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 Zoul-Qi'dah 17, 1427 AH/ December 8, 2006, 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
Call with Wisdom: Building a Coherent Society
Allah says in His Glorious Book: "Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in a way that is best. Indeed, your Lord is most knowing of who has strayed from His way, and He is most knowing of who is [rightly] guided." (Surat an-Nahl 16:125)
In this Holy Ayah, Allah says to all people, especially those who assume the mission of calling to the right path, that if they want their ideas and messages to be received by others who differ with them in religion or ideology, they should base their call on wisdom. Wisdom in this context means choosing what conforms to circumstances. The caller should study those whom he wants to call and convince, as well as the circumstances that affect the call, to be able to define the means that opens up the minds and hearts of the people he is calling. He should not adopt a discourse that creates problems or further incites existing sectarian and religious sensitivities.
Allah, the Most Exalted, says: "Call to the way of your Lord with wisdom." He has told us in several Ayahs that He sent the Messenger (p.) with the Book and Wisdom, for wisdom represents practice while the Book represents the theory. And with "good instruction," which agrees with the mind and talks to the heart, enabling them to be receptive to what man is being called to. And "argue with them in a way that is best." If you clash with those who hold different ideas, whether atheists, People of the Book, or those you differ with on certain jurisprudence and theological issues, and you wish to enter into a dialogue with them, you have to choose what is best and most gracious, whether in the words you choose or the overall attitude you adopt, thus avoiding any kind of violence.
Saying What is Best
This is what the Messenger used to practice. And this is what Allah, the Most Exalted, said when He told His Messenger that if he had been harsh and merciless the people would not have followed him. It is the responsibility of the caller to Allah to adopt all methods that can convince those he wants to call. Whether they are guided or not is not the responsibility of the caller who, as Allah has told His Messenger, is a reminder and not a watcher over them. The point is that you have to make all efforts to reach positive results in convincing others. Then, whether they are convinced or not, it is not your responsibility.
In another Ayah, we notice that Allah has called all people to choose the words that are best: "And tell My servants to say that which is best. Indeed, Satan induces [dissension] among them. Indeed Satan is ever, to mankind, a clear enemy." (Surat al-Isra’ 17:53) If you want to address your household or the society at large, try to study the words you are going to use before you say them. Certain words might be inciting, for Satan sows dissensions among them. He enters inside the words, searching for any possible incitement: "Satan is to man an avowed enemy." Do not say the words as soon as they come to your mind. Rather, try to put them in a context that unites and does not divide.
How to Face Problems
In another Ayah, Allah talks about how man should face the problems that confront him. Every person might clash with another, whether at home or in society. And when we study the differences among people, we find a clash of ideas to the extent that it was recalled by some as a "clash of civilizations." Allah teaches us in His Holy Book how to deal with these cases. He says: "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." (Surah Fussilat 41:34) Search for the way that turns your enemy into a friend and not the other way around. Your role as a member of a family or in a society is to open people's minds to the ideal solution you want them to adopt.
That is why we have always said to those who have dialogue with us, whether from the West or the East, that Islam calls on us to befriend the world. If we face any problem, we should deal with it in a way that removes the hatred from the hearts of those who differ with us. This is a very difficult course that needs a lot of psychological effort, especially when we face sectarian and partisan fanaticism, which makes man adopt the mentality of destroying the other.
That is why we see that fanatics resort to abuse and insult. But Allah calls on us to be armed with both perseverance and patience.
We should reach our goal of convincing others with our ideas without inciting their sectarian fanaticism, especially in these times where we find people inciting Shiite or Sunni fanaticism. To those we say: when somebody is against the prime minister, for example, he is not against the Sunnis, and he is not against the Shiites when he is against the speaker… etc.
These are political differences and not sectarian ones. It is a sign of backwardness not to see them as they really are.
There are intellectuals in Lebanon, but you can find a university professor who could be very backward as a result of the impact of sectarian fanaticism on his mentality. If this is not the case, how can we understand the discourse of certain Shiite and Sunni religious scholars? This proves that these people are backward, whether they are political or social personalities, religious leaders or independent figures.
This is what Allah says, and this is what we call for: Islamic unity should govern internal Muslim relations. And this is what we are calling for: to unite all Muslims and subsequently all Lebanese. Allah says: "There is no good in most of their secret talks, except for those who enjoin charity or that which is right or reconciliation between people." (Surat an-Nisa’ 4:114) And the Hadith says: "A charity that Allah loves is to reconcile between people if they differ and to draw them close to one another if they depart." This is the Islamic awareness that we ought to adopt to reach the safe shore.
The Second Sermon
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
Creative Anarchy
The American Administration's endeavor to implement its policies is creating many problems in the region, especially after the failure the American strategy has witnessed in Iraq.
In this respect, and despite all the talks about the strategic victory in Iraq, the occupation in that country has led, and is still leading, to a lot of negative results, whether on the internal Iraqi level or on US foreign policy in general. This is what led to the fall of the US Defense Secretary who sunk the American troops in the Iraqi quicksand as a result of the popular rejection and the national and honest resistance.
