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 15, 1428 AH/ October 26, 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 Meaning of True Islam
Allah says in His Glorious Book: "The religion in the sight of Allah is Islam." "And those who were given the Scripture did not differ except after knowledge had come to them - out of jealous animosity between themselves. And whoever disbelieves in the verses of Allah, then indeed, Allah is swift in [taking] account." Surah Al 'Imran (03: 19), And "And whoever desires other than Islam as religion - never will it be accepted from him, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers." Surah Al 'Imran (03: 85)
Islam in its broad meaning is the single religion that comprises all messages. Islam in its unifying meaning is to submit one's force, heart, mind and life to Allah, thus having nothing present in him but Allah, The Most Exalted: "And whoever submits his face to Allah while he is a doer of good - then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold. And to Allah will be the outcome of [all] matters." Surah Luqman (31: 22)
Thus, every religion God sent His messengers with contains the meaning of Islam. Allah wanted the Messengers to teach the people to submit themselves to Allah and have nothing personal in their lives. This is what the Imam of the Pious, the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali (a.s.) has expressed when he was talking to his companions as a caliph, telling them, we do not see things in the same way: "I want you to God while you want me to yourselves". I want you to unify Allah and obey Him in everything you do, feel or say.
The word of Islam started with Ibrahim when his God told him to submit (Aslim), and he said that he submits to the Lord of the worlds. That is, I submit with all my existence which no one shares Allah with and I do not mind anyone other than Allah. The following Ayah might elaborate this: "Say, 'Indeed, my prayer, my rites of sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the worlds. No partner has He. And this I have been commanded, and I am the first [among you] of the Muslims.'" Surah Al-An'am (06: 162-163) All my life is for Allah and when I die it is for the cause of Allah, who has no partners.
This Islamic belief was not confined to Ibrahim, but he also enjoined his sons to believe in it: "And Abraham instructed his sons [to do the same] and [so did] Jacob, [saying], 'O my sons, indeed Allah has chosen for you this religion, so do not die except while you are Muslims.'" Surah Al-Baqarah (02: 132) So that all your lives in all its details and actions will be solely for God, until you die.
And this was the wish of Prophet Yusuf - "My Lord, You have given me [something] of sovereignty and taught me of the interpretation of dreams. Creator of the heavens and earth, You are my protector in this world and in the Hereafter. Cause me to die a Muslim and join me with the righteous." Surah Yusuf 1(2: 101) Meaning that he asked your God that when death comes, I will be a faithful Muslim so that I will stand before Him on the Day of Judgement as a Muslim. Jacob too wanted to make sure that his sons will follow the religion of Islam and that they will not be led astray and worship idols. "Or were you witnesses when death approached Jacob, when he said to his sons, 'What will you worship after me?' They said, 'We will worship your God and the God of your fathers, Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac - one God. And we are Muslims [in submission] to Him.'" Surah Al-Baqarah (02: 133)
And this is what Allah commanded this Prophet and the Muslims with:
"So, direct your face toward the religion, inclining to truth. [Adhere to] the fitrah of Allah upon which He has created [all] people. No change should there be in the creation of Allah. That is the correct religion, but most people do not know." Surah Ar-Rum (30: 30) which is Islam that Allah has made innate in our souls: Our religion is the Baptism of Allah: And who can baptize better than Allah? And it is He Whom we worship.
And this is what Imam Ali described Islam with: This Islam is the religion which Allah has chosen for Himself, developed it before His eyes, and when he described the Prophet saying: Allah sent him with a sufficing plea, a convincing discourse and a rectifying announcement. Through him Allah disclosed the ways that had been forsaken and destroyed the innovations that had been introduced. Through him He explained the detailed commands. Now, whoever adopts a religion other than Islam, his misery is definite, his stick (of support) will be cracked, his fate will be serious, his end will be long grief and distressing punishment.
There are also some sayings that determine who the Muslim is through his relations with other Muslims. They explain that in Islam it is not sufficient to say the two testimonies and perform the religious duties.
