Liberated POWs in the Supreme Leader's Statements 3
Liberated POWs, the best soldiers of the Islamic Revolution.
In the statements of the Supreme Leader, the liberated POWs are introduced not only as righteous servants but also as "the best soldiers of the Revolution," "the most tested offspring of the nation," and "living martyrs," whose period of captivity is assumed as a glorious chapter of "blessed and rewarding years of youth."
By examining the statements of the Supreme Leader between September 16th, 1990, and August 17th, 1992, the following points can be highlighted as the most important ones:
A: The Divine and Spiritual Status of Liberated POWs (The Celestial Value of Sufferings)
1. All moments of captivity (long nights, fear, hunger, cold and heat, loneliness, the tyranny of the unworthy, and steadfastness against the enemies of God) are preserved in the Divine Records like audio and video tapes, and not a single moment of it has perished[1].
2. Liberated POWs are regarded as a collection of divine blessings and God's graces upon righteous servants, as well as a collection of difficult tests ordeals for faithful human beings[2].
3.The gist of the Quranic verse equal to “ Patience is a virtue” was demonstrated to the liberated captives in effect and God practically enabled them to taste the sweet fruits of patience[3].
4. The liberation of the POWs from the clutches of the Ba'athist regime was a sign of God's extraordinary power and one of the divine rewards to the Iranian nation[4].
B: The Value and Weight of Each Moment of Captivity (The Grandeur of Endurance)
1. One hour of captivity in the hands of a treacherous, tyrannical, irreligious enemy who is totally devoid of humanity, is hard and unbearable let alone an exponential sum of days[2].
2. The moment-by-moment sufferings of captivity cannot be verbalized or fully explained by art and literature; hearing about it is not like seeing and touching it[5].
Q: The Historical and Identity Role of LCs (Keeping the Resistance Movement Alive)
1. The Liberated Captives revive the memories of days, hours, and moments(of captivity), and keep the historical memory of resistance alive in the society[1].
2. In the harshest conditions of captivity, the LCs preserved their revolutionary and spiritual character and fighting spirit in a way that is unparalleled among any nation[5].
3. The LCs symbolize loyalty to Islamic ideals and act as a beacon of enlightenment against the intentions of Imperialism[6].
T: The LCs in the Field of National Development and Future-Making (Post-Captivity Function)
1. The LCs have returned with a valuable reserve of experience, awareness, competence, patience, steadfastness, and forbearance, and these assets must be employed for the national development[2].
2. They must march in the vanguard of the country's development movement in all spheres (army, IRGC, the Islamic Militia, and society)[2].
3. The hardships of captivity have strengthened their resolve to advance towards the goals of the revolution, and they are the most eligible individuals to defend the system[7].
Th: The Duty of Sustaining Revolutionary Spirit (Countering Despair and Distortion)
1. The Islamic Revolution is not confined to a specific time; with the passage of time, revolutionary spirit does not weaken. The LCs must contend with the illusion of the revolution weakening by means of enthusiasm, reliance on God, and steadfast[7].
2. Despair and hopelessness are the greatest enemies of idealistic people; The LCs, drawing on their great spiritual reserve that stems from captivity, should continue their struggle and never give up hope for the future[7].
Final Summary
Within the intellectual framework of the Supreme Leader, the Liberated POWs do not represent a historical phenomenon of the past, but rather a living treasure of faith, patience, and insight into the Islamic Revolution forever. God has particularly noted the magnitude of LCs ` sufferings; their return is a divine reward; and their presence in the scene of construction and defense of values is considered a continuation of that epic of resistance in a new form.
See also
- The LCs in the remarks of the Supreme Leader
Bibliography
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Available from https://farsi.khamenei.ir/speech-content?id=2372
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Available from https://farsi.khamenei.ir/speech-content?id=8840
- ↑ Available from https://farsi.khamenei.ir/speech-content?id=2384
- ↑ Available from https://farsi.khamenei.ir/speech-content?id=2623
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Available from https://farsi.khamenei.ir/speech-content?id=2589
- ↑ Available from https://farsi.khamenei.ir/speech-content?id=2479
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Available from https://farsi.khamenei.ir/speech-content?id=2631