Statements in the Friday Prayer Sermons of Tehran

Sermon One: In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful Thanks be to God, the Lord of the worlds. We praise Him, seek His help, and thank Him, and we believe in Him and rely upon Him, and we pray and send blessings upon His beloved, His chosen one, and the best of His creation, the guardian of His secrets and the messenger of His messages, our master and prophet, Abu al-Qasim Muhammad, and upon his pure and chosen family, especially the Mahdi, the remaining one of God on earth. And may blessings be upon the leaders of the Muslims, the protectors of the oppressed, and the guides of the believers. God, the Wise, says in His Book: "The month of Ramadan is that in which the Qur'an was revealed, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion."

I invite all dear brothers and sisters who are praying to take advantage of this day and this month. Truly, if we look at these blessed days and precious hours with open eyes and enlightened hearts, we will recognize their value for our happiness, spirituality, future, and this world. For these days and hours have been honored and valued by the Lord of existence and the Creator of creation, to whom everything belongs, and He has honored us with His permission and guidance to utilize these hours, days, and nights.

The best provisions in these blessed hours are turning to God, focusing on Him, binding our hearts to Him, asking from Him, and speaking with Him. The dearest thing you should ask from God during these days and in this month is "piety": "And make me happy with Your piety and do not make me miserable with Your disobedience."

Happiness lies in piety. The world lies in piety. The Hereafter lies in piety. Victory and success lie in piety. And the opening in all matters and divine relief lies in piety and God-consciousness. Therefore, let us ask God to grant us pious hearts. That is, instead of our hearts being attracted to desires and whims and being drawn towards worldly, material, personal, and trivial motivations, let God's will attract us and His love draw us to Him, and let this illuminate all our actions. This was the first recommendation of the sermon.

In the first sermon, I want to say a few brief words regarding the blessed month of Ramadan - which today is its first Friday - and in the second sermon, I will discuss the blessed decade of Fajr, which is the anniversary of the revolution, the anniversary of the history of Iran, and the anniversary of Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified).

Regarding the month of Ramadan, I have selected a few sentences from the 44th supplication of the Sahifa Sajjadiya, which pertains to this month, and God willing, I will translate these few sentences for you. But before that, I kindly ask my dear ones, especially the youth, to become familiar with the Sahifa Sajjadiya; for everything is contained in this book, which appears to be a supplication but is fundamentally everything.

Imam Sajjad (peace be upon him), in this supplication, like the other supplications of the Sahifa Sajjadiya, although he is in the position of supplication and is speaking with God, his speech follows a logical and orderly reasoning process, adhering to the relationship of cause and effect. Most of the supplications in the Sahifa Sajjadiya - as far as I have explored - have this state. Everything is arranged and organized. It is as if someone is sitting in front of an audience and speaking to them in a logical and rational manner. Even the passionate laments that are found in the Sahifa Sajjadiya have this state.

Here too, it is the same. The Imam begins the mentioned supplication by saying: "Praise be to God who made us among His people"; "He made us people of praise." We are not oblivious to God's blessings, and we praise and thank Him. He has opened paths for us to reach His praise. He has also defined goals and paths and urged us to walk in these paths.

Then he reaches this sentence: "And praise be to God who made one of these paths His month, the month of Ramadan"; "Praise be to God who made one of these paths that leads us to Him; to perfection and insight regarding the source of greatness, this month of Ramadan." The Imam refers to it as "His month"; that is, "the month of His own." God has designated this month as one of these paths. This is very meaningful. If we think that all months are God's months and belong to God; when the owner of all existence designates a part of existence and gives it a special relationship with Himself, it becomes clear that He has a special attention and care for this part. One of these parts is this "month of God"; the month of God. This relationship itself is sufficient to highlight the virtue of the month of Ramadan. "The month of Ramadan is the month of fasting and the month of Islam." The month of fasting; a month in which fasting is one of the most effective tools for self-purification; for in it lies the essence of hunger and the struggle against desires and appetites.

The month of Islam means the month of "submission to God"; "being submissive before God." Well; a person is young and when he fasts, he is hungry, thirsty, and all instincts call him towards desires and appetites. Yet he stands firm against all these instincts. Why?! To execute the command of the Lord. And this is submission to the Lord. On no day of the year is a Muslim ordinarily as submissive to God as he is during the days of Ramadan. Thus, "the month of Islam" is the month of submission.

The Imam continues in the supplication: "And the month of purification"; "the month that purifies." In this month, there are factors that purify and cleanse our souls. What are those factors? One is fasting; one is reciting the Qur'an; and one is supplication and humility. All these supplications are pure and wholesome provisions from the divine banquet that God has placed before the people in this month-long feast. The essence of the Imam's words is that God welcomes you with fasting in this banquet.

Fasting is one of the divine provisions. Just as the Qur'an is also considered another divine provision in this great banquet. The more you utilize these provisions, the stronger your spiritual strength will become, and you will be able to carry the heavy burdens of moving towards perfection and elevation more easily. Then happiness will come closer to you.

Then he says: "And the month of testing"; this month is the month of testing. What does "testing" mean? It means purifying. The aim is that in this month, we become pure and refined.

