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

(Arabic prayer)

This was a very sweet and desirable and auspicious and, God willing, useful session. May the [lunar] month of Ramadan, God willing, be blessed for all of you, [and] all people who are devoted to the Holy Quran. Today, we witnessed the beginning of this auspicious month – and one of the most important characteristics of this auspicious month is the descent of the Quran [from God to humans], intimacy with the Quran and recitation of the Quran – here with recitation of the holy verses of the Quran, and truly and fairly speaking, we greatly benefited from it. I thank those brethren, who took the trouble and organized this session and this planning; it was very good.
Thank God, Quranic flowers are one by one sprouting and showing themselves across this big garden, which is called Iran. The blessed seed of the Quran has been sown across this land; this is the feat of the [Islamic] Revolution, [and] this is the feat of the Islamic establishment. It was not like this in the past. When I was a child and a young person, the Quran was forsaken in this country in the real sense of the word. [Of course,] there were people here and there, who lovingly and diligently tried to learn or teach the Quran or become intimate with it, but the general ambience was totally alienated from [the Quran]; [and] there were no such things [as these sessions]. Today, praise be to God, the general ambience [of the country] is familiar with the Quran. You see that [our] youths, our adolescents, [and even] our children at various ages, [and] from different parts of the country are intimate with the Quran, [and] are dealing with the Quran; [they either] recite it, [or] muse over it, [or] think about its content.
The progress in recitation of the holy Quran in the country has been also very good. Well, since early [days after victory of the] revolution, we have witnessed good recitations [of the Quran] by our reciters, [and] one can see how tangible the advances [in this field] have been. The wishes that we had for the followers of the Quran and reciters of the Quran to do such things, to recite [the Quran] in this way, to muse over it in this way, to understand a [Quranic] verse in this way, [and] to make that verse understood in this way – these were wishes that we always had – each and every one of these wishes, praise be to God, are coming true; [we have] good teachers [of the Quran], good reciters, good youths, [and] good adolescents; praise be to God; but this is just the beginning. Our lag in the field of intimacy with the Quran and taking advantage of the Quran is too much. These are [only] preliminary steps, which must be taken [in this direction]. I have frequently said [and] once more repeat that these sessions and these meetings and these recommendations and these steps, which are being taken, are all preliminaries in order for the ambience in the country and people’s general mentality to turn into a Quranic ambience and the mentality [of our people] to become intimate with the Quran and [people] to get closely familiar with the Quranic concepts; this is important.
If we become intimate with the Quran, then there will be this opportunity and this free time for thinkers from various walks of life to reflect on the Quranic points, take certain advantages of the Quran, infer [its concepts], understand [it] and answer various questions. By questions, I do not mean doubtful points, [but] mean questions that are posed about life, [and] about living. At the present time, there are millions of questions before us. When a society with a [certain type of] government is moving the [human] life toward certain ideals that it has and moves [in that direction], this [society] is faced with thousands [and] thousands of questions; [including] about the quality of communications, the quality of behavior, the quality of positions taken, the quality of hostilities and friendships, the quality of how to deal with [worldly] possessions, [and] the quality of how to deal with worldly affairs. These are all questions that face us; [and] all these questions have answers. Humanity was misguided and went astray, because it failed to find correct answers to these questions. The current misery of the world – and humanity – is because it did not find the correct answers to these questions, [and] did not learn them; [instead,] wrong answers, deviated answers, [and] misguiding answers [were all that] it received, occurred to it, [and upon which] it acted. [This is why] it has reached this point today, [where] the world has no security, no serenity, no spiritually, [and] no spiritual tranquility, [as a result of which] people in the society are not honest with each other. This is the current situation of the world, [and] this is true about the entire world.
Human beings have been created to communicate; [their] hearts must communicate with one another, must show kindness toward one another, [and] must help one another. Humans must [be] like a single body in the world. Human beings have been basically created like this, [and] this is what has been planned [for them]. However, today, you look and see there is war everywhere, there is insecurity everywhere, there is fear everywhere, there is misguidance everywhere, [and people’s] hearts are distant from one another everywhere. Families are in ruins, class differences are explicit, some people are affluent and well-off, [and] another group is deprived [of all amenities of life]. All these [problems] is due to [the fact that] questions about life have not been answered correctly, [and] have been understood incorrectly. As a result, these skewed and deviated economic and political systems have come into being in the world and humanity is plagued [with many problems]. Billions of humans are suffering from this situation, [and] even those who are affluent are suffering. It is not like that when I say there is class divide, it means that a person, you assume, who as they commonly say, is among one-percent [top echelon] of the American society, is [living a] very comfortable and very happy [life]. No, [because even] they have certain misfortunes, afflictions, [and] problems – both spiritual and psychological – in their life, which you cannot count, [and] sometimes are even more numerous than problems facing a poor person; I mean, everybody is suffering [one way or another]. A society, which does not recognize the correct path, does not recognize the straight path, [and] is not in contact with God, will be [like] this.
