New Islamic Civilization

New Islamic Civilization (Persian: تمدن سازی نوین اسلامی‎) is a proposed concept for establishing a new civilization, considered as the ultimate purpose of Iranian Government related with Second Phase of the Revolution introduced by the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei.

On several occasions, Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader discussed the new Islamic civilization some of which are as follows:

New Islamic civilization, a divine gift to humanity

Today, the world of Islam has a responsibility to breathe a spirit into this world – just like Islam and the Holy Prophet (s.w.a.) himself – to create a new environment and to open a new path. We refer to this phenomenon, which we are looking forward to, as “the new Islamic civilization”. We should be striving for the new Islamic civilization- for the sake of humanity. This is dramatically different from what powers think about humanity and from how they act. This does not mean conquering lands. It does not mean violating the rights of nations. It does not mean imposing one’s beliefs and culture on other nations. Rather, it means offering a divine gift to nations so that they choose the right path of their own volition and with their own choices and decisions. The path that global powers have dragged nations towards is a wrong and deviant path. Today, this is our responsibility. One day, by using the knowledge and philosophy of Muslims, the people of Europe managed to build a civilization for themselves. Of course, this civilization was a material one. Since the 16th and 17th centuries of the Christian calendar, the Europeans began to shape a new civilization. Because it was a material civilization, they used different instruments without any scruples. On the one hand, they moved towards colonialism and towards conquering nations and looting their wealth and on the other hand, they strengthened themselves from the inside by means of knowledge, technology and experience. This was how they helped this civilization dominate the human world. This was what the Europeans did in the course of four, five centuries. The civilization that they presented to the world provided beautiful reflections of technology, speed, comfort and different amenities for the people, but it did not provide them with happiness and it did not administer justice. On the contrary, it struck justice on the head, it held some nations captive, it made some nations poor and it humiliated some other nations. Besides, it witnessed certain contradictions in itself. They became corrupt in terms of morality and they became hollow and empty-headed in terms of spirituality. Today, westerners themselves are confirming this. An outstanding western politician said to me that their world is hollow and empty and that they are feeling this. He is right. This civilization had a flashy appearance, but its true nature was dangerous for humanity. Today, the contradictions of this western civilization are showing themselves. They are showing themselves in different ways in America, in Europe and in regions which are under their control throughout the world. Today, it is our turn. Today, it is Islam’s turn: “Such days of varying fortunes We give to men by turns” [The Holy Quran, 3: 140]. Today, it is the Muslims’ turn to shape a new Islamic civilization with their own determination. As the Europeans used, in those days, Muslims’ knowledge and benefitted from their experience and philosophy, we too are using the world’s knowledge in the present time. We are using the current tools in the world to build a new Islamic civilization, but it is accompanied by an Islamic and divine spirit.

New Islamic civilization and Unity

The Islamic Republic believes in the necessity of unity in the Islamic Ummah in the true sense of the word. And there is a precedent for it. It is not particular to our time and to the Islamic Republic era. A great marja taqlid like the late Ayatollah Borujerdi – who was the marja taqlid of the entire world of Shia during our youth – was a serious advocate of Islamic unity. He seriously advocated close relations between Islamic denominations. He was in contact with the great personalities of the world of Islam and of Sunni Islam and he would speak to them frequently. This is a heart-felt and deep belief. Some people think or pretend that this is a political tactic, but this is not the case because it is based on heart-felt faith. We believe in this and we believe that Allah the Exalted has asked us to do this. Of course, there are different levels for unity. There are different levels for the unity of the world of Islam. The lowest level is that Islamic societies, Islamic countries, Islamic governments, Islamic ethnicities and Islamic denominations avoid transgressing against, confronting and harming one another. This is the first step. A higher level is that as well as refusing to harm one another, the world of Islam should join hands against a common enemy and that they should defend one another with true and sufficient unity. This is a higher step. Yet, a higher level is that Islamic countries and nations should add to one another. Islamic countries are not the same in terms of science, wealth, security and political power and they can help and add to one another. Those who are on a higher level in every area should take the hands of those who are lower. This is another level of unity. A higher level is that the entire world of Islam becomes united in order to achieve the new Islamic civilization. This is something that the Islamic Republic has chosen as its ultimate goal: achieving an Islamic civilization, one that is compatible with the requirements of the present era: a new Islamic civilization. These are different levels of unity.

New Islamic Civilization and the West

The west and the US have reached the conclusion that if the Iranian nation wills something, it will definitely achieve it! They have reached the conclusion that they cannot fight against the national willpower of the people of Iran. If they will something, then creating obstacles and mischief will be of no avail. So, what should they do? They have reached the conclusion that they should do something so that the Iranian nation no longer wills anything, to do something to weaken its willpower. They are thinking of this. Today, billions of dollars are being spent in the world in order to create a rift in the political and religious beliefs of our youth with the purpose of destroying its determination to move and to rise. They want to destroy our willpower. They want to prevent you from making a decision. Their effort is focused on preventing the willpower of the Iranian nation from being shaped in the direction of progress, confrontation and the establishment of an Islamic society and an Islamic civilization. They know that if this willpower is solidified, it will certainly achieve its goals. Of course, they did so in the past – many years ago – as well. During the time of the taghuti regime, they used to promote the idea among the youth of the country that if you want to achieve civilization and progress, you should put aside religion. They would say that religion, piety and religious faith is not compatible with science, progress and the like. Today, they should open their blind eyes and see that our best, our greatest and our most advanced industries – we are at the top of the list in these industries and competing with top-tier countries in the world – are being developed by youth who read Dua Kumayl, who say night prayers, who engage in i'tikaf, who are interested in Dua Nudbah and who are very pious! We are top of the table in advanced industries in today’s world: in nanotechnology, in nuclear technology, in missile-related technologies, in biotechnology and other advanced technologies in the world. We are on the frontline of such technologies. The main people who do these tasks are pious youth whom I know up close. Youth should increase their efforts in the arena of science, intellectuality, politics and hard work. They should not attend to trivial and unimportant matters. They should not attend to matters which lead to discord. They should pursue unity, focused work and pious and jihadi actions. They should highlight our borders with the enemy in the areas which were discussed today. They should not create borders with insiders and with domestic forces because of slight differences of opinion. As Imam[Khomeini] said, they should let out all their cries on the enemies and on the U.S.!