My dear ones! Within you lies a precious gold that unfortunately, in many cases, has been mixed and mingled with dirt, copper, and cheap objects. There is a treasure within you that is mixed with thorns and chaff. All the efforts of the divine prophets were for this purpose: that you and I could purify that gold, that precious element within ourselves and bring it out of the furnace. The trials and tribulations in this world are for this reason. The hard obligations that God imposes on certain individuals are for this reason. Striving in the way of God is for this reason. A martyr, who holds such value in the way of God, has all his worth because he has been able to purify himself through that great struggle and by placing his life in the path of sacrifice; like the purification of gold and coming out of the furnace.

This month is the month of purification, and if we look closely, purifying in this month is easier than other ways of purification. With this fasting and fighting against the self, we can purify ourselves. Most of the misguidances that exist are either due to sins that we commit or due to the ugly traits that are hidden within us. "Then the end of those who did evil was evil because they denied the signs of God." Sin leads to misguidance; unless the light of repentance shines in the heart of a person. This is why they constantly tell us, "If you commit a sin, repent immediately after that sin. Regret the repetition of sin and decide not to sin again"; because sinking into the quagmire of sin is a dangerous act, and sometimes a person reaches a point where there is no way back.

One is sin, which becomes a means of misguidance, and the other is bad traits. Ugly traits lead a person to misguidance more than actual sins. If we are self-centered and opinionated in every action, word, and belief, and we criticize each other and say, "Only I understood correctly and I act correctly," then we pay no attention to any consultation or reasoning and do not listen to any truth; if envy has taken such root in our existence that because of it, we see the beautiful as ugly and are unwilling to acknowledge a brilliant truth in any place; if the love of fame, the love of position, and the love of wealth prevent us from accepting the truth, this is where we become receptive to dangerous misleading traits.

Most of those you see misled in the world have been misled through these pathways. Otherwise, "Every child is born on the fitrah (natural disposition)." Purity exists in all souls, and all have a discerning conscience; but this luminous and shining spring is muddied by carnal desires and ugly traits - some of which are inherited and some acquired.

In this regard, I want to mention a point to you: Ethical scholars, who are experts in this field of human knowledge today - although "practical ethics" has value for you and me; but there are those who specialize in the science of ethics - say: even you and I can change inherited traits. For example, innate laziness, innate greed, inherited stinginess, inherited envy, and inherited stubbornness can be changed. Some people are stubborn, and whatever truth is presented to them, they insist on their stubborn position. Such behavior distances a person from the truth. A stubborn person, at the beginning of his stubbornness, still understands a little light of truth and feels that his actions are based on stubbornness. But when his stubbornness is repeated, he no longer understands that little light of truth. Within him, a false belief and conviction arises that if he returns to himself and contemplates, he will see that what is in his mind is not a belief, it is not "from the heart" and not from the depths of the soul. But stubbornness prevents him from hearing the voice of truth and the message of spirituality and right. You have seen those who stood against Islam and the Islamic Revolution and the statements of the Imam and the clear and oppressed right of the Iranian nation and stubbornly resisted, how this stubbornness led them to misguidance!

Indeed, how oppressed the Iranian nation is! O Commander of the Faithful! O Ali ibn Abi Talib! O the most powerful and the most oppressed human in history! Today, in the world, a nation of your followers lives that, like you, is the most powerful and the most oppressed. The Iranian nation is the strongest of nations today. With a clear calculation, it can be understood that no nation in the world is as strong as this. That calculation is that the nations of the world, despite their scientific, economic, and industrial power and possessing some good traits, such as perseverance, etc., do not have a proper barrier and defense against carnal desires. But the Iranian nation, under the shadow of adherence to religion and piety, has driven away carnal desires from itself. The youth of this nation, in the prime of youth, turn away from pleasures that no youth in other nations would turn away from. Where in the world do you find such youths?! O just people of the world and those who do not want to be stubborn! I ask you by God to answer this question: Where in the world do you find a strong soul that turns away from illicit desires that are possible and attainable for him; turns away from ordinary pleasures? Today, not one person, not two, not a hundred, and not a thousand, but a large number of the youth of the Iranian nation are like this. Of course, we also have lustful, carnal, and bad youths who are like the rest of the youths of the world. But that class of believing, mindful, humble, submissive, worshipful, healthy, and pious youth that exists all over Iran, where else in the world can it be found?!

Our nation, with this power, is in a state of oppression. Many have not heard the message of this nation's oppression and, due to stubbornness, have not been willing to hear its rightful words. Certainly, stubbornness brings misguidance, and you should know that major and significant ugly traits start from small places. Ramadan is a month in which one can, with attention and awareness, make up for past misdeeds. In the "Dua of Abu Hamzeh," there is a very moving phrase; that phrase is: "And know that You are for the hopeful a place of response and for the distressed a place of relief, and that in the longing for Your generosity and the satisfaction with Your decree is a substitute for the withholding of the stingy and a refuge from what is in the hands of the monopolizers, and that the one who travels to You is close in distance, and that You do not hide from Your creation except that their deeds hide them from You."

The supplicant and the one who praises says: "O my God! I preferred hope in You over hope in others. I replaced seeking refuge in You with seeking refuge in others, and I know that if someone comes to You, the way is close..."

