Supreme Leader’s View of Islamic Awakening

Supreme Leader’s View of Islamic Awakening
19/05/2011

Part one: The Islamic system, the beacon of guidance for humanity

Islam, a great asset for the Islamic Ummah
Development of the Islamic Republic
The wave of Islamic Awakening

Part two: the meaning and the importance of Islamic Awakening

The meaning of Islamic Awakening
Islamic Awakening since the beginning until today
Restoration of the Islamic identity
The Importance of Islamic Awakening
Increasing tendency of nations towards Islam
The effect of the Islamic Revolution on the awakening of nations of the world

Part three: threats to Islamic Awakening

The opposition of the west to Islamic Awakening
Awakening, the element that overcomes the power of colonialism
The threats to Islamic Awakening
Lack of self-confidence among leaders of Islamic countries
The challenges and deviations of the Islamic Ummah
The psychological warfare of the arrogant powers against Islamic Awakening

Part four: duties of nations towards Islamic Awakening

The need to counter cultural and political plots of the west
The sense of responsibility towards Islamic Awakening
Return to Islamic principles
Hope and determination, a source of power for nations
Continuing Islamic Awakening until achieving the ideals
The need to establish a bond with the glorious past of the Islamic Ummah

Supreme Leader’s View of Islamic Awakening

Part one: The Islamic system, the beacon of guidance for humanity

Islam, a great asset for the Islamic Ummah

“Islamic practices and the clear teachings and the firm and comprehensive rules of Islam are a great asset for the Islamic Ummah. By presenting a deep insight into the world and the nature of man, by presenting pure monotheism and moral and spiritual guidelines, by presenting firm and comprehensive political and social rules and systems, by presenting religious practices and obligations, Islam calls on all human beings to cleanse their inner self of ugliness, weakness and corruption. It calls on all human beings to shine the light of faith, purity, transcendence, sincerity, love, hope and dynamism on their inner selves. It calls on human beings to cleanse their world of poverty, ignorance, oppression, discrimination, backwardness, stagnation, bullying, imposition, humiliation and stupidity.

By presenting an interpretation of life and existence and by showing the right path, Islam helps human beings to achieve true prosperity in life, and it shows the straight divine path to them. All Islamic ahkaam and orders, all the main guidelines of political, social and economic methods, all individual and social kinds of worship – these are all intertwined elements of this revitalizing prescription that will bring about happiness.”

Part of the Supreme Leader’s hajj message issued on March 19, 1999

Development of the Islamic Republic

“Ever since its establishment, the Islamic Republic has faced big global challenges. The reason was that wealthy and powerful people – who have always pursued their own interests – cannot tolerate the existence of a new power in the world. They cannot tolerate the establishment and development of a new power which acts against their illegitimate interests. This power was created in Iran after the victory of the Islamic Revolution and the establishment of the Islamic Republic. It was not the Islamic Republic that was most dangerous to the arrogant powers, rather it was the spread of Islamic Awakening in the world of Islam which was more important and dangerous to the arrogant powers. This is the kind of danger that still threatens the arrogant powers and provokes their hostility towards the world of Islam – especially the Islamic Republic, which is the pivot of the world of Islam.

Propagating pure Islam and religious thought led to the awakening of the world of Islam. The name and the essence of Islam already existed in an individual form in the world of Islam. But the Islamic perspective on the Islamic Ummah – as a great entity which had the potential to wake up and start a movement – emerged in Islamic Iran and spread to the entire world. This perspective on Islam and propagating this thought in the world of Islam led to the establishment of a government which has managed to extract freedom and democracy from Islamic concepts and teachings. And this is unprecedented in the world of Islam, at least in the past few centuries.”

Part of a speech delivered on September 10, 2003 in a meeting with members of the Assembly of Experts

The wave of Islamic Awakening

“With the decline of imported and controversial ideologies such as socialism and Marxism, and with the unveiling of the real nature of western liberal democracy as a system founded on hypocrisy and deceit, it has become clear that Islam is after justice and freedom. Islam has now become the main wish of prominent figures, scholars and those who seek justice and freedom. Many youth and liberated people in Islamic countries have turned to political, cultural and social jihad, aiming to promote Islamic justice. They are strengthening the determination to stand up against the hegemony of the arrogant powers. This wave of Islamic Awakening has spread to throughout the world of Islam, and Muslim people are seriously demanding that Islam should step into the arena of practice. Islamic Awakening has changed all political equations of the arrogant powers. On the other hand, the emergence of new Islamic approaches and ideas within the framework of Islamic principles in various political and scientific areas has proven the dynamism inherent in Islam, and it has created a vast arena for the intellectuals of the world of Islam.

Yesterday’s colonialists and today’s arrogant powers – which wanted to engage Muslim communities in a constant conflict between fanaticism and frustration on the one hand and lack of confidence on the other – are now faced with this courageous dynamism of Islamic thought.