These human societies, unfortunately, are currently afflicted with such an aberration and misguidance. [The fact] that you keep repeating so many times and have been told to repeat [that Quranic verse in which you urge God to:] “Guide us to the straight path,” is for this reason. The straight path means that path, which is devoid of these blights [and] these problems. This is [the true] meaning of the straight path. You keep asking the Almighty God to guide you; this guidance exists in the Quran. If we become intimate with the Quran, if we correctly understand the Quran, [and] if we muse over [the verses of] the Quran, then the correct answer to questions of life will be given to us. We must pursue this [goal], [because] this is an important thing. Dear youths, now, God willing, the more you become intimate with the Quran, these realities become [more] evident to you; [and] the more you drink of this pleasing sorbet, you will become more eager, [and] become more thirsty; the Quran is like this.
Well, today, the Islamic society, like the rest of [human] societies, is grappling with problems. You just look and see what is going on in the Islamic world. In the Islamic world, a group of worthless and inefficient and mean people are in charge of [determining] the fate of some Islamic societies; like these very governments, which you see; [like] the Saudi [government] and the likes of these. These [problems] are due to distance from the Quran, [and] these [problems] are due to unfamiliarity with the Quranic facts. Of course, part of them is due to unfamiliarity, [and] another part is due to lack of faith [in the Quran]. They apparently believe in the Quran, sometimes print millions of copies of the Quran, [and] hand them out here and there free of cost, but they do not believe in the content of the Quran, in the meaning of the Quran, [and] in the theme of the Quran at all. The Quran says [faithful people] “are forceful against the disbelievers, [and] merciful among themselves.” [However,] these people are “forceful against the believers, [and] merciful toward the disbelievers.” You just look and see how their situation is; they are intimate with infidels, are interested [in them], [and spend] their nations’ money for them, because they themselves have no money. This money that these [inefficient Arab rulers] possess and has been amassed in their bank accounts, and these legendary riches, to whom these [riches] belong, [and] where have they come from? These [riches] have not been inherited from their fathers after all; these are oil money, the money [earned by selling reserves of] underground mines, [and] are the money, which is [part of] the national wealth [of their countries]. Instead of [this money] being spent on improving people’s life, it goes and accumulates in [bank] accounts of these [inefficient rulers], [and] it is consumed for personal and private purposes. [They] offer this money, which belongs to people, to infidels, [and] to enemies of people.
[As the Quran says with regard to such people:] “And they have taken besides Allah [false] deities that they would be for them [a source of] honor; no! Those ‘gods’ will deny their worship of them and will be against them [on the Day of Judgment].” These fools think that by giving money and offering help and such things they can get the friendship of the enemies of Islam [while] there is no sincerity [in them]; just as they themselves have said, [these foolish regional leaders are] like a milk producing cow; they milk them [as much as they can], [and] when they have no more milk, slaughter them. This is the current state of the Islamic world; [Saudis] are like that with them [Americans], [and] then are like this with the people of Yemen, and like this with the people of Bahrain; [these are all] anti-religion behaviors. Of course, they will be annihilated. Don’t look at their appearances, [because] these appearances must not beguile anybody; these [rulers] are doomed, [and] these [inefficient rulers] will be overthrown and destroyed. [As the Quran says:] “Indeed is falsehood [by nature] ever bound to depart." These are false and will certainly suffer collapse and downfall and misery and overthrow; there is no mistake about this. Of course, this may take place a little sooner or later; it depends on how the faithful, [and] the faithful community will act; if they act correctly, this will take place sooner; if they don’t act correctly, this will take place sometime later; but it will certainly occur. Both these [rulers] and those people, on whom these [rulers] pin their hopes, are all doomed to fall.
The thing that has a future [outlook for success] is Islam, [and] is the Quran, [and] is you, the faithful youths; that [thing], which has a future, is you the faithful youths. They are reciting [this Quranic verse, which says:] “and who is more truthful than Allah in statement?” Who is more honest than God? Who is more knowledgeable of the future than God? And the Almighty God has said that the future belongs to the faithful, belongs to those who do good deeds, [and] belongs to those who fight on the path of God; there is no doubt about this, [because] this is a divine promise. However, even if somebody is overcome with temptation and doubt, [and] the divine promise does not put his heart at peace, [past] experiences must put his heart at peace. I have frequently said this and believe in this concept from the bottom of my heart. Even if no promise had been given to us, in view of these experiences that the Iranian nation has gained since thirty, [or] forty years [ago] up to the present time, it must have reached certainty that the future belongs to it; [and] it must have become certain that victory belongs to it. We are the people that in our country there was a government in office, and this very wooing and courting that you see American leaders do with those wretches – who are retarded in intellectual, mental and all other terms – they did the same wooing at that time [before the Islamic Revolution] with the government of Iran; [and did it] much more, [and] in a much better way. They clearly said [to Iran’s former regime] that “you are our gendarme in the Persian Gulf,” [and] said this to our tyrannical regime.
