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 Ramadan 26, 1424 AH/ November 21, 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
The Last Friday of Ramadan: Seeking Allah's Pleasure, and Uniting over Jerusalem
Before we start with the sermons, we would like to confirm that on the basis of our investigation with several experts in astronomy all over the world, we assert that the first of Shawal (The Eid) is on Tuesday the 25th of November. May Allah return it with good, blessing, victory and success.
Renewing Faith
Today is the last Friday of the month of Ramadan. And Friday is the day that Allah wished that Muslims should meet in and perform their prayers. They would remember Allah and repent from their sins. Every Muslim would stand before Allah and renew his faith… He should be aware of what Allah pleases in every idea he adopts, every emotion he feels and every action (personal, social, or otherwise) he does.
But this Friday in particular drives its significance from the fact that it is the last Friday in the month of Ramadan, and thus it embodies the spirit of this month. Each of us should on this day dedicate some time to sit with himself to assess what he has done since the beginning of the month and what he should do to accomplish what he has not accomplished yet. This is what one of the supplications of the Members of the House says: "O Allah the days of the month of Ramadan are about to pass… And I have reached (a stage) that You know about more than I do… I ask You what Your close angels, Your sent Prophet, and Your pious worshippers have asked: If You are pleased with (my actions) in this month I ask You to be more pleased. And if You aren’t then please grant me Your satisfaction starting from this moment."
There is also another advantage of this particular Friday, the 27th of the month of Ramadan, in that it might be one of the blessed nights of Al-Qadr, since some traditions say that it should be sought in the odd nights of the last ten days of the month of Ramadan… Thus, one ought to prepare himself to receive this night and dedicate some time to think about Allah and feel the love of Allah in his soul, heart and mind and not just perform the traditional rituals associated with the celebration.
Jerusalem: The Unity of Messages and Messengers
The last Friday of the month of Ramadan is also the day that was meant to be the day all Muslims all over the world remember Jerusalem... But it is not merely a festival in which people feel that they have fulfilled their duty with the end of the day... What Imam Khomeini had in mind when he chose this day is to ensure that Jerusalem stays in the conscience of the Muslims since it represents a spiritual meaning that opens up on all the history of messengers and the evolvement of the messages.
The day also represents a political meaning since it recalls the historical injustice that befell the Holy City since the time of the Crusades.
The issue of Jerusalem should remain the main concern of Muslims, and the Palestinians in particular, so that they will not be distracted by details such as the separating wall or settlements. The Americans and Israelis want to postpone the issue of Jerusalem until the final status, that is until the Zionists create new facts on the ground that will not leave anything to negotiate about.
The Night Journey
The Messenger’s miraculous night journey to Jerusalem suggests, as it says in the Glorious Quran: "Exalted is He who took His Servant by night from al-Masjid al-Haram to al-Masjid al-Aqsa, whose surroundings We have blessed, to show him of Our signs. Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Seeing." Surat al-Isra' (17:01), that the Prophet was sent to all humans, since to live the history of all heavenly messages is a clear indication that Islam contains all of these messages. That is why The Noble Quran came to affirm faith in all of the Messengers: "And we do not differentiate between any of His messengers." Surat al-Baqarah (02:285), and to affirm faith in all the Books that Allah has revealed, from the Torah and the Gospel and the Scrolls of Ibrahim, because Islam is distinguished from all religions in that it came "confirming that which was before it." Surat Al ‘Imran (03:03), to be the perfecter and completer, so that Allah may gather all the messages in this religion with which He has distinguished Muhammad (p.).
Thus, the journey from the Sacred Mosque in Mecca to Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem indicates that there is an interrelation between what is revealed in both mosques, especially that the Sacred Mosque was built by Ibrahim (a.s.) while the prophets of Al-Aqsa Mosque are his grandsons… Thus, it is Ibrahim who constitutes the link between both mosques, by means of Allah’s Message.
In addition to the Islamic teachings that suggest that all Muslims should be united and refer any dispute among them to Allah and His Messenger, the following Ayats also suggest that we also should resort to dialogue with all people irrespective of their religion:
"And do not argue with the People of the Scripture except in a way that is best, except for those who commit injustice among them, and say, 'We believe in that which has been revealed to us and revealed to you. And our God and your God is one; and we are Muslims [in submission] to Him.'" Surat al-‘Ankabut (29:46),
"Say, 'O People of the Scripture, come to a word that is equitable between us and you - that we will not worship except Allah and not associate anything with Him and not take one another as lords instead of Allah.' But if they turn away, then say, 'Bear witness that we are Muslims [submitting to Him].'" Surat Al ‘Imran (3:64).