These malevolent and frenetic reactions are the result of nervousness and fear rather than power and self-confidence. They can sense Islamic Awakening, and they feel that the spread of political Islam and Islamic rule can seriously jeopardize their interests. They are haunted by the thought that one day the entire Islamic Ummah will rise up in a unified fashion.

When such a day arrives, the Islamic Ummah – with its natural sources of wealth, with its great cultural and historical background, with its vast territories and with its huge population – will not allow the hegemonic powers, which have plundered its resources and trampled on its honor, to continue this aggression and transgression.”

Part of the Supreme Leader’s hajj message issued on January 28, 2004

Part two: the meaning and the importance of Islamic Awakening

The meaning of Islamic Awakening

“An Islamic movement or revolution is an uprising against values of jahaliyya and satanic governments which shackle human beings and cause oppression, corruption, social and racial discrimination, widespread corruption, oppression of the masses and other problems – governments which sacrifice everything for making more profits and preparing the ground for wealthy and powerful people to strengthen their oppressive rule. Therefore, an appropriate Islamic movement causes a confrontation between two value-systems. It causes a confrontation between two cultures: the culture of shackling human beings and the culture of liberating them. Therefore, any Islamic movement should be prepared to break the resistance of all powerful people in the world.

Today, after centuries of decline, stagnation and humiliation, Muslim nations from the four corners of the world of Islam have developed a tendency towards awakening and a divine uprising. And the aroma of freedom, independence and return to Islam and the Holy Quran has filled the general atmosphere in many Islamic countries. Therefore, today Muslims need to strengthen their bond with their brilliant past, with the era of divine uprisings and the Islamic battle of the early years of Islam. Islamic memories are like a cure for any wise Muslim living in Islamic territories, a cure which saves Muslims from weakness, humiliation, despair and pessimism. Islamic memories show the way to achieving the goals of Islam, the kind of goals which wise people have always strived for in their lifetime.”

Part of a speech delivered on August 15, 2004 in a meeting with officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and heads of Iran’s interests sections outside the country

“The occurrence of Islamic Awakening does not mean that all the nations and people that have contributed to this awakening have understood the intellectual bases of an Islamic system of government, rather it means that the sense of Islamic identity is prevalent everywhere among Muslim masses.”

Part of the Supreme Leader’s hajj message issued on June 16, 1991

Islamic Awakening since the beginning until today

“Freedom, equality of human beings, social justice, self-awareness of members of society, fighting deviation and ugliness, preferring human ideals to personal wishes, attention to God, remembrance of God, rejection of satanic domination and other social principles of the Islamic system coupled with morality, individual behavior and political and professional piety - these are all inspired by and born of that world view and that general interpretation of the world and man. Islam rejects systems which are based on coercion and bullying and systems which are born of oppression, ignorance, suppression, tyranny, humiliation of man and discrimination on the basis of race, nationality, blood and language. Islam vehemently fights with any system and person that is determined to fight the Islamic system. Except for such people and systems, Islam orders its followers to love and help all human beings - whether they are compatriots or not. It was on the basis of such goals and foundations that the Islamic Revolution took place in Iran and led to the establishment of the Islamic Republic.”

Part of a speech delivered on September 22, 1987 at the UN General Assembly

“Islamic countries have suffered irreparable loss during the past one hundred years. The wave of expansionism and colonialism by foreigners imposed the worst loss on Muslim nations. Muslim nations’ sources of wealth have made them a target for an all-out attack by colonial governments.

After the passage of many years, Muslim nations awakened. The wave of awakening among Muslims and the flags of liberation throughout the world of Islam created promising prospects for Muslim people. Finally the victory of Islam in Iran and the establishment of the Islamic Republic introduced the beginning of a new era for the world of Islam.”

Part of the Supreme Leader’s hajj message issued on February 7, 2003

“Today the wave of Islamic Awakening is an undeniable reality. Today Muslims feel that they can influence the world, the situation of human communities and the destiny of Muslims. When this feeling reaches a certain point among nations, it will manifest itself and turn into an external reality.”

Part of a speech delivered on March 18, 2002 in a meeting with government officials

“Today different human communities are suffering from lack of spirituality, confusion and great social and individual problems which have been caused by powerful and wealthy people of the world. They need Islam and its guidance and lessons. The Islamic call is attractive and promising for nations that are suffering from poverty and weakness. It is also equally attractive and promising for the people who are struggling in the quagmire of nihilism, confusion and spiritual poverty in wealthy and advanced countries. The increasing popularity of Islam among the youth and among those who are suffering from nihilism of the materialistic world in western countries is a testament to the influence and attraction of Islam.

By understanding and appreciating this great asset appropriately, Muslims of the world will be able to bring about a genuine change in their lives, and they will manage to save Islamic countries from the weakness, dependence, backwardness and corruption they are suffering from.”

