What follows is the abridged text of an address made by the Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei in a cordial meeting with a number of war-disabled veterans with a disability rating of 70 percent or more and their families on October 26, 2005.
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
I express my warm welcome to the esteemed war-disabled veterans and their honorable families. This meeting is indicative of the reality that our dear war-disabled veterans are held in high regard in our society. The meeting is also aimed at institutionalizing honor and respect for war-disabled veterans and perpetuating it as a basic principle of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Besides, I am grateful to Allah for granting me this valuable opportunity to meet a number of venerable war-disabled veterans and also their wives, parents and children.
Indeed, war-disabled veterans are living martyrs who were granted a chance by Almighty Allah to spend some years of their lives engaging in struggles and confronting difficult trials. Our honorable war-disabled veterans were the comrades of our esteemed martyrs on the same battlefield and war front. However, in an incident like an explosion or artillery fire or a military aggression on the part of the enemy, one achieved martyrdom, but the other was seriously injured and suffered physical disabilities.
Both of our martyrs and war-disabled veterans had the intention of striving in the way of Allah, both were ready to sacrifice their lives, and they were both subjected to the same risks and difficult trials. One was martyred and his struggle and striving came to an end – but of course the divine blessings and rewards bestowed on him will never come to an end. However, the other remained alive and is still capable of striving and making great efforts for the sake of Islam and in the way of Allah.
If war-disabled veterans observe piety and chastity and do not transgress divine limits in their lives, they will be recompensed by Almighty Allah with what has been described by the Almighty as a great reward.
“(As for) those who responded to the call of Allah and the Apostle after the affliction had befallen them, those among them who do good to others and guard against evil shall have a great reward.” (The holy Qur’an 3: 172)
It is clear that what has been termed 'a great reward' by Almighty Allah, the originator of grandeur and greatness, is a really great remuneration. The sufferings and afflictions that war-disabled veterans undergo will bring divine rewards and blessings on them.
Sometimes we express impatience in the face of problems and hardships, since we are not aware of the divine recompense that will be bestowed on us because of those afflictions. Therefore, our war-disabled veterans should be grateful to Almighty Allah for the sufferings that they are presently enduring, as they will be greatly rewarded by the Almighty for those sufferings.
Nevertheless, government officials and state organs should also carry out their duties and responsibilities with regard to war-disabled veterans in the best possible manner. The fact that war-disabled veterans will be rewarded by the Almighty for their endeavors and hardships should not make our officials and state organs feel relieved of their duties and responsibilities in this regard.
Relevant government officials should make every effort to perform their duties toward our dear war-disabled veterans, who have sacrificed their health and the best years of their lives in the way of Allah and for the sake of Islam and the most significant trial of the revolution.
The second point that I would like to mention relates to the esteemed wives of war-disabled veterans. I deem it necessary to express my gratitude to them all, as they have voluntarily shared the sufferings and afflictions of their husbands and incurred certain problems, which will be recompensed by Almighty Allah. It is indeed incumbent on us to express our gratefulness to the honorable wives of war-disabled veterans.
Nevertheless, the wives of war-disabled veterans should also view their husbands as divine blessings, since their husbands are the ones who will cause their wives to be rewarded and remunerated by Almighty Allah. The fact of the matter is that divine satisfaction will be obtained through endeavors, great efforts and painstaking. This is also true about all the virtues of the world.
Nothing will be achieved or obtained through indolence and self-indulgence. Achievements in all fields and spheres of activity are attributed to hard work and painstaking. If one becomes learned and knowledgeable, if one becomes rich and wealthy, and if one becomes famed and well-known, it is all accomplished through making great efforts, not through indolence and self-indulgence.
The victory, honor and dignity of nations are also achieved through diligence and perseverance. Even divine rewards and blessings and salvation in the hereafter are gained by undergoing hardships. Human beings are expected to exert themselves and make great efforts. The wives of war-disabled veterans are among those making great efforts in life, and they are undergoing certain hardships, for which they will be remunerated by Almighty Allah.
The third point concerns the children of war-disabled veterans. I would like to tell the children of war-disabled veterans who are present here and others across the country that you should feel proud that you are the children of those individuals who have sacrificed their youth and their health for the sake of noble divine and Islamic objectives. This is something in which you should take great pride.
