1 00:00:07,350 --> 00:00:09,420 In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful 2 00:00:13,070 --> 00:00:15,700 والحمدلله ربّ العالمين 3 00:00:18,770 --> 00:00:23,250 و الصّلاة و السّلام علي سيّدنا و نبيّنا 4 00:00:25,670 --> 00:00:31,400 و حبيب قلوبنا ابي‌القاسم المصطفي محمّد 5 00:00:43,660 --> 00:00:48,800 و علي ءاله الأطيبين الأطهرين المنتجبين 6 00:00:52,530 --> 00:00:56,800 المنتجبين سيّما بقيّةالله في الأرضين 7 00:01:01,260 --> 00:01:05,400 اللّهمّ کن لوليّک الحجّة بن الحسن 8 00:01:07,730 --> 00:01:20,800 صلواتک عليه و علي ءابائه في هذه السّاعة و في کلّساعة وليّاً و حافظاً 9 00:01:22,800 --> 00:01:30,200 و قائداً و ناصراً و دليلاً و عيناً 10 00:01:33,260 --> 00:01:42,330 حتّي تسکنه ارضک طوعاً و تمتّعه فيها طويلاً 11 00:01:46,660 --> 00:01:56,860 . اللّهمّ اعطه في نفسه و ذريّته و شيعته و رعيّته 12 00:01:59,660 --> 00:02:09,660 رعيّته و خاصّته و عامّته و عدوّه و جميع اهل الدّنيا 13 00:02:11,660 --> 00:02:17,060 ما تقرّ به عينه و تسرّ به نفسه 14 00:02:20,800 --> 00:02:27,860 At the beginning of my remarks, it is necessary to declare our devotion 15 00:02:30,260 --> 00:02:43,000 to the sacred presence of Baghiyat-ol-lah al-A’zam [Imam Mahdi (PBUH)]. 16 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:59,660 The [existence of the] End-of-Time Savior has been substantiated by all Abrahamic religions; 17 00:03:06,840 --> 00:03:21,570 [the fact] that a person will come and will save the world from the filth of oppression and tyranny, 18 00:03:24,840 --> 00:03:33,570 has been accepted by all Abrahamic religions. 19 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:42,840 In Islam, even the name of this savior has been specified; 20 00:03:45,890 --> 00:03:54,730 this divine being, this extraordinarily great person 21 00:03:56,100 --> 00:04:04,210 is known as [Imam] Mahdi (PBUH) by all denominations of Islam. 22 00:04:15,400 --> 00:04:26,530 Perhaps there is no sect among Islamic sects 23 00:04:28,530 --> 00:04:45,330 that would not believe that Mahdi (PBUH) will reappear and he belongs to the progeny of the Prophet [of Islam]; 24 00:04:48,330 --> 00:04:55,330 even his name and nickname have been mentioned. 25 00:04:59,200 --> 00:05:08,860 The characteristic of Shia faith is that 26 00:05:09,660 --> 00:05:17,330 it introduces this personality in a totally specific and clear way; 27 00:05:20,330 --> 00:05:29,530 he is the son of the 11th Shia Imam 28 00:05:31,000 --> 00:05:36,730 – Imam Hassan al-Askari (PBUH) – 29 00:05:39,730 --> 00:05:57,200 [and] his birthdate has been clearly mentioned by Shia historians and scholars; 30 00:06:00,930 --> 00:06:16,330 other Islamic sects have often not mentioned this viewpoint or not accepted it, 31 00:06:16,460 --> 00:06:35,600 but Shiism proves the presence and existence and birth of that great personality with undoubting and decisive proofs. 32 00:06:41,930 --> 00:06:48,530 Some people have raised objection as how a person 33 00:06:50,200 --> 00:07:02,330 can be born and live for such a long time. 34 00:07:04,930 --> 00:07:23,060 This has been the sole objection that has been raised and repeated by opponents in the case of Hazrat Mahdi (PBUH); 35 00:07:25,800 --> 00:07:39,200 however, the holy Quran has done away with this objection in its clear text. 36 00:07:41,200 --> 00:07:51,130 As for Prophet Noah (PBUH), [Quran] says: 37 00:07:51,130 --> 00:07:57,600 فَلَبِثَ فيهِم اَلفَ سَنَةٍ اِلّا خَمسينَ عامًا 38 00:07:59,930 --> 00:08:09,530 “Noah lived among his people for 950 years. 39 00:08:13,060 --> 00:08:16,330 Not that his entire lifetime has been this much, 40 00:08:17,200 --> 00:08:25,330 but it appears that the time he has been a prophet has been 950 years; 41 00:08:26,200 --> 00:08:29,930 so there is no place for this objection. 42 00:08:32,800 --> 00:08:46,600 The greatest property of this faith among Shias is that it inspires hope. 43 00:08:49,400 --> 00:09:07,000 The Shia society does not simply rely on the salient features of its past history, but sets its sight upon the future. 44 00:09:10,060 --> 00:09:25,730 A person believing in the issue of Mahdaviyyat [the return of Imam Mahdi (PBUH)] as per Shia faith, under the most difficult of situations , 45 00:09:28,130 --> 00:09:38,200 will not have a heart empty of hope even and the flame of hope is always there; 46 00:09:38,530 --> 00:09:49,800 they know that this period of darkness, this period of oppression, 47 00:09:52,060 --> 00:10:00,930 this period of domination of [whatever is] untrue and evil will certainly end; 48 00:10:00,930 --> 00:10:09,930 this is one of the most important impacts and achievements of this faith. 49 00:10:11,200 --> 00:10:24,260 Of course, the conviction of Shiism in the issue of Mahdaviyyat is not limited to this. 50 00:10:25,400 --> 00:10:33,460 “It is due to his auspicious being that people have livelihood and it is due to his existence that the Earth and sky remain stable.” 51 00:10:35,260 --> 00:10:40,530 The issue of conviction in Mahdaviyyat is such a conviction. 52 00:10:42,200 --> 00:10:49,330 This burning flame, [and] this shining beam of light 53 00:10:51,060 --> 00:10:59,800 has existed in Shia societies during past centuries 54 00:11:01,600 --> 00:11:13,200 and will continue to be there and, God willing, the period of waiting for those who are waiting [for the return of Imam Mahdi (PBUH)] will come to an end. 55 00:11:16,400 --> 00:11:21,600 Yesterday, was the birth anniversary of that great personality; 56 00:11:23,200 --> 00:11:32,930 this brief account was just an expression of devotion on the occasion of this auspicious birthday, 57 00:11:33,200 --> 00:11:40,800 which was delivered in the gathering of you, dear brethren and sisters. 58 00:11:44,000 --> 00:11:50,260 However, the material that I have prepared on the occasion of Khordad 14th (May 3) 59 00:11:53,800 --> 00:12:03,260 for dear brethren and sisters, who are present in this huge and glamorous meeting, 60 00:12:04,730 --> 00:12:09,330 and also for the Iranian nation, 61 00:12:10,800 --> 00:12:18,530 as usual, is a discussion about our great Imam [Khomeini]. 62 00:12:19,860 --> 00:12:34,130 We have talked a lot about this, but there is still room to talk about this great man. 63 00:12:37,530 --> 00:12:57,400 What I present to you today is entitled “distortion of Imam’s personality.” 64 00:13:00,060 --> 00:13:06,000 Can personalities be distorted as well? 65 00:13:08,330 --> 00:13:20,930 The word ‘distortion’ and the term ‘distortion’ is usually used about distortion of texts; 66 00:13:22,800 --> 00:13:29,330 [but] can personalities be distorted as well? [The answer is] yes. 67 00:13:31,530 --> 00:13:45,330 Distortion of personalities is when the main pillars of the character of that great person 68 00:13:46,660 --> 00:14:00,400 either remain unknown, or are described in a wrong way, or are described in a skewed and superficial manner; 69 00:14:02,730 --> 00:14:09,130 all these [instances] are cases of distortion of personality. 70 00:14:11,130 --> 00:14:19,130 A personality that is a role model, is Imam and leader, 71 00:14:20,730 --> 00:14:33,460 [and one that] his behavior, [and] his words are a guide and [source of] guidance for the next generations, 72 00:14:33,730 --> 00:14:41,730 if [such a personality] is distorted, it would lead to great harm. 73 00:14:46,130 --> 00:14:59,930 Imam [Khomeini] should not be merely taken into account as a respectable historical personality; 74 00:15:01,460 --> 00:15:09,730 some people like it this way; the Imam is a respectable personality 75 00:15:10,330 --> 00:15:17,660 in history of this country, who once existed, was active, [and] was useful, 76 00:15:18,060 --> 00:15:25,730 [and] then left our people and his time came to an end; 77 00:15:26,530 --> 00:15:33,060 [after that] we [only] show respect for him [and] mention his name with veneration; that is it. 78 00:15:34,130 --> 00:15:46,330 Some people want to know and introduce the Imam in this way and present such an image [of him]; this is wrong. 