Death is not the annihilation of human beings. It is not death which makes him die but it is he who causes the death die; this applies to all people. We never die; we cause death to die. Man does not surrender to death; rather he makes the death give in. Those who have materialistic beliefs assume death to be the end of the way by which Man dies and decays and, no more. In the religious culture, however, it is Man who crushes death and annihilates it, yet still endures. Such is the word of the Messengers. No one else has the authority to say such a sublime word. In the poems of his honor, Molavi, you can see some well-known pieces in Divan-e Shams [a collection of lyric poems]; one of his very popular verses is:

مرگ اگر مرد است گو نزد من آی

 (If death's a Man, let him come close to me)

It is right that Molavi is a great man, yet this word is far greater than him. These are not the words of Molavi and his likes; it is the words of Revelation that Man causes death to die; it is not that death causes Man to die.

Death means change and transformation; i.e. dissolution. The words of the Holy Quran is not that "کلّ نفس یذوقه الموت"(every soul is tasted by death); rather the Holy Quran says: "کلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَائِقَةُ الْمَوْتِ" (Every soul must taste of death). That is to say, everyone should taste of death. Every ẕāʼiq (taster) tastes its maẕuq (something fit to be tasted); it is not the other way round. When you drink some juice, it is you who taste and absorb the liquid; the juice is not absorbing you. Accordingly, the Holy Quran has said "کلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَائِقَةُ الْمَوْتِ". That noble man said:

من از او عمری ستانم جاودان ٭٭٭ او ز من دلقی بگیرد رنگ رنگ

(I shall take from it a life everlasting *** It shall take from me Cassock protean)

So everyone will wrestle with death and will cause death to die and so one will survive and endure.

The second point is that on the verge of this transfer and in this entrance passageway, many people enter the stage while they are ignorant and thus get involved with the death. The stage of wrestling and the struggle is so complicated and harsh that many people forget the ABCs of life. Then, we will reach the third principle and here it will become clear what a stance belongs to martyrs, a station wherein all the above affairs are under their direct view. The truth of death is not things of the diseases such as tuberculosis, cancer and the likes; for, against all body can defend and survive; these are all invulnerable [and body can withstand the attack]. In the process of death, however, it is not that body can defend; indeed, body surrenders and soul survives, because death, as an event, is extremely breathtaking and overwhelming. Many people die and forget their family names and the name of their clans; that is why in talqin al-mayyit (instructing the dead before burial as to how to answer interrogative angels) many of the dead individuals are unable to answer. In the grave, Man is asked of the basics, the self-evident truths, and the ABCs of religion; the profound philosophical and scientific questions are not asked. The dead is not asked to give an answer to the problem of "tarattub" (successive order) or discuss the confusion of "Ibn Kammuna"; he is asked what religion he followed? There's nothing simpler than asking who one's prophet is. Who is one's Imam? Who's one's God? Where is one's Qiblah (direction for prayer)? These are the ABCs of religion; no matter if one is a man of prayers or not, in his identity card, he may be known as Muslim. He can say that he's a Muslim. As for those who do not even say prayers or fast at all, if you ask them of their religion, they will reply it is Islam. In the grave, however, it is not the case that one be able to tell a lie. When he is asked "What is your religion"? He cannot remember. Such is the world of the grave. He is asked: "Who is your Lord"? "Who is your Messenger"? "Who is your Imam"? "What is your Qiblah"? "What is your Book"? These are the ABCs of religion, and yet he fails to remember. Long after the Punishment, he will remember little by little. Once our master Imam (God bless him) said something in his advices, which of course you can find in narrations too, and that was the fact that after ahqab (pl. of huqb: an unknown duration of time) of punishment, he will start to remember and say: my prophet is the one to whom the Quran was revealed; he cannot remember the blessed name of him at this stage. Therefore, in that overwhelming fuss many people, both men of knowledge and others, will forget the ABCs of religion, let alone other issues. In such a condition of chaos [and being overwhelmed], the martyr enters full of knowledge; he can remember everything; he can not only remember his religious beliefs, but can also remember who was his companion and who was not; who is following his path and who is not.

