{"id":838,"date":"2009-07-17T19:33:24","date_gmt":"2009-07-17T16:33:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/vigilantejournalist.com\/blog\/?p=838"},"modified":"2012-05-05T15:29:09","modified_gmt":"2012-05-05T12:29:09","slug":"rafsanjani-speech","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vigilantejournalist.com\/blog\/archives\/838","title":{"rendered":"Rafsanjani Speech (Updated)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Here is a rough translation live by telephone of Rafsanjani’s speech today in Tehran. Rafsanjani who is one of the most powerful religious clerics in Iran and a strong critic of Ahmedinejad made his first public appearence today since the disputed election. You can find an astute analysis<\/strong><\/a> here and the rough translation of the sermon below:<\/p>\n

Before I give out the Khotba (speech of Friday), I must say that the people who have gathered in Tehran University and in streets,
\nThey should know that Friday prayers should not be tainted with slogans and chants that do not belong here.
\nThis is a sacred and an Islamic act.<\/p>\n

(More jargon)<\/p>\n

The enemies of Islam want to question the legitimacy and effectiveness of our regime.<\/p>\n

(Still jargon going on)<\/p>\n

The second part of my speech is about the revolution for which people did Jihad.
\nI want to explain to the younger generation where we started and where we are going with the revolution
\nThe third part of my speech will be about the current situation of Iran.
\nThis will be my personal view,
\nWe are with you in your happiness and your grief.<\/p>\n

(bad connection)<\/p>\n

Nothing really important going on at this point.
\nHe’s just speaking about the early days of the revolution.
\nHe’s talking about how they opened up a school in Qom.
\nHe’s basically just talking about the early revolution, Qom and such.
\nhe’s just talking about the early history of Islam.
\nNothing really about the current situation. That is going to come at the end.
\nHe’s only speaking about the early history of Islam. Completely irrelevant stuff.
\nHe’s talking about how Mohammed built the first mosque in Madina.
\nNow he’s talking about he bought land in Medina to build the second Islamic mosque.
\n(sounds like he’s trying to go for the emotional appeal)
\nTalking about Medina and the early days of Islam<\/p>\n

What we learn from government from Islam is this: Follow god and then there’s the people.
\nThe Koran has Allah mentioned 3,000 times.
\nAnd the word for people has been used 4 to 5 hundred times.
\nWhat Mohammed did mostly was he created love and unity between the people.
\nThe first thing Mohammed did was he united all the tribes in Medina.
\nThen he went to the people of other religions.
\nWhen Jews, Christians and people of other religion came to Medina,
\nHe talked to all of them, and he created a unity within the city.
\nHe created a brotherhood between everyone inside the city.
\nBetween Muslims and non-Muslims.
\nThis was a pact between brothers, between different religions.
\nThis created eternal peace inside a small city.
\nThis small city was able to use this peace and topple gigantic empires.
\nThe government that Mohammed brought was unprecedented.
\nThere were governments, but they were autocracies and they acted against the people.
\nMohammed brought a government that was for the people, based on god’s law.
\n<\/p>\n

When Gabriel came to Mohammed and gave him the first words of the Koran,<\/p>\n

(Now reciting those first verses)<\/p>\n

This was when the future of Mohammed was cleared for him.<\/p>\n

(Explaining the verses)<\/p>\n

God created man and gave him understanding and the power to write.
\nThe power that gave us this ability,
\nHe tells us that we have him as the judge.
\nAnd when we die, he will remember everything that we have done.
\nThus, we shouldn’t be arrogant, we should consider god’s creatures weak.
\nBecause He is the judge.
\n(more religious jargon, talking about angels)<\/p>\n

Let us ask what sort of society the prophet wanted.
\nMohammed wanted all humans to have all the rights,
\nHe didn’t want anyone’s rights to be infringed upon.
\nOne of the last things he said before he died,
\nHe said, Oh people, I came to say Good Bye to you.
\nIf I have said something to you and I have not done it, please let me know.
\nIf I have taken something from you, then tell me so I could give it back.
\nI don’t want anything to be left for the afterlife.
\nThis is the kind of leader we have.
\nHe paved the way for Islamic unity.<\/p>\n

(recites a verse from the Koran)<\/p>\n

(Verse talks about unity of Muslims)<\/p>\n

God has put love between humans.
\nIt was god who created love between Muslims.<\/p>\n

That’s how Mohammed created a society that was united as one.
\nBut when he was dying, he realized that this might come to an end.
\nAnd that people might break apart and might create enemies with one another.
\n(explains a couple of incidents that created rifts between earlier Muslims)
\nDo know that Mohammed is the ideal for everyone,
\nFor all Muslims, for all humans.<\/p>\n

His life in Medina is the best example for how a government should operate.
\nHe fought along side his friends and his loved ones at times when he was being attacked from all sides.<\/p>\n

Then a day came when his friends captured the Empires of the Sassanids.
\nBut at the end of his life, he realized that there might be rifts between Muslims,
\nAnd their unity might be in danger.<\/p>\n

In his ten years of prophecy, he created a system upon which we have based our own revolution.<\/p>\n

(phone cut off for a little)<\/p>\n

(Recites a verse) (reciting more verses)<\/p>\n

(Praying for the martyred members of Mohammed’s family)<\/p>\n

This week, Imam Jafar Sadigh’s martyrdom’s celebration will be held.
\nHe spent his entire life either in prison or being censored.<\/p>\n

