1
00:00:00,330 --> 00:00:02,660
In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful

2
00:00:07,130 --> 00:00:16,930
و الحمدلله ربّ العالمين و الصّلاة و السّلام علي سيّدنا و نبيّنا ابي‌القاسم المصطفي محمّد

3
00:00:26,260 --> 00:00:40,860
و علي آله الاطيبين الاطهرين المنتجبين الهداة المهديّين المعصومين سيّما بقيّةالله في الارضين

4
00:00:42,460 --> 00:00:57,000
I am very happy with this meeting. Apart from [the fact that] meeting and conversing with a group of seminary students

5
00:00:57,930 --> 00:01:14,800
is sweet and pleasurable to me, what was said in this meeting – both those things that our friends said here

6
00:01:15,730 --> 00:01:23,860
and their written version has been given to me, [so that,] God willing, I would be able to muse over it later,

7
00:01:24,060 --> 00:01:38,200
and those things that a few of these dear brethren stood up and said as objection or demand

8
00:01:38,460 --> 00:01:46,730
– all of these [things that were said here] were good things and satisfying to me.

9
00:01:50,800 --> 00:02:10,000
When I look, I see you – young people [and] young seminary students – as saplings grown in the garden of Imamate and Velayat.

10
00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:27,860
Praise be to God, these saplings have grown up; some of them are bearing fruit, [and] some others assure one that they will bear fruit [in the future];

11
00:02:28,730 --> 00:02:35,730
one feels this through [your] remarks and through [what is said in] this meeting.

12
00:02:37,930 --> 00:02:59,000
[As put by the Quran:] “And their description in the Gospel is as a plant which produces its offshoots and strengthens them so they grow firm and stand upon their stalks, delighting the sowers, so that, Allah may enrage by them the disbelievers.”

13
00:02:59,600 --> 00:03:10,200
This last point is very important. You standing on your feet, growing up,

14
00:03:12,200 --> 00:03:31,730
[and] becoming strong in spiritual terms [as well as] your various abilities delight both the sowers and those people who have sown these seeds.

15
00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:48,460
When they look and see these advances, these new ideas, [and] these hopeful faces, they are amazed.

16
00:03:48,800 --> 00:04:00,330
And more important than this is [that part of the Quranic verse, which says] “Allah may enrage by them the disbelievers.” It makes your enemies angry [to see you growing] and it must be like this.

17
00:04:01,730 --> 00:04:21,860
If we see that our behavior is such that the enemies of religion, the enemies of Islam, [and] the enemies of the rule of the Quran

18
00:04:23,060 --> 00:04:34,330
are not angry with us and are not upset with us, we must have doubts about our usefulness.

19
00:04:36,660 --> 00:04:55,060
If it is Amir al-Mo'menin (PBUH) and that firmness [of resolve] and that [type of] move and the likes of these, people like Muawiyah or Amr ibn al-'Asor others [like them] must be angry with him.

20
00:04:57,060 --> 00:05:02,330
You are also moving along the same path; [therefore, you must be an example of] “Allah may enrage by them the disbelievers.”

21
00:05:02,330 --> 00:05:13,330
Praise be to God, one observes that there are prominent growths at the seminary schools.

22
00:05:13,800 --> 00:05:23,730
I carefully listened to what you said. Of course, God willing, I must once again

23
00:05:24,600 --> 00:05:33,800
review these remarks, which were made here, and if God helps me, think about them.

24
00:05:36,400 --> 00:05:45,660
However, this much that I heard here now was satisfying and promisingto me; it was very good.

25
00:05:47,060 --> 00:05:57,400
Let me mention a few short points; of course, I have made notes [about major issues] to discuss with you

26
00:05:58,260 --> 00:06:08,000
– and if , God willing, there is time, I will discuss some of them – but I mention these few short points.

27
00:06:08,460 --> 00:06:18,930
First of all, do not take your studies lightly. What you said here, these good phrases,

28
00:06:19,400 --> 00:06:30,130
[and] these good matters [that you raised here] does not mean that you have studied well. They mean that you have good ideas [in your mind] and are articulate;

29
00:06:31,130 --> 00:06:41,660
but have you also studied well? One cannot reach the conclusion from what you said that you have studied well. You must study well.

30
00:06:43,130 --> 00:06:55,330
When I was in [city of] Mashhad, I taught [clerical books like] Rasael and Makasib, and they [former regime’s agents] arrested me once in a while and put me in jail, [and] my students were dispersed.

31
00:06:56,800 --> 00:07:01,930
When I got out of the prison, I started to teach, [and my students] came together again.

32
00:07:03,000 --> 00:07:15,530
The enthusiasm for fighting [against the Shah’s regime] and seeing my conditions – those special beatings that I received from [the agents of] that regime [in prison] –

33
00:07:16,330 --> 00:07:25,130
sometimes made them doubtful about these lessons, which I taught them. Now, [when I explained] the details of what Sheikh [Morteza Ansari]

34
00:07:25,400 --> 00:07:33,260
had said in [the book of] Makasib or, for example, in Kifayah[and told them] that this was what a given phrase meant, I saw that [my students] had doubts [about all that];

35
00:07:34,860 --> 00:07:49,860
I kept telling them, “My dear children! Know that if you do not study, you cannot make a good impression;”

36
00:07:50,130 --> 00:07:55,260
I told them that nothing would bear fruit if it was not done right, [and, therefore,] “you must study [well].”

