Statements of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution in a meeting with the officials of the system on the occasion of the birth of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)

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

I congratulate this great holiday to the entire Islamic Ummah, to the honorable nation of Iran, and to the esteemed attendees of this assembly, especially the guests from other Islamic countries present here. The birth of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) marked the beginning of a new path for humanity. The world surrounding that message and the place of its emergence was a very bad and intolerable world; a world inclined towards materialism, a world of animalistic traits, a world of the unrestrained powerful, tyrants, discrimination, corruption, and unbridled lust. This situation was not exclusive to the region of Hijaz; the two great empires surrounding the Arabian Peninsula - namely the Sassanian Empire and the Roman Empire - were also afflicted by the same problems.

The ignorance that had put pressure on people's lives at the time of the emergence of Islam was a pervasive ignorance. At that time, there were unbearable tribulations for humanity in all the regions surrounding Arabia. There was knowledge, there was civilization - according to their own time - there were orderly royal governments and ceremonies, and there were disciplines arising from absolute power in those countries; however, what was missing was the light of humanity and virtue. What was absent was precisely what humanity has an absolute need for; that is, an environment of human virtue, an environment of compassion and kindness, and an environment of justice. What the people of that day lacked was justice; it was that the weak should not be trampled underfoot by the strong; it was that the blessings of the earth should not be concentrated in the hands of a few powerful individuals while others remain deprived. These were the great pains of humanity. Under the name of the Sassanian government, this was the case; under the name of the Roman Empire, it was the same; albeit in different forms. In the Hijaz of that day, where primitive life existed, it was in another form. The Islamic birth came forth in the face of all these realities.

This birth was not limited to that group; it belonged to all of humanity: "It is but a reminder for all the worlds." The Prophet was able to stand against that bitter reality and transform it. The Prophet was able to create deep cracks in the walls of injustice and human disorder; some of them he brought down and some he prepared for collapse. The Prophet faced the hardest and most difficult realities. When ugliness, disorder, and corruption are equipped with power, sword, will, and politics, it poses a great danger to humanity. Today, humanity in the twenty-first century, with all its claims, is moving towards a situation where an unrestrained power or a conglomerate of power, relying on force and the iron fist of its weaponry, stands up and creates rights for itself; rights that do not exist. This is the same situation that existed at the beginning of the birth. The Prophet stood up; he did not say this is a reality and what can be done about it. Some justify their weaknesses and lack of courage in this way: it is a reality, what can we do? The reality that must be submitted to is not this. Natural realities, irreparable realities, realities that have not been imposed on humanity; these are realities that humans must come to terms with and adapt to; however, the realities that some have created against others relying on bayonets and force must be overturned. It is illogical to say that the reality of global arrogance today is a reality, what can we do? This reality is imposed. In the face of this reality, great humans, divine religions, and thinkers stand up and confront it to change it, and it will change. The essence of the birth was this. The day this message entered the atmosphere of Mecca, it was said: "Say there is no god but Allah, and you will be successful."

If anyone were fair, they would not dare to assume that this word would one day prevail; because there was no ground for it at all. All those magnificent idols hanging on the walls of the Kaaba; the backing of the idols, the deep prejudices of ignorance; the aristocrats of Mecca and the powerful and influential families that "there is no god but Allah" would dismantle all of these; behind them, the powerful governments of the Sassanian Empire and the Roman Empire. Who would dare to accept at first that this message could be proposed and pursued?! Weak individuals retreat from here. But the duty and mission of the Prophet brought him forward. Birth means awakening, and this birth first changed the atmosphere in the region of Hijaz, then in the entire civilized world of that day, within twenty-some years.

Not even half a century had passed since the emergence of Islam and the original birth that more than half of the civilized world was influenced by Islam. Do not think that governments like powerful empires did not have knowledge, reason, organization, military force, claims, pride, and arrogance; they did. However, a clear, explicit faith based on strong logic, when it resides in the hearts of determined, sincere, and self-sacrificing individuals, all these obstacles can be removed. Today, it is the same: Islamic faith is a faith that is based on logic and reasoning and embodies the good and happiness of humanity. Perhaps if someone had made this claim forty or fifty years ago, it would not have been very acceptable. At that time, socialism with its enormous volume threatened everyone and was in challenge with all. On the other side, there was the boastful Western liberal democracy. The fate of socialism is what it has faced; this is also the reality of Western liberal democracy. One example of it can be seen in the uproar of the invasion of Iraq, where a government like the United States claims the right to interfere in sensitive regions like the Middle East and considers it its right. This means tyranny and dictatorship. In the name of opposing dictatorship, they exercise the worst form of dictatorship; going directly to nations under the pretext of the existence of someone at the head of the government! In Afghanistan, in another form, they put nations under the pressure of weapons and then create the groundwork for their future, for their oil, for their military bases, and for their political power. This is the current action of the ruling liberal democracy over the Western world. The propaganda horns may influence the atmosphere, but in the long run, truths will not remain hidden from humanity's eyes. Another example is the support for the usurping Zionist regime. This is also one of the effects and fruits of the same liberal democracy. They insist that Islamic countries recognize this usurping, oppressive regime that has no belief in any human values; a regime that neither its land is its own, nor its nation is its own, and it has not the slightest right; yet it oppresses and insults the rightful owners of that land. You see what has been happening in the Palestinian territories for two years and what they are doing to the people! The United States stands behind the usurping, corrupt, and greedy Zionist regime. The audacity they showed yesterday at Al-Aqsa Mosque is one example of that. This is a fruit of liberal democracy. The school of Islam means a school that supports humanity and human values; a school that promotes compassion and kindness; a school that promotes human brotherhood and fraternity; a school whose criterion in social rights is: "A nation will not be sanctified in which the weak does not receive their right from the strong without difficulty"; in a society, an individual who is devoid of wealth and power should be able to obtain their right from the strong - who has wealth and power - without any problem. This is the message of Islam; this is the correct Islamic society; today this message is what attracts nations. Where in today's world is it managed this way? Which democracy, which liberalism, which claimed human rights can propose and pursue such a thing? Today they act in the opposite manner.

Islam still has that living and penetrating message based on strong logic today. Islam has shown its capability; it has shown it in the Islamic Iran, in various experiences in this region, and in the steadfastness of the Palestinian people. Today it is our turn, the officials of this Islamic country and the officials of the Islamic world, to show that we deeply believe in Islam; that we have understood the message of Islam and accept it, and we are ready to work for it. The responsibility of the officials is very heavy. The first step that officials must take should be: not to become captives of desires, lusts, and greed, and those things that are the bane of societies; this is a fundamental step. We must strive. The nations have shown that they are ready. Our great nation has shown through the experiences of the revolution and after the revolution until today that it is courageously ready for sacrifice; today it is the same. The Palestinian nation, the Lebanese nation, and the Muslim nations everywhere have shown that they are ready. We are the officials who must fulfill our covenant. The birth and the day of birth and the remembrance of the birth are lessons and reminders of the great divine responsibility for us.

May God elevate the ranks of our great Imam (may his soul be sanctified), who opened this path for us and for the Islamic Ummah, day by day, and may He gather our dear and valuable martyrs who sacrificed their lives on this path with their leaders, and God willing, grant the Islamic Ummah success in progress, movement, and action for its own interests with united words.

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