Jihad means striving to target enemy

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has outlined various aspects of the struggle against the enemies of Islam enshrined in the principle of jihad.

“Jihad means striving to target the enemy, and the field of jihad must be correctly identified at all times,” he told a group of eulogists on the birth anniversary of Hazrat Fatima Zahra (SA), the Immaculate Daughter of the Almighty’s Last and Greatest Messenger to all mankind, Prophet Mohammad (blessings of God upon him and his progeny), in Tehran Sunday.

Ayatollah Khamenei touched on various fields of jihad in different periods such as military jihad, scientific jihad and jihad of social service.

“For instance, social service to the people in a situation where the enemy is trying to put them against the Islamic system by creating economic pressure is valuable jihad.”

The Leader touched on the vast campaign of the enemies to upend the thoughts of the Iranian people and destroy their faith and beliefs through the mass media and using thousands of art and media experts and huge financial and security support, against which “the most important area of jihad is the field of explanation and enlightenment”.

“In the face of this evil move, hay’ats (religious centers) must ask themselves where they stand on the front of truth and falsehood, and the confrontation between the narrative of falsehood and truth, and how they expand the main ideals and foundations of the revolution,” Ayatollah Khamenei said.

He described hay’ats as “the center of the great jihad of enlightenment”, saying they should be a place for providing convincing and correct answers to the current questions of the society, especially the young generation.

“The axis of the formation of hay’ats as a social unit has been the friendship of the Ahl al-Bayt and keeping alive the way and school of the Imams, which has been formed since the time of those nobles.”

The Leader also touched on patterns inspired by the life and thoughts of Hazrat Fatima Zahra (SA) in the Iranian society, citing sincere services meted out to the needy and those hit by floods and other natural disasters as well as scientific services of Iran’s nuclear experts assassinated in recent years as examples.

Ayatollah Khamenei also cited services provided to the public without pay during the COVID-19 pandemic as another example.

“Hazrat Fatima Zahra must be a role model in all aspects, especially social and revolutionary movements,” he said.