Friday Prayer, as a comprehensive institution and a distinct Islamic medium, represents one of the sources of soft power within the Islamic system and has exerted influence during various periods of the Islamic Revolution, including the Sacred Defense against Baathist Iraq. Due to its political and social prominence within the country, the Tehran Friday Prayer played a significant role during the war. In particular, Ayatollah Khamenei, in his capacity as the Friday Prayer Leader of Tehran, fulfilled important roles during the Sacred Defense period, which this article seeks to examine and identify.
This research seeks to answer the following question: What was the role of Ayatollah Khamenei in the Sacred Defense (with emphasis on the utilization of Tehran Friday Prayer)? The research hypothesis posits that his most significant roles during the Sacred Defense, in his capacity as Tehran’s Friday Prayer Leader, included: boosting the morale of combatants through field presence at the fronts; reporting to the public on the latest conditions at the battlefronts; deepening public understanding of the enemy and enhancing political awareness; explicating the country’s fundamental principles and macro-policies at both domestic and international levels; organizing forces and mobilizing the public for participation at the fronts; providing continuous financial support to the war effort; strengthening national unity and cohesion; as well as crisis management and the creation of psychological calm and societal security.
Based on its objectives, Data were collected from authoritative sources using the library research method, and qualitative content analysis was employed for data analysis. In accordance with the research methodology, the stated hypothesis was confirmed and elaborated as the findings of the study.