In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
The Religious Authority, Grand Ayatullah H.E. Sayyed M. H. Fadlullah delivered the two Friday prayer sermons at the Imamain Al-Hassanain Mosque on Muharram 1, 1420 AH / April 23, 1999, AD. Several prominent religious scholars, dignitaries, officials, and thousands of believers attended the Jumu’a prayer. (Edited version of the Sermons)
The First Sermon
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
Ashura: A Comprehensive Reform Movement
Dear Beloved!
We live these days the memory of those glorious events of Ashura. But if we have to assimilate the full impact of the Ashura lessons in our consciousness, we ought to make sure that we have grasped the true and full meaning of the Imamate, being the extension of the role of the Messenger in the domains of ruling and leadership.
Between the Tragedy and the Message
In light of this, we should not restrict our understanding of Imam Hussein’s movement to the political field only, although it has to do with overthrowing an unjust ruler or facing tyranny and arrogance in general. For Jihad could not be termed as such unless it is based on the Islamic foundation that the whole of the believer’s life is founded upon. A Muslim would then practice politics or Jihad from the viewpoint of a Muslim, who ought to be guided by the values and concepts of Islam in his political movement. Thus, we should take the Imam as a whole, adopting his manners and his worshipping practices, and inspiring his spirituality, his great care for fellow human beings, and his responsible knowledge.
Similarly, we should also not restrict our remembrance to the tragic side of this historic milestone and confine our participation to expressing grief. The feeling of sadness and sorrow is sacred, of course, but besides crying, we have to understand that the Imam’s aim was not to live a tragedy, but rather to reform his grandfather’s nation and to enjoin good and forbid evil.
How to Be Faithful to The Imam
If we wish to be faithful to the Imam, we should make Ashura a movement of reform to enjoin good and forbid evil, whether in theory or in practice, and on all personal, social, and political levels. The Imam fought every violation of Allah’s commands as well as injustice and tyranny. Consequently, being faithful to the line of the Imam means that we have to enjoin good and forbid evil by fighting injustice. This is not true for the grand causes of the nation only, but it also applies to the micro level of everyday social relations, whether at home or at work. Those who would unjustly hit their wives or children at home would not refrain from committing a much greater injustice should their responsibilities increase. Therefore, we should oppose the principle of injustice itself, regardless of how trivial the actual sin might be.
The Imam's Forgiveness
To inspire the Husseini revolution in our big causes, we ought to review some of the incidents in the Imam's life that reflect his great humanistic and ethical side and that are not really known by the public: Al-Qummi narrates the following story: "Issam or Issar bin al-Mustalaks says: I went to Medina, and there I saw Al-Hussein bin Ali (a.s.). He was so handsome that I envied him and started to curse him in an escalating manner, but the more I did so, the more I found him tolerant and forgiving. In the end, he looked at me kindly and said: ‘Show forgiveness, enjoin justice, and avoid the ignorant. If you are afflicted by the devil's temptation, seek refuge in Allah; He hears all and knows all. If those that guard themselves against evil are touched by a temptation from the devil, they have but to recall Allah's precepts, and they shall see the light. As for the brothers (of the devils), they shall be kept long in error, nor shall they ever desist.’ Then he added: ‘Take it easy. May Allah forgive you and me. If we could help, we will gladly do so, and if you need any advice, we would not deny you.’" Issar showed his remorse, for he knew the Imam was able to punish him.
Imam Hussein has also been quoted as saying: "If a man curses me in my left ear and then apologizes in my other ear, I would accept his apology." The Commander of the Faithful says in The Invocation of Kumayl: "My Lord! Accept my excuse." If we commit mistakes towards Allah and ask Him for His forgiveness, and expect Him—being the Merciful—to forgive us, how could we not accept the apology of our fellow human being? This is what Islam calls for, and these are the manners of Islam: love, mercy, and tolerance.
The Imam's Forbearance
A third story tells us about the Imam's forbearance: "One of the Imam's slaves committed a crime that deserved punishment. The Imam ordered him to be beaten. But the servant reminded him that the Quran praises those who suppress their anger. When the Imam forgave him, the servant added: ‘Allah loves the charitable.’ The Imam freed him and doubled the salary he used to give him."
Ethical Guidance
These are the instructions of the Imam—patience, forgiveness, forbearance, compassion, generosity, enjoining good, etc.—which we ought to follow if we really wish to be among his followers. The Imam is but one person whose each trait complements the other and integrates with one another to form an indivisible whole. Taking the Imam as a role model means that you are following the straight path of his grandfather and of Islam, a path that will lead us to Heaven on the Day of Judgment.
The Second Sermon
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
Be pious, especially in this stage where the arrogance is on the offensive and seeks to besiege the Muslims or use them as a means to promote its interests.
International Interests Aggravate the Problems of Muslims
The plight of the Muslims in Kosovo is still unfolding. Every new day witnesses further dislocations and an increase in the vagueness of the picture on which the political and security situation in the region will rest. The conflicting international interests tend to aggravate the problem, for the superpowers seek to serve their own interests that run counter to the interests of the concerned nations. This implies that we, the Muslims, should be more aware of the underlying political motives of these powers.
The Muslims suffer from several problems in many countries: The Iraqis, for example, are still living under the arrogant siege that has created a state of hunger, sickness, and even daily death, especially among the children. Furthermore, there seems to be no solution in the foreseeable future, for the American game to secure the arrogant interests in the Gulf region requires the continuity of this stage, regardless of the unbearable effects it inflicts on the Iraqi people.
An Interim Settlement Awaits the Completion of the Settler Project
In addition, the Palestinian cause is kept in a state of deep freeze regionally, and that is essential to hold the Zionist elections. Moreover, the Palestinians are under continuous international pressure that demands more unilateral concessions, without exerting any pressures on Israel. On the contrary, Israel continues to receive all kinds of support that help it build its military and economic power. At the same time, America makes sure that the UN Security Council does not issue any resolution that condemns Israel, thus enabling it to continue to establish more and more settlements, dislocate the Palestinians, and demolish their houses, without any protest. America seeks to pave the way and remove any obstacle that hinders the implementation of the Israeli plan to create, by means of settlement expansion, new facts on the ground that render any attempt to give the Palestinians the right of self-determination meaningless.
The Zionist Stalemate
The Zionists continue to face successive failures in the Lebanese occupied lands, where the Resistance has turned the Israeli occupation into a political crisis inside Israel. Withdrawal from Lebanon has become the major issue on the agenda of all competing Israeli parties.
Lebanon, on the other hand, is enhancing its national unity, and what used to divide the Lebanese has become the major cause that unifies them. In this context, reoccupying the village of Arnoun shows how big the trap the enemy has fallen into, especially after thwarting all its attempts to impose security arrangements.
To consolidate these victories and to enhance our strength, we should continue to safeguard our national unity and make sure that no attempt to create any misunderstanding between the government and the Resistance would gain ground. The unity of the state, the Resistance, and the people is one of our most valuable sources of strength that we ought to make every possible effort to preserve.