Leader: Inculcate the young generation with the beliefs of martyrs

Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, on Monday, January 13, granted audience in Tehran to officials of Commemoration Congress of the Martyrs of Bushehr Province, and called on them to promote in society the need to pursue the path and the beliefs of the martyrs in order to achieve success and salvation.

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution thanked Allah Almighty for His Favours and saluted the Master of Divine Messengers, Prophet Mohammad (blessings of God upon him and his progeny). He praised the Prophet’s Immaculate Household, the Ahl al-Bayt, and greeted the Lord of the Age, Imam Mahdi (AS) – God hasten his reappearance for establishment of the global government of peace, prosperity and justice.

He said, after having listened to speeches delivered by some of the prominent visitors: “As the gentlemen in the meeting pointed out – both the honourable Friday Prayer Leader of Bushehr city, and the respected Governor – Bushehr is full of military glories. As a sensitive area (with a long coastline of the Persian Gulf), Bushehr has for many years thwarted the threats of the enemies and the attempts of the (British) colonialists. When (in the first part of the 19^th century) Iranian forces were engaged in defending the eastern part of the country with the aim of recovering some of the lost territories (of Khorasan, such as Herat), the English sent a message saying that if the Iranians make military moves there, they would sent their forces to attack Bushehr. As a result, the Iranians had to abandon their campaign (of liberation in the east) only for the sake of defending Bushehr. This means that Bushehr has always been exposed to such invasions and it has always stood firm.

This was explained by the honourable Friday prayer – Hojjat al-Islam Gholam Ali Safai Bushehri - in a very good and comprehensive manner. I request that you publish what you said so that everyone will know about it, since you have you raised very good points.”

Ayatollah Khamenei said: “The leadership of Ulema in Bushehr is quite evident. The late Aqa Seyyed Abdullah Beladi was one of the most influential figures and after that we had the late Raees-Ali Delvari, whose status is clear. The same is true of the other dear martyrs of that area. Regarding Martyr Nader Mahdavi, whose name was brought up by you several times, one of our friends who is well-informed about such matters said once that if he had been from among the communists, they would make out of him a Che Guevara. In other words, they would have introduced him as an international revolutionary figure. That young man was such a personality: His presence in the Persian Gulf, his fight against the Americans’ (naval forces in 1987), and subsequently his capture, torture and martyrdom. There are such personalities in Bushehr.

“Another figure is Martyr Abu Torab Ashuri. He was martyred during his revolutionary activities (against the Pahlavi regime). This signifies that the fight in that area was so heated and enthusiastic that a respected religious scholar such as Abu Torab Ashuri would be martyred during his endeavours. These are good signs. These things are indicative of the depth in understanding revolutionary concepts and Islamic Jihad in that area. In other words, it is evident that the concepts of jihad, struggle, defending Islam and the country and other such concepts do not exist in that area only as a result of temporary and transient feelings. On the contrary, it is evident that these concepts are deep rooted in Bushehr as these have been repeated by successive generations and have been carried out by outstanding and great personalities.

“I have written down the names of two, three martyrs here, such as Martyr Sadeq Ganji (the Iranian Consul-General in Pakistan), who was martyred in Lahore. He was a really outstanding personality. This shows that there were such personalities in cultural, military and various other environments (from Bushehr). Well, they are valuable assets.”

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution further said: “The tasks that were mentioned – such as building statues and busts and holding commemoration congresses – are good tasks, but what I want to recommend is that you should do something to eternalize the memory of such martyrs and personalities in the minds of new generations.

“For example, in the present time, what percentage of our young generation knows Raees-Ali Delvari, who was such a great and outstanding personality? What percentage of youth has heard his name? Is it not important for us to know such a revolutionary and mujahid personality and such a defender of the country who fought hard despite those difficult conditions and despite the modest means that he and his friends had, but who frustrated the enemy in that valorous manner? Raees-Ali Delvari really frustrated the English until he was finally martyred with the treacherous actions of some insiders.

“Does he not deserve to be recognized by everyone everywhere in the country as soon as his name is mentioned? But this is not the case. All youth know the name of such and such a foreign football player, but unfortunately they do not know Raees-Ali Delvari and they have not heard his name at all. They know nothing about him. We should do something to revive these names because they are role models.

“For example, their photos, their characteristics and their names could be published on the cover of school books, in school materials and in the notebooks of schoolchildren. Of course, this task is not particular to you, but you can do it as well. Promotional organizations throughout the country – in particular in sensitive and important centers – should endeavor to expand and deepen this jihadi thought by highlighting great jihadi personalities. Therefore, the task in hand is very important.”

Ayatollah Khamenei continued: “We should make the people feel that pursuing the path of the martyr is the way to salvation, as is really the case. If a country which has oil, mines, various resources, a sensitive geographical location and climatic diversity – such as our country with an 80 million population that is exposed to the greed of powers – fails to defend itself, to engage in jihad, to show its various capabilities and to manage itself, then its dignity and reputation will be trampled upon. We should be able to expand this spirit everywhere in the country so that the people will stand firm. In the present time, the Iranian nation has fortunately stood firm thanks to the Revolution, but we should institutionalize these concepts for future generations so that the path of jihad, of resistance and of steadfastness will be the definite path of successive generations.

“As we say in Sura al-Hamd of the holy Qur’an, which we recite every day (in the ritual prayers), “Guide us on the straight path, the path of those whom You have blessed”.

“The phrase “whom You have blessed” also refers to the martyrs. One of the clearest manifestations of martyrs is Ayah 69 of Surah Nisa’, which says: “Whoever obeys Allah and the Prophet —they are with those whom Allah has blessed, including the prophets and the truthful, the martyrs and the righteous, and excellent companions are they!”

“Martyrs are thus among those whom God has blessed.

Ayatollah Khamenei said: “Of course, there are two groups of people on whom God bestowed His Grace; one are the faithful and steadfast believers who never wavered from the right path, and the second are those who showed ingratitude to God despite His favours, such as the ancient Israelites, who were ungrateful and consequently deserving of Divine Wrath as Ayah 6 of Surah Fath, says: “Allah is wrathful with them and He has cursed them…”

Thus the first group on whom God has bestowed His Grace, and who neither went astray nor were thankless, are our martyrs. They left this world in the state of martyrdom. Therefore, we should pursue their beliefs and learn and benefit from them. We should also teach this to all generations.

“I hope that you will be successful. You should organize the meetings in a good way. I hope that it will prove to be a starting point for movement. Convey our greetings to the people of Bushehr, especially during the Friday prayers; Insha Allah (God Willing).”

AS/ME