In the Name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful   Praise be to God, Lord of the Worlds, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, Prophet Muhammad, upon his Pure Progeny, and upon his chosen Companions. Hajj: A symbol of the unity of the Islamic nation Praise God, the Almighty and Wise, for once again having made the blessed month of Dhu al-Hijjah a meeting place for the Muslim nations and for having made this path of His grace and mercy available to them. The Islamic nation can once again observe its unity and harmony in this clear, timeless mirror, and [take this opportunity to] turn away from factors that lead to disunity and division.  Unity and spirituality: Basic foundations of Hajj The unity of the Muslim nation is one of the two basic foundations of the Hajj Pilgrimage. When this foundation is combined with spirituality and remembering God (dhikr) – which together comprise the other basic foundation of this religious duty, which is full of secrets – they can take the Islamic nation to attain the heights of honor and felicity. They can enable it to become an example of [the verse], “All might belongs to Allah and His Messenger and the believers.” [Qur’an 63:8] Hajj is a combination of these two political and spiritual elements. And the sacred religion of Islam is a glorious, majestic fusion of the political and spiritual spheres. The enemies’ efforts to undermine the foundations of the Islamic nation's honor, and the Islamic nation's duty to counteract such efforts In recent history, the enemies of Muslim nations have undertaken an extensive drive to weaken the two bolstering elixirs of Islamic unity and spirituality among our nations. The enemies of Islam strive to weaken spirituality by promoting a western lifestyle that is devoid of spirituality and which is rooted in a short-sighted, materialistic vision of the world. They strive to undermine Islamic unity by promoting and promulgating baseless factors that foster division, such as [differences in] language, color, race, and geography. The Islamic nation, a small portion of which can now be seen in the symbolic ritual of Hajj, must rise up against this with every ounce of its being. This means on the one hand, we must increase remembrance of God, work for God, contemplation on God's words, and our trust in His promises in all of our minds. And on the other hand, everyone must work to overcome the factors that foster division and disunity. The Islamic world is ready for unity and the prerequisites for it What can be said with certainty today is that the current situation of the world and of the Islamic world is readier for this valuable effort than ever.  1. Islamic Awakening The first reason is that the elites and much of the general population in Islamic countries are now aware of the great wealth of their religious understanding and spiritual heritage, and of its significance and value. Today, liberalism and communism, the most significant contributions of Western civilization, no longer have the same appeal they did 100 years or 50 years ago. The credibility of capital-driven Western democracy is being seriously questioned, and Western thinkers admit they are at a theoretical and practical loss. By observing this situation, young people, intellectuals, scientists, and religious scholars within the world of Islam are able to gain new perspectives on the wealth and value of their own knowledge, as well as on the mainstream political currents in their own countries. This is the "Islamic Awakening" that we continually refer to.  2. The phenomenon of Resistance Secondly, this Islamic self-awareness has created a wondrous, miraculous phenomenon in the very heart of the Islamic world, and this poses serious problems for the Arrogant Powers. The name of this phenomenon is "Resistance," and its reality is manifested in the power of faith, struggling on the path of God, and relying on Him. This is the same phenomenon about which the following noble verse was revealed in the formative period of Islam:  Those to whom the people said, “All the people have gathered against you, so fear them.” That only increased them in faith, and they said, “Allah is sufficient for us, and He is an excellent trustee.” So they returned with Allah’s blessing and grace, untouched by any harm. They pursued the pleasure of Allah, and Allah is dispenser of a great grace. [Qur’an 3:173-174] The situation in Palestine is one of the manifestations of this amazing phenomenon that has been able to bring down the rebellious Zionist regime from its state of aggression and howling to a defensive, passive stance and impose on it the current, obvious array of political, security, and economic problems that it faces. Other brilliant examples of Islamic Resistance can be clearly seen in Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen and some other places.  3) Political governance in the Islamic Republic of Iran Thirdly, in addition to these other factors, the world is currently witness to a successful model and proud example of power and political Islamic governance in Islamic Iran. The stability, independence, progress, and honor of the Islamic Republic is a great, significant, striking phenomenon that can attract the thoughts and feelings of every conscious Muslim. The inabilities and at times mistaken actions of the officials of this system – mistakes which have postponed the attainment of all the blessings of Islamic governance – have never been able to shake the solid foundations or to stop the firm steps that have been taken in the path of the material and spiritual progress [of the Islamic Republic], as these are inspired by the basic principles of this system.  The following factors are to be found at the top of the list of these basic principles: the sovereignty of Islam in the legislative and executive branches of governance, reliance on the vote of the people in the country's most important administrative matters, complete political independence and refusing to rely on any oppressive powers. These principles can be the basis for a consensus between Muslim nations and governments, and they have the potential to bring unity and harmony to the Islamic nation in its direction and cooperation. These are the principles and factors that have fostered favorable conditions in the Islamic world for harmonious, unified movement. More than anyone else, Muslim governments, religious and scientific elites, independently-minded intellectuals, and the truth-seeking youth should think about taking full advantage of these favorable conditions.  The Arrogant Powers’ tools for confronting the Muslim’s unity It is natural for the Arrogant Powers, and the United States more than anyone else, to be worried about such a trend in the Islamic world and for them to employ all their resources in order to confront it. And this is what we are seeing. The tactics they employ range from dominating the media and soft warfare, to warmongering and starting proxy wars, political espionage and acts of inducement, and threatening, bribing and other forms of enticement. Each and every one of these tactics is employed by the United States and other Arrogant Powers to separate the Islamic world from its rightful path of awakening and felicity. The criminal, disgraceful Zionist regime in this region is yet another tool they use for this all-out effort.   These efforts have failed in most cases, thanks to God's grace and His will. And the Arrogant West has become weaker by the day in our sensitive region and, more recently, throughout the whole world. The distress and failure of the United States and its criminal accomplice, the usurper [Zionist] regime in the region, can clearly be seen in the recent events of Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Afghanistan.  Assets for building the future of the Islamic world and its undermining factors On the other hand, the Islamic world is brimming with motivated, energetic young people. The greatest assets for building the future are hope and self-confidence. Today, these assets are abundant in the Islamic world, especially in this region. We all have a duty to protect and increase these precious assets. However, we should not neglect the enemy's stratagems for a single moment. Let us avoid pride and negligence, and let us increase our alertness and efforts. And at all times, let us attentively beseech the Almighty, Wise God for His help. Participating in Hajj and its rituals provides a great opportunity for relying on God and beseeching Him, as well as for deliberation and decision-making. Pray for your Muslim brothers and sisters around the world, and ask for their success and victory. Please ask for divine guidance and help for this brother of yours in your pure prayers. May God's peace and mercy be upon you Sayyid Ali Khamenei Dhu al-Hijjah 5, 1443 July 5, 2022