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 Rajab 23, 1424 AH/ September 19, 2003, 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
Imam al-Kazim (a.s.):
The Path of Piety, Patience, and Principle
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)
Spirituality and Piety
One of the Imams and the Members of this Household is Imam Musa bin Ja'far al-Kazim (a.s.), whose death anniversary we meet on the 25th of Rajab. Imam al-Kazim was one of the Imams who were concerned with all that the Muslims in his time faced. He used to represent a calm but forceful challenge to the rulers of his time, the Abbasids, living with the people, trying to help them, find solutions to their problems, and correct any false ideas they might have. He was of great manners that were similar to the great ethics of the Prophet himself. He was called al-Kazim, meaning one who holds his temper and controls his anger, because he used to face all persecution and harm with tolerance and even with being good and charitable to those who hurt him.
The Imam (a.s.) was known for his tolerance, prudence, the spirit of forgiveness, and a tight control of his temper, even against those who hurt him. He was like his grandfather, the Messenger (p.), of great morals. He had a soft heart and a soft tongue; he was a role model in his ethics just as he was a model for others in belief.
His biographers record that one of the notables of Medina hated the Imam to the extent that the Imam’s followers asked for permission to kill him because he used to insult the Imam in his talk in a very abusive and hurtful manner, but the Imam kept on preventing them. Then one day the Imam went to visit this man in his farm, entering the farm riding on a horse which stepped on the plants. Instead of receiving the Imam, the man began to complain about the loss. The Imam asked him, "How much do you think that you will earn?" The man said: "I don’t know." The Imam explained to him, "I am asking you how much you hope to make and not how much you will be able to get." The man said: "200 Dinars." The Imam gave him the money and began to talk to him until they became friends. The man went to the Prophet’s Mosque, where he saw the Imam and said: "Allah knows best whom to trust with His message." The Imam asked his companions: "Which means is better, mine or yours? Does not Allah say: 'And not equal are the good deed and the bad. Repel [evil] by that [deed] which is better; and thereupon the one whom between you and him is enmity [will become] as though he was a devoted friend.'" Surat Fussilat (41:34)
Shiism is to Follow the Imams’ Example
He was a contemporary of Harun al-Rashid, who was afraid of him not because the Imam entered into a struggle with him overpower, but because of his wide popularity in the Islamic world where the elite, in particular, used to consider him a source of knowledge to learn from and a man of outstanding piety and spirituality.
That is why al-Rashid imprisoned him. He kept the Imam in jail and used to transfer him from one jail to another until al-Sindi bin Shahik poisoned him in his jail, following the orders of the caliph.
The prison wardens used to tell al-Rashid that he had to let him free or send him to another jail, for the Imam used to spend his time in worship. In his first jail in Basra, he said in his prayers: "O Allah, I have asked You to dedicate me to worshipping You. I am thankful because You have done that."
The warden of this jail sent to his master saying: "I have never heard him saying any word against you or me. He was above hatred and envy…"
Imam al-Kazim suffered a lot in these jails. That is why we suggested making the 25th of Rajab the prisoner’s day. But despite all his pains and sufferings, he used to continue to uphold his responsibility as an Imam in monitoring the intellectual trends to fight any divisions. Thus, if we study the literature of the Imam (a.s.), we will find it rich in all doctrines of knowledge, including jurisprudence, philosophy, Quranic interpretation, history, etc. He even used to support and encourage the revolutions against the oppression of the Abbasids.
On his anniversary, we have to review all that our Imams (a.s.) said or did to communicate with them and follow their example, for this is what it means to be a Shiite.
In this respect, we would like to read an educational and ethical saying of the Imam that says:
"Do not feel that you are doing a lot of good and few sins, for these sins will accumulate until they become many." Good, as the Imam teaches, is not related to quantity. It is a matter of responsibility. You ought to do good from the day you feel that you have it in you until you die. It is your responsibility towards Allah, yourself, and others. Moreover, you might feel that you did not sin, but these small things here and there, if you add them together, become a big sin. Furthermore, the problem lies in the fact that committing small sins encourages man to be sinful.
The Imam goes on to say: "And fear Allah in public and in private, for He knows all that you think in hidden… until you are fair and hasten to obey Allah before it is too late, return people’s trusts, because this will be recorded for you… do not oppress or interfere in what is unlawful, for this is against you."
Saying the Truth
Asked about who is generous, he said: "It depends on whom you are asking about. If you are asking about the created, then the generous is he who pays what Allah has ordered him to pay, and the miser is he who does not." We meet many people who are ready to pay for leaders, elections, and campaigns but who would be offended if you ask them about paying the legal alms. "But if you mean the Creator, He would be generous if He gives and if He does not, because He would be giving you when He gives what is not yours. And, if He does not, He would be withholding from you what is not yours."
He also advised his followers to be pious and say the truth even if it leads to death. "If people want to assess the negative consequences of saying the truth, nobody will go ahead. But this is not the issue. Saying the truth is a religious duty we ought to uphold…"
Neutrals are Traitors
In another saying, the Imam (a.s.) discusses those who remain neutral when it comes to choosing between right and wrong. He says: "Do not say, 'I am with the people, and I am one of them.' O people, you either support the right or the wrong. Do not let helping the wrong be more important to you than supporting the right." Those who stay neutral are actually traitors because they are withholding their resources and potentials and not putting them in the service of the nation.