A Muslim should also be a brother of fellow Muslims. The Prophet says: The Muslim is he whom other Muslims are safe from his tongue and hand.
He also says: The Muslim is a brother of a Muslim. He does not wrong or curse him. He does not betray him or lie to him. A Muslim is the mirror of a fellow Muslim in which he sees his faults and wrongs.
The Messenger has also told us that Muslims are united in one hand against those who challenge them and their bloods are equal with no blood higher or dearer than the other.
That is why Allah has ordained punishment to a Muslim who kills another Muslim unjustly, be he a mean person or a great one. Such a great attitude is demonstrated by the Imam's position when he was struck by Ibn Muljam: Children of Abdul Muttalib! Do not shed the blood of Muslims under the banner: The Imam has been assassinated! Only the assassin should be condemned to death.
If I die of this stab of his, kill him with one similar stroke. Do not mutilate him! I have heard the Prophet, peace be upon him, say: "Mutilate not even a rabid dog."
Who is this Ibn Muljam when compared to Ali. Yet the punishment is the same regardless of how mean the murderer is and how great the murdered is. This is also emphasized by the Prophet's saying that the Muslims are brothers who do not have any advantage over other Muslim except through piety.
The Commander of the Faithful says: Islam is surrender, and surrender is certitude; certitude is authentication, and authentication is assurance; assurance is realization, and realization is work
On the negative side, the Prophet says in the context of solidarity among Muslims. "Surely he is not a Muslim who does not take interest in the affairs of Muslims. And surely he is not a Muslim who hears a Muslim calling for help and does not respond to his call."
He also says: "Muslims should treat one another as a human body which if any of its organs is in pain the other organs will look after it".
The previous Hadiths explain that if a Muslim individual or a Muslim people are subjected to an aggression, and they call for help then those who do not answer are not Muslims.
In the light of this, Islam orders every Muslim to support Muslims with all his capacities and whoever does not do that, will no longer be a Muslim.
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 15, 1428 AH/ October 26, 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 Meaning of True Islam
Allah says in His Glorious Book: "The religion in the sight of Allah is Islam." "And those who were given the Scripture did not differ except after knowledge had come to them - out of jealous animosity between themselves. And whoever disbelieves in the verses of Allah, then indeed, Allah is swift in [taking] account." Surah Al 'Imran (03: 19), And "And whoever desires other than Islam as religion - never will it be accepted from him, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers." Surah Al 'Imran (03: 85)
Islam in its broad meaning is the single religion that comprises all messages. Islam in its unifying meaning is to submit one's force, heart, mind and life to Allah, thus having nothing present in him but Allah, The Most Exalted: "And whoever submits his face to Allah while he is a doer of good - then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold. And to Allah will be the outcome of [all] matters." Surah Luqman (31: 22)
Thus, every religion God sent His messengers with contains the meaning of Islam. Allah wanted the Messengers to teach the people to submit themselves to Allah and have nothing personal in their lives. This is what the Imam of the Pious, the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali (a.s.) has expressed when he was talking to his companions as a caliph, telling them, we do not see things in the same way: "I want you to God while you want me to yourselves". I want you to unify Allah and obey Him in everything you do, feel or say.
The word of Islam started with Ibrahim when his God told him to submit (Aslim), and he said that he submits to the Lord of the worlds. That is, I submit with all my existence which no one shares Allah with and I do not mind anyone other than Allah. The following Ayah might elaborate this: "Say, 'Indeed, my prayer, my rites of sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the worlds. No partner has He. And this I have been commanded, and I am the first [among you] of the Muslims.'" Surah Al-An'am (06: 162-163) All my life is for Allah and when I die it is for the cause of Allah, who has no partners.
This Islamic belief was not confined to Ibrahim, but he also enjoined his sons to believe in it: "And Abraham instructed his sons [to do the same] and [so did] Jacob, [saying], 'O my sons, indeed Allah has chosen for you this religion, so do not die except while you are Muslims.'" Surah Al-Baqarah (02: 132) So that all your lives in all its details and actions will be solely for God, until you die.
