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 Rabi‘ al-Awwal 5, 1423 AH / May 17, 2002 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
The Imamate is the Embodiment of the Quran
Allah says in His Glorious Book: "Allah intends only to remove from you the impurity [of sin], O people of the [Prophet's] household, and to purify you with [extensive] purification." Surat al-Ahzab (33:33).
One of the Members of this House is Imam Abu Muhammad Al-Hassan bin Ali Al-Askari (a.s), the eleventh Imam, whose passing we are commemorating on the 8th of this month. He is the last of the Imams in the stage of their presence among the people; they used to live with them, conveying the Prophet’s message, correcting their mistakes, fighting any deviation, and offering the role model that should be followed. They were the living embodiment of the Holy Quran, acting as if they were the talking Quran from whom the people could learn all its values and concepts. This is what made them the Imams of all Muslims, although many people did not recognize this fact. They also endured, like their grandfather the Messenger (p.), all kinds of suffering, pain, and torture that resulted in the martyrdom of some and the imprisonment of others.
When we remember our Imams, whom Allah made infallible and removed all ideological and emotional uncleanness from, so that their thought became the Right that could not be deviated, it is because although they are not among us anymore, their heritage, their spirituality and conduct are still with us, filling our spirits and minds with the light it needs to make our lives virtuous and pious.
Thus, we have to read everything they left us in the right way, to learn how they presented Islam to us and how they wanted us to rise to the high levels in all aspects of life, whether cultural, political or social… because they wanted Islam to guide all our life: a code of behavior in our houses, a law and a unifier in our lives, and a source of strength and resolve in the face of challenges…
Allah wanted us to be proud and dignified… He wants us to be full of wisdom… to know the real value and rank of the Members of the House and not to exaggerate, because such an act will lead us to deviate and become non-Muslims. We also have to follow them in the way they taught us how: by following Allah. Imam Al-Baqir (a.s.) said: "Those who follow Allah are followers of us, and those who have Allah as their enemy are our enemies."
Imam Al-Askari (a.s.) was the last of the Imams who lived among us. He was highly respected and honored although he was still a young man, for he commanded such a reaction by his vast knowledge, impeccable morals and actions that made him the living representative of Islam. This vast love and popularity he enjoyed used to worry the rulers of his time, who were afraid that he would overthrow them, and this made them prosecute him time and again.
When Imam Al-Hassan Al-Askari (a.s.) died on the ninth of Rabi‘ al-Awwal, the era of the Imamate of our Imam, Imam Al-Mahdi (a.s.), began. And since Imam Al-Mahdi (a.s.), Allah’s evidence on His creations, said before his long absence that we have to go back to the narrators of the Imams’ traditions to reach judgments about new developments, thus opening the way for the pious religious scholars who are faithful to Allah, the Most Exalted, and His Messenger (p.), and who do not sell their religion for any worldly gain, to play a role in teaching the Muslims the issues of their religion… But they ought to conform with the standards the Prophet (p.) set when he said that the scholars are the keepers of the messengers unless "they enter this world," and he explained how they do that by implying that they do that when they issue edicts that take into consideration the interests of an unjust ruler or when they take into account their own interests and desires.
The Imam’s Will
On this occasion, we would like to read the Imam (a.s.)’s last will to his followers, who include all Muslims regardless of their sect, for he represents Islam:
"I ask you to fear Allah—for this is what all Muslims should seek in all their actions, being the only way to earn His satisfaction—Do your best for the cause of Allah—in believing in His oneness, as well as obeying His commands and being faithful in worshipping Him—and say the truth—Truth is the sign of belief, and we have a tradition that says: 'A man does not lie as long as he is a believer.' You cannot be a believer if you tell lies, for belief is to associate ourselves with Allah and truth—and pay all people, whether pious or dissolute, their dues—Allah wants us to be trustworthy. If anybody entrusted us with anything we have to give it back. The Messenger himself was known as the honest and trustworthy long before he commenced his mission. Imam Ali (a.s.) too, who was raised by the Messenger (p.), was known for his honesty and trustfulness—and elongate your prostration—The Imam wants us to make our prostration as long as possible, for it is the living demonstration of our worship to Allah, the Most Exalted. Thus, prostrate to Allah, the Most Exalted, as a symbol of worship, love and piety, but do not prostrate to any human being no matter how close to Allah he is, for prostration is a sign of worship, and we worship Allah, the Most Exalted, and only Allah, the Most Exalted. And if the angels, as it is said in the Holy Quran, have prostrated to Adam, they were actually prostrating to glorify Allah’s creation—and be good to your neighbor—The Messenger (p.) himself used to repeat his advice to be good to one’s neighbors until Imam Ali (a.s.) said: 'We thought that he wants us to leave them something in our will.'"
Then the Imam (a.s.) turned to tell us, like Imam Al-Sadiq (a.s.) before him, about how to deal with those whom we differ with in the issues of the imamate and the like: "Pray with their tribes—even if the Imam is from another sect—take part in their funerals, visit their sick ones, pay them their dues… If you are pious in your religion, honest and truthful in your speech and good in your behavior with others and they say that you are a Shiite, I will be glad… Be pious and be a source of pride and not disgrace and bring us every love—when you tell the people about our good manners and behavior in a moderate way that does not resort to either exaggeration or cursing—prove that every bad thing associated to us is a lie. For the good things that are said about us are true while the bad aren’t—study our biographies, heritage and traditions, and tell the people about them in order that they will learn the truth about us. We have a right in Allah’s Book, a relation to His Messenger (p.) and a cleansing that Allah commanded that if claimed by anyone else he would be a liar… Keep remembering Allah, the Most Exalted, for it prevents from committing sins, and death, for it removes the rust of the hearts—Keep reading the Quran and keep praying on the Messenger… Learn well what I have told you in this will not by memorizing but by practice. May Allah be with you, and peace be upon you."
