Statements of the Supreme Leader in Meeting with the System's Officials on the Occasion of the Seventeenth of Rabi' al-Awwal

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

I extend my congratulations on the auspicious birth of the noble Prophet, Hazrat Muhammad ibn Abdullah (peace be upon him and his progeny), and the blessed birth of Hazrat Imam Ja'far Sadiq (peace be upon him) to all Muslims around the world, to all seekers of truth and freedom; especially to the honorable and noble nation of Iran, as well as to you esteemed attendees, respected officials of the country, dear guests from Islamic countries around the world, and the honorable ambassadors of Islamic nations.

The noble Prophet himself, in terms of personality, stands at the pinnacle of creation; both in those dimensions that are comprehensible to humanity, such as these high human standards - intellect, prudence, wisdom, generosity, mercy, forgiveness, decisiveness, and such qualities - and in those dimensions that transcend human understanding - dimensions that reflect the manifestation of the Greatest Name of God in the existence of the noble Prophet and his proximity to the Almighty God - of which we only hear names and forms, and the truth of which is known to God the Great and His great saints. The message of that great figure is the highest and best message for the happiness of humanity; the message of monotheism, the message of elevating the status of humanity, and the message of the evolution of human existence.

It is true that humanity has not yet succeeded in fully implementing this message in all its dimensions in their lives; however, undoubtedly, the movement of human elevation and progress will one day reach this point. This is a pinnacle and an elevation for humanity. Assuming that human thought and understanding, and their high perceptions and knowledge are progressing, and the message of Islam is alive, there is no doubt that one day this message will find its place in the lives of human society. The legitimacy of the prophetic message, the legitimacy of Islamic monotheism, the lessons of Islam for life, and the path of Islam for the happiness and progress of humanity will lead humanity to that point where they will find this clear and smooth road and step into it and advance and find their elevation and evolution.

What is important for us Muslims is to increase our knowledge regarding Islam and the noble Prophet of Islam. Today, one of the great pains in the Islamic world is the pain of division and separation. The axis of unity in the Islamic world can be the sacred existence of the Prophet - the focal point of belief for all; the focal point of the emotions of all human beings. We Muslims do not have any point as clear and comprehensive as the sacred existence of the Prophet - to which both Muslims believe, and in addition to belief, an emotional and spiritual bond connects the hearts and feelings of Muslims to that sacred existence. This is the best center of unity.

It is not coincidental that we observe in recent years, similar to the Middle Ages and the era of biased analyses by Orientalists, that insults are directed towards the sacred realm of the noble Prophet. In the Middle Ages, Christian priests insulted the personality of the noble Prophet in their writings, speeches, and artistic works, and during the period when Orientalist historiography began, they insulted the noble Prophet's character in their works. In the past century, we also saw that Western non-Muslim Orientalists targeted one of the points that were questioned and, in some cases, insulted, which was the sacred and blessed personality of the noble Prophet!

There had been a long gap; however, recently they have started again. In recent years, one can observe a vile and sinister media and cultural assault against the personality of the noble Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) across the world. This action may be calculated; because it has been noted that Muslims can gather around the axis of the sacred existence of the noble Prophet and their belief and love for him. Therefore, they dispute that center.

Islamic scholars, Muslim intellectuals, writers, poets, and artists in the Islamic world today have the duty to the extent that their abilities allow, to depict the personality of the noble Prophet and the dimensions of the greatness of this great existence for Muslims and non-Muslims. This will contribute to the unity of the Islamic Ummah and to the movement that is currently observed in the younger generations of the Islamic Ummah towards Islam.

Dear brothers and sisters! Today, the Islamic world needs more than ever to familiarize and connect itself with the foundations and truths of Islam. Today, the ground is prepared for an Islamic movement throughout the Islamic world. Today, in the face of the corruption of the materialistic world of the West, understanding the truth of Islamic monotheism is not difficult for Muslim nations. Today is the day when Islamic scholars and thinkers must strive and endeavor to familiarize hearts with the truth of Islam; to bring the Islamic Ummah closer to the grounds of Islamic revival, which, thanks be to God, its prerequisites have been provided, and examples of it have emerged around the world, with a notable example of it in this country, among the great nation of Iran - with the establishment of the Islamic Republic system.

Wherever we have sincerely engaged with Islam and the truths of Islam and the duties that Islam has defined for us, divine assistance and victory and success have been granted. We have experienced this in our domestic issues, and we have seen it in the issues of the Islamic world. If you observe that the faithful youth in Lebanon were able to achieve a great victory for themselves and for the Islamic Ummah and the Arab nation, this was under the shadow of Islam and under the familiarity with Islam and acting according to the Islamic command in this regard.

It has always been this way. The remedy for the pains of the Islamic Ummah; the remedy for the great pain of the Islamic Ummah and the deep wound of the Islamic world - namely the Palestinian issue - is also the same. Let no one think that the Palestinian issue is over and that the Palestinian nation is destroyed and that the Palestinian issue has been buried under these uproars and commotions! This is a mistake; this is a false assumption. The passage of time cannot erase a right like the Palestinian issue from the scroll of the world. Palestine and the Palestinian nation are alive, and the future of Palestine is clear.

You observe that several countries - whether in Central Asia or in the Balkans - some for fifty years and some for seventy years were part of the Soviet Union, and no one thought that one day they would return to their identity; but they did return! One day, the Soviet Union seemed invincible and indestructible, and superficial observers thought that the issue of the countries that were lost in the Soviet Union was permanently resolved; however, this was not the case. Palestine is the same. Palestine is not something that can be finished. Palestine is not something that can be lost from the world stage; just as southern Lebanon could not be lost. The Zionists did not come to Lebanon to evacuate it one day. They came to stay there forever! You saw that the struggle, patience, and steadfastness of the Muslim people and youth of Lebanon over twenty years narrowed the space for the enemy and forced them to retreat. The same issue applies to Palestine itself. The resistance of the Muslim people and adherence to Islam can dismantle this fabricated and false plan of today and restore the true plan - the plan of Palestine - and the Palestinian nation back to this land. By the grace of the Lord, this is achievable.

In the shadow of knowledge of Islam and acting upon it, many things that may seem impossible and difficult to the eyes today are both achievable, and when realized in practice, it will be seen that they are not as difficult and impractical as they seemed.

We hope that the Almighty God awakens the Islamic Ummah, and makes us grateful for Islam and the Quran and appreciative of the sacred existence of the Prophet. God willing, the differences and dualities among Muslims will transform into unity and harmony. God willing, under the attention of the Lord and the pure prayers of Hazrat Baqiyatullah (may our souls be sacrificed for him), we and all the Islamic Ummah can reach that point that Islam has envisioned for its Ummah and for all of humanity. Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings.