The Office of the Supreme Leader

The Leader’s Eid al-Fitr sermons at Imam Khomeini Mosalla of Tehran 

The First sermon

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

(Arabic prayer)


I congratulate all of you dear worshippers, the entire nation of Iran, [and] the entire Islamic Ummah on the occasion of the auspicious Eid al-Fitr; likewise, congratulations must be extended to all Muslim people, [because] success in fasting during the month of Ramadan and passing this divine test while holding one’s head high is a virtue and a cause of delight for human soul. May the Almighty, God willing, accept these acts of worship and this attention [to spiritualities] from you and bestow his special favor and regard upon you.
This year’s month of Ramadan, thank God, was a blessed month for our dear nation in the real sense of the word. What we saw up-close [was that] our people showed the signs of recourse [to spiritualities] and getting close [to God] in their behavior and the rituals that they held and in those groups, which did acts of worship and provided service [to worshippers]; [on the whole,] the atmosphere was a spiritual atmosphere, an atmosphere of getting close [to God], [and] an atmosphere of recourse [to spiritualities], and was the [true] atmosphere of the month of Ramadan in the real sense of the word.
First of all, this very fasting in these hot days and in the longest days of the year is, per se, a sign of spirituality, [and] a sign of spiritual elevation and this was evident [and] tangible in all parts of the country [and even] in those points, where the temperature was very high. Everybody knew [this and] everybody saw fasting youths, [and] fasting men and women.
The second [issue] was remarkable presence of you, young people, in this month’s religious ceremonies. In Tehran, as they have reported to me, hundreds of sincere [and] crowded gatherings were held day and night and most participants in these gatherings were young people; both gatherings related to [religious] teachings, and gatherings held for intimacy with the Quran. Apart from small gatherings, which for example, were held in some neighborhoods or mosques here and there, the number of big gatherings held in Tehran amounted to hundreds of gatherings; [people in other cities] also took part [in similar gatherings] with the same proportion all across the country.
Iftar feasts [which were organized] at mosques and on streets [were also eye-catching]. This custom that has been rife among people for a few years in which they organize small popular iftar feasts either at mosques, or in alleys and on streets, and give out iftar [food to people], is a very good habit and good tradition, which thank God, was observed in a tangible manner this year as well.
Helping release those prisoners, who were held [in jail] for unintentional crimes and needed financial assistance, and [undertaking] treatment costs [of needy patients were other striking points of this year’s Ramadan]. People did a lot of help, [and] these steps were taken. This month of Ramadan, through which people go with these characteristics, is the blessed month of Ramadan in the real sense of the word.
Now, [let’s talk about] the Qadr [Destiny] Nights. The Qadr Nights were really nights for recourse and supplication and seeking [divine] help by people. Tears that flooded [people’s] faces, whines that were given [by people], [and] hearts that were oriented toward the sacred divine being are [all] very important. It is these things, which invigorate spiritual stamina of a nation and help it on difficult paths.
Then, at the end of this month, [we witnessed] the [International] Quds Day demonstration with that grandeur, with that glory, in that hot weather, [and] during the longest days of the year, [in which] people poured into the streets, some of them even bringing their children, [and] staged demonstrations on streets. This huge move by people was really a big job, a job with trademark, and a historic job; these [developments] linger in history as honors for a nation, and I will later say a few words about this.
Dear brethren, [and] dear sisters! Whatever you earned in this month is a divine reserve for you; [in fact,] you have reserved it. Maintain these reserves, [and] maintain these reserves through persistence on [remaining in] this [spiritual] state. Do not miss recitation of the Quran, [and] certainly be careful about paying attention [to what you say] in [daily] prayers, [because] these are things, which must be maintained. This month, was [a month] for exercising austerity, [and] exercising attention to God. [Therefore,] make the most of this exercise, keep this [spiritual] reserve for yourself [and], God willing, you will be shrouded in the divine satisfaction and the divine mercy.
In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful
Say, "He is Allah, [who is] One; Allah, the Eternal Refuge. He neither begets nor is born, nor is there to Him any equivalent."


