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 Thul-Hujjah 27, 1421 AH/ March 23, 2001, 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
Be Good to your Parents Whether Dead or Alive
Honoring Parents
Allah, the Most Exalted, says in His Glorious Book: "And your Lord has decreed that you not worship except Him, and to parents, good treatment. Whether one or both of them reach old age [while] with you, say not to them [so much as], 'uff,' and do not repel them but speak to them a noble word. And lower to them the wing of humility out of mercy and say, 'My Lord, have mercy upon them as they brought me up [when I was] small.'" Surat al-Isra (17:23-24)
And Allah, the Most Exalted, also says: "And We have enjoined upon man [care] for his parents. His mother carried him, [increasing her] in weakness upon weakness, and his weaning is in two years. Be grateful to Me and to your parents; to Me is the [final] destination. But if they endeavor to make you associate with Me that of which you have no knowledge, do not obey them but accompany them in [this] world with appropriate kindness and follow the way of those who turn back to Me [in repentance]." Surat Luqman (31:14-15)
And: "And We have enjoined upon man goodness to parents. His mother carried him with hardship and gave birth to him with hardship, and his gestation and weaning [period] is thirty months." Surat al-Ahqaf (46:15)
Acknowledging Allah's Favor
Thus, O beloved ones, the world celebrated Mother's Day a few days ago, and the Quran does not separate the mother from the father, although it spoke about the mother more extensively regarding suffering and rights, "His mother carried him with hardship and gave birth to him with hardship" and "His mother carried him, [increasing her] in weakness upon weakness." But the idea is one: Islam wants to affirm in a person’s conscience their humanity in acknowledging the favor of their parents upon them, just as they sense Allah's favor upon them. Because the greatest favor for a person is their existence in this life. When a person emerges from non-existence into existence, they prepare to reach the highest degrees in this world and the Hereafter through what Allah has given them of soul, intellect, will, limbs, and systems in their body, and what Allah has subjugated for them of the heavens and the earth, and all that is in them, so that they may be the human who nurtures their intellect to give life from their intellect an intellect, who nurtures their heart to give life from their heart love, and who develops their energies to give life from their energies what enriches it, so that when they depart the world and their body leaves it, their energies remain within it.
Then, after that, if they fulfill Allah's right regarding the favor of existence and all its elements, and set in motion what Allah has given them, they will have the abode of the Hereafter as a new life in which they live in the best of states, "and approval from Allah is greater."
Therefore, the value of parents in the beginning is that Allah made them the direct cause for a person's existence. A person exists by Allah's power, but the parents were the means for their procreation. Thus began the mother's suffering from the fertilized egg (the journey of existence) "His mother carried him with hardship and gave birth to him with hardship," and we all know what the mother endures during pregnancy, how her bodily systems are disrupted, the danger she faces in childbirth, and what she suffers in breastfeeding, where the child feeds from her blood which turns into milk, and lives the warmth of life in her embrace, and senses security and strength in her care, and what she endures in upbringing and nurturing. The father's role moves in caring for them through the effort he exerts to secure the conditions for the child's life, striving for his family.
Gratitude to Allah is Gratitude to Parents
Therefore, parents give their child much of their own lives, and exert their effort in life so that the child may live more, become stronger, and grow more. They are joyous in all this suffering and all this fatigue, looking at how the child grows before them. They feel pain, but it is joy within pain. They tire, but it is rest within fatigue. They sacrifice, but it is richness within sacrifice.
Therefore, no matter how much we imagine what parents – the mother first, then the father – provide for the child, they cannot fulfill even a portion of this right. It is said that a person asked the Prophet (p.): "I gave my parents all my effort and all my energy, I cared for them with the best possible care. Have I fulfilled their right?" He said to him: "You have not fulfilled their right by that, because they served you and strove for you while awaiting your life, and you give to them while awaiting their death. This is the difference between you and them." You cannot compensate your mother for a single labor pain she experiences during childbirth, nor for all the pains of pregnancy that disrupt her entire life.
