Allah says in the Glorious Quran “And Allah only wishes to remove all abomination from you, ye members of the Family, [Ahl el-Beit] and to make you pure and spotless.
One of the Imams of Ahl el-Beit is Imam Jaa'far As-Sadiq (a.s.) whose death anniversary is on the 25^th of this month. Talking about this Imam is a broad one as wide as Islam, since he represents in his academic, moral, jurisprudential, ideological and human histories an intellectual and cultural phenomenon that rises to the level of responsibility of the imamate in enriching the life of people by means of Islam, just as the Messenger (p.)  and the Imams  who came before him did.

One of the particular traits of the Imam (a.s.) is that he wanted the Shiites (Followers) of Ahl el-Beit to be Islamically educated in such a way that they do not have to ask anyone about the issues of their religion. He is reported to have said that he wished that the whips were on the heads of his companions to learn about Halal and Haram. Thus the Imam worked on enriching the knowledge of the Muslims in Islam away from any sectarian prejudice.

He used to teach students who did not follow the Imami school, nor did they believe in the Imamate of the Imams Ahl-el Beit. One of these students was Abu Hanifa, the Imam of the Suni Hanifi school of thought, who used to say that had not been for the two years he spent as a student of the Imam he was doomed, for he learnt from him what expanded his knowledge and showed him what Islam really is.

Thus, a lot of students of the Sunni sects used to attend his classes, including the Imam of the Maliki sect, Malik bin Anas. The Imam's school of thought, jurisprudence, theology, and Islamic culture spread to all parts of the Islamic world, to the extent that some of historians, and Islamic scholars say: "I entered the Kufa Mosque… where the classes were being held, and found 900 sheiks – teachers saying: Jaa'far As-Sadiq told me". Those religious scholars were the vehicles that spread the Imam's views in all Islamic issues, although not all of them were Shiites. Some histories have said that those who cited the Imams were 4 thousand Hadith scholars.

Another point the Imam is distinguished with was his opening up on all thought, even the atheists who used to meet with the Imam in the Masjid Al-Haram in the Hajj season, and discuss with him theological and philosophical issues including the existence of Allah.

He used to be very tolerant in answering them, even when they resorted to mockery at such issues as circumambulation around the sacred House. In his answers the Imam resorted to logic and strong evidence without any violence to the extent that one of them said: "I have not seen anybody worth of being called a human being except Imam Jaa'far As-Sadiq (a.s.). A heretic also said: I have not seen anyone who becomes spiritual when he wants and materialistic when he wants except Imam Jaa'far As-Sadiq.

The Imam believed that when you differ with someone, you should not persecute him or act violently with him, but you ought to listen tolerantly to his view and engage in a dialogue with him. This has always been the role of the callers whether Prophets, messengers or Imams to listen to the views even if they were negative so that they convince the people that they were wrong in a very gentle and smooth way: This is how Allah described His Messenger with when he hold him that it was a Mercy from God that he was lenient with them "had you been tough, hard hearted they would certainly have dispersed from around you".

The call

As the Imam did not feel that there was an opportunity to revolt against the tyrant Abbasids, he opted to build an educated and knowledgeable Muslim society that would discover any deviation in any rule. The Imam(a.s.)  highlighted the moral, social and  spiritual systems in Islam, as well as certain political issues.

One of these issues is the issue of freedom, which we need now as the challenges that face Islam and Muslims mount. The Imam wanted man to be free in his thoughts, will, actions and positions. He should cling to this freedom and not fall in the face of any challenge he might confront in his life.

The Imam emphasized that freedom springs from the depth of the human being and not from the outside, by a ruler's decree or such; Imam Ali (a.s.) used to say: "Do not be a slave of others, while Allah has made you free". Imam As-Sadiq (a.s.) associated between freedom and patience, because freedom is the force we need when we are confronted with big challenges. It needs a lot of effort and costs a lot of sacrifice.

He says: A free man is a free man under all circumstances. If he is in trouble he is patient, calamities do not break him even if he is imprisoned and overpowered and put in difficulties. Hence, imprisonment and slavery could not harm the honourable Yusuf (a.s.). Darkness and fright of a well could not put him to loss until Allah made him His messenger and pitied the nation because of him. Patience and forbearance is like this. It always results in good. So be patient and tolerant so as to see its reward. 

He also used to say: Forbearance is for faith what a head is for a body. One who has no patience has no faith.

The believers’ traits

In the end, the Imam described the traits of the believers as such: A believer should have eight traits:
 (1) He should maintain his dignity when calamities befall him, (2) he should be patient when he is in trouble, (3) he should be grateful when he has plenty of blessings, (4) he should be content with his share of God-given daily bread, (5) he should not be oppressive with his enemies, (he should give them  their rights )(6) he should not  flatter his friends, (7) he should use his body to the extent of fatigue  (to perform his duties), and (8) the people should be safe from him since he only does what is good to them. Knowledge and reason is like a believer's friend (since it enables him to differentiate between good and bad). Patience is like his prime minister, and perseverance is like the head of his army. Kindness is like his brother, and gentleness is like his father.”

 Ahl el-Beit: A Guide to Piety and knowledge:

Dear beloved,

 I call all the intellectuals in the world especially the Muslims, to study the Imam in a scientific way, because his heritage is an encyclopaedic one that encompassed all Muslim needs. We should always study this heritage because it is our way of knowing our religion and not turn the Imams into an occasion for crying. Nay, the Imams are a movement of culture, progress and awareness.