The second sermon

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

(Arabic prayer)


What I want to say in this sermon is a few words about domestic issues of the country, [and] a few words about general issues of the Islamic world.
But what I want to say about domestic issues [is this]. The dear nation of Iran [must] be proud, because they have done great things; [therefore,] be happy, raise hope in your hearts, [and know that] you have done great things.
During this very blessed months and a little before the blessed month [of Ramadan], first of all, you managed to show to the world those vibrant and magnificent elections. It was a big job, [and] was a huge job. Secondly, this very Quds Day demonstration is [also] a very great job. This powerful [missile] assault by the IRGC [Islamic Revolution Guards Corps] against enemies was a great job [as well].
Just as I said in the previous sermon, achievements – [including] our personal and spiritual and worship-related achievements – are [considered as] our spiritual reserves; these things [that I mentioned before] are our social reserves; these reserves must be also preserved. [The best way for] preservation of these reserves is that [all people that make up] the nation should maintain their unity, [and also] maintain their unanimity and assembly, maintain their revolutionary motivation, [and] maintain their movement in the direction of the goals and ideals of the revolution in their hearts as a sublime goal.
I hope that, God willing, the new administration will be established as soon as possible and start doing what is necessary to be done for the country as soon as possible. We have big works ahead of us, which must be done [by] the country’s officials through people’s help; [they include] the work for [boosting] the domestic production, [and] the work for creating jobs for young people, which is among our important problems and [this is why] I announced this year as the year of domestic production and job creation; these works, God willing, must be pursued with diligence.
Cultural works are among important works; we have a lot of cultural loopholes; [and] those places through which the enemy can infiltrate from a cultural viewpoint are numerous. Both state-run responsible organs and extensively huge popular organs are obligated to do this. “Fire at will” [which I mentioned in a previous speech] means doing spontaneous and clean cultural work. The meaning of what I said is that all through the country, young people and those who are given to ideas and thinking, [and] those who are perseverant, themselves on their own initiative, should take the work – [I mean] cultural works – ahead, know cultural loopholes and do something in their face. Fire at will should not be taken to mean lawlessness and cursing and giving excuse to thoughtless claimants and causing the revolutionary current of the country to be in debt [to those claimants]. Revolutionary forces must be more careful than others about [maintaining] order in the country, be careful about tranquility in the country, be careful not to allow enemies exploit the country’s conditions, and be careful to maintain laws. These sorts of care are, in the first place, a duty for revolutionary forces, who are concerned, are interested [in the revolution], and are willing for the country to move toward its goals.
As for the issues facing the Islamic world, I must say that many wounds have been inflicted on the body of the Islamic Ummah; the issues of Yemen are a big wound on the body of the Ummah; the issues of Bahrain likewise; [and] various issues that face the Islamic countries likewise. The Islamic world must outspokenly support the people of Yemen and announce its disavowal of those oppressors and tyrants, who carry out those kinds of attacks against this people in the day of the month of Ramadan [and] in the blessed month [of Ramadan], [and] support people [of Yemen]. [The Islamic world must support] the people of Bahrain and people of Kashmir as well. Our nation can provide the backbone for this huge movement of the Islamic world. Just in the same way that we clearly express our positions on friends, enemies, opposition and adversaries, [other people in] the Islamic world  – especially intellectuals, [and] especially the ulema in the Islamic world – must follow suit, take explicit positions and make the Almighty God satisfied with themselves, even if others and tyrants would become upset.
O Almighty God! [We swear you] by [Prophet] Mohammad and the Household of Mohammad to increase the achievements of the Islamic Ummah day by day. O Almighty God! [We swear you] by [Prophet] Mohammad and the Household of Mohammad to make us more familiar with our duties day by day.
In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful 
By time; indeed mankind is in loss; except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience.

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