AL-QUDS DAY 2020 (Full Text)

 In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds, and His peace and greetings be upon Muhammad, upon his pure Household, upon his chosen companions and upon those who follow them until the Day of Judgment.

I extend my greetings to all the Muslim brothers and sisters throughout the world and I congratulate them in advance on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr. I also pray to Allah to accept their worship acts and servitude in this Holy Month of Ramadhan, and I thank the Benevolent Creator for the blessing of being present in this month of this divine banquet. 

Today is Quds Day, a day created – thanks to Imam Khomeini’s intelligent initiative – to unite Muslims on the issue of Holy Quds and in support of the oppressed people of Palestine. It has played an important role in this regard for several decades now, and Allah willing, it will continue to do so in the future as well. Nations welcomed Quds Day and considered it to be a religious obligation to hold up the flag for Palestine’s liberation. The main policy of the Arrogant Powers and Zionism is to push aside the issue of Palestine in the minds of Muslim communities and to cause it to fade into oblivion. 

The most urgent responsibility in this regard is fighting this treachery, which is conducted by the enemy’s political and cultural mercenaries in Islamic countries. The truth is that an issue as important as Palestine is not something that the pride, self-esteem and increasing intelligence of Muslim nations will allow to sink into oblivion, even if the Americans, other domineering powers and their regional minions use all their money and power to achieve this goal.

First, I would like to highlight the magnitude of the tragedy of the occupation of Palestine and the formation of the Zionist cancerous tumor in that country. Among crimes against humanity in recent times, there is no crime that equals this crime in terms of scope and gravity. Occupying a country, permanently driving its people out from their homes and their fatherland, and continuing this historical oppression for decades using the most horrifying forms of murder, crime, destruction of farmlands, and genocide – this is indeed a new record in brutality and wickedness. 

The main agents and criminals behind this tragedy are the western governments and their satanic policies. The day when the governments who had won the war in the First World War were carving up West Asia – namely, the Asian territories of the Ottoman Empire – among themselves at the Paris Conference as spoils of war, they felt the need for a safe stronghold in the heart of this region more than ever in order to guarantee their permanent hegemony. Years earlier, through the Balfour Declaration and conspiring together with Jewish plutocrats, the British had prepared the ground for the innovation of Zionism to carry out this role. And now the practical groundwork was in place. During those early years, they gradually prepared the preliminaries, and finally, after the Second World War, they used the opportunity created by the negligence and problems of the regional countries and dealt their blow. They announced the creation of the bogus regime, the nationless Zionist state. 

The primary target of this blow was the Palestinian nation and secondarily all the other nations in the region. A look at the events that followed in the region shows that the main, short-term goal that westerners and Jewish company owners pursued by creating the Zionist regime was to build a stronghold for their permanent presence and influence in West Asia and also to gain easy access for the opportunity to interfere, coerce and dominate over the regional countries and governments. Therefore, they equipped the bogus and occupying regime with various kinds of military and non-military tools of power, even with atomic weapons, and their plans included the growth of this cancerous tumor from the Nile to the Euphrates.

Sadly, after their initial struggles of resistance, some of which were praiseworthy, the majority of Arab governments gradually succumbed. Particularly after the United States took charge in this matter, they forgot their human, Islamic and political responsibilities and their Arab pride. With delusional hopes they contributed to the enemy’s goals. The Camp David Accord is a clear example of this bitter historical fact.

After brave sacrifices and struggles in the early years, resistance groups were gradually pulled to the path of unsuccessful negotiations with the occupier and its supporters. They abandoned the route that could have led to the realization of the Palestinian dream. Negotiations with the United States and other western governments, and also negotiations with useless international groups, were bitter, unsuccessful experiences for Palestine. Holding out an olive branch at the United Nations General Assembly had no result other than the injurious Oslo Accords, and it led to the eye-opening fate of Yasser Arafat.

The dawn of the Islamic Revolution in Iran opened up a new chapter in the struggle for Palestine. From the first steps – namely, driving out the Zionist elements who considered Iran of the Pahlavi period to be one of their safe strongholds – to delegating the unofficial embassy of the Zionist regime to the Palestinian representative, stopping the flow of oil, other great achievements and widespread political activities. All of these measures brought about the emergence of a front of resistance in the entire region. The hope of solving this issue flourished in hearts. The emergence of the resistance front presented the Zionist regime with increasing problems. Allah willing, the Zionist regime will encounter even more problems in the future. 

However, the efforts of the supporters of that regime – with the U.S. in the front – increased sharply in order to defend the Zionists. The emergence of the faithful, young, self-sacrificing force of Hezbollah in Lebanon and the formation of highly-motivated groups such as Hamas and Islamic Jihad within the Palestinian borders unsettled and alarmed not only the Zionist ringleaders, but also the U.S. and other aggressive western powers. After and in addition to their support of the occupying regime with weapons and propaganda, they added recruiting from within the region and from within Arab society to the top of their agenda. Today the result of their voluminous work is obvious and in plain view, revealing itself in the actions and words of certain leaders of Arab governments and certain treacherous political and cultural Arab activists.