Wherever you are, whoever you are, in whatever clothing you are, at whatever age you are; O youth! O young man and young woman! O middle-aged men and women! O old men and old women! O poor! O rich! O scholars! O those of average education! Whoever you are, if you feel the need for God - which every healthy person feels - know that God is near! For a moment, turn your heart to God; you will hear the answer. It is impossible for someone to speak to God from the heart and not hear the divine response! God answers us. When you see your heart suddenly transformed, that is the answer of God. When you see your tears flowing, when you see your spirit in motion, when you see the desire flowing through you from head to toe, know that this is the divine response; this is the answer of God, and the next response is acceptance; the acceptance of these requests, God willing, as He said in the Qur'an: "And ask Allah of His bounty." Ask from God. "And it is not Your custom to command asking and prevent giving." Speak, ask, request, and can it be that you ask and He does not give?! Of course, the circumstances of time and place and characteristics and similar factors also affect asking from God.

The point is that you should value the month of Ramadan and for your happiness, your piety, your future, and your children; for the ever-increasing progress of this great nation and this great revolution; for the spiritual victories of that great man, whose all these conditions are due to the blessing of his will, faith, piety, and action - may God unite his soul in the highest realm with the souls of the prophets and saints - pray.

In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful Say, He is God, One. God, the Eternal. He neither begets nor is born. And there is none comparable to Him.

Sermon Two: In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful Thanks be to God, the Lord of the worlds. And blessings and peace be upon our master and prophet, Abu al-Qasim Muhammad and upon the chosen ones from his family and household; upon Ali, the Commander of the Faithful, and the pure and chaste Fatimah al-Zahra, the Lady of the Women of the Worlds; and upon Hasan and Husayn, the masters of the youth of Paradise; and upon Ali ibn Husayn, Muhammad ibn Ali, Ja'far ibn Muhammad, Musa ibn Ja'far, Ali ibn Musa, Muhammad ibn Ali, Ali ibn Muhammad, Hasan ibn Ali, and the awaited Mahdi; Your proofs upon Your servants and Your trusted ones in Your lands. And bless the leaders of the Muslims, the protectors of the oppressed, and the guides of the believers. I advise you, O servants of God, to be conscious of God.

I invite all of you dear brothers and sisters to observe piety and God-consciousness in all matters. In the second sermon, we want to take a look at this great revolution. Of course, from the beginning of the revolution until today, thousands of hours have been spoken about this. From our great Imam (may God’s mercy be upon him), who was the opener of this path and the first pioneer of this straight path, to all those who have moved and worked in this way and gained knowledge; the statements made are very useful and effective when examined closely.

I would like to interject here that we, the Iranian nation, although we have felt this revolution with all our being, our analysis and judgment about it is less than that of foreigners who have connected with this revolution from afar and near. Of course, among the foreign analysts and judges, there have been and are many who have entered with a biased perspective. Today, the enemy foreigners spend money to convey their opposing voice to the ears of the masses; and if we say they spend billions of dollars on this, it is not an exaggeration. They want to express issues through their false analysis of the revolution that the revolution has denied.

We must truly admit that today, analyzing and interpreting the revolution is a task that the enemies of the revolution have engaged in more than we have. Their intention with this analysis and interpretation is to change the message of the revolution and to misrepresent the reality that has occurred through the hands of the people and is in their sight. Therefore, the statements made by insiders about the revolution should be collected and categorized, and proper cultural work should be done on them. Of course, such work has not been done so far, and if it has been done, it is minimal. In any case, this work must be done. However, its non-execution should not prevent our youth from understanding the truths. The youth should hear the statements made by the elders of the revolution regarding the revolution in the last fifteen years and reflect on them.

Today, I also want to talk a bit about aspects of the revolution. One of the points that has been less discussed is that our great revolution, in terms of the quality of victory, was an exceptional revolution. That is, it was truly a revolution with such massive popular dimensions that arose through the presence of the people in the streets and in the spaces of cities and villages, and in which, with the presence of all the people, they fought against the ruling regime, had not been seen at least in the revolutions of our time. All the revolutions that had occurred until that day around the world - including the leftist and Marxist revolutions in Latin America, Africa, Asia, and other places - were of a different type and shape.

The difference between our revolution and other revolutions was that it did not come to victory through a special partisan group. Of course, there were parties in Iran that engaged in partisan and guerrilla actions, but these had been completely paralyzed around the years 54 and 55. You can ask those who were present in the field at that time. We saw this situation with our own eyes. But the youth who are not directly aware of the conditions of that time should ask those who were involved in the events.

From the years 54 and 55 to 56, the groups and factions that were conducting armed actions in Iran at that time - whether those with Marxist thoughts or those with eclectic thoughts - were almost out of the field, and their actions were limited to, for example, placing a bomb in a corner of the country or assassinating someone. All the actions that the groups and factions were taking in Iran at that time were not even one-tenth of what is happening today, for example, in some Arab countries - I will not name a country so that some do not face difficulties - and you hear the news that Muslims in a certain Arab country are clashing with the police and doing things; it was not even one-tenth of that! Now see how close they are to victory; then understand how possible it was for them to succeed! The very idea that one day guerrilla and partisan struggle could succeed in Iran was an impossible thought and did not exist; just as the idea of a coup was also an impossible thought.