37
00:07:56,000 --> 00:08:11,460
If you want your thoughts, your proposals, [and] the prominent characteristics that, praise be to God, your spirit has,

38
00:08:11,460 --> 00:08:18,600
make an impression in the society, you must be educated, must study, and must be scholars.

39
00:08:19,860 --> 00:08:35,200
[Therefore,] take your studies seriously. Do not say that now the world is being run on the basis of technical advances and technology and the likes of these,

40
00:08:36,000 --> 00:08:46,460
[but] we are sitting here, for example assume, studying commentaries by Molla Abdollah, or assume, are studying the logic of Mozaffar! No, you must study this [book on] the logic of Mozaffar;

41
00:08:47,400 --> 00:08:57,660
you must study this book of syntax or this book of morphology [in linguistics] as a preliminary course. You must study this book on [the Islamic] jurisprudence and this book on Usul [principles of religion]

42
00:09:00,200 --> 00:09:11,930
so that you would be able to make an impression as a clergy, and I will [later] explain about what being a clergy means. You must study.

43
00:09:13,600 --> 00:09:23,460
We have had people among the clerics who did not spare any effort in struggle [against the former regime],

44
00:09:24,130 --> 00:09:30,730
but they were not qualified in scientific terms.

45
00:09:31,330 --> 00:09:41,600
They could not make a great effect in the progress of their struggle or in bringing about this huge [revolutionary] movement.

46
00:09:41,600 --> 00:09:58,330
That person who could [do it] – like late Imam [Khomeini] – was totally qualified [in scientific terms as well]. [Therefore,] continue your studies. This is my first advice; take your studies seriously.

47
00:10:00,600 --> 00:10:11,000
The second point is that you are critical of the seminary school; either Tehran seminary school or seminary school in general; very well!

48
00:10:11,600 --> 00:10:20,530
This seminary school that you want [to exist] and as you say, does not exist now, [well,] you create it.

49
00:10:21,930 --> 00:10:34,130
The seminary comes into being through your will and your demand; yes,

50
00:10:34,130 --> 00:10:42,800
you do not have that managerial status and [necessary] support from financial resources to want to, for example, make a decision and immediately put it into action.

51
00:10:44,130 --> 00:10:56,730
However, realization of desirable demands is not simply possible through having management [status] and enjoying [necessary] financial resources;

52
00:10:56,730 --> 00:11:04,130
sometimes it is not possible even despite having them; [because] something else is also needed. That other thing is the same thing that you have:

53
00:11:04,660 --> 00:11:26,460
motivation, willingness, desirable transparency and a final goal; [all] these are necessary. And you must struggle;

54
00:11:27,330 --> 00:11:34,330
nothing can be achieved without struggle, [and] this desirable seminary must be attained through struggle.

55
00:11:34,600 --> 00:11:43,260
Of course, struggle does not mean [saying] “long live this or down with that,” [and] does not mean political struggle;

56
00:11:43,460 --> 00:11:52,400
[here, struggle] means making effort, doing devout work, speaking out, thinking, sharing ideas, [and] becoming organized.

57
00:11:54,400 --> 00:12:07,730
Therefore, you [take necessary steps and] make this seminary. Of course, we are under duty to help you; [these] gentlemen, the managers of the seminary are duty-bound to facilitate the works.

58
00:12:08,660 --> 00:12:20,330
However, that thing, which is going to come about in the future, you [must] feel the heaviness of its responsibility on your shoulders.

59
00:12:21,200 --> 00:12:32,130
It is you who must take these steps; now, your turn to play your role may come ten more years, five more years, or [even] fifteen more years [from now],

60
00:12:32,660 --> 00:12:39,860
[but] this will take place anyhow and it is you

61
00:12:40,730 --> 00:12:46,400
who can take steps and do the work. This is another point.

62
00:12:47,000 --> 00:12:58,000
One of [our] friends said about the seminary that “we had come to the seminary in order to do this, [and] we had come [to the seminary] in order to do that;”

63
00:12:58,400 --> 00:13:10,460
I am against this way of talking. Do not say, “We had come,” [but] say, “We have come.” What is the meaning of “we had?” Say, “We have come in order for this task to be done.”

64
00:13:11,130 --> 00:13:21,000
I mean, you must express continuation of your presence in your words. In your words,

65
00:13:22,060 --> 00:13:34,530
[you must show] that firm resolve [that you have], like someone who is walking on a road, like the one who is running,

66
00:13:35,330 --> 00:13:46,130
[and] like the one who is going the way with firmness and decision; you must show the same resolve and say it;

67
00:13:48,200 --> 00:13:56,000
[therefore, you must] say, “We have come in order to do this.” Yes, it must be done and it will be done;

68
00:13:56,660 --> 00:14:08,460
when you make a decision, insist on it, [and] talk wisely, [and have no doubt that] it will certainly be done. Of course, you must know

69
00:14:08,800 --> 00:14:16,260
that there is a distance between action and the time when you [only] think and study and design and [do other things] like these;

70
00:14:16,600 --> 00:14:26,130
a totally meaningful and tangible distance. Many things that we say

71
00:14:26,530 --> 00:14:37,000
are simply aspirations that we give voice to by using sentences and words; however, when we want to put the same aspirations into action,

72
00:14:38,000 --> 00:14:49,730
a great deal of effort is required. Let us not make a mistake. There is a totally clear distance between the arena of work, the arena of action,

73
00:14:50,330 --> 00:15:04,200
the arena of reality and the field of mentality and [theoretical] study and mental image.