79 00:15:46,460 --> 00:15:59,930 The Imam is objective manifestation of the huge movement that the Iranian nation initiated and changed its history; 80 00:16:02,460 --> 00:16:12,200 the Imam is founder of an intellectual and political and social school of thought. 81 00:16:14,400 --> 00:16:29,400 The Iranian nation accepted this school of thought, this path, [and] this roadmap and is still moving on [the basis of] it; 82 00:16:31,130 --> 00:16:41,460 continuation of this path depends on correct understanding of this roadmap. 83 00:16:43,530 --> 00:16:53,000 Without correct understanding of the Imam – which means understanding the principles of the Imam – 84 00:16:54,330 --> 00:16:58,130 this roadmap will not be understood. 85 00:17:00,000 --> 00:17:08,330 It is evident that our discussion is about intellectual fundamentals of the Imam; 86 00:17:08,930 --> 00:17:19,000 the discussion is not about temporary decisions and [those decisions that are] related to [a specific] time or place; 87 00:17:20,130 --> 00:17:27,660 the discussion is about the main structure of the thought of our great Imam; 88 00:17:28,060 --> 00:17:31,330 we want to know this correctly. 89 00:17:33,730 --> 00:17:43,260 Of course, the Imam was a great jurist; he was [both] a prominent and great jurist, 90 00:17:44,660 --> 00:17:52,530 and a philosopher, and a scholar in theoretical mysticism. 91 00:17:54,460 --> 00:18:05,130 In these fields [and] technical scientific spheres, he was at the top. 92 00:18:06,000 --> 00:18:16,860 However, the prominent personality of the Imam is not dependent on any of these [characteristics]; 93 00:18:17,800 --> 00:18:29,060 but the main personality of the Imam [was] the realization of the Quranic verse [which says]: 94 00:18:29,060 --> 00:18:32,600 And strive in His cause as you ought to strive.” 95 00:18:35,060 --> 00:18:43,730 Having those prominent scientific backgrounds, the great Imam 96 00:18:45,400 --> 00:18:49,730 entered the field of struggling in the path of God 97 00:18:51,800 --> 00:19:08,130 and continued that struggle until the end of his life and created an immense movement 98 00:19:08,130 --> 00:19:20,000 not only in his own country, but all across our region and in the whole Islamic world 99 00:19:20,530 --> 00:19:30,800 and, in one way, in the entire world. The product of this movement was a unique product. 100 00:19:33,200 --> 00:19:44,860 Two great steps, which were unprecedented in the history of the country, were taken by the Imam; 101 00:19:46,800 --> 00:20:00,060 one of them was to destroy the structure of the inherited, tyrannical and irrational monarchy 102 00:20:01,130 --> 00:20:08,130 that had a history of several thousands of years in our country. 103 00:20:09,660 --> 00:20:27,000 This rotten, obsolete, [and] wrong structure that the rule of a country should be in the hands of [a few] human beings 104 00:20:27,460 --> 00:20:31,800 and is inherited from one person to another, 105 00:20:33,200 --> 00:20:41,200 or that [the right to form a] government is gained through [use of] sword and military force 106 00:20:42,600 --> 00:20:50,800 and then it is inherited from one generation to another generation, 107 00:20:51,600 --> 00:21:01,460 was a wrong and irrational tradition [that existed] in our country through several thousands of years; 108 00:21:01,460 --> 00:21:15,130 the first step of the Imam was to destroy this wrong structure and put the country’s people in charge. 109 00:21:18,330 --> 00:21:24,330 The second big step taken by our great Imam 110 00:21:25,000 --> 00:21:34,130 was to establish a government and [political] system on the basis of Islam, 111 00:21:35,600 --> 00:21:48,460 which this was unprecedented both in the history of our country, and even in the entire history of Islam after the early years of Islam. 112 00:21:50,930 --> 00:22:00,130 This great jihad [struggle] of our great Imam had such a valuable product 113 00:22:01,860 --> 00:22:06,260 and, therefore, he deserves to be described [like Quran says] as [one who] 114 00:22:06,260 --> 00:22:09,460 “struggled in the path of Allah in the way he ought to [have struggled].” 115 00:22:10,200 --> 00:22:14,200 As Quran says, 116 00:22:14,200 --> 00:22:16,800 “And strive in His cause as you ought to strive,” 117 00:22:18,200 --> 00:22:22,600 and as it is said about the Guardians of Religion, 118 00:22:23,330 --> 00:22:30,860 this great man was also an instance of [he who] “struggled in the path of Allah in the way he ought to [have struggled].” 119 00:22:32,600 --> 00:22:40,330 Of course, I must say on the sidelines of this discussion that 120 00:22:40,330 --> 00:22:53,460 the struggle of this great man was not merely a political and social or intellectual struggle, 121 00:22:54,600 --> 00:23:03,000 but along with all these struggles, there was also an internal struggle, struggle against the human proclivity, 122 00:23:05,600 --> 00:23:12,860 [and] commitment to persistent and permanent contact with the Almighty God; 123 00:23:13,600 --> 00:23:24,130 this is also a lesson. It is not the case that if we entered the arena of intellectual struggle or scientific struggle 124 00:23:24,600 --> 00:23:37,130 or political struggle or military struggle, we would be entitled to pass over this [spiritual] part of the struggle. 125 00:23:37,800 --> 00:23:48,330 Our great Imam was humble, [he] was a person who cried [out of fear of God], who prayed, who [was devoted to] recourse [to God] and supplication [before God]. 126 00:23:50,060 --> 00:24:03,400 In this very auspicious [lunar] month of Sha’ban, he frequently repeated this section of Sha’baniya prayer in his speeches: 127 00:24:03,930 --> 00:24:16,200 “O God! Bestow upon me the highest degree of dependence on you and illuminate the [spiritual] eyes of our hearts with the light of looking toward you 128 00:24:17,730 --> 00:24:25,600 until the [spiritual] eyes of our hearts get through the covers of light and get connected to the source of grandeur.” 129 00:24:27,600 --> 00:24:36,730 This was how he behaved; his early morning crying, his worship [of God], his prayer, 130 00:24:38,000 --> 00:24:55,730 [and] his constant connection [with God], which constituted the spiritual backup for the persistence and continuation of this great man’s struggle. 131 00:24:56,260 --> 00:25:06,400 Let’s remember this on the margins of our great Imam’s struggle in the path of God. 132 00:25:08,930 --> 00:25:25,460 The intellectual system of the Imam has all the complete characteristics of an intellectual and social and political school of thought. 133 00:25:25,930 --> 00:25:37,000 Firstly, it is dependent and based on a worldview and this worldview is monotheism. 134 00:25:37,860 --> 00:25:53,200 All his activities, [and] all his logic were based on monotheism, which is the main foundation for all Islamic thoughts. 135 00:25:56,460 --> 00:26:08,930 Another characteristic of this intellectual system, which turns it into a school of thought in true sense of the word, 136 00:26:10,130 --> 00:26:17,200 is that the intellectual system of the Imam was up-to-date; 137 00:26:17,460 --> 00:26:26,000 he put forth problems plaguing human societies and Iranian society, 138 00:26:27,130 --> 00:26:31,800 and [his] audiences felt it. 139 00:26:33,000 --> 00:26:43,260 In the Imam’s school of thought, opposition to dictatorship and opposition to arrogance had the first say; 140 00:26:44,530 --> 00:26:51,530 this is the one thing that Iranian nation felt as well; 141 00:26:51,800 --> 00:27:01,400 other Muslim nations [and] even non-Muslim nations felt it [as well]; 142 00:27:01,730 --> 00:27:05,860 this is why this call traveled [to all corners of the world]. 143 00:27:08,530 --> 00:27:22,600 Another characteristic of this school of thought was that it was alive and dynamic and energetic and operational. 144 00:27:24,130 --> 00:27:34,200 It was not like thinking and theorizations of some intellectuals, 145 00:27:35,200 --> 00:27:45,730 who say beautiful and appealing things during discussions, but lack efficiency in practice; 146 00:27:47,930 --> 00:27:53,730 he Imam’s logic; the Imam’s thought; [and] the Imam’s path was operational; 147 00:27:55,260 --> 00:27:59,330 could be realized in practice; 148 00:28:00,130 --> 00:28:05,060 this is why he triumphed and proceeded; 149 00:28:05,860 --> 00:28:12,530 this movement changed the course of history of our country. 