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 26, 1429 AH/ September 26, 2008, 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
From the Will of Imam Ali (as):
Caring for the Orphan Leads to Paradise
Orphans are Allah's Trust
Having been hit on the head by Ibn Maljam, Imam Ali (a.s.) made his will to his sons, Imams Al-Hassan (a.s.) and Al-Hussein (a.s.). One of the teachings he left for them and consequently for all Muslims was about the importance of being good to orphans: "Fear Allah in matters concerning orphans. Attend to their nutrition and do not forget their interests in the middle of yours."
These words by Imam Ali (a.s.) represent a cry for help by which he calls people to be in a state of emergency when it comes to caring for orphans. He calls us not to let them eat in one day and starve in another, and not to forget their interests, whether in the fields of health, education or any other social or economic need. Thus, we have to take care of them in every aspect of life, by ensuring their dignity and providing for them the opportunity of finding a job and a decent living, since orphans are Allah's trust to His servants.
In focusing on the significance of taking care of the orphan and providing for him until he is able to provide for himself, Imam Ali quotes the Messenger (p) as saying: "Who provides for an orphan until he no longer needs him, Allah has decreed that his abode is paradise, and whoever eats the money of an orphan will be in Hell." Imam Ali (a.s.) wanted the society to shoulder the responsibility of taking care of orphans. Thus, he ensured that the reward of this good deed is great: when you spend on an orphan and you qualify him to be independent in this world, then your reward is Heaven.
Allah has talked in the Holy Quran about the covenant He took from the Children of Israel to be charitable to all including the orphans: "And [recall] when We took the covenant from the Children of Israel, [enjoining upon them], 'Do not worship except Allah; and to parents do good and to relatives, orphans, and the needy.'" Surat al-Baqarah (02:83)
The Responsibility of Setting Right the Orphans' Affairs
As for charity, we read that it is "Righteousness is not that you turn your faces toward the east or the west, but [true] righteousness is [in] one who believes in Allah, the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the prophets and gives wealth, in spite of love for it, to relatives, orphans, the needy, the traveler, those who ask [for help], and for freeing slaves." Surat al-Baqarah (02:177) Allah also says in the context of talking to His Messenger, "And they ask you about orphans." What should we do about them now that they do not have anybody to take care of them.
"Say, 'Improvement for them is best. And if you mix your affairs with theirs - they are your brothers.'" Surat al-Baqarah (02:220) Do not look at them as if they are inferior to you, but as your brothers. "And Allah knows the corrupter from the improver. And if Allah had willed, He could have put you in difficulty. Indeed, Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise." Surat al-Baqarah (02:220)
He also says in Surat ad-Duha, "So as for the orphan, do not oppress him." Surat ad-Duha (93:9) When an orphan lives with you in your house, in school or in an institution, you have to preserve his humanity and his rights and never be harsh with him.
"And test the orphans until they reach marriageable age. Then if you perceive in them sound judgment, release their property to them." Surat an-Nisa (04:06) Do not consume it extravagantly and hastily, lest they attain to full age; since their money is Allah's trust.
In Surat al-Fajr Allah talks about those who have money, but they would not give from it to those who are in need.
"No! But you do not honour the orphan, And you do not encourage one another to feed the poor." Surat al-Fajr (89:17-18)
He also says:
"And give to the orphans their properties and do not substitute the defective [of your own] for the good [of theirs]. And do not consume their properties into your own. Indeed, that is ever a great sin." Surat an-Nisa (04:02)
Allah also says:
"And do not approach the property of an orphan, except in the way that is best, until he reaches maturity." Surat al-An'am (06:152) And He threatens those who do by saying,
"Indeed, those who devour the property of orphans unjustly are only consuming into their bellies fire. And they will be burned in a Blaze." Surat an-Nisa (04:10)
The Messenger says:
"I and the person who supports an orphan shall be as close in Jannah as these (index and middle) fingers are to each other if he fears Allah."
Those who sponsor orphans and fear Allah will be the Messenger's companions in Paradise. What a great reward!
Thus, we have to take care of orphans, whether individually or collectively, by supporting the institutions that take care of them and provide them with food, shelter, education, etc.
The Messenger says: "There is a house in Paradise called the house of Joy, which no one enters except those who have made the orphans of Muslims happy."
In these days as we are getting ready to receive the Eid, we have to remember those orphans who will stand by and watch other children enjoying the Eid with their parents.
We should strive to make those orphans as happy as our own children not only on Eid but at all times, for by doing this we could win the company of the Messenger in Heaven and the joy of obeying Allah.
The Second Sermon
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
The American Administration: Illusive Armament of the Lebanese Army
Israel continues to oppose any armament of the Lebanese Army, even with night vision binoculars, because it is afraid that they will fall, as an Israeli official stated, into the hands of Hezbollah. Thus, those who support Israel in the US, whether in the Democratic or the Republican party or the neoconservatives who dominate the Administration, will pressure the US officials to make sure it will not give Lebanon any arms, except light ones that do not represent any deterring means. Thus, the American officers who visit Lebanon and talk about the needs of the Lebanese Army are not authorized to respond to the Army's demands for weapons that would allow it to defend the country against Israel, since American policy is to arm the enemy and perhaps encourage it to make another aggression, and reject any confrontation of this aggression by the Lebanese Army and the Resistance.
