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 20, 1427 AH / October 13, 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 Martyrdom of Imam Ali (a.s.): Following His Path
Loving Allah
Allah says in His Glorious Book: "And of the people is he who sells himself, seeking the pleasure of Allah. And Allah is kind to [His] servants." Surat al-Baqarah (2:207). This human being, Ali (a.s.), has sold himself to Allah. His mind, heart and all his being were for Allah, from the day he was born in the Kaaba, the House of Allah, until he died in another house of Allah.
This is his secret—the secret of Imam Ali bin Abi Talib (a.s.), whose martyrdom we are recalling, when he was stabbed by Ibn Muljam, as he was praying at dawn in the mosque of Kufa. And this is why he said: "In the name of Allah and on the religion of His Messenger. By the Lord of the Kaaba, I have won." This is what he always thought about: to live his entire life serving the cause of Islam and to die adhering to the line of Islam. And this is what he told the Prophet when the latter told him that he was weeping for what they will do to him in this month. The Commander of the Faithful asked: "O Prophet of Allah, will that be for the safety of my faith?" He replied, "Yes, it will be with the safety of your faith." He was glad because that was all he cared for. And this is also why Imam Hussein (a.s.) said when he was about to be martyred, that he does not care how or where he gets killed as long as it is for the cause of Allah.
The Knight of Islam
When we remember the Imam in this month, we remember the champion of the Battle of Badr, for he played a vital and heroic role in this battle that occurred in this month, and through which Allah wanted to tell the Arabs of that time that there was another power in addition to that of Quraish and that they should not be afraid of Quraish when they wish to join Islam. This was the Battle of Badr, in which the Imam killed half of the infidels who fell in that war, although he had had no previous combat training. His strength was a product of his belief. That is why Gabriel said, according to historians: "There is no hero except Ali (a.s.). There is no sword except his sword, Zoul-Fiqar."
Ali (a.s.) was also present in the conquest of Mecca, which also occurred in this month. The Messenger (p.) was planning to open Mecca peacefully without spilling one drop of blood. That is why when the man carrying the banner said: "Today is the day of slaughter; there is no security today," he gave the banner to Ali (a.s.), ordering him to say: "Today is the day of mercy and forgiveness." This tells us that Imam Ali (a.s.) fought when the Islamic interest demanded fighting and made peace when it required peace.
This is what he inspired from the Messenger, when he asked the Meccans after opening Mecca: "What do you think I will do to you?" And when they told him, relying on his sublime manners, that he was their honourable brother, he said: "There is no blame on you today," and left them all free.
Thus, Ali (a.s.) was the knight and hero of Islam. He was also the teacher, for the Messenger (p.) used to say: "I am the city of knowledge and Ali is its gate." While the Imam used to say: "The Messenger taught me one thousand branches of knowledge, from each of which one thousand branches are opened for me." The Messenger (p.) also said: "Ali (a.s.) is with the Right, and the Right is with Ali. It turns with him wherever he turns." Ali (a.s.) describes his sufferings as a result of adhering to the Right, saying: "The Right has left me with no friends." For they wanted him for themselves, while he wanted them for Allah. He stayed with Islam even when he was denied his right in the caliphate after the death of the Messenger (p.). He expressed his stand in this wise statement that shows how dedicated he was: "I will keep the peace as long as the affairs of Muslims are sustained, and the only injustice falls on me in particular."
Following His Lead
When we remember Ali (a.s.), we have to learn from him how to be with the Right, how to defend Islam, and preserve its unity and that of the Muslims. Especially in these difficult circumstances in which the world of arrogance and unbelief wants to undermine the strength of Islam and Muslims, we have to stay with Ali (a.s.), with his heroism, his Jihad, and learn how to be with the Messenger and with Allah, for Ali used to love Allah and His Messenger and was loved by Allah and His Messenger.
Being of his Shiites means adhering to his thought, his beliefs and following his lead in all his actions. May Allah bless him the day he was born, the day he was martyred and the day he will be brought back to life.
The Second Sermon
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
American Arrogance and the World
As a result of the American Administration's vicious plots that aim at promoting its own interests at the expense of the interests of all the nations of the world—with our region at its forefront—the entire world, including the Islamic world, is still suffering from local, regional and international problems.
We have seen the latest phase in fueling these problems in the visit of the American Secretary of State, who summoned several Arab foreign ministers she considers moderate to form a political alliance against those she considers extremists. She aims at destabilizing the relations between these "moderate" countries and Iran, Syria, and the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon and Palestine. But, although she promised to produce some positive results in Palestine, she was not able to attain anything for the Palestinian people, for she does not have the means to pressure the enemy. The role she played was trying to incite the official authority against Hamas in an effort to topple the government. Such escalating tensions might lead to the catastrophe of civil war, and this is probably the goal the enemy is seeking.
In Iraq, the daily tragedy of barbaric massacres committed by the occupation and its allies, whether directly, goes on and on. In addition, the state of sectarian killing, abduction and displacement continues, aiming at creating a de facto partition that is supported by the occupation.
Iran Faces the Arrogant Project
Iran is still being falsely accused of planning to produce the atomic bomb. But what America and its European allies really aim at is to deny Iran—and the Islamic world—the scientific nuclear technology that enables it to serve the causes of economic development and prosperity. America wants the Islamic countries to remain in need of the West in security, economic and scientific fields.
Meanwhile, America talks about the sanctions that will be imposed on Iran, but Iran will confront all these threats, for it is fighting for the cause of freedom and dignity.
The North Korean Shock
The North Korean atomic test constituted a major shock to the arrogant powers, who exerted extensive pressure to prevent it, especially since America and its allies want to monopolize the possession of the bomb—but this does not include Israel, that is said to have 200 nuclear warheads, on the grounds that it is threatened. Such a claim is a black comedy that would make a widow laugh, for Israel is the one that constitutes a threat to the states of the region due to its strategic alliance with the US… Then Washington had to accept the fact that both India and Pakistan possess the bomb. And now it is North Korea's turn, for America did not offer the Koreans what they asked for regarding non-aggression.
Defying US Policies
The challenges that the US faces, whether from states, liberation movements and those it calls "fundamentalists," has made the US stumble in the countries it occupies directly—Iraq and Afghanistan—and indirectly—Palestine. We believe that this arrogant state will be met by the nations’ rejection and confrontation of its policies.
In addition, problems are already facing the President of this administration inside his country, as a result of the various scandals that are besieging him.
Allah wants us to reject arrogance and to stand against all the unjust and to face all aggression and pressures. He wants us to be free and dignified, for this is an integral part of the faith of unifying Allah that rejects any kind of slavery.
Lebanon in the Political Maze
Lebanon is still living in a political maze as a result of the rows that emerge every now and then and the accusations, both the loyalists and the opposition, throw at one another. The calls for a dialogue might not be fruitful, for the Lebanese politicians are not the country’s decision-makers, because there are foreign forces that are manipulating Lebanese decisions through embassies and international envoys.
Meanwhile, most of the Lebanese are living below the poverty line, since their needs cannot be satisfied by holding Ramadan iftars and making speeches that will only provide them with confusing statements. May Allah help the weakened in this country that is still in the hands of the well-off, who have made their riches at the Lebanese people's expense, and by stealing from the budget through the corruption system that plagues the so-called Lebanese state.