150 00:28:13,600 --> 00:28:24,060 We, the Iranian nation, were an subordinate nation and submerged in aimlessness and hopelessness; 151 00:28:26,730 --> 00:28:35,930 we were a dependent nation; we were a nation that had been intentionally held back; 152 00:28:37,660 --> 00:28:44,860 they [the foreigners] imposed both their ideas on us, and their culture; 153 00:28:45,600 --> 00:28:49,600 [they] both took away our economic resources, 154 00:28:50,530 --> 00:29:02,000 and directed toward our country a filthy string of ugly habits; 155 00:29:02,460 --> 00:29:10,730 we were such a nation. [The Imam] turned us into a motivated nation, 156 00:29:11,130 --> 00:29:22,060 a nation full of hope, a nation full of activity, [and] a nation with great goals. 157 00:29:22,400 --> 00:29:27,800 Today, Iranian nation is full of activity, is full of motivation, 158 00:29:27,800 --> 00:29:33,730 has hope and is moving toward great goals. 159 00:29:35,130 --> 00:29:41,260 Of course, we are still very far away from [the realization of] our goals, 160 00:29:41,930 --> 00:29:45,060 but it is important that we are moving; 161 00:29:45,660 --> 00:29:53,260 it is important that the [necessary] force and determination for progress exists in our nation; 162 00:29:54,260 --> 00:30:03,660 it is important that our youths believe that they can achieve those goals; 163 00:30:03,930 --> 00:30:10,000 they can materialize social justice in full; 164 00:30:10,200 --> 00:30:16,530 they can bring progress and wealth into this country; 165 00:30:16,860 --> 00:30:29,530 they can turn us into an advanced country and [one] possessing the power [that would be] proportionate to our historical identity. 166 00:30:30,130 --> 00:30:41,060 Today, our country is awash with this hope and our youths are moving in this direction. 167 00:30:41,600 --> 00:30:50,600 We have gotten out of our euphoric state; [we] have gotten out of drowsiness. 168 00:30:50,600 --> 00:30:58,400 This feat was pulled off by the movement of our great Imam and by this great man. 169 00:30:59,060 --> 00:31:11,260 If the Iranian nation wants to achieve those goals; [and] wants to continue on this path; 170 00:31:12,130 --> 00:31:19,860 it should know the path of the great Imam correctly; know his principles correctly; 171 00:31:20,600 --> 00:31:27,530 and] does not allow the Imam’s character to be distorted 172 00:31:28,200 --> 00:31:40,800 [as distortion of the personality of the Imam is [tantamount to] distortion of the path of the Imam and diversion in the course of the straight path of the Iranian nation. 173 00:32:00,220 --> 00:32:14,570 If we lose the path of the Imam or forget it, or God forbid, put it aside intentionally, 174 00:32:14,570 --> 00:32:17,420 he Iranian nation will be slapped in the face. 175 00:32:31,330 --> 00:32:47,290 Everybody must know that the insatiable greed of the global arrogance has not taken its eyes off their country; 176 00:32:48,080 --> 00:33:01,440 a big country, a rich country, [and] a country situated at a sensitive global crossroads 177 00:33:02,400 --> 00:33:09,200 is very important to deceitful [and] powerful [countries] of the world. 178 00:33:10,080 --> 00:33:17,360 They have not given up their greed; [they] have not taken their eyes off [this country]; 179 00:33:18,160 --> 00:33:28,800 they will only backtrack if you, the Iranian nation, become so powerful, 180 00:33:29,040 --> 00:33:34,560 [and] become so advanced as to dash their hope. 181 00:34:03,200 --> 00:34:14,720 This is [exactly] where the risk of distorting [the personality of] the Imam becomes important; 182 00:34:16,400 --> 00:34:25,040 if the personality of the Imam is distorted, [and if it] is introduced in an inappropriate way, [and] in a wrong way, 183 00:34:26,960 --> 00:34:32,160 all these great risks will be posed to the Iranian nation; 184 00:34:33,760 --> 00:34:47,120 this is where the risk of the distortion of the [personality of the] Imam must be considered as a warning in the ears and eyes of state officials, 185 00:34:47,920 --> 00:35:00,160 intellectual scholars of the revolution, old disciples of the Imam, those who are interested in this path, 186 00:35:01,040 --> 00:35:15,360 and all the youth, the elites, academics, [and] seminarians. 187 00:35:16,480 --> 00:35:20,880 This was introductory part of my remarks. 188 00:35:22,240 --> 00:35:30,560 When the Imam was alive, efforts were made to distort the personality of the Imam. 189 00:35:31,920 --> 00:35:40,800 On the one hand, there was the enemy that tried since the outset of the [Islamic] revolution in its global propaganda 190 00:35:41,760 --> 00:35:47,840 to introduce the Imam as a puritanical and harsh revolutionary 191 00:35:49,440 --> 00:35:56,960 – like what we know in the history of big and famous revolutions of the world like the French revolution, 192 00:35:56,960 --> 00:36:06,880 the Marxist revolution of the Soviet Union and some other revolutions 193 00:36:08,320 --> 00:36:16,480 – a person who is puritanical and harsh, who is always frowning 194 00:36:17,600 --> 00:36:31,280 and merely looks forward to countering the enemy and there is no affection, [and] no flexibility in him; 195 00:36:31,280 --> 00:36:38,160 hey introduced the Imam like this, which was wrong. 196 00:36:38,800 --> 00:36:49,280 Yes, the Imam was firm, unshakable, [and] was a determined person in his decision – about which I will later explain; 197 00:36:50,480 --> 00:36:58,560 however, he was also manifestation of affection, manifestation of kindness, 198 00:36:59,280 --> 00:37:11,120 manifestation of compassion, [and] manifestation of infatuation and love before God and before the people, 199 00:37:11,450 --> 00:37:18,160 especially with regard to the oppressed and underprivileged [social] classes; 200 00:37:18,850 --> 00:37:24,050 this was the thing that the enemy did 201 00:37:24,550 --> 00:37:28,500 to the Imam from day one in our revolution through global propaganda. 202 00:37:29,900 --> 00:37:38,930 Inside the country, some people unknowingly and some knowingly distorted [the personality of the Imam]; 203 00:37:38,930 --> 00:37:47,150 even during the Imam’s life. They attributed to the Imam any words that they liked; 204 00:37:47,150 --> 00:37:52,050 while [those words] had nothing to do with the Imam. 205 00:37:54,600 --> 00:38:00,450 This current continued after the passing away of the Imam; 206 00:38:00,650 --> 00:38:07,950 [it] even went so far that some words and some remarks [by certain people] 207 00:38:08,650 --> 00:38:20,750 introduced the Imam as a liberal-minded person with no bound and condition in his behavior in political fields 208 00:38:21,300 --> 00:38:27,150 [and] even in intellectual and cultural fields; 209 00:38:27,150 --> 00:38:31,000 this is strongly wrong and against the reality. 210 00:38:32,050 --> 00:38:42,850 If we want to find [the truth about] the personality of the Imam in the true sense of the world, it has its own way. 211 00:38:44,750 --> 00:38:51,650 If we tread this path – which I will explain – the problem will be solved. 212 00:38:51,650 --> 00:39:02,300 Otherwise, today some people come and introduce the Imam in a certain way according to their own tendency and their own taste. 213 00:39:02,550 --> 00:39:11,650 It is possible that in future other people may come and according to other tastes, 214 00:39:12,450 --> 00:39:16,700 in accordance with other developments that take place in the world, 215 00:39:17,800 --> 00:39:23,500 see it expedient to introduce the Imam in a different way; this is not permissible. 