And this was the wish of Prophet Yusuf - "My Lord, You have given me [something] of sovereignty and taught me of the interpretation of dreams. Creator of the heavens and earth, You are my protector in this world and in the Hereafter. Cause me to die a Muslim and join me with the righteous." Surah Yusuf 1(2: 101) Meaning that he asked your God that when death comes, I will be a faithful Muslim so that I will stand before Him on the Day of Judgement as a Muslim. Jacob too wanted to make sure that his sons will follow the religion of Islam and that they will not be led astray and worship idols. "Or were you witnesses when death approached Jacob, when he said to his sons, 'What will you worship after me?' They said, 'We will worship your God and the God of your fathers, Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac - one God. And we are Muslims [in submission] to Him.'" Surah Al-Baqarah (02: 133)
And this is what Allah commanded this Prophet and the Muslims with:
"So, direct your face toward the religion, inclining to truth. [Adhere to] the fitrah of Allah upon which He has created [all] people. No change should there be in the creation of Allah. That is the correct religion, but most people do not know." Surah Ar-Rum (30: 30) which is Islam that Allah has made innate in our souls: Our religion is the Baptism of Allah: And who can baptize better than Allah? And it is He Whom we worship.
And this is what Imam Ali described Islam with: This Islam is the religion which Allah has chosen for Himself, developed it before His eyes, and when he described the Prophet saying: Allah sent him with a sufficing plea, a convincing discourse and a rectifying announcement. Through him Allah disclosed the ways that had been forsaken and destroyed the innovations that had been introduced. Through him He explained the detailed commands. Now, whoever adopts a religion other than Islam, his misery is definite, his stick (of support) will be cracked, his fate will be serious, his end will be long grief and distressing punishment.
There are also some sayings that determine who the Muslim is through his relations with other Muslims. They explain that in Islam it is not sufficient to say the two testimonies and perform the religious duties.
A Muslim should also be a brother of fellow Muslims. The Prophet says: The Muslim is he whom other Muslims are safe from his tongue and hand.
He also says: The Muslim is a brother of a Muslim. He does not wrong or curse him. He does not betray him or lie to him. A Muslim is the mirror of a fellow Muslim in which he sees his faults and wrongs.
The Messenger has also told us that Muslims are united in one hand against those who challenge them and their bloods are equal with no blood higher or dearer than the other.
That is why Allah has ordained punishment to a Muslim who kills another Muslim unjustly, be he a mean person or a great one. Such a great attitude is demonstrated by the Imam's position when he was struck by Ibn Muljam: Children of Abdul Muttalib! Do not shed the blood of Muslims under the banner: The Imam has been assassinated! Only the assassin should be condemned to death.
If I die of this stab of his, kill him with one similar stroke. Do not mutilate him! I have heard the Prophet, peace be upon him, say: "Mutilate not even a rabid dog."
Who is this Ibn Muljam when compared to Ali. Yet the punishment is the same regardless of how mean the murderer is and how great the murdered is. This is also emphasized by the Prophet's saying that the Muslims are brothers who do not have any advantage over other Muslim except through piety.
The Commander of the Faithful says: Islam is surrender, and surrender is certitude; certitude is authentication, and authentication is assurance; assurance is realization, and realization is work
On the negative side, the Prophet says in the context of solidarity among Muslims. "Surely he is not a Muslim who does not take interest in the affairs of Muslims. And surely he is not a Muslim who hears a Muslim calling for help and does not respond to his call."
He also says: "Muslims should treat one another as a human body which if any of its organs is in pain the other organs will look after it".
The previous Hadiths explain that if a Muslim individual or a Muslim people are subjected to an aggression, and they call for help then those who do not answer are not Muslims.
In the light of this, Islam orders every Muslim to support Muslims with all his capacities and whoever does not do that, will no longer be a Muslim.