74
00:15:04,460 --> 00:15:08,800
When it comes to action, many steps cannot be taken easily;

75
00:15:11,730 --> 00:15:18,860
[this was] one of our problems during the period of the Sacred Defense [Iraqi imposed war against Iran]. At that time, I was the president,

76
00:15:19,260 --> 00:15:27,530
[and military meetings] were held at my office. [Military officials] came and spread out these military maps and blueprints

77
00:15:27,930 --> 00:15:35,000
and said that ‘we want to move from this point, [and] reach that point’;

78
00:15:35,730 --> 00:15:39,530
for example, assume, [they told me that] this number of forces or things like that were necessary [for military operations].

79
00:15:39,530 --> 00:15:49,130
Some of my friends, who had just taken charge of the war affairs, looked and saw that [the distance] from this [point] to that [point] was a very short line.

80
00:15:50,200 --> 00:15:55,930
[Therefore,] they were convinced in a short time, gave promises and made decisions;

81
00:15:55,930 --> 00:16:01,660
however, the reality of “from here to there,” for example, in an [operation like] Operation Ramezan

82
00:16:01,860 --> 00:16:13,200
was different in practice. The area of action is different from the area of [human] mind and thinking and the likes of these. This is also one point that I wanted to mention here.

83
00:16:13,460 --> 00:16:20,060
Another point is that some of the remarks that we make is about the clergy [as a whole].

84
00:16:20,330 --> 00:16:30,260
I mean the totality of our scientific and religious community, which we [generally] call the clergy, which is a spectrum [of different people].

85
00:16:30,800 --> 00:16:40,260
It ranges from [ordinary seminary] students to sources of emulation; [therefore,] when we give voice to our expectations of the clergy,

86
00:16:41,730 --> 00:16:49,660
sometimes our viewpoint is like this. At other times, no, the clergy [in general] is not our addressee, [but our main addressee] is seminary schools.

87
00:16:49,860 --> 00:17:06,860
Seminary schools are places where the clerics are raised, [and] are a place for scientific and intellectual and spiritual development of seminary students; this is a different issue.

88
00:17:07,660 --> 00:17:17,660
Some things about which we address the seminary are among those affairs, whose addressee should not be the seminary [alone],

89
00:17:18,000 --> 00:17:24,730
[but] its addressee should be the entire clergy; pay attention to this differentiation.

90
00:17:25,600 --> 00:17:32,530
There are expectations, which are related to the entirety of the clergy; now, it may include

91
00:17:33,060 --> 00:17:41,330
a source of emulation or teacher or a cleric, who has a responsibility in state bodies and the likes of them.

92
00:17:42,400 --> 00:17:49,730
Sometimes, no, expectations that we put forth are related to the seminary schools.

93
00:17:49,730 --> 00:18:01,200
In meetings like this, this second option is of more concern than the first one. Of course, the first option is also important and I have things to say about it.

94
00:18:02,330 --> 00:18:07,730
My friends! Issues that you raised here were very good in my opinion.

95
00:18:08,800 --> 00:18:13,060
Our friends brought up basic issues [in this meeting].

96
00:18:14,060 --> 00:18:25,600
It really pleases me to see that attention is being paid to these points and I thank God that,

97
00:18:26,060 --> 00:18:39,800
praise be to God, our youths who are clerics and [seminary] students are so related to important current issues of the country and the society,

98
00:18:40,330 --> 00:18:53,530
muse over them, [and] discuss them. However, let me tell you that the revolution continues.

99
00:18:55,060 --> 00:19:06,200
[The fact] that some people want to make others believe and write and say that “well, the revolution was a development, which ended;

100
00:19:07,400 --> 00:19:15,530
let’s go back to normal life,” this is treachery to the revolution; the revolution does not end.

101
00:19:15,730 --> 00:19:20,400
I said the other day while addressing a group of [executive] officials

102
00:19:21,460 --> 00:19:30,800
that the revolution does away with the past norms, [and] creates new norms in the society.

103
00:19:31,260 --> 00:19:38,730
Preserving these new norms is continuation of the revolution; and these [steps] are hard [to take], [because] these are difficult steps to take.

104
00:19:38,930 --> 00:19:49,330
The same hands and the same powers, which were opposed to revolution itself with all they had, and took obstructionist measures,

105
00:19:50,460 --> 00:20:00,460
will also oppose and show hostility toward this continuation of revolutionary norms [as well], just in the same way that you see they are doing this.

106
00:20:02,800 --> 00:20:12,260
Therefore, if the revolution needed struggle to become victorious, today, struggle is necessary [for us]

107
00:20:15,060 --> 00:20:25,460
to be able to stabilize these norms of the revolution; we must take [the revolution] to fruition, so that our society becomes an Islamic society.

108
00:20:25,800 --> 00:20:34,860
We do not have an Islamic society, nor do we have an Islamic government! Out of those several stages that I mentioned,

109
00:20:35,330 --> 00:20:41,930
we are still stuck in [the process to form an] Islamic government; after establishing the Islamic government, it will be turn for [establishing] an Islamic society;

110
00:20:44,730 --> 00:20:51,660
we have these stages ahead of us. We managed to bring about an Islamic Revolution;

111
00:20:52,130 --> 00:20:59,860
that is, make a revolutionary move. [Then] we managed on its basis to create an Islamic establishment.