And for this reason, O beloved ones, Allah linked gratitude to parents with gratitude to Him: "Be grateful to Me and to your parents," because if a person does not sense the favor in what parents provide, they will not live sensing the favor in what Allah provides, because it is Allah who prepared them for you, and it is He who placed the secret of life and growth in the fertilized egg and the ovum, and the secret of growth thereafter: "a clinging clot, and We made the clot into a lump [of flesh], and We made [from] the lump, bones, and We covered the bones with flesh."
Kindness and Righteousness Towards Parents
The Prophet (p.) spoke in more than one hadith, as transmitted by our Imams from the Members of the Household (peace be upon them), and our Imams (a.s.) spoke on this topic. Let us read what is narrated from Imam as-Sadiq (a.s.) in interpreting these verses. From Abu Wallad al-Hannat, he said: I asked Abu Abdullah Ja'far as-Sadiq (a.s.) about "and to parents, good treatment" – what is this kindness? He said: "Kindness is that you keep good company with them and that you do not oblige them to ask you for anything they need, even if they are self-sufficient" – anticipate the needs of your parents regarding what they like to eat, drink, wear, or obtain, and present it to them even if they are self-sufficient from it, as an expression of your care for them and kindness to them – "Does Allah not say –" then the Imam (a.s.) cites the verse – "Never will you attain the good [reward] until you spend [in the way of Allah] from that which you love." And He said: "Whether one or both of them reach old age [while] with you, say not to them [so much as], 'uff,' and do not repel them." He said: "If they annoy you" – when the father or mother reaches seventy or eighty years of age, and their temperament deteriorates due to age, or due to the nature of their disposition, as a person may be tested with parents who possess a bad temperament in many situations, and this is a type of trial that a person must be patient with – "do not say to them 'uff' nor repel them, even if they hit you." Because the son remains in the perception of the parents a child even if he reaches fifty years of age.
The father or mother might hit the son, even though legally it is not permissible. So the Imam (a.s.) says: "So do not repel them if they hit you, and speak to them a noble word." And the Imam (a.s.) says: "If they hit you, say to them: 'May Allah forgive you,' for that from you is a noble word." He said: "And lower to them the wing of humility out of mercy." He said: "Do not let your eyes look upon them except with mercy and tenderness, and do not raise your voice above their voices, nor your hand above their hands, and do not walk ahead of them" – unless there is a need for it.
And from Abu Abdullah (a.s.), he said: "The lowest level of disobedience is 'uff,' and if Allah knew anything lighter than it, He would have prohibited it. And whoever looks at his parents with a look of displeasure while they are being unjust to him, Allah will not accept his prayer."
And from Abu Abdullah (a.s.), he said: "What prevents a man among you from being righteous to his parents, alive or dead? Pray for them" – the prayer or fasting, as our scholars issue fatwas that the eldest son should perform what his father missed of fasting or prayer – "and give charity on their behalf, and perform Hajj on their behalf, and fast on their behalf, and what you do for them will be for you like that, and Allah will increase you due to your righteousness and in your prayer much good." And similarly, it is narrated that a man came to the Prophet (p.) and said: "Advise me." He said: "Do not associate anything with Allah, even if you are burned by fire and punished except while your heart is assured with faith. And your parents, obey them and be righteous to them, alive or dead."
And from Ma'mar ibn Khallad, he said: I said to Abu al-Hasan ar-Rida (a.s.): "Should I supplicate for my parents if they do not know the truth?" He (a.s.) said: "Supplicate for them and give charity on their behalf. And if they are alive and do not know the truth, then deal with them kindly, for the Messenger of Allah (p.) said: 'Allah sent me with mercy, not with disobedience.'" Even if your father or mother is contrary to the truth, you must show them mercy and supplicate for them, for if you do not do that, you would be in the position of being disobedient.