Today, both fronts engage in various activities in the arena of struggle. The difference between them is that the resistance front is moving with increasing power and hope, and it marches on towards attracting increasing elements of power, while the opposing front of oppression, unbelief and arrogance is growing more hollow, hopeless and powerless by the day. A clear manifestation of this assertion is the fact that the Zionist army — which was once considered to be invincible and lightning fast, one that would stop the aggression of two great armies in a matter of days — is currently forced to retreat and accept defeat against popular forces in Lebanon and Gaza.

Nevertheless, the arena of struggle is volatile and full of dangers. It requires constant vigilance, and the objective of this struggle is very important, fateful and vital. Any kind of negligence, inattention or mistakes in fundamental calculations will inflict heavy damage. 

Therefore, I would like to offer some advice to all those who have strong feelings for the issue of Palestine: 

1- The struggle to liberate Palestine is Jihad in the way of Allah, and it is an obligation and an Islamic goal. Victory in such a struggle has been guaranteed. This is because the person who is fighting, even if he is killed, will receive “one of the two excellent things;” [Quran 9:52]. Apart from this, the issue of Palestine is a humanitarian issue. Driving out millions of human beings from their homes, farmlands, and places of business – and that too via murder and crimes – touches and troubles every human being’s conscience. And if one has determination and courage, it inspires people to confront (oppose) [this oppression]. Therefore, restricting this to be merely a Palestinian issue, or at most an Arab issue, is a seriously grave mistake. Those who consider the concessions made by a few Palestinian elements or the rulers of a few Arab countries as a license to sidestep this Islamic and humanitarian issue are making a seriously grave mistake in understanding the matter, and perhaps they are [even] guilty of betrayal in the distortion of the truth.

2-The aim of this struggle is the liberation of all the Palestinian lands – from the river to the sea – and the return of all Palestinians to their homeland. Reducing this struggle to the formation of a government in a [small] corner of the Palestinian land – and that too in the humiliating way that is mentioned in the discourse of ill-mannered Zionists – is neither a sign of trying to achieve justice nor is it a sign of adhering to reality. The reality is that today millions of Palestinians have achieved a level of thinking, experience, and self-confidence that they can be steadfast upon this great struggle. Nevertheless, be certain of divine assistance and the ultimate victory. Allah says, “Surely Allah will help him who helps His cause; most surely Allah is Strong, Mighty;” [Qur’an 22:40]. Undoubtedly, countless Muslims throughout the world will support them and share in their struggle, Allah willing.

3- Even though benefitting from any and all Halal means and legally permissible means is allowed in this struggle – which includes global support – but it is absolutely essential to avoid trusting western governments and international groups which are covertly or overtly aligned (dependent) upon them. They are enemies to any effective entity with an Islamic nature. They have no regard for human rights or the rights of nations. They themselves are the cause of the worst harm and crimes against the Islamic Ummah. Currently, which international entity or which criminal power is being held accountable for the assassinations, the mass murders, the warmongering, the bombings, and the man-made famines in many Islamic and Arab countries?

Today, the world is counting one by one, every victim of the coronavirus across the globe, but nobody asks who is responsible and is the killer of hundreds of thousands of martyrs, imprisonments, and disappearances in countries where the U.S. and Europe have ignited the flames of war. Who is responsible for all the unlawful bloodshed in Afghanistan, Yemen, Libya, Iraq, Syria and other countries? Who is responsible for all these crimes and for the usurpation, destruction, and oppression in Palestine? Why didn’t anyone count the millions of oppressed children, women, and men in the world of Islam? Why doesn’t anyone extend their condolences for the mass murder of Muslims? Why must millions of Palestinians spend 70 years away from their homes and in exile? And why should the noble Quds, the first Qiblah of Muslims, be desecrated? The so-called United Nations is not fulfilling its function and the so-called human rights organizations are dead. Their slogans of defending the rights of women and children ignores oppressed Yemeni and Palestinian women and children.

This is the current condition of the oppressive western powers and dependent global organizations [aligned with them]. The condition of certain governments that follow them, including those in this region, as far as being disgraced and humiliated is beyond words.
Therefore, a proud and pious Muslim society must rely on itself and its internal forces. It must raise its powerful hand out of its sleeve and overcome obstacles by relying on and trusting in Allah.