Peace be upon you, honorable Imam (a.s.), the day you were born, the day you were martyred, and the day you will be brought back to life.
The Second Sermon
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
Worshippers of Allah…
Be pious and shoulder all your responsibilities in all aspects of life. For no Muslim can afford to be neutral when there is a struggle between right and falsehood…
The Palestinians Regain Their Identity
On May 15, 1948, Palestine fell and the “state of Israel” was established, as a result of the international conspiracy that was led by Britain when it made the promise to establish a national homeland for the Jews in Palestine, and then by making use of its mandate on Palestine, coupled with the Arab incompetence that turned into a form of complicity as a result of the British influence at that time on the Arab official policies.
Israel has celebrated the 54th anniversary of its usurpation of the land at a time the Palestinian Intifada was actively trying to retrieve Palestine, and facing one of the most difficult stages… The Palestinians were able to regain their identity and started to make a new history that is marked by blood and sacrifices… But history, it seems, is about to repeat itself… The new international conspiracy that is led this time by America aims at giving the Jews control over the whole of Palestine, leaving the Palestinians with some of the features of a state that is void of any real independence.
Arab Incompetence Plays into Sharon’s Hands
The Arab incompetence has turned into a political complicity to execute the American-Israeli plot… It is an extension of the historical incompetence that was coupled with the intelligence role of silencing the nation to prevent it from any say in its present or future… We have started to be afraid of the presence of a plot for a Palestinian movement that coordinates with the Americans and Israelis to the last detail, especially after America has assumed the leadership of the international axis that deals with finding a solution to the Palestinian issue to realize Sharon’s goal of providing security for the Jews by means of ending the Intifada and depriving the Palestinians of any card to play with on the table of negotiations.
A Very Critical Stage
Thus, we saw the American President planning to establish a unified Palestinian intelligence and security agency, under the control of the C.I.A. that is allied with the Israeli Mossad to liquidate all the loyal Palestinian security elements, many of whom have already been killed or arrested by the Israelis. Now they want to liquidate the rest as part of a plan that is coordinated with some Palestinians in other domains in an effort to create internal Palestinian strife or at least exert pressure in the name of preserving unity.
In this atmosphere, the talk about reform and new elections aims at finding something to distract the people away from the Intifada and make them preoccupied with their internal and partisan differences… Moreover, the talk about condemning the martyr operations against the Jews has been renewed… It is as if they were crimes against humanity, which the Arabs, including the Palestinian Authority, denounce.
The Palestinian cause is passing through one of its most critical stages, since it has entered once again into the maze of negotiations and endless stalling and vague stances… for America does not want to exert any pressure on Israel. It only supports her in accordance with its historical role, but at the same time it calls on the Arabs to exert pressure on the Palestinians, in addition to its own physical and moral pressures.
Appreciating these grave dangers, we call the Mujahideen leaders to study thoroughly all the goals and backgrounds of all local, regional and international stances… For the plan aims at making them commit a fatal mistake… We are not talking about adventurism, but about being extremely cautious… to study all changes and developments to be able to take the right positions, since every stage has its stands and means of action.
Keeping the Enemy in its Impasse
The internal Israeli situation has to be monitored to keep an eye on how they assign each party a complementary role… We also have to plan to keep the enemy in its security impasse and fail the operation they call "defensive shield" which they claim has accomplished considerable success on its way to put a final end to the Intifada. If the enemy has celebrated the anniversary of what it calls independence, we have to think about celebrating soon our day of victory and true independence. You will not lose except the occupation and its chains. The Arabs and Muslims have to confront this stage by remaining politically alert. They cannot leave a window of opportunity for those who want to tame the Arab street and put off the torch of freedom that glows inside it… They ought to know that the Palestinian cause is the cause of the Arab and Muslim future.
Being Prepared to Face Potential Threats in Lebanon
In Lebanon, where the threats of the enemy’s prime minister are being renewed, as he said recently: "We cannot just watch when terrorist operations are being performed against our citizens in the North"… Such threats mean that we should be on the alert to face any potential dangers, especially that we are approaching the anniversary of the liberation, which could lead the enemy to make a show of force; we also have to emphasize the importance of consolidating our national unity and putting our marginal differences aside.
If the dominant and traditional talk in Lebanon is about the coexistence of the sects, we find it necessary now to talk about the coexistence between the top officials. The seasonal feuds that aggravate the economic crisis could make the people lose their confidence in the state and the well-being of the economy to the extent that there is some talk about withdrawing savings from the banks, as there are some rumors which might be true that there is a catastrophe awaiting the people in Lebanon.
We hope that these rumors are not correct and that the reassurances of the officials are true… But they have to restore the popular trust in the state, its leadership and institutions, as well as its policies, economy and security… People have to see that the state is run by the institutions and not the individuals, so that the institutions become the guarantee for the well-being of the country and not the individuals… The problem is that this confidence has been lost… Is there anyone who can restore it?