Martyr Soleimani fortified and revived Resistance Front against US and Zionist Regime

In the Name of Allah

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Martyr Soleimani fortified and revived Resistance Front against US and Zionist Regime

The following is the full text of Imam Khamenei's speech in meeting with the family of Martyr Haj Qasem Soleimani on the occasion of the third anniversary of Martyr Soleimani’s martyrdom on Jan. 1, 2023.

In the Name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful

Praise be to God, Lord of the Worlds, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, Prophet Muhammad, and upon his Pure Progeny, particularly the remnant of God on earth.

I would like to thank Mr. Salami and the women present here for their statements. The admiration of our dear martyr and the outstanding, good words that have been used for him are pleasing to hear. These words as well as the activities and actions you are undertaking in commemoration of this beloved martyr are all things that make one happy. Praise God, the Martyr’s family has a more distinct, high-spirited presence in society following the martyrdom of Martyr Soleimani. This is one of the blessings of our dear martyr’s blood. This too is a reason for our happiness.

Well, many things have been said. Praise God, we see things being said about Martyr Soleimani in newspapers, on television, in various speeches, in Friday Prayer sermons, and wherever one sees or hears anything these days. Praise God, people are remembering Martyr Soleimani. This makes us happy. Everyone is talking about him and praising him in some manner, praise God. Thank God. It is pleasing to see these things. Last year during the second anniversary of the martyrdom of Martyr Soleimani, I was observing what was happening in society and the news that was coming out. I could see that people were voluntarily working to keep the memory of this martyr alive. There was no need for any announcements, and no orders had been issued from anywhere. The same is happening this year.

Well, praise God, we do not have any problems or shortcomings in these areas. One might talk about Martyr Soleimani at some point, about his personal life and the personal characteristics of this outstanding human being, which are very detailed, and this is a good thing. He was courageous, he was pious, he had a sense of responsibility, he was willing to take risks, he was intelligent, he was wise, and whenever he felt that something needed to be done or could be done, he would step forward and do it. He would not stop or hesitate. These were his personal characteristics.

He had many of these outstanding characteristics. The most important of all was his sincerity. He was not thinking about his name, his reputation, or if people knew [about his accomplishments] and things like that. Sincerity is very important and I believe it was because of his sincerity that the Almighty God responded in this manner. These are worldly responses. This respect, honor, admiration, etc. [from the people] are rewards that Martyr Soleimani received in this world. As for the rewards that he will receive in the hereafter, this is something that our minds and our intellect cannot comprehend. It is much greater than the words that we can even think about. But what we are seeing in this world, these are the rewards for his sincerity.

Another of his personal characteristics was that he had a pure heart. He was also an honest person. He was truthful. Even though he would get involved in and work on complicated political matters - and he would get good things done - at the same time, he had a pure heart and was honest, but he wasn’t devious or deceitful. This is very important. Yes, this is how he was wherever he worked. These were his personal characteristics. As I mentioned, what we can gain from this is to look and bring about these qualities within ourselves if we don’t have them. If we are lacking them, we should create these qualities within ourselves. We should truly have a sense of responsibility, we should truly be sincere and work for the cause of God, and we should purify our hearts and be honest. These were the qualities he possessed.

Another section involves Martyr Soleimani’s characteristics at work, that is, the areas and the fields where he worked. Now, when I look closely, I see that Martyr Soleimani’s efforts have mainly been highlighted in his battle against the Daesh in Iraq and Syria. Well yes, of course, this was a very important task. The Daesh truly were and are a plague. Martyr Soleimani entered this field in an exemplary manner. He performed very well and did well in that test. He used all those personal traits, some of which I mentioned, for this matter and he uprooted and put an end to this great evil which was growing day by day. This is an important section.

{Important} However, this was not Martyr Soleimani’s most important accomplishment. It was one of the tasks that he carried out. A more important job of his, which he had pursued from the beginning of his work, was to strengthen the Resistance Front in the region. This is the thing that the Arrogant Powers are sensitive about, that the US is sensitive about. They continuously argue with us about it on different occasions. They quarrel about it, saying, “Why are you present in the region? Why are you supporting a certain government, a certain group, or a certain person?” It is about the issue of Resistance. There is a phenomenon in our region today, which we call the Resistance. This Resistance is not just confronting the Zionist regime. It is standing up to the influence of the Arrogant Powers. Of course, the US is the head of the Arrogant Powers and is the Great Satan. However, this is not just limited to the US. The other Arrogant organizations are also a part of Arrogance. This Resistance means standing up to these. In my view, based on my experience and what I have sensed, Martyr Soleimani breathed new life into the Resistance Front, and he opened up a new path before it. He fortified it both spiritually and physically.

