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 Muharram 9, 1426 AH/ February 18, 2005, 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 Hussein’s Call on Ashura:
Live Free, Win the Hereafter
The True Loss is the Loss of the Hereafter
Allah says in His Glorious Book: "Say, 'To whom belongs whatever is in the heavens and earth?' Say, 'To Allah.' He has decreed upon Himself mercy. He will surely assemble you for the Day of Resurrection, about which there is no doubt. Those who will lose themselves [that Day] will not believe." Surat al-An‘am (6:12).
"And he whose scales are light – those are the ones who have lost their souls, because they were, toward Our verses, wronging [themselves]." Surat al-A‘raf (7:9).
"Say, 'Invoke those you claim [as deities] besides Him. They have no power to remove harm from you or to change [it]. Those whom they invoke seek means of access to their Lord, [striving as to] which of them would be nearest…’ Say, 'Indeed, the [true] losers are the ones who will lose themselves and their families on the Day of Resurrection. Unquestionably, that is the manifest loss.'" Surat az-Zumar (39:43–45).
In these holy verses and others, Allah speaks of the loss of oneself and one’s family. He—glorified be He—makes clear that the loss that truly matters is the loss of the Hereafter, for it is final and cannot be compensated, unlike worldly losses. This is what Allah wants us to reflect on and to plan our lives, accordingly, judging every action and stance by the measure of what we gain or lose in both worlds, seeking thereby the pleasure of Allah, the Most Exalted.
The Party of Hussein: Winning the Hereafter
Taking Ashura as a case study, we see how people were divided by their choices—some chose this world, others chose the Hereafter. The party that stood with Imam Hussein (a.s.) held Allah in their hearts and minds, ensuring that every action and position conformed to His commands. Historians who describe the companions of Hussein on the eve of Ashura portray them in prayer and recitation of the Quran. They lived with Allah even while their bodies were on earth. To them, Imam Hussein (a.s.) was the Imam whom Allah commanded them to obey, and love for him was part of love for Allah, the Most Exalted, for the Imamate represents the spiritual and practical extension of the Message.
Thus, we find this closeness to Allah and love for Him filling the companions of Imam Hussein on the morning of Ashura. As arrows rained upon them from every direction, their minds and spirits were fixed on Allah and drawing near to Him. One companion told the Imam at midday, in the heat of battle: “I do not wish to leave this world before performing the noon prayer.” The Imam led them in prayer, demonstrating that their thoughts were on Allah, not themselves.
Al‑Hurr: The Freedom of Faith
Among the members of the Husseini party was a man of great ambition and promise, expected to become a leader and commander: Al‑Hurr bin Yazid al‑Riyahi. He led a thousand soldiers tasked with capturing the Imam and bringing him to Kufa. Yet he possessed a noble heart and spiritual virtue that made him unable to carry out his mission. He was a man of principle who did not react when the Imam expressed dismay at his role. Instead of taking the Imam to Kufa, he allowed him to take another route—neither back to Medina nor onward to Kufa.
Al‑Hurr was thinking of Allah. He was not pressured by his duty, but by his morals, embodying a human freedom that seeks the deeper meaning of things. He was no slave to desire or ambition, but a free man in the sense that freedom means thinking objectively about gain and loss. He was not enslaved by his position, though it promised worldly power. He turned from the darkness of ambition and greed to the light of spiritual love for Allah.
His decision was immensely difficult—it meant abandoning all the fortune and authority he had hoped to gain. He grew agitated and troubled. A friend asked him in surprise: “What is wrong with you, Hurr? By Allah, if I were asked who the bravest man in our army is, I would name you without hesitation. Yet now you are so disturbed?”
He replied: “I find myself between Hell and Paradise, and I must choose between them. By Allah, I will choose nothing but Paradise, even if I am cut to pieces or burned to ashes!”
Ibn Sa’d: The Triumph of This World
On the other side stood ‘Umar bin Sa’d, a relative of Imam Hussein (a.s.). He, too, was reluctant to fight the Imam, though he was offered high office if he did. In the end, however, he chose to fight Imam Hussein (a.s.) and seize the gains of this world, sacrificing those of the Hereafter, telling himself that if Paradise and Hell truly existed, he would repent later.
