Statements of the Supreme Leader on the Occasion of the Arrival of the Year 1373 Solar

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

O Transformer of hearts and eyes. O Director of night and day. O Changer of conditions and states. Change our condition to the best of conditions.

I extend my congratulations on the blessed Norooz to all my dear compatriots and Iranians living around the world. Especially to the self-sacrificing individuals and the esteemed families who have endured difficult efforts in the great movement of the Iranian nation. Particularly to the esteemed families of martyrs and dear veterans and their families. Also, I extend my congratulations to the dear freed captives and those who are still in captivity and their families. We pray that, God willing, our missing and those still imprisoned will be freed soon and bring joy to our hearts with their return. Likewise, I congratulate the nations that consider Norooz a holiday - the dear people of the "Republic of Azerbaijan," and some other republics around us that hold Norooz in high regard - and I wish success for everyone in the new solar Hijri year.

In the prayer at the beginning of the year, we ask the Almighty God to return our condition to the best condition. Throughout the blessed month of Ramadan, we also asked the Almighty God, "O God, change our bad condition with Your good condition." Transform the bad and irregularities of our condition, our behavior, from the daily prayers of the month of Ramadan, our life, and our soul and body with the pure goodness and mercy that exists in You. This change and transformation is one of the greatest secrets of the evolutionary movement of humanity that Islam has commanded and instructed us to do. It is not specific to certain people. Let no one think that the change of condition is for those who, according to Islamic standards, are in a bad state! Even those who have good conditions and morals, because they are not the best, ask God to move towards the best. Whoever we are, wherever we are, and at whatever level of knowledge, understanding, perfection, and human ethics we are, we must ask God to improve our condition and lead us towards becoming more complete.

Here, the question arises, "What is the sign and direction of this completion, and how does one improve their condition and move towards becoming more complete?" I present two titles as signs to you, my dear ones, who hear this speech at the beginning of the year. These two signs are reconciliation and peace with God and reconciliation and peace with people. Wherever we are and whatever condition we have, we must move towards intimacy and reconciliation with the Almighty God. That is, we should search for sins in our behavior and set them aside. Humans often do not recognize the badness of their actions. In other words, self-love does not allow us to become aware of our shortcomings and faults. Therefore, we must first search for and recognize these shortcomings and faults and, by eliminating them, bring ourselves closer to God. In my expression, "make peace with God." Then, reconciliation with people, sincerity with people, loyalty to people, good behavior with people, and benevolence to people - that is, with all classes; especially with those who are weak; whether weak in terms of physical strength, financially, socially, or in terms of not knowing the ways and means of life - should be the cornerstone of our behavior. In dealing with anyone, especially if they are weak, we should correct our behavior with them and strive to have a state of reconciliation with good people and servants of God. If we proceed in this direction and purify ourselves moment by moment, then the transformation of "condition" to "the best condition" will have taken place. I do not say that we will become "the best." But, God willing, we will move towards "the best."

I take this opportunity to offer a moral reminder, which is also for this betterment. Let me say this first: In the current conditions, where we enjoy a young and fresh system, possessing lofty values and very important slogans and a clear and attractive orientation for any fair-minded person, and on the other hand, a great and magnificent country with an important historical background, with a very high and brilliant culture throughout history, with valuable heritage from the past and abundant material wealth - one of which, which is not necessarily the greatest, is our oil and gas and other underground resources - and in this great and flourishing country, a nation of this magnitude lives, it is appropriate for our people to bring about this moral transformation in themselves.

The reminder I want to offer is that from the beginning of the new year, we should adopt two indicators as our slogan: These two indicators are "work conscience" and "social discipline." These two indicators are very important for all of us, wherever we are. "Work conscience" means that if we take on a task and commit to doing it - whether this task is for ourselves or our family; for earning a living, or a social and public task related to others; like important social affairs and national responsibilities - we should do it well, completely, accurately, and thoroughly. In the famous expression, we should "leave no stone unturned" for that task. If a nation possesses "work conscience," the product of its work will be good, and when the product of work is good, the social situation will certainly improve.

Anyone from the economic or political sectors may have various analyses regarding the issues and phenomena of the country. But I say: Whatever analysis anyone has, the solution to the problems is these two indicators "work conscience" and "social discipline." "Social discipline" means accepting order in all matters. You should start implementing this discipline from small tasks. For example, not crossing the pedestrian line for cars in crowded and populous streets, or anywhere. Or pedestrians not crossing outside the pedestrian line in the street. This task, at first glance, seems small and trivial. But let's start from here and generalize social discipline to all our issues until it reaches the higher responsibilities of the country in dealing with national issues. That is, those who have public dealings should impose order and discipline in dealing with the people who refer to them, and those who have taken on a task should apply order and discipline in performing that task. All these will lead our country and nation to vitality and advance their work.

Today, fortunately, things are progressing. I say this with knowledge and awareness of the country's issues. Of course, many of our people, especially those involved in current affairs, feel this progress. The pressures towards us from the arrogant powers - who are the enemy of our nation and independence - are great. But fortunately, this great country, this great nation, and these sincere and devoted statesmen repel these pressures with full power, and in the long term, they have no impact on their real life; although they may create some problems in the short term. All these can be overcome well. We are in the process of progress and construction and in the process of building a civilization. I want to tell you this: Our issue is not to save our own lives and pull our own rug out of the water. The issue is that the Iranian nation - as is its dignity - is in the process of creating a civilization. The main foundation of civilization is not on industry and technology and science, but on culture and insight and human intellectual perfection. This is what provides everything for a nation and also brings science to it. We are on this path and in this direction. Not that we decide to do this; rather, the historical movement of the Iranian nation is in the process of creating it.

In such conditions, with the great position of the great Iranian nation, everyone should know what they are doing and in what path they are moving. In my opinion, these two titles - "work conscience" and "social discipline" - can be two slogans for us, and I said that these two indicators will create development and transformation in us that, God willing, that transformation will be in the direction of reconciliation with the Almighty God and with divine values and reconciliation with people and people's lives.

I hope that, God willing, our dear people will spend this year - the year 1373 solar Hijri - well and with blessings and be included in the pure prayers of the Imam of the Age, may our souls be sacrificed for him. God willing, the government officials will also be able to carry out the great tasks they have undertaken in the best way.

I send greetings to the pure soul of our great Imam, who opened this path of greatness for our nation. I hope that the Almighty God will include the holy soul of that great man in His favors, mercy, blessings, and forgiveness this year as in previous years, and accept the prayers of the people for that great man and regarding their own life matters.

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