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 Shawwal 1, 1428 AH – October 12, 2007 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 Call to Islamic Unity
Our Blessed Eid
Our Eid today is a blessed day. It is a day in which Muslims meet. Allah, The Most Exalted, wanted the Muslims in the entire world to meet on this day and feel their unity. They felt this unity in the month of Ramadan by fasting its days and praying to be nearer to Him.
Allah wants the Muslims to meet in this day to exemplify their unity in observing the Eid. It is unfortunate that they still differ on its date in accordance to their juristic views.
Today, Friday, is the weekly Eid of Muslims. Allah wanted the Muslims to meet to know one another and communicate. Each area where the Friday prayer is performed becomes a unified area. Muslims become united in their approach to their affairs.
The Call for Unity
Allah wanted the Muslims to establish and enhance their unity. He says: "And hold fast, all of you together, to the rope of Allah and do not become divided. And remember the favor of Allah upon you - when you were enemies and He brought your hearts together and you became, by His favor, brothers. And you were on the edge of a pit of the Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus does Allah make clear to you His verses that you may be guided" (Surah Al-Imran 3:103). This covenant is the Quran… it is Islam. Every Muslim should consider that despite all differences, he should be committed to Islam. Islam is the firmest handle. Whoever believes in Allah has indeed laid hold on the firmest handle.
Allah considers Islam as the firmest handle. If the Muslims cling to it they will not fall. He wants the Muslims to preserve their unity despite all sectarian or political differences and despite all their racial diversity. They have to be united by Islam. All Muslims believe in one God, His Messenger (p.) and in all Messages, the angels and the Hereafter.
They all believe in the Quran which "Falsehood cannot approach it from before it or from behind it." (Surah Fussilat 41:42) They believe in praying, fasting, pilgrimage, Jihad (struggle for Allah's cause) and enjoining good and forbidding evil.
A Warning against Division
Allah says: "And hold fast, all of you together, to the rope of Allah and do not become divided." (Surah Al-Imran 3:103). Do not disperse or be divided. Remember Allah's favor unto you when you were enemies and divided into tribes that used to fight one another during the Jahilayah (age of ignorance before Islam). Yathrib, for example, was the stage of a war between the Aus and Khazraig that went on for decades. ”And He brought your hearts together and you became, by His favor, brothers. And you were on the edge of a pit of the Fire, and He saved you from it." (Surah Al 'Imran 3:103)
Therefore, Allah does not want us to be divided into enemies or foes. When Muslims disperse into parties or sects, they consider each other as enemies. The traditions of Ahl-el-Beit say: "If a Muslim says to his brother you are my enemy then one of them is accusing the other of disbelief." Allah says in the Glorious Quran that all Muslims are brothers. When a Muslim says to another Muslim something different than what Allah says, he will be in the position of disbelief.
One Religion
Allah has told His Messengers: "O messengers, eat from the good foods and do righteousness. Indeed, I, of what you do, am Knowing. And indeed this, your religion, is one religion." (Surah Al-Mu'minun 23:51-52) All Messengers were sent with the same religion to the same nation. They all call for unification, piety, and believing in the Hereafter. Thus, this religion you are calling the people for is but one religion, and "Indeed, I am your Lord, so fear Me." (Surah Al-Mu'minun 23:52)
He also says: "And obey Allah and His Messenger, and do not dispute and [thus] lose courage and [then] your strength would depart; and be patient. Indeed, Allah is with the patient." (Surah Al-Anfal 8:46). When the wind comes from a single source it is strong. When it is divided among the various directions it is obviously weak.
Preserving Unity
We have to preserve our Islamic unity. We might differ in certain political or juristic ideas. But Allah tells us: "If you disagree over anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you should believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is the best [way] and best in result." (Surah An-Nisa 4:59). He wants us to meet on the basis of Islam, the Quran and the unification of Allah.
Allah also wants us to pray together in groups. This is recommended strongly on all weekdays. One of our traditions says: "If congregation prayers are held by more than ten people, than Allah, The Most Exalted, alone can count its rewards." Friday prayer should be held in congregation as a religious duty. He also told us to meet in Eid prayers. The Muslims would feel they are meeting in the name of Allah and before Him. We must not meet in the name of the devil and all the devils who seek to incite strife among us.
Strength through Unity
We have to learn how to be united. We must be a strong power against all arrogant and unbelievers. Allah has held us responsible of being mighty and honorable. "But honor belongs to Allah and His Messenger, and to the Believers." (Surah Al-Munafiqun 63:8) He held us responsible of being strong: "And prepare against them whatever you are able of power." (Surah Al-Anfal 8:60)
This is what we benefit from in these spiritual meetings in every prayer and Eid. It is what we benefit in every time and place Allah wants us to meet in.