Statements at the Meeting with Participants in the International Quran Competitions

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

Thanks be to God, the Lord of the worlds, and peace and blessings be upon our master and prophet, Abu al-Qasim al-Mustafa Muhammad, and upon his pure and chosen progeny, especially the Awaited One on the earth.

Today was a very excellent, sweet, and desirable session. Thanks be to God, the esteemed reciters and reciters from our country and from brotherly countries performed, and we benefited from it. We hope that the desire to seek illumination from the Quran and the inclination to understand the teachings of the Quran will grow day by day among our people and the people of the entire Islamic world and the Islamic Ummah; we need this.

I would like to say a word about the issue of seeking illumination from the Quran. This Quran that you recite is the book of guidance: "Indeed, this Quran guides to that which is most upright"; we all need guidance. The book is a reminder, and "reminder" means the removal of heedlessness; we are often afflicted by heedlessness; individuals often forget their own knowledge and become heedless; the Quran is the book of reminder, against heedlessness and the remover of heedlessness; it has been said: "And We have certainly made the Quran easy to remember, so is there anyone who will remember?" The Quran is a book of warning: "And it has been revealed to me that this Quran may warn you"; we need warning, to be made aware of the dangers that threaten humanity, both in this world and in the next world, which is the true life. The book is a remedy for the pains of humanity; whether the pains of individuals [such as] their spiritual, mental, and intellectual pains, or the pains of human societies [such as] wars, oppression, injustices; the Quran is the remedy for these: "And We send down of the Quran that which is healing and mercy for the believers." The Quran is a book of wisdom: Yasin * And the wise Quran; "wisdom" means the expression of the truths of life that humans need. The Quran is a book of clarification and the removal of ambiguities and ignorance, and it has been repeatedly stated in the Quran: "These are the verses of the clear book." The Quran is glorious, it is noble, it is light, it is proof; this is the Quran. These are the descriptions of the Quran in the Quran itself; the Quran introduces and describes itself to us.

In the words of Amir al-Mu'minin (peace be upon him) — who is a distinguished student of the Quran and the greatest prophet (peace be upon him and his family) — there are lofty expressions in Nahj al-Balagha about the Quran. "The spring of hearts"; just as in spring, the world comes to life, the earth comes to life, the Quran revives hearts and saves them from lifelessness, depression, and regression; "the spring of hearts"; "the healing of chests"; in it is the knowledge of what is to come; "the remedy for your ailments and the organization of what is between you." These are the expressions of Nahj al-Balagha about the Quran; that is, the endless knowledge needed by humanity is present in the Quran; whether the knowledge needed by humanity as individuals or the knowledge needed by humanity as a human society. This phrase "the knowledge of what is to come" that we read from Nahj al-Balagha means the fulfillment of the needs of all humanity and all future; the knowledge of what is to come. Throughout all the periods that humanity lives on this earth, the Quran meets its needs and provides answers; "the knowledge of what is to come" means this. It is the remedy for the great pains of human societies. And the organization of what is between you; social order, human communications, the communications of societies, all of these are in the Quran. Let us recognize the Quran.

Unfortunately, within the Islamic world, there are some who have thought and believe that the Quran is only for hearts, for the corners of temples, and that humans need the Quran for their personal needs and communications with God; they do not accept Islam as a response to the needs of societies, they do not accept political Islam, they do not accept Islam as a builder of social order. This is exactly the opposite of what the Quran itself elucidates and the opposite of what Amir al-Mu'minin (peace be upon him) describes about the Quran.

Well, these are the Quranic teachings; how do we obtain these teachings? By being close to the Quran, by reflecting on the Quran, by referring to those in whose homes the Quran was revealed, [that is] the Ahl al-Bayt of the Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his family); by utilizing these, we can obtain these teachings and use them and build our lives based on them. Your recitation — this practice common among Quran enthusiasts in Islamic countries, which has fortunately gained good popularity in our country as well — is one of the effective steps for being close to the Quran and for understanding the teachings of the Quran. The high value of reciting the Quran is that it compels your audience to reflect on the verses of the Quran and the concepts of the Quran, clarifying the teachings of the Quran for them. Of course, the condition is that this recitation should be with the intention of showcasing the Quran, not showcasing oneself; I have previously mentioned this to our dear reciters. The arts that exist in recitation — good voice, good tone, techniques of recitation, pauses and transitions, rises and falls — all must serve the understanding of the teachings of the Quran. Arrange it in such a way, recite it in such a way, pause and transition in such a way, repeat in such a way that the teachings of the Quran take root in hearts; today we need this. Unfortunately, many in the Islamic world do not have a connection with the Quran. This complaint of the noble Messenger to God Almighty that "And the Messenger said, O my Lord, indeed my people have taken this Quran as a forsaken thing," today is realized in many parts of the Islamic world and is a bitter reality.

Today, the major issue of the Islamic world is the issue of Gaza. Do we observe that the leaders of Islamic countries and the officials of Islamic countries act according to the teachings of the Quran and Quranic knowledge regarding Gaza? The Quran tells us that "Let not the believers take the disbelievers as allies instead of the believers"; is this verse being acted upon regarding Gaza? Why do the leaders of Islamic countries not publicly announce their opposition, their severing of relations, their cutting off of aid and support from the wicked fighting disbelievers of Zionism? The Quran says, "Do not take my enemy and your enemy as allies"; is this being acted upon in the world today? The Quran says, "They are severe against the disbelievers, and merciful among themselves"; is this severity being shown against the wicked Zionist regime? Today, these are the great pains of the Islamic world. God Almighty will hold the Muslim nations accountable for why they did not pressure their governments, and He will hold the Muslim governments accountable for why they did not act. "Indeed, God forbids you from those who fought you in religion and expelled you from your homes ... that you take them as allies." These are all Quranic teachings; these are what we must highlight in these recitations, remind each other of them, share these duties among ourselves, and enjoin one another to the truth; these recitation sessions must yield these results and outputs.

Of course, this matter has another aspect: today, inside Gaza and inside Palestine, the resistance forces are acting according to the Quran. The resistance, inside Gaza, is standing firm against the enemy. "Permission has been granted to those who are being fought against because they have been wronged, and indeed, God is capable of granting them victory"; God Almighty, God willing, will grant them victory. Certainly, the Islamic world today mourns for Gaza. The people of Gaza are being oppressed by those who have not caught a whiff of humanity. Certainly, the greatest duty is to support those oppressed people and to support the brave and self-sacrificing resistance forces in Gaza and in Palestine, and all those who assist them from the corners of the Islamic world. The Palestinian people are oppressed; not only the Islamic world but also non-Muslim freedom lovers mourn for the oppressed people of Gaza today; however, these same people admire and commend the Palestinian resistance.

We hope; our hope in God's grace and divine assistance never ends. In this noble verse, it is said: "And indeed, God is capable of granting them victory"; in another verse, it is said: "And certainly, God will aid those who aid Him"; this is divine emphasis. God's assistance, God willing, will encompass the Palestinian people, and the Islamic world, by God's grace, will witness the destruction of the cancerous tumor of Zionism. We await that day; that day, God willing, will come, that day will surely come, and this makes the duty of all of us, especially the duty of the leaders of Islamic countries, heavier; everyone must strive. Today, the most important task is to cut off support for the usurping Zionist regime and to support the people of Gaza, the Palestinian people, and the Palestinian resistance in every possible way. We hope, God willing, that God Almighty will grant us all success on this path.

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