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 Safar 10, 1427 AH / March 10, 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
The Prophet's Sublime Morals: Mercy, Forgiveness, and Guidance
The moral code of the Islamic Sharia is based on the openness of the Muslim to the people with whom he lives, giving them all good and love, and being lenient and tolerant in his relations with them. He ought to be of a merciful heart that is full of love and of a good tongue, choosing only the words that embody love, mercy, and unity.
Sublime Manners
Allah has graced us with the most perfect human being in his morals. He has presented us with His Messenger, whom He describes as being of "sublime manners."
He wanted us to study these sublime manners and be inspired by them. The Messenger is the role model in love and mercy, as he is described in the Quran in the following words: "And by the mercy of Allah, you dealt with them gently. And had you been severe and harsh-hearted, they would have broken away from about you." Surat Ali ‘Imran (3:159). His heart used to open up to the pains and grief of the people, and his tongue was very merciful, so that he was never severe on any of them, for he was sent as a mercy for the worlds.
Moreover, Allah says to His Messenger: "So pardon them and ask forgiveness for them and consult them in the matter." Surat Ali ‘Imran (3:159). Do not be autocratic even though it is obvious that your opinion is the correct one, since your opinion originates from Allah. Nevertheless, you have to "consult them in their affairs."
If you want to engage in a war, hold peace, or decide on any other issue, hold a meeting and let each one of them give their opinion, although you do not actually need them. But do it to make them practice consultation. Then, if you make up your mind, "be firm and resolute and do not fear, for Allah loves those who put their trust in Him."
The Kind and the Merciful
Allah tells us about the Prophet’s traits and how he used to carry the grief and causes of the nation in his heart and how he used to be merciful and lenient in dealing with them: "There has certainly come to you a Messenger from among yourselves. Grievous to him is what you suffer; [he is] concerned over you and to the believers is kind and merciful." Surat at-Tawbah (9:128). Allah wanted him to live with the believing poor who are pious and faithful in their belief, and not like many leaders who prefer the company of the rich: "And keep yourself patient by being with those who call upon their Lord in the morning and the evening, seeking His countenance. And let not your eyes pass beyond them, desiring adornments of the worldly life, and do not obey one whose heart We have made heedless of Our remembrance and who follows his desire and whose affair is ever [in] neglect." Surat al-Kahf (18:28).
The Humble
Muhammad was so humble that he lived with his companions like one of them, to the extent that if any stranger came, he had to ask, "Which one of you is Muhammad?" The Messenger came to associate between personal manners and social ones in the name of Islam. That is why He said that he was sent to complete sublime morals. His manners were those of the Quran, and he used to advise people not to deal with each other on the basis of commercial profits and trading good deeds. He told the believers that good morals are to give to those who deprive you and forgive those who wrong you. Imam Zayn al-Abidin says in one of his supplications in which he describes good manners:
"O Allah, bless Muhammad and his Household and point me straight to resist him who is dishonest toward me with good counsel, repay him who separates from me with gentle devotion, reward him who deprives me with free giving, recompense him who cuts me off with joining, oppose him who slanders me with excellent mention, give thanks for good, and shut my eyes to evil!"
The Prophet’s Role
When asked about what Islam is, the Messenger replied: "It is good manners." He also said: "Whosoever does not have three characteristics, his deeds will be incomplete: a fear that prevents him from disobeying Allah, a morality that will cause him to be lenient to people, and a patience that will take far away the ignorance of the ignorant from him." Muhammad also said: "The one with good morals is rewarded with the same reward as the one who fasts and prays." He also said, according to Imam as-Sadiq (a.s.): "Two attributes are among the most that let my nation enter Heaven: Fear of Allah and good morals."
Imam Ali (a.s.) says in his advice to Kumayl: "O Kumayl, tell your folks to be moral and spend their nights to fulfill the needs of those who are asleep." For Allah, the Most Exalted, will reward anybody that enters happiness into the hearts of others by relieving them of any calamity that might face them.
Imam as-Sadiq says: "Good morals melt sins as the sun melts ice, while bad manners spoil the action as vinegar spoils honey."
Human beings who live in the heart of society, and especially those who hold the responsibility of running its affairs, should have good morals, so that they can be good to the people as well as being good to themselves.
