Statements of His Eminence in Meeting with Nurses on the Anniversary of the Blessed Birth of Lady Zainab (peace be upon her)

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

Dear nurses, brothers and sisters! Welcome. I hope that by the blessing of the blessed name of Lady Zainab (peace be upon her) and the anniversary of her birth, the nursing community of the country - which identifies itself with this name - will receive special divine grace and favor.

It is necessary to consider two points regarding nurses and nursing:

The first point is that since this profession is one of the most difficult jobs, it must be recognized by officials and planners with this characteristic. A nurse is a kind person who, through their behavior, ethics, and services, gifts health to the patient. If a doctor completes their treatment, but there is no nursing service, ensuring the patient's health becomes difficult. Anyone who has benefited from the kind services of nurses understands and knows how effective their role is in gifting health to patients. This human being - who performs angelic work - faces many hardships. Various patients, the harsh and distressed behavior of patients in bed and on the sickbed, the problems arising from the patient's condition, severe and sometimes contagious diseases, the confined atmosphere of the hospital; all of these factors place this profession, with all its dignity and sanctity, among the hardest jobs. There is a difference between someone who serves only with their body and someone who, in addition to putting their body, arms, and physical strength to work, must also engage with their spirit, ethics, and emotions; they must smile at the patient, encourage them, endure their harshness and bitterness, and ease the difficult atmosphere of illness for them. This is truly one of the hardest tasks.

Those who are planners and decision-makers in various fields must view this profession with this perspective and make decisions accordingly. The people, who regard the servants of society in all ranks with respect, should also look at this profession and its hardworking practitioners with this perspective. Respect for nurses is necessary. Nurses must feel that for their profession, responsibility, and efforts, the people, society, and officials care. This makes the hardships easier for them.

The second point is that know that God Almighty rewards hard efforts as they deserve. Do your work for God and for His sake. Yes, the people and officials must fulfill their duties; however, the nurse should consider their counterpart to be God. If this feeling awakens in the nurse that their work is for God, they help God's servant and the needy human to gain divine satisfaction. Therefore, their work becomes illuminated and transcends the level of mere human work; then the reward for their work is "beyond measure and countable." Every difficult moment you spend by the patient's bedside and in facing the hardships of this difficult work - which no one else can understand; only you understand and the one who does your work - is not hidden from the keen eyes of divine agents. That extra minute you work, that kind and affectionate face you show, and that smile you display, which apparently no one appreciates - neither your superior sees it, nor do high-ranking officials notice that small act of kindness, and the patient themselves does not have the opportunity to express gratitude - is recorded in the book of divine justice and fairness. "So whoever does an atom's weight of good will see it": if you do good even to the weight of an atom - meaning the particles you see in the sunlight entering the room and cannot measure their weight with ordinary tools - you will see it on the Day of Resurrection; the reward for it will return to you and will not be wasted. The difference between divine thinking and material thinking is right here. According to the lofty divine teachings, in the realm of nature and existence, no movement, behavior, or feeling is wasted. When you feel compassion for the patient and the motivation of kindness wells up in your heart towards that patient, that too has a reward. Who sees and feels that? God Almighty, who is All-Knowing of secrets and hidden matters - "He knows the treachery of the eyes and what the breasts conceal" - knows everything that passes through our hearts and memories, and He will reward it.

Value this profession. Separate the accounts. The fact that the nursing community has demands from the government or other sectors due to their services and efforts is valid and must be addressed; everyone must recognize their duty towards nurses and the nursing community; however, alongside this aspect, do not forget that your work, due to the difficulty, delicacy, and often imperceptibility of many of its efforts in the eyes of the people, has a characteristic that can draw special attention in the presence of divine justice. These are important. Of course, these recommendations I present to you concern you, your hearts, and God. Our recommendation to the officials is to fulfill their duties towards this group.

The blessed name of Lady Zainab signifies an effort of this kind. Lady Zainab (peace be upon her) did not only protect and nurse the sick Imam in Karbala. Lady Zainab cared for the overall spirit of Islam and its community at that time; her great nursing was there. Lady Zainab stood alone against a world of evil, oppression, injustice, animalistic behavior, and cruelty. With this steadfastness, she was able to protect and care for the overall spirit of Islam. Just as we say Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) preserved Islam, we can precisely claim that Lady Zainab (peace be upon her), with her steadfastness, also preserved Islam. This steadfastness is a secret and a main factor.

Nations that stand firm for their goals succeed. This success may not be apparent in the short term to short-sighted people; however, undoubtedly, this success is established and has no turning back. Look at the wounded, oppressed, and occupied Palestine; the people there have been standing firm for a year now. If we look at the apparent statistics with a materialistic eye, we see that they have been beaten, struck, and have suffered casualties; however, in reality, they have revived the issue of Palestine; they have bogged down the enemy and forced it to confess its impotence. The more the oppressive and occupying Zionist regime intensifies its oppression, the more it admits its own impotence. This shows that they are desperate. Now they have begun to shout and threaten war in the region and beyond; why is this? It is because those oppressed men, those women whose infants have been targeted by the bullets of the Zionists, those youths who went to battle against the heavily armed enemy with stones, have embarrassed and incapacitated the enemy.

The balance of power in the world is not merely about outward appearances and the face of superpower; steadfastness is necessary. Our nation has also stood firm and succeeded - both in the revolution, in the war, and in the post-war period - and today it continues to stand firm and will succeed. The pressures you observe - propaganda, political, economic pressures, treacherous and despicable recruitment from within the country by the enemy - are because the Iranian nation, according to the noble verse "They said, 'Our Lord is Allah,' then they remained steadfast," has loudly declared and firmly stood by its rightful and logical demand - which is to take control of its own affairs and cut foreign interference and rely on divine judgment and religion. But who will ultimately prevail in this regard? It is the nation and its steadfastness that will prevail.

Of course, these are tests. In the world, many have lost their reputation. In the case of Palestine and Iran, the reputation of the great powers has fallen to the ground; the nations of the world have recognized how much truth lies in their claims of human rights and their opposition to terrorism. You see today that the U.S. government claims to oppose terrorism; at the same time, the Zionist regime decides at the government level to assassinate specific individuals - twenty-some people have been identified for assassination! This is a formal state terrorism; meanwhile, the U.S. government supports them! Does this not prove the lies of the U.S. regime?! They claim to support human rights, children's rights, and women's rights; yet in Palestine, suddenly, with the bulldozers of the Zionists, the roof falls on the head of a helpless child and a woman sitting in her home, and they do not even flinch or frown! This act tarnishes their reputation in front of the nations of the world.

Let me tell you; we thank God that the course of events has unfolded in such a way - of course, the efforts of the dear and noble Iranian nation have played the greatest role in this - that day by day, the global backing and public opinion against the great powers is weakening, and the cries of nations against the system of domination are becoming louder and clearer.

We hope that God Almighty grants the Iranian nation greatness and power and that which is worthy of its sacrifice and selflessness, and may He bestow upon you, the nursing community of the country, a great reward, and God willing, you can carry out this very important, sensitive, and difficult profession with encouragement and receive your reward from God Almighty. We hope that all of you will be included in the pure prayers of the Awaited Savior, may our souls be sacrificed for him.

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