And from Abu Ja'far al-Baqir (a.s.), he said: "Three things for which Allah has not given anyone permission: fulfilling trusts to the righteous and the wicked, fulfilling covenants, and righteousness to parents, whether they are righteous or wicked." And from Hisham ibn Salim, he said: A man came to the Prophet (p.) and said: "O Messenger of Allah, to whom should I be most righteous?" He (p.) said: "Your mother." He said: "Then who?" He said: "Your mother." He said: "Then who?" He said: "Your mother." He said: "Then who?" He said: "Your father." There is a vast difference between motherhood and fatherhood. Fatherhood does not cost the father anything in his body, while motherhood turns the mother's life upside down. Also, the effort the mother expends is much greater than what the father expends.
And it is narrated in a hadith from Abu Ja'far al-Baqir (a.s.), he said: Musa (a.s.) said: "O my Lord, advise me." He said: "I advise you concerning yourself" – three times – "Concerning yourself" – meaning, try to educate yourself and be sincere to it by guiding it on the path of faith and piety; "or concerning Me" – meaning, that you live for your Lord, be sincere to Him, know Him, and fear Him. And in making a person place themselves in a position close to Allah, this requires effort and care, because it represents destiny for them. Likewise, knowing Allah represents the issue of destiny. The closer one is to Allah, the greater their happiness – He said: "My Lord, advise me." He said: "I advise you concerning your mother" – twice. He said: "My Lord, advise me." He said: "I advise you concerning your father." And the Imam (a.s.) comments – "For that reason, it is said that for the mother is two-thirds of righteousness and for the father one-third."
And in al-Kafi, it is narrated from Jabir: "A man came to the Messenger of Allah and said: 'I am a young, energetic man and I love jihad, but I have a mother who dislikes that.' The Prophet (p.) said to him: 'Return and be with your mother. By the One who sent me with the truth as a prophet, her comfort with you for one night is better than your jihad in the cause of Allah for a year.'" This is in situations other than those where jihad is a necessity needed by the Ummah.
Embodying the Ethics of Islam
And thus, in a story that happened to Imam as-Sadiq (a.s.) with one of his companions from the Christians, Zakariyya ibn Ibrahim, who narrated that he said: "I was a Christian, then I embraced Islam and performed Hajj. I entered upon Abu Abdullah (a.s.) and said: 'I was upon Christianity and I have embraced Islam.' He (a.s.) said: 'And what did you see in Islam?' I said: 'The word of Allah: "You did not know what the Book or faith was, but We made it a light by which We guide whom We will." This light entered my heart through what I read about Islam and understood.' The Imam (a.s.) said: 'Allah has guided you. O Allah, guide him. O Allah, guide him. O Allah, guide him. Ask about whatever you wish, my son.' I said: 'My father and mother are upon Christianity, and my family, and my mother is blind. Should I be with them and eat from their vessels?' He (a.s.) said: 'Do they eat pork?' I said: 'No, and they do not touch it.' He said: 'There is no harm. So look after your mother and be righteous to her, and when she dies, do not entrust her to anyone else. And do not inform anyone that you came to me until you come to me in Mina, Allah willing.' He said: 'So I came to him in Mina while people were around him as if he were a teacher of children; this one asks him and that one asks him. When I arrived in Kufa, I was kind to my mother. I would feed her, pick lice from her clothes and her head, and serve her. She said: 'My son, you did not used to do this while you were upon my religion. What is it that I see from you since you migrated and entered into the upright religion – Islam?' I said: 'A man from the progeny of our Prophet ordered me to do this.' She said: 'My son, this is a prophet. These are the commandments of the prophets.' I said: 'O mother, there will be no prophet after our Prophet, but he is his son.' She said: 'My son, your religion is the best religion. Present it to me.' So I presented it to her, and she entered Islam and I taught her. She prayed Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib, and Isha, then something happened to her at night. She said: 'My son, repeat to me what you taught me.' So I repeated it to her, and she affirmed it and died. When morning came, the Muslims washed her, and I was the one who prayed over her and descended into her grave."
