The Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali bin Abitalib, says in his will: I advise you, all my children my relatives, and whosoever receives this message, to be conscious of Allah, The Most Exalted ’s message to be conscious of Allah, remove your differences and strengthen your ties. I heard your grandfather (The Messenger(p.) ) saying : Reconciliation of your differences is more worthy than all prayers and all fasting, and that hatred shaves (wipe out) religion and there is no power except with Allah.

In this will, the Imam talks about a very crucial issue and perhaps a critical one in our Muslim society. Although it is natural that people would differ in personal, religious or political matters, it is the responsibility of the society as a whole to reconcile between those who differ by all possible human means. Differences between people could lead to devastating consequences on the entire society. Difference between a married couple could lead to divorce, not to mention its effects on the lives of both the husband and the wife. Differences between the parents and the children might lead either to abandoning them or to rough treatment to the parents, which Allah, The Most Exalted, has prohibited. On the other hand, we have seen many parents abandoning their responsibility towards their children.

There are also the economic differences, whether on the level of individuals or having to do with the economy of the society, as well as political and sectarian differences which could lead to civil war. And this is what we are facing in Iraq where there are those who are working on inciting strife, especially through the use of certain sectarian leaders who seek to further strengthen their leadership by resorting to sectarian rhetoric. They are creating strife between Shiites and Sunnis and even within the same sect, thus opening the door for non-Muslims to exploit this rhetoric and create an armed conflict which the local leaders do not oppose even if it kills all Muslims. Then there are the differences between two Muslim states which might get complicated and lead to the boycott of the leaders of one state to that of the other with its devastating effects, on the citizens of the two countries including the non-Muslims.

Such critical consequences make us clearly understand why the Messenger said that reconciliation is more worthy than all prayers and all fasting. Both praying and fasting are individual issues of somewhat individual consequences, while strife affects the entire society and the entire nation. Thus, the danger it inflicts is much more greater than that of some Muslims not abiding by prayer or fasting.

And we know that the current differences between Muslim whether sectarian (Shiites and Sunnis) or racial (Arabs, Persians and Kurds) have enabled the arrogant countries – with America leading them- to dominate over the Muslim presence in the entire world. When we compare between the number of Americans who are only 200 millions and the number of Muslims who are about one and a half billion, we know that they have been able to impose their hegemony over all our strategic resources and political decision, only because they are united while we are divided both on the sectarian and racial levels… Such differences do- in the words of our Prophet -shave our religion, just as a blade shaves a man's hear.

When two persons engage in a feud they might curse one another or try to damage the other's interests. We have heard some people saying when they engage in a fight with others that all prohibitions are lifted- that they can now kill and destroy as they wish. All these things have negative consequences. They shave the religion. Some people fast, pray and perform all religious duties but they deem it lawful to kill another Muslim.

This is devastating and amounts to shaving the Religion, since it destroys Muslim unity and divides the Muslim nation.

Since reconciliation is vital and necessary, Allah has emphasized its necessity in the Glorious Quran encouraging people to intervene and reconcile those who differ and reminding those who incite strife that they will be punished Whoso intervenes in a good cause will have the reward thereof, and whoso intervenes in an evil cause will bear the consequence thereof. Allah oversees all things.

And in another Ayah, Allah considers settling differences as an act of obedience to Allah and His Messenger They ask you about the windfalls. Say: The windfalls are for Allah and the Messenger. So be careful of (your duty to) Allah and set aright matters of your difference, and obey Allah and His Messenger if you are believers). He also says:

The believers are but brethren, therefore make peace between your brethren and be careful of (your duty to) Allah that mercy may be had on you. If the relationship among Muslims is built on the basis of brotherhood which Allah has fastened by the rope of belief, than this brotherhood renders all Muslims responsible of solving any differences among Muslims for this is the line or piety and the means of attaining Allah's mercy.

In another Ayah, Allah explains that there is no good in much of our talk if it does not contain a call for performing good acts which include the reconciliation between people, and explains that the rewards of who those who do such acts of good will be great There is no good in most of their secret counsels except (in his) who enjoins charity or goodness or reconciliation between people; and whoever does this seeking Allah's pleasure, We will give him a mighty reward.

In one of his saying the Messenger(p.) considers reconciliation between those who differ as an act of charity "that Allah and His Messenger love". Imam As-Sadiq (a.s.) used to leave some money among some of his companions to be used in solving the differences among his Shiites in case solving the differences depended on paying some money.

Allah also says in his Glorious Book And make not Allah because of your swearing (by Him) an obstacle to your doing good and guarding (against evil) and making peace between men, and Allah is Hearing, Knowing. Imam As-Sadiq (a.s.) says in explaining the meaning of this Ayah that if you are called to solve a difference between two people, do not say I have sworn not to intervene. More importantly, Imam As-Sadiq (a.s.) explains that we are allowed to lie in order to reconcile among those who differ. He says: "The one who reconciles is not a lier". He also says: talking is of three kinds: Truth, lies and reconciliation among people". He explains that when you tell someone that the man he had differed with said good things about him you would be lying , but you will be rewarded for this lie .In such cases, lying is not only permissible. It is a duty.