Thus, as Muslims, we should open up on all those who adhere to other religions even if we differ with them upon certain doctrines of faith or historical accounts, and resort to dialogue to reach mutual understandings, and continue to discuss what we differ on.
As for the political issue, which is not far from the issue of the Message—because politics in Islam is a message so that man may be a servant of Allah to be free before all people—freedom in Islam is a gift from Allah to him: "Do not be a slave to another when Allah has made you free." Thus, the political issue, in all its details and outlines, is a matter of the Message that springs from the foundation of freedom for man and the foundation of honor and dignity for the believing man: "And to Allah belongs [all] honor, and to His Messenger, and to the believers." Surat al-Munafiqun (63:8).
Studying the Factors of Jerusalem's Loss
Therefore, when we open up to the political issue, let us think—through all research centers—about Jerusalem, which was in our hands: why did others seize it? What were the circumstances and reasons that led to this political and security weakness of the nation? What were the contributing causes? What were the circumstances that contributed to the 1967 war, in which Muslims lost Jerusalem, especially the Old City? Who pushed for the 1967 war, and what was the state of the Arabs who fought this war? Did they prepare for it politically, in the realm of planning, and militarily? And what about the international situations that greatly influence the process of war and peace? Then, what were the plans concocted by America, Europe, and even the Soviet Union, to trap the Arabs in the scourge of defeat? Was it merely Arab weakness and fragmentation, or did it represent a state of subservience among more than one Arab figure to American policy, or through the state of zeal and emotion with which the war was launched? For war may be fueled by zeal for mobilization, but it is a plan executed through action. Perhaps the atmosphere in which this war was fought was one of emotion more than it was one of reason.
We must study all of that, and study every movement of reality, whether it is the Arab reality represented by the Arab League, or the Islamic reality represented by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, or all the developments in the world that have placed the Palestinian issue into the matter of the war on terror, and it is no longer merely an issue of a people's liberation. The nation must study its defeats with awareness and precision, based on planning, just as it studies its victories, because we live in a world that does not uphold principles in all its politics, security, and all its relations.
Therefore, we must emerge from the atmosphere of indifference; we must not each remain secluded in our own corner, as we have begun to hear some saying: "What have we to do with the Palestinians and Jerusalem!" The arrogant among our enemies consider the matter of the Arabs to be one; if they defeat one front, they impose defeat on the remaining fronts. Likewise, if a front is victorious, they work to turn this victory into defeat, as in the war of the Tenth of Ramadan, in which the Egyptian army crossed the Suez Canal and defeated the Israelis, but the game turned this victory into defeat.
Let Us Unite Through Jerusalem
Allah, the Exalted, wants us to be one nation, because no individual can feel free unless his nation is free, and he cannot feel honor and dignity unless his nation is free and honorable. The primary condition for the Day of Jerusalem is that we unite through Jerusalem, considering that Jerusalem does not merely represent a mosque and a city, but it represents the entire cause connected to Islam culturally, politically, and security-wise. These people, in all their national, political, and even sectarian diversities—as is the case with the Jews who follow various sects—we find that they unite in the face of issues they consider to be their objective. So why do we not unite in the face of our own causes? The issue is that we must freeze all our disagreements to unite on the major cause, and we must work to expel from within us everyone who wants to drown the nation in peripheral conflicts, because these people represent the fifth column for Zionism and global arrogance. The issue is:
"And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided." Surat Al ‘Imran (3:103),
"And to Allah belongs [all] honor, and to His Messenger, and to the believers." Surat al-Munafiqun (63:8).
We ask Allah, the Exalted, to grant us much awareness, much wisdom, much sense of responsibility, and much striving for the unity of all Islam and all humanity.
The Second Sermon
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
O servants of Allah… fear Allah and make the message of Allah—which extends from this world to the Hereafter, and which in its Quran is a rope extended from heaven to earth—the beacon of your path. Fear Allah and strive to set your affairs in order and reconcile among yourselves, for reconciliation prevents many disputes, conflicts, and tribulations. And we know that when discord spreads within the nation, prayer is no longer prayer as it should be, nor is fasting as it should be.
Therefore, we must work on the basis of setting our affairs in order and reconciling among ourselves, because He, glorified be He, has affirmed that among the principles of brotherhood is reconciliation, especially in these difficult circumstances in which the arrogant ones are attempting to confiscate the Islamic reality. We are passing through this stage with a great many burdens that weigh down our reality and threaten our future, and this compels us to rise to the level of responsibility. We hear, day after day, threats from one arrogant power here and another arrogant power there. The latest of these was the speech by the American president, some of its paragraphs we must certainly study, so that we may perceive what is being plotted against us.