In another incident, the Imam demonstrates the necessity of respecting fellow human beings regardless of their social status. He is said to have passed in one of the conquered states by an ugly man. He saluted him and engaged in a long talk with him. Then he asked him if there was anything he could do for him. When asked how he could do that, knowing that things should be the other way round, and the other man should be the one who offers his services, the Imam said: "He is one of Allah’s servants and a brother in Allah’s book…" Then he added: "We will be good to those who might be worthy, out of fear that we will be without friends."
He also said, talking to each and every one of us: "He is not one of us who does not review his deeds every day. If he finds that he has done good deeds, he will thank Allah and try to do more. But if he finds out that he has done wrong, he will ask for Allah’s forgiveness and repent."
This is the line of Ahl al-Bayt, the line of the straight path. We ought to adhere to this line by following their example, for they are the callers for Allah’s, the Most Exalted, religion and the trustees upon His religion.
The Second Sermon
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
The veto as a tool to protect the Zionists
The major powers, especially America, in the UN talk about democracy, but the five permanent members of the Security Council have the right to veto any resolution that gains the approval of the majority of the members. This veto represents a canceling of the interests of the other states if it contradicts with the political, economic and security interests of the permanent members, which means that the nations of the world do not have any guarantee for their rights if they do not have the blessings of these powers.
And this is what we notice when we review the history of the Security Council resolutions, especially when we review the American stances in backing Israel. It has used the right of veto tens of times to kill any resolution that condemns the Zionist entity’s occupation, aggression and massacres. It also pressurizes the Council to condemn the freedom fighters that want to liberate their country from occupation. It even supports the Israeli occupation atrocities and claims them to be self-defense.
The last US veto was used to kill the resolution calling on Israel to “desist from any act of deportation and cease any threat” to Arafat, on the ground that it did not condemn Palestinian terrorist activities… This veto was a slap in the face of all Arabs who sponsored the resolution. It also ignores and cancels all the states that voted for the motion.
America wants the decision of Sharon’s government to “remove” Arafat to act as a sword that is constantly raised on the Palestinian people, and as a tool of continuous political and security pressure, especially after the Palestinians rallied behind their president in protest against the Israeli decision.
We call upon the Arab and Muslim peoples as well as the nations of the Third World to stand firmly and plan to annul the veto system that confiscates the rights of nations and allows the major powers to usurp and share the wealth of the downtrodden nations.
The Arabs and Muslim states ought to respect themselves by respecting their peoples vital rights and interests… for the veto is a phenomenon that demonstrates the imperial practices of the arrogant. They should not therefore, yield to the American pressures, but they should try to pressurize America and Israel and not find it sufficient to pass meaningless resolutions.
Punishing Syria
In the same context, we meet with the American hatred against Arabs and Muslims, as it was accentuated in the American Congress when it discussed the motion against Syria. America, in reality, wants to punish Syria for its support to the Lebanese and Palestinians. It also wants, if we study the matter closely, to pressurize Syria to support the American occupation of Iraq having failed to run it. But this is impossible for it contradicts with the Syrian principles: Syria could not possibly accept any policy that undermines the fate and future of the entire nation.
Israel is the problem and the threat
We advise those who stand with this Zionist congress to learn this political fact: America will not give those who stand with it against their nation any advantage a privilege. For America does not respect these people. Moreover, everyone has noticed that they did not confront or fight the Israeli occupation, but they rather cooperated with it… Those who sell themselves to the Arrogant powers will be abandoned by the latter because no one can trust those who do not respect their nation… Everyone should know that Syria is not the problem in Lebanon. It is America and Israel who are the problem not only for Lebanon, but for the Arabs too.
Pressures on Iran
The American and European pressures on Iran through the international atomic energy Agency (IAEA) have mounted. America does want any Islamic state in the region to possess any strength so as Israel alone would monopolize the acquisition of mass destruction weapons the fact that Iran signed the NPT treaty notwithstanding.
On this occasion, we ask the Arabs who are now demanding that Israel should sign the nuclear proliferation treaty not to weaken in front of America and Israel which claims that it will only sign after the comprehensive peace is reached.
On another level, America has begun to exert various political economic and security pressures to cover up its failure in Iraq. It has paved the way to declare the country as a haven for terrorism, which implies that it intends to stay there for a long time to fight this terrorism and not to secure the Iraqi security and basic vital services.
And this is what made the US enter into a compromise with the UN and the five permanent members of the Security Council to pass a resolution to send international forces to protect its soldiers in Iraq while staying in full command…
Meanwhile, the Arrogant power remains in control of the game while the Iraqis continue to suffer. But till when?
Who will punish the big thieves?
In Lebanon, the Lebanese bitterly ask: could we reach the big thieves by punishing the small ones who follow orders and pay a lot of what they waste and rob to their masters? Or is there a plan that wants to make us believe that the small thieves alone are responsible for the corruption?
In addition, the Lebanese want to know in an explicit political and judiciary manner about the millions that are said to have been paid to close certain economic and political dossiers… Although the institutions of the state are empowered by the laws that enable them to supervise and punish…do those who are in control of the country’s politics and economy want a state in Lebanon to be established… Probably most of them, if not all, don’t.