216 00:39:24,600 --> 00:39:31,200 he popularity of the Imam among the people is a lasting thing; 217 00:39:32,200 --> 00:39:35,150 The enemy could not eliminate this; 218 00:39:36,500 --> 00:39:49,600 for this reason, the issue of distorting the personality of the Imam, which influences the hearts of many people 219 00:39:49,600 --> 00:39:54,700 – both inside the country and outside the country – is considered a great risk. 220 00:39:54,700 --> 00:40:05,400 The [only] way that can prevent this distortion is to review the principles of the Imam. 221 00:40:07,300 --> 00:40:12,500 The Imam has a set of fundamentals; 222 00:40:12,850 --> 00:40:21,150 these fundamentals have been expressed in various remarks [of the Imam] throughout ten years of the era of the Islamic governance [under the Imam] 223 00:40:22,600 --> 00:40:32,850 and (were expressed) before that during 15 years of [the Imam’s] uprising; 224 00:40:34,000 --> 00:40:39,100 the principles of the Imam can be found in these remarks; 225 00:40:39,950 --> 00:40:45,650 put these principles [and] these lines together 226 00:40:46,350 --> 00:40:55,000 [and then] an image of the great Imam will take shape; this is the personality of the Imam. 227 00:40:56,050 --> 00:41:00,600 I am not saying that every secondary issue should be attended to; 228 00:41:00,600 --> 00:41:06,950 the life of the Imam, like all other human beings, was marked with ups and downs; 229 00:41:07,250 --> 00:41:12,850 events took place during it and every event had its own conditions; 230 00:41:13,750 --> 00:41:19,850 I mean basic remarks [of the Imam]; those things that cannot be denied 231 00:41:20,650 --> 00:41:26,600 and are among undeniable traits of the Imam through long years. 232 00:41:27,100 --> 00:41:34,050 Either before the establishment of the Islamic government, or during the establishment of the Islamic government, 233 00:41:34,550 --> 00:41:41,200 or during the time of the eight-year imposed war, or before that or after that, 234 00:41:41,650 --> 00:41:45,500 the Imam has repeated this principles in his remarks; 235 00:41:46,100 --> 00:41:49,600 these principles should not be chosen selectively. 236 00:41:50,150 --> 00:41:54,600 Of course, I will present five [or] six of these [principles], 237 00:41:55,150 --> 00:42:00,850 but I say here that the principles of the Imam may not be limited to these; 238 00:42:01,400 --> 00:42:07,750 those scholars and people who can and are able to do this job 239 00:42:08,300 --> 00:42:13,900 [must] go and pursue [this goal], look at the remarks of the Imam – which, thank God, have been compiled, 240 00:42:13,900 --> 00:42:19,750 do exist, [and] are available to everybody – and extract these principles. 241 00:42:19,750 --> 00:42:28,350 cannot present all principles that can be extracted from the remarks of the Imam today; 242 00:42:28,350 --> 00:42:33,650 I [therefore, I] only mention five, [or] six cases; I do not want to be selective; 243 00:42:34,050 --> 00:42:38,750 therefore, I say people should go and have a look and find [other] instances; 244 00:42:38,900 --> 00:42:48,700 however, what I present today is among undoubtable parts of the Imam’s logic and the Imam’s school of thought and the Imam’s path and the Imam’s line. 245 00:42:49,750 --> 00:42:57,050 The first principle that exists in [the school of thought] of the Imam 246 00:42:57,500 --> 00:43:17,400 is substantiation of the pure Mohammedan Islam and negation of the American-style Islam. 247 00:43:19,750 --> 00:43:28,100 The Imam put the pure Islam against the American-style Islam. 248 00:43:28,800 --> 00:43:30,750 What is the American-style Islam? 249 00:43:30,750 --> 00:43:38,230 The American-style Islam in our time and in time of the Imam and in all times 250 00:43:38,360 --> 00:43:42,400 – as far as well know [and] it may be the same in future – 251 00:43:43,130 --> 00:43:52,600 does not have more than two ramifications: one is the secular Islam, [and the other] one is the petrified Islam. 252 00:43:53,860 --> 00:43:59,300 Therefore, the Imam always drew a parallel between those who had a secular way of thinking 253 00:44:00,100 --> 00:44:09,300 – that is, [those who] wanted the religion, the society, [and] the social behavior of humans separate from Islam - 254 00:44:10,130 --> 00:44:18,500 and those who had a petrified view of religion; 255 00:44:19,130 --> 00:44:30,760 that is, a view, which was backward and incomprehensible for new thinkers 256 00:44:31,630 --> 00:44:38,130 and was prejudiced about wrong fundamentals; petrification. 257 00:44:38,930 --> 00:44:43,330 The Imam always mentioned these two [different varieties of Islam] in parallel to each other. 258 00:44:44,460 --> 00:44:53,530 Today that you look, you see both examples of Islam exist in the world of Islam 259 00:44:54,530 --> 00:45:02,900 [and] both are being supported by bullying powers of the world and are being supported by America. 260 00:45:16,600 --> 00:45:30,560 Today, both the deviant current of Daesh [ISIS] and Al-Qaeda and the likes of them are being supported by America and Israel, 261 00:45:31,630 --> 00:45:41,830 and some currents that carry the name of Islam [but] are unfamiliar with the Islamic act 262 00:45:42,260 --> 00:45:48,800 and Islamic jurisprudence and Islamic sharia are being supported by America. 263 00:45:49,230 --> 00:45:58,430 From the viewpoint of the great Imam, the pure Islam is that Islam, which relies on the Book and Sunna, 264 00:45:59,600 --> 00:46:11,600 which is inferred and obtained through clear thinking, familiarity with [the exigencies of] time and place, 265 00:46:12,360 --> 00:46:18,300 and through a well-established and completed scientific way and method in seminaries. 266 00:46:19,130 --> 00:46:25,530 This is not the case that the method of inference is not important 267 00:46:26,800 --> 00:46:35,930 and any person can open the Quran and deduce principles of social movement; 268 00:46:35,930 --> 00:46:44,300 no, this requires a method, this has its way; this method is scientific [and] tested; 269 00:46:45,130 --> 00:46:49,030 there are people who can follow this method. 270 00:46:49,500 --> 00:46:54,360 This is the pure Islam as envisaged by the great Imam. 271 00:46:54,500 --> 00:47:01,800 Of course, everybody who knows that method, who knows that way, is not able [to infer principles]; 272 00:47:01,960 --> 00:47:06,930 they need clear thinking, must be familiar with time and place, 273 00:47:08,260 --> 00:47:16,130 must know actual needs of human societies and Islamic societies, 274 00:47:16,930 --> 00:47:21,660 must know the enemy, know how it exercises its animosity, 275 00:47:22,460 --> 00:47:32,060 [and] then they can clarify and know and introduce the pure Islam. 276 00:47:32,900 --> 00:47:41,330 On the other hand, the Islam of courtier clerics – whom the Imam frequently named by this term – 277 00:47:41,760 --> 00:47:52,900 and the Islam of Daesh, the Islam that is indifferent toward the crimes perpetrated by the Zionists 278 00:47:53,400 --> 00:48:04,910 [and] toward the crimes of America, the Islam that has set its sight on America and big powers and [awaits] America’s signal, 279 00:48:04,930 --> 00:48:10,730 they all originate from the same source; all of these [varieties of Islam] converge on a single point; 280 00:48:11,400 --> 00:48:14,150 and] from the viewpoint of the Imam all of them are rejected. 281 00:48:14,880 --> 00:48:20,020 [The Islam that the Imam introduces stands against all of these [other forms of Islam]. 282 00:48:20,800 --> 00:48:29,220 The follower of the Imam, he who follows suit with the Imam, must have clear borders, 283 00:48:30,140 --> 00:48:44,510 both with the petrified Islam and with the secular Islam; [they must] identify the pure Islam and follow it. 284 00:48:45,050 --> 00:48:51,110 This is one of the principles of the Imam. This is not something that the Imam had said just once; 285 00:48:52,000 --> 00:48:56,970 it stretches across the works of the Imam [and] the remarks of the Imam. 286 00:48:57,310 --> 00:49:05,310 Secondly, one of the principles of the Imam is to put trust in the divine assistance, 287 00:49:05,740 --> 00:49:10,200 trust in the authenticity of the divine promise, 288 00:49:11,280 --> 00:49:19,820 and on the opposite, distrust of the arrogant and bullying powers of the world; 289 00:49:20,940 --> 00:49:23,600 this is one of the components of the school of thought of the Imam. 290 00:49:25,600 --> 00:49:32,740 Reliance on the divine power; the Almighty God has promised the faithful; 291 00:49:33,650 --> 00:49:41,480 and those who do not believe this promise have been cursed in the words of God himself: 292 00:49:41,650 --> 00:49:48,170 “…for them is the curse of Allah,” 293 00:49:48,400 --> 00:49:49,480 and those 294 00:49:49,910 --> 00:49:55,340 “[they] have the Wrath of Allah upon them;” 295 00:49:55,510 --> 00:50:02,420 those people who “have an evil opinion of Allah, an evil turn (of fortune) will befall them and the Wrath of Allah is on them and He has cursed them and got Hell ready for them, and evil is it for a destination.” 