112
00:21:00,930 --> 00:21:10,130
Very well, we have been successful up to this point, which is of course very important. However, after this, [it is turn for] establishment of an Islamic government;

113
00:21:10,400 --> 00:21:23,860
I mean, [establishment] of an Islamic managerial establishment for the country. In this regard, we have still a long way to go before achieving our goal.

114
00:21:25,200 --> 00:21:32,600
Of course, this does not mean that anybody must feel desperate; not at all. We are moving forward.

115
00:21:32,930 --> 00:21:39,460
Despite all opposition, despite all obstructionism, [and] despite all defiance,

116
00:21:40,060 --> 00:21:43,330
without a doubt, we are moving and going ahead.

117
00:21:44,000 --> 00:21:56,060
There are many reasons for this; [however,] we [still] have work to do; [and] we are very far from establishing an Islamic government.

118
00:21:57,460 --> 00:22:02,730
When the Islamic government is established, then it will be turn for [creating] an Islamic society.

119
00:22:04,260 --> 00:22:08,060
Well, therefore, we have to struggle my dear ones.

120
00:22:08,460 --> 00:22:14,460
At that time, in pre-revolution era, there were people

121
00:22:15,330 --> 00:22:28,130
who liked those who struggled [against Shah’s regime], but they themselves were not willing to take part in any form of struggle.

122
00:22:28,660 --> 00:22:39,930
They basically stayed totally clear and basically did not get close to the arena of struggle; [but] they liked it and liked those who struggled.

123
00:22:40,330 --> 00:22:43,660
Of course, there were also people who disliked those who struggled,

124
00:22:44,000 --> 00:22:49,460
[and] there were people who showed hostility toward them and cooperated with the enemy; this is reserved in its own place.

125
00:22:49,800 --> 00:22:58,330
However, among good people, there were many who liked those who struggled, but did not enter the arena of struggle;

126
00:22:58,860 --> 00:23:07,200
well, these [people] did nothing. Yes, the day when the enemy’s front was weakened and it was clear

127
00:23:08,600 --> 00:23:18,460
that the monarchial regime was about to fall, naturally, that great number of people entered the arena

128
00:23:19,060 --> 00:23:26,000
and sealed [the regime’s] doom. However, in the difficult time of struggle,

129
00:23:27,460 --> 00:23:32,800
those who struggled were [the same] group that made effort and stood within the arena. The same is true at the present time as well.

130
00:23:34,060 --> 00:23:45,460
Just in the same way that struggle was necessary at that time and standing by and [simply] liking strugglers was not enough,

131
00:23:46,000 --> 00:23:54,260
today, struggle is also necessary; [and] standing by and praising and lauding strugglers is not adequate;

132
00:23:54,930 --> 00:24:00,730
[everybody] must enter the arena. Of course, today’s struggle is different in nature from that time’s struggle;

133
00:24:01,200 --> 00:24:10,330
however, struggle is struggle, is making effort, [and] is devout endeavor. You must find [the best] way for this struggle.

134
00:24:10,860 --> 00:24:21,260
Let me mention a point about proposals, which are offered. A number of ladies and gentlemen put forth proposals,

135
00:24:21,730 --> 00:24:33,530
and now we must, God willing, look into them, [and they] must be presented to esteemed brethren and gentlemen [in charge] of management [of seminary schools] to follow up [on these proposals and]

136
00:24:34,000 --> 00:24:44,460
God willing, look and see to what extent we can or cannot realize these proposals; [the important point is that]practical proposals must be offered.

137
00:24:45,000 --> 00:24:59,260
Any proposal you want to offer, just look and see how practical it is; [then] offer a plan that would conform to the situation on the ground.

138
00:25:00,730 --> 00:25:07,730
Here, I want to refer to what I [said] two days ago

139
00:25:07,730 --> 00:25:17,800
to these gentlemen officials, because [in the executive branch] they keep talking about plans; this plan, that plan. I told them that plan

140
00:25:18,460 --> 00:25:25,260
is something bigger than [simply] setting goals; setting goals is not planning [by itself].

141
00:25:26,000 --> 00:25:39,930
Making a plan includes determining the path [and] building a road toward destination; this is [the real meaning of] planning, [and] this is what they call a plan.

142
00:25:41,330 --> 00:25:49,060
If, when you want to build a road, do not pay attention to characteristics and specifications of land

143
00:25:49,460 --> 00:25:57,600
and do not get prepared to deal with those characteristics, you would face obstacles before long.

144
00:25:58,130 --> 00:26:06,930
For example, you may come across a height, [and] say that it cannot be done; well, it would be better if you had thought about it from the beginning that this road [you are building follows a path, which]

145
00:26:06,930 --> 00:26:15,060
has a high point, there are rocky heights along this road, there is a river along this road; [and] it needs a bridge.

146
00:26:16,730 --> 00:26:32,000
When you do not predict all these [problems] beforehand and do not include them in your plan and do not draw up the plan in accordance with the realities on the ground, you would naturally face problems.

147
00:26:33,000 --> 00:26:39,330
Any plan [must be drawn up] in the light of realities; [it must conform to] what is reality and can be put into action.

148
00:26:40,000 --> 00:26:48,600
Well, it has taken a long time; [let me] mention a couple of points.