Part of the Supreme Leader’s hajj message issued on March 19, 1999

“The next issue is the Islamic movements in certain Arab and African countries. One of the most promising events in the world of Islam is that the youth, intellectuals and ordinary citizens of a country demand practicing Islamic ahkaam and establishment of an Islamic government in their country. After the great Islamic Revolution in Iran and the establishment of the Islamic Republic, the camp of arrogance – headed by America – started to fear and our friends started to hope that the Islamic Revolution in Iran would be the beginning of Muslim victories in other parts of the world of Islam.”

Part of the Supreme Leader’s hajj message issued on June 16, 1991

“The recent events which have happened in the region – in Egypt, Tunisia, Libya and Bahrain – are extremely important. A fundamental change is taking place in this Islamic and Arab region. This is a sign of the awakening of the Islamic Ummah. The same thing which has been shouted as a slogan in the Islamic Republic for decades is revealing itself in the context of these countries.”

Part of a speech delivered on March 21, 2011 at Imam Ridha’s (a.s.) shrine in Mashhad

“These developments have two characteristics: one is the presence of the people, and the other is the religious orientation of these movements. These are two essential characteristics. The physical presence of the people is what happened in the Islamic Revolution. Parties, people who were living in their ivory towers and political analysts could not do anything. The art of our magnanimous Imam was that he managed to encourage the people to enter the arena. When the people entered the arena with their body and soul, insoluble problems were resolved and dead ends were eliminated. Today the same thing is happening in other countries. In Egypt and Tunisia it was the people who entered the arena, otherwise intellectuals and those who live in ivory towers were always there and they were talking all along. They often called on the people to protest, but nobody would listen to them. This time it was the people who entered the arena with a religious orientation. Friday prayers, congregational prayers, chanting the Name of God, religious scholars, promoters of religion, founders of new schools of religious thought in certain countries - these were the elements that encouraged the people to step in. This is a characteristic of these events. Why did the people step into the arena? Obviously their dignity was the factor that caused them to enter the arena. The oppressive rulers in Egypt, Tunisia and other countries had hurt the pride of the people.”

Part of a speech delivered on March 21, 2011 at Imam Ridha’s (a.s.) shrine in Mashhad

Restoration of the Islamic identity

“Today there are certain realities in the world which are undeniable. The first reality is the awakening of the world of Islam. Nobody can dispute this reality. Today Muslims throughout the world – whether they live in Islamic countries or in countries where they are in minority – are exhibiting a strong tendency towards Islam. They feel that their Islamic identity is being revived. Today the intellectuals of the world of Islam, who have become disappointed with socialism and western schools of thought, have developed a tendency towards Islam, and they are trying to find remedies for the afflictions of mankind in Islamic teachings. The current tendency towards Islam among members of the Islamic Ummah has been unprecedented for the past few centuries. Following the wide-spread political and cultural domination of Islamic countries by western and eastern blocs for several decades, Muslim youth are now turning to Islam and its teachings. This is a reality which is even acknowledged by westerners and the arrogant powers of the world. They have repeatedly said that if free elections are held in any Islamic country, those who are committed to Islam and seek to promote Islam will be elected by the people. This is why there is a contradiction in the western claims of support for democracy. On the one hand, they have raised the flag of democracy and are claiming to support democratic governments. On the other hand, they do not dare raise this flag of democracy in the world of Islam. This is because they know that Islamist elements will come to power in any Muslim country in which free elections are held.

The second reality is that the arrogant powers are the arch-enemies of this Islamic Awakening among Muslim nations and their pursuit of liberty. The reason is obvious: Islam is opposed to domination, to the dependence of Muslims on foreign powers and to scientific and technological backwardness, which has been imposed on Islamic countries for many years. Islam is opposed to blind imitation of other people. These Islamic teachings and principles run counter to colonial and hegemonic policies of western countries and the arrogant powers, the policies which have been imposed on the Muslim world over the past few centuries. Today these powers are trying to further their self-defined interests in this region. Islamic Awakening is exactly the opposite of their wishes. This is why they do everything in their power to oppose this Islamic Awakening and launch various political and propaganda campaigns against it.

The third reality, which is known by everybody but denied by many, is that this Islamic Awakening is not represented by those who are engaged in acts of terrorism in the world of Islam. Those who are committing crimes in Iraq, those who are acting against Muslims in the Muslim world in the name of Islam and those who consider causing discord among Muslims as their main responsibility– by resorting to Shia-Sunni differences and ethnic sentiments – are by no means the symbol of Islamic Awakening. Even the arrogant powers know this. Those who are trying to convince western nations that these reactionary and terrorist groups represent Islam know that the truth is something else. Islam is the religion of wisdom, contemplation and new ideas. It is the religion which has given rise to the present awakening of Muslim nations, the religion which has offered remedies for the afflictions of mankind, not the religion of prejudice and blind faith that has not heard of freedom of thought. The arrogant powers understand this.”

