Statements of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution in Meeting with the Political and Ideological Officials of the Police Force

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

Welcome, dear brothers! We hope, God willing, that your continuous efforts and years of hard work will be met with the grace and acceptance of the Lord, and that their positive effects will be deep and lasting in the community that you serve - namely, the Law Enforcement of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The presence of a body called ideological and political in the armed forces is one of the divine inspirations and blessings of the Lord upon our great Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified) and the group of those involved in the affairs of the country. The role of the clergy is one of guidance and spiritual support. Everyone needs a cleric - just as they need a doctor - and if a cleric fulfills their duties in any place, they will spiritually enrich that place. Sometimes, our presence as clerics becomes ineffective, or God forbid, leaves negative impacts; this is because we have not manifested our duties, identity, and character as clerics in that context. Throughout the long years of the existence of Shia clerics, wherever they have appeared with their clerical identity and character, they have left blessings behind; whether in the field of politics, spirituality, defense of the country, security, or any other field. This is the dignity of the cleric. I do not want to claim that the presence of clerics in the armed forces in the years after the revolution has been exactly as expected from us; however, I want to state that in the large body of the armed forces, wherever scholars, clerics, and young students have been present with that clerical character, they have left very valuable impacts. The dear members of the armed forces, like all people, have been nurtured from the beginning with the name of God, the name of the Imams, and the sacred religious figures, and their nature has been enriched with Islamic teachings. The Islamic and religious nature in our people and in the armed forces - who are our youth - has been nourished by religious education and the expression of divine knowledge. There is a great deal of potential for spiritual inclination and spiritual elevation among them. We must seek individuals like the Prophet. It has been said about the Prophet: "The wandering doctor has perfected his remedies and has heated his cauteries"; the Prophet moved like a wandering doctor. Doctors sit in their offices for people to come to them; however, the Prophets did not sit for people to come to them; they went to the people. In their medical bag, they had both the means for healing and the means for cauterization, as well as the means for burning the wound where it needed to be cauterized.

The harshness and softness are together in the act of healing, just as the surgeon both cuts and applies the remedy. The surgeon cuts the vein, but also applies the remedy; he takes a lot of blood, but does not allow excess blood to flow out of the vein; he also applies the remedy. Our role is like this. If we clerics recognize our role correctly and can perform it, we will enrich the world. Sometimes we fall short; we follow the same paths that worldly people have taken; then our work becomes flawed. A merchant, a landowner, a land grabber, a contractor, whether they wear a turban or a hat, whether they wear a tie or hold a rosary; ultimately, their essence does not change. But if we wear a turban and pursue the same activities that those who wear bow ties and ties and the rest of the worldly people pursue, we are just like them. Clothing does not create a fundamental change; we must see where the heart is.

It was a village, not a heart, where you see cows and donkeys and properties.

A heart that seeks the adornments and embellishments of the world is no longer a heart; it is a jewelry shop; even though the poet says it is a village. First, we must purify our hearts: "Whoever sets himself up as a leader for the people must first educate himself before educating others"; whoever becomes a leader and guide of a group must first prepare himself. If you and I want to lead a hundred people - whether for mountaineering, desert wandering, or a military exercise - we must first create the strength to walk in ourselves; otherwise, if we walk ten steps and then say, 'Oh, my heart hurts, my feet are tired,' these hundred people, even if four of them strive and go, will not be able to reach the destination. The path to spirituality is the same; we must correct ourselves. The clergy has great value and worth. Undermining the value of the clergy does not serve any aspect of people's lives; because wherever a good cleric is present, they truly become a beacon and illuminate the surroundings. However, you and I, as clerics, must also build ourselves as a cleric should and can be.

We are very grateful for the good report that Mr. Rahmani provided and for the good efforts that the friends have made. We hope, God willing, that each drop of this flow reaches its rightful place and is utilized correctly, and that God grants you reward and success.

The Law Enforcement is also very important. The Law Enforcement is the social armed force; it is not an isolated armed force; it is not in barracks; it is in the markets; it is in the midst of people's lives; at the same time, it is an armed force; it is tasked with maintaining security and order - and that too with armed power - in the midst of people's lives; this is very sensitive and delicate. Our Law Enforcement today has changed significantly compared to the pre-revolution period - which is not even a matter of discussion - and has changed a lot since the early days of the revolution. I have been part of the armed forces from the beginning and have closely felt this difference. Today, our armed forces - especially the Law Enforcement - have changed from the ground to the sky. Not only compared to the early revolution but also compared to the very beginning of the formation of the Law Enforcement, when three bodies merged to create the Law Enforcement, there is a difference. Today, thanks be to God, there is a good, righteous, capable, and competent commander - General Qalibaf - at the head of this force, and work is truly being done; the people are also satisfied. The feedback from your activities and the activities of the country's executive bodies - including the Law Enforcement - comes here. Today, the Law Enforcement is very different from that day; it is entirely another matter. At the same time, the sensitivity of the Law Enforcement and the work on this force and targeting each element of this force towards enhancing and strengthening human and religious values remains; this revives your role. There are two ways to be present in the ideological and political aspect of the Law Enforcement: one type is desirable; one type is less effective; now, the types that are harmful are not the subject of our discussion for now. What is a less effective presence? It is when the Law Enforcement defines some formal tasks for itself and carries them out: you must attend this class, you must pass this exam, you must meet these conditions for your rank, and you must attend the congregational prayer; they come and go; the Law Enforcement also operates like other departments. In such a case, of course, the Law Enforcement does some work and has some impacts; but it is superficial; this is not expected from the clergy. Another way is that the presence is, in the true sense of the word, clerical and spiritual. Not that they do not perform those duties; yes, those duties are also duties that must be performed; they are mentioned in the regulations, in the law, and are part of the duties of the Law Enforcement; however, the mortar of all those duties is the spiritual disposition, the compassionate spirit of a cleric, the self-sufficiency of a cleric and a student, and the disregard of a cleric for formalities and the many adornments and wealth of the world. If you can secure this, that presence will be desirable and will have an impact. The ideological and political cleric - of course, the cleric I mention, the other non-clerical brothers who work in the ideological and political aspect are also subject to these rules; however, the emphasis is greater in the case of the cleric - should not place himself in the position of the commander and command; he should go into the group. The commander has rules and principles and tasks. Of course, we also have popular commanders. Now, thanks be to God, many of our commanders are popular; however, their disposition is that of a commander. They go and interact with their soldiers and officers, shake hands, have tea together, and inquire about their families; but their disposition is that of a commander: he must greet, this one must respond; this one must command, he must obey. The cleric should not be like this; the clerical disposition should not be that of command; although the formalities of command are purely popular. Imagine you are the imam of a mosque in a certain neighborhood in Tehran or any other city. How does the imam of a mosque behave? Does he act with orders and prohibitions and leading and following? If he does, people will not come to his prayer. The warmest congregational prayers always belong to popular imams: they engage warmly with the people; they treat the people kindly; they do not show impatience; they do not show bad temper; they answer their questions; if someone has an illness or problem, if they cannot help with money, they alleviate the problem with kindness. He said:

"When you do not untie a knot, do not be a knot yourself; keep your brow open when your hand is not open."

As a cleric, our hand is not open; but our brow can be open. I myself have been an imam for many years; I know how a person should behave with the people. When the prayer was over, I would turn and sit facing the people. When I recited the supplications of Lady Fatimah, people would come and see that the way was open. A young man would come, a person with a mustache would come, a merchant would come, a beardless person would come. At that time, wearing reversed fur coats had become fashionable among the young Beatles. One day I went to prayer and saw one of these well-groomed young men, with oiled hair, sitting in the front row next to the pious and good merchants and the white-bearded individuals. I felt that this young man had something to say to me. I sat down and responded to his look; that is, I allowed him to come and speak. He came forward and said, "Sir! Is it a problem for me to sit in the front row?" I said, "No, what is the problem? You are just like everyone else." He said, "These gentlemen say it is a problem." I said, "These gentlemen are wrong!" This young man would not leave this mosque anymore. This young man would not turn away from this imam. And so it was; they did not turn away from us. When I went to the mosque, among a hundred people, at least ninety of them were young. I had nothing special; neither a significant spiritual quality nor a worldly quality; but I was with the people. In the barracks, it is the same; in the Law Enforcement environment, it is the same; in the police station, it is the same; wherever we are among the people. In one place, our people are merchants, in another place, our people are university students, and in another place, they are military; the IRGC, the army, and the Law Enforcement; it does not matter. If we are with the people, individuals will not be forced to pretend. It is bad for us, who are ideological and political, to behave in such a way in a certain armed force that a clever and cunning person pretends to be religious, but his essence is not; he holds a rosary in front of us and sends blessings, but his heart has nothing; or he attends a course that we have made mandatory, but has only memorized the words; he has not gained faith and belief. This is not good; this is not a victory. The victory is that we can capture and attract his heart, not for ourselves; we should make him enamored with the truth and the meaning; and this is possible through action. A cleric can do this well. Non-clerics can also do this. A few days ago, the family of martyr Babaei came here; this memory came to my mind and I told it to them. In 1981, we appointed martyr Babaei as the commander of the eighth fighter base in Isfahan. His rank was that of a party loyalist captain, which we promoted to full colonel. At that time, our last rank was full colonel. The late Babaei would shave his head and grow a beard. He was supposed to manage this base. It was a difficult task. Everyone's heart trembled; my heart, which insisted, also trembled, wondering if he could do it? But he could. When Banisadr was the commander, the work was more difficult. There were individuals who did not have pure hearts and caused trouble; they spoke but did not work; but he was able to attract even those. He came to me and recounted an example of this. There was a pilot who participated in the bombing of Baghdad's centers and was martyred afterward. He was one of those pilots who had been incompatible with the regime from the beginning. Martyr Abbas Babaei warmly engaged with him and showed him kindness; he even took him with him to the Dua-e-Kumayl ceremony one night; even though he was his senior. Martyr Babaei had just become a colonel, but he was a full colonel for several years; his age and service record were also longer. Among military personnel, these things are very important. One day seniority has an impact; but he had submitted to Babaei in heart and spirit. Martyr Babaei said, "I saw in Dua-e-Kumayl that his shoulders were trembling from crying and he was shedding tears. Then he turned to me and said, 'Abbas! Pray that I become a martyr!" This is what Babaei told me after the martyrdom of that pilot, and he cried. He is now in the highest heavens; but I, who was in the field of struggle thirty years before him, am still stuck in this earthly world! We did not go; it is also unclear if we will reach. The spiritual impact is like this. Abbas Babaei himself was also a truly faithful, pious, honest, and righteous person. If you want to have an impact - whether you dear clerical brothers and students, or you dear brothers who are military and cooperate with the ideological and political aspect - the way is to bring hearts closer together; purify the inner self; make the action sincere; work for God; then God Almighty will grant blessings. This is the desirable ideological and political aspect.

O Lord! Grant us the supplication of Imam al-Mahdi; make us recipients of the pure supplications of that great one; grant mercy and grace to our great Imam and the dear martyrs and the martyrs of the Law Enforcement; guide and support us; place our existence in the service of the Islamic goals and ideals.

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