursuing this matter with determination and readiness. The positions of the Islamic Republic are clear.

We have specific red lines. If the negotiating parties enter negotiations with respect for the Iranian nation, with respect for the dignity of the Islamic Republic, and with adherence to these red lines, our country’s officials will negotiate; provided that no one intends to threaten the Iranian nation. The nation is sensitive to threats. We have also stated this explicitly: if anyone commits a foolish act against the Islamic Republic of Iran, the practical response of the Islamic Republic of Iran will be a crushing response.

Sometimes, for solving their internal problems—whether America or the Zionists, who have numerous problems entangled in their own affairs; both the American government, especially Bush's government, particularly as they approach their elections; and the Zionist criminals in occupied Palestine—make statements; well, let them say whatever they want. There is a time when they truly intend to act foolishly. They should know: the hand that attacks the Islamic Republic and the dear Iran will be cut off by the Iranian nation. It does not matter whether this criminal hand is in a governmental position or not; it is not the case that we say the current President of America might do something foolish in these last months and it will create trouble for the next American government; no, it is not just that. If anyone makes a mistake in this regard, the Iranian nation—even at a time when they are not in office—will pursue them and will certainly punish them.

The Almighty God has illuminated our hearts with reliance on Him; He has filled our hearts with hope. We have never despaired of divine assistance for a moment, and I hope we will not despair of this assistance until the end. Just as He said, "Do not despair of the mercy of God"; the Almighty God has made this nation a nation of will, enthusiasm, and hope. And my dear ones! Brothers! Sisters! Especially dear youth! If you want this strong will and this vibrant spirit to remain in you, strengthen your relationship with God day by day; speak with the Almighty God; supplicate; seek refuge in God from evils and afflictions; ask for help from the Almighty God. God will assist you. God willing, the youth of this country will witness days that will be far sweeter and more delightful for them than the days they have passed. The future horizon of the Islamic Republic is a bright and shining one. We hope that the Almighty God grants us success in pleasing the sacred heart of the Awaited Imam (may our souls be sacrificed for him) and in making the pure souls of the martyrs and the spirit of the late Imam Khomeini happy and satisfied with us. Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings.