Statements of the Supreme Leader in Meeting with Various Groups of People on the Occasion of the Arrival of Muharram

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

We hope that by the blessing of the radiant lights of Ashura and Karbala, God will illuminate our hearts with knowledge and make us familiar with truths, wisdom, and His love. Firstly, I must thank you, brothers and sisters, who have gathered here, especially those who have come from other cities and distant paths, and I welcome you all.

The appropriate and important topic at this time is the issues related to Muharram and its effects, from which the Islamic society has greatly benefited throughout history due to the blessings of the Ashura event. In the great revolution of the Iranian nation, Ashura and the memory of Hussein ibn Ali (peace be upon him) and the events of Muharram played a fundamental role. The subject of Ashura is an endless and perpetual topic. Why has this event had such a significant impact on Islamic history? In my opinion, the subject of Ashura is of utmost importance because the sacrifice and selflessness that occurred in this event was exceptional. From the beginning of Islamic history until today, wars, martyrdoms, and sacrifices have always existed, and we have also seen many people in our time who have struggled, sacrificed, and endured difficult conditions. All these martyrs, all these veterans, all these prisoners, our freed ones, their families, and others who sacrificed during the years after the revolution or at the beginning of the revolution are all before our eyes. There have been events in the past, and you have read about them in history. However, none of these events are comparable to the event of Ashura, not even the martyrdom of the martyrs of Badr and Uhud and the early days of Islam. When one reflects, one understands why it has been narrated from several of our Imams (peace be upon them) that they addressed the Master of Martyrs (peace and blessings be upon him) saying: 'There is no day like your day, O Aba Abdillah'; meaning no event is like your event and your day. Because Ashura was an exceptional event. The essence and core of the Ashura event is that in a world filled with darkness, corruption, and oppression, Hussein ibn Ali (peace be upon him) rose to save Islam, and in this vast world, no one helped him! Even the friends of that noble one, those who could have brought a crowd to this field and to fight against Yazid, each with an excuse, left the field and fled! Ibn Abbas in one way; Abdullah ibn Ja'far in another; Abdullah ibn Zubair in yet another; the remaining prominent companions and followers in their own ways... Famous personalities and those who could have made an impact and heated the battlefield, each left the field in their own way. This was while, when speaking, everyone talked about defending Islam. But when it came to action and they saw that Yazid's regime was harsh and ruthless and determined to act severely, each fled from a corner and left Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) alone on the scene. Even to justify their actions, they came to Hussein ibn Ali (peace be upon him) and insisted that 'Sir, do not rise! Do not go to war with Yazid!'

This is a strange lesson in history. Where the great ones are afraid, where the enemy shows a very harsh face, where everyone feels that if they enter the field, a lonely field will engulf them; it is there that the essence and inner nature of individuals are recognized. In the entire Islamic world of that day - which was a vast world and many Islamic countries that are independent and separate today were one country then - with a very large population, the one who had the decision, determination, and courage to stand against the enemy was Hussein ibn Ali (peace be upon him). It was obvious that when someone like Imam Hussein moved and rose, some people would gather around him, and they did. Although they too, when it became clear how difficult the task was and how much severity there was, one by one dispersed from around that noble one, and from the thousand and some people who set out with Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) from Mecca or joined him along the way, only a few remained on the night of Ashura, and with the total of those who reached him on the day of Ashura, they became seventy-two!

This is oppression. This oppression does not mean smallness and humiliation. Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) is the greatest fighter and warrior in the history of Islam; because he stood in such a field and was not afraid and struggled. But this great man, to the extent of his greatness, has oppression. As great as he is, he is also oppressed; and he was martyred in solitude. There is a difference between that self-sacrificing soldier and the passionate person who goes to the battlefield; people chant his name and praise him; the field around him is filled with passionate people like him; he knows how people will react with enthusiasm if he is wounded or martyred, and that person who stands and fights in such solitude, in such darkness, alone, without a helper, without any hope of help from the people, with the vast propaganda of the enemy, and submits to God's decree and is ready to be killed in the way of God. The greatness of the martyrs of Karbala is this! That is, for the sense of duty, which was jihad in the way of God and religion, they were not afraid of the greatness of the enemy; they did not feel fear from their loneliness; they did not consider their small number as an excuse to flee from the enemy. This is what gives greatness to a person, a leader, a nation: not being afraid of the enemy's hollow greatness.

The Master of Martyrs (peace and blessings be upon him) knew that after his martyrdom, the enemy would fill the entire space of society and the world of that day with propaganda against him. Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) was not someone who did not know the time and the enemy. He knew what wickedness the enemy would commit. Nevertheless, he had this faith and hope that this oppressed and lonely movement of his would ultimately defeat the enemy both in the short term and in the long term. And so it was. It is a mistake if someone thinks that Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) was defeated. Being killed is not being defeated. In the battlefield, the one who is killed is not defeated. The one who does not achieve his goal is defeated. The goal of the enemies of Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) was to eradicate Islam and the legacies of prophethood from the earth. They were defeated because this did not happen. The goal of Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) was to create a breach in the comprehensive plan of the enemies of Islam, who had turned everything to their desired color or intended to do so; to proclaim the voice of Islam and its oppressed and rightful nature everywhere and ultimately defeat the enemy of Islam. And this happened. Both in the short term, Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) was victorious and in the long term. In the short term, in this way, this uprising and oppressed martyrdom and the captivity of the family of that noble one destabilized the Umayyad government system. After this very event, successive events occurred in the Islamic world - in Medina and Mecca - which ultimately led to the destruction of the Umayyad dynasty. Within three or four years, the Umayyad dynasty was completely overthrown and disappeared. Who would have thought that the enemy who had martyred Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) in Karbala in such an oppressed manner would be defeated by the echo of that Imam's cry; that too in three or four years?! In the long term, too, Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) was victorious. Look at the history of Islam and see how much religion has grown in the world! How much has Islam taken root! How Islamic nations have emerged and grown! Islamic sciences have advanced, Islamic jurisprudence has advanced, and ultimately, after centuries, today, the flag of Islam is flying over the highest rooftops in the world. Were Yazid and the family of Yazid satisfied with Islam growing like this, day by day? They wanted to uproot Islam; they wanted to leave no name of the Quran and the Prophet of Islam. But we see that it turned out exactly the opposite. Therefore, that fighter and warrior in the way of God who stood alone against the world in such an oppressed manner and was killed and his family was taken captive, was victorious over his enemy in every way. This is a lesson for nations. That is why it is narrated from the great leaders of the contemporary world - even those who are not Muslims - that they have said: 'We learned the way of struggle from Hussein ibn Ali (peace be upon him).' Our own revolution is one of these examples. Our people also learned from Hussein ibn Ali (peace be upon him). They understood that being killed is not a sign of being defeated. They understood that retreating in the face of an apparently dominant enemy leads to misery and disgrace. No matter how great the enemy is, if the faithful wing and the faithful group, with reliance on God, struggle against it, ultimately defeat is with the enemy and victory is with the faithful group. Our nation also understood this.

What I want to say today is this: You, dear brothers and sisters, and the entire great nation of Iran must know that Karbala is our eternal model. Karbala is an example that in the face of the greatness of the enemy, one should not fall into doubt. This is a tested model. It is true that in the early days of Islam, Hussein ibn Ali (peace be upon him) was martyred with seventy-two people; but it does not mean that everyone who follows the path of Hussein (peace be upon him) and all those who are in the path of struggle must be martyred; no. Thanks be to God, the Iranian nation has tested the path of Hussein (peace be upon him) today and with pride and greatness, it is present among the Islamic nations and the nations of the world. What you did before the victory of the revolution and went, was the path of Hussein (peace be upon him); that is, not being afraid of the enemy and engaging in struggle with the dominant enemy. It was the same during the war. Our nation understood that the East and West world and all global arrogance stood against it; but it was not afraid. Of course, we have precious martyrs. We lost dear ones. Some of our dear ones lost their health and became veterans. Some spent years in prisons. Some are still in the prisons of the Baathists. But the nation, with these sacrifices, has reached the peak of honor and greatness; Islam has become dear; the flag of Islam has been raised. This is due to that steadfastness.

The point I want to make is this: that steadfastness is also obligatory and necessary today. Today, the arrogant power of America wants to frighten the Iranian nation and the struggling Muslim nations around the world with its might and oppression. After the Eastern bloc disappeared, many of its fragmented parts, out of weakness, were attracted and surrendered to their former enemy, and weak-willed governments in many countries submitted to the imposition of the American government. Today, the policy that America dictates to its friends and assistants is that any resistance in the way of absolute domination of global arrogance must be eliminated. They say: 'Now that many governments have surrendered to us, why do the supporters of Islam not surrender?! Why do Islamic nations not surrender?! Why does the Iranian nation not surrender?!' They want to frighten the Muslim nations. Today is the day when Islamic nations should not be afraid or doubtful in the face of the seemingly powerful appearance of global arrogance.

This struggle continues. Of course, our noble nation, until today, which is the era of construction, has gone through many issues and problems. You have overcome great calamities and, thanks be to God, have reached this point. But resistance is necessary. The enemies must be disappointed with the surrender of the Iranian nation. No one within the Islamic Republic system has the right to be afraid of the apparent and hollow might of the enemies and to be apprehensive. We are a great nation. What do we fear?! We have many powers. Our nation has scientific talent; it has material reserves; it has a historical background; it has scientific and cultural roots; above all, it has Islamic faith and reliance on God. Our nation is an independent nation and must rely on itself. Officials must rely on the nation and the talents of the nation. We must not extend a hand of need to the enemy. The enemy is waiting for an expression of weakness and incapacity from the nation that supports the Quran and Islam. We must not give the enemy this opportunity and possibility to think or feel that there is a weakness among us. There are talented young people; there are scientific forces among us; the spirit of innovation is abundant among our nation. This nation can stand on its own feet. The enemy will not help the believers and Islam in any way. They are enemies of Islam. All officials in various sectors must pay attention to this point. We must rely on ourselves; on our own resources, on our own knowledge, on our own talents, on our own material capabilities, on our own underground reserves. Not that we should close the path of trade. But we must not surrender and be subdued by the power of the enemy.

This nation is a nation with a history and greatness. We are nearly sixty million people, with this vast country, with these facilities, with this sensitive position in the geography of the world, we are not a nation that great powers can take under their wing with threats and intimidation and frighten us. The nation and the government, hand in hand, with the various resources that exist in this country, must build this country. This country must be built by Iranians. Non-Iranians are not trustworthy. For many years in this country, non-Iranians came under various titles - as advisors and others - and betrayed. The government for the nation, the nation for the government, behind the government, all the people hand in hand, various groups shoulder to shoulder! We must be like a thorn in the eye of global arrogance and the Great Satan. We must not allow them to covet the Iranian nation. And this is due to the spirit of Imam Hussein (peace be upon him). Due to the spirit of Ashura.

In the days of Muharram and Safar, our dear nation must strengthen the spirit of heroism, the spirit of Ashura, the spirit of not fearing the enemy, the spirit of reliance on God, the spirit of self-sacrificing struggle in the way of God, within themselves and seek help from Imam Hussein (peace be upon him). Mourning ceremonies are for bringing our hearts closer and familiar with Hussein ibn Ali (peace be upon him) and the goals of that noble one. Some narrow-minded people should not say that 'Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) was defeated.' Some narrow-minded people should not say that 'the path of Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) means that the entire Iranian nation should be killed.' What ignorant person might say such a thing?! A nation must learn from Hussein ibn Ali (peace be upon him). That is, not to fear the enemy; to rely on oneself; to rely on one's God; to know that if the enemy is mighty, this might is unstable. To know that if the enemy's front is apparently vast and strong, its real power is low. Do you not see that for nearly fourteen years, the enemies have wanted to destroy the Islamic Republic and have not been able to?! What is this but their weakness and our strength? We are strong. We have power thanks to Islam. We rely on and trust in the great God. That is, we have divine power with us. The world cannot stand against such a force.

We hope that the Almighty God, by the blessing of Hussein ibn Ali (peace be upon him), will make us among the helpers of that noble one. May He place us among the pioneers in the field of struggle in the way of God and make the sacred spirit of our great Imam pleased with us. May He make us among the soldiers and helpers of Imam Mahdi (may our souls be sacrificed for him) and make the sacred heart of that noble one pleased with us.

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