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 Thul al-Hijjah 28, 1429 AH/ December 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
The Miraculous Birth and Message of Jesus Christ (p.)
The Miracle of Birth
The world celebrates these days the birth of Jesus Christ (p.). Certain historians say that he was not born at this date. Such a view is supported by the Quran, which says to Mary:
"And shake toward you the trunk of the palm tree; it will drop upon you ripe, fresh dates." Surat Maryam (19:25)
This indicates that it was the season when dates ripen.
We glorify Jesus Christ (p.) whom Allah made a sign to the people, in a way similar to that of Adam (p.) before him.
"Indeed, the example of Jesus to Allah is like that of Adam. He created him from dust; then He said to him, 'Be,' and he was." Surat Al 'Imran (3:59)
Allah, the All-Mighty, wanted to demonstrate His ability, in the same way He did when He created Adam.
"[Mention, O Muhammad], when your Lord said to the angels, 'Indeed, I am going to create a human being from clay. So when I have proportioned him and breathed into him of My [created] soul, then fall down to him in prostration.'" Surat Sad (38:71-72)
Another demonstration of His ability was the miracle of Jesus' birth from his purified mother Mary, the daughter of Imran, whom the angels brought glad tidings of his birth. Because Allah, the Most Exalted, sent him with His Message, and made him blessed and beneficial to the people with his advice and guidance.
"[And mention] when the angels said, 'O Mary, indeed Allah gives you good tidings of a word from Him, whose name will be the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary - distinguished in this world and the Hereafter and among those brought near [to Allah].'" Surat Al 'Imran (3:45)
"He will speak to the people in the cradle and in maturity and will be of the righteous." Surat Al 'Imran (3:46)
He used to speak to the people to advise them and guide them and teach them the Book and Wisdom.
But Mary (a.s.) was astonished and said:
"She said, 'My Lord, how will I have a child when no man has touched me?' [The angel] said, 'Such is Allah; He creates what He wills. When He decrees a matter, He only says to it, 'Be,' and it is.'" Surat Al 'Imran (3:47)
He is the Creator of everything. And as He has created Adam from no mother or father, He is able to create Christ from no father. It is His will that creates everything; the universe itself and everything in it.
Then Allah tells us that He gave Christ (p.) many of His graces. He taught him and educated him and wanted him to open up to all people with love, justice, good and mercy.
"And He will teach him writing and wisdom and the Torah and the Gospel. And [make him] a messenger to the Children of Israel..." Surat Al 'Imran (3:48-49)
He is sent to them as a prelude to his Message, which is for all people, being one of the Messengers of strength and determination whose messages are not for their people only: it naturally starts with his people and then extends to the entire world.
"[The messenger] will say], 'Indeed I have come to you with a sign from your Lord in that I design for you from clay [that which is] like the form of a bird, then I breathe into it and it becomes a bird by permission of Allah. And I cure the blind and the leper, and I give life to the dead - by permission of Allah. And I inform you of what you eat and what you store in your houses. Indeed in that is a sign for you, if you are believers.'" Surat Al 'Imran (3:49)
It was not Jesus (p.) who gave life to the bird, but Allah, who gave Christ's breath some of His Divine powers. Such miracles that Christ (p.) performed were because it was a time when medicine was the main interest. But he also could know the unknown and tell people what they hide in their homes and what they eat.
"And [I have come] confirming what was before me of the Torah and to make lawful for you some of what was forbidden to you. And I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, so fear Allah and obey me." Surat Al 'Imran (3:50)
A Messenger does not annul the Messages before him, and Christ came to complete the message, due to the needs that have arisen since the time of the Message before it, since things develop as time passes and people become in need of new rulings. What is permissible and what is prohibited is in the hands of Allah, the Most Exalted, who would prohibit something for an interest and a certain wisdom and then make it permissible for an interest and a certain wisdom, or vice versa, as in the case of permitting the marriage of brothers and sisters (the children of Adam (p.)) and then prohibiting it, and also in changing the Qibla of Muslims from Jerusalem to the Holy Mosque in Mecca.
"Indeed, Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. That is a straight path." Surat Al 'Imran (3:51)
Allah has not been embodied in Christ, as some Christians say. He is Allah's servant:
"[Jesus] said, 'Indeed, I am the servant of Allah. He has given me the Scripture and made me a prophet.'" Surat Maryam (19:30)
This is a Way that is straight. Then when Jesus (p.) found unbelief on the part of his people, he said:
"But when Jesus felt [persistence in] disbelief from them, he said, 'Who are my supporters for [the cause of] Allah?'" Surat Al 'Imran (3:52)
They rebelled against him and persecuted him, thus he asked who his helpers to Allah were, and not to himself.
