Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi - December 30, 1999 - Speech by Akbar Hashemi at the Night of Qadr ceremony and the surrounding events from last year's ceremony, where Hashemi was given an envelope for the ceremony's expenses.

Speech by Akbar Hashemi at the Night of Qadr ceremony and the surrounding events from last year's ceremony, where Hashemi was given an envelope for the ceremony's expenses.

Consultation with Sheikh Abdolmajid Ma'adi-Kah for addressing doubts surrounding Hashemi.

Last night at eleven, I went to the Imam's shrine for a speech during the Night of Qadr. A large crowd had gathered in the shrine and its courtyards. I spoke about the Night of Qadr, prayer, and Imam Ali (AS), and I touched on our current situation, discussing topics related to the Khawarij, the Nakh'een, the Qas'it, and the oppression of Ali (AS).

Before the session, in the waiting room where several personalities had gathered, we discussed how the Night of Qadr is observed with different horizons across the world, as well as the issue of the crescent moon of Ramadan and the discrepancies among countries regarding the Nights of Qadr.

I had a light-hearted exchange with a gentleman who last year gave me 50,000 tomans in an envelope after my speech. Thinking he had a request, I accepted the envelope and later returned it to Hassan Agha Khomeini to be used for expenses at the shrine, in order to prevent a repeat of this inappropriate action.

I arrived home at one in the morning. Today was mostly spent studying and revising my interviews, as well as reviewing public opinion polls that generally show me ahead of others by a margin. In the afternoon, Mr. [Abdolmajid] Ma'adi-Kah, [head of the Foundation for the History of the Islamic Revolution], came by. He had suggestions on how to counteract the smear campaigns from certain individuals and media outlets of the radical left.

In the evening, during iftar, family and relatives came over. The situation regarding the hijacked Indian airplane remains unresolved, and in Chechnya, Russian troops have threatened to use powerful and destructive weapons.