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 6, 1430 AH/ September 25, 2009, 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
Advice Versus Deception
The Balance of Love
The month of Ramadan was a period that embodied all that brought man closer to Allah, opened his mind to goodness and his heart to love. It also deepened man's humanity so that he experienced his own humanity in that of others, consecrating the concept of communication between them, so that one loved for others what he loved for himself and hated for them what he hated for himself. Indeed, this is what Islam presented to man: that he adopts the line of justice as expressed in the saying: "Make yourself a scale between you and others; love for them what you love for yourself and hate for them what you hate for yourself."
Advice is an Obligation
Therefore, man should be an advisor to people through his own thought; he provides them with advice when sought, and treats people in a way that helps solve their problems. As a result, man becomes a person filled with goodwill toward others in all his connections, stepping out of his selfishness so that he no longer thinks only of his own desires and needs, but rather thinks about people (and himself), in order to live a proper social life. Thus, he ceases to be merely an individual and integrates into society, making its safety directly linked to his, without imposing himself on others to make them feel he is everything and they are nothing except for achieving his interests and desires, whether in his individual or family life.
It is narrated in certain traditions that the difference between the believer and the hypocrite is as follows: "The believer eats according to the desire of his family, while the hypocrite eats according to his own desire." Man thinks of others just as he thinks of himself, and even more. This is what Imam al-Hassan bin Ali (a.s.) narrated about his pure, infallible mother, the Lady of the Women of the Two Worlds, Sayyeda Fatima az-Zahra (a.s.), when he saw her at night praying for all believing men and women but not for herself, even though she was in dire need of such prayers and supplications due to her weakness. He asked her: "Why do you not pray for yourself?" She answered: "My son, neighbors come before the household."
Thus, Islamic teachings came to confirm the concept of advising people in all their affairs, as stated in one tradition: "Advise Allah's creation, for you can meet Allah with nothing better than this deed," because giving advice expresses extending your humanity to all people instead of locking yourself within yourself. Another tradition narrates: "He whose brother seeks advice from him, yet he refuses to give it, Allah will deprive him of sound judgment," meaning Allah will punish him in this world by taking away his ability to discern rightly.
Deception
Parallel to giving advice is the act of deception. On one hand, the person who advises people is elevated and drawn closer to Allah, and Allah loves him. On the other hand, Allah detests the person who deceives people and considers him outside the fold of Islam in its social, moral, and spiritual sense. Prophet Muhammad (p.) said: "He who deceives a Muslim, or harms him, or betrays him is not one of us." He (p.) also said: "He who deceives a Muslim in buying and selling transactions is not one of us and will be gathered on the Day of Judgment with the Jews, for they are the ones who most deceive Muslims." He (p.) also said: "He who deceives his Muslim brother, Allah will not bless his sustenance, will ruin his livelihood, and leave him to himself."
Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (a.s.) is reported to have said: "Whoever deceives us is not one of us." In a tradition from Imam al-Kazim (a.s.), he said: "Cursed is he who deceives a Muslim or betrays him." Imam Ali (a.s.) is reported to have said: "Whoever deceives people in matters of their religion – including what is not truly from religion – opposes Allah and His Messenger (p.)." He (a.s.) also said: "The greatest betrayal is betraying the nation, and the most hideous deception is deceiving the nation," and, "A believer does not deceive, betray, accuse, or let down his brother," and, "The worst among you is he who deceives others."
Deception in Selling Meat
In light of this, when we examine the reality we live in, we realize there are types of deception in transactions and buying and selling. Foremost are those who import meat not slaughtered according to Islamic Shari'ah, importing from countries that do not adhere to what Allah has ordained: slaughtering animals according to Shari'ah to make it Halal. These people mix this unlawfully slaughtered meat with Halal meat and sell the final product as purely Halal. Even in Ad-Dahieh (the southern suburb of Beirut) there are those who import meat from unreliable sources regarding its lawfulness and method of slaughter, mix it with Halal meat, or may not mix it at all, and sell it to customers as Halal. We say to such people they are cursed, as the Prophet (p.) and the Imams have said, and we recall a tradition from the Prophet: "He who deceives us is not one of us."
