Statements at the Meeting with Participants in the International Quran Competitions

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

I welcome all the brothers, sisters, and the Quranic family gathered in this assembly. Blessed are you, brothers and sisters, who are recognized by the Quran. Your characteristic is that you are reciters of the Quran, guardians of the Quran, and managers of the Quran; the Quran is your identity. I enjoyed this session, from the recitation of the brothers and the esteemed teachers and the ancient reciters who have served the Quran throughout their lives. We hope that the Almighty God places all of you, and all of us, among the servants of the Quran, and God willing, we will be alongside the Quran in both life and after death, benefiting from and being enriched by the Quran.

These competitions and these sessions are an opportunity to present the Quran and to approach the truth of the Quran and the spirit of the Quran. Recitation is also a means to reach the truth of the Quran, to learn the teachings of the Quran, and to shape individual and social life under the shadow of the Quran; this is the goal.

If the Quran governs in human societies, there is both worldly happiness and spiritual elevation. The Quran opens the path of health, the path of security, and the path of psychological security for us; the Quran opens the path of dignity for us; the Quran opens the path of a correct life and a prosperous lifestyle for us. We are distant from the Quran. If we become familiar with the Quran, if we develop a bond with the teachings of the Quran and measure our distance from what the Quran desires for us, our movement will be faster; our path will be clearer; this is the goal.

And today, dear brothers! Dear sisters! The Islamic world is thirsty and in need of the truths of the Quran. There was a time when in Islamic countries, from the Islamic East to the Islamic West, if young people or prominent figures wanted to raise their voices for freedom, they would promote leftist ideologies, giving socialist and communist slogans. Today, in the Islamic world, from the Islamic East to the Islamic West, if anyone wants to shout for justice, for freedom and independence, for dignity, they raise the Quran high; this is very valuable; and it is indeed correct. We must draw closer to the Quran, we must develop a bond with the Quran. Of course, talking is easy; acting is hard; it requires struggle.

One of the commandments of the Quran is that the members of the Islamic community should unite with one another; they should hold hands together: "And hold fast, all of you together, to the rope of God, and do not become divided." (1) Who is this addressed to? It is addressed to us, it is addressed to the Iranian nation, it is addressed to the Muslim nations of Islamic countries, it is addressed to all believers in Islam around the world. Do we act upon this?

The opposite of this Quranic teaching is colonial education: division among Muslims. Some declare others infidels, curse them, and consider themselves free from them. This is what colonialism wants today; so that we do not unite. Unfortunately, some Islamic governments and states are deceived; they also become part of the enemy's game; they are deceived by the enemy and work for the enemy; sometimes knowingly, sometimes unknowingly.

Today, unity and agreement among Muslims is an urgent obligation. Look at the evils that arise from war and conflict; see what blind terrorism, under the pretext of religious differences, wreaks havoc in the Islamic world; see how the usurping Zionist regime breathes easily with the divisions created among us Muslims. Whenever Islamic countries and nations want to come closer, they create a conspiracy, they cause an incident. These should open our eyes, these should awaken the Muslim nations, these should distinguish the faces of sincere leaders from the puppet rulers of the enemies. This is a scene of trial.

Today, every voice that calls for the unity of the Islamic world is a divine voice, a voice from God. Every voice and tongue that incites Muslim nations, Islamic sects, and various Islamic groups to enmity with one another and stirs up animosities against each other is a voice from Satan. "Whoever listens to a speaker has worshipped him; if the speaker speaks from God, he has worshipped God, and if the speaker speaks from the tongue of Satan, he has worshipped Satan." (2) Those who speak from the tongue of Satan lead themselves and their listeners toward hell; they bring destruction upon themselves. "Have you not seen those who exchanged the favor of God for disbelief and led their people to the house of ruin? Hell, they will enter it, and what a wretched abode!" (3) "He will lead his people on the Day of Resurrection, and they will enter the fire," (4) which is about Pharaoh.

Those who today distance the Islamic world from unity and cohesion - while the need for unity is greater than ever - are working in favor of the devils, working in favor of the Satans. Today, you see the Western world, the colonial apparatus, the operators of the major oil and commercial companies in the world, these cartels and trusts, all are spending money, planning for anti-Islam activities. They burn the Quran, they insult the blessed name of the Prophet, they create caricatures, they write books, they incite ethnic tensions against Muslims in the major capitals of Europe - you see, these are clear and obvious things - what do these mean? They mean anti-Islam activities.

Today, the Western enemies have drawn their swords against Islam and Muslims. Well, what is the duty of Muslims here? Muslims must return to their own sources of power; Muslims must increase the factors of strength and capability within themselves day by day. One of the most important factors of strength is this very unity and agreement. This is a lesson for us, a lesson for the Muslim nations.

This gathering that you have formed here and these competitions that you have initiated are a small example, a small manifestation of the unity of Muslims; appreciate these. This gathering and this bond with one another and this creation of understanding should be valued. You see, all of you love the Quran, all of you are attached to the Quran, all of you are devoted to the blessed existence of the Seal of the Prophets, all of you are those who wish to live with the Quran and wish to be resurrected with the Quran on the Day of Judgment; this is not a small commonality, this is a great commonality; it is greater than all the points of difference.

These are our Quranic admonitions. We hope, God willing, to learn from the Quran, to benefit from the Quran, to heed the admonitions of the Quran. God willing, may the Almighty God grant victory to the Iranian nation; may He elevate the ranks of the dear martyrs; may He unite the pure soul of our great Imam (may his soul be sanctified) with the Prophet; and God willing, may He make the Islamic Ummah more united, cohesive, and stronger day by day.

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