We derive several points from this story. The first point is what we mentioned: that a person must be righteous to their parents in the best forms of righteousness, even if they are not Muslims. The second point: that a Muslim must embody the ethics of Islam in the best possible manner, for this is the best propaganda for entering Islam. The ethical and spiritual aspect shook this woman's entire being, and Islam appeared to her as the religion that opens a person to their humanity in their ethics even with religious difference, thus attracting her to Islam without him inviting her to it. This is what Imam as-Sadiq (a.s.) called to: "Be callers to people without your tongues, so they may see from you truthfulness, goodness, and piety, for that is a caller." The more truthful, better, and more pious you are, the more you attract people to your religion.
This is what is needed by those who live in other societies that differ from our religion, especially in expatriate communities: that they be the trustworthy, truthful, pious, good individuals who preserve the security and lives of people there. This gives a bright image of Islam, instead of those who give a dark image of it.
O beloved ones, these are the ethics of Islam, and this is the heritage of the Imams from the Members of the Household (a.s.). If you wish to follow the path of Muhammad (p.) and the guiding Imams from his Household, then this path is the path of ethics and the path of humanity in all spheres of life.
The Second Sermon
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
O worshipers of Allah, fear Allah, and be Muslims who truly embody Islam in their minds, love in their hearts, and goodness and justice in their behavior in life. Be Muslims who bear the responsibility of Islam to be callers to Allah and guides to Him. For the Messenger of Allah (p.) and the guiding Imams from his Household were callers to Allah and guides in the best manner of calling, and they were strugglers in the cause of Allah in their states and actions in the best manner of struggle. Be Muslims who bear responsibility, so that a person does not think only of themselves or their family, but thinks of their Ummah in all they can offer it, no matter how little or small. Because if the Ummah moves on the basis that each of us offers their thought for the needs of thought, their emotion for the needs of emotion, their energy for the needs of energy, and their stance for the needs of stances, then we can attain a great strength where minds, hearts, energies, and stances converge, especially when we face major challenges on all levels from the arrogant and the disbelievers in an unholy alliance. We must work so that the Muslim is the ally and brother of the Muslim, to face challenges with one stance. Let us recognize what we live of problems and challenges from the Zionist and global arrogance:
The Intifada: The Enemy's Dilemma
With the approach of the end of the sixth month of the Intifada, the Palestinian cause enters a new phase within the framework of American-Israeli flirtation on one hand, renewing the strategic alliance that aims to solidify the Zionist entity and support its striking military power and strengthen its political and military security against the security of the Palestinians and the entire region. This coincides with some consumerist words about easing the economic and security siege on the Palestinians and timid condemnation of settlement in Jerusalem on the other hand. Then there is pressure on the Arab regimes politically to issue moderate resolutions in favor of "Sharon" and to stir Arab disagreements, especially regarding the siege on Iraq and its relations with Arab states, which makes the Palestinian cause lose its strength at the summit level.
Within this framework comes Zionist military and economic pressure on the Palestinians to ease the pressure of the Intifada, through the exaggeration of the brutal iron fist of the butcher "Sharon." This requires from the Palestinian people who lead the Intifada to continue their intifada and jihad and not submit to any intimidation or terror. This struggling people has discovered the elements of its strength and the enemy's weakness, and has known well the points of Zionist weakness to strike them with its points of strength. Because the enemy has entered more than one internal and external dilemma due to the Intifada, and its heroes must widen its dilemma and know that any internal or external force – including America – cannot overthrow a people who struggle for their freedom and independence, no matter how the media of arrogance speaks about Palestinian jihad as violence and terrorism.