149
00:26:50,260 --> 00:27:09,860
One [point] is that the totality of the clergy – and you, the young clerics, belong to the vibrant and effective part of the clerical movement –

150
00:27:10,130 --> 00:27:20,660
its job is continuation of prophets’ job; you must look at the clerical work from this viewpoint.

151
00:27:21,330 --> 00:27:31,860
What you study, [and] the plan that you make for your future, must be based on this viewpoint; you are continuing the job that prophets did.

152
00:27:32,730 --> 00:27:35,260
Well, in the holy [Quranic] Chapter of A’raf [this has been said] about the work of prophets:

153
00:27:36,260 --> 00:27:49,660
“And to the Aad [We sent] their brother Hud. He said, ‘O my people, worship Allah; you have no deity other than Him. Then will you not fear Him?’"

154
00:27:49,860 --> 00:27:52,060
The issue here is the issue of monotheism.

155
00:27:54,400 --> 00:28:05,000
The movement of prophets is the movement for monotheism. Basically speaking, the fundament of what prophets invite [people] to, is an invitation to monotheism.

156
00:28:06,660 --> 00:28:19,330
Invitation to monotheism does not simply mean to believe that God is only one and there are not two [gods] and these idols or these gods [that you worship in His place]

157
00:28:20,330 --> 00:28:27,000
– [and] these creatures that are [your deities] – are not worthy of being considered a deity. [The goal of prophets] is not just this,

158
00:28:28,460 --> 00:28:44,000
[because] believing in monotheism is only one pillar and column or basic ground for an ideology, which puts[human] life in order.

159
00:28:45,660 --> 00:28:55,730
Believing in monotheism means to create a monotheistic society; a society, which would be established and run on the basis of monotheism.

160
00:28:55,730 --> 00:29:02,200
This is [the real meaning of] believing in monotheism. If it had not been for this, there would have been no animosity toward prophets.

161
00:29:03,330 --> 00:29:13,930
[As the Quran says:] “And thus We have made for every prophet an enemy – devils from mankind and jinn – inspiring to one another decorative speech in delusion.”

162
00:29:14,460 --> 00:29:27,860
These hostilities are because prophets have come, have protested and objected to the [existing] form of the society,

163
00:29:28,860 --> 00:29:37,530
[and] have presented a new form, [and] a new geometry for the way that humans should live.

164
00:29:39,800 --> 00:29:48,600
That way of thinking is the same purified life, about which one of these brethren recited this noble verse [of the holy Quran, which says:]

165
00:29:48,860 --> 00:29:56,060
“O you who believe! Respond to Allah and to the Messenger when he calls you to that which gives you life.”

166
00:29:56,530 --> 00:29:59,460
This life is the purified life.

167
00:30:00,730 --> 00:30:09,130
[Elsewhere, the Quran says:] “Whoever does righteousness, whether male or female, while he is a believer, We will surely cause him to live a purified life.”

168
00:30:09,400 --> 00:30:19,800
That is, there is something beyond this apparent [material] life, which is called the purified life; what is it? It is this very life,

169
00:30:20,400 --> 00:30:27,730
but mixed with faith. [Human] existence needs water and air and food and

170
00:30:28,130 --> 00:30:34,600
science and technology and everything; existence needs all these,

171
00:30:35,130 --> 00:30:51,200
but if it is devoid of faith, it is not [real] life; it is [a form of] death. The Quran does not consider this [faithless existence] as [real] life.

172
00:30:51,600 --> 00:31:01,860
[The real] life is when this collection of existence activities and existence factors are accompanied with life; [so that] it would be illuminated.

173
00:31:02,200 --> 00:31:07,000
It is like a dark place on which some light is shone.

174
00:31:09,800 --> 00:31:18,400
This is the status of the clergy. You want to bestow [real] life to the human society.

175
00:31:20,660 --> 00:31:29,460
Naturally, this [effort] is faced with the same problems that prophets faced, entails the same [spiritual] reward as prophets, [and] will lead to the same achievements as prophets;

176
00:31:29,460 --> 00:31:35,460
because prophets were [finally] successful, and prophets achieved their goals.

177
00:31:36,000 --> 00:31:44,330
All prophets, even those who were martyred, [and] even those who were rejected by their people, finally had their say.

178
00:31:44,660 --> 00:31:59,800
You just look at the remarks of Prophet Noah and Prophet Hud and various prophets who had so many enemies at that time;

179
00:32:00,130 --> 00:32:08,730
today, [what they said] is in high demand and many people want it and are interested in it and follow it.

180
00:32:08,730 --> 00:32:13,330
Well, it follows that what they said stayed alive [and] became triumphant.

181
00:32:14,130 --> 00:32:23,200
It was rejected at that time, but [what they said] became victorious later when a chain of prophets gradually arrived.

182
00:32:24,130 --> 00:32:35,660
So, what you do is a work for prophets; [therefore,] you will both have your say and everything you say will undoubtedly move forward, and

183
00:32:35,860 --> 00:32:41,730
God’s assistance will be yours; I mean, the Almighty God will help you [as the Quran says]:

184
00:32:41,730 --> 00:32:47,130
“Indeed, We will support Our messengers and those who believe during the life of this world.”

185
00:32:48,000 --> 00:32:54,460
God will assist you – this is also another part [of your work] –

186
00:32:54,460 --> 00:33:03,460
and like prophets, you will undoubtedly have enemies and opposition and adversaries; therefore, your situation is the same [as the prophets’];

187
00:33:03,460 --> 00:33:05,600
get yourselves prepared for it.

188
00:33:06,600 --> 00:33:15,330
You are all young, [and] after this, God willing, you will perhaps have sixty years, [or] seventy years of time

189
00:33:16,460 --> 00:33:27,000
to live and work and endeavor. [Therefore,] get yourselves prepared for fifty years, sixty years, [and even] seventy years

190
00:33:27,400 --> 00:33:32,130
of endeavoring and working and making effort, and know that

191
00:33:32,860 --> 00:33:46,400
at the end of this path, the world will change due to your effort and without a doubt will fare toward the optimal state; this will certainly take place.

192
00:33:46,400 --> 00:33:54,800
One point, which I have written down here to tell you, is that the present time

193
00:33:55,660 --> 00:34:06,660
has certain characteristics, [and] some specifications for seminary schools and for the clergy, which are different from past times,

194
00:34:08,200 --> 00:34:17,060
and are in favor of the clergy and help its success.

195
00:34:17,400 --> 00:34:25,460
One [of those characteristics] is formation of the Islamic establishment; when an Islamic establishment is formed,

196
00:34:26,130 --> 00:34:35,330
it means that the [general] atmosphere [in the country] is Islamic. It does not mean that there is no opposition [to this establishment]; yes, there is opposition, there always is, and will continue to be.

197
00:34:35,800 --> 00:34:44,930
However, the main current [in the society] is the Islamic current. At that time, when I was at your age,

198
00:34:45,460 --> 00:34:53,130
the main current [in the Iranian society] was an anti-Islamic current; [I am] not [saying] non-Islamic, [but] anti-Islamic.

199
00:34:55,260 --> 00:35:09,060
I was a seminary student in [city of] Mashhad, who both taught at the seminary and held meetings with [university] students. The mosque became full of students when I taught them interpretation [of the Quran].

200
00:35:10,330 --> 00:35:20,800
Once I wanted to go to Tehran along with a friend – may his soul rest in peace – [and] we were walking up and down the train station waiting for the train to start moving.

201
00:35:21,600 --> 00:35:30,730
Those young people, who like us, were strolling around waiting for the train to move,

202
00:35:31,200 --> 00:35:40,460
continued to make fun of me here and there. That friend, who was with me, was an academic, [and] he felt ashamed.

203
00:35:41,330 --> 00:35:53,060
Regarding that person who made fun of me, there was no [past] hostility between us, nor we had any [negative] background [experience] with each other, nor I had done him any wrong,

204
00:35:53,930 --> 00:36:05,930
nor he was probably properly educated, but he was used to do this.

205
00:36:05,930 --> 00:36:15,860
The clergy – I mean, a young seminary student, who is now busy and is studying and also teaches –

206
00:36:16,400 --> 00:36:27,460
should have been ridiculed without any reason and justification; the [general] atmosphere [in the society] was like this.

207
00:36:28,200 --> 00:36:38,860
Then Mashhad was [known as] the Dome of Islam and conditions there, were like this, [while the situation in] Tehran [was] much worse. This also happened to me in Tehran as well and happened to many others.

208
00:36:41,930 --> 00:36:52,000
At the present time,it is not like that. Not that today, the seminary students and clerics and men of the cloth have no adversary and opposition and somebody to make fun of them;

209
00:36:52,400 --> 00:36:59,400
yes, they still exist today and will always be there – [and] they even made fun of prophets as well-

210
00:37:00,660 --> 00:37:10,460
– but today, the [main] current [in the society] is an Islamic current. This is a characteristic, which is in your favor. Take as much advantage as you can of this characteristic [of your time].

211
00:37:12,730 --> 00:37:21,330
Another positive point for these times is that

212
00:37:21,860 --> 00:37:31,530
some sort of intellectual void and need to new thought is evident at the global level; it is like this across the world.

213
00:37:33,130 --> 00:37:41,130
A sense of revulsion and disillusionment with various “-isms” – both leftist “-isms” and rightist “-isms” –

214
00:37:42,600 --> 00:37:53,860
has been on the rise among countries and among thinkers and among young people; [and there is] a state of intellectual void,

215
00:37:55,200 --> 00:38:09,600
[because of which] any new message will be accepted. The Islamic Republic has new messages [for the world] both on the issue of humans, and on the issue of society, and on the issue of politics;

216
00:38:10,600 --> 00:38:16,530
Islam has new messages.

217
00:38:17,530 --> 00:38:24,600
If we manage to convey these messages of ours, which are new messages, to the world and make [other people] hear them,

218
00:38:25,530 --> 00:38:35,460
many people will accept and demand them. This is one of the main characteristics of the present time. Once up on a time, it was not like this.

219
00:38:35,860 --> 00:38:44,660
When I say “one upon a time,” I do not mean a hundred years ago, [but] when I was young. Assume that [the ideas of] Marxism

220
00:38:45,130 --> 00:38:55,800
[were rife] among young people in most countries. Only in some countries like America or some European countries,

221
00:38:55,800 --> 00:39:06,200
it was not [rife] with this intensity, but Marxism was an attraction in most countries, especially in economic fields,

222
00:39:06,660 --> 00:39:11,260
[in which] attraction of socialism was a widespread attraction; [even] in Islamic countries.