The differences in our Islamic society, whether personal or between sects or even states have led to disastrous consequences that weakened Islam and Muslims. Therefore, we have to abide by the command of Allah and His Messenger, and the Imam's will when he was on his way to meet his Lord: To seek, each according to his ability, to reconcile Muslim differences.

A British newspaper published a story about US training of the air forces of several Arab allies in preparation for a possible war with Iran. The same paper reported that the Arab leaders justified this plan by saying that Iran is trying to establish itself as a regional superpower, which deems necessary to cooperate with the USA, both on the military and political levels.

What interest do these Arab states have in engaging in this declared American war at a time everyone knows that the security and the stability of the Arab region cannot be based on foreign projects that could only serve the American strategy of imposing the arrogant hegemony on our region, and prevent it from gaining any strength? Moreover, if this war erupts it will destroy and burn the entire region. Thus any alliance with the foreign powers, especially the Americans, will only distort the relations of the regional states, and will serve the American project only.

We hope that these states will act prudently and rationally, in that they will not go along with the American scheme. Instead, they should further increase the elements of trust between Iran and the Arabs, especially that Iran has continuously asserted that it seeks to establish good and friendly relations with the Arab states, and that the power of Iran is not against its neighbourhood, but rather a defensive force against US aggression.

We also notice that the American Administration has started to concentrate on the need to attack the Iranian Revolutionary Guards instead of the nuclear locations, since this Administration was not able to convince the American public opinion that Iran poses an eminent nuclear threat. This was accompanied by Bush's threat to Iran that it will be punished if it does not stop its intervention in Iraq. But we all know that the Revolutionary Guards is an official military institution of Iran.

The question is why do the Americans, Europeans and some of the Arabs talk only about the Iranian intervention in Iraq! Why don’t they talk about the issue of occupation that turned Iraq into a place of terror and chaos, as well as economic collapse and vast immigration? This could have an effect on the entire region, especially after the American Congress decision of dividing Iraq, which could develop to include other Muslim and Arab countries.

America's failure in Iraq, its mismanagement of its occupation and the resistance of the Iraqi people, have made it accuse all others. But the truth of the matter is that terrorism applies to its army and policies.

We believe that America will not achieve big results if it bombs Iran. It could be the opposite, since violence will call for more violence, but in the opposite direction.

If the US wants a solution to its impasse in the region Iran has said that it is ready to help in one way: To withdraw from Iraq.

On another level, the Enemy's Foreign Minister asked the Arab and Muslim worlds not to impose their conditions on Israel, and on the international Conference that Bush had called for, whether regarding peace, the viable Palestinian state, or the right of return and all the other vital issues such as Jerusalem.

She wants the Arab and Muslims to support the so-called peace process without providing their strategic views regarding a solution that can prevent the enemy from turning into a force that continues to force its hegemony over the Palestinian people, even after the Palestinian state is founded, since this state will be a limb one, that has no army and no independence.

This is what the Arabs who are running after the Israeli peace should be aware of. Since such an effort will only make them more tired and will lead them to fall more deeply in their political and economic failures.

In this occasion, the Arabs and Muslims should draw the liberation plan of Jerusalem, whether regarding the Aqsa Mosque which the Israelies are trying either to turn into a Jewish worshipping place or destroy it and build Salomon's temple in its place, or at the level of the city which the Israelis we trying to juidize and turn into an eternal capital of the Jewish state.

The Muslim peoples should remain in a permanent state of alert to defend Jerusalem and all of Palestine, both, the people and the sanctuaries.

The Jerusalem Day is a day of action. It is a day in which the Muslims express their commitment for liberation to secure the strength of Arabs and Muslims as well as their civilizational future.

Lebanon is facing critical challenges that have to do with its very existence and aim at proving that it did not succeed in peaceful coexistence and lead it to the Iraqi state of racial and sectarian partition and sectarian strife. To help reaching such a gaol, there are many rumours being spread about the political parties being armed, while sectarian mobilisation is taking advantage of the good heartedness of the people to fill them with hatred and enmity, in a way that the Lebanese is no longer Lebanese in his loyalty, but a slave of the sectarian leader who follows his instructions in whom to fight and how to yield to the external instructions that wants Lebanon a playground for its imperial strategies.

They want Lebanon to move from a regional tutelage into an international one, thus making freedom and independence empty slogans that are used in the political rows with other parties.

The problem with the Lebanese parties and leaders lies in that they do not take into consideration that the Lebanese are hungry and devastated in their feelings and fears, especially that the people have been addicted to those human idols whom they obey blindly.

In the meantime, Lebanon continues to remain an open land for those who want to conquer it by means of politics and a playground for criminals, while people are being influenced by the media, which confuses the minds and the commotions. The question is where do the people in charge of Lebanon, both inside the country and outside it, want to take Lebanon and which Lebanon do they want?