Statements at the Gathering with the Quran

On the first day of the blessed month of Ramadan 1435

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

Thanks be to God, the Lord of the worlds, and blessings upon His Messenger and his virtuous family.

We express our gratitude to the Almighty God for granting us life and the opportunity to commence this blessed month of Ramadan with this luminous gathering. I extend my welcome to all of you esteemed reciters, respected memorizers, dear Quranic individuals, especially to the brothers who have organized the program and the honorable host; God willing, may all of you be among the companions of the Quran in this world and the Hereafter.

The work that the Quranic community is doing today in our country is, in my opinion, a strategic and important endeavor. It is true that being close to the Quran is a source of elevation in ranks and deepening of knowledge for the reciter and the one familiar with the Quran - this is a significant achievement in itself; that is, the blessing that you, the reciter of the Quran, derive is a noteworthy accomplishment - but beyond this, there is another achievement that has a broader scope, which is bringing the Islamic community closer to understanding the Quran and becoming familiar with it; this is very important. Today, our Quranic community, the reciters, memorizers, and those who strive in this path, are indeed carrying out this strategic movement, and this is very important; this should be appreciated.

The truth is that, thanks be to God, in recent years, the Quranic community has made significant progress. We have been holding this annual session for many years, and I see a noticeable advancement in the familiarity with the Quran, the recitation of the Quran among our people, our youth, and enthusiasts, and the ever-increasing spread of this meaning; thanks be to God, this is worthy of gratitude; however, our distance from what is desired is still considerable. Not in the sense that our reciters are personally or generally below the desired level; no, that is not the case - thanks be to God, we have good reciters who, in terms of recitation, in terms of melody and tones, in terms of attention to meaning and the quality of recitation that brings the meaning of the Quran to life for the listener, are at high levels; in these respects, thanks be to God, the advancements are very good - but at the general level of society, we are not at the desired level, and our distance is great. There must be an arrangement in our country and among our community so that all individuals have some form of familiarity with the Quran and the Quranic concepts are meaningful to them, and they can understand the meanings of the Quran, referring to the Quran; even if only in a general sense, they should grasp the Quranic concepts. We must reach this point. In countries where the language is Arabic, this stage is traversed more easily; in our country, where our language is not Arabic, we reach this stage more difficultly, but fortunately - as we have repeatedly stated - the Quranic words are familiar to us; understanding their meanings is not difficult for our people, and a bit of familiarity and practice can, God willing, bring about what we desire in society.

And you dear brothers should pay attention that the Islamic system and the Islamic community gain internal strength through increasing familiarity with the Quran; and this internal strength is what enables communities to pursue their desired paths and empowers them to confront challenges. We must be strong internally; this internal strength is achieved through familiarity with the Quran. Familiarity with the Quran strengthens faith, increases reliance on God, enhances trust in divine promises, reduces fear and anxiety from material problems, strengthens individuals spiritually, gives them self-confidence, and clarifies the paths of closeness to God for individuals. The benefits and advantages of familiarity with the Quran in this regard are these.

The Quran is the book of knowledge, the book of light. وَ مَا جَالَسَ هَذَا القُرآنَ اَحَدٌ اِلّا قَامَ عَنْهُ بِزِیَادَة اَو نُقصَانٍ زِیَادَةٍ فى هُدًى اَو نقصانٍ فى عمًى; this saying is attributed to Amir al-Mu'minin; he said: whoever sits with the Quran, when they rise from that sitting, either guidance has increased in them or ignorance and blindness has decreased. There is an increase and a decrease that occurs within them, an increase in guidance and a decrease in blindness, meaning that human misguidance decreases. Human guidance and awareness increase; this is how sitting and rising with the Quran works; this, of course, is achieved through attention and contemplation in the Quran. The Quran must be read with attention; we must pay attention that merely forming these sounds is not sufficient; the Quran must be read with attention to meanings, with attention to the Quranic intentions; if this is achieved, then the Islamic community will find its way. اَللهُ وَلىُّ الَّذینَ ءامَنُوا یُخرِجُهُم مِنَ الظُّلُماتِ اِلَى النُّور; from the darkness of superstitions, from the darkness of misguidance, from the darkness of fear, from the darkness of delusions, individuals emerge «اِلَى النُّور»; the light of guidance, the light of knowledge, the light of closeness to the Lord, the light of familiarity with the Lord. These are the qualities that arise from sitting with the Quran and being familiar with the Quran, and we need this; the Islamic Ummah today needs this. The Islamic community today is facing serious challenges; we have repeatedly stated that paying attention to challenges does not mean that we feel the enemy is strong and will overpower us; it is not like that. The Islamic community is facing challenges, and confronting these challenges is an opportunity for Islam to advance another step, another movement, another stage towards the desired elevation, God willing; today it is like this. In previous periods before the victory of the Islamic Revolution and before the Islamic Awakening, we saw the Islamic world in a state of negligence; today the Islamic world is in a state of awareness. The events that occur in the Islamic world also assist in the awareness of the Islamic Ummah; they make us more aware, clearer, and specify our duties more distinctly. The enemies of Islam are fearful of this insight of the believers and the Islamic Ummah; we must strengthen this insight day by day; the first step is to recognize these challenges.