223
00:39:12,000 --> 00:39:22,660
In our own country and among those interested in this Islamic line [of thinking],

224
00:39:23,130 --> 00:39:28,400
there were renowned people – which if I named them, you would know them; I mean all of you would know them –

225
00:39:29,000 --> 00:39:36,930
who explicitly defended “socialism” and supported it by name

226
00:39:38,400 --> 00:39:49,660
and were willing to adapt the Islamic economic thought with socialism or to interpret it through the concepts of socialism.

227
00:39:50,600 --> 00:39:57,460
I held various sessions for dialogue and discussion and debate and the likes of these with some of these people.

228
00:39:58,130 --> 00:40:03,530
It is not like that at the present time; today, socialism has failed

229
00:40:03,530 --> 00:40:11,930
and the falsehood of what they called “scientific socialism,” has been proven almost to everyone.

230
00:40:13,660 --> 00:40:17,860
The Marxist way of thinking has become totally isolated;

231
00:40:19,000 --> 00:40:30,260
[meanwhile,] liberalism – in the sense that Western countries introduced it in personal and social and other fields – has been condemned [as well].

232
00:40:31,600 --> 00:40:38,660
[Therefore,] a void exists [in the world]; I mean everybody feels desperate and defeated and disillusioned.

233
00:40:39,060 --> 00:40:49,730
Today, there is room for what Islam says. Islam’s viewpoint about humanity, Islam’s viewpoint about loftiness of human path and the ulterior destination of human move –

234
00:40:49,730 --> 00:40:58,930
the same [thing that we call] traveling toward God – are all important things to talk about.

235
00:40:59,200 --> 00:41:09,460
The viewpoint of Islam about the political community in a country, [that is,] this very issue of Islamic democracy,

236
00:41:10,260 --> 00:41:20,060
[and] the viewpoint of Islam about variousissues, these are among those things, which are attractive and if they

237
00:41:21,660 --> 00:41:31,660
especially reach the young generations in the world, they will be accepted. This is also one of the characteristics of the present time, which did not exist in the past.

238
00:41:33,930 --> 00:41:46,130
Another prominent characteristic of the present time is availability of means of conveying one’s message. This very cyberspace

239
00:41:46,660 --> 00:41:55,000
about which this brother of ours talked in detail and very well and it was a good concept to which he referred and the same concept had occurred to me before that

240
00:41:55,000 --> 00:41:59,200
“its name is cyberspace, but it is really the actual space.”

241
00:42:00,130 --> 00:42:09,200
I mean, this space is present in the lives of many people [now]. Well, this very cyberspace is a means [to an end]; [and] it is a very efficient means

242
00:42:09,860 --> 00:42:16,600
in order for you to be able to convey your message to the remotest parts of the world, and convey it to everybody.

243
00:42:17,800 --> 00:42:26,200
This [means] was not available in the past, [but] it is now. This is one of the positive points [about the present time].

244
00:42:27,000 --> 00:42:34,860
Another one of the positive points is [the opportunity] to create questions; question is a very auspicious thing.

245
00:42:35,530 --> 00:42:40,930
Not so many questions were created and came to be in the past.

246
00:42:41,260 --> 00:42:50,600
This is an error for us to think that question and doubt is always created by the enemy. Yes, it is sometimes the enemy that creates a question or doubt;

247
00:42:51,260 --> 00:43:08,130
however, question and doubt [actually] stem from the creative human mind. A young generation given to study and discussion and education

248
00:43:08,460 --> 00:43:22,460
– that is, this very academic complex and the likes of these – all of them are [suitable] fields for production of question;  [and] there is no problem with that.

249
00:43:23,060 --> 00:43:28,200
You are like that yourselves. You are young, [and] have a creative mind;

250
00:43:29,060 --> 00:43:40,730
this mind can give birth to question and, of course, this mind can produce answer and offer answers to questions.

251
00:43:41,400 --> 00:43:50,530
[Of course,] do not stop at these questions. This is my advice to you. Do not stop at questions,

252
00:43:50,860 --> 00:44:05,530
[but] look for answers [as well]. All questions have answers; the mind needs to work, make effort, endeavor, and [come up with] the suitable answer.

253
00:44:05,930 --> 00:44:13,800
Of course, answers must not be subject to oversight and taken lightly. I mean, any question

254
00:44:14,130 --> 00:44:23,930
does not correspond to any answer; the answer must be a logical and strong and correct answer.

255
00:44:24,460 --> 00:44:32,000
One of the positive points about the present time is numerousness of questions; there are many questions [asked].

256
00:44:32,660 --> 00:44:47,600
When the number of questions is high, issues that take place open the way for mental activity, [and] for transcending the borders of science; it is then that [intellectual] works are produced.

257
00:44:47,930 --> 00:45:01,260
A bigoted Egyptian writer wrote a book against Shiism many years ago titled “Fajr al-Islam (The Dawn of Islam),”

258
00:45:01,660 --> 00:45:06,000
which contained unfair claims about Shia Islam.

259
00:45:06,000 --> 00:45:15,200
Of course, he later wrote sequels to that book, which were titled Duha al-Islam andZuhr al-Islam and Asr al-Islam and the likes of these.

260
00:45:16,530 --> 00:45:22,800
I had read all [of these books] at that time [and] in the later years of [the Iranian decade,] 1340s (1960s) or in the early years of the 1950s (1970s).

261
00:45:23,600 --> 00:45:36,060
This book, Fajr al-Islam, prompted a few of our prominent scholars to create a number of prominent books.