(Talking about Imam Jafar Sadigh’s life and how pious a man he was)<\/p>\n

I want to talk about the death of the Chinese citizens recently,
\n(People are chanting Azadi .. Azadi .. )
\nPeople, I have asked you all to not chant slogans
\nI am asking you as your Imam at this prayer,
\nThe government of China has quelled the protests.
\nWe would like to give them a brotherly advice,
\nThere are more than a billion Muslims in the world,
\nChina should pay attention to its relations between itself.
\nSuch cruelty could destroy those relations.
\nThere are fighting in Palestine and Pakistan and other places,
\nHopefully they will stop.<\/p>\n

The elections that took place,
\nThe preparations were good.
\nWe liked what went before the election,
\nThe four candidates,
\nThey talked in an open environment,
\nPeople became hopeful about the elections,
\nWe should have been proud of this election,
\nBecause people went to vote, in large numbers,
\nWe should thank them for voting.
\nFor taking part in the election is such huge numbers,
\nAlas, if only that environment continued to this day.
\nWhat happened after the election was not what we expected it to be.
\nLet us ask ourselves what we want,
\nWhat does the revolution want?<\/p>\n

You are listening to someone who has been with the revolution every minute of the revolution
\nWe know what Imam Khomeini wanted,
\nWhat his ideas were,
\nImam Khomeini always said that you should always listen to the people,
\nSee what the people want,
\nIf the people are with us, then we have everything.
\nThe Islamic Revolution was the way of Mohammed.
\nPeople should be brought into the system first,
\nThis is why Imam Khomeini was successful.<\/p>\n

It took years of hardship for us to get to where we are.
\nWe remember when people filled the streets,
\nWhen they took to protesting with the Imam Khomeini,
\nAgainst a government that was getting help from the East and the West,
\nBut people stood firm.
\nAnd they succeeded.
\nAfter the success of the revolution,
\nWe were with Imam Khomeini,
\nHe always said that without the participation of the people the Islamic government would never be successful.
\nThe role that Imam gave the people was very high.<\/p>\n

(Story about Mohammed’s late life about how important people are)<\/p>\n

(More religious jargon)<\/p>\n

When we were writing the new constitution,
\nWe asked the Imam for advice,
\nHe put a lot of emphasis on the role of the people.
\nHe also knew that people’s vote was the most important thing inside our country.
\nEverything depended upon the people’s vote.
\nPeople should directly elect the president, the parliament, the local council.
\nIt was all about the vote of the people.
\nThis is a theocracy,
\nA theocratic republic.<\/p>\n

(People chanting)<\/p>\n

Be patient, be calm.
\nIf the government is not Islamic, then we are heading no where.
\nIf it is not a republic, then it doesn’t amount to anything.<\/p>\n

The elections that took place,
\nWe have taken a step.
\nWhat I think is the solution to what is going on is that, at the end of the process,
\nThere were people who created false propaganda,<\/p>\n

(People chanting REALLY loudly)<\/p>\n

A large number of people became suspicious,
\nWe need to clear their suspicions.<\/p>\n

Today, we need unity more than ever.
\nOur country needs to be united against this danger.
\nMy brothers,
\nMy sisters,
\nMy view is this,
\nWe should all think together
\nSo our country could remain united,
\nAgainst this danger that is facing us.
\nOur enemies are trying to destroy our unity,<\/p>\n

I have several proposals for this,
\nI have talked to my friends about this.
\nI’m going to express them to you as well.<\/p>\n

The most important thing that has happened is that the trust that brought the people to vote in such large number is not there anymore.
\nWe need to return this trust.
\nWe all need to follow the law. And I’m talking about the government, the parliament, the Islamic Courts and the security forces.
\nWe need to follow the laws.
\nAll problems can be solved if we only follow the framework of the laws.
\nWe need to create an environment where all sides could come together and discuss their issues.
\nWe need to be able to sit down like brothers and sisters and talk about our differences.
\nUnfortunately,
\nThe chance that was given to the Guardian Council of five days to get people together and regain their trust was not used.
\nThat is not there anymore.
\nBut we still have time to unite.<\/p>\n

We shouldn’t imprison our own people,
\nWe should let these people return to their homes,
\nWe shouldn’t let our enemies laugh at us because we’ve imprisoned our own people.
\nWe should sit together with mourners,
\nAnd we should console them,
\nAnd bring them back closer to the system.
\nWe should not be impatient now.<\/p>\n

Please do not censor media outlets that have legally obtained permits.
\nLet them do what they want to do legally.
\nAllow a peaceful and friendly environment to prosper.
\nWe are all together in the Islamic Revolution,
\nWe’ve all spent years in suffering,
\nWe’ve all given martyrs for the cause of the revolution,
\nThis unity needs to fostered.<\/p>\n

I’m hopeful that we will be able to achieve this unity in the future,
\nAnd I’m hopeful we will get out of this situation,
\nBased on the wishes of the people,
\nAnd consensus among the leaders.<\/p>\n

May God Bless You All.
\nMay God Bless You All.
\nMay God keep you all safe,
\nKeep you with this spirit, around.<\/p>\n

(End of speech.)<\/p>\n

Here is a rough translation live by telephone of Rafsanjani’s speech today in Tehran. Rafsanjani who is one of the most powerful religious clerics in Iran and a strong critic...<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Here is a rough translation live by telephone of Rafsanjani’s speech today in Tehran. 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