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' Alawwal 11, 1425 AH/ April 30, 2004, 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
Allah says in His Glorious Book: “O Prophet, indeed We have sent you as a witness and a bringer of good tidings and a warner. And one who invites to Allāh, by His permission, and an illuminating lamp.” Surah Al-Ahzab (33: 45-46)
“Just as We have sent among you a messenger from yourselves reciting to you Our verses and purifying you and teaching you the Book and wisdom and teaching you that which you did not know.” Surah Al-Baqarah (02: 151)
Muhammad a Mercy for all mankind
We meet nowadays with the anniversary of the birth of the greatest Messenger, Muhammad (p.). Allah has sent him as a Mercy for all mankind. He is a Mercy for their hearts. He allows them to open up to truth in all aspects of life. He is a Mercy making their hearts full of love for all people. He is a Mercy for their lives as they seek to establish justice in their relations. Muhammad (p.) is a Mercy because he has the greatest mind among people. He is a Mercy in his heart, being caring and kind to the believers. He lived with the weak and the poor as if he was one of them. He was never arrogant or boastful. His greatness was a product of being associated with God. Therefore, he had to be humble among people. The more you live the greatness of God in you, the more pious and God loving you become. You would know the meaning of being a human being. You would know how much every human being needs Allah. You would know how all human beings are equal before Him. The most pious among them becomes the closest to Allah.
The Messenger was an orphan. His father died before he was born and his mother died shortly afterwards. He was nursed by one of the Arab tribes. People of Quraish used to do this at the time. But he was taken care of by God. As Imam Ali said, God commissioned one of His greatest angels to teach him daily. The angel taught him both knowledge and ethics.
The Messenger did not read or write. Had he been literate, the unbelievers would have said he read what he brought them in earlier books. But despite being illiterate, he came up with what is far superior to all the scientists, legislators, and poets. This was so people would know he was a prophet. They would know what he brought was revealed by Allah. This is how the Messenger used to present himself to the people: “Say, [O Muhammad], 'I hold not for myself [the power of] benefit or harm, except what Allah has willed. And if I knew the unseen, I could have acquired much wealth, and no harm would have touched me. I am not except a warner and a bringer of good tidings to a people who believe.'” Surah Al-A'raf (07: 188)
“Say, O mankind, indeed I am the Messenger of Allah to you all, from Him to whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. There is no deity except Him; He gives life and causes death. So believe in Allah and His Messenger, the unlettered prophet, who believes in Allah and His words, and follow him that you may be guided.” Surah Al-A'raf (07: 158)
This is how he presented himself. He was simple, spontaneous, and confident. He is a human but an infallible one. He says only the Truth by God’s will. His manners too are divine. They were shaped by Allah himself. Allah, the Most Exalted described the Prophet (p) as being of supreme morals.
The Prophet is the Quran
The Prophet (p.) used to represent the Quran in every move he made and every word he said. He was the moving Quran. You could read the original Quran by studying his actions and sayings. That is why Allah asks us to consider the Prophet as our role model. We should do this if we wish to please Him and if we think about the hereafter.
He used to think only about Allah and never about the arrogant and the rich. That is why he said to his God when he was hurt and persecuted by his people: If You are not angry with me, I do not care. The only thing I care about is Your satisfaction.
“I would never feel lonely or sad if You are with me”. This is what he told his companion when they left for Medina: “If you do not aid the Prophet - Allah has already aided him when those who disbelieved had driven him out as one of two, when they were in the cave and he said to his companion, Do not grieve; indeed Allah is with us.” Surah At-Tawbah (09: 40)
When you are with Allah, your sadness will turn to joy. You will live pleasure in the heart of pains and sorrows.
This also is what he taught his companions. He taught them to feel strong when things get tough. “Those to whom the people said, Indeed, the people have gathered against you, so fear them. But it increased them in faith, and they said, Allah is sufficient for us, and He is the best disposer of affairs.” Surah Al 'Imran (03: 173)
On his anniversary, we have to remember that the Prophet suffered all he suffered for the sake of Islam. But he did not relent. He endured all forms of harm, torture and persecution. He did this to ensure the message would be passed to the following generations. It was carried out by his household members and his faithful companions. They acted as a light that illuminates the road of successive generations.
This is what Allah said when rumors spread in Uhud that the Prophet was killed. "And Muhammad is not but a messenger. Messengers have passed on before him. So if he was to die or be killed, would you turn back on your heels? And he who turns back on his heels will never harm Allah at all; but Allah will reward the grateful." Surah Al 'Imran (03: 144)
The Message has been carried from one generation to another. All these generations have lived the Message of Islam. They differed on how to understand a certain verse or about certain rulings. They also differed about which sayings of the Prophet were authentic. This led to extremism that was fueled by backwardness.
Such a development was anticipated by Allah. This made Him ask them to refer to Allah and the Messenger in all their differences. He ordered them to preserve their unity. But they did not. They reached the stage of accusing one another of unbelief. This extended to considering it lawful to kill other innocent Muslims, as in the recent explosions in Islamic countries. This trend even extended to members of the same sect. Sunnis and Shiites accuse one another of unbelief. They refuse to resort to dialogue and mutual understanding.
These developments create a culture of hatred and enmity. We no longer talk about how to call for Islam. We no longer talk about how to face the big challenges in these critical times. All we think about is how to fight one another in the name of Islam. What kind of Islam is this?
