Message of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution to the Thirty-Third National Prayer Conference

Message of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution to the Thirty-Third National Prayer Conference

Attention to the exalted matter of "establishing prayer" (iqāmat al-ṣalāh) and, in particular, the holding of the Prayer Conference, is among the necessary and essential measures that, since the beginning of the 1990s, have been undertaken in the country through the efforts of the learned and popular mujāhid, the teacher of the Qur'an and skilled preacher, His Eminence Hujjat al-Islam wal-Muslimin Qara'ati (may his blessings endure). The special attention of the great and esteemed Leader, the martyr (may God elevate his noble station), to this matter, and his important, continuous, and emphatic recommendations in the messages related to the thirty-two previous conferences, further add to the importance of this policy. Undoubtedly, speaking or writing about prayer is beyond the dignity and level of divine revelation and the words of the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) and the infallible Imams (peace and blessings be upon them), and the pen of the likes of this humble one is smaller than that it should write a word concerning the depth of the knowledge of prayer. However, the identity and requirements of Islamic society and the duties of its servants—especially the leadership of the Islamic Revolution—necessitate that I remind myself, the general public, and the officials of a few points in this regard.

Prayer is among the most beautiful of the great blessings of the Almighty God, the foremost institution, symbol, and pillar of religion, and the thread of connection for each of us to establish a close and direct relationship with the infinite and eternal divine source. This elixir of salvation and prosperity and the pillar of the pure life is both a strong and continuous support and an inexhaustible reserve for man in the struggle against the Satan of the self and the satans of the world, and it is also a gushing spring of love, hope, kindness, and tranquility; and the descent of blessings and abundance of divine provisions occurs and increases through the establishment of prayer and seeking forgiveness.

However, the obligation of prayer is not merely an individual duty, and according to the teachings of the Qur'an, establishing prayer is the first fruit and sign of the governance of the righteous: "Those who, if We establish them in the land, establish prayer." The statement of this verse immediately after the verse of the promise of divine victory concerning the companions of God and their jihad in the blessed Surah al-Hajj shows that establishing prayer, as a strong support for the remembrance of God and hope and trust in Him, has a special role in jihad and victory and triumph in the fields of struggle—especially the field of struggle that lies before the Iranian nation today.

Today, when the condition of empowerment and power for the dear Iranian people is more than ever before provided, every individual of the sent nation is addressed by this repeated divine command to establish prayer: "Establish prayer." In addition, all influential persons in society—from fathers and mothers and families to teachers and friends, from professors and elites to well-known figures and famous individuals—as well as all institutions and culture-building apparatuses, including mosques, Friday prayers, schools, universities, seminaries, the Broadcasting Organization, cultural and social activists, and the popular mobilization, especially those who are in contact with the adolescent and youth strata, have a doubled responsibility in this matter.

The establishment of prayer in all its complementary stages and evolutionary levels across the expanse of society and in a country that has raised the banner of pure Muhammadan Islam (peace be upon him and his family) and is honored by the sovereignty of Islam, is among the most important of matters, and for the preparation of the ground for traversing the path from the stage of the Islamic movement and revolution to the stage of Islamic society, it is an essential matter; and after that, reaching the stage of Islamic civilization will be possible. The institutionalization and universalization of prayer, and then the general effort to perform it well, are the two main sides of the line of effort to achieve this important goal; and the flourishing of mosques and other arrangements for expanding the quantity and improving the formal quality of congregational and Friday prayers are the necessary preliminaries for attaining this important destination. In all these matters, the role of the leaders of congregational and Friday prayers—who should be a refuge for the people and a listening ear and receptive to their sorrows—is very prominent.

I hope that, with divine favors and the special attention and prayers of our Master (may God hasten his noble reappearance), our dear nation and country will be successful and confirmed in the matter of establishing prayer and benefiting from its graces and blessings.

Seyyed Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei
1405/07/09