The Lesson of Ashura: Freedom
On Ashura—the timeless event—we are not meant to surrender only to grief. While sorrow for loved ones in tragedy is human, Ashura is also a lesson in how to act when our principles are challenged. The lesson of Ashura is freedom. Imam Hussein (a.s.), his family, and his companions chose to be free on Ashura. Freedom is not confined to politics; it is also cultural freedom and the freedom of piety before Allah: to be master of one’s own soul, not controlled by its base instincts.
Stand on Ashura and say to Imam Hussein (a.s.): Satan—whether human or otherwise—wishes to lead us astray. But on this occasion, we pledge to remain with you on the path of freedom. We will say “no” to the devil when he calls us to disobey Allah, the Most Exalted, and to side with the oppressors.
The call of Imam Hussein is: Be free in your lives, with the aim of winning the Hereafter. This is how we truly win and avoid loss. This is the way that brings us to Imam Hussein and the Members of the Household, who wished these commemorations to be held in every age, to raise up followers for Imam Hussein.
Thus, the Imam seeks supporters of Islam and freedom in every era. Do we wish to be among his followers?
The Second Sermon
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
The US and Israel: Destabilizing Our Region
Since its occupation of Iraq, the US has instigated political violence in several countries in the region, aiming to destabilize them and preoccupy them with internal conflicts. This is especially evident in American pressure on Iran, Syria, and Lebanon—accusing them of interfering in Iraq—even as the US itself has failed to protect its own forces or the Iraqi people from resistance to the occupation or from terrorist attacks.
The US speaks on behalf of the “international community” as if it were its ruler. It claims that Syria and Iran are confronting not only American policies but those of the international community. Yet we know that the challenges facing the region are fundamentally American, not international, in nature.
Since its establishment, Israel has imposed violence on the region, invading several countries and resulting in the occupation of Palestine and parts of neighboring lands. It has also coordinated with American intelligence to assassinate regional leaders and incite civil strife in various places.
This makes Israel the primary suspect in any destabilizing act—including the attack that targeted former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafic Hariri. Israel does not want Lebanon to be stable or safe, nor does it desire peaceful coexistence among the Lebanese.
Lebanon: Protecting the Country
What occurred in Lebanon comes at a time when all regional cards are being reshuffled, with tensions overlapping and political relations between states polarized in a deeply complex way.
Thus, Lebanon—a country vulnerable to regional influence—is likely the weakest link in the chain in times of tension or in the face of dramatic political and security shifts in the positions of international or regional players.
I have repeatedly called on the Lebanese, even during the war, to look around them and read events in their country in light of what is happening internationally. Now, in the aftermath of this catastrophe, I must renew that call, because what lies ahead for the region and the world is far more dangerous than what has come before.
Amid the surrounding storms, we must protect the country and shield it from the impact of regional and international pressures and changes. We must not be carried away by emotion at a time when we need objectivity, rationality, and vigilance.
We must avoid emotional judgments unsupported by evidence—a trend that has grown to the point where Israel, with its long history of undermining Lebanese security, is not even accused.
All parties should emphasize national unity and resist being swayed by sectarian and confessional slogans, which betray the principles of coexistence on which this country was founded. It is stunning that, amid this peak of incitement, some are calling to replace one “mandate” with another. Such calls are irrational and will only add further complications to an already fraught situation.
Dialogue
No matter how difficult the situation, we must engage in objective and realistic dialogue to reach common ground that preserves the country’s unity, independence, economy, and security. I believe it is not yet too late, despite the existing tensions. But we must not miss this chance, for regional dynamics are shifting rapidly, and international powers pursue their own interests—not ours—even when superficial alignments appear.
It is the language of reason that safeguards the country’s stability and freedom, while emotional and inflamed discourse could leave it defenseless against the storms shaking the region.
Protecting the Nation
American‑Israeli policies pose a grave danger to the entire region—from Palestine, through Lebanon and Syria, to Iraq and Iran.
We, as Arab and Muslim peoples, must confront this danger with increased readiness, vigilance, and unity—before the entire region falls into the hands of American‑Zionist arrogance.
This is a moment when the question is summed up as “to be or not to be.” Our choice is to strive to be, to forge a future of pride and dignity.