Brothers, press is an altar to worship god and serve mankind. If it can not fulfill its duties, it will be used by the evil as a trap and will become the source for the annihilation of humanity. This area is one of the most important and most critical fields in the world. Since it shapes public opinion, produces culture, provides food for the soul, lays the foundation for new levels of spiritual evolution, purifies people’s feelings and guides them towards goodness and honesty. Indeed the press regulates human society through monitoring it and its foundations, directing government, individuals and institutions, participating in the process of organizing economy and policies and attempting to correct the affairs of the society. Thus the press serves society, individuals and humanity. As a result it is one of the ways through which mankind gains and maintains honor.

A journalist can create a pious society. Whenever he publishes an article, an analysis or a photograph, puts emphasis on a subject or commentates on an event, he indeed aims to guide individuals and society and can act as a caring and compassionate father and a wise leader. But he can also be a traitor and deceiver or he can distort the truth.

Brothers, the press is one of the most important fields through which we can pursue jihad. It is one of the most prominent factors for the evolution of the civil individual. This eminent status assigns journalists with responsibilities towards society as it assigns society with responsibilities towards journalists. Their duty towards society is to guide and enlighten society and be honest, pure and benevolent towards people. In return, the society is also obliged to guarantee their freedom and provide them with support and basic requirements so that they will be secure from any corruption or deviance.

Brothers, freedom is the bet mechanism to awaken all human abilities and potentials. No one can serve in a society deprived of freedom. He can not get familiar with his own abilities and thus such divine blessings which are from god will not be flourished. Freedom means to officially recognize the greatness of human being and to be optimistic towards him. In return being deprived of freedom means that there exists a pessimistic view towards human being and thus it will be concluded that he does not posses a high position and lacks the mentioned greatness. One who does not believe in the nature of human being can restrict freedom. God refers to this nature in Quran as follows: فطرت الله التی فطر الناس علیها.

Freedom is the right of every journalist. The society must grant this right to all journalists. Freedom is a kind of service offered to journalists through which they can accomplish their tasks, it can also serve the society by providing it with even more knowledge and information. It is only through freedom that we can maintain freedom. In contrast to what is usually said, freedom is boundless and infinite. In fact total freedom is a true and just right on which god has not imposed any limitation. The freedom is being free from all the external and internal pressure factors. As Imam Musa Sadr has mentioned: من ترک الشهوات کان حرا، تحت العقول، ص۸۸٫ A free human being is the one who has abandoned all lusts. In defining freedom it should be mentioned that freedom is to be free from others and one’s own self. If we interpret freedom in this manner, we will not consider any restrictions for it. The kind of freedom that is in conflict with the freedom of other human beings is indeed a kind of slavery. Such a freedom puts man under the slavery of his own self and his own lusts. Freedom is a kind of Jihad. It is the same great Jihad against one’s own self in order to get free from all lusts. The minor jihad is Jihad against the aliens.

Journalists should not be insulted or placed under pressure. They should be neither poor nor destitute. Journalists should not be threatened or terrorized.

Terrorism is the worst method to reach one’s own goals regardless of their nature. Terrorism is destined to lose at the end of the line. The prophet of god said: Bloodshed undermines faith. He has also mentioned that one who deceives others is not a Muslim regardless of what he accomplishes through such an act.

Terrorism is a dangerous social abnormality disorder because it prevents people from interacting with their leaders. Terrorism is dangerous because under such conditions the process of bringing into trial, passing of sentence and carrying it out will be in the hands of only one specific person who can be wrong in his judgments. If this happen, it will not be possible for justice to rule in society.

Here is an abstract of the speech made by Imam Musa Sadr on the occasion of the 7th day of martyrdom of Kamel Marvah, an assassinated Lebanese journalist. The following abstract has been translated from the original text published in Al-Hayat newspaper on 31/05/1966