Friday speeches 21 Jumada'I 1425h/9 July 2004AD

One of the things Islam has emphasized as a basic moral trait regarding the believer's relations with others, especially those who are weaker than him, is to be calm and tolerant towards the abuses and challenges one might face. When faced by a surge of temper he is to face things in a rational and calm manner that would return the problem to its actual size and deal with it in a way that would eliminate all its negative consequences.

You should act throughout your life in a way that naturalizes your instinctual reactions. Let your mind study all the consequences of any act, and plan your actions so that you will know where you begin from and where you will end. This issue was discussed by Islam in several Quranic verses and prophetic traditions.

We know that Allah talked about the manners of the unbelievers and described their attitude as characterized by the zealotry of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance. “And hasten to forgiveness from your Lord; and a Garden, the extensiveness of which is (as) the heavens and the earth, it is prepared for those who guard (against evil). : Those who spend (benevolently) in ease as well as in straitness, and those who restrain (their) anger and pardon men; and Allah loves the doers of good (to others)”(03:133-134). A condition of blind anger that turns every action one takes into an irrational and emotional reaction.

A believer in contrast must be pious which means that he has to seek in every action he takes Allah's satisfaction. He has to make sure that these actions are based on justice and love for they are the norms Allah has called on us to abide by.

Once, the Messenger was asked by a man to advise him, he only said: “Don't be angry, since anger puts the mind at rest and drives man to practice what could be described as madness”.

The Prophet also said that madness is “an ember from the devil”.

Imam Ali says: “You should never be angry, since it starts with madness and ends with remorse". People often say after they act in anger that they are sorry because they lost their minds… This is also true in many cases of divorce, where it is usually a result of an emotional reaction of anger and loss of temper.

Therefore, we are commanded by the Islamic Shariah to remember Allah, since when we do, we would remember His anger, for He would be angry with us if we disobey Him.

Then, we would calm down and be more rational in our behavior to avoid His anger. Imam Zein Al-Abideen says in one of His supplications: “O God, You have ordered us to forgive those who have wronged us to ourselves. So, forgive us, for we have wronged ourselves”.

Jesus Christ (a.s.) is said to have answered his disciples about what the toughest thing is: It is Allah's wrath. "And how could we avoid it? They asked, and Christ said: "By not getting angry".

Balance and stability

Regarding the issue of strength and how people can attain it, the Prophet is said to have passed by a group of people trying each in turn to lift a rock, since they thought, as was prevalent among them and still is now, that strength is a physical phenomenon.

The Prophet told them: "Would you want me to tell you who the strongest among you is?"

It is not physical strength, for this could be acquired through training; it is the ability to suppress one’s feelings and remain balanced: “The strongest among you is he who if pleased, he would not let his feelings lead to committing any sin or falsehood, and if angered, he would not let his anger prevent him from saying the truth, and if enabled (become strong enough to force his wishes, he would not act in a way that violates rights".

This is the real strength of human; those who would not act in a way that violate rights.

This is the real strength, of humans; those who would not take any step unless they know it pleases God.

Man ought to be as strong as a mountain when it comes to his willpower. He should not take any action out of anger and he should be well aware of what this action could lead to. I have related to you the story of that young man who came to the Prophet seeking advice and the Prophet told him: “If you decide on doing something you have to think about its consequences. Then you will go on if they are good, but you have to stop if they are bad."

This also was what the Prophet ordered a man who lived in a region of tribal feuds, something which we live today where tribes, sects and political parties tend to resort to their sectarian and partisan instincts in every electoral occasion or any other political difference. Going back to the story the Prophet told the man: "Just do not get angry", repeating it three times.

The man went and found that his tribe and the other tribe were about to fight one another. He first listened to his instincts and stood with his tribe but he then remembered the Prophet's will and calmed down.

He then went to the other tribe and told them that he will pay for any compensation they want. They were moved by his gesture and told him that they no longer want any compensation and that they are ready to make peace. Thus, in the end, reason had the upper hand.

Allah has promised those who restrain their anger to dwell in Heaven. When those who disbelieved harbored in their hearts (feelings of) disdain, the zealotry of (the days of) ignorance, but Allah sent down His tranquility on His Messenger and on the believers, and made them keep the word of guarding (against evil), and they were entitled to it and worthy of it; and Allah is Cognizant of all things. (48:26)

What could be more profitable than such an exchange?