In contemporary times, some revolutions, or so-called revolutions, begin with a coup. But in Iran at that time, the army was completely trapped by the Americans within a limited framework, and there were many dissatisfied military personnel from the corrupt Pahlavi regime, especially among the youth and lower classes. Many military personnel were dissatisfied; however, no one dared to think of opposing that regime. For example, in comparison, one could say that they had the situation and conditions of the armed forces in today’s Iraq, which is completely trapped in the grip of the ruling power.

Of course, their predicament was worse than those who are currently trapped in Iraq. Because the Iranian military was not only monitored by one upper power, but also American elements were present among them. In most barracks - especially sensitive barracks - thousands of Americans were present, and this presence was more pronounced in some forces.

Therefore, at that time in Iran, the idea and possibility of a military coup did not exist. The political parties of the time were also in a state of incapacity. These same national parties that today, in the era of the Islamic Republic, constantly speak against the government, give interviews, distribute pamphlets, and accuse the Islamic Republic of creating repression, were also present at that time; but they had no ability to take any action for the liberation of Iran. Moreover, some of them had close friendships with the Pahlavi court figures and indulged in pleasure together. In other words, their heads were in the same trough! Some of them, who had become engineers and specialists, were working in the Pahlavi court institutions. That is, they were receiving money from them, earning bread, and were not oblivious, lest they become oblivious and the thought come to them that they could confront that regime!

These people spent that time under such conditions until the Islamic Republic came into existence; by divine grace, an open atmosphere was created, the people became political, and then they also began to speak out! The Iranian people have no trust in these political parties. Because they do not trust them, they naturally do not turn to them. Then they vent their frustrations on the Islamic Republic! If the people do not pay attention to and trust the political parties, it is no one’s fault. Is anyone preventing the people from doing so?!

The best political parties at that time were those that had one or two or three people with some courage among them who, for example, would issue a statement regarding a certain issue, and that statement would not be distributed among the people but among their supporters. For instance, a thousand copies of a statement in which they protested about a certain issue would be distributed. Then they would be arrested and imprisoned. The time they spent in prison, either they would give an interview and that interview would lead to their release, or they would spend their time in prison and be released later.

These were their best. Their work and words did not create any wave among the nation. The Iranian nation was a religious, devout nation that believed in spirituality and scholars, and this characteristic was the point of the massive popular explosion against the oppressive regime. A universally accepted religious authority; a great and respected cleric whom everyone who knew him knew well, and even his enemies admitted that "he is a good person"; a pious and God-conscious person whose only flaw in the eyes of his enemies was that they said, for example, he did not pay attention to us in a certain place, or he believed in a certain philosophical idea; a knowledgeable person with high piety, who stepped into the field of struggle with divine assistance. Over fifteen years, he gathered a number of students, a number of colleagues, and a number of scholars at the level of other religious authorities with him. And when the people saw the presence of trusted scholars, they gradually came to the scene, first slowly, then in groups, and finally all together.

In 56, some of us were exiled to various cities across the country, and this exile ended in early or mid-autumn of 57. When I returned from exile to Mashhad, what I saw in this holy city was unbelievable for me. Although we heard the news in exile, the reality we faced was a great reality. In Mashhad, people were marching day and night, and those marches had become a habit for them. Not only in Mashhad, but everywhere in the country was like this.

Tehran played a central role in this regard; then the large cities; then the small cities, and finally the villages joined the movement, and people marched everywhere. The quality of the marches was such that, for example, on certain occasions, it was announced from a central point that on a certain day, there would be a march. Or it was announced by the Imam, who was in Paris at that time, or by high-ranking religious officials in Tehran and other cities. Then the people would flood into the streets like a tide.

Gradually, the government-affiliated institutions, the administrative personnel, the military, and even the officials of the time joined the people. Thus, the signs of the collapse of the monarchy became apparent, and ultimately the regime fell apart. The day Muhammad Reza fled Iran, the monarchy was effectively over. He saw that staying was no longer beneficial. Therefore, they created a statue of the unfortunate, infamous individual who became even more infamous, to keep the regime on the verge of complete dissolution for a few days. He remained in power for thirty or forty days until the Imam came, and with a gesture of his hand, everything collapsed.

The monarchy in Iran had become hollow. Because of what? Because of the presence of the people. Why did the people come to the scene? Because of religion. Because the slogan was an Islamic slogan; because the leaders were Islamic leaders and clerics trusted by the people.

Among the people, there were many who helped the clerics and advised them. Even in some cities, they guided the clerics. But the general public and the millions of masses across the country, when they saw that the great scholars and trusted clerics were led by the great Imam, who was both a religious authority and a high-level cleric, came to the scene. This exceptional revolution came into being and achieved victory in this way. In other words, our revolution took shape thanks to the presence of the people; people whose presence in the scene stemmed from their religious beliefs.

In those days, all politicians - even the leftist partisan groups; the communists and eclecticists who were friends and connected with us from prisons or outside prisons and we had meetings with them - unanimously acknowledged that the situation that arose in Iran could not have occurred except under the leadership of someone like the Imam and with religious slogans. One of the things that can be said about the revolution is this. This is a truth that was in front of everyone. Anyone who is analytical cannot say otherwise; just as no one said otherwise in the early days. Only a few audacious group members who had been in prison for four or five years and were saved from prison by the blessing of the revolution and the presence of the people, as soon as they were freed, raised their flags in front of the people. The people took their flags, tore them, and threw them away. The groups became hostile to the people from that time; they turned away from the people; they became deadly enemies of the people and began bombing in the homes of the people, in the shops of the people, and in the squares of Tehran and other cities. Besides these, there were a number of stubborn, obstinate people who were unwilling to accept the truth. Otherwise, anyone who looked could see the truths.