4- An important point that must not be ignored by the political and military elites of the Islamic world is that the policy of America and the Zionists is to transfer conflicts behind the frontlines of the Resistance front. Starting civil wars in Syria, the military siege and 24-hour killings in Yemen, the assassinations, the destruction, the creation of ISIS in Iraq, and other similar things in some other countries in the region are all schemes to divert the attention of the Resistance front and to provide opportunities for the Zionist regime. Some politicians of Muslim countries unknowingly, and some others knowingly, have contributed to these schemes of the enemy. The main way to prevent the implementation of these wicked schemes is primarily via the serious demands of honorable youth throughout the world of Islam. Young people in all Islamic countries, particularly in Arab countries, must never forget this advice from the great Imam Khomeini, who said “Vent all your shouts upon America” and of course, also on the Zionist enemy.

5- The policy of normalizing the presence of the Zionist regime in the region is one of the main policies of the United States of America. Certain Arab governments in the region, which act as the minions of America, have been preparing the grounds for this normalization by establishing economic ties and the like. These efforts are completely vain and futile. The Zionist regime is a deadly, cancerous growth and is harmful for this region. And it will certainly be uprooted and removed. [Then,] shame and disgrace will remain upon those who put their facilities at the service of this policy of the Arrogant Powers. To justify such disgraceful behavior, some people argue that the Zionist regime is a reality in the region. Well, they should remember that it is necessary to fight and remove [such] fatal and harmful realities. Today, the coronavirus is [also] a reality and [yet] all wise people agree that it is necessary to fight it. The long-lasting virus of Zionism – undoubtedly – won’t last much longer. And it will be uprooted thanks to the determination, faith, and honor of the youth of this region.

6- My main advice is to continue this struggle and to better organize the Jihadi organizations, to cooperate with each other, and to expand the areas of Jihad inside all Palestinian territories. Everyone must assist the Palestinian nation in this holy struggle. Everyone must contribute to the Palestinian fighters and stand behind them. We will proudly do everything in our power on this path. One day we came to the conclusion that the Palestinian fighters have piety, honor, and courage, and their only difficulty was that they had no weapons. With divine guidance and divine assistance, we planned and the result was that the balance of power was transformed in Palestine. And today Gaza can stand up against the military aggression of the Zionist enemy and be victorious. This change in the equation in the so-called occupied lands will bring the issue of Palestine closer to its final steps. The Palestinian Authority has a great responsibility in this. One cannot communicate with a savage enemy except through force and from a position of power. Praise be to Allah, the ground for this power has been prepared for the brave and resistant nation of Palestine. Today’s Palestinian youth are yearning to defend their dignity.

Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Palestine and Hezbollah in Lebanon have been a proof for everyone. The world has not forgotten and will not forget the day when the Zionist army broke through the Lebanese borders and marched till Beirut. Or the day when a criminal murderer by the name of Ariel Sharon caused a bloodbath in Sabra and Shatila. And likewise, [the world] hasn’t forgotten and will not forget the day when the Zionist army was pounded by Hezbollah strikes and after sustaining heavy casualties and admitting defeat, had no choice but to retreat from the borders of Lebanon and beg for a cease-fire. This is what full hands and a position of power means. Now let that European government, which should be eternally ashamed for selling chemical agents to the regime of Saddam Hussein, designate the honorable Mujahid (fighter) Hezbollah as illegal. Illegal is a regime like America’s which creates ISIS. And [illegal] is a regime like that European government who caused thousands of people in the city of Baneh in Iran and the city of Halabja in Iraq, to be killed via their chemical weapons.

7-My final word is that Palestine belongs to the Palestinians; and therefore, it should be administered as they wish. The referendum – with the participation of all Palestinians of all religions and ethnicities; this is what we have been suggesting for almost two decades – is the only solution for the challenges which Palestine is facing at the present time and in the future. This proposal shows that the western accusations of anti-Semitism which have been repeated time and time again are completely baseless. On the basis of this proposal, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Palestinians will determine together, via referendum, the political system of their country. That which should definitely go is the Zionist system. And Zionism is in itself a [corrupted] innovation [which has been fabricated] in the name of Judaism and is totally alien to Judaism.

I would like to close this speech by remembering the martyrs of Quds. From Sheikh Ahmad Yassin, Fathi Shaqaqi, and Sayyid Abbas al-Musawi. To the great commander of Islam and the unforgettable face of the Resistance, Martyr Qasem Soleimani. And the great Iraqi Mujahid (fighter) Martyr Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. And we honor all the other martyrs of Quds. And to the soul of the great honorable Imam Khomeini – who opened the path of dignity and Jihad for us – I send my salutations. And likewise, for our late brother, Hussein Sheikh al-Islam – who worked diligently on this path for years – I ask Allah – the Exalted – to bestow His mercy [upon him].

In the end, I would like to remind all dear viewers and listeners that this year’s Quds Day is the first Quds day in which our dear Qasem Soleimani is not present. Please recite the chapter “The Opening” (Al-Fatiha) and the chapter “The Unity” (Tawhid) for him one time.

May Allah’s greetings and mercy be upon you.