As we live in a society of tribal fanaticism and at a time when all local, regional and international services are trying to exploit our religious, sectarian and political differences to incite internal strife among us, we have to resort to our minds as the only power in charge. We have to let our minds rule our instincts and not the other way round. Let us remember Allah when we are angry to ask for His satisfaction when we are pleased and avoid His anger when we are angry.

Israel trains its troops daily on killing Palestinian civilians especially children.

It trains its pilots on bombing cars and houses, killing many martyrs every day… while its bulldozers demolish additional houses and gardens.

The world looks at these daily massacres in an almost indifferent way, and then they would talk about freedom, democracy and human rights.

And Bush will tell you about Sharon, being a “man of peace”. He understands peace as being equivalent to occupation and killing people on the basis of unfounded suspicions just as the CIA justified the war against Iraq.

As for the Quartet Committee, it only provides advice for the Palestinians and demands that they should engage in reform before giving them any financial aid. The Committee has also supported the suspicious Israel's plan to withdraw from Gaza.

They also have shyly objected on Israeli refusal for any foreign interference in the peace making process, unless it is American. This is means that the members of this Committee do not represent any active role in reaching a solution even through the "Road Map"…

In these circumstances, it is ironic that the director of the Atomic energy International Agency has declared during his visit to Israel that he came to better understand Israeli security concerns although Israel did not offer him anything and did not even let him visit its atomic reactor in Dimona.

Thus, Israel that possesses the biggest nuclear biological and chemical weapons arsenal in the region is trying, along with America, to pressurize Iran to end its civilian atomic program. Although the Islamic Republic has signed all the relevant international treaties and declared many a time that it does not wish to make an atomic bomb, despite all the challenges it faces.

It is interesting that the European Union should join America and Israel in pressurizing Iran. International politics in now more or less based on yielding to America pressure to give Israel all the freedom it needs to intimidate the region with all the advanced WMDs weapons it has, without giving these countries even the right to defend themselves.

Faced by such conditions, the peoples of the region, especially the Palestinians, have to resort to remain steadfast, develop their own potentials, and contrive to resist all attempts of international arrogance to practice hegemony. We advise the EU, as well Russia and the UN, not to yield to America pressures in adopting policies that run counter to the interests of the peoples. For it will be counter productive regarding their own political and economic interests.

As for the racial wall that is considered one of the biggest racial crimes in contemporary history, the enemy has decided to continue to build it despite all objections even what will come out of the International Court of Justice in this respect… The problem of the entire region lies in that America has opposed the issuing of any stance that Israel dislikes. For it considers itself and Israel above international law.

In Iraq, the security instability the country lives in with daily massacres that target civilians still imposes itself on the entire situation.

Meanwhile, the American forces and their allies are doing nothing to protect the people, while the Iraqi government does not have the power to pursue any real security.

We believe that Iraqis need a strong national reconciliation that does not include criminals who killed innocent people. They have to have a consensus on the need of getting the occupation out of the country and not to utilize its support against fellow Iraqis. Iraq also needs to reach an understanding with neighboring countries that wishes Iraq no harm, instead of holding the American stick in their faces.

If the occupation hangs on, many internal and external forces will opt to use all legitimate and illegitimate means against it. Moreover, this inciting of sectarian strife that has produced terrible and bloody incidents will lead to a civil strife that serves the occupation only...

Iraqis need now, more than ever, a coherent and strong internal unity, and those who are inciting sectarian strife need to know that the temple will fall on their heads too.

Lebanon that holds the rank of 78 on the corruption list is in a desperate need for those in charge to study things from the inside, so that they will get to know the citizens’ vital needs and causes.

They should not listen to any outside suggest that cares not about any Lebanese interests in issues like importing food or medicine without abiding by the necessary qualifications, thus threatening peoples lives poverty, unemployment, or immigration…etc.

Public money is the property of the entire people but there are some influential parties who are putting their hands on it to make fortunes, without any accountability. Meanwhile, they talk about the coming elections. In this respect, we ask: is history going to repeat itself or are we going to see a new dawn and a new future?.