They were both wiser than these [Saudi rulers], and their abilities were higher, and their reliance on these tyrants was more than these [Saudi rulers] and their relations were stronger; at the same time that such a government was in office – the Iranian nation managed through the power of faith, through struggle, [and] through sacrifice to topple this government despite all global support that was accorded to it, and [succeeded] to establish something in its stead, which arrogant powers cannot tolerate; that is the Islamic Republic establishment; this is one experience. Can any experience be better than this? [The Quran also says:] “So do not feel weak and do not grieve, and you will be superior if you are [true] believers.” [It says] if there is faith, you will be superior [to your enemies]. Be strong on the path of your faith, be outspoken, [and] stand fast. I insist that when it comes to mentioning the Islamic fundaments, all members of the Iranian nation and the country’s officials must be outspoken. [This has been stipulated in] these very [Quranic] verses, which this good-voiced group just recited, “There has already been for you an excellent example in Abraham and those with him, when they said to their people, ‘Indeed, we are disassociated from you and from whatever you worship other than Allah. We have denied you, and there has appeared between us and you animosity and hatred forever until you believe in Allah alone’.” It is like this; it clearly says, “we are disassociated from you.” It is in no way at odds [with having global relations]. Now, some people think and are concerned that ‘well, a government and an administration must have global relations; I also totally believe and confirm this tendency; but it is not at odds; it is possible to give voice to one’s fundaments and principles outspokenly and move ahead as well, [and] also become successful in all various issues of life, including in international relations; these steps can be taken. [Officials must] enter [the arena], set foot in the arena, [and] put their trust in God, [and then] they will see that it is possible. Experiences are like this after all.
I told another group that was here the other day that Prophet Abraham, despite all his grandeur, tells the Almighty God that “I want to see how the dead come back to life [on the Day of Resurrection].” The Almighty God answers, “Have you not believed?” He said, “Yes;” [Abraham says] ‘yes, I do believe; that is, I totally believe [and] confirm [this and] believe it from the bottom of my heart’; “but [I ask] only that my heart may be satisfied;” ‘but [I want to see this] so that there will be no more disturbance in my mind; [and] I will have complete peace of mind’. Then the Almighty God said, ‘OK; do these things to see with your own eyes how the Almighty God brings the dead back to life like this’. Well, we saw with our own eyes; we saw with our own eyes that a nation became victorious in the imposed war [with Iraq] with empty hands; a nation, which was novice with regard to political and international matters, could triumph over enemies’ plots; a nation, which [has been victorious] despite [the fact] that a powerful materialist front has emerged before it, which stabs in the back, draws its sword in the front, makes ballyhoo, bellows, and does such and such. They have been incessantly plotting against us for forty years, [and] their plots have been incessantly defused for forty years; don’t we see this? These are our experiences; [and we must] take these experiences into account and know that the way to powerful, strong, dignified, and successful progress is to remain in contact with the Quran. The mother of all these good things is this dear divine book with which, praise be to God, you are familiar, with which you are intimate, some of you know it by heart, some [others] are followers and reciters [of the Quran], some are listeners, [and] some are teachers. [Therefore,] the main issue is this Quran.
Well, now increase [the number of] the Quranic sessions, [and] promote teaching and learning process of the Quran; bring to life the meanings of the Quran, [and] the concepts of the Quran. I tell this to our dear [Quran] reciters – and today, fortunately, some of the gentlemen, who recited the Quran observed this point very good – that you [must] materialize the concept of the Quranic verses through the quality of your recitation, just in the same way that a good and eloquent speaker, for example, when he reads a poem, enunciates words in such a way that all the meaning in those words comes to life for the one who listens – like this eloquent speaker of us today. When one speaks in a good manner, reads a poem in a good manner, talks in a good manner, [and] enunciates words with a suitable tone, everything that exists in this word from meaning and theme, they are entirely delivered to the listeners and the listeners take delivery of them; the recitation of the Quran must be like this. Every theme that exists in this [Quranic] word must be presented to the audience through reading loud and reading slow and high pitch and low pitch and changes in voice and articulation; of course [this holds water] for those who already know the meaning of the Quran. Therefore, the language of the Quran must be learned. Become as much intimate with the language of the Quran as possible. Among these people who are intimate with the Quran, most have not studied Arabic, but they understand the meaning of the Quran when they read it. I have seen many people, who have not studied Arabic in classrooms or as part of curriculum or in a planned manner, but they have become so intimate with the Quran and repeated [its verses] and read the verses of the Quran so many times that when they open [the Quran] and read a verse, they understand its meaning. The meaning of a [Quranic] verse can be understood through a high degree of intimacy. [This is why] our contact with the Quran must increase.
O Almighty God! [We swear you] by [Prophet] Mohammad and the Household of Mohammad to increase our contact – [both] our heartfelt contact, [and] our round-the-clock contact – with the Quran on a daily basis; help us avail ourselves of the blessings of the Quran and of the bounties of the Quran, and of the provision of the Quran; do not count us among those people who only learn the words of the Quran and consider it sufficient. O Almighty God! Complete your favor and your grace to this country, [and] to this nation by helping the nation achieve its ideals and by helping it triumph over its enemies; resurrect the purified soul of the honorable Imam with his [spiritual] guardians; resurrect the purified souls of our dear martyrs with their [spiritual] guardians; anywhere that the faithful are struggling and engaged in jihad on the path of God – in any form of jihad – make them triumphant over their enemies.

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