Self-Building and Combat with the Seir
(Wise Sayings of Imam Khomeini)
o We cannot reform our country unless we first reform ourselves.
o Each one must begin with himself and adapt his conduct, views and deeds
to Islamic decrees, and having thus corrected himself, then proceed to
reform others.
o If you want your country to be independent so that others cannot interfere
in it, begin with yourself.
o You correct yourself; your country, too. becomes corrected.
o That which is necessary for all of us is to begin with our own soul. We
must not be pleased with adjusting or rectifying appearances; rather, we must start with our hearts, from our brains or minds and see that each day we are somewhat better than the day before.
o Among the highest and most sublime areas that necessitate collective
teaching and learning are the Islamic spiritual sciences such as ethics, selfpurification and spiritual wayfaring toward God””"whatever bounty we and you acquire is from Allah"””which is the greatest jihad \jihdd alakbar].
o It is knowledge and self-purification that lead man to the station of
humanity.
o Forgetting oneself is a prelude to the perfection of man.
o We ourselves should review the record of our worldly deeds before it is
presented to the Imam of the Time ( o) and to the Threshold of God.
o Behave in such a way that when you depart for God's Threshold you may
be able to hold your head up.
o We all have a duty to be purified so that we may be able to benefit from
the lights of God and the Qur'an.
o You must purify yourselves so that you may be able to rise up; purifying
oneself means obeying the commands of God.
o If we reform ourselves surely our purpose, too, will issue forth in the world.
o Spiritual reconstructions precede all other reconstructions. The
Jihad for Reconstruction [Jihad-e Sdzandegt] must begin with the individual.
o Construct! We must construct ourselves! Try to begin this jihad for
reconstruction with yourselves, for if you do begin with self-reform,
anything you do will be divine.
o We must undergo an inner revolution; our souls, too, must be
revolutionized. We must change if our souls have so far been dominated by the Satan or taghut.
o To a soul that has not been puified, knowledge is a veil of darkness.
o It is a divine duty that if we inwardly are displeased with someone, our
word, action or deed should be to the contrary.
o 'Unpurified' knowledge is more harmful than ignorance.
o Speech will be effective when it comes from a purified heart.
o If man could crush the "I" under foot and replace it with "He", all things
would be set right.
o Sometimes knowledge of monotheism sends one to the hell and sometimes
mysticism does so. At other times, the science of jurisprudence and
occasionally the science of ethics send men to the hell! Knowledge per se
cannot set things right; it needs purification.
o The science of monotheism, too, if it deals with things other than God. is
of the veil of darkness.
o God forbid that man enter the society and gain influence with the people
before he purifies his ego because he'll lose himself and go astray.
o He who relies on God will be victorious.
o If your hand is removed from this world, which is the cultivation field for
the hereafter, it will then be too late and you won't be able to purge your
ego of corruption.
o I fear that for hearing our word and for our sake, they may go to paradise
and we go to hell for not being purified.
o Real Id [festival, feast] is when one wins the pleasure of God and he
reforms himself inwardly.
o A nation and a society cannot achieve its lofty aims unless it has been
purified and reformed.
Other Links:
Kolineh and Seyyed Sadeq offensive operation (2) (March 6th, 1981)
Democracy in an Islamic Community
The Concept and Principles of Democracy
Roqabieh offensive operation (March 19th, 1980)
Chaghalvand offensive operation (March 20th, 1980)
