In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, and peace and greetings be upon our Master Muhammad, and upon his pure household

You are very welcome dear brothers and honorable friends from the revolutionary and well-known province of Bushehr. As the gentlemen in the meeting pointed out – both the honorable Friday prayer leader and Mr. Governor – Bushehr is saturated with military glories. This is really the case. Bushehr is a sensitive area which has confronted the threats of the enemies and the presence of colonialism for many years. When Iranian forces were engaged in fighting in the eastern part of the country with the aim of recovering some of the lost territories, the English sent a message saying that if the Iranians make military moves there, they would sent their forces to Bushehr and as a result, they abandoned their activities only for the sake of Bushehr. This means that Bushehr has always been exposed to such invasions and it has always stood firm.

This was explained by the honorable Friday prayer – Mr. Bushehri – in a very good and comprehensive manner. I request that you publish what you said so that everyone will know about it because you raised very good points.

The leadership of Ulama in Bushehr is quite evident. The late Aqa Sayyid Abdullah Baladi was one of the most influential figures and after that, we have the late Raees-Ali Delvari whose status is clear. The same is true of the other dear martyrs of that area. Regarding Shahid 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 belonged to the communists, they would make a Che Guevara out of him. In other words, they would introduce him as an international revolutionary figure. That young man was such a personality: His presence in Persian Gulf, his fight against the Americans and subsequently his arrest, torture and martyrdom. There are such personalities in Bushehr.

Another figure is Shahid Abu Torab Ashuri who was mentioned by one of the gentlemen in the meeting. He was martyred before the formation of the Islamic Republic. He was martyred during his revolutionary activities. This signifies that the fight in that area was so heated and enthusiastic that an honorable clergy such as Shahid Ashuri would be martyred during his endeavors. These are good signs. These things are indicative of depth in understanding revolutionary concepts and Islamic Jihad in that area. They are a sign of this. In other words, it is evident that the concepts of jihad, fighting, 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 they are deep in Bushehr as they have been repeated by successive generations and they have been carried out by outstanding and great personalities.

I have written down the names of two, three martyrs here: Shahid Sadiq Ganji, whom the gentlemen in the meeting said was martyred in Lahur, was a really outstanding personality. This shows that there were such personalities in cultural, military and various other environments. Well, they are valuable assets. 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 generations 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 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.

We should do something to make the people feel that pursuing their path 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, which we repeat every day, “Show us the straight way, the way of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace”. [The Holy Quran, 2: 6-7] “On whom You have bestowed Your grace” signifies the martyrs. One of the clearest manifestations of martyrs is this ayah, “All who obey Allah and the apostle are in the company of those on whom is the Grace of Allah – of the prophets who teach, the sincere lovers of truth, the witnesses (who testify), and the righteous. [The Holy Quran, 4: 69] Martyrs are among those “On whom You have bestowed Your Grace.”

Of course, “On whom You have bestowed Your Grace” are of two kinds: one is comprised of people who show ungratefulness after some time. An example is Bani Israel. Bani Israel were among “On whom You have bestowed Your Grace.” However, they showed ungratefulness and “The wrath of Allah is on them.” [The Holy Quran, 48: 6] Another group is comprised of “On Whom You have bestowed Your Grace, those whose portion is not wrath, and who go not astray.” [The Holy Quran, 1: 7] Such people will not suffer from the wrath of God and they were not led astray. Our martyrs belong to the latter group because they left this world while they were martyrs. Therefore, we should pursue their path and learn and benefit from them and we should also teach this to all generations.

I hope that you will be successful. You should organize the meeting in a good way. I hope that it will prove to be a starting point, not a finishing point, for movement. Send our greetings to the people of Bushehr in Friday prayers, God willing.

Greetings be upon you and Allah’s mercy

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Source: http://english.khamenei.ir/news/7305/We-should-help-the-people-feel-that-pursuing-the-path-of-martyrs

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Source: http://english.khamenei.ir/news/7286/Imam-Khamenei-expressing-sorrow-while-performing-the-funeral

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Source: http://english.khamenei.ir/news/7283/Imam-Khamenei-leading-the-funeral-prayer-for-the-heroes-of-the

May Allah reward all of you and grant you patience. Hajj Qasem’s life was a trial for you. His martyrdom is a trial for you too. The suffering is great, the grief is deep, but the reward is just as great. We have to endure. We have to be satisfied with the Almighty God. After all, everyone will pass through this stage of life and will pass to the next world – everyone will pass through. You, I, others, all will pass through, young and old. How we pass through is important. A person who is martyred for the cause of God is doing his actions sincerely for God (and will pass through in the best possible manner). Hajj Qasem had been exposed to martyrdom a hundred times before. This was not the first time. However, he had no fear on the path of Allah, in performing his duty, and in Jihad for the cause of Allah. He was not afraid of the enemy, nor was he afraid of what others would say about him, nor was he afraid of hardships.

