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 13, 1428 AH / February 02, 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
Ashura: A Revolution Against Injustice
We are still living the atmosphere of Ashura, and inspiring the principles of this movement, as explained and practiced by Imam Hussein, who represents Islam in its purity.
The Traits of a Muslim Ruler
On the political level, Imam Hussein talked about the Muslim ruler who should exemplify the Islamic just and dedicated ruler that should lead the Muslims in every Muslim country.
He also talked about the responsibility of all Muslims to confront the ruler if he deviates from the straight Islamic path, considering the movement of change as the duty that Allah wants the Muslims to perform. This is what we aspire from his speech in Makkah, before he left for Karbala. He explained to the people what it takes to be a ruler in Islam so that they could judge for themselves if the ruler at that time, Yazid, was a just Islamic ruler or not. He also said, in response to the call of the governor of Medina asking him to pledge loyalty to Yazid: "We are the family of prophethood to whom the Quran was revealed, while Yazid is a dissolute man who drinks wine and kills innocent people despite Allah's prohibition." And ended by saying: "A man like me does not pledge loyalty to a man like him."
Revolution Against Tyranny
The speech of Imam Hussein was based on the Prophet's tradition (Sunna) because he was carrying the Messenger's (p.) Message and seeking to reform his grandfather's nation. He started by saying: "O people, the Messenger of Allah has said: whoever sees an oppressive ruler – one that has no legitimacy, whether in his qualifications or in his behaviour, who permits what Allah has forbidden – this was Yazid who killed in the first year of his reign Imam Hussein, his family and his companions, and then in the second year attacked Medina, and for three days he allowed his soldiers to kill men, rape women and steal properties. Then, on the third year he bombed Makkah – reneging on his oath, since ruling is a covenant between the ruler and the ruled to be just and guide people to their rights and duties, as the Commander of the Faithful Ali bin Abi Talib focused on when he became a caliph – violating the Sunna of the Messenger (p.) of Allah and dealing with the servants of Allah oppressively, and does not try to stop him by word or deed, it will be incumbent on Allah to treat him as He treats the first, since the one who is satisfied with the deeds of others is similar to the one who participates in their deed. He would be committing two sins: that of satisfaction and that of participation."
The Imam went back to the Prophet to lay out the justifications of his movement against tyranny, as well as its supporters. He said that those people who believe in and act under the legitimacy of Yazid's rule have adhered to the obedience of Satan and abandoned that of the Most Merciful One. They have manifested corruption, transgressed the limits, dealt with the nation’s revenues as their own property, permitting what Allah has forbidden and forbidding what He has permitted.
Those people are the unjust rulers whom the Prophet wanted the nation to change. And who is more worthy of leading this change than Imam Hussein? The Imam, thus, upheld the responsibility of effecting change, a responsibility that should be held by all Muslims in all ages when they see deviation and injustice, especially these days where the international arrogance is imposing unjust rulers who violate the Sunna of the Prophet (p.), turning each Muslim country into a jail for all people.
As we aspire the lessons of Ashura, we have to refuse the unjust rulers whom the Messenger (p.) has talked of and initiate change, since "whoever among us sees an evil, he has to change it with his hands. And if he can't, then by his tongue. If he cannot, then by his heart, and this is the least possible." We have to refuse the unjust rulers by our minds and our tongues. We also have to refuse all the leaders in the Muslim countries that support the unjust rulers, especially that certain Muslim leaders are attacking those who call for practicing Islam in our nation, claiming that many countries of the world will cut relations with their countries if they institute Islamic law. It is as if they are saying: we have to base the political systems in our countries on what the International Arrogance wants, and leave Islam for the Eids or religious occasions.
Thus, the main lesson of Ashura is that we have to refuse all rulers and leaders who deviate from the straight path of Allah and His Messenger. This is why we celebrate the occasion. We ought not to cry here and laugh to the unjust there, or hit our heads with swords, while we have our reservations on hitting the heads of our enemies who occupy our land…
Hussein: The Martyr of Islam
If Imam Hussein were present now, he would have stood up as he did in the year 60H, and talked to us saying the same things he said to these people.
Imam Hussein is not for a certain stage only; he is for Islam in all ages. Therefore, the Imam is not the martyr of Karbala. He is the martyr of Islam, while Karbala is the place he was martyred in.
He lived Islam throughout his life. He lived it with all people and not only his family and companions, but also with those who came to kill him, saying: "If you do not have a religion and if you have no fear of the Hereafter, then be free in this world." He wanted even the deviators to be free and not to be slaves of the unjust. This is what we ought to aspire in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran and all Muslim countries: to be the makers of our decision and future.
To be with Hussein (a.s.) is not to go back to history to the time of Yazid, but to live that history in the present; initiate change and stand against wronging and deviation. Yazid was only one individual, but now we have the international arrogance and the international unbelief and all those who work with them and who want to act as slaves to America, Israel and their supporters.
Let us rise to the level of Hussein (a.s.) and Ashura, and leave these choking corners that make us cry with cold tears instead of warm ones, and which make us spill our blood meaninglessly. Imam Hussein is the rescue ship. He is the Imam of the Message. He is for all people and for all life. Let us walk to him and bring him to us to follow his path when he said: "The swindler son of a swindler has left me to choose between death and humiliation, but there is no way humiliation could find route to us. Allah, His Messenger (p.) and our pride would neither wish us nor let us obey those vicious mean people." This is the call of Imam Hussein; let us rise to the level of responding to it.
