Statements of the Supreme Leader in Meeting with Scholars and Clergy

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

First, I extend a warm welcome to the esteemed gentlemen, scholars, clergy, and respected speakers present in this gathering, and I consider this opportunity valuable for discussing issues that today are connected to the fate of Islam and the revolution.

In the event of Ashura, there are many points that if the Islamic world and thinkers of the Islamic world examine them from various dimensions, the paths of Islamic life and the duties of Muslim generations in different conditions will become clear from this event and what surrounded it.

One of these lessons is the important point that Hussein ibn Ali (peace be upon him), in a very sensitive chapter of Islamic history, identified the main duty among various duties of different levels of importance and fulfilled this duty. He did not fall into illusion and error in recognizing what the Islamic world needed at that time. While this is one of the vulnerable points in the life of Muslims in different eras; meaning that the individuals of the nation and their guides and the prominent figures of the Islamic world, at a certain time, might mistake the main duty. They might not know what is primary and should be attended to, and what is secondary and should be sacrificed if necessary; and what is secondary and of lesser importance, and every action and work should be given its due importance and effort.

At the same time of the movement of Aba Abdullah (peace be upon him), there were those who, if spoken to about this issue that 'now is the time for uprising' and understood that this action would bring about problems and troubles, they clung to secondary duties; as we saw, some did just that. Among those who did not move with Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) and did not go, there were faithful and committed people. It was not that all were worldly people. That day among the leaders and chosen ones of the Islamic world, there were faithful people and those who wanted to act according to duty; but they did not understand the duty; they did not recognize the situation of the time; they did not know the main enemy and confused the main and pivotal work with secondary and tertiary tasks. This has been one of the great afflictions of the Islamic world. Today, we might also fall into it, and mistake what is important with something less important. We must find the fundamental duty that is the foundation and life of society.

One day in our own country, anti-colonial and anti-despotic struggles and against the apparatus of disbelief and tyranny were raised; but some did not recognize this duty and clung to other tasks. Occasionally, if someone had teaching, if they had authorship, if they had a small preaching domain, if they were responsible for guiding a limited group of people in religious matters, they thought if they engaged in that struggle, those tasks would be left undone! They abandoned the struggle of such greatness and importance, so as not to be left behind in those tasks! That is, a mistake in recognizing what was necessary, what was important, and what was most important.

Hussein ibn Ali (peace be upon him), in his statements, made it clear that for the Islamic world in such conditions, fighting against the tyrannical power and acting to save people from the satanic and demonic domination of this power is the most obligatory task. It is obvious that if Hussein ibn Ali (peace be upon him) had stayed in Medina and preached the divine laws among the people and explained the teachings of the Ahl al-Bayt, he would have nurtured a group. But when he moved towards Iraq to perform a task, he was deprived of all these tasks: he could not teach people their prayers; he could not tell people the hadiths of the Prophet; his teaching and explanation of teachings were suspended, and he was left from helping the orphans and the needy and the poor who were in Medina. Each of these was a duty that he performed. But he sacrificed all these duties for the more important duty. Even as it is in the language of all preachers and speakers, during the time of Hajj to the House of God and when people were going for Hajj, this was sacrificed for that higher duty.

What is that duty? As he said, fighting against a system that was the source of corruption: 'I want to enjoin good and forbid evil and follow the path of my grandfather.' Or as he said in another sermon on the way: 'O people! The Messenger of God, peace be upon him, said whoever sees a tyrannical ruler violating the sanctities of God, breaking the covenant of God [to the end] and does not change it by action or word, it is incumbent upon God to place him in the same place.' Meaning aggression or change, towards the ruler of oppression and tyranny; a power that spreads corruption and a system that leads people to material and spiritual destruction and annihilation. This is the reason for the movement of Hussein ibn Ali (peace be upon him), which of course has also been considered as an example of enjoining good and forbidding evil; in the matter of inclination towards the duty of enjoining good and forbidding evil, these points should also be considered. Therefore, he moves for the most important duty and sacrifices other duties - even if important - for this most important duty. He determines what is the obligatory task today? At any time, a movement for the Islamic society is determined. An enemy and a hostile front threaten the Islamic world and Muslims. It must be recognized. If we make a mistake in recognizing the enemy, in the direction from which Islam and Muslims suffer and are attacked, we have made a mistake. The loss that will occur is irreparable. Great opportunities are lost. Today in the Islamic world, we are obliged to provide this awareness and attention and enemy recognition and duty recognition to the highest possible degree for the Islamic nation, the Islamic world, and our own nation. Today, with the establishment of the Islamic government and the raising of the flag of Islam - something that has no precedent in the history of Islam after the early period until today - such an opportunity is available to Muslims. Today we no longer have the right to make a mistake in recognizing the enemy. We do not have the right to make a mistake in awareness of the direction and attack of aggression. Therefore, from the beginning of the victory of the revolution until today, all the efforts of the great Imam and others who moved in the path of that great man - according to their different levels: according to their ability and insight - have been to make it clear in today's world, for Muslims, for the Islamic society in Iran, and for the foundations of justice and truth, what threat is the greatest and what enemy is the most dangerous? Today, as in all these many years, the fundamental enmity, the great attack, and the destructive danger come from global domination and the domination of disbelief and global arrogance. This is the greatest danger that threatens Islam and Muslims.