Part of a speech delivered on September 2, 2005 in a meeting with government officials on the occasion of Mab’ath

The Importance of Islamic Awakening

“Undoubtedly the world of arrogance consider the awakening of Muslims, Islamic unity and the progress of Islamic nations in the area of science, politics and innovation as the most serious obstacles to their global hegemony and domination, and they are fighting these things with all their power. Muslim nations have already experienced colonial and neocolonial eras. Considering the fact that we are now in an era of postmodern colonialism, we should learn from our previous experiences and not allow the enemies to dominate our fate once again for another long period of time.

The waves of Islamic Awakening are moving forward and motivating the youth, intellectuals and ordinary citizens in many Islamic countries, thanks to the self-sacrifice of devoted strivers and the valor and sincerity of Muslim leaders in various parts of the Islamic world. The treacherous face of the domineering powers has been exposed to many Muslim leaders and statesmen. In this situation the arrogant powers are once again after new plots to continue and consolidate their domination of the Muslim world.

One of the major goals is to suppress the waves of Islamic Awakening and to sideline Islamic values once again. All the political and propaganda tools of America and other hegemonic powers are being utilized to delay the wave of Islamic Awakening and to suppress it, if possible.

Today the world, especially the world of Islam, is going through a sensitive stage. On the one hand, the waves of Islamic Awakening are sweeping across the Muslim world. On the other hand, the treacherous faces of America and other arrogant powers, which were so far hidden behind a veil of deception and hypocrisy, have now been exposed. Moreover, the gaps of weakness and degeneration have appeared in the political and military ranks of the enemies. Today Iraq, Palestine and Lebanon have turned into exhibition halls displaying the weakness and helplessness of arrogant powers like America and the Zionists. America’s Middle East policy has faced a major obstacle in the preliminary steps, and the failure of this policy has backfired on those who had engineered it.”

Part of the Supreme Leader’s hajj message issued on January 9, 2006

Increasing tendency of nations towards Islam

“The fury of the arrogant powers, especially America, is because they see that Islamic Awakening is spreading throughout the world of Islam on a daily basis. They were hoping that over time the slogans shouted by the Islamic Republic would become less effective in the world. But they saw that this did not happen. They were hoping that after the demise of the Imam (r.a.) – who was the beacon of guidance for all enthusiastic people in the world – Islamic slogans would become ineffective and would be forgotten. But they saw that this did not happen.

This is why the enemies have been infuriated. They were hoping that this light would gradually go out inside the Islamic Republic, but it spread to the entire world on a daily basis. Today they see that the light of Islamic virtues, the light of jihad against satans and the Great Satan, the light of tendency towards Islamic and divine values is becoming more brilliant inside and outside the Islamic Republic on a daily basis.”

Part of the Supreme Leader’s hajj message issued on November 15, 2010

“The spread of the wave of Islamic Awakening in the modern world is a reality which promises a good future for the Islamic Ummah. Since three decades ago when this powerful movement started with the victory of the Islamic Revolution and the establishment of the Islamic Republic, our great Ummah has moved forward steadily, removed obstacles from its path and conquered certain strongholds. The increased complexity of the methods through which the arrogant powers show their enmity and the costly efforts that they make to oppose Islam are also due to these advances. The widespread propaganda of the enemy to promote fear of Islam, the hasty efforts that it makes to foment discord among Islamic sects and provoke sectarian prejudice, its efforts to make Shia and Sunni appear to be enemies of each other, fomenting discord among Muslim governments, making efforts to exacerbate disagreements and turn them into irremediable enmities and disputes, using intelligence and espionage organizations in order to promote corruption and prostitution among the youth – these are all frantic and confused reactions to the steady movement and firm progress of the Islamic Ummah towards awakening, dignity and liberation.”

Part of a speech delivered on March 1, 1990 in a meeting with members of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps on the occasion of Imam Hussein’s (a.s.) birthday anniversary

The effect of the Islamic Revolution on the awakening of nations of the world

“Thankfully Muslim communities have realized the importance of the Islamic Republic. Over the years many great authors and public speakers and many hearts have been attracted towards this direction. Islamic Awakening has already started, and Muslim communities have realized the importance of its potential. Of course the enemies of Islam have increased their hostility accordingly. They are constantly fomenting discord among Muslim nations in order to drag each group in a different direction by resorting to ethnic and national sentiments and prejudices. This shows that the enemy has realized that Islamic awareness and Islamic Awakening are proving effective in parts of the world which are populated by Muslims. And this is the truth. There is no doubt that this feeling will attract Muslim nations towards the Islamic system and the establishment of a unified Islamic Ummah. This is what will definitely happen. These enmities will prove ineffective. The power of Islam is far more than this. For example, in Islamic Iran, where nobody suspected such a movement would ever happen, the great power of Islam unified the people. It managed to make hearts get closer to one another. It managed to back up this movement with Islamic faith and established an Islamic system in Iran. This is something that has already happened.”

