Supreme Leader warns of attempts to distort doctrines of shiism

17 August 2008

Tehran-Supreme Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei here Sunday warned against attempts to distort "clear and sensible" tenets of Shiism, calling on related officials and organs to launch stern campaign against them.

"Removal of embellishments and superstitions, false claims and misinterpretations and misunderstandings of the `clear and sensible' beliefs of Shiism is among duties of cultural organs inside and outside the country," said Ayatollah Khamenei in an address to a meeting, held on the occasion of the birth anniversary of the last Imam of Shiites, Hazrat Mahdi (May God Expedite His Reappearance).

The Supreme Leader said the cultural organs inside and outside the country, who are in charge of public affairs, should understand well and ponder on Shiite beliefs and try to transfer their findings to others properly.

The Ayatollah emphasized that Shiite beliefs are the holiest, most logical and unalterable beliefs in their kind and traces of elaborate thought and wisdom are fully evident in them.

The Supreme Leader said that if the beliefs are properly conveyed and transferred, the world intellectuals and thinkers will come to confirm and endorse them.

Ayatollah Khamenei said Shiite beliefs have had an influential impact on Iranian nation's resistance and campaign.

He said teachers, cultural officials and the educational organs in charge of youth affairs should try to define and teach religious beliefs to the youth properly and carefully.

"The beliefs and facts should be pegged in the mind and soul of the trainee intelligently and aptly," announced the Supreme Leader.

Congratulating the audience, the faithful, the wise, freedom lovers and unjust campaigners on the auspicious occasion of birthday anniversary of the `Savior of Mankind', Ayatollah Khamenei said people should withstand "shameful" claims of certain people who pretend having links with `Imam of the Age.'

A group of Iran's cultural attaches and consuls, Minister of Education and his deputies, the Education Ministry officials and people from various walks of life were present in the meeting.

Elsewhere in his address, Ayatollah Khamenei termed birthday anniversary of the last Imam of Shiites as the day of man's real hope on a bright future full of justice.

The Ayatollah said waiting for reappearance of the Imam, who is now in occultation, means all-out personal and public preparedness and making efforts and moving in the path of justice.

The Supreme Leader said all the divine and other religions have given the good tiding of coming of a savior to spread justice.

Ayatollah Khamenei said the idea in Shiism to wait for appearance of Hazrat Mahdi (May God Hasten His Reappearance) is not a hope and rigid mental concept but a reality.

The Ayatollah said Imam of the Age will reappear to save human societies and mankind and turn injustice, caused by ignorance and selfishness, to justice.

Concluding his speech, Ayatollah Khamenei said two billion hungry people worldwide and infinite pressures on nations are all tokens of widespread injustice around the globe today. "The world is indeed full of injustice and thirsty of justice."