In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
Shawwal 1396 AH
Greetings to all Muslims, the students in Iran and abroad, and the Muslim youth (may God assist them) on the auspicious occasion of `Id al-Fitr. Felicitations to you, the enlightened and religious people who are making sacrifices for the realization of Islam's sublime goals that guarantee the welfare of the people, and fulfill their spiritual and material needs. Felicitations to the Muslims who submit to imprisonment, exile, torture and death defending Islamic tenets and the Muslim countries; and in freeing themselves from the yoke of imperialism and its evil agents; who endure every kind of deprivation in uprooting the forces of oppression.
Fitr is the day appointed by God Almighty for the Muslims so that, by their congregation for the prayers and sermons, relevant to every era, they can find their path in relation to Islam and its bloodthirsty enemies. However, Friday and Friday congregations have lost their impact owing to the pernicious propaganda, leaving the Muslims bereft of `Id in the present circumstances.
The conspiracies that are hatched in every Fitr by the agents of foreign powers against Muslim countries run counter to Islamic precepts and the independence of countries. Iran is the focal point for transgressions by foreign powers, particularly America and its evil accomplices. Political players and foreign pundits devise new schemes daily to weaken the nation and beloved Islam; sinister schemes that will undermine the very existence of the country in due course. The vast resources of this affluent country are being squandered for the sake of some weapons, which Iran neither has use nor knows how to use them. Recently the Shah- this perpetrator of such acts- has spoken of purchasing three times as much of what has been bought hitherto. And so for the sake of the useless scraps of iron, Iran will lose its identity and the people will become steeped in poverty and adversity in the course of time.
The experts who want to plunder our resources unimpeded have composed a sinister tune; they have changed the starting date of the calendar. «2» This is among the big crimes committed in this era by the vile dynasty. It is the duty of the whole nation to oppose the use of this criminal's calendar. As this change is disrespectful to Islam and is, God forbid, the prelude to its obliteration, using it is forbidden to all and is tantamount to supporting the cruel despot and opposing the justice-seeking religion of Islam.
The people are obliged to hold celebrations for a year for the dynasty of such criminals and their fifty years of treason though this inauspicious tune was also confronted with disapprobation, nobody taking part except their own people; nor did anybody look pleased unless coerced. Faydiyyah Madrasah and Dar ash-Shafa', the base of Islamic jurisprudence and the center of the enlightened and devoted youths, have been usurped and closed. On the other hand, the centers of vice and corruption are spreading, thereby preventing the spiritual development of our youths and leading them to ruination as well as making them incapable of standing firm against the foreigners.
While greatly regretting the situation in Iran, I am hopeful of you students in Iran and abroad; hopeful of the day when the country will become purified of the foul presence of the foreigners and their stooges. O you young people do not despair; truth will triumph. This is a short account of the situation in Iran. Many of the other Muslim countries have endless troubles as well. Take the case of Lebanon; it has turned into rubble. What a great loss of life and property have the Muslims, especially the Shi`ah, suffered. The foreigners and their treacherous henchmen are fanning the flames of destructive wars, depriving people of their means to exist. Then, there is Palestine with its problems increasing day by day. What is regrettable is the lack of maturity of the governments and community leaders who, owing to the machinations of foreign powers, rise to confront one another.
Now it is up to you, the young intellectuals and scientists to learn a lesson from the prevailing conditions; to come together and eschew groundless differences; to put aside the empty doctrines of others and turn to the progressive religion of Islam; to tread, hand in hand, the true path of God and wipe out what is false; to inform people of Islam's sublime goals; to expose the atrocities and treacheries of the agents of imperialism and to seek the help of God the Almighty." May God give you success." I pray to God Almighty to restore Islam to its pristine greatness and seek His blessings on the auspicious occasion of this `Id of the Muslims. May God's peace, mercy and blessings be upon you.
Rouhullah al-Mousawi al-Khomeini