Imam Ali (a.s.) says in the context of describing the believer: "People feel at ease with him, while his own self is tired from him."
Therefore, we have to follow the example of good morals provided to us by the Messenger in accordance with what the Quran guides us: "There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day and [who] remembers Allah often." Surat al-Ahzab (33:21).
The Second Sermon
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
The Bir al-‘Abd Massacre
On the 8th of March, the Lebanese, especially those who live in the southern suburbs, remember the brutal crime that killed more than 200 children, women, old men, and youth, as a result of the car bomb that was planned by the US intelligence in the name of self-defense, as the American President Ronald Reagan claimed…
The then CIA director said: "Fadlullah has become a pain in the neck for American politics. He has to leave."
We would like to point out this horrible crime to remind all those who still talk about the United States as the country that helps and protects other nations, and that rejects terrorism and preserves human rights, especially in Lebanon, which it oversees with all its political and security departments.
We remember the martyrs and the handicapped who fell as a result of this crime and want those who believe that America supports the "Cedar Revolution" to remember it.
Zionist Terrorism Is Unaccountable
Israel continues to bomb Gaza, killing innocent children, men, and women. It closes Palestine’s crossings to devastate the Palestinian economy and hinder import-export activities in an attempt to make the Palestinians suffer from hunger and deprivation. It also threatens to kill Palestinian leaders, especially those of Hamas, and plans to appropriate the Palestinian territories in the West Bank and Jerusalem to draw its borders. Although these acts violate all UN resolutions, the international community, especially the Quartet Committee, refuses to punish it. At the same time, they pressure Lebanon to implement the international resolutions that were passed under American–Israeli pressures.
This international silence over the political, economic, geographical, and human Israeli massacres constitutes a hypocritical policy that sees no human rights for the Palestinians.
Iraqi Unity: The Road to Independence
Iraq is still sinking in a sea of blood that spills every day as a result of the brutal massacres against Iraqi civilians that are committed by both the apostates and the external parties, in addition to the mass dislocation in certain mixed areas.
All this is happening while the occupation is silently working on, or rather encouraging in a deceiving way through the media, the creation of a state of security anarchy, since it serves its interests in prolonging the occupation of Iraq, under the pretext of maintaining Iraqi security. Moreover, they are creating a state of political anarchy and preventing the founding of a national unity government, especially with all the American talk about a civil war, almost as if they are planning for it and encouraging the Iraqis to engage in such a war.
We call on the Iraqis to think of the future of their country; then they will undoubtedly come to see that their only option is national unity. No Shiites or Sunnis will win any political or sectarian positions as long as the occupation has not withdrawn. And we all know that it is there to stay.
The question is: How could the Iraqis join hands to acquire their independence and freedom by forcing the occupier to withdraw?
Iran's Nuclear Program
The American President, who signed a nuclear agreement with India concerning the use of nuclear reactors, continues, along with the EU, to threaten Iran regarding its peaceful nuclear program, since this will enhance its power resources and develop its industry.
They accuse Iran of making the bomb, although it declared that it is against nuclear weapons, while they ignore Israel's biggest nuclear arsenal in the region.
In this respect, we believe that the Iranian position still possesses several elements of strength on the political, diplomatic, and security levels. The nation should support Iran in confronting international arrogance firmly and strongly.
Lebanon: The Need for a Successful Dialogue
In Lebanon, the dialogue is still stalling as a result of political bombing, whether by the Americans or other foreign embassies. And although there is a lot of talk about being committed to the dialogue, we do not see an objective dialogue mentality.
Dialogue means that all parties should be ready to advance one step towards the other, while we find out that all parties stand firmly in their positions… There are no common denominators that join, especially since the past that was made by many of them still threatens the present and the future.
As we hope that the dialogue will create a healthy Lebanese atmosphere which will relieve the fear the Lebanese suffer from, we want the government and the political parties to convene another conference that deals with the economic situation that has been producing hunger, deprivation, and confusion, in addition to the security problem which the government tries to hold foreign parties responsible for, as if it is not responsible for Lebanon’s security.
Do the Lebanese remember in this new experiment the story of the dialogue of the deaf?