Part of a speech delivered on July 1, 1999 in a meeting with government officials on the occasion of the birthday anniversary of the Holy Prophet (s.w.a.) and Imam Sadiq (a.s.)

“The movement that was started by our magnanimous Imam (r.a.) made the east and the west extremely nervous. The events which are happening in different parts of the world are directly or indirectly related to our Revolution. The fact that in today’s world one pole of power has been eliminated from the political scene of the world, the fact that there is no such thing as ‘Eastern Bloc’, the fact that global equations governing the relations between superpowers and other countries of the world have been totally transformed – these are all due to the victory of Islam and the Islamic Revolution in Iran. These things are related to Islamic Awakening and the effect of revitalized religious faith on the conscience of people.”

Part of a speech delivered on February 21, 1990 in a meeting with the students and scholars of Qom Islamic Seminary and seminary schools of Tehran

“Through propaganda campaigns, the enemy is trying to scare you away from Islamic rule. Some naïve people may think that in order to avoid provoking America and other western powers, it is better to avoid mentioning ‘Islamic rule’ explicitly in public statements. My advice is that this approach goes against our interests and that it should be seriously avoided. The goal behind the establishment of the Islamic system and the rule of Islam and the Holy Quran must be frequently repeated in all conditions in an active and explicit way. Do not provoke the greed of the enemy by avoiding the holy name of Islam, and do not make this goal unclear.”

Part of the Supreme Leader’s hajj message issued on June 16, 1991

Part three: threats to Islamic Awakening

The opposition of the west to Islamic Awakening

“The other reality is that the western world has not managed to overcome Islamic Awakening in spite of all its power. In different areas which are populated by Muslims, they broadcast a lot of propaganda against Islam, the Islamic Republic, great Muslim leaders and reformers and Islamic ahkaam. They employed many mercenaries to insult Islam and level allegations against Islam and Islamic ahkaam. They used the military option. They used the economic option. They launched widespread propaganda on a surprisingly large scale. But they have not made any headway so far. The youth in Muslim countries have the strongest tendency towards Islam and Islamic thought. This enthusiasm is increasing in the hearts of Muslim nations on a daily basis.

The conclusion is that the world of Islam should appreciate the value of these realities. Today unity around the axis of Islam is the only way in which the world of Islam can protect the interests of Islamic nations. The only way in which the world of Islam can protect the interests of Muslim nations is to say ‘no’ to the colonial goals and greed of the enemies and the arrogant powers. The goal of the arrogant powers is to eliminate national and religious identity in the world of Islam, especially in the Middle East. Countering this goal is possible only through further unity, further solidarity, adhering to Islam, promoting Islam and standing up against the greed of America and other arrogant powers. Today America’s image has been tarnished in the entire world. With these actions, today the Americans are trampling on all their slogans. Today the pressure that the Americans are exerting on the Iraqi nation, the current insecurity they have caused in Iraq, the unconditional support they offer to the blood-thirsty Zionists, the tragedies they have caused in Afghanistan, the pressure they are exerting on Islamic countries – these factors have all created an ugly and hideous image of America in the world of Islam. Today the world of Islam must stand up against this greedy power. There is no other choice for the world of Islam.”

Part of a speech delivered on September 2, 2005 in a meeting with government officials on the occasion of Mab’ath

“Today global arrogance, the political bullies of the world and the empires of wealth and power across the world – which are submerged in corruption – are opposed to Islam and the Islamic Republic. This is because Islam and Islamic Awakening would expose their true nature and pose a threat to them.”

Part of a speech delivered on June 16, 1989 in a meeting with the Minister of Education and a group of teachers and students from Tehran

“The atrocities that the arrogant powers committed during the recent years in different parts of the world are a reaction to the awakening and courage of nations. When humiliated nations stand up and try to put an end to their humiliation, the powers that have humiliated them must be careful to protect themselves. These powers received a blow, and they will receive further blows in the future. In Islamic communities, the wave of turning to revolutionary Islam is a dynamic movement, and they cannot do anything to stop it. Of course they try to suppress such movements and treat their supporters violently. They level allegations against the activists. They label them as terrorists even if they are not at all related to the Islamic Republic, but they claim that these people are affiliated with the Islamic Republic in order to deal a blow to both sides. The enemy is doing these things, but there is one thing they cannot do: they cannot eliminate this widespread tendency towards revolutionary Islam among nations. They could not stop it, and they will not be able to so in the future either.”