The testimony of our dear, beloved Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah, who is truly a unique human being, his testimony about Mr. Soleimani is a great chapter in this field. He testifies that Martyr Soleimani revived the Resistance. I could see it myself from up close as well. His activities for this matter were truly outstanding and important. This was in fact Martyr Soleimani’s main task – to protect, strengthen, and fortify the Resistance, and he revived it both physically and spiritually. He would boost their spirits and their spirituality. He would lead them and show them the way. Sometimes, he would take their hands and guide them in the direction they needed to go, both spiritually and emotionally. This is how he was.

He also reinforced them in the physical sense. Well, we have not forgotten this. I used to say this in my speeches years ago that the Palestinians were fighting using stones. The Palestinians were truly fighting back using stones back then. They did not have anything else to use. Now, compare that with the situation in Palestine today, in both Gaza and the West Bank. Is it even comparable? So, he revived the Resistance by relying on the internal capacities and using the experience that he had attained during the period of the Holy Defense as well as the good advice of his comrades. He did a great job in this field. This kind of thing needs to be continued.

Praise God, Mr. Qaani has done well and made good progress. In many instances, he has filled the void [due to the absence of General Soleimani]. Praise God, everything is going well and this is how it should be. This is the direction that needs to be followed. The issue of Resistance in the region is an important matter. The Resistance Movement considers itself to be the wings of Islam and the Islamic government. This is also something that needs to be attended to.

Another thing that I would like to mention about Martyr Soleimani is that well, he had many benefits. Those who talk about him should be careful not to make Martyr Soleimani’s qualities seem as though they are something beyond reach and unattainable. They are the features of a human being who is alive and is moving in front of us. “[And they say, ‘What sort of prophet is this] who eats food and walks in the marketplaces?’” (Qur’an 25:7) So, it should not be imagined that such a position is unattainable. No, no one knew about Martyr Soleimani either while he was still alive. There are some who are alive now, whom people do not know about. If they are fortunate enough to become martyrs, perhaps a part of who they are will be revealed, known, and understood. Be sure to pay attention to this point.

Another important point that I would like to make, which will be the final point since we do not have much time left, is that [the memory of] Martyr Soleimani must be kept alive. [The memory of] all martyrs must be kept alive. We must not let the dust of forgetfulness settle on them. Well, Martyr Soleimani is among the most prominent [of the martyrs]. These [memories] must be kept alive. We have a responsibility to do our part in keeping their memory alive. Now, a part of this is up to God and does not concern us. God keeps them alive Himself, but we also have a duty to do our part. It is just like the case of Imam Hussain (pbuh). God has kept Imam Hussain alive. But if you and I fail to arrange gatherings, if we fail to beat our chests [in mourning], if we fail to talk or give speeches about him, and if we fail to commemorate him, this will not happen. In other words, the divine will requires a means, and of course, God will provide the means. However, it is through these means that these things take place. You and I are the means. “Means are prepared by Your kindness” (Sahifa al-Sajjadiyyah, supplication no. 7). The means are prepared by the grace of God, but the means must exist, and these are the means.

So, since we are the means, what actions do we need to take? Before coming here, I saw they were showing the graves of the martyrs of Kerman and also the area around Martyr Soleimani’s resting place on TV. A large crowd had gathered there. This crowd will go there, but for how long? How many more years? We cannot predict that. However, we can do something to guarantee [that he is remembered]. How? By keeping the memory of Martyr Soleimani’s characteristics in his personal life and in society alive in different ways, mainly in an artistic fashion. That is how it should be.

Now you said, this woman said, that there are books that have been written on different levels. That’s good. But books are just one part of this. Creating documentaries, movies, TV series, and narrating stories are all very important. They can have a great impact on people. This is true about both Martyr Soleimani himself and also Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis (may God be satisfied with him), who was truly an outstanding person. He was very distinguished and sincere. The Almighty God showered His grace and mercy on him as well because of his sincerity. The same applies to the rest of his companions and those who were martyred with him, or those who were with him in the battles. Information must be dispersed and spread about these individuals in various ways, especially in artistic ways.

May God elevate his status. May the Lord join us to them, God willing. May He help us to appreciate them and may his [Martyr Soleimani’s] attention, prayer, and intercession be for us. In the same way that we were very good together in this world - we were very good friends - may the Almighty God do something so that it will be the same on the Day of Judgement. May we be good together, may he be good with us, and may he be very good friends with us, God willing.

May God’s greetings, mercy, and blessings be upon you

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