"The disciples said, 'We are supporters for Allah. We have believed in Allah and testify that we are Muslims [submitting to Him].' [The disbelievers] planned, but Allah planned. And Allah is the best of planners." Surat Al 'Imran (3:53-54)
Jesus the Messenger and the World of Truth
"The Messiah, son of Mary, was not but a messenger; [other] messengers have passed on before him. And his mother was a supporter of truth. They both used to eat food. Look how We make clear to them the signs; then look how they are deluded." Surat al-Ma'idah (5:75)
"O People of the Scripture, do not commit excess in your religion or say about Allah except the truth. The Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, was but a messenger of Allah and His word which He directed to Mary and a soul [created at a command] from Him. So believe in Allah and His messengers. And do not say, 'Three'; desist - it is better for you. Indeed, Allah is but one God. Exalted is He above having a son. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. And sufficient is Allah as Disposer of affairs." Surat an-Nisa' (4:171)
Surely, they disbelieve those who say that Allah is the third of three, but it is not disbelief in Allah. It is disbelief in prophethood and the unification of Allah. Christ disdains not to serve and worship Allah (and not Allah himself as some say) nor do the angels, those nearest (to Allah). Those who disdain His worship are arrogant. He will gather them all together unto Himself to answer.
Allah also describes Christ as:
"He has made me blessed wherever I am and has enjoined upon me prayer and zakah as long as I remain alive. And [made me] dutiful to my mother, and He has not made me a wretched tyrant." Surat Maryam (19:31-32)
When Jesus (p.) talked when he was in the cradle, he talked about prayers being man's path to Heaven and the pillar of religion, since it represents the relation between Allah and the believer. He also talked about charity, since it represents man giving from what Allah has bestowed on him and wanted him to spend from. And, "He has made me kind to my mother", since being graceful to one's parents is being thankful to Allah.
"And [mention] the one who guarded her chastity, so We blew into her [garment] through Our angel [Gabriel], and We made her and her son a sign for the worlds."Surat al-Anbiya' (21:91)
Since Allah has associated thanking one's parents with thanking Allah, He also made Christ "and not overbearing or unblessed, who is unjust to people, but one who loves them and is concerned in all their affairs."
"And peace is on me the day I was born and the day I will die and the day I am raised alive." Surat Maryam (19:33)
"That is Jesus, the son of Mary - the word of truth about which they are in dispute." Surat Maryam (19:34)
"It is not [befitting] for Allah to take a son; exalted is He! When He decrees an affair, He only says to it, 'Be,' and it is." Surat Maryam (19:35)
"[Jesus said], 'And indeed, Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. That is a straight path.'" Surat Maryam (19:36)
Allah has also described Mary (a.s.) as purified and infallible.
"And [the example of] Mary, the daughter of 'Imran, who guarded her chastity, so We blew into [her garment] through Our angel, and she believed in the words of her Lord and His scriptures and was of the devoutly obedient." Surat at-Tahrim (66:12)
Christ's Morals
Dear loved ones:
In the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ (p.), there are many things we must be aware of.
Firstly: Celebrating the birth of Jesus (p.) must be entirely Islamic, away from all Western traditions.
Secondly: If we want our families and children to live the spirit of celebrating the birth of Christ (p.), we have to introduce them to the Surahs of Al 'Imran and Maryam, and read to them what is said in several Ayats, especially that Christ is the messenger and word of Allah, so they do not learn what other religions say presuming it is Islamic.
In celebrating Christmas, we have to open up to Christ's morality and his devotion to Allah and all the values of justice, love and mercy.
We do not want to deviate from the Islamic line of monotheism: we believe in Christ as a messenger and servant of Allah, for Allah, the Most Exalted, wanted us to believe in Him and all His Messengers. May Allah's blessing be on Christ the day he was born, the day he died and the day he will be brought back to life.
The Second Sermon
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
Gaza: Resuming the Massacres
The Zionist Entity is preparing these days to create a favourable international media and political environment to wage new aggression against Gaza. It is deploying all its diplomatic abilities to provide an international and Arab cover to the massacres it committed in the second round after the end of the calm, which resulted in the martyrdom of 43 Palestinians without any reaction from the world.
In addition to the Zionist diplomatic efforts that target some Arab states which have begun to feel embarrassed by the blockade they participate in, either directly or indirectly, and its military and security offensive inside occupied Palestine, the enemy is getting ready to execute new massacres, relying on the Arab complicity that is accompanied by political pressures on the Palestinians and their militant factions.
