Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi - August 3, 2001 - Accounts of Jawad Maqsudi, the Head of the Friday Prayer Organizing Committee, Regarding the Inauguration Ceremony of President Seyed Mohammad Khatami

Leading Friday prayers by Hashemi and sermon on remembrance and vigilance, with vigilance contrasting with negligence and signifying self-awareness, which mystics regard as one of the initial stages of the path to spiritual realization, along with a second sermon concerning the U.S. and Israel's violations.

Complete Daily Note:

I led the Friday prayer at Tehran University. In the first sermon, I spoke about remembrance and vigilance against negligence, and in the second sermon, I criticized the unconditional support of the U.S. for Israel's violations and the U.S. opposition to the discussion of Israel's racism and the compensation for those who suffered from slavery, drawing a comparison between the Constitutional Revolution and the Islamic Revolution of Iran.

Mr. [Jawad] Maqsudi, [the head of the Tehran Friday Prayer Organizing Committee], described the inauguration ceremony of the [President] as significant, and foreign media interpreted it as strengthening my position and weakening Mr. [Seyed Mohammad] Khatami, even though the ceremony was held just like it was four years ago.

It was announced that [Abdulrahman] Wahid, the ousted President of Indonesia, had returned from the U.S. to Indonesia; it was thought he had gone to stay and his return was unexpected.