Imam Khamenei’s annual message to the Hujjaj

Crescent International

Muharram 13, 1428 2007-02-01

Features

by Crescent International (Features, Crescent International Vol. 35, No. 12, Muharram, 1428)

Once again the Hajj season is back with its spiritual tidings, and again it presents a precious opportunity to the Islamic world. While many eager hearts are attracted from all over the world to attend this annual congregation, there are only a fortunate few who actually realize their dream. This is the reason for the perpetuity of this flowing spring.

The annual congress at the House of the beloved reconnects the hearts with the Qibla of creation, and the friends who have been detached from one another find an opportunity for the meeting of hearts. The Hajj also brings elation and jubilation to the body, spirituality and politics of the Muslim Ummah.

Freedom from material contaminations and remembrance of Allah in all our deeds and in all places, although for a few days, is a great benefit for Hajj pilgrims. The acts of worship and rituals of Hajj are for the purpose of providing an opportunity to gain a spiritual experience and sense this joyous experience with our souls.

In the area of politics, the cardinal purpose of Hajj is to show the united identity of the Muslim Ummah. Detachment and separation among brothers will open the door to those who bear malice toward us and will serve as a breeding ground for the seeds of division among Muslims.

In the area of politics, the cardinal purpose of Hajj is to show the united identity of the Muslim Ummah. Detachment and separation among brothers will open the door to those who bear malice toward us and will serve as a breeding ground for the seeds of division among Muslims.

The Muslim Ummah embraces various cultures, races and followers of different sects in Islam. This diversity and the vast geographical stretch of the Ummah in a sensitive and important part of the planet Earth can be a source of strength. Our diversity has enriched and enhanced the Ummah’s common heritage, culture, history and their effectiveness in the vast part of the globe, and has enabled them to utilize all forms of talents and human and natural potentials.

From the very first days of their entry into the Islamic countries the Western colonialist powers have taken account of this diversity and have consistently attempted to arouse divisive sentiments. The colonialist politicians know well that if a united Islamic identity is formed, the door will be closed to their political and economic domination. Therefore, they have planted seeds of division and discord. To succeed in carrying out this nefarious policy and to advance their goal of domination over Muslim countries, they have taken advantage of the unawareness of the populace and weakness of the political and cultural leaders in Muslim countries.

Suppression of liberation movements in Muslim countries over the past century, the success of colonialist powers in consolidating their domination over these countries, creation or strengthening of authoritarian regimes, plundering of their natural wealth and destruction of their human resources and consequently keeping Muslim peoples behind the caravan of progress in science and technology, have all been made possible by the disunity that in some cases has reached the levels of internecine and fratricidal conflicts.

With the commencement of Islamic awakening, which reached its peak with the emergence of the Islamic State in Iran, the Western camp faced a formidable threat. The failure of political schools of thoughts of East and West, the recognition of the falsehood and the collapse of the values that were represented by the colonialists as the only road to humanity’s happiness, helped self-awareness among Muslim masses to take root, and successive defeats of the arrogant powers in covering and extinguishing this divine radiance have raised hope in the hearts of Muslim peoples.

A glance at today’s Palestine, which has a government that has come to power committed to the unchangeable principle of “liberation from Zionist occupation”, and comparison of the present situation with the seclusion, isolation and weakness of Palestinian people in the past; a glance at Lebanon, where Muslims put their lives on the line to defeat the well-equipped Israeli army despite the help that it receives from the US, the West and other powers, and its comparison with the Lebanon that thezionists could easily encroach upon without any real obstacles; a glance at Iraq, whose proud people have humiliated pompous America, and bogged down the army and politicians that boasted of having a free hand in Iraq, in a quagmire of political, military and economic problems, and its comparison with Ba’athist Iraq, whose bloodthirsty leader brutalised its people with the encouragement of the US; a glance at today’s Afghanistan, where all the promises of the US and the West have turned out to be lies and the unprecedented military expedition of the united front of Western countries have produced nothing except destruction, poverty, and the growing power of the narcotics mafia; and finally a glance at the youthful populations of the Muslim countries and the generation with growing tendency toward Islamic values and the rising sentiments against the US and the West: looking at all these developments provides us with a clear and true picture of the falling fortunes and the failed policies of the arrogant powers, especially the US, and augurs well for the emergence of a united Muslim Ummah with a strong sense of its Islamic identity,insha’Allah.