Part of a speech delivered on November 4, 1989 in a meeting with families of the Sacred Defense war veterans and martyrs

“But the opposition of the arrogant powers to Islam is not limited to what they did to Iran, the people of Iran and the Islamic Republic, rather opposition to Islam was seriously pursued on a larger scale through political and propaganda campaigns as well as through cultural methods. The pressure that has been mounted on Muslim activists, freedom fighters, religious scholars and intellectuals in Islamic countries by the regimes which are dependent on America, the pressure that has been mounted on Muslim minorities in non-Islamic countries, the clear cases of a political battle against Islam, producing articles, books and insulting films against Islam and distributing them in Islamic and non-Islamic environments – these are clear cases of the cultural battle against Islam. Arrogant powers such as America, England and others are currently spending huge amounts of money on these hostilities and criminal activities. Unfortunately there are authors and artists who trade their intellectual and artistic products for material gains, and they start to serve the evil goals of powerful people by suppressing their artistic and literary conscience.”

Part of the Supreme Leader’s hajj message issued on July 5, 1989

Awakening, the element that overcomes the power of colonialism

“Today the awakening and determination of nations is the only thing that can overcome the wild spirit of colonialism. If a nation is vigilant, it knows its rights, it knows its enemy, it knows what the goal of the enemy is and it can stand up against that enemy. Then the power of the arrogant powers and America and all military equipment become ineffective. In such a situation the arrogant powers cannot do anything. This is the essential thing that the Islamic Revolution relied on since the beginning and the Islamic Republic built its firm foundations on it.”

Part of a speech delivered on July 30, 2003 in a meeting with a group of youth from the city of Ahwaz

The threats to Islamic Awakening

“Autocratic governments, colonialists and bullying governments which were opposed to Islam, humiliated Muslims and kept them backward for centuries. Now that Muslims are moving towards dignity and Islamic Awakening, the enemies will definitely lie in ambush along the way. It is necessary to watch them. I would like to mention one of these threats: discord among Muslims, among Muslim ethnicities and among Islamic denominations.

Is there anywhere in the world of Islam in which treacherous hands are not after fomenting discord? Is there anywhere in the world of Islam where evil minds serving the arrogant powers have not employed naïve and weak people to further their goals? Our goal and giant leap is to create unity among Muslim ethnicities, Islamic denominations and different groups of Muslim. There are some people whose responsibility is to foment discord in order to deal a blow to the movement which will bring about dignity for the world of Islam. Identify those people and counter them in a clever way. If Muslims remain vigilant and consider the glory of Islam as their own glory, then this movement will undoubtedly manage to reach its goals.”

Part of a speech delivered on June 5, 1991 in a meeting with foreign participants of the ceremony marking the 2nd demise anniversary of Imam Khomeini (r.a.)

Lack of self-confidence among leaders of Islamic countries

“Unfortunately most of the politicians in Islamic countries added their lack of self-confidence against foreign powers to their lack of gratitude for the great power of their nations. Instead of taking advantage of the great opportunity which the victory of the Islamic Revolution had provided for them and instead of revising their negative and shameful relations with America and Europe, they simplistically adopted a hostile position against our auspicious Revolution which had strongly attracted the hearts of nations. As a result, they sank deeper into the quagmire of opposing their own people and submission to the imposition and bullying of the satanic powers. They acted against the Quranic warning: ‘Those who take the unbelievers for guardians rather than believers. Do they seek glory from them? All glory belongs to God.’ [The Holy Quran, 4: 139] They tried to seek glory from America. The appropriate punishment for this misunderstanding and misdeed is to leave them alone to worry about the destiny of their government in a pathetic way and to clearly feel that America and other leaders of global arrogance will not be able to save them once they are in danger. They should be left alone to feel with their body and soul the falsity of the belief that America is able to do whatever it wants.”

Part of the Supreme Leader’s message issued on October 25, 1990 on the occasion of National Day of Fighting Global Arrogance

The challenges and deviations of the Islamic Ummah

“Today in almost every part of the world the arrogant powers are fighting a determined and conspiratorial battle against Islam and Muslims. This is the important point that all Muslims should know, and they should feel responsible to counter it. Although this battle is not new in its essence and although its signs have been completely identified in the history of European colonialism, one can say that the diversity and severity of the methods employed and the fact that it is no longer kept a secret are unprecedented in history. A brief look at the current situation of the world of Islam would reveal why the battle against Islam has grown more severe and why it is no longer a secret. The reason is nothing but the spread of the wave of Islamic Awakening. The truth is that Muslims have started a deep-rooted and genuine movement in the west and east of the world of Islam and even in non-Muslim countries, and it is appropriate to call this movement ‘revival of Islam’. Contrary to what yesterday’s colonialists and today’s arrogant powers expected, currently not only have the youth – who are highly educated and are aware of the latest developments –not forgotten Islam, but they have also turned to Islam for a solution with their enthusiastic religious faith which has grown even stronger than before due to the progress of human knowledge.