Of course, this point should also be mentioned alongside this matter that many factors contributed to the victory of the revolution. Anyone who said a word about the revolution contributed to its victory to the extent of that one word. There is no doubt about this. However, helping the revolution to the extent of one word, to the extent of a hundred words, and to the extent of a book is one matter, and creating a wave of revolution is another matter. They are not comparable at all. Of course, it is not the case that some people, merely by saying a word in support of or regarding the revolution, which was mentioned somewhere at some time, would say, "Then we are also among - for example - the instigators and leaders of this revolution!" Like the man who threw a locust leg into a pot of soup for a hundred people and said: "Haji; I am a partner!"

Certainly, all individuals - those who placed their lives in front of the enemy - are the owners of this revolution. What could be greater than this? Even if I spoke a thousand sessions about the revolution. Does this speech have the value of a person's life? It is evident that those who sacrificed their lives for the victory of the revolution are ahead of us. If we truly want to speak fairly about this, we must say such a thing. In any case, the presence of the people is a truth about the revolution.

And now, another matter that follows this matter is regarding the function of the revolution. The revolution has succeeded with the power and will of the people and with leaders or a leadership that is entirely dependent on the emotions of the people and that the people love dearly. Now what does this revolution want to do? The answer is this: The first thing such a revolution does is to cut the oppressive privileges that foreigners have acquired in this country over time. This is a natural matter! Every patriotic individual feels upset when he sees, for example, that the British government has come and is plundering Iran's oil. This is a known and clear matter.

In the past, many government officials and representatives of the National Assembly in the first two or three terms, who were truly representatives and were elected by the people - and this was before the time when Reza Shah laid hands on the Assembly - opposed giving privileges to foreigners. Real patriotic and national figures were unwilling to give privileges. However, at the same time, they did not have the courage to oppose. Why did they not have the courage? Because the people were not behind them and they did not have a popular face. As soon as a prime minister would come and say something that hinted at friction with the interests of foreigners, he would be dismissed. As soon as a government figure would take a stance and say something that hinted at protesting against foreign privileges, he would immediately be removed from power and would go about his business! If someone like the late Modarres (may God’s mercy be upon him) was stubborn, they would beat him, imprison him, exile him, and then martyr him at the hands of a tyrant like Reza Khan, with a fasting mouth, in the month of Ramadan.

Those who did not have the courage and faith of Modarres, as soon as they spoke a word, they would face a fierce glare from the foreign masters and would immediately fall silent. Thus, the privileges of foreigners in Iran increased day by day.

Ladies and gentlemen; dear brothers and sisters across the country! In this country, a source of wealth called "oil" was discovered. The discovery of oil was like a nation finding a treasure. As soon as this treasure was discovered in this country, a number of foreigners, mainly the British - for which the blame lies with the British - came to Iran, sat on this treasure, extracted it for many years, and consumed it; without even acknowledging that this was the usurpation of the wealth of the Iranian nation! Does this not cause grief?! Truly, the issue of oil is one of the extremely bitter issues for the Iranian nation that has not yet been properly resolved.

The British came to Iran during the Qajar era and made a sixty-year contract with the treacherous figures of that day to take the oil of the country! (Apparently, the first Darsee contract was a sixty-year contract.) A sixty-year contract was made so that the British could come and take the oil that they needed as easily as drinking water. Truly, for the British, oil was considered the most valuable commodity; because they were engaged in colonial activities and were seizing lands; thus, they needed money. Money was obtained through factory activities, and factories were powered by oil. The British came to Iran and took the precious and valuable oil of this country at a price cheaper than water and took it away! If they had wanted to fill barrels with water instead of oil and take them, it might have cost them more!

Not long after the conclusion of the sixty-year contract, they brought Reza Khan to power. It was the end of the weak Qajar rule, and the British wanted someone to deal with the neck-breakers who had emerged in various corners of Iran. They needed a strongman who was also their puppet so that no one would threaten their interests.

So, they found Reza Khan; trained him and brought him to where he needed to be. First, he was the commander of the army and the prime minister, and then he became the king and head of the country of Iran! A few years after Reza Khan came to power through the British, he thought if he could get more money for oil from them. Of course, his subservience was preserved; but after all, every servant sometimes thinks of extorting more money from his master! His bullying nature helped him to confront the Darsee contract, which still had thirty years left until its expiration, in a bullying manner. That is, he entered the cabinet and threw the Darsee contract into the stove and burned it! When they told him, "There are still thirty years left in the contract," he said, "What kind of contract is this! They must pay us more for the oil." At that time, who was his counterpart? An English company! As soon as Reza Khan dealt with the Darsee contract in this way, the British government entered the field and raised a hue and cry. Ultimately, the British rubbed Reza Khan's nose in the dirt and made him extend this contract, which had only thirty years left, for another sixty years! That is, he made another contract with the British.

