The Message of the Leader of the Islamic Republicto the Hujaj

In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate

The season of Hajj is the time of spiritual rebirth and the dawn of monotheism across horizons over the world. Its rituals flow like a limpid river, offering chances to pilgrims to wash away the filth of sins and negligence and to once again restore the sheen of their God-like innate disposition.

The shedding of the attire of snobbery and privilege in the Hajj rendezvous and the subsequent wearing of the uniform garment of Ihram altogether symbolize a unanimous Islamic Ummah and decree a symbolic call of unity and empathy to Muslims worldwide.

The Hajj slogan is "Your God is One God, so to Him surrender. And give good tidings unto the humble." (The Hajj: 34) from one side and "the Holy Mosque that We have appointed equal unto men, alike him who cleaves to it and the tent-dweller" (The Hajj: 25) from the other. In doing so, the Ka’aba in addition to representing the word of monotheism, is also the manifestation of unity, brotherhood, and Islamic equality.

The Muslims who have converged on this holy place from the four corners of the world with an ardent desire for circumambulating around the Ka’aba and visiting the shrine of the Noble Messenger, (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his progeny), are expected to cherish the opportunity of consolidating their brotherly bonds as this would cure many of the pains of the Islamic Ummah.

Nowadays, we clearly see that the hands of the ill-wishers of the Islamic world are now busier than ever driving wedges among Muslims. This is happening while these days the Islamic Ummah needs integrity and unanimity more than ever before.

Today, the bloodstained paws of the enemies are busy creating tragic scenes here and there across the Islamic lands; Palestine languishes under the wicked grip of the Zionists and suffers from increasing tribulation. The Al-Aqsa Mosque faces a grave threat; the oppressed people of Gaza, having already been subject to an unprecedented genocide, still endure the hardest conditions ever; Afghanistan, under the boots of the occupiers, witnesses new sufferings on a daily basis; in Iraq, instability has robbed people of tranquility and ease; in Yemen, fratricide has caused the heart of the Islamic Ummah fresh grief.

Muslims worldwide, must think how and where these seditions, wars, blasts, assassination attempts and blind massacres which have gripped Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan are designed? Why was it that before the American-led Western troops arrived in this region in a bullying and possessory manner, the regional nations had never been subjected to such a litany of sufferings?

The occupiers, on the one hand, brand any popular resistance movements in Palestine, Lebanon or any other place as terrorist, and on the other hand, are organizing and masterminding violent sectarian and nationalist terrorism among the nations of this region.

The Middle East and the North Africa were once colonized and humiliated for more than a century by the Western governments of Britain, France and others and subsequently by America; their natural reserves were plundered, their free spirit was trodden upon and their nations were taken hostage by the greed of alien's aggressors.

Yet, after the Islamic awakening together with national resistance made it impossible for the international oppressors to continue in this fashion, and the issue of martyrdom and “ascension to Allah” and “in the way of Allah” reappeared as an unequaled motivator in the scene of Islamic jihad, the aggressors, having been pushed to a defensive position, resorted to duplicitous methods and replaced their old approach with neocolonialism.

However today, the multi-faced demon of colonialism has now brought all of its capacities to bring Islam to its knees from military might, the iron fist and flagrant occupation to a devilish chain of propaganda machines and a myriad of lie-spreading, rumor-mongering media, and from the organization of teams of merciless assassins and killers, to the promotion of promiscuity and the proliferation of narcotics targeting the will, morale and morality of the youth, and, finally, from all out political attack on all hubs of resistance to the provocation of nationalist snobbery, sectarian prejudice and enmity among brothers.

If affection, trust and empathy among Muslim nations and the Islamic sects take the place of mistrust and animosity, which the enemy desires, a large part of the conspiracy of the ill-wishers would be defeated in large parts, and their sinister plots in seeking increasing dominance over the Islamic Ummah would be foiled.

The Hajj is one of those precious opportunities for this sublime goal.

Muslims through cooperation with one another and reliance on their common foundations which are encapsulated in the Koran and the practice of the Messenger will find the strength to withstand the multi-faced demon and overcome it. Islamic Iran, by following lessons of the great Imam Khomeini, is a clear example of successful resistance. The enemies have been defeated in Islamic Iran.

Thirty years of plotting, conspiring and animosity, from attempting a coup and imposing of an eight-year war, to the imposing of sanctions and freezing of assets, from psychological warfare and media confrontation to making efforts to hinder scientific growth and the acquisition of modern sciences including nuclear expertise by the Iranian nation, and finally a blatant provocation and intervention during the recent glorious and meaningful elections, all turned into scenes of defeat and going on the defensive and on the part of the enemy, re-evoking a verse of the Koran in the Iranian mind: "Surely the guile of Satan is ever feeble" (The Women: 76).

In all other parts of the world, where people countered the arrogant powers through a faith-inspired resistance, the faithful achieved the victory while the tyrants eventually ended up in scandals and retreats. The shining victory of the Lebanese in the 33-day war and prideful and victorious jihad of the Gazans during the past three years stand as live evidence in this regard.

I emphatically recommend you prosperous pilgrims in general, especially the scholars and orators of the Islamic countries who have attended the Hajj gathering, as well as the leaders of Friday prayers of the two noble sanctuaries, to realize your immediate duty, and expose the conspiracy of the enemies of Islam in the eyes of your audience, call the people to affection and unity, strictly avoid anything which may provoke a sense of mistrust among the Muslims, and vent all your cries at the arrogant and the enemies of the Islamic Ummah and the masterminds of all seditions meaning the Zionists and Americans, and in doing so, help materialize the practice of renouncing of the infidels in word and in deed.

I humbly pray to Allah, the Most High, for His help and guidance and to grant me and you all success.

Wassalam-o Alaikum

Sayyed Ali Husseini Khamenei

November 21, 2009