Ayatollah Khamenei: Officials Must Be Transparent

Date: 22 October 2018 - 21:48

News ID: ۵۸۸۳۶

TEHRAN (Dispatches) – Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has criticized those who link every virtue to the Western civilization, saying transparency in politics is among the teachings of Islam and Imam Ali (AS).
The Leader’s remarks during a seminary lecture on October 15, 2018 focused on a Imam Ali’s letter to his governors about the need for transparency.
Ayatollah Khamenei cited some of the responsibilities of officials and commanders as explained by Imam Ali (AS), describing his letter as a code of conduct for all individuals with managerial roles within an Islamic establishment.
"In the logic of the Alawi governance (Imam Ali’s manner of governing), if someone, due to the responsibility they are given, reaches a certain social position or privilege, their position should not influence the way they treat the people by distancing them from the rest of the people,” the Leader said.
"The officials of the Islamic establishment must know that being grateful to God for having been granted the position requires getting closer to the people, interacting with them, and being kinder and more caring towards them,” he added.
Ayatollah Khamenei touched on a part of the letter which says, "Beware, your rights upon me is that I should not keep anything secret from you except during wars.”
"This is an extremely important point,” the Leader said, adding transparency, which is insisted on today, already exists in the words of Imam Ali (AS).
"Some individuals are into the habit of crediting the West for any good quality that exists in the Islamic society. One is appalled by the extent of the low-mindedness of these individuals.
"Some say that values such as caring for the people, being attentive to their votes, and promoting the well-being of the people are (qualities) transferred to us from the West.
"When you do not refer to Islamic resources, when you do not study the words of Imam Ali (AS) and the honorable Prophet of Islam (Peace be upon Him), you are not familiar with them, and so you refer to the West,” Ayatollah Khamenei said.
The Leader said those who claim transparency is something learned from the West are false.
"Imam Ali (AS) teaches about transparency. He says: ‘Your right upon me -- that is the right you have and I need to observe it -- is that I should not keep anything secret from you except during wars when we face an enemy.”
Ayatollah Khamenei said, "Except in military, security and foreign affairs when we deal with the enemies, the officials must be transparent and should not keep any secret from the people.”