262
00:45:36,260 --> 00:45:42,060
One of those prominent works was Az-Zaree'a [ila Tasaneef ush-Shia] (List of Shia Books); Az-Zaree'a was written by the scholar, Aqa Bozorg Tehrani.

263
00:45:43,060 --> 00:45:54,260
Another one of those prominent works is called Ta'sis al-Shi`ah, which was compiled by late [Ayatollah] Sadr. All these [books were written] in response to Fajr al-Islam.

264
00:45:55,260 --> 00:46:05,200
I think, one of those prominent works, which were written under the influence of Fajr al-Islam

265
00:46:06,130 --> 00:46:30,330
– which was written by the Egyptian [writer] Ahmad Amin – was the book written by late Seyyed Mohsen Amin on the biography of prominent [Shia] clerics or A'yan al-Shia.

266
00:46:30,530 --> 00:46:42,060
Well, I mean, one question was posed, [and] a number of important [written] works were undertaken in response to that question, which if it was not for that question,

267
00:46:42,060 --> 00:46:48,800
these important works would not have been done. This is also a point.

268
00:46:49,130 --> 00:46:55,930
Therefore, positive points of the preset time are many positive points; thank God that you live in this time

269
00:46:56,660 --> 00:47:00,000
and can take advantage of its positive points.

270
00:47:00,000 --> 00:47:09,130
And my last advice is the issue of piety and continence and worship.

271
00:47:09,330 --> 00:47:17,400
My dear ones! Know that treading this path needs piety.

272
00:47:19,000 --> 00:47:27,600
Know that the best publicity is the publicity that your practical character

273
00:47:28,930 --> 00:47:35,800
will do for your goals and ideals and the [best impact is the] impact that it will make.

274
00:47:37,260 --> 00:47:46,800
[As Imam Ali (PBUH) says in Nahj ul-Balagha:] “He who makes himself the leader of people, must train himself before trying to train others.”

275
00:47:47,260 --> 00:47:50,660
First of all, we must work on ourselves.

276
00:47:52,060 --> 00:48:05,930
This was a very meaningful practice that in the past, heads of some [seminary] schools checked at every dawn to see which one of the students was saying their pre-dawn prayers and which one did not;

277
00:48:06,600 --> 00:48:17,600
I mean, they were careful that students would not miss the pre-dawn prayers as much as possible.

278
00:48:18,060 --> 00:48:25,800
Of course, this was easier done at that time. Today, with these television [programs] and television series and things like these, it is more difficult;

279
00:48:26,460 --> 00:48:29,930
however, you must do this difficult work.

280
00:48:31,530 --> 00:48:42,330
Today, you, young people, must open to yourself the path of God, the path of recourse [to spiritualties],

281
00:48:45,460 --> 00:48:57,200
the path of prayer, [and] the path for taking advantage of prayers attributed to Hadhrat Baghiyat Allah (May Our Souls Be Sacrificed for Him).

282
00:48:58,600 --> 00:49:09,930
Open to yourself the path to taking advantage of these rewarded prayers, which have been handed down [to you] by [Shia] Imams (Peace Be upon Them), [and] take advantage of them.

283
00:49:11,600 --> 00:49:22,330
Some of these prayers are really documented in Islamic traditions and one enjoys them when they look at them.

284
00:49:22,600 --> 00:49:27,330
These very prayers [that you see in the book of] Sahifeye Sajjadiyeh are all like this;

285
00:49:29,530 --> 00:49:38,260
keep this door open to yourselves. Avoiding sin is the most basic of works.

286
00:49:38,260 --> 00:49:46,530
The first advice given by these people, who trod the path of spiritual self-training and for whom I had high respect and liked them,

287
00:49:46,530 --> 00:49:57,930
to youths and I – who was young at that time – was this; they said avoid committing sins.

288
00:49:58,660 --> 00:50:04,460
[This phrase,] “keep me away from my sin, which prevents me from committing to your worship,”

289
00:50:04,460 --> 00:50:14,660
[which is] in the noble prayer of Abu Hamza, means that when a person does a sinful act,

290
00:50:15,000 --> 00:50:24,460
that sin will cause that person to lose commitment to worship; that is, he would not be committed to worshipping God anymore.

291
00:50:24,800 --> 00:50:30,400
[In this way,] one will be deprived of [spiritual] achievements; [you must] take this into account.

292
00:50:33,130 --> 00:50:42,460
Saying your [daily] prayers at prime time, saying prayers with due attention and concentration, recitation of the Quran,

293
00:50:43,260 --> 00:50:58,400
being used to prayer and pilgrimage [to holy shrines], these are those things, which are necessary for you dear brethren, dear sisters, [and] my dear youths;

294
00:50:58,930 --> 00:51:06,400
[therefore,] you must take these [steps] into consideration. Then, God willing, due to the blessing of the good study that you will do

295
00:51:06,860 --> 00:51:14,060
and due to the blessing of piety and righteousness that, God willing, you will observe,

296
00:51:14,330 --> 00:51:22,930
and due to the blessing of this fluid and active minds that you have and today I observed examples of it,

297
00:51:22,930 --> 00:51:31,200
our scientific and religious community, which is known as the clergy, will, God willing, have a very better future than its present.

298
00:51:32,000 --> 00:51:33,860
Peace be unto you and so may the mercy of Allah and His blessings