The First, Second, And Third Priority Of Governance Must Be The People Of Iran

Shaikh-ul-Islam Mawlana Abdolhamid, in the Friday prayer sermon of Zahedan on 12 Dey 1404 (January 2, 2026), emphasized the direct responsibility of governments in addressing people’s livelihood problems and stated: the duty of governments is proper management of resources, confronting sanctions, preserving the value of the national currency, and listening to the voice of the nation. Peaceful public protests, he said, constitute a legal and legitimate right.

The Inherent Duty Of Governments In Managing Wealth And Creating Employment
According to the official information outlet of the Office of the Sunni Friday Prayer Leader of Zahedan, Mawlana Abdolhamid stated at the beginning of his sermon that governments bear fundamental responsibilities: they are responsible for planning and managing God-given wealth and resources for the benefit of nations. Creating employment with adequate income, proper management of trade, and ensuring that commerce benefits the country and its people are among the inherent duties of governments worldwide.
He added that developing agriculture, livestock and crop production, directing industry toward workshops, production and job creation, and paying attention to science and knowledge—which form the foundation of progress and development—are among the core responsibilities of governments. Governments are also obliged to support the development of universities and schools, which are responsible for educating the nation’s children and preparing the youth for work and effort.

Separation Of The Responsibilities Of Scholars And Governments
The Sunni Friday Prayer Leader of Zahedan, drawing a clear distinction between religious and governmental responsibilities, stated: just as planning for spiritual guidance, moral salvation of the people, encouraging Qur’an recitation, and showing the paths to attaining divine pleasure are the responsibility of scholars, solving material and livelihood problems and eliminating poverty and hunger are the duties of governments—governments that, in a sense, hold God’s trust on earth.

The Practice Of The Rightly Guided Caliphs: Simple Rulers And A Well-Fed People
Referring to the conduct of early Islamic leaders, he recalled that when ʿUmar (may God be pleased with him) ascended the pulpit on the first Friday after assuming the caliphate, thirteen patches were visible on his garment. At the time of the passing of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), there were only a few animal skins in his home. ʿAli (may God be pleased with him) likewise left behind no wealth at the time of his death.
Mawlana Abdolhamid added that nevertheless, they were deeply concerned that no orphan or widow should suffer hunger. They strove to ensure that no one remained hungry. They themselves took no share from worldly gains, but desired that the people be fed and worked to build the worldly well-being of others.

Iran’s Vast Capacities And The Mismanagement Of Resources
Emphasizing the country’s extensive capacities, he stated that Iran possesses immense God-given resources. A large part of the world depends on Iran’s oil and gas, and the country is endowed with mines, fertile lands, water resources, environment, and abundant natural assets which, if managed properly, would place Iran in an excellent position for global trade and industrial development.
He noted that with a population exceeding eighty million, Iran occupies one of the most strategic geographical locations in the world, and many countries need to engage with Iran and utilize its maritime, land, and air routes.

The People Of Iran: The Most Entitled Beneficiaries Of National Wealth
Referring to the qualities of the Iranian people, the Friday Prayer Leader said: the people of Iran are among the finest nations in the world—cultured, patient, discerning, and endowed with intellect, expertise, and inventive capacity from which the world benefits.
He emphasized that every country must be managed in such a way that its own people are the first beneficiaries of its resources. Charity is accepted by God only when one’s own children are not hungry. Before anyone else, the people of Iran deserve to benefit from Iran’s wealth.
Mawlana Abdolhamid stated clearly: if the people of Iran are hungry, Iran’s aid or charity to other countries is not acceptable. Only when the nation is fed and surplus resources exist can assistance be extended to others.

Criticism Of Misplaced Priorities In Foreign Policy
Criticizing certain approaches, he said that while the people of Iran face medical difficulties and shortages of medicine, a president travels to another country and promises to build hospitals and provide extensive aid. If there is capacity and ability, this right belongs to the Iranian people, because whatever the state possesses comes from God and from this very nation—and all of us are children of this nation.
In his view, Islamic teaching likewise emphasizes that one must first attend to one’s family, and the nation constitutes the family of a country. Only when internal problems are resolved and the hearts of the people are won can one stand firm against external adversaries.

Inflation, Market Stagnation, And The Collapse Of The National Currency
Continuing his remarks, Mawlana Abdolhamid referred to the country’s economic conditions and stated: these days, an atmosphere of protest has engulfed the country, and everyone knows that inflation and high prices are rampant. The lives of Iranians have reached a dead end. One of the main pillars of the national economy is the marketplace; but when there is no buying and selling, inflation accelerates sharply and prices change on a daily basis.
He added: under such circumstances, how is a shopkeeper supposed to run a business, and how is a consumer supposed to make purchases? The value of the national currency declines every day against foreign currencies, and this situation has made people’s lives extremely difficult.

Lifting Sanctions: A Responsibility That Must Not Be Ignored
The Friday Prayer Leader of Zahedan emphasized that the first, second, and third priority of governance must be the people of Iran and the resolution of their problems. The value of the national currency must be preserved, and sanctions must be confronted. It is astonishing, he said, that an official claims they were not asked to resolve sanctions, whereas striving to lift sanctions is an inherent duty of officials.
Noting that sanctions have persisted for twenty years, he stated: the Iranian nation was never meant to remain under sanctions forever. Even one or two years of sanctions are destabilizing, and no country can continue to survive without relations with the world.

Sanctions As A “Blessing” For A Select Few
Mawlana Abdolhamid pointed out that when some claim sanctions are a blessing, the people of Iran analyze this well. Various segments of society understand that sanctions became an opportunity for a select few to accumulate massive wealth. Oil was sold, but its revenues did not return—or only negligible amounts were returned—and the greatest abuse was committed by those same individuals who described sanctions as a blessing.

The Legal Right To Public Protest
Referring to recent protests, he stated that peaceful protests are a legal right of the people, provided that no destruction or damage is caused. This right is recognized in international law and global norms, as well as in the Constitution of Iran.
According to him, officials and scholars cannot deny people their legal right to protest, and protest is tantamount to voicing one’s rightful claim. This time as well, Tehran’s merchants—who pay the highest taxes—have protested due to the loss of their capital.

Advice To Protesters And Security Forces
Addressing the public, Mawlana Abdolhamid said: our advice to those who wish to protest is that their protests should be peaceful, and we also advise officers not to beat protesters. We are all the people of Iran, members of one family, and must treat one another with kindness.
He added that hunger and poverty today are not confined to a particular class; even capital holders have been affected due to the lack of liquidity and market stagnation.

Hearing The People’s Cry: The Fundamental Solution
In conclusion, the Friday Prayer Leader of Zahedan emphasized that officials must hear and understand the people’s outcry. People’s problems cannot be solved through temporary measures such as food baskets. The vote and opinion of the people must be the criterion, and no politician has the right to impose their views on the public; all affairs must be administered based on the will of the majority.