TEHRAN – Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, highlighted the importance of the Hajj pilgrimage as global issue that is meant to foster unity against oppression. 

The Leader made the remarks during a meeting with Iranian officials in charge of conducting and organizing the Hajj pilgrimage on Wednesday.

Ayatollah Khamenei stressed the importance of viewing the Hajj pilgrimage correctly and the understanding of the importance of this religious obligation. "Hajj is a global and civilizational issue, the purpose of which is to advance the Islamic nation, to bring the hearts of Muslims closer together and to unite the Islamic nation against disbelief, oppression, Arrogance and human, non-human idols," he said, according to khamenei.ir. 

Referring to verses from the Quran, Ayatollah Khamenei considered the Kaaba to be the source of the rising and stability of human societies. He also referred to the worldly benefits and benefits related to the Hereafter of this great duty. "If there was no Hajj, the Islamic nation would collapse."

The Leader considered the Hajj as an international and global event. Referring to God’s invitation of all people to perform Hajj, he stated, "Inviting human beings throughout history to be present in a certain place and on certain days, is an indication of the important goal and countless benefits that exist in this divine call."

Ayatollah Khamenei considered the unity of the Islamic nation and confronting the Arrogant evil powers as examples of these goals. "One of the numerous worldly benefits of Hajj is that in this great gathering, Muslims demonstrate their presence and their power and they stand up to the Zionist regime, the influence of Arrogant Powers and all oppressors around the world," he added.

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution also explained those benefits of Hajj which are related to the Hereafter, describing each act of this duty as an enlightening window towards the unseen world. Addressing the Hajj pilgrims, he said, "Purify and cleanse your hearts from all that goes against the remembrance of God through supplication and prayer, sincerity and worship."

He considered the international and extraterritorial view of Hajj as a fundamental issue and pointed out the need to know about world issues and the situation of Muslim nations. "The Hajj period is a great opportunity to get to know the nations and global issues so that the false news of the media and fake news agencies do not lead people astray and away from the realities of the world."

Ayatollah Khamenei considered unawareness in the world as the reason for a society’s destruction. "As it has been said many times before, the people and our officials should be very serious about identifying the goals, methods, policies, and the strengths and weaknesses of the enemy. If this happens, the country will not be deceived as it has been deceived in a number of places," he said.

The Leader added that if everyone is aware of global issues, they can understand the enemy’s real purpose and the reason for its insistence on certain issues. "In many issues, the officials have practiced vigilance and acted in the right manner. Iran’s exceptional progress in regional and global issues, which has angered the US, is the result of this vigilance."

Ayatollah Khamenei described the practical manifestation of Islam’s opposition to geographical, racial, social class-based and other discriminations as part of the fundamental principles of Hajj. "The countries that claim to be civilized, yet have no traces of civilization in them, are still caught up in the racial issues of blacks and whites, Europeans and non-Europeans. They value their pets more than they value some humans. The successive drowning of immigrants in the sea is an indication of this reality."

He considered the uniformity and sameness of all pilgrims from any race, history and culture as one of the secrets of Hajj. "The officials and organizers involved in Hajj should spread awareness in such a way that when people, especially the youth of today, hear the word ‘Hajj’, it will evoke fundamental concepts in their minds, such as the formation of civilizations, unity against oppressors, having a cross-border view and eliminating the current disparities that exist in human societies. If such a thing takes place, no one will be worried anymore about some pilgrims shopping for low-quality products as souvenirs."

The Leader emphasized the need for Iranian pilgrims to take part in the congregational prayers that are held in Masjid al-Haram and Masjid al-Nabawi, calling on pilgrims to communicate and talk with each other. "It is very good to read Dua Kumayl together as a group. At the same time, the 'Disavowal of Polytheists' ceremony, which is part of the broad and profound provisions of Hajj, must continue."

He described the victory of the Islamic Revolution as the cause for the recognition and partial revival of the capacities of Hajj, adding that efforts need to be made to revive all these capacities and to utilize them in the way of fulfilling the fundamental goals of Hajj.