This was the work that the British did regarding Iran's oil from the time of the Qajars until the end of Reza Khan's rule. Then came the time of Mosaddegh, and the whispers of "nationalizing the oil industry" began. The British came again. But this time they were not alone; they also brought the Americans along. In fact, the Americans entered this field from the year 1332.

I say: If the Iranian nation has not cleansed its heart of hatred and resentment towards the British government and does not do so, it has the right, and in the opinion of any reasonable person, the right is with the Iranian nation. What the British did to the Iranian people and the calamity they brought upon this nation will never be forgotten. Those who today sit in a corner of the world and speak malicious and baseless words against the Iranian nation and government have forgotten what this oppressive government did to the Iranian nation!

Of course, God Almighty has smashed their heads against the rock and taken that power from them. Today, the British have neither reputation in the world nor much power. As soon as the Americans felt that there was an open field in Iran and the British could not operate alone in this field, they also showed up.

From the year 1332 until the victory of the Islamic Revolution, the British and Americans sat over the oil wells, and in fact, the treasure of Iran's oil, and took as much as they could and left. How can the Iranian nation reconcile its heart with these people?! The Pahlavi regime was a puppet of the British and Americans, and Muhammad Reza truly acted like an American agent in Iran. An American agent at the head of a dependent regime had no duty other than to obey when they said, "Put this prime minister in and remove that prime minister." They did whatever they wanted. If he ever wanted to remove a prime minister and the Americans were not satisfied, he would go to America and see this and that until he got permission to remove or keep a certain prime minister! This was the situation. The ambassadors of America and Britain in Tehran were the ones determining the fundamental lines of this country.

Now you understand why the Americans are angry? Now you understand that when today's American statesmen - especially that ugly and loathsome Secretary of State - travel around the world and say here and there, "We want to pressure the Iranian government to change its policies," what policies do they want to change?

These were the people who, at one time, the Shah of Iran - that unfortunate, infamous individual who was called "Shah" in Iran - obeyed the words of the British and American ambassadors in Tehran, and whatever they said in fundamental matters of this country, he executed. But today they are faced with a system and government in Iran that not a single one of the hundred factors in its fundamental matters aligns with the wishes of America. They are faced with a system that, at the very beginning of its establishment, cut off these privileges. In fact, the Islamic Revolution's first act was to cut off the privileges of the British and Americans in Iran. This is another truth regarding this revolution.

Pay attention! The second point we mentioned is that this revolution, because it was based on the people, brought a people-oriented system to power; and because the leader of this revolution had popular support and the people moved behind him, it did not wait for the passage of time to cut off foreign privileges, and immediately those privileges were cut off. Of course, for months after the victory of the revolution, we did not cut off our relations with America; we only cut off that country's privileges in Iran. They wanted to use our oil; we said: "It cannot be done." They wanted to benefit from the oppressive investments made by the previous regime in Iran, from which they were profiting; we said: "It cannot be done." They wanted to have a presence in the army - especially in the air force - we said: "It cannot be done." They wanted to keep their espionage apparatus active in their former embassy; we said: "It cannot be done."

Be aware that the American embassy remained open for months after the victory of the revolution and had a chargé d'affaires and other embassy officials here. After the Muslim student youth took over the embassy, they found that this embassy was a center for communication with anti-revolutionary and anti-Islamic Republic elements and a means for exchanging and strengthening and connecting this to that, just as the British embassy had played a role in Iran before August 28. That is, see this, see that, connect this to that. Send money to this, send weapons to him, and provide guidance to him, so that an incident occurs against the Islamic Republic. They were busy with such activities. The Iranian nation named the American embassy a "den of espionage," and this was a reality. Therefore, the second point is that the Islamic Revolution cut off the interests of the British and Americans in Iran. In fact, these two were the main countries that had extensive, illegitimate, and unjust interests in our country.

Of course, we maintained our relationship with the world and still have a political relationship with Britain. However, in my opinion, this relationship is one of those unstable relationships; because the British cannot refrain from expressing enmity and every now and then, they take a jab. This is how the British government is. But in my opinion, it is better for the British government to be more cautious in front of Iran; because its history in Iran is very bad and dark. Now that the Iranian nation and government have maintained their political relationship with that country, they should act very cautiously and not say anything that makes the Iranian nation feel that they still harbor the same vile intentions they have had for decades. Although today's Britain is no longer the Britain of those days and has come to an end. This is another point.

Of course, the second sermon has become somewhat lengthy. I am inclined to keep the sermons short; but since it is the month of Ramadan and you and I are not in a hurry, it is not a problem to take a little more advantage of this opportunity.

And now, another matter I want to discuss regarding the revolution, and one of the important points of this revolution is that the Islamic Revolution has honored Islam and Muslims on a global scale. This is a reality. Before that, Muslims - whether communities, governments, or Muslim personalities - wherever they were in the world, felt passive and did not value themselves and their message. A number of caring Muslim thinkers defended Islam; but their defense was not from a position of power and dignity but from concern and compassion. Because Islam was in a state of estrangement.