In this regard, I issued a binding legal fatwa stating: when you know someone is deceiving people and selling them Haram meat as Halal, you are obligated to boycott him and not buy even the Halal meat from him, because he is deceiving Muslims and acting against Islamic Shari'ah.
Deception in Transactions
In a tradition from Imam al-Baqir (a.s.), he narrates an experience of the Prophet (p.) who once passed by the marketplace. He found a man selling food that looked delicious, so he praised it. But he (p.) was inspired by Allah to put his hand deep into the food and discovered the inside was spoiled. The Messenger then said: "What you have gathered here is nothing but deception and betrayal of Muslims." He judged him as a traitor and deceiver of Muslims, just as is the case for anyone who sells spoiled food or defective items without pointing out the defects, perhaps even claiming they are defect-free, whether in selling an apartment, etc. This is considered deception because a Muslim should not sell anything to anyone except after pointing out its defects and good qualities. However, if the seller does not disclose the defects, the buyer has the right to cancel the transaction and retrieve his money.
Deception in Marriage
Another type of deception can occur in marriage; for example, when someone seeks your advice about a woman close to him whom he wishes to marry, or about a groom close to you, you must not conceal the defects or bad traits of either, as this would be considered deception and you will be held accountable for it.
Political Deception
Another type of deception can occur during elections, whether municipal, parliamentary, or in employment. It is represented by someone who praises a certain candidate, boasts of non-existent special qualities, and tries to hide his flaws… this kind of deception drives its perpetrator away from the authentic Islamic path.
Additionally, cheating during exams is impermissible. No one is allowed to cheat by providing answers to students, whether a colleague or a teacher, because it is a form of deception that angers Allah.
Morality in Islam
The value of Islam lies in the high morality of the Muslim, for the Prophet (p.) said: "I was sent to perfect noble character." If a person considers resorting to deception to earn more profit or achieve higher results, he should remember that Allah will not bless his sustenance. Islam is not merely praying and fasting; rather, it is honesty, integrity, and advising Allah's creation. We must consider the Hereafter just as we do this world: "The Day when there will not benefit [anyone] wealth or children, but only one who comes to Allah with a sound heart." Surat ash-Shu'ara (26:88-89).
The Second Sermon
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
Total International Support for Israel
From within the United Nations, the international organization from which the signal to recognize the enemy entity was launched over sixty years ago—representing a gross violation of the organization's charter and the bill of human rights—the American President wanted the Palestinian cause to hit rock bottom by being content with the symbolic aspect of a photo taken of him with the enemy's Prime Minister and the President of the Palestinian Authority. This photo means nothing to the American sponsor of the "peace" settlement or to the enemy officials, whose media reported that the meeting was nothing more than a "joke" at Obama's expense… suggesting that the so-called moderate Arabs are handling their critical issues humorously, reminding us of what a famous poet once said: "O nation at whose ignorance other nations have laughed."
The Reality of the American President
Perhaps the most dangerous outcome of this summit is that it presented to the enemy the American presidential recognition of the entity's Jewish identity, giving the Israelis the opportunity to hail this accomplishment while giving the Arabs nothing of what they demanded, even regarding ending settlement activities.
As a result, the American presidency has revealed its true image: the one that always submits to Israeli terms, thus freeing the enemy's hands to build and expand settlements to the maximum, while talking in Arab arenas about peace emerging from among the mines of this stage, to the detriment of historical facts and future horizons.
We believe Obama has failed, like his predecessors, when he sought to achieve personal goals to be recorded as historical achievements, only to find he could not side with the right and confront the Zionist occupation in all its stubbornness and brutality. So, he decided the easiest way is to pressure the Arabs to "take tangible steps"—as they always say—a phrase that has nullified the Arab Initiative, turning it into mere words and worthless thoughts, aiming to make the Arabs let go even of the fig leaf.