The Second Sermon
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
America Intends to Stay in the Region
The Americans are planning to stay in the region for a long time. They are consolidating their bases to control the unstable security conditions under the pretense of fighting terrorism, while their actual goals are unfolding. These include confronting downtrodden nations, as in Somalia, benefiting from Yemen’s strategic position to besiege the Gulf region, and further stabilizing relations between regional states. They also use Iran as a scarecrow and try to incite Arab countries against a presumed Iranian role.
It is also interesting that NATO leadership faces difficulties financing its operations, especially in Afghanistan, and has tried to make Gulf states fund the American plan in Iraq, anticipating that Congress will refuse to earmark the necessary funds.
President Bush continues, periodically, to threaten Iran and accuse it of hostile activities against American troops. He speaks suspiciously about—and implicitly rejects—Iran's attempts to strengthen its economic and military relations with Iraq. America also has reservations concerning the normalization of relations between Syria and Iraq and the establishment of economic and security cooperation between the two countries. In short, America does not encourage any positive relations between Iraq and its neighboring countries.
The Lebanese Role in the US Plan
It is noteworthy that the same statement by President Bush, who plans to kill the Youth Fighters of the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon and threatens Iranians in Iraq, addresses the problems in Lebanon between the opposition and the government. But he does not study what is happening in our country. Instead, he hastens to become one of the internal parties by accusing others of causing the problems. America uses Lebanon as a front to extend its influence in the region and implement political and security projects aimed at protecting Israel and its occupation of Iraq on one hand, and continuing its war on terrorism on the other. This is evident in how Americans pressure the Palestinians and instigate civil strife there to topple the legitimate government and circumvent attempts to form a national unity government that could solve many problems on the Palestinian front.
The Lebanese Crisis is Made in the US and Israel
Although Americans have expressed reservations about Israel’s use of cluster bombs in Lebanon, which killed many Lebanese and prevented them from working their farms, they have not addressed the use of depleted uranium. They even intend to sell their Israeli ally smart bombs for use in a future war on Lebanon—a war they are planning to kill more Lebanese civilians, children, women, and the elderly, and to destroy cities, villages, and bridges.
We want the Lebanese to remember the Israeli July War, which America helped plan, so they understand that the tragedy that befell their country was an American-Israeli one. America, which promises financial aid to Lebanon, is the same power that destroyed the Lebanese economy, even if the war was executed by Israeli hands.
That is why there is little chance to improve Lebanon’s political and security conditions. Instead, America intends to prolong the crisis and prevent any solution from an Arab or local initiative. The American goal is to block the Lebanese from achieving any victory by establishing a national balance following the military victory the Resistance achieved against the Israeli enemy.
This will end the waves of optimism that appear from time to time… The plan is to destroy Lebanon politically without resorting to military means.
Palestine: A New Intifada
First, we salute the Martyr Mujahid for his operation in Eilat, which constitutes a forceful cry against those fighting internally in Gaza. We say to them: all arms should target the enemy, not any Palestinian party, especially since the Palestinian reality lacks a genuine authority—the occupying power is the actual ruler, whether through its aggressions, blockade, or detentions.
We say to everyone: the top priority must be the battle with the Zionist enemy. There should be no gun except that of the Resistance. Everyone should focus on reigniting the Intifada.
Crime Hits All Iraqis
Iraq continues to bleed daily from brutal bombings and missiles targeting civilians and visitors, especially during Ashura—a revolution of justice, freedom, pride, and dignity for all people, not for one party or another.
We say to some officials, including certain religious scholars, who discuss crimes in one place but not another in a way that incites sectarianism: they must know that this tragedy strikes all Iraqis, Shiites and Sunnis alike. They must not look with one eye, but keep both eyes open and adopt a national and Islamic perspective that views the entire people with the same just approach.
Lebanon: Beware of Strife
Lebanon has experienced limited strife that some sought to extend across all of Beirut and into Christian areas…
We appeal to all parties to have mercy on Lebanon, which represents—through its culture, pluralism, and atmosphere of freedom—the jewel of the region. Do not let international or regional players turn it into a tool for implementing others’ agendas, especially on the regional level. Beware of internal Islamic strife, internal Christian strife, or strife that could engulf all of Lebanon, which is already enduring an economic crisis.
We call on the security and judicial authorities to punish the killers and troublemakers who ignited the strife, to prevent some from seeking personal vengeance for their relatives’ deaths.
The safety of this country depends on the security forces defending the nation, not this or that party. Independent judicial authorities, neither intimidated nor swayed, must also play their role.
Justice is the basis of rule. All Lebanese should fear Allah and uphold their responsibilities toward themselves and their country. They must recognize that the current crisis is not sectarian, but relates to political differences over governance, the government, and the constitution—matters that should be addressed as citizens, not through sectarianism.
I urge all Lebanese to reject those who incite strife, to fear Allah, and to stop being emotionally driven by sectarian accusations—if you want this country, small in size but great in meaning and civilizational pluralism, to endure.
Do not let backwardness destroy the country’s value and meaning. To avoid such a fate, verify your sources of information and engage in open, calm discourse.