The Intifada: The Ummah's Opportunity
It is ridiculous that Sharon speaks about rejecting terrorism – he being the first terrorist – and America speaks – for his benefit – about rejecting Palestinian violence without speaking about Israeli violence, of which occupation represents its highest manifestation, in addition to its persistence in destruction, razing lands, building settlements, cutting down trees, killing children, women, and the elderly, and shelling civilians, and the like of what Israel practices against the Palestinian people.
Hence, the Arab and Islamic peoples must express their support for the Intifada on the day of the Arab Summit's convening to convey the strong, clear Arab and Islamic voice to the attendees, so they know that the Ummah does not allow the downfall or weakening of the jihad movement in Palestine, because it is an opportunity that will not be repeated, and it is an opportunity for Arabs and Muslims in the comprehensive conflict with the Zionist enemy. This is what we noticed in Sharon's talk with the American President, where he attacked Egypt, Iran, Syria, and Lebanon, asking America to define its stance towards these countries for the benefit of Israel, considering it in America's interest in confronting terrorism.
Unity and Resistance: The Way to Confront the Challenge
On another level, we follow the uproar that Israel stirs regarding Lebanon's utilization of its waters and the threat of military intervention to prevent it, as if it has a right to Lebanon's waters. We want the officials and all the Lebanese people to confront this new method with all means, including responding to force with force through the Lebanese army and the Resistance, because the issue is connected to Lebanon's vital interests, not to mention the enemy's continued occupation of the Shebaa Farms, detention of prisoners, and theft of Lebanon's waters.
On this occasion, it is imperative for the Lebanese, who achieved the historic victory over the Israeli enemy thanks to the heroic Resistance and comprehensive national unity, to preserve this unity on fateful issues upon which they agree, and to enter into a calm, objective, responsible dialogue about the issues upon which they disagree. They should not engage in negative methods that suggest sectarian division or speak the language of war and the mentality of partition, because that will not achieve anything for the major goals. Rather, it pushes Lebanese youth to despair and migration to other countries where they find security, stability, and dignified living. On one hand, and on the other, we must keep pace with the political and economic movement in solving the economic problem or alleviating it so that everyone presents their experience and studies for its success, because it will not be a success for one government over another, but for the entire homeland.
We must move beyond the stage where people were counting points against each other to a stage where we work to gather all points for the benefit of the entire country, from the position of comprehensive responsibility of all people. Because the issue is whether Lebanon remains or collapses, and what is the value of politics and its positions if a comprehensive catastrophe occurs under the influence of economic bankruptcy and total collapse?
Redrawing Foreign Policy
Finally, in the face of the tragedy of our youth and people in the Congo, we would like to focus on two points:
The first: directed to the Lebanese state to develop a new, realistic plan to affirm and strengthen relations with the African countries where Lebanese expatriates reside, so that relations are at the highest level because they connect to Lebanon's position in the world in terms of its diplomatic strength, and to sponsor the expatriates by employing relations with these countries to solve their problems and strengthen their positions there. Then to work on selecting ambassadors who feel responsible towards the Lebanese in their relationship with the state and the vital issues related to the expatriates in particular, so that the ambassador represents all of Lebanon in their movements here and there.
The second: directed to our brothers and children in the Congo and in African expatriate countries in particular, to work on affirming their unity away from sectarian and partisan disputes, and to keep away all those who harm this unity by stirring marginal disputes from any side and by moving their personal greed to harm the conditions of the expatriates. On one hand, and on the other, to preserve the security of the country in which they live and not interfere in its security and political affairs, and to be an element of goodness, cooperation, and peace, especially since Africa lives in moving conflicts that leave their effects on the entire reality, in which no person has a clear vision of the future direction of events, and to monitor the Israeli plan that works to disrupt the successful Lebanese expatriate community.
We must take a lesson from this horrific tragedy that happened to our dear youth due to chaos, and to be one watchful eye that observes the entire reality to avoid any state of chaos and confusion.