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In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

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الحمدلله ربّ العالمين

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و الصّلاة و السّلام علي سيّدنا محمّد و ءالهالطّاهرين

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I welcome all dear brethren and sisters.

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I thank all those involved in and organizing this good ceremony;

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Verily, the fragrance of the Quran imbues [human] life,

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when the reciters, memorizers, and people of the Quran,

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and those familiar with the Quran propagate recitation of the Quran’s verses.

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I thank all those involved

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I thank esteemed reciters [of the Quran]; [and] I thank those who performed program [here].

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I hope God will count us among the people of the Quran.

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[We] must become people of the Quran. Reciting the Quran is just a prelude, [it] is not the goal.

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The goal is to absorb the moral principles of the Quran.

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The revered wives of Prophet [Mohammad] (PBUH) have been quoted as saying about the demeanor of the Prophet (PBUH) as such:

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That is, the Prophet (PBUH) was embodiment of the Quran.

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His demeanor was [complaint with moral principles of] the Quran.

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Our behavior, our demeanor, our personal traits [must] conform to the Quran. This is necessary.

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Recitation [of the Quran] is just a prelude to this; [and] this is not all;

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in addition to shaping one’s personality on the basis of the Quran,

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our society and our living environment must also conform to the Quran.

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[We] must not let ignorance to impose itself on our societies and on our life; which is [unfortunately] the case.

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Today, the Islamic world is constricted by pressure from ignorant [political] systems and is ailing.

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Today, the Islamic world is afflicted with weakness, is afflicted with poverty,

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is afflicted with discord, is afflicted with civil wars,

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[and] is afflicted with consuming its huge internal resources and forces against itself.

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They have imposed this on the Islamic world.

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The Quran aims to get us rid of the pressure of these impositions; we must [try to] reach this point.

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[We must] learn the Quran, become intimate with the Quran, submit to the Quran,

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[and] show resolve and determination for moving toward Quranic goals; then we would be able [to achieve our goals].

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If we take one step forward, the Almighty God will increase our power.

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This is the point that today, the Muslim nations must understand;

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[they] must understand this; take one step [forward]; let’s experience [this].

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We have experienced [this issue]; we, the Iranian nation, have experienced this.

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We did not give in to the enemies of Islam and the enemies of the Quran;

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we resisted; [and in return,] God gave us power.

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The more we resisted, the more became our power;

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our abilities increased; our hope in the future increased.

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This is the very prescription for the remedy of the Islamic world.

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One of the things that the enemies of Islam have always pursued within the Islamic Ummah,

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and are forcefully pursuing today, is to sow discord; this should be stopped.

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Any person who talks in direction of [sowing] discord [among Muslims] is the mouthpiece of the enemy,

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[regardless of] whether they know this or not.

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[We must] be cautious not to allow our voice to become the mouthpiece of the enemies of Islam and the Quran; [that] it would not cry out [in favor of] discord.

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Religious difference; difference between Shia and Sunni, difference between Arab and non-Arab,

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difference among various countries, difference among [various] ethnic groups and nationalities and nationalistic prejudices,

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[these are] all issues that are being kindled among Muslim societies; these [efforts to sow discord] must be countered.

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Of course, such things are easy in words, but difficult to do [in practice];

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however, there is always a way to act; the way is open.

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The main factor is our determination and resolve;

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[we must] make a decision; insight and resolve are two main factors.

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Firstly, [we must] have insight; know the enemy, [and] know the friend.

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Today, among Muslim countries are countries where officials of those countries are plagued with error in vision;

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they cannot distinguish friend from enemy.

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[They] imagine the enemy is the friend, [and at the same time] consider the friend to be the enemy. Well, one will suffer blows [as a result of such an error].

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Such a country, with such a view, with such an attitude,

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will be hit; insight is necessary.

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[Quran tells the Prophet (PBUH) to] say: “This is my path [and] I invite toward Allah based on insight both myself and those who follow me.”

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If there is insight, [if] one can recognize the path correctly,

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[and] then they show determination and resolve,

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the path could be treaded easily. This is [the true meaning of] divine assistance;

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“if you assist Allah, He will assist you;”

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what can be said clearer and more explicit than this?

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“If you assist Allah, He will assist you and strengthen your steps.”

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This is the meaning of God’s assistance; [it means] to know and find the path of God; to follow it;

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[and] not to give in to enemy’s plot, to enemy’s [effort to] make a fool [of us] [and] to enemy’s imposition.

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The Quran guarantees this for us.

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This annual Quranic gathering of us, thank God, is a successful gathering.

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Quran has gradually found its new life in our society.

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Those interested in the Quran, those resorting to the Quran,

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those who become intimate with the Quran, [their number] thank God is increasing in our society day by day.

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If you see that I insist on memorizing the Quran, on reciting the Quran,


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do not object that these are not the main [priorities]; I also know that these are not the main [priorities], but these are means;

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without these means you cannot get close to the Quran.

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If somebody is not familiar with the knowledge of the Quran, does not muse over the Quran, [and] is not intimate with the Quran,

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how he/she can serve as a guide in a society which wants to move on the basis of the Quran?

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Our intellectuals should become familiar with the Quran,

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our youths should become familiar with the Quran; [they must] strengthen their affinity with the Quran.

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When this [human] mind becomes full of the knowledge of the Quran, then

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“the jar gives out what is in it.”

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When the mind is enriched with Quranic knowledge, it shows its effect in words, in deeds, in decision-making,

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in large-scale decision-makings, [and] in behavior;

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this is the goal that we must pursue.

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State officials [must] continue to pay serious attention to the issue of the Quran; do not take this issue lightly.

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You dear youths, who are treading the path of learning the Quran and reciting the Quran and becoming intimate with the Quran;

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[you must] follow this path seriously and pursue it. The Quran makes a bright future for us;

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the Quran reveals to us the direct way and the direct path; [it] makes us happy.

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Yes, I said that the Islamic world is afflicted with many weaknesses today,

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but fortunately, the movement toward Islam and the Quran has started in Islamic societies.

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This Islamic Awakening, which showed itself in regional countries, cannot be eliminated;

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this awakening will continue to exist, will stay there and, God willing, will show its effects.

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Islamic Awakening is a truth;

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this truth, God willing, will show itself increasingly.

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Of course, the Ulema shoulder a heavier responsibility; the intellectuals shoulder a heavier responsibility;

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authors, students, [and] researchers, including you, reciters [of the Quran], who are center of people’s attention,

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shoulder a heavier responsibility; [you] must be able to give hope to people about that path,

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which the Quran has promised you.

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God willing, the Almighty God would make you successful and bestow his blessings upon you.

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God willing, Islamic countries [and] Muslim nations would avail themselves of the Quran.

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God willing, Islamic governments [and] Muslim rulers would get a little closer to Quran in practice, not just in claims,

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and God willing, the Islamic world would experience its prosperous future in the light of the Quran.

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Peace be unto you and so may the mercy of Allah and His blessings.