The establishment of the Islamic Republic in Iran and its increasing stability and power are the peak of this deep-rooted movement by the youth, and this has played the most important role in spreading Islamic Awakening. This is what has forced the camp of arrogance – which has always pretended to avoid fighting what nations believe in and hold sacred – to openly step in and make use of all the available methods, including the use of violence in some cases. One can find many leaders and politicians in America and in European countries who have openly declared that the spread of Islamic faith is a great threat and that it is necessary to fight it. The more Muslim youth have turned to Islamic faith and actions, the more explicit these statements have become, statements which are rooted in anxiety and hostility. And today the situation has become so bad that even the leaders and politicians of certain Islamic countries – who used to hide their enmity towards Islam under a veil of hypocrisy – follow in the footsteps of their American and European masters and openly speak about the threat caused by Islam in an explicit way. They consider the holy faith of the people they are ruling as a threat to themselves.”

Part of the Supreme Leader’s hajj message issued on May 18, 1993

The psychological warfare of the arrogant powers against Islamic Awakening

“Psychological warfare – including humiliation, promoting despair and showing off power and material comfort – is the most important weapon that is available to the arrogant enemies who know that the awakening of the Islamic Ummah is a threat to their illegitimate interests. Today thousands of propaganda tools are being employed in order to make Muslims disappointed in achieving a bright future and try to encourage them to accept the kind of future that is in line with their evil intentions. And such propaganda tools will be used for the same purpose in the future as well. Since the beginning of the era of colonialism, this psychological and cultural warfare has been the most effective tool used by the west to spread its hegemony over Islamic countries. The target of this poisonous arrow is primarily Muslim intellectuals and elites and then ordinary citizens. The only way to counter this plot is to turn one’s back on the domineering and imposed western culture. Western culture should be purified by Muslim elites and intellectuals. The useful elements should be adopted and the harmful, destructive and corrupt elements should be eliminated from the mind and behavior of Islamic communities. In the process of this great purification, the standard is Islamic culture and the rich and helpful ideas extracted from the Holy Quran and Sunnah. This is an essential chapter in the all-out and auspicious battle which should be fought by religious scholars and political intellectuals and elites across the world of Islam.”

Part of the Supreme Leader’s hajj message issued on March 2, 2001

“The US and other arrogant western powers have finally concluded that Muslim countries and nations, especially those of the Middle East, form the core of this awakening and resistance to their plans for global domination. If they fail to control or suppress this Islamic Awakening in the next few years through economic, political, propaganda and military tools, all their plans for an absolute global hegemony and control of the most vital oil and gas resources – which are essential for their industrial machinery and their material advantage over the rest of humanity – will be ruined. If that happens, big western and Zionist capitalists, who are the ones that control all the arrogant governments, will fall from the peak of their imposed power.”

Part of the Supreme Leader’s hajj message issued on January 18, 2005

“Unfortunately the Islamic Ummah has faced certain challenges and deviations over many centuries. We strayed away from Islam and got busy with things that Islam has prohibited. Over many centuries, we got busy with internal conflicts. Satanic powers kept us busy with these things. As a result, centuries after the introduction of Islam, Muslim nations could not accomplish the objectives that had been delineated by Islam and the Holy Prophet (s.w.a.). In spite of the fact that Allah the Exalted has bestowed many sources of wealth on Islamic countries, sources which could have been used to make progress, Muslims came to be among the most backward nations in the world in terms of knowledge, industry and many other indicators of progress. This was not what Islam had determined for us. This was the result of our bad actions and lack of vigilance. ‘Whatever misfortune befalls you, it is from yourself.’ [The Holy Quran, 4: 79] It was us who gave rise to this situation over time because of our lack of vigilance.”

Part of the Supreme Leader’s speech delivered on May 19, 2003 in a meeting with government officials

“The internal weaknesses of a society prepare the way for the aggression of the enemy of that society. But it is the enemy who imposes weaknesses on a healthy society through his tools and facilities. We should not make a mistake in this regard. The path of the Islamic society should remain the path of fighting arrogance and global hegemony, which are unfortunately pressuring the entire world of Islam in their clutches. They are opposed to Islam. They are opposed to the awakening of Muslims. They are opposed Islamic Iran because it is Islamic. All their efforts are focused on preventing the revival of the Islamic movement in the world. Of course this hostility is headed by the oppressive and belligerent US government, which is being supported by all the big and small powers that have long been hostile to Islam – powers whose interests are in conflict with Islam or powers that are afraid of Islam. And the reason why they are opposed to Islamic Iran is that Islamic Awakening started from Iran. Today Muslim nations across the world are encouraged by our movement and our successful Revolution, and they move forward with firm determination. If, God forbid, they manage to defeat Islam in Iran, they will achieve their biggest victory against the Islamic wave throughout the world.”

