Hawzah News Agency- Hojatoleslam Nasser Rafiei made the remarks Wednesday evening at a commemoration ceremony for the Martyred Imam, Grand Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei, hosted by Grand Ayatollah Sistani at his office in the holy city of Qom.
Paying tribute to the scholarly, spiritual, and struggle-filled character of the Martyred Leader, Rafiei said the luminous gathering was held in honor of a figure who spent his noble life in the path of Islam, the Quran, and the defense of religious values, and ultimately offered his life on that very path.
He added that the ceremony was convened at the initiative of Grand Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Sistani, in remembrance of the revered Leader and his esteemed martyred family members, so that the memory of this towering personality of the Muslim world and Shia Islam may endure.
Martyred Leader was a prominent scholar, exegete, jurist, and tireless fighter
Describing the various dimensions of the Martyred Leader's personality, Rafiei said he was a grand Marja, a scholar of the Quran, a historian, a prominent jurist and legal theorist, an indefatigable struggler, and a devoted fighter who placed all his scholarly and practical capacities at the service of Islam and the Islamic Ummah, and finally attained the immense blessing of martyrdom.
Referring to his recent speeches on the Martyred Leader's character, he noted that he has spoken in various cities including Mashhad, Qom, Kerman, and Yazd, addressing his scholarly and intellectual traits from multiple angles, among them his deep knowledge of the Quran, history, art, sociology, enemy analysis, as well as his cultural, social, and political concerns.
Gratitude to Iraqi nation and Najaf Seminary for funeral processions
The seminary professor went on to thank the people of Iraq, the scholars, and the Islamic Seminary of Najaf, saying he has previously expressed his appreciation to the noble Iraqi nation, the scholars of Najaf, and the organizers of the magnificent funeral processions in Najaf and Karbala.
He added that millions of Iraqis, in scorching heat, took to the streets for hours, solemnly escorting their dear Leader through the holy cities of Najaf and Karbala with overwhelming grandeur—a massive turnout worthy of sincere gratitude. He expressed hope that God Almighty will grant dignity and victory to Shias and all Muslims across the world and bring down the Zionist banner.
Spirituality, devotion, and lifelong longing for martyrdom
Hojatoleslam Rafiei identified devotion, heartfelt supplication, and a deep connection to spirituality as the first hallmark of the Martyred Leader, noting that he used to recount fasting even before reaching the age of religious obligation, and would spend hours alongside his mother in the shrine courtyard reciting the supplications and rites of the Day of Arafah.
He continued that the Martyred Leader would also say that after the victory of the Islamic Revolution, even during his tenure as president, he maintained the same spiritual disposition and always devoted special care to prayer, supplication, and closeness to the Holy Quran.
Touching on the Leader's view of martyrdom, the seminary professor noted that he regarded martyrdom as a "merchant's death," having repeatedly expressed that since his days teaching Quranic exegesis in Mashhad, he had nurtured the wish for martyrdom in his heart.
He added that the Martyred Leader would recall that when he obtained Imam Khomeini's permission to join the frontlines alongside Martyr Mostafa Chamran, he bade farewell to his wife with the certainty that he would not return—parting as if it were their final meeting.
Rafiei further cited the Leader's understanding of the essence of martyrdom, stating that he described it as "selling a perishable and fleeting commodity in exchange for an eternal divine gift," drawing on the Quranic verse, "Indeed, Allah has purchased from the believers their lives and their properties, for that they will have Paradise." The Leader believed that while the human body eventually perishes, the transaction with God brings an everlasting reward and divine paradise for the believers.
Courage among the most outstanding traits of the Martyred Leader
Rafiei highlighted that the second defining characteristic of the Martyred Leader was courage. In this regard, he said he preferred to recount directly from the Leader's own words, adding nothing of his own.
Noting that the Martyred Leader had attended the Non-Aligned Movement summit during his tenure as president, Rafiei said the Leader recounted that at the time, the prevailing atmosphere at the conference was dominated by states leaning leftward and sympathetic to the Soviet Union. Figures like Robert Mugabe and Fidel Castro were among those close to the USSR and held anti-American stances.
Frank criticism of both America and the Soviet Union from a global podium
Rafiei continued that the Martyred Leader told how he delivered a lengthy speech at that summit against US policies. In that address, he detailed America's crimes and injustices, including its support for the imposed war against Iran, which was met with applause from the audience.
He added that toward the end of the speech, the Leader turned to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, bluntly denouncing it as a crime and directly criticizing Soviet policies. The Leader noted that this part of his remarks was not received with the same applause, since the dominant atmosphere at the gathering favored the Soviet Union's backers.
Rafiei went on to say that after the speech, one of the attending presidents approached the Leader and told him, "Among the countries present here, you are the truly non-aligned one. Many nations are aligned either with the West or the East, but you, with dignity and courage, exposed the crimes of both."
He stated that this account clearly shows how the Martyred Leader, in defending truth and justice, was never swayed by the prevailing political climate and voiced his positions against global powers with independence, dignity, and courage.
Martyred Leader was a model of "best of deeds" and sincere service to the people
Rafiei said that God Almighty grants His highest reward—martyrdom—to the people of virtue, adding that martyrdom befitted the Martyred Leader, however difficult, grievous, and irreparable his loss may be for all, with profound effects and consequences across society.
Pointing to religious teachings on the value of deeds, he stressed that God demands from human beings the "best of deeds," not merely more deeds. The best of deeds is an act of quality, soundness, precision, and rooted in knowledge and awareness, and the Martyred Leader was a luminous example of this approach in the fields of service and governance.
The seminary professor added that the Martyred Leader served the people in various capacities for nearly half a century. He held the helm of the country's leadership for many years, served eight years as president, and had previously played active roles across different arenas of the Islamic Revolution and struggle.
Spirituality, God-centeredness, and moral conduct among defining traits
Rafiei identified spirituality and God-centeredness as the most defining features of the Martyred Leader, stating that he rose for God, spoke for God, and made decisions for God. He was a man of night prayers, supplication, prolonged prostrations, deep attachment to the Holy Quran, and unyielding reliance on divine intercession, always emphasizing the importance of practical mysticism.
In concluding, Rafiei underlined that courage, moral uprightness, humility, magnanimity, and fairness were among the other outstanding traits of the Martyred Leader, constantly manifest in his conduct and character throughout his years of responsibility and service.
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