Mouood Mouood English Edition
Piety: The Islamic standard for superiority
Islam calls human beings to brotherhood and equality. It calls on human beings to avoid discrimination, to avoid using racial differences to discriminate among people, to avoid considering some nations as inherently superior to other nations. Islam says that it is pious people who are honorable. From an Islamic point of view, the standard for superiority is piety. Piety means watching one’s behavior and actions. It means watching one’s step and making plans for one’s life on the basis of divine limits and principles.
These things are not limited to a particular era. Even today human beings are in need of these things. Human beings will always need these things to achieve happiness, regardless of the progress of science and civilization. The Islamic Ummah should pay attention to these things and make efforts to achieve them. This requires firm determination among Muslim nations and among leaders and government officials of different countries. According to the Dua that was recited in today’s meeting: “I know well that the best provision for the followers of Your path is a firm determination to choose You” 21
The best thing is to be determined to choose the path of God and to follow it. Of course, this path is difficult, but following it will become easy if there is determination. These are the lessons that Islam has taught us and we have found them practical in our lives. That is to say, our experiences show that these lessons can be implemented in our lives.
During the early years after the introduction of Islam, thanks to these principles and firm pillars, a small group of people who had been distanced from civilization and knowledge and had been deprived of all the blessings of life managed to build the biggest civilization in the world over the course of a few centuries, and the world benefitted from their civilization, knowledge and advances.
This is what we have experienced in the past. And in the Islamic Republic, whenever we have relied on our willpower and on Allah the Exalted, whenever we have deployed our forces, whenever we have disregarded our human passions and given precedence to our goals, we have managed to take successful steps.
It is obvious that it is not possible to build a society or a civilization which is one of the biggest goals of Islam without being faced with enmities in the process. During the early years after the introduction of Islam, the efforts to establish an Islamic government and society met with hostilities. The same is true today. Today in the world of Islam, Muslim nations feel proud because of Islam. Islamic Awakening is a truth that exists today, whether the enemies of the Islamic Ummah like it or not. Following this path requires a firm determination among government officials of different countries.
We ourselves are the primary audience of this message and we have to shoulder heavy responsibilities. The Holy Prophet (S) said, “This Ummah will not be reformed except through its outstanding personalities.” 22Reforming ordinary people in a society depends on reforming outstanding personalities of that society. The Holy Prophet (S) was asked, “Who are outstanding personalities of your Ummah?” He answered,“Outstanding personalities of my Ummah are religious scholars and leaders.” He said outstanding personalities are scholars, intellectuals, aware people, rulers and leaders.23
The life of the Holy Prophet (S) which was spent for God, in the way of God and on promoting divine teachings and his unique personality are a lesson and a permanent role model for the entire history of Islam.
“Certainly you have in the Messenger of Allah an excellent example.” 24
Thanks to the selfless efforts of the Holy Prophet (S), Islamic teachings spread to all times. These teachings are not for Muslims alone. All human beings in all historical eras will benefit from the teachings of Islam. If we Muslims appreciate the value of Islamic teachings and pay attention to their depth, we will manage to build a new world that is consistent with the genuine inner wishes of humanity. Through adhering to Islam, the Islamic Ummah can save the world which is immersed in lust, rage, ignorance, selfishness and narcissism.
The spirit of all Islamic teachings is that lust and rage should not take control of one’s behavior in life, that human beings and human communities should be driven by wisdom and piety rather than by self-interest. Take a look at the afflictions that have plagued human life. What are the causes of different kinds of poverty, privation, discrimination, corruption, ignorance and prejudice? What causes killings, wars, oppression, injustice and brutality in human communities?
The root of all these afflictions is that there are human beings who do not have control over their passions and are being controlled by lust, rage, self-interest, ambitions and greed for wealth. And whenever such individuals have taken control of the destiny of human beings in a corner of the world, they have dragged humanity into poverty, war, ignorance, discrimination, corruption and Fitna.
Islam wants to remedy these afflictions. Islam says that ignorance, brutality, materialistic tendencies, self-interest and narcissism must not take control of one’s free will, which is one of the greatest blessings that Allah the Exalted has bestowed on humanity. Islam says that one’s decisions should be driven by wisdom and piety.25
First, I would like to congratulate the great Islamic Ummah, the honorable Iranian nation and the esteemed people who have attended this meeting particularly, the foreign guests and brothers on this auspicious occasion. Second, as far as showing respect to the personality of the Holy Prophet (S) is concerned, we Muslims have many things to say and discuss among ourselves. This is because the Holy Prophet of Islam (S) was the one who taught goodness, justice, human values, knowledge, brotherhood, growth, perfection and everlasting progress to human beings. Can human beings imagine a time when they will no longer need these precious lessons? Today just like always humanity is in need of the Holy Prophet’s (S) lessons and teachings.
• 1.Sura al-Alaq, Ayah 1
• 2.Sura an-Nahl, Ayah 125
• 3.Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 67, P. 372
• 4.Sura al-Anbiya, Ayah 107
• 5.Sura al-Anfal, Ayah 6
• 6.Supreme Leader’s speech delivered on October 15, 2001 in a meeting with government officials of the Islamic Republic on the occasion of the Holy Prophet’s (S) Be’that
• 7.Sura al-Fath, Ayah 28
• 8.Sura al-Maeda, Ayah 26
• 9.Supreme Leader’s speech delivered on May 30, 2002 in a meeting with government officials and participants of the Islamic Unity Conference on the occasion of birthday anniversaries of the Holy Prophet (S) and Imam Sadiq (a.s.)
• 10.Sura at-Takwir, Ayah 27
• 11.Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 18, P. 202
• 12.Supreme Leader’s speech delivered on October 5, 2002 in a meeting with government officials of the Islamic Republic on the occasion of the Holy Prophet’s (S) Be’that
• 13.Sura al-Anbiya, Ayah 107
• 14.Sura al-Jumua, Ayah
• 15.Sura an-Nisa, Ayah 79
• 16.Supreme Leader’s speech delivered on May 19, 2003 in a meeting with government officials on the occasion of the 17th of Rabi’ al-Awwal
• 17.Sura al-Alaq, Ayahs 1-4
• 18.Sura al-Muddaththir, Ayah 2
• 19.Sura as-Saba, Ayah 46
• 20.Sura al-Jumua, Ayah 2
• 21.Iqbal al-A’mal, Vol. 2, P. 678
• 22.Mawaidh al-Adadiyya, P. 124
• 23.Supreme Leader’s speech delivered on September 24, 2003 in a meeting with government officials of the Islamic Republic on the occasion of the Holy Prophet’s (S) Be’that
• 24.3.Sura al-Ahzab, Ayah 21
• 25.Supreme Leader’s speech delivered on April 14, 2004 in a meeting with
