FRIDAY SPEECH September 21, 2001

“Allah only wishes to remove uncleanness from you Members of the family, and to purify you”(33:33).

This month is a sacred month of Rajab which Allah (SWT) proclaimed one of the four months of peace in which fighting is unlawful except in self –defense.

In the beginning of this month, we have two occasions, the births of 2 Imams: Imam Muhammad bin Ali Al-Baqir and Imam Ali Al-Hadi(A.S). Also today is the death anniversary of Imam Al-Hadi.

In this speech, I would like to reflect as much as possible on the role of these two Imams and learn some of their saying that we need as a guide in our life.

Imam Al-Baqir (A.s) was one of the Imams whom the circumstances enabled to work in the broad daylight.

Thus he was able to make the whole Muslim community benefit from his knowledge in the fields of Sharia, Philosophy, Islamic doctrine and history. To give but one example, Al-Tabari’s history account is filled with citations from Imam Al-Baqir (A.S.).

Imam Al-Baqir (A.S.) used to demand from his followers to ask him about everything that has to do with Islamic culture and he used to insist that if he told them anything they should ask for his proof or evidence. He wanted the Shiites and all Muslims in general, to go back to the Quran, as well as the Sunna which details the Quran and explains what might have been problematic in it, in everything they need to learn about. The Imam was quite patient and tolerant with all those who disagreed with him adhering to what the Quran called for in the norms of dialogue: If you differ with someone, whether in religious, political or any other Subject, you will not be able to convince him by pressure, intimidation or even accusations and cursing but rather with sound arguments.

This is what we should learn from the Quran, the Messenger (P) and the Members of his family (A.S.): Not to be disturbed by intellectual differences to the extent that we start to throw accusations at one another, and resort to evidence and sound arguments, We should also be guided by the Quranic rule of:

“Good and evil deeds are not alike. Requite evil with good and he between whom and you is enmity, will become your dearest friend”.

Imam Al-Baqir was concerned with the political issues of the nation, and he used to keep an eye on the external threats facing the state, the fact that it was Umayyad notwithstanding. For the Imam, like his grandfather, the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali bin Abi-Talib(A.S.), used to care of the interests of the Muslims in general and not his own personal interests. In this regard, he gave his advice to the Umayyad rulers when it came to the Roman threats, but when the opposition to the Umayyads grew the Imam supported it, because he saw that the fall of the Umayyad state was in the interest of Islam.

If Imam Al-Baqir had a chance to make the nation benefit from his academic and political insight as long as it was in a peaceful manner, Imam Muhammad Al-Hadi’s circumstances were quite different. He was haunted by the rulers and faced various pressures. Yet he resisted and did not yield.

The Imam was also concerned with any doctrinal, ideological or even philosophical deviation. He stood against those who tried to give certain words in the Holy Quran some meanings that they could not possibly have, he also refused any exaggeration regarding the issue of Imamate, and always insisted that Islam considers the mind the basis of thinking and believing.

His contribution in Islamic culture and education was so vast that he was admired by his contemporaries, as well as those who followed them.

We, the adheres of their Imamate of the Imams being the infallible successors of the Messenger (P), ought to review their sayings to be guided by them.

Imam Al-Baqir was told by a man called Abu Ismail:

We have a lot of Shiites . The Imam asked him: Do the rich give the poor, and does the offended forgives the offender and do they visit one another to offer condolences”.

When the man said that they do not the Imam said: “Those are not Shiites” since being a believer is in accordance to the Messenger (P)’s saying like any part of the body that looks after the part that gets sick.

In another saying, the Imam began by calling the Muslims to take care and be kind to one another, and then he went on to say: ”Tell those who follow us that it is their work and not us, who can do nothing, that makes Allah (SWT) forgive them. And tell them that piety is the way to be among our followers And tell them also that the most regretful among you on the day of judgment are those who knew what the right is but chose not to abide by it”.

The Imam underscored this theme in several sayings always maintaining that one’s work; and piety is the only road to Allah (SWT)’s satisfaction and not simply claiming to be a Shiite, which in itself means nothing but piety and obeying Allah (SWT) and His Messenger (P). He said once to the Shiite: “Be the middle pillow (that makes man’s sleep and rest comfortable) the fanatic will come back to you and the suspicious will believe in you, I swear by Allah (SWT) that we are not related to Him nor does He owes us any favor. We only draw close to Him by abeyance. If you obey God (SWT) you will benefit from being our followers, but if you disobey Him it will do you no good. Do not be deceived. Don’t be deceived”.

He says also: “Ali’s Shiites are those who help, love and visit one another. Those, who if they get angry, do not become unjust, and those who when pleased, will not over spend.

