A group of officials and ambassadors from Islamic countries had a meeting with Ayatollah Khamenei in Tehran on Thursday, on the anniversary of Eid al-Mab'ath, the day on which Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was appointed to prophethood.
In remarks at the meeting, the Leader pointed to the tragic incidents in Gaza and the continuing crimes of the Zionist regime, saying, “The tragedy of Gaza is the tragedy of humanity and it proves that the current world order is completely wrong, and that it will not last and will be destroyed".
Ayatollah Khamenei also congratulated the nation of Iran and all Muslims on the occasion of Eid al-Mab’ath, and called it the most auspicious and greatest event in the history of mankind.
"With the appointment of the great Prophet to prophethood, a complete, final and permanent version of the worldly and hereafter happiness of mankind was presented," he said, Khamenei.ir reported.
The Leader described the Bi’tha (the appointment of Prophet Muhammad to prophethood) as an extraordinary event which took place right in the middle of the dark era filled with crookedness and deviation and when signs of deviation and collapse were becoming visible in great civilizations of the time.
“The event of Bi’tha (means) opening the way for communication of the mankind that is besieged in a narrow material framework toward the world of the Unseen and Divine, that is, faith and then tazkiya (purification of the soul) of mankind, which in turn means elevating and raising him through removing the defects, obscenities, evils and falsehoods,” the Leader stated.
Ayatollah Khamenei called tazkiya a comprehensive effort to reform the affairs of the individual and society in all political, economic and social dimensions and to negate all kinds of injustice and social class gaps.
"Tazkiya provides the basis for the education of the individual and society by enriching the society in terms of knowledge and spirituality, (so that) a person on a par with Islam is shaped."
Referring to the verses of the Holy Quran, he described the Bi’tha and invitation of the Holy Prophet to Islam as a current and permanent thing for all times. Even now, he continued on, "The Holy Prophet (PBUH) is teaching and doing tazkiya, that is, as he called people to stay away from idols that day, there is the same advice and invitation today."
The Leader stated that the initial stage in responding to the call of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) involves confronting one's ego and overcoming the temptations of worldly desires. "When some people say that in order to reform the world, you must first reform and rectify yourself and your society, it is true. This is due to the fact that presenting a reformed example to the world will inspire others to follow suit," he said.
Ayatollah Khamenei attributed the realization of the Islamic Revolution to the people's response to the message and invitation of the magnanimous Imam Khomeini. "After that, our people continued to move on the right path with God's grace. As long as we respond to the call of the Prophet (PBUH), we can ensure ongoing growth and progress, not only in spiritual and afterlife terms, but also in leading a fulfilling life in this world and the Hereafter."
The Leader pointed to the prevalence of oppression and injustice in the modern world, underlining that resolving such a situation and improving global welfare necessitates responding to the call of the Prophet (PBUH) and making use of edification and prophetic teachings. "We have a duty to improve ourselves and to govern the country based on the model of Islam. We have achieved successes in this field, which have had a global impact, and of course we have also experienced some shortcomings," he added.
Elsewhere in his speech, the Leader addressed the ongoing tragedy in Gaza, describing it as not only a tragedy for the Islamic world but also for all of humanity. He argued that this situation proves the ultimate failure of the current global order. "Today, the US, England and many European countries and their followers are behind the criminal and blood-stained hands of the Zionist regime. This complicity signifies the false nature and fragility of the existing world order, which will (ultimately) be destroyed."
The Leader deemed the bombing of the hospital and the killing of nearly 30,000 people in Gaza as a stain on Western culture and civilization. He stated that America's funds, weapons, and political aid were the driving forces behind these atrocities. "Even the Zionists themselves admitted they could not continue the war for a single day without US weapons and hence, the Americans are also guilty and responsible for this tragic incident."
Ayatollah Khamenei suggested that the resolution to the Gaza crisis lies in the world powers and pro-Western powers stepping back from the issue. He emphasized that Palestinian fighters have demonstrated their ability to handle the situation without major setbacks so far.
The Leader emphasized that the governments have a duty to cut off political aid, propaganda, weapons and consumer goods to the Zionist regime. He pointed out that it is the duty of the nations to pressure the governments to perform this important duty.
At the beginning of the meeting, President Ebrahim Raisi said in his address that Bi’tha is the greatest manifestation of God’s greatest blessing, namely the blessing of guidance. He said the Holy Prophet’s invitation to monotheism came along with his call to think, seek justice and pursue divine values.
Pointing to the concurrence of the Ten-Day Dawn (Daheye Fajr) with Eid al-Mab’ath, he said, "Answering Imam Khomeini’s call to serve the Almighty God and fight against poverty, corruption and discrimination on the part of the Iranian people is a manifestation of answering the message of the Prophet’s Bi’tha."
The president also noted that the genocide and child-killing in Gaza refutes all human rights advocacy claims of the Western powers and is a clear sign of the inefficiency of international organizations, adding, "We are sure that the blood of the martyrs of Gaza and Palestine will mark the end of the Zionist regime and the current unjust order."
Raisi also said his administration’s domestic policies are in the direction of promoting justice, compensating for some areas where the country lags behind and improving the economic situation.
"The only solution to the problems is to rely on the domestic determination," he said. "The administration does not look at the hands of foreigners to resolve the country’s problems," he added.
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