Students are society's muezzins [the ones who make the call for prayer]. When they remain asleep, the people will remain asleep as well." This is a good metaphor. You can be awakeners. You can be creators of a discourse. Therefore, you should never think that your student tasks are ineffective.

Idealism means observing the realities and identifying them in a correct manner. You should benefit from positive realities and fight against negative realities. This is the meaning of idealism. You should observe the ideals. This is the first responsibility of students.

What are the ideals?

1. Establishing an Islamic society and civilization is the first ideal. This means reviving Islamic thought. Since many centuries ago, some people have been doing their best to eliminate Islam from life, from politics and from the managing body of the society, in order to confine Islam to personal issues. Later on, they tried to gradually confine personal issues to issues related to graveyards, participating in marriage ceremonies and the like. However, Islam has come to deliver this message: "And We did not send any messenger except to be obeyed by permission of Allah," [The Holy Quran, 4:64]. This is not particular to Islam. All prophets have said the same. Divine religions have emerged so that they can be established in society in the true sense of the word. This should happen. This is one of the most important ideals.

2. Self-confidence is another ideal. The slogan of "We Can", that was reflected in your statements, is an ideal. We should pursue the philosophy of national self-confidence and the belief in national power and capabilities. This should certainly be pursued as an ideal. Of course, pursuing ideals has certain requirements that should be met.

3. Fighting against global imperialism and arrogance is another ideal that I have written down in my notes. Global imperialism means a system that is founded on the relationship between the oppressor and the oppressed. In other words, all countries in the world or human systems in the world are divided into the oppressor and the oppressed. This is what has happened in the world today: some people oppress and some are oppressed. You should know that this is the source of all contentions with Iran. The source of contentions with the Islamic Republic is that it has not accepted the system which is based on the oppressor and the oppressed. Not only is it not an oppressor, but it has also liberated itself from being oppressed and it has stood by its claim. If Iran succeeds and makes progress - scientific, industrial, economic and social progress and progress related to extending its regional and global influence - it will be proved to other nations, that they can also refuse to be oppressed, that they can stay true to their claims and achieve progress. They do not want this to happen. This is the source of all contentions. Other issues are merely an excuse.

4. Pursuing justice is the next ideal. The issue of pursuing justice is very important. This issue has many branches and we should not rely on a mere slogan, rather we should truly pursue it. Other ideals are leading an Islamic lifestyle and pursuing freedom, not in its wrong and deviating sense in the west where freedom means that girls and boys should live such and such a life. May those who openly oppose Islamic traditions and the tradition of marriage be damned! Unfortunately, some of our centers and cultural organizations promote this. Therefore, they should be confronted. The issue of freedom should be pursued in thinking, in individual, political and social actions, and in society. In its social sense, freedom means independence.

5. Scientific growth is one more ideal for you to pursue. Another ideal is hard work, avoiding laziness and leaving tasks unfinished. Another ideal is establishing Islamic universities. These are among ideals.

Well, someone might ask, "How are we supposed to pursue these ideals? We have no influence in the country. There are some managers who carry out the tasks and we merely chant slogans and talk." This is a misunderstanding of the issue. This is not the case at all. Students are decision-makers. They are the ones who create a discourse. When you pursue, highlight, repeat and stand by an ideal, this creates a discourse in society and it leads to decision-making. When something becomes a discourse, individuals in any decision-making organization of the country will have to follow it. A living example of this is the discourse about developing the software movement and reviving the scientific movement of the country. This idea was brought up and repeated and later on, it was fortunately welcomed and turned into a discourse. As a result of it, society's movement was shaped on the basis of this movement. It is 10, 15 years now that we have been moving forward in scientific arenas. This has happened in all areas. So, students can play their part. A dear person quoted Shahid Beheshti as saying, "Students are society's muezzins [the ones who make the call for prayer]. When they remain asleep, the people will remain asleep as well." This is a good metaphor. You can be awakeners. You can be creators of a discourse. Therefore, you should never think that your student tasks are ineffective.

You should not waste your time. Many of our young children - whether students and other individuals - waste their time roaming about in social networks and the like or they participate in meaningless and absurd debates. You should not waste your time, rather you should use it judiciously. You should attend to both your lessons and your organizational work.

July 11, 2015