The Americans had planned to wage a political war against Syria and Iran and prevent these two countries from participating in finding a political and security solution for the difficult Iraqi problem.
Iraq is suffering from the US Administration, which has been trying to pressure these two neighbouring countries to force them to help the occupation in strengthening its hold over Iraq and cease their support of the Palestinian and Lebanese resistances, thus supporting Israeli security, a major element in the American regional strategy.
But this Administration has begun to review its aggressive policies. The new Defense Secretary has asserted that the US will not achieve its desired victory in Iraq. He also warned that the failure to stabilize Iraq in the coming two years might lead to an explosion in the Middle East. He also refused to attack Syria and Iran and called for opening a channel of communication with these two countries, whom he believes will have a big impact in the long run on Iraqi stability.
This political development in the American official conception of its policies in the region might have positive implications if it is accepted by the American President, instead of continuing his stubbornness, which could aggravate the American impasse in the region.
Iraq between the Takfiris and Occupation
On another level, we are still living the tragedy of the Iraqi people who witness daily the fall of civilian victims at the hands of the Takfiris and the remnants of the old regime, before the very eyes of the American occupation. We call on the Iraqis to take into consideration the catastrophic results that will evolve if they do not resort to national and Islamic unity, as well as taking a firm stand against occupation and calling for its withdrawal.
No party should call for the stay of the occupation even for training the security forces. This could be done by the UN, which the peoples have no grudge against. We believe that the staying of occupation in Iraq will keep the problem on several levels, since it protects security anarchy and allows the Israeli Mossad to tamper with Iraq's security and resources.
A Truce that Serves Israeli Interests
If we turn to the American policy in Israel, we notice that the US is seeking to establish a truce that will only serve its own interests as well as those of Israel. At the same time, America wants to keep Israel free in detaining the Palestinians and killing their Mujahideen in the West Bank, especially after the pressure on Israel has mounted as a result of escalating its continuous crimes.
The US is also trying to cool down the Palestinian issue and give the Arab rulers a boosting political shot that will enable them to escalate their campaign against Iran and accuse it of being responsible for the developments in Iraq and Lebanon, while considering Israel a peaceful state and no longer an enemy.
The US tries to ignore the fact that Iran has been opening up to the Arab states, especially in the Gulf, to discuss the issues of security in the region on the basis of Islamic friendship, both as Muslims and neighbouring countries, especially since the issue of Iraq has an impact on Iranian security, as well as on that of the Arab and Islamic Worlds.
Moreover, Iran does not represent sectarian threats to the sectarian commitments of the neighbouring countries, as the American intelligence agencies are trying to suggest.
We call on the Palestinian people, who have set an example in their patience and perseverance, to strengthen their national unity, for it is the secret of their strength and salvation. They should continue their resistance, following the lead of the Lebanese Islamic Resistance. The Occupation will not withdraw except if the Intifada gains more strength as a result of implementing its long-term strategy, in which both the people and the Mujahideen play integral and complementary roles.
Europe and Iran: Close Relations
We have noticed that some EU states are still planning, as a result of American pressure, to impose sanctions on Iran to pressure it and force it to quit its peaceful nuclear project. We believe that such an attitude is not in the interests of these countries. Their interests lie in establishing closer relations with the Arab and Muslim region, whereas America wants to use European states in implementing its aggressive strategy against the interests of the peoples of the region. That is why we want them to review their policy of pressuring Iran and Syria, which serves Israeli interests in Lebanon and does not help Lebanon in trying to deter Israeli daily aggressions or make it withdraw from the occupied Shebaa Farms.
The Arab and Muslim people want to establish friendly relations with the EU states, which have major interests in our region, based on friendship, mutual respect, and a realistic conception of the political realities.
Lebanon: A Call for Openness
In Lebanon, we believe that the political situation is still paralyzed as a result of the rigid and narrow mentality of several parties who dominate internal politics and look to foreign countries to win internally.
It is the people who are voicing their call to solve the complicated problems that engulf the country, and they are the ones who raise up any politician or bring him down. Therefore, we should strive to be aware of our real interests away from sectarianism, which some trade with to strengthen their leadership.
We are hearing a lot of calls for dialogue, but past experience has shown us that dialogue does not produce results if those participating in it do not open up to one another and try to find a basis for mutual trust.
The talks about going back to the institutions will not yield decisive results given the debate about the constitutionality of these institutions.
We also do not believe that the issue lies in how much the opposition or the government can deploy masses. It lies in the concern of all people for their vital interests, through a national unity government. If we lose this openness towards one another based on mutual confidence in the patriotism of all parties, no one, third plus one or minus one, will do any good, for the ongoing row will kill any understanding, whether internally or externally.
Have mercy on Lebanon, which you have sunk in quicksand. You will not gain anything by following America's dictates to aggravate the conflict.
If such indifference towards the country's destiny continues, and if we continue to listen to what the external powers want, we will reach a stage when the temple will fall on all our heads.