In Africa, in Asia, and in the Middle East, how many Islamic countries exist where regimes came and other regimes came; but everywhere Muslims were in isolation and seclusion. For example, a country like Iraq had a monarchy. The monarchy fell, another regime came to power. That regime fell, and others came. Then they left, and others came. Until it was the turn of the Ba'athists. In all these transitions, those who were absent were the Muslims. The overwhelming majority of the people of Iraq are Muslims; but in the mentioned transformations, there was no news of their presence at all! Or suppose in a country like Egypt - of course, there was a group called the "Muslim Brotherhood" there - a transformation occurred, and the monarchy was overthrown. With the overthrow of the monarchy, a republican and revolutionary regime came to power, whose prominent face was "Abdul Nasser." Then, Abdul Nasser died, another came. Then he left, another came. Throughout this time - of course, until before the victory of the Islamic Revolution - all the transformations were devoid of Islamic currents and Islamic elements. In fact, Islamic elements were of no significance. Even in the first revolution in Egypt, Islamic elements were influential; but as soon as the new government was formed, they were sidelined. Some were imprisoned, some were killed, and some were removed from the scene. Here too, Islam had no presence.

The Islamic Revolution triumphed in Iran, and with its victory, wherever there was an aware and conscious Muslim in the world, he felt honored and empowered. Throughout these years, especially in the early years of the revolution, many prominent Islamic figures told us: "As soon as we heard the voice of the Imam from the radios that broadcast his voice around the world saying that I would establish a government called Islam or the Islamic Republic, wherever we were, we suddenly felt victorious." Every Muslim, wherever he was in the world, felt victorious and empowered.

It was true that in those first three or four years of the revolution, when Muslim leaders and Islamic personalities - from intellectuals and poets and artists to politicians and religious scholars - came to Iran, as soon as their eyes fell on the Imam, or that Hussainiyah, or on us, or on the officials of the country, or on the Friday prayer, they would burst into tears and say: "What have you done with the Islamic world!" They felt honored. Of course, even now when those personalities come to Iran, they say the same things and their feelings are the same. However, the passage of time has created other realities that I will mention later.

In any case, it was this feeling of honor that later led to the emergence of exciting events by Muslims in Africa and Asia; the same events that today are the main concern of the Americans and global arrogance. Yes; they are worried. The fact that they say "Iran is dangerous"; the fact that they say "the Islamic Republic threatens our interests"; all stem from these concerns. Look at Algeria! Look at Egypt! Look at the occupied Palestine, which they thought everything was over there; look and see what excitement and struggle the Muslims there are engaged in! Inside Europe, look at Bosnia and Herzegovina and see how a group of Muslims, even though they do not know much about Islam, have risen against their enemies with motivation and the feeling of being Muslim - the same feeling that the Iranian revolution gave them!

I remember years ago - during my presidency - we went to Yugoslavia. While visiting that country, I said: "We want to visit Bosnia and Herzegovina as well." The arrangements for the trip there were made, and we went to Sarajevo. One day I went to the streets of Sarajevo, and the people who had heard that the Islamic president had come - because the media of Yugoslavia, of which we were their guests, had published our photos and reports in Belgrade - gathered in groups, and men and women, under the influence of excitement and Islamic spirit, were crying and applauding.

The point is that with the victory of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, the honor and pride in Islam was revived among Muslims. Islam became honored, and Muslims felt that Islam was the source of their dignity. This is also one of the blessings of the Islamic Revolution. In fact, one of the dimensions of this revolution and, as they say, the "strategic depth of our revolution" is this, and the enemies want to take this away from us. It is as if a person has a tent and dozens of ropes in dozens of lands, with long pegs hammered into the ground. This tent remains stable and firm in such a way that no storm can shake it. The fact that you see Muslim nations in Asia and Europe and Africa speaking in favor of the Islamic Revolution; supporting a fatwa from the Imam in such a way; welcoming the Islamic Revolution, the Day of Palestine - the last Friday of Ramadan - and other occasions in such a way and shouting about them, all indicate the strategic depth of the Islamic Republic, which the enemies cannot see.

And now, the fourth point in this regard is related to rumors and rumor-mongering. One of the most fundamental phenomena related to the Islamic Revolution - which perhaps exists with such intensity in fewer incidents in the world - is the issue of propaganda and rumor-mongering against the Islamic Republic. Brothers and sisters! The opposing powers against Islam and the Islamic Revolution, such as the American government, the British government, and the Zionists - of course, the Zionists and the usurping Israeli government are tools in the hands of America, and America has placed this usurping government to carry out its tasks in the Middle East - and also the news agencies and media outlets affiliated with them, have been engaged in propaganda against the Islamic Republic since the very first day of the revolution, with a large volume and high quality, saying everything that came to their minds.

For example, the issue of human rights violations, which some may actually believe in the world, is one of the fabrications of these people. They say: "Human rights are being violated in Iran." When we say, "Provide evidence and give examples," they present a list and say: "You have executed these people." Who are these people? Drug traffickers and heroin dealers. That is, those condemned to death for whom one execution is not enough, and if it were possible to execute them more than once, it would be justified. Is this a violation of human rights?! They say: "Iran is a terrorist state." When we ask, "On what basis do you say Iran is a terrorist state and exports terrorism?" they say: "Look at what is happening in Palestine and Lebanon!" Well; what does this have to do with Iran?! Of course, there is no doubt that a number of people in Palestine and Lebanon have awakened and drawn inspiration from the Islamic Revolution. Those same people say: "Why did you bring the usurping Israel, the stateless Zionists, and the false Israeli government and impose them on Lebanon and Palestine?" What does this have to do with Iran?! Is it terrorism if a number of people defend their homeland, and this so-called terrorism is exported by Iran?!