You should not allow those pursuing material goals and objectives in life, the snobbish individuals enjoying underserved privileges and certain cultural policy-makers influenced by the enemies of Islam and the revolution to manipulate the atmosphere in such a manner as to make you feel isolated in society. You should be proud of being children of war-disabled veterans, and you should openly express your feelings of pride and honor.
One day our country was subjected to the heaviest and most bitter military aggression. Some ran away, and certain other individuals even refused to tolerate hardships, let alone go to the battlefield to defend the country against foreign aggression. However, a large number of valorous Iranians rushed to the war front to confront the aggressors. They repelled the enemy’s invasion and barred the aggressors from trampling on the honor and dignity of our nation.
Some of these valorous individuals achieved martyrdom, and others suffered serious injuries resulting in physical disabilities. Your fathers were among those who had the honor of defending this country and safeguarding our nation’s dignity. You should feel proud of your fathers and hold them in high regard.
There are certain individuals who prefer living in comfort, pursuing pleasure and self-indulgence to undergoing hardships and making sacrifices for the sake of one’s country and nation. At the time of great hardships and threats such as wars, they take shelter in every nook and cranny. However, when the hardships are overcome and the threats are repelled, they come out of their shelters and put on a bold front. They are also the ones who have the most expectations. These individuals are described by the holy Qur’an as follows:
“…But when the fear is gone, they smite you with sharp tongues, being niggardly of the good things…” (33: 19)
Our esteemed war-disabled veterans, the honorable families of our martyrs and the devotees of the revolution, who have made great sacrifices for the sake of Islam and who constitute the great majority of our nation, are the ones who bravely confronted hardships at the time when our country was plagued with hardships, and they never retreated in the face of problems and afflictions. Today, our esteemed war-disabled veterans, who are living martyrs, bear witness to the glorious struggle and great endeavors of the Iranian nation.
I pray to Almighty Allah to bestow assistance and success on you all. I also hope that we will be assisted by the Almighty in performing our duties and responsibilities toward honorable war-disabled veterans.
Greetings be upon you and Allah’s mercy and blessings
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
I express my warm welcome to the esteemed war-disabled veterans and their honorable families. This meeting is indicative of the reality that our dear war-disabled veterans are held in high regard in our society. The meeting is also aimed at institutionalizing honor and respect for war-disabled veterans and perpetuating it as a basic principle of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Besides, I am grateful to Allah for granting me this valuable opportunity to meet a number of venerable war-disabled veterans and also their wives, parents and children.
Indeed, war-disabled veterans are living martyrs who were granted a chance by Almighty Allah to spend some years of their lives engaging in struggles and confronting difficult trials. Our honorable war-disabled veterans were the comrades of our esteemed martyrs on the same battlefield and war front. However, in an incident like an explosion or artillery fire or a military aggression on the part of the enemy, one achieved martyrdom, but the other was seriously injured and suffered physical disabilities.
Both of our martyrs and war-disabled veterans had the intention of striving in the way of Allah, both were ready to sacrifice their lives, and they were both subjected to the same risks and difficult trials. One was martyred and his struggle and striving came to an end – but of course the divine blessings and rewards bestowed on him will never come to an end. However, the other remained alive and is still capable of striving and making great efforts for the sake of Islam and in the way of Allah.
If war-disabled veterans observe piety and chastity and do not transgress divine limits in their lives, they will be recompensed by Almighty Allah with what has been described by the Almighty as a great reward.
“(As for) those who responded to the call of Allah and the Apostle after the affliction had befallen them, those among them who do good to others and guard against evil shall have a great reward.” (The holy Qur’an 3: 172)
It is clear that what has been termed 'a great reward' by Almighty Allah, the originator of grandeur and greatness, is a really great remuneration. The sufferings and afflictions that war-disabled veterans undergo will bring divine rewards and blessings on them.
Sometimes we express impatience in the face of problems and hardships, since we are not aware of the divine recompense that will be bestowed on us because of those afflictions. Therefore, our war-disabled veterans should be grateful to Almighty Allah for the sufferings that they are presently enduring, as they will be greatly rewarded by the Almighty for those sufferings.