296 00:50:03,620 --> 00:50:10,600 Believing in the divine promise, in the authenticity of the divine promise, who has said, 297 00:50:10,600 --> 00:50:12,600 “if you assist Allah, He will assist you,” 298 00:50:13,310 --> 00:50:18,080 was one of the pillars of the [school of] thought of our great Imam; 299 00:50:19,050 --> 00:50:22,310 this promise must be trusted and relied upon. 300 00:50:23,140 --> 00:50:29,600 On the opposite, the false promises of enemies, 301 00:50:29,600 --> 00:50:35,940 the arrogant [powers], [and] global powers should not be absolutely trusted; 302 00:50:36,940 --> 00:50:45,800 this is quite evident both in the Imam’s deeds, in the Imam’s behavior, [and] in the Imam’s remarks. 303 00:50:46,510 --> 00:50:52,200 This reliance on the power of God and trust in him 304 00:50:53,050 --> 00:51:02,710 caused the great Imam to be clear in his revolutionary positions. 305 00:51:03,420 --> 00:51:12,820 The Imam talked frankly; he explicitly expressed whatever he believed in 306 00:51:12,970 --> 00:51:18,970 because he relied on God; not that he did not know the [global] powers did not like it, 307 00:51:19,820 --> 00:51:22,510 not that he did not know they would become angry; 308 00:51:23,050 --> 00:51:30,910 he knew [all that] but believed in the divine power, in the divine assistance [and] in the divine triumph. 309 00:51:33,420 --> 00:51:39,480 In the face of events, he never faltered; 310 00:51:41,480 --> 00:51:54,150 [he] answered one of the letters – perhaps the Imam answered two letters out of the letters [sent by] the world’s arrogant heads of state 311 00:51:54,750 --> 00:52:00,800 or those dependent on the arrogant [powers] – which had been written to him; 312 00:52:01,450 --> 00:52:05,200 the Imam answered that letter with total frankness, answered its text, 313 00:52:05,800 --> 00:52:08,850 which was aired by the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting at that time. 314 00:52:08,850 --> 00:52:22,950 Of course, the Imam talked politely, but expressed his firm and clear positions in those letters, 315 00:52:23,450 --> 00:52:31,850 and this trust [in God] was injected into the artery of the nation like blood by the Imam; 316 00:52:32,750 --> 00:52:42,950 the nation also put its trust in the Almighty God, believed in the divine triumph and embarked on this path. 317 00:52:43,950 --> 00:52:52,150 [The fact] that the Imam had no trust and no conviction in the arrogant [powers] 318 00:52:52,950 --> 00:52:58,650 caused him to pay no attention to their promises. 319 00:52:59,600 --> 00:53:05,750 The [then] American president – [Ronald] Reagan, who was also a powerful president – 320 00:53:06,550 --> 00:53:11,800 wrote a letter to the Imam and sent message and sent emissaries, 321 00:53:12,050 --> 00:53:17,150 [but] the Imam paid no attention to him, gave no response to him, and paid no attention 322 00:53:17,150 --> 00:53:20,400 and counted for nothing the promises that he had given. 323 00:53:21,650 --> 00:53:29,050 In another instance, one of the governments [which was] dependent on America, 324 00:53:29,950 --> 00:53:33,500 had given a promise about the end of the imposed war; 325 00:53:34,150 --> 00:53:40,200 hundreds of billions or a thousand billion was at stake; 326 00:53:40,200 --> 00:53:43,750 [but] the Imam paid no attention, [and] did not trust [that promise]. 327 00:53:44,800 --> 00:53:52,050 Now, we are feeling this concept in our different current affairs; 328 00:53:52,850 --> 00:53:58,400 we see how the promises of the arrogant [powers] cannot be trusted, 329 00:53:59,300 --> 00:54:05,000 what they say in a private meeting cannot be trusted; 330 00:54:05,000 --> 00:54:06,650 we are feeling this. 331 00:54:07,050 --> 00:54:15,700 The Imam made it one of the main lines of his work; trust in God [and] distrust of the arrogant [powers]. 332 00:54:39,550 --> 00:54:45,000 Of course, this did not mean to sever relations with the world 333 00:54:45,900 --> 00:54:53,700 [because] heads of state sent congratulatory messages to the Imam on various occasions 334 00:54:53,700 --> 00:54:57,850 and the Imam answered their felicitation messages. 335 00:54:58,150 --> 00:55:04,950 This kind of relation, at the usual level, politely and respectfully, did exist, 336 00:55:05,700 --> 00:55:15,300 but there was no trust in the arrogant [powers] and bullies and their affiliates and followers. 337 00:55:16,050 --> 00:55:33,300 Thirdly, believing in people’s will and people’s power and opposition to centralizations by the government; 338 00:55:34,000 --> 00:55:39,450 this was among the main lines of the Imam’s movement. 339 00:55:40,800 --> 00:55:47,600 In those days, they tried due to an incorrect understanding 340 00:55:48,650 --> 00:55:55,400 [to provide grounds so] that all economic activities in the country would be delegated and made dependent on the government; 341 00:55:55,750 --> 00:55:59,450 the Imam warned time and time again 342 00:55:59,450 --> 00:56:04,300 – and those warnings were clearly reflected in his remarks – 343 00:56:04,850 --> 00:56:07,550 that these activities should be left to people; 344 00:56:08,000 --> 00:56:11,550 he trusted people in economic issues, 345 00:56:12,150 --> 00:56:15,750 [and] trusted in people in military issues. 346 00:56:16,450 --> 00:56:24,650 Pay attention to this: from the very outset [of the revolution] the Imam supported the army; 347 00:56:25,400 --> 00:56:30,950 the one person who prevented dissolution of the army in the country was the Imam in person; 348 00:56:31,450 --> 00:56:35,700 however, he founded the [Islamic Revolution Guards] Corps force; 349 00:56:36,850 --> 00:56:40,500 [and] later, he created the institution of Basij; 350 00:56:42,050 --> 00:56:47,250 he turned the military movement into a popular current. 351 00:56:49,250 --> 00:56:57,200 In economic issues [the Imam supported] reliance on people; in military issues [the Imam supported] reliance on people; 352 00:56:57,950 --> 00:57:04,400 In issues related to reconstruction of the country which [he] launched the reconstruction Jihad. 353 00:57:05,150 --> 00:57:14,450 n publicity issues, reliance on the people and above all was the issue of elections in the country 354 00:57:15,150 --> 00:57:22,050 and [the role of] people’s votes in the management of the country and structure of the political system of the country. 355 00:57:22,800 --> 00:57:32,200 During all this time – the period that our great Imam ruled was 10 years; 356 00:57:32,800 --> 00:57:37,500 out of these ten years, there was war in this country for eight years; 357 00:57:39,050 --> 00:57:43,800 cities were bombarded; [and war] fronts were busy fighting 358 00:57:44,450 --> 00:57:52,550 – perhaps about ten elections were held in the country. 359 00:57:53,700 --> 00:58:00,050 Various elections were not postponed one day behind their schedule; 360 00:58:00,050 --> 00:58:05,050 in all stages, in all situations, under all conditions, 361 00:58:05,900 --> 00:58:12,300 the great Imam insisted that elections should be held on scheduled time. 362 00:58:12,750 --> 00:58:17,750 Although it is customary in some countries to declare a state of emergency [in time of war], 363 00:58:17,850 --> 00:58:23,700 the Imam did not declare state of emergency [even] for one day [and] attached importance to elections. 