The third principle is that it is not mere history that he remembers who is following his path, who was his fellow university student and his fellow scholar; rather, as he has reached the destination, he seeks God's glad tidings that his fellow people, those who were following his path, also arrive at the destination. "وَ یسْتَبْشِرُونَ" (and they seek glad tidings) that is O Allah, give us the glad tidings and tell us where they are.

وَ یسْتَبْشِرُونَ بِالَّذِینَ لَمْ یلْحَقُوا بِهِم

(… and they seek glad tidings about those who have not yet joined them)

The part "بِالَّذِینَ لَمْ یلْحَقُوا بِهِم" (about those who have not yet joined them) is in the words of men of literature, adam malikah (relative complement). That is to say, Martyrs tell God, the Glorified, as for those who were not traveling in our path, and were motionless and stationary, we have nothing to say; however, as for those who were in line with us, those who were our companions, yet who have not yet reached the destination, where are they now? "بِالَّذِینَ لَمْ یلْحَقُوا بِهِم" (about those who have not yet joined them) is partial completion; it is not referred to one who is sleeping in his land, is standing [stationary], is sitting [motionless] or one who has not yet started the journey; it refers to one who has not yet reached him; one who comes aboard, who is on the way and for whom the way is still to go. The "بِالَّذِینَ لَمْ یلْحَقُوا بِهِم" (about those who have not yet joined them) are those who have been of a common destination; those who have started their journey, who are still on the way, yet have not reached the destination; they ask: O God, where are they now? Such an awareness and asking for information is not what everyone can find the opportunity.

The great master concluded that:

It becomes evident here that the result of any honoring and veneration that we bestow upon a martyr, goes back to his family and not to himself; for he is solving our problems. We should be cautious when speaking to them; we should speak with due respect and honor; and yet, the one who solves our problems is the martyr.  " وَ یسْتَبْشِرُونَ بِالَّذِینَ لَمْ یلْحَقُوا بِهِم" (and they seek glad tidings about those who have not yet joined them) means O God, give us glad tidings! This is a declarative statement, yet suggests a request; that is, it says O God we ask You to give us the glad tidings that they pass their way faster and that they do not change their mind and they reach the destination sooner.

With their martyrdom, they purified the country and the system from all darkness and malignance. Sometimes, when we go near the grave of martyrs, we leave for them some flowers, spray rose waters, express our respect and seek God's forgiveness for them; these are a set of ordinary obligations that all of us should perform; such acts also have spiritual reward. However, the obligation charged with the authorities and each and every one of the individuals in this nation, is in the religious culture we have been taught that martyrs have cleaned and purified this land, so you do not make it dirty. You have certainly heard Ziyarat Warith; what do we read in Ziyarat Warith? In Ziyarat Warith we say to the martyrs "طِبـتُم وطابـَتِ الأرضُ الّتـي فـيها دُفـِنـتُم" (Verily, you were pure; therefore, the land wherein you are buried has been purified). Oh honorable martyrs! You are pure and purified, and you have purified this land and this system. We seek Allah's assistance and grace that now that we have not preserved it clean, at least we do not make it dirty. Was it possible to purify the dirty country through religious advice, admonition, from mosques' pulpits and congregation prayers?! All the admonitions and sermons all through the years did not bear significant fruit. It is blood which purifies the nation "طِبـتُم وطابـَتِ الأرضُ الّتـي فـيها دُفـِنـتُم" (Verily, you were pure; therefore, the land wherein you are buried has been purified).

As the Quran and Itrat (Progeny of the Prophet) are in harmony, many issues have been mentioned by the Quran generally and mentioned specifically by Ahlul Bayt, the Family of the Prophet (peace be upon them all) for a specific time or location or for a particular issue. In Ziyarat Warith we read "طِبـتُم وطابـَتِ الأرضُ الّتـي فـيها دُفـِنـتُم" (Verily, you were pure; therefore, the land wherein you are buried has been purified) and in the Holy Quran we read:

وَ الْبَلَدُ الطَّیبُ یخْرُجُ نَبَاتُهُ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِ

(And as for the good land, its vegetation springs forth (abundantly) by the permission of its Lord)

A pure land bears pure scientists, and pure men and women. If it is the words of Imams (peace be upon them), they have said that a martyr purifies his land with his blood, and if it is the music of the Quran, God has said that a pure land should bear pure fruit. When you hear there is embezzlement somewhere or that people do not wear proper hijab (Islamic veil) at certain places or there is cliquishness and corporatism somewhere; these are playing with [and wasting] the blood of martyrs, and yet they will win;

