Speech at the Meeting with Participants in the First Islamic Conference on Palestine

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

It can be said that this session has placed the most important issue of the Islamic world on its agenda. Indeed, today in the lives of Muslims and in the Islamic horizons, there is no issue as significant and critical as the issue of Palestine. For more than forty years, Muslims have gradually been accustomed to the usurpation of a part of their home. It is not just the usurpation of the Muslims' home; the issue goes beyond this. The issue is that the global enemies of Islam have made a part of the Muslims' home a bastion for attacking the ranks of Muslims and for combating their demands and movements.

Unfortunately, in the Islamic world, those who had the means and could make effective decisions on this issue have placed it in the corner of oblivion—albeit not verbally, but in the essence of the matter. If we awaken, we will see that this is the greatest calamity that has befallen Muslims in recent times. The Islamic ruling on this issue is clear. No Muslim has any doubt about the ruling applicable to the issue of Palestine. This is the same issue that is mentioned in all jurisprudential books where the discussion of jihad is raised. If the infidels come and occupy or besiege the land of Muslims, none of the Muslim jurists—old or new—have doubted the obligatory nature of jihad in this case. All Islamic sects are in agreement on this matter. Initiatory jihad is a collective obligation, but not in this case. Defensive jihad, which is the clearest example of defense, is an individual obligation.

An issue with such clarity and importance is today regarded in the Islamic world as a secondary issue. Of course, the primary blame lies with the leaders of Muslims. If the leaders of Muslims and the heads of Islamic countries decide collectively and individually to rescue Palestine, they will be able to.

In the issue of Palestine, the goal is the rescue of Palestine; that is, the obliteration of the state of Israel. There is no difference between the lands before 1967 and after. Every inch of Palestinian soil is an inch of the Muslims' home. Any sovereignty other than the sovereignty of the Palestinian people and the Muslims over the country of Palestine is an usurping sovereignty. The statement is the same as that of the great departed Imam: "Israel must be obliterated." If the Jews of Palestine accept the Islamic state, they can live there. The issue is not anti-Semitism. The issue is the usurpation of the Muslims' home. If the leaders and heads of Muslims were not under the influence of global powers, they could have accomplished this important task; but unfortunately, they did not.

Today, a great event is underway within the territories, and that is this Islamic uprising, which these days enters its fourth year. This is what should save Palestine. This is what the supporters and producers of Israel feared. This is what was hoped for, and this hope has been fulfilled today. This is a great divine blessing.

If we Muslims are grateful for this blessing, it will remain; "If you are grateful, I will surely increase you." If we are ungrateful for this blessing, it will be lost. Gratitude for this blessing is that all Muslims everywhere in the world should consider it their religious duty to support these fighters who are fighting in the name of Islam today. Today, there is no remedy other than this.

This support must be extensive and comprehensive. Political support, propaganda support, moral support, and military support are all necessary. Whatever is possible is necessary and obligatory. Muslims around the world should see which types of support they can provide. Whatever they know is their religious duty, and they should not neglect it.

Often, two points are overlooked by those who chant slogans in the name of Israel. We briefly mention these two points. One of these points is that enmity with the usurpers of Israel is incompatible with friendship with those who are comprehensive supporters of the usurpers of Israel. This is not possible. Those who think they can save Palestine through America and its allies are in a regrettable error. Just as Palestine cannot be saved through the Israeli government, it cannot be saved through the American government and its allies. Any movement that ends in reliance on the supporters of the usurping state is certainly a deviant movement and a great mistake. If someone claims to be against Israel but converses with Israel's allies in this matter and relies on them, it must be known that they are lying. Such a thing is not possible.

Those who feed Israel are in the Israeli front. Those who help Israel in any way are in the Israeli front. Those who negotiate with the Zionists are in the Israeli front. The struggle to rescue the land of Palestine must have the true meaning of struggle. Struggle is the opposite of compromise. In this matter, compromise is betrayal, and struggle is duty. No one should consider compromise as struggle.

The second point is that one of the things that laid the groundwork for the creation of the usurping state on the first day and continues to lay the groundwork for that state today is the propaganda that the comprehensive propaganda apparatus of the Zionists and their friends have launched all over the world. They have made it appear to the minds of the world's people that the owners of the house are those who govern there, and a group of uncultured people are causing them trouble! Unfortunately, they have established this in the world. They have worked on this issue in public opinion and in the global public culture; but we Muslims have been negligent! We Muslims have not become aware of the enemy's propaganda methods. We have not used the best methods to express the legitimacy of the Palestinian people.

What I want to conclude from this preamble is that all intellectuals, writers, artists, and those who have a hand in propaganda in all parts of the world must fulfill their duty with complete sense of responsibility regarding this issue. After World War II, Jews all over the world made hundreds and even thousands of films to portray themselves as oppressed and those who opposed them—whether real or unreal—as oppressors. As far as we know, the oppression that is happening to the Palestinian nation today has never happened to an entire nation; while unfortunately, the world's public opinion is not aware of this oppression. This must be correctly expressed. Films must be made, artistic works must be done so that all the world's public opinion knows what is happening.

Unfortunately, we must admit that our intellectuals and those who could have, have been negligent. We must introduce the issue of Palestine to the world as it is. For this work, investment must be made, and individuals must strive and work. This is a point that we have neglected.

Today, after the Islamic Revolution showed the sharpness of Islam, the enemies of Islam and Muslims have become more serious. The Islamic Revolution has created new fronts against Islam; only because it introduced Islam and showed that Islam opposes oppression and made it clear that a true Muslim is one who does not submit to tyranny and rebellion and the global system of domination. This greatly angered the arrogant powers and created new fronts against Islam.

You can see examples of it everywhere in the world. You see in Europe what actions are taken against Muslim groups and individuals; you see in Africa that these missionary movements are only launched to counter pure Islam; you see in Islamic countries themselves how much pressure is on Islamic movements. In every place, it is in a different way. You see manifestations of it in other countries—like India. This Babri Mosque incident is one of those issues that, although its subject is a mosque and may seem small to some; but it is not small. It shows that the enemies of Islam have stood to the point of inciting a group against the sanctities of Islam and making life bitter for Muslims.

Undoubtedly, the movement of fanatic Hindus is due to the provocations of the enemies. Everyone has seen that this mosque was there for many years, and there was also a temple next to it. They were busy with their work; these were also busy with their work. It is the enemies of Islam who create these provocations and make an issue like the Babri Mosque incident the issue of the day for Muslims. Of course, the Muslims of India are right in this matter, and everyone should know that the Muslims of the world are behind the Muslims of India in this matter, they give them the right and defend and support them.

There are new hostile movements against Islam everywhere in the world. What should be concluded from these movements is one sentence: Muslims must be more serious in defending Islam and consider themselves, in the true sense of the word, soldiers of Islam and act according to the requirements of this soldiering. Undoubtedly, the enemy will not be able to do anything against the general movement of Muslims, and Islam and Muslims who have decided to defend Islam and rise up will certainly be victorious.

I hope that Almighty God grants all of us the success to defend Islam. God willing, this meeting of yours will be a blessed gathering. In the hours and days you sit to discuss the issue of Palestine, search for practical ways and pursue them. Everyone should truly recognize their duty and act according to it. Words alone, when not a prelude to action, are not a good experience for us. Only in the shadow of acting on promises and words will we be able to, God willing, achieve results.

Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings