Elections and the Majlis
(Wise Sayings of Imam Khomeini)
o If the people want Islam, independence, freedom, and release from the
Eastern or Western bondage, let them all participate in the elections.
o If we are lax in elections, be sure they (the enemies) will render a blow to
us through the Majlis (the Islamic Consultative Assembly).
o My advice to the noble nation is to be on the scene and participate in the
elections whether for President or Majiis representatives, elections for the Experts to determine the Leadership Council or the Leader.
o Elections are not the exclusive rights of anyone. It does not belong to the
clergymen or to any party or group exclusively. Elections are the business of all the people.
o It is the nation which, by its vote, designates the President, votes for and
determines the Islamic Republic, and by its concerted vote in the Majlis. approves the government. All affairs are in the hands of the nation.
o It is incumbent on the gentlemen to be on the scene concerning Islamic
issues whether you want to elect or not to elect someone as representative or, I should say. President of the Republic. You have no excuse for not being on the scene or for sitting by.
o Take note that the objective of elections is ultimately to preserve Islam. If
the sanctity of Islamic issues is not observed in the related (election)
campaigns, how can the elected person be a preserver of Islam?
o Everyone of us, man or woman, has the responsibility to determine his or
her destiny just as we must say our daily prayers.
o My dear ones who are the hope of the Islamic movement! On the destiny-
making day, arise; rush to the polling boxes and cast your votes in them.
o Today, the responsibility lies on the shoulder of the nation. If the nation of
pious and dedicated people sits by, persons who have plots for the country
will get into the Majlis from every direction; the entire responsibility rests with the nation!
o Do not let even one mercenary, saboteur element enter the Majlis.
o The noble nation must know that deviation from this important Islamic
affair is treason to Islam and the country, and entails great responsibility.
o The Majlis is at the top of all affairs.
o The Majlis is the nation's real home.
o This Majlis has come about by the blood of a group that has been faithful
to Islam.
o This Majlis is the outcome of the peoples' cries of "Allahu akbar'] o Submission to the Majlis is submission to Islam.
o Merely Islam is not enough for the Majlis. There must be Muslims who
recognize the needs of the country; understand politics and have
knowledge of the interests and ills of the country.
o The Majlis is at the apex of all organs; it is the nation crystallized and
realized in the confines of a small space.
o I wish the sanctity of the grand Majlis and the noble representatives be
maintained so as to be a model for all such assemblies in the world.
o It is unfortunate that things occur in the Majlis (meetings) that are
detrimental to the prestige of you. gentlemen.
o Take note that the President of the Republic and Majlis representatives
come from classes who have fell the deprivation of the oppressed and are
concerned with their welfare and are not of the capitalist, land-grabbing,
aluent and profligate individuals who are unable to understand the pains of deprivation and the sufferings of the hungry and barefooted.
o Let persons who are elected be the real choices of the nation.
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o Apprise the people that you wish to protect Islam; thus, those whom you
elect should be mindful of Islam and dedicated to it; they should not be
(ilm) actors.
o I humbly ask you that as far as possible agree with one another in electing
representatives and dedicated. Islamic persons who do not deviate from
the divine straight path.
o You should carefully study the past record of persons you intend to elect;
how they have conducted themselves before the Revolution, during the
Revolution and ever since; also their family background, their beliefs or
opinions as well as their knowledge or education.
o We hope that the combatant, dedicated nation will, after careful study of
the past records of candidates and groups, cast their votes in favor of
persons who are faithful to the dear Islam and the Constitution, immune
from leftist or rightist tendencies and are of extolled virtues and are wellwishers of the nation and committed to the laws of Islam.
o Elect individuals who are dedicated to Islam, are neither Western nor
Eastern and who stride on the straight path of Islam and humanity.
o I expect you to preserve your unity of expression, and when electing your
representatives prefer the pleasure of God to that of yourselves.
o Elect and send to the Majlis representatives who are adorned with good
conduct, are committed to Islam, faithful to their country, and who are in service to you and the country.
o We must all know that if the President and Majlis representatives are
worthy persons, dedicated to Islam and the country, many disputes will not arise.
o The Majlis has a great responsibility for guiding the people and acting as
their preceptor.
o Let us try to have a strong legislature able to guide the country to the
straight path.
o A good legislature sets all things good and right, and a bad legislature
corrupts them.
o It is the legislature (Majlis) that rectiies or despoils the foundation of a
country.
o The day perversion is witnessed in the Majlis, when perversions of power-
seeking and greed are observed in the President or the ministers, know that
that day marks our impending defeat; perversions must be checked right
then and there!
o The day our representatives develop traits of palace-dwellers or, God
forbid, part with their worthy slum-dwelling character, then that is the day
when we should iinu the death knell for the country.
o If a group or an individual in this system pointlessly acts, God forbid, to
eliminate or sabotage others and prefer the expediency of his own line or faction, he will surely hurt Islam and the Revolution before he can hurt his rivals.
o You are not delegated (to 'he Majlis) in order to go, sit in there and settle
your personal accounts and â– n out your private disputes. If you do this it
will be perversion and you have usurped the place.
o If you deviate against ilic nation you have betrayed your mandate. o Criticism and interpellation are rights of the Majlis.
o There are differences between supervision and interpellation, between
fault-finding and revenge, and all will understand this distinction after
referring to their ow n consciences.
o No one is entitled to insult the Majlis; it is a prerogative of the Majlis to
have pros and cons.