چو آید به مویی توانی کشید ٭٭٭چو برگشت زنجیرها بگسلد

(In coming, a strand of hair shall suffice to pull

In return, chains shall be severed)

If, God forbid, we do not respect the honor of these pure bloods, what will happen?! It will be so shameful that nothing can amend it. Day and night we should serve the (Islamic) system and the nation; we should solve problems; neither should we go astray nor block the way of others. One who is not anticipating the heavens for himself should at least take care of his dignity and honor. It is to put oneself to shame if we waste the bloods of the martyrs; for, "the blood of martyrs is "ثارالله»" (Thar Allah is literally translated as the blood or revenge of God); when they say "Thar Allah" they mean the same as "چو برگشت زنجیرها بگسلد" (In return, chains shall be severed).

Thus, according to the words of Imams (peace be upon them) Iran was made pure with the blood of martyrs, especially those at the high academic and scientific levels of this nation. According to the Holy Quran, the blood donated by the martyr to the country and the system purifies that country and system. The expectation is that it will bear pure fruit "وَ الْبَلَدُ الطَّیبُ یخْرُجُ نَبَاتُهُ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِ" means that it will bear good and pure fruit. The righteous offspring, faithful scientists, a nation of wisdom, justice and faith will be the pure fruit and the good fruit it will bear.

Ayatollah Javadi Amoli concluded his remarks saying:

By Divine grace the pure bloods rendered their direct impact in seminaries and universities and their indirect influence on the society as well. The direct influence on seminaries and universities is that people of seminaries can progress in their own scientific and scholarly developments, they can answer people's religious ambiguities and perceive and save the young generation; people of universities, too, can perform the same obligations. Iran has had and still has the necessary background for it; however, it was in need of an Imam, and some authorities and clergies, it was in need of seminary and university masters and professors, it was in need of martyrs, soldiers and veterans of its imposed war to keep this light well-lit and raise this defeated country.

I remember it was in 1331 or 1332 in Persian Calendar (1952/1953) i.e. almost sixty years ago when we were studying at Marvi High School in Tehran. We would go on pilgrimage to Qom and would benefit the blessings of Hazrat Masumeh, the generous lady of Ahlul Bayt (peace be upon them). Ten kilometers to Qom an oil well named Alborz Well exploded; the well is closed now, but the fire and its explosion was very intensive. The explosion had extended to the whole area to the extent that the road was closed. A dirt road was built across the well which provided a way for the passengers to Qom or for the pilgrims from cities other than Qom. The fire was on the earth and no one could be found that day in Iran to be able to extinguish the flames. Bearing a lot of cost they could find an engineer abroad and he could extinguish the flames of the fire which had spread on the earth. After the victory of the Islamic Revolution and Imam (Khomeini's) uprising, after the revolt of the religious authorities and the entire nation, such possibilities came true and even when our oil wells in the sea were fire-bombed, it was the Iranian youth who suggested to go to the sea (instead of their professors) to extinguish the fire of the wells. And now, our technicians are able to fulfill all these requirements. These are the fruit of martyrs' bloods. They went and extinguished the fires in oil platforms; and later, after the invasion, by this wicked Saddam, of the oil platforms in Kuwait, and once the oil rigs were put on fire, they themselves begged our youth for help and our youth went there and extinguished the fire. See the difference with the past?!

It is as a result of our martyrs' bloods which we have improved so much; this is not possible through advice and lectures. We had the same lectures and books before, yet we did not have what we have now. Therefore, we always owe these noble men and to shed tears for them is to shed tears for ourselves; they abide in the spirit and have no shortages. They have lost nothing. Here [in this world] they had some limited welfare and they have hundreds of times more there. Only our concern is that we failed to take advantage of their presence.

We hope their prayers can include all of us, and all our authorities, officials and the whole system of our government; God willing, so that this system can survive until it reaches its true and principal owner, the blessed being of Wali al-Asr (the Guardian of the Era, may God hasten his reappearance), and so that all the enemies, especially the Arrogance and Zionism be disheartened and this self-sacrificing nation can give this divine deposit, under the vast and comprehensive mercy of Allah, to it true owner.