At the end of this year, now that the New Year is approaching, I have to inform the nation of something. You know that the year we are in, which is about to end, has been a year of great endeavors and suffering; however, it was with benefits as well. The sufferings the nation went through during this year was perhaps unprecedented, or, if not, rarely equaled. Moreover, the strength that the nation had demonstrated and shown to the world has been peerless because the nation had been under intolerable pressure during the last fifty odd years. The regime had depleted the nation's strength and wasted the people's lives; however, in spite of all this, the nation rose up and forged a movement. I cannot call it by any other name but an Islamic movement, which has been achieved through the power of Islam and faith. Had it not been for the power of faith, a nation could not have prevailed over satanic powers with bare hands. It was the power of Islam and faith that united the people and it was this unity and power of faith that pushed the people toward victory…(sahifa, vol 6, p. 346)
A lot of attention will have to be paid to issues the first of which is education. The educational system we now have should be revised. The colonial educational system should be transformed into an independent educational system. Teachers in this educational system or the entire class of professors should be chosen with carefulness and they should be righteous and virtuous individuals. They should be ones to bring up our youth as righteous and not parasitic citizens…(Sahifa, vol 6, p. 349)
Imam's Speech
Date: March 20, 1979, Esfand 92, 1357AHS/ Rabi` ath-Thani 21, 1399 AH
Place: Qum
Subject: Causes of victory; endeavor to reach the final victory; advice to the nation and government
Occasion: Advent of the (Iranian) New Year
Audience: Provisional government's cabinet