Statements of the Supreme Leader in Meeting with System Officials on the Anniversary of the Prophet's Mission

In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful I sincerely congratulate all Muslims around the world, indeed all the free people of the world, especially the noble and brave nation of Iran and you esteemed attendees present in this gathering, on this great and joyous occasion. In all the past years, whenever the issue of the Prophet's mission and the great memory of the mission has been raised, our nation has considered its movement and historical national awakening in the revolution as a continuation of that great prophetic mission. This question has at least arisen in the minds of some people - among the elites and the knowledgeable - regarding what the secret of Islam's advancement was during a time of ignorance and widespread ignorance that filled the world. It was not only in the Arab region that ignorance prevailed. In the two great empires of that time - namely the Sassanian Empire of Iran and the Roman Empire - this ignorance also existed; there was no news of justice in those regions; there was discrimination there as well. In Iran itself, education and knowledge were exclusive to certain classes, and the general populace had no right to learn. Slavery existed in its worst form, and the treatment of the weak was in the most despicable manner; the issue of women and their presence in society was treated in the ugliest and most humiliating way. Everywhere there was ignorance; everywhere knowledge was a stranger. Islam came, and the sun of Islamic knowledge shone upon hearts and minds, and despite the world's ignorance and the unfavorable conditions, this caravan of human growth and progress advanced rapidly. Not even half a century had passed since the time of the mission when more than half of the inhabited world came under the influence of Islam. This is no small matter. Wherever Islam went, the masses welcomed it, and the hollow powers that obstructed and hindered were easily set aside. What was the factor that could advance the power of Islam in such a way and later establish the Islamic civilization, which remained at the peak of brilliance and power even during the decline of political power in Islam; influenced the culture of the world; expanded knowledge; and popularized Islamic culture? These are very strange experiences in history. What is the cause of these? This is the subject of a very long discussion. Researchers and writers have worked on this issue; they must continue to do so. What I want to express today in two or three sentences is part of this truth. Certainly, one of the elements that was a factor in the advancement of Islam was trust in God and divine commandments: "The Messenger has believed in what was revealed to him from his Lord, and [so have] the believers. All of them have believed in God and His angels and His Books and His messengers." (2:285) The Prophet himself and the early believers sincerely believed in the message of Islam and truly accepted the Islamic slogans, the Islamic truths, and the sufficiency of Islam for the salvation of humanity from the depths of their hearts. This faith is a very important factor. Another factor, at least at the forefront of this movement, was that they were indifferent to themselves - to what pertains to the individual and the material benefits for oneself. This is a very important factor. All that we emphasize and recommend in our narrations, in Nahj al-Balagha, in the words of the Prophet and the Imams (peace be upon them) and the great figures regarding indifference to the world and disregard for worldly adornments for oneself is due to the immense impact of this factor. Of course, the enemies of Islam and the misinterpreters of Muslims thought or pretended that if asceticism is mentioned in Islam, it means not to pursue the world in terms of the manifestations of existence and the manifestations of life. While this was not the case; rather, the bad world and the blameworthy world, and that we should not target ourselves and our material interests, was what was meant. This is what is destructive and ruinous and the root of misfortunes. The friends of God - those who were able to firmly hold that banner and advance this difficult path easily, without fatigue and without falling - were those who passed through this gorge. Therefore, in the very beautiful supplication of Nudbah - which begins by praising God for what He has brought forth for His friends; one of the most beautiful and profound concepts, especially in the initial phrases of this supplication, is stated - it says: "After You conditioned them to be ascetic in the ranks of this lowly world and its adornments and decorations; You brought them to the highest ranks and degrees of spiritual perfection; You granted them those blessings that 'there is no decay or decline.' You gave them these blessings and chose them; but You placed this condition upon them." The Prophet is at the highest point of human existence. This is impossible without divine assistance; without God providing the groundwork, it is impossible; but God grants this privilege in exchange for a condition: "asceticism in the ranks of this lowly world and its adornments and decorations, so they accepted this condition and acted upon it." Thus, an element like the Prophet and Amir al-Mu'minin emerges; they are unyielding, tireless. They bear a burden that is not limited to their own time; they create a movement that does not end with the end of their lives. This movement continues. You can see, after fourteen centuries, Islam still shines. All of this revolves around that great existence and those struggles. They are the ones who continue this movement. Of course, what Muslims