FridaySpeeches > 2006 Speeches > 07/04/2006

In the Name of Allah, The Compassionate, the Merciful.

The Religious Authority H.E. Sayyed M. H. Fadlullah delivered the two Friday prayer sermons at the Imamain Al-Hassanain Mosque,7th April 2006, Several prominent religious scholars, dignitaries and thousands of believers attended the Jumu’a prayer.

The Sublime Morals of Imam Al-Hasan Al-Askari (a.s.)

 

The First Sermon

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
 

Allah says in His Glorious Book:. : Allah only wishes to remove all abomination from you, ye members of the Family, and to make you pure and spotless

One of the Imams of this Family is the 11th Imam, Al-Hasan bin Ali Al-Askari(a.s.) whose death anniversary was on the 8th of Rabi' Al-Awal.

Although the Imam died young, he was graced with all the characteristics whether moral or scientific that no one in his age matched, and that qualified him to lead and become an Imam. One of those in the ruling dynasty in his age says: none of the family of Bani Hashim is entitled to it (the caliphate ) more than him (the Imam) because of his great merit, his self restraint, his modesty, his fasting, his prayer…. He added saying: ‘I have never seen the one who is more plentiful in knowledge and manner, nor sweet in tongue than Hassan al Askari’. He was honored and more respected than other man among the members of his clan, bani Hashim, even among the senior citizens and those of high social status, He also held the same position among the leaders and the rank of file of the community of his age.

The Imam reached this position, because his role was the role of imamate that opens the minds of the people on the message of Islam , Muhammad and the rest of the Imams who were entrusted with this Message.

He had many students of religious scholars and narrators of the Prophetic traditions, and he left a great impact an the society despite his young age, to the extent that his enemies had the same impression that his friends had of him. Thus he was able to gain the trust of the entire society.

The Abbasids, the rulers at that time, were afraid of this trust the people had for Ahl al-Beit for the people were convinced that this ought to be Imams and thought that they were better than the caliphs. Such a hatred coupled with fear of overthrowing him, drove the Caliph to imprison him. The Abbasid rulers called the warden and asked him to persecute him, but he told them. What else can I do? I have asked two of the most evil persons, on earth to handle him, but after they came in contact with him they started to spend their time in worshiper praying. The warden then brought the two men and asked them: What is the matter with you, and they said: What can you say about a man who fasts his day and prays throughout the night and is only concerned with worshipping? If he looks at us, we would tremble and lose any control over ourselves. Thus the Imam failed all their plots, for he had a spiritual power that when others looked at him they will be filled with his spirituality, and feel humble before him.

We also read in his biography that one of his contemporary philosophers, probably Al-Kindi, wrote a book criticizing the Quran, the Imam heard about it, and told his students to go and discuss the issue with him. When they said that they do not have the ability to refute his arguments he told them: "I'll tell you what to say. Go and tell him: You wrote a book criticizing the Quran based on your own understanding, Is not it possible that He Who created the Quran has intended a different meaning than the one you understood. When Al-Kindi thought about what they had to say and acknowledged that they were right, he asked them but who gave you this idea, and they said it was Al-Hasan Al-Askari.

He was not surprised because he knew that Ahl el-Beit were known for there scholarship, and he tore his book.

The Imams used to follow up the cultural movement of their times, especially those who try to criticize Islam or the Quran. We too, I mean the religious scholars, whether religious authorities or teachers, have to study all the misconceptions or distortions that Islam could be accused of, especially that these misleading claims have grown out of any proportion. They seek to undermine Islam, and lead the Muslims away from it.

Therefore, the religious scholars bare a huge responsibility in following up these claims and proving their falsehood .

One of the issues the Imams dealt with was the Quranic rule that the male's share is equal to that of two females. The Imam(a.s.) explained that the woman was not supposed to fight and those who fought had to buy their own weaponry. Moreover, the married woman has no obligation to sustain herself or her family, even if she were rich. She does not pay a dowry … etc.

On the occasion of the death of Imam Al-Askari, we are to be blessed by the Imamate of the twelfth Imams who assumed the imamate following the death of his father, just as Yahia whom "We gave him wisdom even as a youth" and Jesus who become a prophet" Surely I am a servant of Allah; He has given me the Book and made me a prophet.

In the memory of the Ahel-Beit Imams, we live the spirit of waiting for the Imam who will come in the end of time to fill earth with justice, as it was filled with wronging and oppression.

May Allah put us in his army and among his followers.

 

 

The Second Sermon

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

 

America, a political and security tumour in the region

The American Secretary of State admitted that her administration has made thousands of tactical mistakes in the region, including the occupation of Iraq.

But who will pay the price, especially if these mistakes have led the wounding and killing tens of thousands?

And what will be the price of the new mistakes that can be strategic this time, since they are related to destiny of the peoples of the region, which America does not respect. It only cares about its arrogant interests, as we have seen in its support of Israel and its settlement projects, or its besiege of the Palestinian economy and punishing its elected government.

Moreover, the American Administration is further destabilizing the situation in Iraq. It prevents the Iraqis from choosing their democratically elected prime minister and preventing any Iraqi government from obtaining the neccssary economic and security power it needs. It also constantly declares that the occupation will stay in Iraq, whether through the new military bases it is deploying, or through maintaining the state of anarchy that has made Iraq live an on-going tragedy of daily massacres and explosions, that last of which being the brutal massacre of Al-Najaf.

The peoples of the region see in the United States a political and security cancer that prevents any stability and that hinders the development of Iraq, all this in the name of deceiving slogans like human rights, fighting terrorism and spreading democracy, while in fact it merely uses them as a pretence to justify its hegemony over the world.

On of these methods is the American position regarding the peaceful Iranian nuclear project that is used to wage a diplomatic war against Iran, and even threatening to attack it, while at the same time finding justification to Israel's possession of weapons of mass destruction.

America also interferes in Lebanon, though its allies who pressurize the Resistance to disarm, using false justifications that are not accompanied by any realistic defence plan against Israel's continuous aggressions and threats. They also destabilize the Lebanese – Syrian relations, although the political, security and economic integration of Lebanon with its Arab environment is what gives Lebanon the base to develop and grow.

We appeal to the peoples of the Arab and Islamic worlds to rise to the level of responsibility in confronting this American- Israeli danger, that is joined by the Europeans, seek to enhance their independence, and their economic cooperation as well as join all efforts in building their strength, especially in supporting the new Palestinian government which is being besieged to prevent it from executing its developmental projects.

The current dangers threaten all of us, at a time Israel is growing stronger while we are becoming weaker, especially when some regimes have moved to execute the American Israeli plan in the Arab Islamic region.

Lebanon: Dialogue inside the institutions

In Lebanon, the dialogue has become more like a dialogue between deaf people. Moreover, why do the politicians conduct their dialogue concerning the country's issues outside the institutions that they are supposed to solve their differences in? Is not that a proof that they do not have confidence in these institutions that have turned into a place of rows, insults and irresponsible means?

The government is talking about its reform project, we ask, along with the people: Does this project include additional taxes that will increase the burden or the people, especially the poor? And will these projects solve the economic problem? Could we solve the economic problem without solving the political problems that define the responsibility of the various institutions in planning to confront the difficult challenges of the poor in the deprived areas? Is there any plan for creating jobs to the youth to prevent them from immigration? How do we give the teachers, the employees and the workers their rights to enable them to live a decent living?

These are questions the state and those taking part in the dialogue should study before the country reaches economic and financial collapse having been politically bankrupt. These are not challenging questions but rather the cries of the suffering peoples.