Therefore, we believe that the American Administration wants Lebanon to remain an open front for Israeli aggressions without enabling the Lebanese Army to confront them.
As for the claim of the Israeli officials that the weapons will find their way to the Resistance, it is but an American – Israeli plot to stir dissension between the Army and the Resistance, as well as being an implicit recognition of the importance of the coordination between the Resistance and the Army that prevents the enemy from feeling free to make a new aggression.
We are also following up the Israeli policy of monitoring all arms deals between America and the Arab countries who have recognized Israel or those who practically support it… In this respect, Israel demands that these weapons should not be able, even in the future, to harm Israel. It might also oppose certain deals because they might imbalance its strategic plan of being the strongest country in the entire region. It contacted Russia to prevent it from selling Syria some defensive weapons, since it will change the balance of force in the region, for it wants to maintain its supremacy and keep Syria in the weak position of a country whose land is occupied.
This is what the Arab states should understand in order to set out the strategy that their peoples are demanding; a strategy of possessing a deterring force that could defend their countries against Israel or a new occupation like the American occupation of Iraq, Afghanistan or any new Arab or Muslim state, especially Iran, whom America is threatening with a pre-emptive war against.
Confronting the Israeli Judaization of Jerusalem
We should all know that the Jewish State wants the Palestinians to be always overwhelmed by a deep state of concern and uncertainty towards their fate and future, to lose any hope in determining their destiny through a viable Palestinian state, despite all the empty promises of the International Community, and despite the Road Map which has lost any effectiveness, since Tony Blair was installed to act on behalf of the International Community in Israel's favour, thus reviving the Balfour Declaration.
A Palestinian Mujahid from Jerusalem has recently performed a qualitative operation, when he crashed with his car into a group of Israeli soldiers.
Although he was driven by the psychological state he was living in and wanted to confront the Israeli Judaization of Jerusalem, and the persecution of the people of this city in all their life conditions, as well as the threats to destroy Al-Aqsa Mosque… etc., we have heard, and we will still hear, international, Arab and perhaps even Palestinian condemnations of this operation, because they did not appreciate the patriotic motives of this Palestinian Mujahid, especially with all these Zionist and American statements asserting that Jerusalem will remain the eternal capital of Israel and that the Palestinians have no place in it.
The UN: A Failing Institution
On another level, the city of New York witnessed an international meeting of 120 world leaders within the framework of the UN General Assembly which has become impotent in solving the complicated problems of the world, especially those of the Third World states, whose representatives have submitted their complaints to those who do not hear, and offered themselves and their countries for sale to those who do not buy, so that the word that pressures all countries in the world is that of the United States which acts as the world leader and dictator, threatening those who disobey with sanctions, and expects the entire world to comply.
Moreover, the American President also talked about Syria and Iran as supporters of terrorism, which the International Community should impose sanctions on, along with North Korea and the liberation movements in Lebanon and Palestine. All this means that nobody will come out of this international celebration with any realistic results, since its role is not more than an informational one that might suggest certain verbal support…
As for the Security Council, which turned into a problem for the nations that are looking to solve their problems…. The resolutions the Council issues represent the international hegemony that is practiced by the US and some of its European allies to punish those who oppose their policies and prevent any sanctions against those who abide by them. And this is what we notice in its justification of the Israeli war crimes against the Palestinians and the Iraqi occupation of Iraq which the Council was not able to prevent and which led to the devastation of the country and destroying the unity of its people. Moreover, since most of the EU states yield to the American policies in the Arab and Muslim world, the EU has become a partner in the crimes committed by NATO in Afghanistan and Pakistan where there is no longer any stability in these two countries, since this is what ensures the American dominance over these strategic countries in the region.
The problem is that the United Nations has turned into a failing institution that is not allowed to run the world which America plans to manage alone, although it does not mind using the UN to serve its interests.
Lebanon: A New Stage of National Understanding and Reconciliation
In Lebanon we have heard some talks about an apology in a vague way. We would like to say in this context that we welcome any explicit apology by any Lebanese politician whose actions had left a negative impact on the entire country.
But we want this apology to turn into a practical step that benefits all Lebanese and the future of the coming generations, by resigning from politics altogether, as we see in the countries where the officials respect their peoples. We believe that such a resignation would encourage other warlords to do the same, thus opening the way for new young leaders to emerge that would lead Lebanon to the safe shore.
We are also entering a new stage of understanding and reconciliation between the political parties… We welcome a national reconciliation in general and any Islamic one in particular. And we are ready to make every effort to help establish an Islamic reconciliation that serves Islamic unity inside Lebanon and outside it, and which lays the foundations of a true national reconciliation which everybody is looking forward to, to leave the sectarian and dispersing rhetoric towards the joining and unifying national one.