See how ridiculous this claim is! They spread such words; they take them to the United Nations and the Human Rights Commission; then newspapers, magazines, radios, and televisions publish them. After a while, when they get tired, they pause and then after a month, they repeat the same words again, three times, and four times! Since the beginning of the revolution until now, these same words have been raised, and of course, a number of simple-minded people believe them.

What is the purpose of this propaganda and rumor-mongering? The purpose is to destroy the great image that the Islamic Revolution has gained among Muslims and even non-Muslims in the world. The source of all the false and incorrect news in the news agencies and propaganda is these people. They want to take revenge. This revolution and this nation have cut off the enormous interests that the colonial regimes of America and Britain had in Iran. It is natural that they feel entitled to take revenge on this nation. The issue is that they are enemies; enemies! Then a number of people come and, supposedly, from a rational standpoint, shake their beards and say to us: "Let’s think rationally!" What kind of statement is this?! Our enemies have been wounded by the revolution, and they will be pleased and satisfied only when this revolution is over and they are told: "Gentlemen, thieves! Come on in! Come back to Iran!" They will be satisfied with nothing less than this. The Zionists also have the right to be our enemies! We say: "The roots of the Zionists must be uprooted from the Middle East." The Islamic Republic has repeatedly stated and will continue to state that "Zionism must be eradicated." Certainly, with such a stance that we have, their hearts will not be at peace with the Islamic Republic.

This is the reality of the matter. Therefore, they spread rumors and fabricate lies. Ultimately, their propaganda is stronger than our propaganda. Because they have all those sophisticated tools that we do not have. They have propaganda everywhere. They spend a lot of money; they have many radios; they want to infiltrate inside; they want to equip our enemies outside and separate our friends from the revolution. Therefore, they carry out a lot of propaganda. You should know these things!

Of course, among the statesmen of these countries, there are sometimes conscientious individuals who, when they examine the situation, see that the reality is different from what is presented in their propaganda. However, the frenzied excitement of enmity against the Islamic Revolution is so great in these regimes that even conscientious individuals do not dare to express their opinions, and if they do say something, they retract it! Among Americans and British, sometimes a conscientious person is found who understands the truth. He says: "Why are you confronting Iran? Why do you consider the Islamic Republic an enemy? Why do you spread rumors? These are lies and do not reflect reality." But the frenzied excitement of violent enmity against the revolution is so great that they lose the words of that conscientious individual amidst their loud shouts and cries!

And as for the realities! I tell the Iranian nation that these hostilities and animosities, with all their details, are far smaller than the strength, power, and resilience of the essence of our revolution; they are far lower and inferior. Our revolution is much greater and sturdier than these words. Our enemies have done everything they could over the past fifteen or sixteen years; but by the grace of God, today we are stronger than five years ago. Five years ago, we were stronger than ten years ago. Ten years ago, we were stronger than fifteen years ago - at the beginning of the revolution. This system, this nation, this revolution, and these officials, by the grace of God, have become stronger day by day. This itself is evidence that all the efforts and energies expended by the enemies have been less than what could harm the revolution. After this, it will continue to be the same.

Of course, we should not underestimate the enemy. We must remain vigilant. I tell the Iranian nation that the revolution will remain invulnerable, by the grace of God. But you have responsibilities in this regard: First, maintain your unity. Secondly, strengthen the spirit of piety within yourselves and solidify your reliance on God in your hearts. The secret of why the great Imam, who was once alone, did not submit to the apparent might of the enemy was that he was reliant and connected to God and saw himself as linked to divine power. Certainly, when a person connects to the infinite divine power, he becomes invincible. Another issue is that you must bring this country and this system to a point of complete invulnerability. You, the nation and government and officials of Iran - all of you - must cooperate and make this system and this country completely invulnerable.

You must increase your power. You must extract natural resources and utilize them properly. You must increase production and construction in this country day by day. The nation and government must strengthen their relationship with each other day by day; the nation towards the government and the government towards the nation. You must keep the slogans of the revolution alive. You must strengthen the revolutionary spirit in all the pillars of this system day by day. If this country stands up, if it rises, if it relies on God and moves forward, it will not need anyone. The spirit of extravagance that is increasingly found in some people must be restrained.

Why extravagance? Why should a person go to a shop where the shopkeeper humiliates him and wishes him ill?! If you go to a shop and see that the shopkeeper, while selling goods, is squeezing you, you will not go back to that shop. If you see that he sells goods to you but has ill intentions and wishes you harm, you will not go to him again. Why should we go to the doors of those who wish us ill?! Why should we establish financial and trading relationships with those who want to work against us from the depths of their being?! Why?! What necessity is there?!

Let us strive to be self-reliant and revive our resources. The Iranian nation is a great nation and a tremendous force. The resources of Iran are the same. Let us rely on God Almighty.

The month of Ramadan is the month of supplication. After all the efforts mentioned, do not forget to supplicate and seek from the Lord. I hope that the Lord will include you in His mercy, grace, and kindness.

In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful When the victory of God and the opening comes, and you see the people entering into the religion of God in droves. Then glorify the praise of your Lord and seek His forgiveness; indeed, He is ever Accepting of Repentance.

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