Pars Today

Welcome to the program. Real freedom is the topic of this episode.

Freedom is the very thing that is sought naturally by every human being. No human being likes to be chained or be in confinement. Nevertheless, the meaning of freedom in the west differs very much from its real sense. The United States is the arch enemy of freedom in the world although it has erected a very huge statue called “Statue of Liberty”. It is the main torturer of black people and people of colour in the world and, as per the western experts, it has the darkest and most notorious record of crimes and wars in the world. It is no more hidden from the world people that the motto of human rights, freedom and democracy by the US is all but a mask to cover its warmongering and bloodthirsty face across the world. Ayatollah Khamenei says in this regard, “The recent expeditions of recent years to the Islamic world with countless victims are another example of the contradictory logic of the west. The assaulted countries, in addition to human afflictions, have lost their economic and industrial infrastructures and retrogressed. Yet, they are shamelessly asked not to call themselves as oppressed. How can a country be ruined and its city and village be changed into ashes and then say to them please don’t consider yourselves as oppressed?”

Leader of the Islamic Revolution describes Islam as the call which invites human beings toward awakening and enlightenment. He states, “Islam came for the freedom of man; both freedom from the yoke of the despotic and oppressive systems over various human classes and creation of the just government for mankind and freedom from the thoughts, imaginations and illusions ruling over human life which had opened and pushing forward the course of man’s life in the direction of inexpediency. Looking at the history shows that the two famous civilizations of that time, namely Iranian Sassanid civilization and Roman Empire’s civilization, were in a state that one feels pity for the condition of the masses of people and different strata of men living in those societies. Their living condition was pitiable. They were in captivity. Islam came and liberated human beings. This freedom first appears in the heart and spirit of man and once man feels this freedom and the need for breaking the shackles his forces will be affected by this feeling and if he makes effort and moves freedom will be substantially materialized for him. Islam has done this for humans. Today, too, there is the same message in the world and in the Islamic world.”

Another issue concerning the topic of freedom in Islam is that this heavenly religion doesn’t want freedom merely for the individual but for everybody under oppression. It means that it is an obligation for every Muslim to think of liberating the oppressed and downtrodden from the yoke of the oppressors no matter the oppressed are Muslims or non-Muslims.

The firm and unflinching stance of the Islamic Republic vis-à-vis the issue of Palestine and supporting the defenceless people of Palestine can be assessed only in this framework. Ayatollah Khamenei says, “The oppressed people of Palestine have experienced the worst kind of terrorism for the last sixty years. If the people of Europe have now taken refuge at their homes for a few days and refrain from being present in busy places- it is decades that a Palestinian family is not secure even at its own home from the Zionist regime’s death and destruction machinery. What kind of atrocious violence today is comparable to that of the settlement constructions of the Zionists regime?

This regime- without ever being seriously and significantly censured by its influential allies or even by the so-called independent international organizations- everyday demolishes the homes of Palestinians and destroys their orchards and farms. This is done without even giving them time to gather their belongings or agricultural products and usually it is done in front of the terrified and tear-filled eyes of women and children who witness the brutal beatings of their family members who in some cases are being dragged away to gruesome torture chambers. In today’s world, do we know of any other violence on this scale and scope and for such an extended period of time?”

Waiting for the Savior in the Islamic culture stems from freedom-seeking for the whole humanity. The lofty view of Islam pursues freedom for everyone irrespective of being white or black, Muslim or non-Muslim. But the view of the West limits freedom only for the individual. Violation of the rights of women in the west is an outcome of pleasure-seeking which is propagated under the guise of freedom. The Leader of the Islamic Revolution elaborates on this, “The name of freedom for what is directed in the west toward women is a false name. This is not freedom. Those who totally destroyed the borders of two sexes and promoted sexual freedom in practice, in propaganda and even in philosophy should respond. The result is that, according to the natural aggressiveness and strength of man against woman, woman is oppressed and wronged. Woman turns into a tool for selling their goods like a commodity and merchandise! Look at the western magazines. They show the naked body of a woman to sell an item! Is there an insult to a woman worse than this? They must answer. Hijab is dignifying the one who is inside it. Hijab is dignifying woman.”

Elsewhere in his remarks, the Leader notes, “Today, what is raised in the west as ‘freedom of women’ and the false concept existing about woman in the works of western culture and literature, was unprecedented throughout the history. In the past, too, woman was oppressed everywhere but this public, widespread and all-out oppression specially belongs to the recent period and stems from the western civilization. They have introduced woman as a means of pleasure for men and name it ‘freedom of women’! Whereas it is in fact the freedom of lecherous men to take delight in women and not freedom of women. Not only in the field of industrial work and activity and the like, but also in the domain of art and literature they oppressed woman. Today, look at the stories, novels, paintings; at any artistic work that you look see how they consider woman? Are there the positive aspects and lofty values existing in woman? Have the delicate emotions, the kindness and the characteristic of affection which Almighty God has bestowed upon woman, the characteristic of motherhood, child protection and training been paid attention to or the carnal aspects?”

According to the lofty view of Islam promotion of sexual freedom is indeed captivation of the spirit. The US regime seeks to busy the youth by excessive sexual freedoms so that they do not find the opportunity to follow up the crimes of the American statesmen across the globe and even inside the country. That’s why Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, in his letter to the western youths, called on them to know Islam via authentic sources, saying, “Receive knowledge of Islam from its primary and original sources. Gain information about Islam through the Qur’an and the life of its great Prophet. I would like to ask you whether you have directly read the Qur’an of the Muslims. Have you studied the teachings of the Prophet of Islam and his humane, ethical doctrines? Have you ever received the message of Islam from any sources other than the media? Have you ever asked yourself how and on the basis of which values has Islam established the greatest scientific and intellectual civilization of the world and raised the most distinguished scientists and intellectuals throughout several centuries? I would like you not to allow the derogatory and offensive image-buildings to create an emotional gulf between you and the reality, taking away the possibility of an impartial judgment from you. Today, the communication media have removed the geographical borders. Hence, don’t allow them to besiege you within fabricated and mental borders. Although no one can individually fill the created gaps, each one of you can construct a bridge of thought and fairness over the gaps to illuminate yourself and your surrounding environment.”

RM/SS