The Israeli-American Deception of the Palestinians
Therefore, given what is happening in occupied Palestine—from the numerous assassinations of Palestinians, their unjust trials, the confiscation of their homes and lands especially in Noble Jerusalem, and due to the new and accelerating expansions and excavations around Jerusalem itself to build new settlements, in addition to new Zionist governmental approvals for building four hundred and fifty-five housing units in settlements… in light of all these events, we believe the issue is nothing but a major conspiracy in which Americans and Israelis play concerted roles. This will ultimately lead to the death of the Palestinian cause amid political details, marginal issues, and complementary steps where the lamb is not allowed to leave the wolf's lap if the scheme aims to take a picture at the right moment—the moment the confiscation of the entire cause is declared.
Holding Fast to Resistance
We say to the Palestinian people, abandoned and left alone to face their destiny, since the Arab League bears no responsibility, the Jerusalem Committee is absent even at the level of issuing statements, and there is no Arab money dedicated to protecting the Palestinian Jerusalemites—while Arab billions finance Western companies to protect them from bankruptcy and revive the spirit of Western sports clubs here and there…
We say to the oppressed and persecuted Palestinian people, besieged by arrogant axes, occupation forces, and colluding armies: you must persist in your efforts and struggle to hold onto your land, insist on embracing your cause, and prevent the enemy from occupying memories as well. You must know that all honorable and devoted people in this nation stand with you, and the oppression that has found much collusion in the past and present will be countered by the people's insistence on achieving their goals in the future.
An Arrogant Alliance Against Iran
On another level, we witness a renewed alliance between international arrogant powers to besiege the Islamic Republic of Iran under the pretext of the peaceful nuclear file, using this file to achieve additional goals and further intimidate the Arabs, portraying Iran as the region's scarecrow. They also aim to conclude more arms deals with Gulf countries to maintain military bases in the region under the pretext of protection, besieging Iran and preventing it from posing any threat to the Zionist enemy, as well as to the project of hegemony over the region and its natural wealth. They also aim to further pressure the nation and confiscate its political decisions, preventing the establishment of a real Arab and Islamic national axis that rejects the confiscation of the nation and the selling of the Palestinian cause.
We say to the Arabs and Muslims: Iran is merely the decoy used by political and Western media propaganda, but the real target is Palestine and the great causes of the nation and its positions of opposition.
Inter-Arab Relations are Nominal
On the Arab level, we feel, in light of previous experiences of inter-Arab relations and the crises that used to occur between different Arab countries, that these relations are superficial, shaking before any emergency. Moreover, Arab relations should be based on unity so that Arabs feel Arab issues are issues they agree upon, not basing their meetings on protocols and formal compliments that only produce some psychological relief in the Arab street. Unfortunately, these relations tend to fade upon the intervention of certain international axes, or even certain Arab ones whose movement correlates with international axes.
Lebanon's Dependency
As for Lebanon, whose internal situation has become more attached to external events, we must monitor the increasing influence of Arab relations on the Lebanese issue to study its surrounding complications. Indeed, the Lebanese issue tends to become more complicated or find its way toward a solution not only as a result of the nature of relations between two Arab countries, but it is also manipulated by certain international axes that still consider Lebanon one of their major strategic positions in the region.
Perhaps the Lebanese are destined to wait a long time, for no one in the world is moved by the increasing poverty rates in Lebanon; no one feels the pains of the starving and oppressed people; no one feels sorry for the current state of the country of enlightenment that has become entirely covered in darkness—including those who export the proceeds of their oil and gas wealth overseas… Moreover, no one is ready to take any bold step to resolve the complications of inter-Arab relations, which are almost nominal in many domains. May Allah help the Lebanese, who pay high prices in all crises, yet their misery and suffering are not taken into consideration when the doors of parliamentary elections are knocked upon with political, sectarian, and fanatical knockers.