Imagine, he would spend twenty-four hours in a given country and work nineteen hours of it! He would meet, debate and talk with different people. Why? In order to reach a desirable outcome. He didn’t work for himself. He worked for achieving their goals. Haj Qasem was this way. He lived a beautiful life. God bless him; he lived well. You lived well with him too. You were patient, worked with him, endured problems. You, yourself, your children, your sons, and your daughters endured problems. All of this is going to be rewarded by Allah, the Almighty. After all, this stage and this world must be passed through. He passed through in the best possible manner.

We have many martyrs. We have martyrs from among the commanders. We have martyrs from among the civilians. However, this martyr was killed by the most villainous human beings, the American officials themselves. Then, they boasted about being able to martyr him. Other than Hajj Qasem, I do not remember anyone else who was like this. His Jihad was a great Jihad. And, the Almighty God gave him a great martyrdom. God willing, we hope God will highly elevate his rank in the Heavens. He truly deserved the great blessing that was granted to him (martyrdom). If Hajj Qasem had died of illness, in an accident or from other causes (instead of martyrdom) – for example, it would have been hard if he suffered chest pains and was a victim of chemical weapons – and one would have been sad for him. Hajj Qasem had to be martyred in this way. Of course, it is very difficult for us. It is difficult for you. Perhaps, it is even more difficult for me. However, we must endure and pass-through this stage.

May the Almighty God make these hearts happy and heal the injury. Hopefully, by His grace, Allah will bestow His peace on your hearts, on our hearts, on the hearts of all the people. You saw today. Well, everyone knew Haj Qasem personally in Kerman. This crowd that came to Kerman’s streets today was not something strange. But, what about Tabriz? Did you see Tabriz? You saw? What a huge crowd! What a feeling of respect! How the people of Tabriz cried! That was a huge crowd of millions! (Of course,) these are the blessings in front of our eyes that God Almighty has put before our eyes for us to understand the great value of martyrdom. You will see his funeral too and how it will be conducted. These are small blessings in front of our eyes. The great blessings are those that we do not see, those that we do not understand. They are blessings that “no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no heart has felt.” We can’t even imagine those blessings. We have never felt them by heart. Those (blessings) are given to him by Exalted Allah. He is so blessed, he is so blessed, he is so blessed! He achieved his dream. He wished for it. He cried for martyrdom. Many of his comrades were gone, and he was mourning for his comrades too. He was so eager for martyrdom that it made him cry. He achieved his dream. Hopefully, all of you can achieve your dreams too, God willing, and we too can achieve our dreams. And, may Almighty God make up for this loss.

You should also endure his loss and be patient. This patience itself will be rewarded. Fighting for the cause of God is an inner struggle. Every external Jihad actually relies on an internal Jihad. This is the man who confronts the enemy with no fear. In all fields, he doesn’t feel tired, cold or hot. If he had not succeeded in that great Jihad within himself, he would not have been able to confront (the enemy) in this way. Therefore, external struggles rely on internal struggles. You too should rely on your own internal struggle and achieve peace of mind with the remembrance of God. God willing, the Almighty God will comfort your hearts. We will pray too. You see what people are doing for Hajj Qasem. This is a consolation for you. Today in Tehran – south, north, everywhere, besides the great crowd surrounding your house – in different cities, everyone is mourning. That is, they feel like mourners. This should be a consolation for you. Know that people appreciated your father, and this is due to his sincerity. Without sincerity, people’s hearts would not have understood in this way. The hearts are in God’s hands. The fact that the hearts have all understood in this way show that there was great sincerity in that man. He was a great man. God willing, God will highly elevate his rank in the Heavens.

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Source: http://english.khamenei.ir/news/7313/Statements-made-in-the-home-of-Major-General-Martyr-Hajj-Qasem