Bush’s speech: An apologetic missionary discourse
The discourse of the American Administration as it was reflected by President Bush is still an apologetic and missionary one; that seeks to justify their wars that move from one place to another. They claim that they want to liberate Afghanistan and Iraq and establish democracy and human rights to fulfill the “Divine mission” Bush was commissioned with.
He also added that we “support the human rights of others and respect the dignity God has bestowed on every human being”. “Thus, we are fighting oppression, starvation and diseases”.
But Bush ignored the real motive: the monopoly of the American and coalition companies over the reconstruction contracts without leaving anything to the Iraqis or the neighboring countries… In addition to their strive to change the whole region starting from the Iraqi base, and this is what explains why they insist on staying in Iraq for an indefinite time.
It is funny and even satirical that the Americans claim that the new Iraqi government demands that they should stay, as if the Iraqis are free to choose under occupation.
A deceiving logic concerning Palestine
The American Administration talks about the problem in Palestine as if it is one of security. Bush even claims that Israel has been living for a long period in “the shadow of death”. He Totally ignores that Israel, with the help of America and some its allies, is the one that made the entire region enter into the stage of eradication, by using military weapons against civilians.
The American President also ignored the fact the problem in Palestine is not the problem of the resistance that seeks to obtain freedom for the Palestinian people, but that it is the problem of the occupation, which is considered by Bush to be in a state of self-defense. In his view, the Palestinians do not have a right to defend themselves against the Zionist war of devastation and eradication.
He also asks the Europeans to stop their support to the Palestinian leaders who have” betrayed the cause of their people”... He does not want the EU to take a balanced stand towards the region, but rather to remain marginal and subdued... He also calls on the Europeans to fight anti-Semitism that is any criticism to Israel policies… even if they commit massacres like those of Kana and Sabra and Shatila.
American one-sidedness will escalate violence.
The President then resorts to political hypocrisy that aims at drugging the region and the world… He asks Israel to halt settlement activity in unauthorized places… as if the settlements approved by the Israeli authorities are legitimate. He also asks Israel not to threaten the final status negotiations by building walls and fences. But he does not exert any pressure to halt these measures, and he even hesitates before decreasing the loan guarantees that are used for this purpose. Moreover, when he talks about the Palestinian state, he does so very vaguely without defining its nature.
The decisive stance the Arab and Muslim world has to convey to the American Administration is to explain that the American position that totally sides with Israel will increase the opposition to all American policies and projects. For Palestine is still an open wound that bleeds in the heart of every Arab and Muslim. All this pressure will certainly generate more terror that will take various forms. Continuous and mounting pressures will lead to an explosion of unknown and surrealistic consequences.
Condemning operations that target civilians
On the other hand, we have always condemned operations that target civilians whether Muslims on non-Muslims except in the case of a hot war. The recent explosions like those in Istanbul will not serve any Islamic or Arabic cause. On the contrary, they might hurt them in one way or another… Thus, we call on everybody to study the means of struggle against the occupation and arrogant policies in a thorough manner that considers the Islamic principles if they are Muslims, as well as the political consequences of such actions.
The bleeding wound in Iraq with more and more Iraqis dying everyday by American bullets, will lead to an escalation that will drive the whole people to resort to violence in resisting occupation... We call on our people in Iraq to open their eyes on what is going around them and is being plotted against them and to be weary of statements that makes rosy promises but conceal additional sufferings.
The Jerusalem Day: A Day for freedom
In Lebanon, that lives with the Arab World the celebration of the Jerusalem day that represents the freedom of man and resistance against occupation, as well as celebrating the anniversary of its Independence Day that represents the liberation of the country from occupation and all those who indirectly execute its plans by planting corruption and protecting thieves…
Reproducing independence
We want independence to be complete and yield a strong country whose people have a free will in determining their fate; a country that is not run by sectarian sensitivities or vulnerable to external pressures... We ought to reproduce our independence for it is not merely a signature made by an occupying force.
It is the ability to say “yes” or “no” without any pressures. It is the state of law in which everybody is under this law… It is a country for all from the top -if there is going to be a top left-to the bottom…
On Independence Day we should also remember what is left from our occupied lands, which impels us to confront the Israeli threats with a firm stand in which the Army and the Resistance complement one another, and the people are united and free under the sun.