It is true that the internal weaknesses of a society pave the way for the enemy's attack; but even these weaknesses are imposed on a healthy society by the enemy with its tools and capabilities. We should not make a mistake. The direction of the Islamic society's movement today must be the same anti-arrogance and anti-global domination direction that unfortunately has cast its claws over the entire Islamic world. They are enemies of Islam; they are enemies of the awakening of Muslims; they are enemies of Islamic Iran because of its Islamic nature. All their efforts are to prevent the Islamic movement from reviving in the world. At the head of this hostility - of course - is the arrogant and aggressive American government, and behind it, all the small and large powers that have ancient hostility towards Islam, or have conflicting interests, or are afraid of Islam. They are also enemies of Islamic Iran because the Islamic awakening emerged from here, and today Muslim nations everywhere in the world take their hope from this movement and this victorious revolution and strengthen their steps and move forward. If they can, God forbid, defeat Islam at this point, they will have achieved their greatest victory against the Islamic wave throughout the world. This is the reality that exists today.

We should not make a mistake in recognizing the enemy. We should not have the assumption and perception that the enemy has given up enmity with Islam and Muslims. See today what they are doing with the Muslims of Europe, with this small Muslim country in the heart of Europe - the Muslims of Bosnia and Herzegovina! Thousands of people and thousands of civilians are in the hardest conditions and calamities inside their homes. If we do not say that their enemies encourage and help the Serbian aggressors, at least they are sitting and watching, so that the stronger and equipped hand with all kinds of weapons and that organized army and all those armaments and equipment completely destroy and annihilate this group of Muslims in that region. Their intention is this. They want this Muslim society in the heart of Europe not to remain as a Muslim country. They want to force them to migrate; to scatter and completely destroy them. They want the Muslim community not to remain in Europe.

I have said before: if today, the Islamic world does not take action regarding these oppressed Muslims, in the future, any Muslim community that exists within Europe, either as a country or as a large population in a country, is at risk of facing such pressures. We are extremely concerned about the Muslims of Bosnia and Herzegovina. They are Muslims and our brothers. An oppressed minority, among a collection opposed to Islam in various countries and in front of them, an armed population, relying on a powerful army, possessing advanced and modern weapons; the same ones who for many years equipped Iraq militarily against us; these same Serbs, in the center of former Yugoslavia. Of course, we have fulfilled our duties towards these Muslims as much as we could. From the Islamic Republic, they have been supported in all aspects and in every way. But this is not enough. Muslims throughout the Islamic world must help. Hostility towards Islam is one of its manifestations, and its highest manifestations is the pressure on the Islamic Republic. As the Holy Quran has stated; and this is truly one of the miracles of the Quran that said: 'And never will the Jews or the Christians approve of you until you follow their religion.' Until the Muslim community does not abandon Islam, they will not be satisfied. The intention is that the enemy wants that Islamic spirit, those living Islamic laws, and that vital Islamic force not to be among Muslims. Of course, they do not have much to do with a group of dead Muslims unaware of the high principles of Islam, even if they act on a few appearances of Islam; they do not have enmity with that. But that is not Islam! The Islam that the Prophet brought and the Quran said 'You are the best nation produced for mankind.' That is not Islam where a group sits and watches the events of the world, or watches the issues within their own society. Awake Muslims, aware Muslims, Muslims who use their power to build the world in the right way, and Muslims who are not afraid of any obstacle; this Islam and these kinds of Muslims are the maximum hatred of global arrogance, and we have seen the application of this hatred in various ways over these years, and today we also see its most intense form in various cultural, economic, political, and propaganda fields.

Today there is no military aggression against us. During the eight years of imposed war, the enemy was openly aligned against us. The apparent case was Iraq; but behind Iraq was America; behind Iraq was NATO; behind Iraq were all the reactionaries. We said this many times throughout the eight years of war. Many were not willing to believe; but those same ones who equipped Iraq during this period today admit it. The war was a military war. In fact, the entire world of arrogance and disbelief was fighting Islam in the Islamic Republic. Today there is no military war; but all other aggressions exist with unprecedented intensity. In the face of this aggression, this Islamic society must remain alive, vigilant, invulnerable, hopeful, ready to resist, ready to strike, and remain as a living, resistant entity. How is this possible? This is why I raised the issue of enjoining good and forbidding evil. The issue of enjoining good is not a new issue. This is the perpetual duty of Muslims. The Islamic society remains alive by performing this duty. The foundation of the Islamic government is with enjoining good and forbidding evil, which said: if this is not done, then 'God will impose upon you the worst of you, and the best of you will pray and not be answered.' The foundation of the Islamic government and the survival of the rule of the righteous is that there is enjoining good and forbidding evil in society. Enjoining good is not just that we, to discharge our duty, say two words. That too in the face of evils that are not necessarily the most important evils. When a society is obligated that its individuals must enjoin others to good and forbid evil, what does this mean? When is it possible for the individuals of a nation to be enjoiners of good and forbidders of evil? When everyone is truly present in the country's issues; everyone is concerned with the affairs of society; everyone is attentive; everyone is aware; everyone knows good and evil. This means a general supervision; a general presence; a general cooperation; a high knowledge in everyone.