The Messenger was a messenger of love and kindness. He was concerned with the wellbeing and safety of all Muslims. How far away have we become from his teachings? Could such attitudes claim to be representative of his teachings?
On the anniversary of the Messenger, we have to go back to him. We must learn how to have Mercy on fellow Muslims. We must learn how to be tough with infidels, and not the other way round. We now accuse one another of unbelief and kill one another. With unbelievers, we talk about having good relations with the Americans. We talk about freedom and democracy while they are killing us.
The Nation’s Unity
I am sorry to say that this is a matter of honor which we no longer live. We do not live the honor and dignity of Islam. We have become like the Jews who fought the Prophet. Those Jews were divided. We were united, dealing with mercy among ourselves and toughness towards infidels. That is why they were defeated. But things have changed. We must return to that image of unity if we want to be victorious.
Now is not the time for the Shiites or the Sunnis to accuse the other party of unbelief. It is not the time to incite any kind of sectarian or partisan strife. We are only safe if Islam itself and the Islamic nation are safe. You will not gain anything by collaborating with the arrogant. They will always see you as a small replaceable instrument. They look at you with disgrace. They will respect you if you fight against them.
In a time the world has waged a war against us, you have to think. Are you with America, the Yazid of this era, or with Imam Hussein? You have to choose right now before you will no longer be able to.
The Second Sermon
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
America legitimizes Jewish Occupation
Israel celebrates the 56th anniversary of the Jewish aggression against the Palestinian people. This aggression killed and displaced the Palestinians to establish a Jewish state. This state completely changed the situation in the region. It was supported in the beginning by Britain and then by the United States. America supported Israel’s security at the expense of the Arabs. It supported Israeli state terror against the Palestinians. It gave the Zionists a free hand to commit massacres and destroy the infrastructure. It allowed the execution of collective punishment against the Palestinians. It brands them a terrorist people that has to be eradicated.
America instituted freedom in its constitution. It has turned into a country that legitimizes the Jewish occupation of Palestine. It legitimizes its own occupation of Iraq. It justifies the bombing of civilians in cold blood. It shamelessly and rudely talks about human rights and freedom. It cries over the “sorrows” of the Jews. It talks about saving the Iraqis from terrorism by practicing its own state terrorism against them in several Iraqi cities.
The Bush declaration intersects with that of Belford. It states that occupation creates facts on the ground. These facts should be recognized by those whose lands are occupied. Palestinians, according to Bush’s letter to his ally, should be prevented from returning to their lands. The land should be given to the settlers. This further cements the colonial occupation of Palestine. Then his secretary of state tried to deceive the Arabs. He said these issues will be determined in the negotiations concerning the final status. He did not tell them that Americans will stand with Israel. America will give the Jewish state all the cards it needs to prevent the Arabs from executing their agenda. This agenda includes a Palestinian state, the return of the refugees, and the liberation of the 1967 occupied lands including Jerusalem.
By unity we keep the Palestinian cause alive
In this anniversary, we have to think of a plan. We must unify all the Palestinian factions on the basis of military and political resistance. We should also try to establish a united Arab Islamic front. This front should seek, along with all the forces of liberation in the world, to ensure the Palestinian cause is alive and thriving.
In these circumstances, we ask the Arabs: Where is their political and pressurizing voice that protests against American support of the Jewish massacres? Where is the Arab money to aid the Palestinians? Their conditions have become, according to the UN, unbearable.
Are they afraid America would accuse them of supporting terrorism? America has branded the Palestinians as a terrorist people. It is a question that remains unanswered, for they do not have the courage to act.
On another level, we once more like to remind the Muslims of our religious fatwa. It demands to boycott American goods whenever possible. It demands to boycott Israeli ones whatever the circumstances. We could act and not just talk.
The Resistance is legitimate
In Iraq the advanced American war machine is shelling civilians and besieging the people. But the Americans are facing a people that does not accept their occupation. The people are fighting them by all means. This has made the Americans confused. They do not know how to act. They are on the one hand with the UN but they would not give it the necessary authority. On the other hand they talk about giving sovereignty to the Iraqis. But they want to keep control of security and economy. They also want to keep their army inside and outside the Iraqi major cities. They want the right to veto any law enacted by the sovereign state.
America talks about the war on terrorism. But it does not talk about what led to it. It does not talk about the difference between terrorism and resistance. It does not want to admit that its occupation of Iraq and the Jewish occupation of Palestine are a form of state terrorism. It does not want to admit that resistance against them is consequently legitimate. It is a fight for freedom. It only wants to find a solution by force and not through political means. As a result, it will sink in the Iraqi quicksand just like the Israelis in Palestine. Force could not defeat a nation. In the end, the occupation itself will be defeated.
Democracy in Lebanon:
We are afraid that the current local elections have been influenced. They are influenced not only by partisan fanaticism but by familial fanaticism as well. There is a growing tendency to represent families. This is done away from moral and scientific qualifications. This could refuel previous enmities.
We call on all Lebanese to act in all the upcoming elections as citizens. Their only concern should be the wellbeing of their people, its unity, and its freedom. They should act on the basis of love, kindness, and looking forward. They should look forward to a new human being in a new dawn of prosperity and freedom.