364 00:58:24,750 --> 00:58:31,400 On the day of elections, one of the first people to go to the ballot box 365 00:58:32,200 --> 00:58:34,550 was the great Imam himself; 366 00:58:35,250 --> 00:58:45,250 [he] believed in people, and in the true sense of the word, he respected people’s votes 367 00:58:46,850 --> 00:58:52,500 and people’s thoughts and people’s choice. 368 00:58:53,000 --> 00:58:56,950 It was occasionally possible that what people elected 369 00:58:57,550 --> 00:59:00,350 was not what the Imam had in mind, 370 00:59:01,550 --> 00:59:05,550 but at the same time, he respected people’s votes; 371 00:59:06,200 --> 00:59:15,000 respected them [and] gave credit to them. This is one of the [important] things [about the Imam]. 372 00:59:15,000 --> 00:59:23,050 The Imam did not stop at this with regard to people, he introduced people as source of blessing for officials; 373 00:59:23,650 --> 00:59:29,950 the Imam frequently noted that these people are source of blessing for us; 374 00:59:30,450 --> 00:59:38,150 in some cases he introduced himself as servant of the nation; 375 00:59:38,250 --> 00:59:43,700 he said: “If they call me servant of the nation it is better than call me the leader;” 376 00:59:43,700 --> 00:59:53,150 this is a big assertion, [as it] indicates the prominent position of people 377 00:59:53,150 --> 00:59:59,900 and people’s thoughts and people’s votes and people’s presence in the eyes of the Imam; 378 00:59:59,900 --> 01:00:08,650 and] people gave a suitable answer [to this]; they were present in the arena; 379 01:00:09,300 --> 01:00:17,400 [wherever he pointed a finger, people were present from the bottom of their hearts. 380 01:00:17,800 --> 01:00:23,550 This [relationship] was mutual; the Imam trusted people and people trusted the Imam; 381 01:00:24,250 --> 01:00:28,100 the Imam loved people and people loved the Imam; 382 01:00:28,100 --> 01:00:30,700 this mutual relationship is an ordinary matter. 383 01:00:32,700 --> 01:00:38,150 The fourth point is about domestic issues of the country. 384 01:00:38,880 --> 01:00:48,880 The Imam was a serious advocate of supporting the oppressed and underprivileged people; 385 01:01:12,370 --> 01:01:19,370 the Imam rejected economic inequality strongly and with full force; 386 01:01:19,800 --> 01:01:25,020 [he] bitterly rejected aristocracy; 387 01:01:25,550 --> 01:01:32,120 the Imam was supporter of social justice in true sense of the word; 388 01:01:32,520 --> 01:01:38,020 supporting the oppressed is perhaps one of the most frequent issues 389 01:01:38,020 --> 01:01:44,020 that our great Imam has expressed in his remarks; this is one of the clear lines of the Imam; 390 01:01:44,850 --> 01:01:47,450 this is one of the unwavering principles of the Imam; 391 01:01:48,220 --> 01:01:55,900 all of us must try to eradicate poverty; 392 01:01:56,220 --> 01:02:01,870 everybody must try to get the deprived people out of deprivation 393 01:02:03,020 --> 01:02:08,570 and to help the deprived people as much as is possible for the country. 394 01:02:09,270 --> 01:02:16,700 On the other hand, he warned the state officials about getting used to the aristocratic lifestyle 395 01:02:17,250 --> 01:02:20,550 – this point has been also mentioned in the Quran [where it says]: 396 01:02:20,550 --> 01:02:23,550 "And you dwelt in the dwellings of men who wronged their own souls" 397 01:02:24,320 --> 01:02:30,920 – and [the Imam] warned all of them to avoid getting used to the aristocratic lifestyle. 398 01:02:31,650 --> 01:02:39,970 He frequently emphasized that [state officials must] trust the loyalty of the underprivileged [social] classes; 399 01:02:40,600 --> 01:02:47,850 the Imam frequently pointed out that this is the slum dwellers, this is the poor, this is the underprivileged 400 01:02:48,870 --> 01:02:56,750 who have filled these scenes despite deprivation, raise no objection; 401 01:02:56,870 --> 01:02:59,720 [and] are present in fields of danger. 402 01:03:05,800 --> 01:03:09,950 [However,] those who were more fortunate, 403 01:03:10,720 --> 01:03:19,850 if a problem occurred in different cases, they happened to express more dissatisfaction. 404 01:03:20,470 --> 01:03:26,600 This loyalty of people of the middle classes and people of the lower classes 405 01:03:27,320 --> 01:03:32,850 was a prominent issue from the viewpoint of the Imam and [he] put emphasis on this. 406 01:03:33,200 --> 01:03:42,350 [He] put emphasis on correct spending of the treasury [resources] [and also] stressed [the need] to avoid extravagance. 407 01:03:43,350 --> 01:03:45,870 This is one of the basic lines [of the Imam]: 408 01:03:46,270 --> 01:03:50,970 the issue of social justice, supporting the deprived 409 01:03:51,700 --> 01:04:01,120 and distancing from aristocratic habits and luxury habits and acting in this direction. 410 01:04:02,720 --> 01:04:06,950 The fifth point is about foreign issues. 411 01:04:07,650 --> 01:04:17,850 The Imam was clearly in the front that opposed international bullies and arrogant [powers]; 412 01:04:18,150 --> 01:04:19,950 and was bound by no consideration [in this regard]. 413 01:04:36,070 --> 01:04:45,130 This is why in the confrontation of the bullies and the arrogant 414 01:04:45,130 --> 01:04:52,900 and bullying powers of the world with the oppressed, the Imam stood in the oppressed front; 415 01:04:54,300 --> 01:04:58,930 he gave voice to this explicitly and with no consideration and without any caution. 416 01:05:00,000 --> 01:05:09,030 He was a serious supporter of the world oppressed. The Imam never sought reconciliation with the arrogant [powers]. 417 01:05:09,560 --> 01:05:19,100 The term “Great Satan,” [which the Imam used] for America, was a strange innovation on the part of the Imam. 418 01:05:41,600 --> 01:05:50,460 The ideological and practical ramifications of this Great Satan term are too many. 419 01:05:51,600 --> 01:05:57,600 When you consider a person, [and] an establishment as the Satan, 420 01:05:58,330 --> 01:06:01,900 it is quite clear how you must deal with it, 421 01:06:03,160 --> 01:06:06,430 how you must feel about it; 422 01:06:07,260 --> 01:06:13,760 the Imam had this feeling about America up to the last day [of his life]; 423 01:06:14,630 --> 01:06:25,260 [and] he both used the Great Satan as a title [for America], and believed in it from the bottom of his heart. 424 01:07:12,200 --> 01:07:26,000 On the opposite, there were some people from the outset of the revolution who did not note 425 01:07:26,600 --> 01:07:37,530 that America was the backup that fed the tyrannical regime [of former Iranian Shah], which was overthrown by the Iranian nation. 426 01:07:38,400 --> 01:07:42,200 The Iranian nation toppled the tyrannical regime, 427 01:07:43,130 --> 01:07:51,660 but there were people at that time, who agreed with the presence of Americans, with their activity 428 01:07:52,600 --> 01:07:59,400 – even with the activity of some American institutions – in the country! 429 01:07:59,860 --> 01:08:08,060 The main sticking point between the interim government and the great Imam was over this issue; we saw [this] up-close. 430 01:08:09,130 --> 01:08:18,330 They [officials of the interim government] did not notice that America was supporting the tyrannical [Pahlavi] regime; 431 01:08:19,130 --> 01:08:27,600 now, the regime had been overthrown, but the system supporting it is still in place, is active; 432 01:08:28,130 --> 01:08:35,260 if it is given room, given opportunity, it will get busy again 433 01:08:35,860 --> 01:08:41,860 and will deal a blow and look for weaknesses 434 01:08:41,860 --> 01:08:45,550 and exploit those weaknesses; they did not pay attention to this issue. 435 01:08:46,570 --> 01:08:53,550 The Imam saw this; therefore, positions taken by the Imam on the issue of the Spy Den [former US embassy in Iran] 436 01:08:54,170 --> 01:08:57,730 emanated from this kind of look and from this viewpoint. 