What is observed in the Islamic world is that in the name of Islam, the enemies of Islam confront Islam under the guise of Islam; the same expression that our Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified) said: American Islam, in contrast to pure Muhammadan Islam. American Islam is the Islam that collaborates with tyranny, collaborates with Zionism, serves the goals of America, its appearance is also Islam, its name is also Islam, and perhaps they perform some Islamic rituals; although as one hears - now we do not have very precise information - those who have appeared and manifested in some countries in the name of Islam - recently in Iraq and previously in some other places - are not very committed to the religious laws and personal religious duties; however, what is certain is that in the overall direction, they are definitely moving 180 degrees in the opposite direction of Islam. Islam considers collaboration with the enemies of religion, the guardianship of the enemies of religion, the guardianship of the arrogant powers as something that believers must avoid; اَلَّذینَ ءامَنُوا یُقاتِلُونَ فى سَبیلِ‌الله وَ الَّذینَ کَفَرُوا یُقاتِلُونَ فى سَبیلِ الطّاغُوت; if you are moving in the way of tyranny in the name of Islam, discover that this Islam is not a correct and valid Islam, it is not the real Islam, there is something wrong somewhere; today it is like this. Of course, one can see the hands of the enemy; it must be believed that the wicked hands of the security and intelligence services of the regimes hostile to Islam play a definitive role in creating such events and such turmoil for Muslims - whether directly or indirectly - they are the ones orchestrating the scene, as one observes; their signs and evidence are also clear. If the Islamic Ummah has familiarity with the teachings of the Quran, is more acquainted, such events will occur less frequently. The connection and attachment of hearts to God prevents hearts from betraying the path of God; we hope this will come to pass.

You Quranic youth and those who dedicate your lives, your years, your youth, your energy to the Quran, be grateful to the Almighty God; this is a great blessing that God has granted the youth and adolescents to become familiar with the Quran; to choose the path of the Quran. Such a thing did not exist in past eras; the Quran was not prevalent among the youth, it was not promoted; today, thanks be to God, it is being promoted among the youth; and you are among the factors and influencers of this promotion; appreciate this.

And those brothers who are active in the field of the Quran should also, in practice, «کونوا دُعاةَ النّاسِ بِغَیرِ اَلسِنَتِکُم»; they should show that in terms of adherence to religious regulations, they are among the distinguished individuals; they should demonstrate this so that the impact of the Quran in their actions becomes evident: in public conduct, in behavior, in inner and outer appearances; the appearances should be Islamic appearances; the quality of interaction should be Islamic; they should observe these. اَلّذینَ اِذا ذُکِرَ اللهُ وَجِلَت قُلوبُهُم وَ اِذا تُلِیَت عَلَیهِم ءایتُهُ زادَتهُم ایماناً; one sign of these qualities should be shown by those brothers who are more familiar with the Quran. What you do - which today, thanks be to God, is a Quranic sign, a proud sign - can serve as a model for the youth, adolescents, and your listeners; they can learn from you. Strive to teach them things that bring them closer to God.

O Lord! By Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, we beseech You to keep us alive with the Quran; grant us companionship with the Quran; keep us alive in the path of the Quran; let us die in the path of the Quran; gather us with the Quran; make the Quran pleased and satisfied with us. O Lord! By Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, grant the precious gift of today from this gathering, from these programs and from these recitations to the pure soul of Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified) and the pure souls of the martyrs. O Lord! By Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, keep us steadfast in the path of Islam, in the path of the Quran, in the path of the martyrs and the Mujahideen of the path of truth.

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