Enjoining good is these things. Otherwise, if we imprison enjoining good in a limited circle, that too by known individuals, the enemy also begins to spread propaganda in its own way; that in Iran it is intended from now on to act in such a way towards women with improper hijab! This duty of such greatness, on which everything is based, is brought into a limited circle, in the streets of Tehran; that too towards a few women whose hijab is, for example, not correct. Is this the meaning of enjoining good?! Is this the meaning of the presence of faithful forces in various scenes of society?! The issue is beyond these words. Violations are not of one size and one type. Violations are not individual violations. The highest violations are those violations and crimes that weaken the foundations of the system. Disappointing people, disappointing hopeful hearts, misrepresenting the right path, misleading faithful and sincere people, exploiting various situations in the Islamic society, helping the enemy, opposing Islamic laws, and trying to corrupt the faithful generation. Today, hands are trying to promote corruption imperceptibly - not in a way that you see and understand and observe on the street - in group forms, to lead the youth to corruption; to lead the boys to corruption; to lead people to indifference. These are the evils; moral evils, political evils, economic evils. Everywhere is a place for forbidding evil. A student can forbid evil in the study environment. An honorable employee can forbid evil in their work environment. A faithful merchant can forbid evil in their work environment. An artist can forbid evil with their artistic tools. Clergy in various environments are one of the most important factors of forbidding evil and enjoining good. This great divine duty cannot be limited to small circles. The work is everyone's work. It is not that it is specific to a particular group. Of course, everyone has a duty. I mentioned in the thank you message that was published: different groups must find their place in enjoining good and forbidding evil. Everyone has a place. Where should you forbid evil? In front of which evil can you resist and stand? Which one do you recognize? The work is a people's work. Of course, religious scholars must guide and direct the people; explain the quality of forbidding evil and describe the evil for them.

We must recognize the danger. We must correctly recognize the points from which the Islamic society is threatened. We must open the lessons of the events of early Islam for the people and for ourselves. The most important duty that exists in the path of enjoining good and forbidding evil is that faithful forces and enjoiners of good and forbidders of evil and those who have motivation in the Islamic system must be present in the scene. They must be present everywhere. Being Hezbollah means being ready to work for fulfilling the divine duty. This is a value; a revolutionary value. In the Islamic system, everywhere, someone who has the spirit of Hezbollah is preferred over someone who does not have the spirit of Hezbollah. Among them, a Hezbollah manager, a Hezbollah professor, a Hezbollah official, a Hezbollah commander, a Hezbollah artist, a Hezbollah writer... It should not be assumed that Hezbollah means a noisy and boisterous young person who does not have proper education or proper knowledge! It is not like that. Among our specialists, among our chosen ones, among our managers, among our scholars and professors, there are many Hezbollah people. We should not have a wrong perception of the concept of Hezbollah in our minds. In various environments, the presence of Hezbollah elements must be prominent. Executive bodies, whether judicial or governmental bodies, must practically pay attention to this value in their agents and officials. When can a healthy administrative system have more efficiency? When faithful elements, sincere elements, elements that are truly Hezbollah, are effective there. Good managers, good officials, and good specialists should be in charge. It should not be that the same discussions of previous years, which the enemies pursued in those days, become prevalent. We should separate between faithful and specialist elements! 'Should the faithful be in charge or the specialists?!' As if there is a natural contradiction between faithful and specialist! What kind of talk is this?! Faithful elements, after thirteen years of the revolution, thanks be to God, are abundant at all levels; at decision-making levels, at high management levels of society, at military officials' levels; from the Revolutionary Guards, the army, and the Basij. The people are also clear. Our people are faithful people. They are tested people. Our people are not people who are willing to have a gap between them and Islam and religion and the Quran; a gap between them and the Ahl al-Bayt. Our nation is the first nation that, relying on the Quran and with the slogan of the Quran and Islam, was able to defeat a political system of such greatness, defeat America, and defeat the world of arrogance.

We ask God Almighty to guide us in the difficult paths of jihad in the way of God and in all scenes, so that we can recognize and understand the duty and continue the path of the prophets and the Imams (peace be upon them) and the path of Hussein ibn Ali (peace be upon him) and the path of the revolution, God willing, with strength and power, and God willing, our Muslim people and other Muslim nations will witness sweeter and brighter futures under the shadow of Islam.

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