437 01:08:58,570 --> 01:09:05,450 There are people in the world, who did not pay attention to this point and suffered, 438 01:09:05,450 --> 01:09:09,900 which I don’t want to chide and scorn anybody now, 439 01:09:10,550 --> 01:09:13,450 but this is a blow that has been dealt to some people 440 01:09:13,450 --> 01:09:20,170 because they overthrew reactionary and arrogant regimes 441 01:09:20,450 --> 01:09:28,920 [but] ignored their backup. The Imam saw that backup from day one, [and] countered it; 442 01:09:29,200 --> 01:09:41,770 therefore, up to the last [day of his life] the Imam took position against America and the political and security establishment of America. 443 01:09:41,770 --> 01:09:51,570 On the other hand, the great Imam supported, [and] defended Palestine through these long years. 444 01:09:52,250 --> 01:09:55,400 He defended Palestine, [and] defended Afghanistan. 445 01:09:56,720 --> 01:10:00,420 he day when the Soviets entered Afghanistan, 446 01:10:01,700 --> 01:10:05,820 although we were plagued with animosity of America 447 01:10:06,900 --> 01:10:14,250 – in these conditions when governments are at loggerheads with one side, they usually get along with the other side – 448 01:10:15,450 --> 01:10:22,250 the great Imam took firm position against the Soviet Union at the same time. 449 01:10:23,470 --> 01:10:31,350 Even some governments that were inclined toward the West did not take such a firm position, 450 01:10:32,400 --> 01:10:37,720 but the great Imam supported the afghan nation without any consideration; 451 01:10:37,870 --> 01:10:50,020 [he also] supported the Lebanese nation, [and] offered his most sincere support to Palestinians. 452 01:10:50,750 --> 01:10:54,300 This is the logic of the Imam with regard to countering the [world] arrogance. 453 01:10:54,370 --> 01:11:04,620 Today, through this logic, the world’s affairs can be identified, [and] the correct position can be understood. 454 01:11:04,720 --> 01:11:12,200 Today, as much as we are opposed to the savage and oppressive behavior 455 01:11:12,900 --> 01:11:18,150 of Daesh current in Iraq and Syria, 456 01:11:18,320 --> 01:11:26,120 to the same degree, we disagree with the oppressive behavior of America’s federal police in their country 457 01:11:26,900 --> 01:11:28,420 – these are both alike –; 458 01:11:49,720 --> 01:11:57,100 to the same degree we are opposed to the siege of Gaza; which is an unjust blockade 459 01:11:57,170 --> 01:12:00,950 against the oppressed people of Gaza; 460 01:12:01,420 --> 01:12:08,370 to the same degree we are opposed to the bombardment of the oppressed and defenseless people of Yemen; 461 01:12:08,920 --> 01:12:16,020 to the same degree we are opposed to the crackdown against the people of Bahrain, 462 01:12:16,820 --> 01:12:24,300 [and] to the same degree we are opposed to America’s unmanned aircraft attacks 463 01:12:24,820 --> 01:12:30,170 against people in Afghanistan and Pakistan. 464 01:12:30,700 --> 01:12:38,600 This logic, is the logic of the Imam. Wherever there is oppression, there are two sides: the oppressor and the oppressed; 465 01:12:38,770 --> 01:12:42,470 we takes sides with the oppressed [and] oppose the oppressor; 466 01:12:42,470 --> 01:12:51,770 this is the position that the Imam took unequivocally and this is one of the main lines [of the Imam]. 467 01:12:51,900 --> 01:12:59,070 This is why today, the issue of Palestine is a major issue for us; 468 01:12:59,650 --> 01:13:08,800 everybody must know this. The issue of Palestine will not be taken out of the Islamic Republic Establishment’s agenda. 469 01:13:30,700 --> 01:13:38,900 The issue of Palestine is the arena for an obligatory and necessary Islamic struggle; 470 01:13:39,070 --> 01:13:43,250 no development can separate us from the issue of Palestine. 471 01:13:44,600 --> 01:13:51,650 There are, perhaps, certain people in the [political] scene of Palestine who do not fulfill their duties; 472 01:13:51,650 --> 01:13:55,350 we do not count on them. However, the people of Palestine, 473 01:13:55,350 --> 01:14:01,070 Palestinian nation, [and] Palestinian combatants have our confirmation and our support. 474 01:14:01,500 --> 01:14:08,700 Another one of the main points and main lines of the Imam’s thought 475 01:14:08,700 --> 01:14:15,920 is the issue of the independence of the country, [and] rejection of submission to hegemony. 476 01:14:17,850 --> 01:14:20,450 This is also one of the important topics. 477 01:14:21,000 --> 01:14:27,870 Last year in this very meeting I told the addressees of that year 478 01:14:28,070 --> 01:14:36,300 that independence is freedom on a national scale; this is [true] meaning of independence. 479 01:14:37,970 --> 01:14:47,270 If some people seek personal liberties in words or in their slogans, 480 01:14:47,570 --> 01:14:52,370 but speak against the independence of the country, this is a contradiction. 481 01:14:53,970 --> 01:15:01,020 How is it possible for personal liberties of individuals to be respected, 482 01:15:02,100 --> 01:15:07,200 but freedom of a nation, freedom on a national scale, 483 01:15:08,920 --> 01:15:14,500 in the face of the sanctions of opponents and enemies, could not be respected! 484 01:15:14,500 --> 01:15:17,470 This is totally incomprehensible; it is not acceptable. 485 01:15:17,850 --> 01:15:31,970 Unfortunately, there are people who theorize for the negation of the independence of the country; 486 01:15:33,020 --> 01:15:36,150 [they] sometimes describe independence as isolation, 487 01:15:37,400 --> 01:15:43,920 sometimes [they] write and say that today the independence of countries is not considered a value; 488 01:15:45,050 --> 01:15:50,970 and] these remarks spread through society. 489 01:15:52,670 --> 01:15:54,850 Some people move in this direction, 490 01:15:55,520 --> 01:16:02,100 this is a big mistake, [and] a big and dangerous error. 491 01:16:02,320 --> 01:16:10,820 The Imam believed in the independence of the country; believed in rejection of domination [of foreigners] over the country. 492 01:16:12,770 --> 01:16:21,120 A large part of the activities of our enemy during all these years against our country 493 01:16:21,120 --> 01:16:27,170 and our nation was aimed at damaging independence [of the country]. 494 01:16:27,920 --> 01:16:34,100 Whether through sanction, or through threat, these [enemies] have targeted independence [of the country]; 495 01:16:35,150 --> 01:16:39,620 everybody should be vigilant [and] know what the enemy’s goals are. 496 01:16:40,120 --> 01:16:42,170 This is also one of the main lines [of the Imam’s thought]. 497 01:16:42,920 --> 01:16:51,550 Another one of the main lines of the Imam’s thought and the Imam’s path and the Imam’s line 498 01:16:52,870 --> 01:16:59,050 – this is the last subject that I discuss – was the issue of the national unity 499 01:17:00,120 --> 01:17:11,920 and attention to conspiracies that [aim to] foment division: whether division on the basis of religion, Shia and Sunni; 500 01:17:13,170 --> 01:17:23,150 or division on the basis of ethnic origins, Persian and Arab and Turk and Kurd and Lor and Baluch and the likes of these. 501 01:17:24,820 --> 01:17:29,470 Fomenting division was one of the unwavering policies of the enemy 502 01:17:30,870 --> 01:17:39,700 and from the first day, our great Imam put a unique emphasis on [the issue of] the national unity and unity among all people of the nation, 503 01:17:40,920 --> 01:17:48,020 which this is one of the [main] lines [of the Imam’s thought]. Today, we must follow this line as well. 504 01:17:49,000 --> 01:17:55,750 Today, you see in the world that the issue of [fomenting] division in the Islamic world 505 01:17:56,600 --> 01:17:59,870 s one of the main policies of the [global] arrogance. 506 01:18:01,020 --> 01:18:08,270 Americans have gone so far [in this regard] that now they [openly] mention Shia and Sunni: 507 01:18:08,800 --> 01:18:16,050 Shia Islam and Sunni Islam; they support one and attack the other. 