Nevertheless, government officials and state organs should also carry out their duties and responsibilities with regard to war-disabled veterans in the best possible manner. The fact that war-disabled veterans will be rewarded by the Almighty for their endeavors and hardships should not make our officials and state organs feel relieved of their duties and responsibilities in this regard.
Relevant government officials should make every effort to perform their duties toward our dear war-disabled veterans, who have sacrificed their health and the best years of their lives in the way of Allah and for the sake of Islam and the most significant trial of the revolution.
The second point that I would like to mention relates to the esteemed wives of war-disabled veterans. I deem it necessary to express my gratitude to them all, as they have voluntarily shared the sufferings and afflictions of their husbands and incurred certain problems, which will be recompensed by Almighty Allah. It is indeed incumbent on us to express our gratefulness to the honorable wives of war-disabled veterans.
Nevertheless, the wives of war-disabled veterans should also view their husbands as divine blessings, since their husbands are the ones who will cause their wives to be rewarded and remunerated by Almighty Allah. The fact of the matter is that divine satisfaction will be obtained through endeavors, great efforts and painstaking. This is also true about all the virtues of the world.
Nothing will be achieved or obtained through indolence and self-indulgence. Achievements in all fields and spheres of activity are attributed to hard work and painstaking. If one becomes learned and knowledgeable, if one becomes rich and wealthy, and if one becomes famed and well-known, it is all accomplished through making great efforts, not through indolence and self-indulgence.
The victory, honor and dignity of nations are also achieved through diligence and perseverance. Even divine rewards and blessings and salvation in the hereafter are gained by undergoing hardships. Human beings are expected to exert themselves and make great efforts. The wives of war-disabled veterans are among those making great efforts in life, and they are undergoing certain hardships, for which they will be remunerated by Almighty Allah.
The third point concerns the children of war-disabled veterans. I would like to tell the children of war-disabled veterans who are present here and others across the country that you should feel proud that you are the children of those individuals who have sacrificed their youth and their health for the sake of noble divine and Islamic objectives. This is something in which you should take great pride.
You should not allow those pursuing material goals and objectives in life, the snobbish individuals enjoying underserved privileges and certain cultural policy-makers influenced by the enemies of Islam and the revolution to manipulate the atmosphere in such a manner as to make you feel isolated in society. You should be proud of being children of war-disabled veterans, and you should openly express your feelings of pride and honor.
One day our country was subjected to the heaviest and most bitter military aggression. Some ran away, and certain other individuals even refused to tolerate hardships, let alone go to the battlefield to defend the country against foreign aggression. However, a large number of valorous Iranians rushed to the war front to confront the aggressors. They repelled the enemy’s invasion and barred the aggressors from trampling on the honor and dignity of our nation.
Some of these valorous individuals achieved martyrdom, and others suffered serious injuries resulting in physical disabilities. Your fathers were among those who had the honor of defending this country and safeguarding our nation’s dignity. You should feel proud of your fathers and hold them in high regard.
There are certain individuals who prefer living in comfort, pursuing pleasure and self-indulgence to undergoing hardships and making sacrifices for the sake of one’s country and nation. At the time of great hardships and threats such as wars, they take shelter in every nook and cranny. However, when the hardships are overcome and the threats are repelled, they come out of their shelters and put on a bold front. They are also the ones who have the most expectations. These individuals are described by the holy Qur’an as follows:
“…But when the fear is gone, they smite you with sharp tongues, being niggardly of the good things…” (33: 19)
Our esteemed war-disabled veterans, the honorable families of our martyrs and the devotees of the revolution, who have made great sacrifices for the sake of Islam and who constitute the great majority of our nation, are the ones who bravely confronted hardships at the time when our country was plagued with hardships, and they never retreated in the face of problems and afflictions. Today, our esteemed war-disabled veterans, who are living martyrs, bear witness to the glorious struggle and great endeavors of the Iranian nation.
I pray to Almighty Allah to bestow assistance and success on you all. I also hope that we will be assisted by the Almighty in performing our duties and responsibilities toward honorable war-disabled veterans.
Greetings be upon you and Allah’s mercy and blessings