Hazrat Imam Ali Khameni's Message:

"in every world country and in every era, whenever a person sets foot in the practical arena with wisdom, sagacity and lofty-mindedness; or with piety, devotion and firm faith; or with dignity, valour and motivation; or with ingenuity, clear sightedness and political maturity; and he pursues the sacred goal with patience and determination, without a doubt he will help his country and even humanity achieve great honour and lasting progress. All those who are considered as the great figures of history, possessed some of these characteristics.

But the celebrated personality of the contemporary era, that is Imam Khomeini (may his soul rest in peace), possessed all these rare and usually impossible to achieve qualities. He was a devoted sage, a pious intellectual, a philosopher- statesman, an enlightened believer, a brave and aware gnostic, a just ruler and a selfless struggler (Mujahid).

He was a jurisprudent, disciplinarian, philosopher, gnostic, teacher of ethics, man of letters and poet, all rolled into one. For long years the highest seat of education and the most enthusiastic circles of learning in the theological school (Howza) belonged to him.

His personality blended the most prominent God-given characteristics. Whatever he acquired of the sciences of the Holy Quran he embellished them with his heart and soul,thereby taking shape as a great, magnetic and dynamic personality, to the extent that each of the prominent world figures of the last century --which is the century of great persons, reformers and celebrated figures-- appear lustreless, small and insignificant.

The task which he embarked upon and succeeded with faith, trust in God, prudence and patience, was not only great but unbelievable and incredible.

His superior and radiant personality, in every stage of his political life, was dazzling and unique, both in the days as his position as Marja' in Qom when he challenged the foreign-backed and corrupt regime of the Shah and its supporters the American interventionists with his prophetic warnings and mobilised the nation's wrath against the injustice, dictatorship, greed for wealth and irreligious policies of the Shah and his clique; and also in the days after the memorable 15-year struggle when he generated the great Jihad of the Iranian people to establish the Islamic system and root out the corrupt and worthless regime of the Shah.

At every stage, he made a grand display of the heights of faith, valour and selflessness along with profundity of wisdom, prudence and sagacity.

He had a correct recognition of Iran, of its sensitive and strategic geographical and geopolitical situation, of its natural and manpower resources, of the aspirations and goals of its people, of its last 150 years of troublesome history, of its domination by foreigners and plunderers, of the treason, corruption, nepotism and totalitarianism of the Pahlavi regime against it, of the poverty, and scientific, industrial and moral backwardness imposed on it, and most important of all, of its great, brave, ancient and faithful people.

He was aware and very concerned of the situation of the World, the colonised nations, the arrogant governments and the confused young generation which is thirsty for facts,especially the deplorable situation of the Muslim countries and the Islamic Umma. His noble spirit was particularly sad at the woeful situation of Palestine.His religious duty prompted him to enter the great historic arena of the struggle in which only the exceptional men of history have stepped and only a few have emerged victorious.

He thought of Iran's salvation from the claws of the corrupt regime which had imposed on the country deprivation, decadence, poverty, moral impoverishment and scientific backwardness, and he considered the return to lslam, establishment of an Islamic political system, and the implementation of divine values, as the only solution to rescue the nation.

With the blazing of this trail, a living example was placed before the Islamic Umma and a fresh current emerged in the Muslim world, whose blessed product was the - revitalisation of Islamic identity among Muslims.

He took the first step of his struggle with the assistance of different strata of people in the name of Allah; he spoke to them and called on them to rally to him with their faith, wisdom and endeavour. He never went after parties and factions, always viewing their ambitions with suspicion and rejecting their backstage political deals. He always talked to the people with sincerity and honesty, and as a foresighted teacher and a skilled guide, lent his wisdom, knowledge and ration in their long path of struggle.

When the struggles of the Iranian people triumphed to the astonishment of the world and the Iranian nation unanimously accepted his leadership, he ushered in the greatest development in the history of Iran with his noble conduct and behaviour. In other words, he replaced the monarchy of the despotic oppressors and plunderers into a devout and God-fearing system of government, in which the people were viewed as servants of Allah. He embellished his power and authority with justice, illuminated his humbleness before all with servitude of the Lord, and cured power and affluence with piety and virtue. He never abandoned the path and servitude to Allah, and as he was shouldering a heavy duty, he increased the edification of his soul. His words stemmed from his humble heart, his heart overflowed with the remembrance of Allah, and his behaviour emanated from the divine religion. He made the spring of knowledge, ration and divine prudence flow to the minds of the Iranian nation, who were craving for sincerity and spirituality, and he groomed the officials and the people to withstand the flood of enmities and conspiracies and to solve the huge imposed problems.

His blessed last ten-years of life marked the era or the birth of the Islamic political system and the revitalisation of islamic identity among world Muslims and the hoisting of flag of Islam in our country. It marked the era of Iran's independence and freedom, the nation's dignity and pride and the unprecedented leap towards progress and exaltation. It marked the era of revolutionary sentiments, political understanding and action to protect the country and reconstruct it. it marked the era of Iran's glory in the world arena and its influencing of international events; it marked the era of the opening of a new chapter in our country's history in whose continuation Islamic Iran will achieve material and spiritual progress.

The sagacious and xvise Imam placed clear signposts on. this path and clarified it to the country's officials and the entire nation on dozens of occasions and within the framework of hundreds of guidelines.

Today also these signposts and directives are precious, stable and instrumental for the nation and government in crossing the hazardous path towards salvation, and material and spiritual progress.

Now that the glorious name of the great Imam Khomeini has decorated the birth centenial of this unique man of history, everybody, particularly the officials, are expected to adhere in their words and deeds to the unforgettable lesson taught by the Imam, and to stick till the end to the path which he charted out.

I beseech Almighty Allah to bestow on the Iranian nation, government and officials great success and place them under the shade of the prayer and attention of Imam Mehdi (may Allah hasten his reappearance), and to grant mercy to the blessed soul of the noble Imam and to the souls of martyrs of this path.