508 01:18:16,450 --> 01:18:25,750 While the Islamic Republic of Iran, from the very beginning [of its establishment], has taken 509 01:18:26,470 --> 01:18:30,350 a uniform approach to this issue of religious difference 510 01:18:31,000 --> 01:18:37,000 We treated our Palestinian brethren, who are Sunnis, just in the same way 511 01:18:37,700 --> 01:18:43,800 that we treated [our] Lebanese Hezbollah brethren, who are Shias; we acted similarly in all places. 512 01:19:35,820 --> 01:19:43,450 This was the viewpoint of our great Imam inside the country. Within the Islamic world, 513 01:19:44,600 --> 01:19:53,770 the viewpoint of the Islamic Republic is an Ummah-building viewpoint; the Islamic Ummah is the goal. 514 01:19:55,620 --> 01:20:06,270 [The fact] that second-hand lackeys of America come out and talk about the issue of the Shia Crescent, 515 01:20:07,770 --> 01:20:11,620 this is indicative of divisive policies. 516 01:20:13,770 --> 01:20:19,870 [The fact] that despite extensive propaganda, Americans 517 01:20:20,670 --> 01:20:33,150 deal with this divisive Takfiri groups in Iraq and Syria with tolerance 518 01:20:34,800 --> 01:20:43,400 – possibly in some cases help them without letting anybody know and covertly; 519 01:20:45,650 --> 01:20:49,120 their agents [though] are supporting them overtly – 520 01:20:49,120 --> 01:20:59,100 this indicates that the role of fomenting division from the viewpoint of enemies of Islam and Muslims 521 01:20:59,420 --> 01:21:04,400 and enemies of the Islamic Republic is a very prominent role; 522 01:21:04,400 --> 01:21:13,220 everybody [must] pay attention to this; both Shia [Muslims] pay attention, and Sunni [Muslims] pay attention; do not play into the enemy’s hands. 523 01:21:15,150 --> 01:21:20,700 That Sunnism, which is supported by America, 524 01:21:21,950 --> 01:21:30,420 and that Shiism, which is exported to the world from the center of London, 525 01:21:30,500 --> 01:21:34,900 they are both the same; both of them are brothers of the Devil; 526 01:21:35,570 --> 01:21:39,700 [and] both of them are agents of America and the West, and [the world] arrogance. 527 01:21:58,820 --> 01:22:08,750 Empathy and rapport, on which I put emphasis this year at the beginning of the year 528 01:22:10,050 --> 01:22:16,200 and [which I] also repeated frequently afterwards, is based on this foundation. 529 01:22:17,570 --> 01:22:24,920 Inside the country, sisters and brethren from various ethnic groups, 530 01:22:25,270 --> 01:22:33,020 [and] from various denominations, [must] form a single hand together 531 01:22:34,050 --> 01:22:36,700 – as, thank God, has been the case up to the present time – 532 01:22:37,020 --> 01:22:44,570 [and] do not let the enemy infiltrate the realm of the Islamic world. 533 01:22:44,570 --> 01:22:54,750 The same applies at an extended and broad level; Sunni and Shia brethren 534 01:22:54,920 --> 01:23:01,370 [must] know together that [there is] an enemy who is threatening the very existence of Islam. 535 01:23:01,370 --> 01:23:04,020 This is also one of the main lines [of the Imam’s thought]. 536 01:23:04,020 --> 01:23:10,570 I presented seven instances of fundaments and principles of the Imam 537 01:23:12,300 --> 01:23:17,520 and certainly, the principles of the Imam are not limited to these [instances]. 538 01:23:19,420 --> 01:23:28,200 Others can search [for other instances], but nobody [must] attribute anything that he likes to the Imam. 539 01:23:29,620 --> 01:23:39,600 Everything that we attribute to the Imam must exist in sources related to the Imam 540 01:23:39,600 --> 01:23:47,000 and that in a repeated form, in a persistent form, like these seven instances that I mentioned; 541 01:23:48,030 --> 01:23:55,130 these [seven principles exist] from the beginning of the Imam’s remarks to the end, just as one refers [to his remarks], 542 01:23:55,700 --> 01:24:02,000 through long years, one can see all these instances in the Imam’s remarks; 543 01:24:02,000 --> 01:24:08,830 these [instances] qualify as principles. Others may search [and] find principles through this very method. 544 01:24:09,430 --> 01:24:13,930 The attraction and repelling force of the Imam was based on these principles. 545 01:24:15,000 --> 01:24:18,530 We also want to have attraction and repulsion; 546 01:24:19,660 --> 01:24:24,260 attraction on the basis of these principles, [and] repulsion on the basis of these principles. 547 01:24:26,800 --> 01:24:35,730 Everybody must know that the goal of our enemies with different countenances 548 01:24:36,430 --> 01:24:40,060 and different grimaces that show from themselves 549 01:24:40,960 --> 01:24:44,030 – sometimes frown, sometimes smile, 550 01:24:45,530 --> 01:24:52,260 sometimes give promises, [and] sometimes threaten – is domination over the country. 551 01:24:53,160 --> 01:25:04,130 The enemy wants to get back to the era of its unconditional domination over this country; 552 01:25:05,200 --> 01:25:12,900 [and] since Islam is strongly opposed to this return 553 01:25:13,860 --> 01:25:22,960 and [since] the resistance force against this conspiracy of the enemy is “Islam,” they are against Islam. 554 01:25:23,930 --> 01:25:28,560 The opposition of the enemy with Islam is because 555 01:25:29,330 --> 01:25:38,960 they know that Islamic knowledge, [and] Islamic rules have erected a strong barrier in front of them. 556 01:25:40,060 --> 01:25:48,560 [They] are against our nation because the nation has stood up against them like a mountain. 557 01:25:49,130 --> 01:26:02,260 [They] are more opposed to anybody among the nation who puts up more resistance against the enemy. 558 01:26:03,360 --> 01:26:06,530 [They] are more opposed to the faithful elements, 559 01:26:07,300 --> 01:26:12,230 more opposed to revolutionary organizations and institutions, 560 01:26:13,230 --> 01:26:17,030 [and] more opposed to Hezbollahi [deeply religious] elements 561 01:26:17,760 --> 01:26:26,200 because they know that they are strong and solid barriers to infiltration of enemies. 562 01:26:26,360 --> 01:26:34,000 The enemy seeks domination and all the effort made by the enemy 563 01:26:34,730 --> 01:26:40,660 is to stop the Islamic movement of the Islamic Republic Establishment, 564 01:26:41,560 --> 01:26:48,900 which is a source of progress and prosperity and growth for this nation. 565 01:26:49,500 --> 01:26:58,800 A veteran American politicians had [once] said that Takfiri terrorist groups 566 01:26:59,660 --> 01:27:04,100 are not important for us, Westerners; it is no problem if they exist; 567 01:27:04,930 --> 01:27:08,330 what is important for us is the Islamic Iran 568 01:27:09,130 --> 01:27:14,100 because the Islamic Iran is bent on creating an immense civilization 569 01:27:14,730 --> 01:27:23,960 – of course, he had used the term “empire,” which was an error – 570 01:27:24,830 --> 01:27:32,460 [and] therefore, we must consider the Islamic Iran as our opposite and our important enemy. 571 01:27:33,130 --> 01:27:37,830 This quote also shows us the importance of building an Ummah. 572 01:27:38,530 --> 01:27:42,630 These [were] my today’s remarks. 573 01:27:43,000 --> 01:27:48,160 I welcome you dear brethren, all those who have come from long distances, 574 01:27:48,760 --> 01:27:51,430 [and] from different cities; I say more power to your elbow; 575 01:27:51,930 --> 01:27:54,560 od willing, the Almighty may protect all of you. 576 01:27:54,620 --> 01:28:00,050 GO Almighty! We swear you upon [Prophet] Mohammad (PBUH) and the Progeny of Mohammad 577 01:28:00,450 --> 01:28:08,260 to bestow your mercy and blessings on this great and mature nation. 578 01:28:09,640 --> 01:28:16,220 O Almighty! Bestow your mercy and blessing on the soul of this great man, 579 01:28:16,420 --> 01:28:24,000 this revered Imam who opened this illuminated path in front of us. 580 01:28:25,510 --> 01:28:32,130 O Almighty! Make us among honest followers of this path 581 01:28:32,640 --> 01:28:37,280 and take our lives through martyrdom in this path. 582 01:28:38,820 --> 01:28:48,640 O Almighty! Make the sacred heart of Vali-e Asr [Imam Mahdi (PBUH)] satisfied and content with us. 583 01:28:50,280 --> 01:28:53,420 Peace be unto you and so may the mercy of Allah and His blessings.