Ali Shariati Quote

The Imamah (religious leadership) and ummah (religious community) shed light on... the principle of progress [which society should strive towards], of reforming the relations of society, ideology, belief, life, and the pulling and driving of society and the souls, thoughts, and minds that make up this society to the best possible form. The ummah is not a society where human individuals feel a stagnant form of comfort and happiness, or feel a free, careless sense of irresponsibility and make static comfort the goal of life.

Audio recording (from 31 March, 1968) with English subtitles