New Islamic Civilization and the Zionist Capitalists' Interest

We can resist the uproar that our enemies have created on the issue of sanctions and other such issues. We can frustrate their goals. If we do not carry out these tasks and activities, then the result will be what you witness in the present time. The enemy sits and dictates terms for our nuclear plan. Then he says that if we do not accept these terms, he will impose such and such sanctions. Well, this is the result. The enemy is making maximum use of sanctions and their goal is to humiliate the people of Iran. Their goal is to stop the great movement that could only be launched by the people of Iran. They want to stop the movement of the Islamic Revolution and the Islamic Republic. They want to stop our movement towards the new Islamic civilization because they know that this movement is completely against the interests of Zionist investors and oppressive and blood-sucking companies. They understand this and they see how this movement is developing in the world and how it attracts nations. This is why they want to stop it. Their sanctions, threats and unreasonable terms and conditions are because of this.

New Islamic Civilization and the Vanguard Young

Having spiritual ingredients is more important than worldly and military ingredients. Military ingredients are cannons, tanks, missiles and other such capabilities. Spiritual ingredients are certain truths in you and in your hearts which affect the nature of your moves. I have always highlighted the significance of youth. You can see that I am always attached to youth and that I am hopeful about them for the future, but which youth can lead the great movement of the country towards the establishment of a new Islamic civilization? What do they look like? This is where spiritual ingredients become significant. Only those youth who are motivated, religious and wise, who appreciate their own power, who are interested in working and creating, who trust in God and who have self-confidence can move the country forward. This is the exact opposite of what the enemy wants for our youth. The enemy wants the youth of our country to have no motivation, to be irreligious and hopeless, to be captivated by lust, to be lazy and indolent, to complain all the time and refuse to work, and to be addicted and vulnerable. They want the youth of the country to be like this. This is the purpose of the measures that they are adopting regarding our youth. This is the exact opposite of what we need.

New Islamic Civilization and the Great Ideal of the Revolution

Dear ones! You cannot learn but from your own experience or listening to the experiences of others. Many of what we have seen and experimented, your generation has not experienced and seen yet. We have seen and you will see. The decades ahead are your decades, and it is you who should protect your revolution while you are qualified and full of motivation, and move it closer to its great ideal: that is, the emergence of a new Islamic civilization and the preparation for the rising of the great sun of wilayat (may our souls be sacrificed for him) [Imam Mahdi (a.s.)]. To take steady steps in the future, we need to develop a good knowledge of the past and learn from the experiences. If this strategy is neglected, lies will replace the truth, and the future will be menaced by unknown threats. The adversaries of the revolution are strongly motivated in their efforts to spread distortions and lies about the past and even the present, exploiting money and all the necessary tools for it. The bandits of thought, creed and awareness are ample; the truth cannot be heard from the enemy and its troops.

New Islamic Civilization and the Aftermath

The goal is to establish an Islamic government that can turn society into the ideal society that Islam wants. We are after this. Primarily, we want our country – we do not want to involve other countries and international and global issues in our discussion for now – to become a country that can achieve Islam’s ideal guidelines as these guidelines are a desirable and sweet thing for any broad-minded individual. Any person who is interested in thinking and studying will enjoy such an ideal Islamic society. This is a society in which knowledge, progress, dignity, justice, the power to face global waves, and wealth exist. We have such an image in mind. We call this, “The New Islamic Civilization”. We want our country to reach this point. Without a doubt, the issue of new areas of growth in the Islamic Republic is one of the most important and fundamental issues. If any Revolution and movement does not enjoy new and constant areas of growth, it will be condemned to destruction and annihilation. During the past 35 years, the Islamic Republic has managed to present new images of itself in line with the needs of the time. Certain people were worried about the issue of downfalls. It was said that growth will overcome downfalls and this happened. What is important for the new generation and for all those people who want to utilize their youthful energy at the service of lofty goals and ideals is to look to the bright and distant futures. We should not adopt a short-sighted outlook. The distant future is creating an Islamic civilization, one is that is new and that is in line with the needs and capacities of today's man. Man has been wounded by different events in recent centuries. He is wounded and sad. Young generations are suffering from despair, hopelessness and depression. Islam can help these generations discover new horizons. It can gladden their hearts and it can help them achieve the kind of dignity which befits their position. A new Islamic civilization means this. And you are the most important and fundamental nuclei in creating this civilization. The future belongs to you. You today's youth are the builders of the future of this country, this civilization and - in fact - the world.