Those who would be a blessing to their neighbors and peaceful to those whom they deal with".

Imam Al-Hadi (A.S.) explains what is true belief by saying: It is what is in the heart and shown in the deeds”.

In another story, a man had many bad coincidences in one day. He hurt his finger and his clothes were torn, so it happened that he was cursing that day as he was going in to see the Imam. The Imam told him that the day has nothing to do with it since it is “Allah (SWT) who rewards and punishes.”

The man knew that he was wrong, and asked Allah for His forgiveness. These are some of the Sayings of Ahl el-Beit that we ought to abide by. being the line of the right, truth and Islam.

Be pious in all you do and say.And Remember always that we have to fight any wrong doing and take The Messenger (p.) and the Imams (a.s.) as our role models in fighting against oppression. Thus we ought to know who these oppressors are and what are their plans and schemes.

The Intifada which is about to enter its second year, has proven that it is still going on in spite of all the pressures that followed the American event that preoccupied the whole world, and gave Israel a golden opportunity to launch several attacks on Palestinian cities.

Thus Israel, in addition to the brutal killings that were executed in these attacks, is trying to portray the Martyr operations as similar to the suicide operations in the U.S., to suggest that this the Islamic way of confronting the civilized world, and thus trying to hold the Arabs- the Palestinians too- responsible for the American event.

Then there was the American attempt to force the Palestinians to accept a ceasefire under the influence of the atmosphere of the panic the American Administration created in the region. But the Mujahideen were able to violate the rules of the American game and prove that the Intifada will continue, because there is no other alternative but to go on with the Struggle…

I would like to warn the Arab and Muslim countries against accepting the American plan which aims at finding a solution to the Palestinian cause by accepting the Israeli conditions, by trying to suggest that America will pressurize Israel in return for the Arab alliance with the U.S. against what it calls terrorism…Despite the fact that it would not give the Palestinians much, especially that has to do with the Palestinian national aspirations…

just as they did in the aftermath of the Second Gulf war when they took the Arabs to the Madrid Conference that produced the Oslo agreement, which packed the Palestinians in the Israeli corner.

We warn our faithful Mujahideen brothers in Palestine against falling in this new-old game, which aims at the fall of their liberation movement into a maze of political negotiations…

We ask the Arab and Muslim peoples to continue their support to the Palestinian people in this critical stage. We also ask them to pressurize their rulers so as not to give political concessions… This Intifada–Liberation movement is the highest virtue that resembles the pride of the nation in the present as well as the future. It is a big crime for anyone to try to put it off by any means.

Exploiting what it is now calling the war against terrorism for the sake of all humanity, America is actually trying to restore its pride and ability to intimidate the world. It is threatening the small countries that they will be isolated both politically and economically if they do not join the coalition.. As for the big Powers that are already in the alliance it is trying to intimidate them by saying that they will be subjected to the same kind of “terror” if they do not get along with the American plan.

America is waging a psychological war against the Arab and Muslim nations flexing its military muscles in several regions and threatening to strike Afghanistam and other countries, as well as an economic blockade to the countries that do not wish to join the coalition. As we appreciate the position of the Western contries that tried to distance themselves from the atmosphere of hatred against Islam, we believe that this atmosphere has been initiated right after the fall of the Soviet Union, when the NATO considered Islam as the new enemy of the West. Therefore, the hatred we now see against Muslims and Arabs is a natural result of the sociopolitical education in the West.

We should not fall under the influence of this psychological war. America is not a fate that cannot be eluded. The nations too have their points of strength. America might start the war, but this does not mean that it will win in the end. A storm might devastates many places ,will destroy itself in the end.

We in Lebanon, were the victims of a mad war that America had planned for.We also suffered from several terrorist operations like the one in Beir Al Abd where many victims fell as a result of American terrorism. These operations were topped by the Israeli invasion that produced several massacres especially that of Sabra and Shatila. We should not also forget the massacre of Kana.

All these Israeli massacres were committed with America supporting Israel and hindering any condemnation for it in the UN. It still supports its terrorism against the Palestinian people, who is only asking for his freedom.

Does America want the Arab and Muslim countries to support Israeli terror against the Palestinians? Do they want the regimes to oppress the peoples in the name of Combating terrorism. For America considers any one who opposes it policies a terrorist, as we saw when the new American Ambassador in Lebanon described the Mujahidean in the Islamic Resistance as terrorists.

We should adhere to our principles that enable us to differentiae between terrorism and resistance. And we should know that America is practicing political economic and military terror against the Arab and Muslim worlds.

We should say to America that it could not achieve a victory over what it calls terrorism unless it stops its policy of oppressing the nations.

Because these policies are a fertile ground for producing violence that may eventually turn to terrorist acts.