The American government, the domineering capitalism of the West and the Zionist lobbyists have begun to sense the living truth of the Muslim awakening, and having admitted that their military might is useless against this truth they are turning all their power to political ploys and tactics.

The entire Muslim Ummah, whether the political, cultural and religious elite, or the masses of ordinary people, must remain more vigilant than ever before, and try to identify and foil the conniving schemes of the enemy. One of the most effective schemes of the enemy is to incite the flames of discord and division. By spending money and rushing to put to use whatever they have in their power, they try to keep Muslims engaged in feuding and quarrelling over their differences, and once again to set us against one another by exploiting our negligence, narrow-mindedness and prejudices.

Today any divisive action in the Muslim world is a sin. Those who maliciously use takfir to declare large groups of Muslims as unbelievers, those who insult the sanctities of various schools of Islam, those who betray the Lebanese youth who are a source of honour for the Muslim Ummah, those who speak of the fabricated threat of a “Shi’ite crescent” in order to please the Americans and the zionists, those who incite fratricidal hostilities and lawlessness in Iraq to defeat its Islamic and popular government, and those who put pressure on the elected Hamas government in Palestine, whether intentionally or unintentionally, will be regarded as criminals, and detested by history and our descendants as mercenaries of the enemy.

Muslims all over the world must know that the era of humiliation and backwardness of the Muslim world can come to an end. We are all witnessing the birth of a new era. The flawed frame of mind that Muslim countries will remain enthralled in the cultural and political claws of the West, and will continue to emulate them in their individual and collective behaviours, can be eradicated from the minds of the Muslim peoples by the hands of the Westerners themselves, as the result of their excessive arrogance and conceit.

The agenda of the West, especially after being led by the US in its flagrant acts of oppression and endlessly arrogant and illogical behaviour, is now clearly seen as an anti-value in the Muslim world. Their treatment of the Palestinian people compared to their treatment of Israel; their position with respect to the admission of the Zionist regime on possession of nuclear weapons in contrast to their position on civilian use of nuclear energy by Iran, their support for military aggression against Lebanon and their defense for the aggressor, their hostility toward the defenders of Lebanon, who were prepared to sacrifice their lives; the relentless blackmail of western governments and their constant surrender to the demands of Israel; the insults of Islam and even open defamation by high-ranking authorities in the West, including the Pope, while making any inquiry into the Holocaust or the formation of Israel a punishable offence; military attacks against Iraq and Afghanistan and killing of civilians under the name of democracy, while conspiring against democratic governments in Palestine, Iraq and in Latin America and in fact anywhere that their stooges do not come to power; the war on terror while clandestinely talking with and supporting terrorists in Iraq: these malicious behaviours have provided clear proof of Western duplicity to Muslim peoples and have helped strengthen the Islamic awakening. Whether they like it or not, today a profound and deep-rooted movement has begun in the Muslim world. This movement will eventually lead to the independence, dignity and rejuvenation of the Muslim Ummah, insha’Allah.

This is a decisive juncture in history. The elites and the intellectuals have a huge responsibility on their shoulders. Any weakness, wavering, misguided actions and negligence on their part will lead to disaster. The ‘ulama should not remain silent in the face of divisive actions, the intellectuals should not shirk their responsibility to impart the spirit of hope to our youth, and politicians and leaders should not distance themselves from the people. And the Muslim governments should strengthen their ranks and solidarity and use the power of the people to overcome the threats of the domineering powers.

Today the intelligence services of the US and its allies are spreading the virus of religious division and discord. The congregation of Hajj can keep us immune from this deadly virus and place this sacred verse of the Qur’an in our full view: “And obey Allah and His Apostle and do not quarrel for then you will be weak in hearts and your power will depart, and be patient; surely Allah is with the patient.” (Q. 8: 46)

Today distancing ourselves from the mushrikeen is the heartfelt desire of all Muslim peoples. The season of Hajj is the only opportunity when this desire can be expressed with full force.

Let us seize this opportunity to pray for Allah’s grace and favour on all the Hajj pilgrims, and pray for the earliest coming of the Promised Mahdi (as). Cleanse yourselves in this vast ocean. I pray for your success and happiness and for the acceptance of your Hajj.

Sayyid Ali Khamenei
3rd of Dhulhajja 1427
3rd of Dey 1385