As we feel that the coming Zionist elections could tempt the Israelis into killing more Palestinians, since Palestinian blood attracts more votes, we also know that the Palestinian people's steadfastness and its ability to deal with the most drastic kinds of blockade and mass punishment will represent another scandal to the official Arab position, and the regimes that are in complicity with the enemy or those who have earned the American Medal for Moderation.
We also know that the resisting and wounded people of Gaza will not be easy prey to the enemy who is still worried and afraid of the impact of the Lebanese ordeal on occupied Palestine and who takes into consideration what is going on in the Arab front. Thus, he is confused and cannot make up his mind whether to wage a new aggression or ask the Arabs to mediate and renew the calm.
We say to the Arabs, especially to those who come up with advice to the Palestinian people both inside the Arab League and outside it: It is true that the Palestinian divide represents a threat to the Palestinian cause and the Palestinian struggle, but it is also true that this divide represents one of the aspects of the general Arab divide. Moreover, the Arab complicity has always been one of the main reasons that led to the weakness of the Palestinian cause. Therefore, the Arabs have to shoulder their responsibility instead of blaming the Palestinians, and become closer to the cause, before the fire gets closer to their thrones.
Yielding to the Israeli Dictates
In the US, the outgoing Secretary of State has talked about the "accomplishments" of her administration in Lebanon, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, although she knows for sure that the new birth of the Middle East was not a result of its plans but rather in accordance with the general goals of the peoples that made the neoconservative administration taste the bitterness of defeat in Lebanon in July 2006 as well as in other Arab and Muslim fronts.
Nevertheless, Rice admits that America's reputation in the Arab world is not a good one, but she fails to mention the reasons, not least of which is its support of Israel in its aggression against Lebanon and the massacres Israel continues to commit in Palestine, as well as its support for the Jewish settlement activity, especially in Jerusalem, and its prevention of the Security Council from condemning the Jewish state.
In addition, Rice says that the new American Administration will face obstacles in trying to solve the problems the Bush Administration has failed to resolve, as if she is trying to tell Obama to follow the same line in dealing with the Palestinian problem and the other Muslim and Arab issues, despite the fact that Obama has promised to start a new approach beginning with climate change, the closure of the Guantanamo jail and the military base in Cuba, and not ending with adopting dialogue in the Middle East and other places. Yet the problem with the American officials is that their approach to the problems of the region is influenced by the Israeli view as a result of their relationship with the Jewish Lobby and the other influential circles that influence the American decision making and that view the region from an Israeli perspective.
Iraq and the Need for Occupation Forces
In Iraq, as we welcome the decision of the Iraqi parliament that agreed on the withdrawal of foreign forces, we express our reservation on replacing them with American troops, being forces of occupation, which were the root cause of all the Iraqi tragedies that have been going on for years. If there is a need for training, as some are saying, why do they not resort to Arab forces through coordination with the Iraqi state which could preserve the interest of Iraq and its future and unity.
The Resistance in Lebanon
As we look at Lebanon from the perspective of its southern gate, we feel a lot of danger in the enemy's abduction of two Lebanese farmers, which was not met by any condemnation from the United Nations, the European Union or the United States. This fact clearly proves that the only way to stop or deter the enemy is by the Resistance, which should be kept as a decisive deterrent, especially since the UNIFIL has proved, whether in this incident or in its failure to stop the Israeli air and land violations, that it does not represent a protecting force for Lebanon and the Lebanese civilians.
As for the Lebanese internal issues, the dialogue sessions have come up with a resolution to restore calm, as if calm in Lebanon needs a dialogue conference, by means of abstaining from inciting sectarian and partisan strife, as was evident in the speeches of certain religious figures, whom we had hoped would have inspired spiritual religious values in their public rhetoric, since it is supposed to be above all the political trends and axes.
Moreover, the participation of the Lebanese people in the coming elections should seek to hold accountable those who did not respect the votes of their voters, who had hoped that those elected would be a resolution to the problem, not a means of aggravating it. All Lebanese should seek to make the coming elections an opportunity to create the new Lebanon, whose officials should be concerned with the living state of the poor people and the taxes that exclude the rich and focus on the poor. Although there is an opportunity for the poor to sell their votes in the elections, nevertheless they still talk about free elections, in a country that might have enjoyed the freedom of speech but not that of taking a free stand!
Lastly, we would like to comment on the aid that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has given to Lebanon in the aftermath of the July war, and that was handled in a way that suggested it did not reach those who deserve it. In light of this, we call for a review of the way this matter was dealt with, with the aim of returning the rights to their owners, and paving the way for rebuilding what was destroyed, since it is not permissible that the Lebanese sufferings should continue, especially in the issue of the destroyed houses. Moreover, those responsible for the chaos, on all levels, should be held accountable.