and believers and great figures have done along the way has helped. Our expectation is that the great figures of the Islamic world - both political figures and religious leaders - do not prioritize their own interests above all else. Our expectation from the people and the great figures of our time is not a demand that has arisen in our hearts from the behavior of the Prophet; no, there is a very large gap. We have the same expectation from ourselves. We also expect this from others in the Islamic world, that they do not place their own interests and this 'I' at the top of their goals; that they do not prioritize everything else over Islam and the attainment of Islamic strength and power and the perfection and elevation of Islam. If this happens, today undoubtedly a large part of the inner strength and inherent power of Islam will return to the Islamic nation. Here, the element that was able to bear this immense burden of attention, faith, belief, love, and the movement of the people on its shoulders and bring it to this point - that is, our Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified) - the most important point in his existence was that he eliminated himself and disregarded himself; he made the duty the axis of work and movement; thus, he succeeded. Of course, in addition to many other great qualities that he possessed. The essence of the work is this. In the Islamic Republic, in these twenty years, wherever we have been able to prioritize duty and goals and weaken ourselves, individuals, and personal desires, we have advanced; but whenever the opposite has happened, we have been struck. Throughout the eight years of imposed war, those who were involved in the details of the events know better that wherever the spirit of duty prevailed and personal interests were minimal among the officials, we advanced; but wherever personal interests came into play, vulnerability also arose. Today is the same. My dear ones! What is of utmost importance for us, the officials of the Islamic Republic - first for myself, then for everyone else - must be that immense responsibility that this revolution and this system has placed upon us today. If this system did not exist, if we did not have responsibilities in this system, perhaps many of these addresses would not be appropriate for us, and many of these responsibilities would not rest upon our shoulders; but today this divine proof has been established upon us. Today the Islamic system has come into existence. Today in this country, something has been realized that has been the aspiration of all Islamic reformers - since the very first day that a reform movement arose in the Islamic world - the existence of such a thing. All the great reformers we know - in Iran, in Africa, in the Maghreb, in India, in Islamic regions, in Arab countries, and in every corner of the Islamic world - their efforts have been to establish such a foundation: Islamic governance, the rule of Islam, the rule of the Quran, the rule of divine values. Even the most optimistic among them did not think that they would witness such a thing in their lifetime. We are familiar with the works and writings of almost all of them; we know what they wanted and what they said. They worked towards it as a distant aspiration. God Almighty bestowed this favor; our Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified) emerged with these truly unique characteristics; this nation found itself in a special situation and truly struggled; the world of global arrogance was caught off guard, and this movement succeeded, and this system stood firm. From the very first hour until today, those caught off guard enemies have not ceased their enmity against this system and have done everything they could to block the paths for repeating this movement in other Islamic regions; because that state of surprise no longer exists. This system has come into being; this is a great responsibility for us. The first duty rests upon us. Each of us who has a responsibility in the Islamic system - executive responsibilities, advisory responsibilities, research responsibilities, legislative responsibilities - must strive to increase that element of strength and power that we find in the history of Islam and have also experienced in our own lives; that is, trust in God, trust in what we have from Islam, and removing the self from the center; that is, reducing personal interests, ethnic interests, group interests, and political interests. We must move towards that true unity under the shadow of divine commandments; that unity whose condition is a single faith, a single love, and a single goal. This unity can accommodate differences in race and differences in color and skin; let alone political tastes. This unity can be created. Thanks be to God, our nation has always shown and acted upon the grounds for such unity and has moved forward. Other nations within the great Islamic Ummah must also pursue such unity, coordination, and cooperation. The elements of power in Islam are abundant; divine grace is also present, and thanks be to God, signs and tidings of divine mercy are seen in abundance. Let me also say that the signs of mercy and divine tidings are observed step by step, in various matters and in different horizons. The future is a bright future. We must understand our duty and act upon it. Let us strive not to lag behind the caravan of divine competition, divine grace, and divine mercy. We hope that, God willing, God Almighty, by the blessing of this holy occasion and the blessing of this holy existence and this blessed mission and this dear memory, will include us in His mercy and will include us in the pure supplications of the holy guardian of the age. Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings.