Decoding Quranic Messages to Foreign Delegations at Iran’s Farewell Ceremony

WANA (Jul 05) – For many audiences outside the Islamic world, reciting the Quran at an official ceremony might seem merely part of a religious ritual. However, in the Islamic tradition, particularly in the Islamic Republic of Iran, selecting a specific verse from the Quran can, beyond a worship ceremony, carry ideological, moral, and even political messages.

The Quran is not just a holy book for Muslims; rather, it is considered the most important religious, moral, and intellectual reference in Islam. From the perspective of Muslims, each verse of the Quran, in addition to its literal meaning, is understood within a specific historical and interpretive context, and for this reason, choosing a specific verse on an official occasion is usually deemed a purposeful action, not a random choice.

In the official farewell ceremony of foreign delegations with the body of the martyred leader of the Islamic Revolution of Iran, one of the notable parts of the ceremony was the selection of different verses of the Quran for each guest delegation.

The organizers attempted to convey messages about resistance, independence, loyalty, religious leadership, and steadfastness through the verses of the Quran, tailored to the background, status, and role of each delegation in regional developments.

The Quran: Beyond a Religious Ritual, a Tool for Conveying Messages

In the world’s diplomatic protocol, welcoming or send-off ceremonies for foreign officials are usually held with military honors, the playing of the national anthem, and the reading of official messages. In the Islamic Republic of Iran, however, these protocols are often accompanied by religious elements as well.

In this ceremony too, alongside the official protocols, verses from the Quran were recited for each delegation. What distinguished this ceremony was not merely the recitation of the Quran, but the purposeful selection of verses, each of which correlated with the theme and circumstances of the invited delegation.

In other words, instead of using direct political statements, the organizers sought to convey part of their message through the sacred text of Islam.

Iraq: Political Independence and Confronting Influence

For the delegation of Iraqi tribal sheikhs, the first verse of Surah Al-Ahzab was selected; a verse that calls upon the Prophet of Islam (PBUH) to refrain from following the disbelievers and hypocrites.

Although this address is directed at the Prophet of Islam, it is simultaneously considered a principle for governing the Islamic society. In this interpretation, political and intellectual independence is preserved when decision-making is not influenced by external pressures or currents of infiltration.

From this perspective, the selection of this verse for the Iraqi delegation is considered an emphasis on preserving independence and avoiding being influenced by foreign pressures.

Turkey: Accountability and the Value of Being Present in the Field

For the Turkish delegation, verse 95 of Surah An-Nisa was recited; a verse that differentiates between those who are present in the field of Jihad and those who stay behind without an excuse.

In Quranic literature, “Jihad” has a broad concept and, depending on the context of the verses, can mean effort, sacrifice, and defense in the way of God. In this verse, the mujahideen (those who strive) have attained a superior status due to accepting hardships, self-sacrifice, and readiness to pay a price.

International Delegations Pay Tribute to Iran’s Late Supreme Leader. Social media / WANA News Agency

In the interpretation of this verse, it is emphasized that the criterion for superiority is not merely the claim of faith, but accountability and practical presence in the field.

Saudi Arabia: Reminding of the Divine Sunnah (Tradition) in the Victory of Believers

For the Saudi Arabian delegation, verse 13 of Surah Ali ‘Imran was selected; a verse that refers to the Battle of Badr, the first major confrontation of Muslims with their opponents in early Islam.

In this battle, despite the numerical and equipment superiority of the opposing side, the Muslims were victorious; an event described in the Quran as an example of divine assistance to the believers.

This verse is not merely a report of a historical event, but rather expresses a permanent principle according to which faith, sincerity, and steadfastness can overcome the apparent superiority of material powers.

Lebanon: Faith in Difficult Trials

For the delegation of the Lebanese government, verse 66 of Surah An-Nisa was selected; a verse stating that if very difficult duties had been prescribed for the people, only a small group of them would have acted upon it.

This verse draws the boundary between verbal faith and practical faith. From this perspective, the value of faith becomes apparent when a human pays a price for their beliefs and remains on the same path even under difficult conditions.

Hezbollah: The Concept of Wilayah and the Formation of the “Party of God”

For the Hezbollah delegation of Lebanon, verses 55 and 56 of Surah Al-Ma’idah were recited; verses that speak of the “Wilayah” (guardianship/leadership) of God, His Prophet, and the believers, and conclude by mentioning “Hezbollah” or the “Party of God” as the group that will ultimately be victorious.

In Shia thought, these verses are closely linked to the concept of “Wilayah”; a concept that does not merely mean affection or friendship, but also encompasses leadership, guardianship, and a practical bond with the community of believers.

From the perspective of commentators, the result of accepting such Wilayah (guardianship) is the formation of a society organized around the axis of faith and religious leadership.

Hamas: Loyalty to the Covenant

For the delegation of the Hamas movement, verse 23 of Surah Al-Ahzab was selected; a verse that speaks of believers who remained loyal to their covenant with God; some lost their lives on this path, and others still stand by that same pledge.

This verse is a praise of those who did not retreat from their covenant even under the harshest conditions and maintained their loyalty until the very end.

A Common Message Among All the Verses

If the selected verses are placed alongside one another, a relatively coherent pattern emerges. Almost all of them emphasize concepts such as independence, loyalty to the covenant, resistance, Jihad, divine victory, religious leadership, and steadfastness in difficult trials.

International Delegations Pay Tribute to Iran’s Late Supreme Leader. Social media / WANA News Agency

These selections demonstrate that the organizers of the ceremony did not merely focus on the religious atmosphere of the event, but rather attempted to send a special message to each delegation, tailored to its status and role in regional developments; a message expressed not through an official statement, but through the language of the Quran.

These verses do not speak only about a single nation or a specific historical period, but rather express permanent principles regarding the relationship between faith, power, resistance, and the destiny of societies. For this reason, their selection in such a ceremony can be seen as an attempt to utilize the Quran as a symbolic language in the sphere of diplomacy.

Perhaps for many audiences outside the Islamic world, the Quran is known mostly as a book for worship; however, this ceremony showed that in the political culture of the Islamic Republic, verses of the Quran, in addition to their religious status, can also play the role of a tool for conveying symbolic messages.

In this view, the sacred text is employed not only for prayer, but also to express political, cultural, and civilizational concepts; concepts that the organizers of this ceremony endeavored to convey to the foreign guests without issuing an official statement, and solely through the purposeful selection of Quranic verses.