They are the boat of knowledge, good, piety and freedom that Allah wanted us to ride to rise to the level that Allah loves and is satisfied with.

The Second Sermon

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

 Israel's Plan to Judaise Palestine

The Israeli negotiating team is still taking the Palestinians to an endless political maze, demanding a full implementation of the Road Map, while Israel chooses whatever it wants, especially with the additional conditions that prevent the Palestinians from attaining any meaningful accomplishments.

On another level, the Israeli Deputy Prime Minster is calling for a population exchange that guarantees a Jewish majority in the Jewish entity. He also stressed the need of keeping East Jerusalem and the Aqsa Mosque under the Israeli sovereignty, refusing the right of refugees to return, and the opening of a safe passage between Gaza and the West Bank.

But first and far most, he and other Israeli officials want the settlement to ensure the Jewish nature of the Israeli state. To achieve this aim they are calling all Jews of the world to return to Palestine to leave no chance to the Palestinians to expand in their land or to return to their homes.

The question that is posed to the Arabs with those who have established diplomatic relations with Israel, putting their stakes on the international conference is: What cards do they have that could strengthen their position in the negotiations, at a time they know that their Beirut initiative is worthless as a basis for peace in the eyes of America and Israel and that the goals the PA seeks to accomplish does not represent a viable state, as long as the Israelis do not dismantle the large settlements and the racial wall, and as along as  they continue to confiscate Jerusalem and keep their control on the waters?

It is funny that some Arab officials, who have not made peace with the enemy yet, say that they are going to attend the conference, since it does not represent any normalization with the enemy, for its similar to their presence in the international conferences and the UN. But they are deceiving none but themselves, sine their conference is held specifically to meet with the enemy and normalize relations with him even if only in principle, without getting any political gains for the Arab and Palestinian cause.

Therefore, we repeat our call to the Arabs not to attend this conference, especially that we have heard some top Arab officials raising doubts about its success, since the conditions for its success are not available meaning that the Arab attendance is a result of American pressure and Israeli extortion.

On another level, Israel continues its policy of collective punishment in Palestine, especially against the civilians in Gaza, depriving them of fuel and power. We have heard some foreign countries protest against such acts, but none of the Arab countries. Nevertheless, these protests were not accompanied by any pressure to stop such inhumanity acts that are at breach to the very basic human rights.

Barbaric Israeli violations and Arab silence

Some Arabs ask: Why did not the Egyptian government take the initiative to rescue the Palestinians in Gaza, by providing them with fuel, power and other essential needs? How do we explain such indifference?

Then there is the shelling and bombing against the civilians in Gaza and the detentions and assassinations in the West Bank.

The enemy has also begun military exercises in the Galilee area near the Lebanese borders, in which all its army units are taking part, which raises speculation that it is planning for a war with Lebanon and Syria, especially that the 1701 resolution has not been yet fully implemented and no ceasefire has been declared. Nevertheless neither UNIFIL nor the Lebanese state did take any action. Despite all this, some Lebanese who talk about freedom and sovereignty continue to demand a disarming of the Resistance, on the pretence that it undermines the state that does not have a strategic plan to defend Lebanon, especially that the United States refuses to arm the Lebanese Army up to the level that makes it a strong one.

Iran: A Balanced position

America, Europe and Israel continue to demand that Iran should stop enriching uranium, claiming that Iran plans to make a nuclear bomb. But the Atomic Agency has ensured that there is no evidence that Iran aims at making nuclear weapons. Such declaration did not please the enemies of Iran who do not want to listen to any talk about the real motive of Iran namely peaceful benefits. The West does not want Iran to have the strength that enables her to develop its economy and attain scientific know–how that will make her not dependent on other states.

It is funny that enemy's entity that owns the biggest nuclear arsenal that threatens the region in sending top officials to China and Europe to convince them of economic sanctions against Iran as if Israel is a state of peace.

Iran has tried, through its foreign minister, to face the hostile campaign in a rational and balanced way. He said that Washington has two options either seek a peaceful understanding or confrontation, and that Iran prefers the first option. He also considered that the latest American sanctions will not solve Washington's problems and will increase the US isolation.

Lebanon: The Presidential elections will not end the crisis

The division in Lebanon is very deep, and the declared foreign positions that suggest that they are waiting for the Lebanese to come to an agreement, is but a mask that covers that they are the ones who are preventing the Lebanese from reconciliation until they themselves find an understanding for the regional issues. Thus, there is nothing more difficult than the internal agreement except the external agreement.

The problem in Lebanon is that all the elements of the current crises cannot be solved without the intervention of the foreign tutelage, that some even do not deny. The electing of a new president in time will not solve the problems, for he will not be able to solve all the complicated problems that destabilize the country which will continue to be influenced by the regional crisis even to the extent of a security crisis-God forbids.

Then there is the economic crisis that has reached unprecedented levels with prices soaring and incomes decreasing, while some of those whose houses or shops were destroyed are not being addressed in a balanced manner. Movement to solve this problem is very slow and influenced by political complications… Would the people find a reason to celebrate that they have a new president, or will the crisis continue with or without him?