Part of a speech delivered on July 29, 1991 in a meeting with clerics and religious scholars

Part four: duties of nations towards Islamic Awakening

The need to counter cultural and political plots of the west

“For many years, the degenerate culture of the west has been wreaking havoc and promoting corruption in Islamic countries without facing any obstacles. Unfortunately corrupt and dependent governments did not manage to build a strong wall to counter the cultural and political plots of the enemies, and this is something that is expected from a righteous government. Therefore, the leaders of western countries continued their political hegemony and economic plundering and started to spread their degenerate and humiliating culture in Islamic countries, and nobody tried to stop them.

The arrogant powers falsely believe that they can deal a blow to us by imposing wars on us, broadcasting negative propaganda, imposing sanctions and leveling allegations against us. They are unaware of the fact that Islam and Islamic Awakening have shaken the foundations of their power. And with every passing day, the fearsome waves of Islamic Awakening will further shake the thrones of the pharaohs of the world.”

Part of a speech delivered on July 13, 1989 at a ceremony marking the 40th day of Imam Khomeini’s (r.a.) demise

The sense of responsibility towards Islamic Awakening

“Today the Islamic Ummah is experiencing these successes and failures. In the face of these realities, both Muslim governments and Muslim peoples have great responsibilities to fulfill, and the world of Islam is going through a sensitive stage of its history. Becoming familiar with these responsibilities and feeling responsible can turn the page of afflictions and weakness in the history of Islam and start another era of dignity and glory for Muslims and spiritual and material brilliance for the world of Islam. Today the western world, which has strengthened the weakness and backwardness of Islamic countries, has to deal with great and irremediable afflictions. Materialistic corruption and capitalism are gradually revealing their effect on the materialistic civilization of the west. The chronic maladies which were hiding under the dazzling brilliance of wealth and industrial progress are gradually revealing themselves and tell them that a crisis is around the corner. After many years of suffering, the world of Islam feels the soothing wind of Islamic Awakening. The world of Islam can see the signs of this wind across the world of Islam, especially in Iran, Palestine and Lebanon. The rays of hope have enlightened the hearts of the youth everywhere and put an end to the humiliation and domination of the west.”

Part of the Supreme Leader’s hajj message issued on March 2, 2001

“Today, more than ever before, the world of Islam is in need of solidarity, unity and adhering to the Holy Quran. On the one hand, the potential of the Islamic world for development and restoration of its dignity and power are more evident than ever before. Today the youth and prominent figures throughout the world of Islam aspire to restore the grandeur and glory of the Islamic Ummah. The hypocritical slogans of the imperialists have lost their charm and their foul intentions have gradually become exposed for the Islamic Ummah. On the other hand, the domineering powers which entertain hopes of global domination are alarmed by the awakening of the Islamic Ummah and its unity. They regard Islamic Awakening and Muslim unity as the obstacle in the way of their destructive plots, and they are trying to prevent them.”

Part of the Supreme Leader’s hajj message issued on January 18, 2005

Return to Islamic principles

“Today the situation of the world is very different compared to the past. Islamic Awakening is tangible across the world of Islam. A great movement, which is at different stages, has started in every part of the world of Islam. There is a tendency to return to Islamic principles, which are a source of dignity and progress. The intellectuals, religious scholars and politicians of the world of Islam should strengthen this movement. It is a mistake to think that the wave of Islamic Awakening among the youth of Islamic countries is harmful to Muslim governments. No, Muslim governments can use this Islamic Awakening to restore the dignity that the arrogant powers have taken away from them.”

Part of the Supreme Leader’s speech delivered on May 19, 2003 in a meeting with government officials

Hope and determination, a source of power for nations

“The world can see that since the victory of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, Muslim nations in every part of the world are confidently taking certain actions to restore their Islamic identity and culture. This is because the selfless battle of the Iranian nation has foiled the colonial and arrogant plot which says eastern and Muslim nations are not capable of forcing the US and European powers to retreat. The battle of the Iranian nation has shown the importance of genuine power. Faithful people of a country are the source of genuine power for that country, and no material power will be able to impose its will on such a country, no matter how powerful it is.”

Part of the Supreme Leader’s message issued on October 25, 1990 on the occasion of National Day of Fighting Global Arrogance

“It is a fact that the arrogant powers have used the new advances, TV and radio stations, the tools of propaganda, money and industrial facilities to increase their domination over nations of the world and their daily life. But divine rules have preordained that nations of the world should awaken, and we see today that nations of the world are awakening on a daily basis. This is because they are hopeful about the future. Hope is awakening nations. Undoubtedly the victory of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, the establishment of a government which was independent of the west and the east and promoting the policy of resistance against the arrogant powers have been the most important source of hope for nations of the world during the past ten years. These realities gave hope to the people of the world, especially Muslims. These realities awakened the people of the world. This had been preordained by God.”

Part of the Supreme Leader’s speech delivered on March 1

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