Friday speeches Rajab 07 1426 H, August 12 2005 A.D

“Allah only desires to keep away the uncleanness from you, O people of the House! and to purify you” (33:33)

One of these purified Imams is the tenth Imam Ali Bin Muhammad Al-Hadi (as) whose death anniversary is on the 3rd of Rajab, which was a few days ago. This Imam, like his fathers before him, was concerned with correcting the false conceptions of Islamic law and doctrine, as well as man’s freedom in life. He was so knowledgeable that the scholars of his time used to come to him to learn and, according to historians; he had about 185 scholars who recorded the teachings and the hadiths he told them.

The Imam(as) used to be concerned about correcting any misconception in society, whether regarding exaggerations concerning the position of the Members of the House or certain ideological beliefs. He used to warn his companions who did this and tell them that they were distorting the image of Islam.

This is actually the true role of the Imamate. The Imam does not bring a new religion or new doctrines, for God had completed his religion when he told His Prophet:

“This day have I perfected for you your religion and completed My favour on you and chosen for you Islam as a religion” (5:3)

Therefore, after Muhammad (p.) there was no addition to the religion, and the Imams role was specifically to watch out and make sure that there is no deviation from the religion and that people follow the straight path. This was the role the Imam Al-Hadi(a.s.) assumed.

The Imam Al-Hadi(a.s.) had a very distinguished position among his contemporaries, even among the members of the regime of the time who used to plot against him and persecute him. They had to stand up for him whenever he came. Someone once asked: “Why do we stand up for this man? He is not the most noble, nor the eldest, nor the strongest nor the most knowledgeable. We are not going to stand up for him again” Nevertheless, when they saw him coming the next time they all felt compelled to stand up.

Moreover, when the Abbasid Al-Mutawakil, who was one of the fiercest enemies of Ahl-Al-Beit, got sick, his mother vowed that if he got well she would give the Imam Hadi 10 000 Dinars. So , when he recovered, she sent him the money because she could not find anyone in her community,

who could intercede with God better than the Imam Al-Hadi(as). The Imam used to correct the prevailing misconceptions about Islam within the community like believing that certain days were unlucky and holding them responsible for the catastrophes that might happen to them, like losing a loved one. This is an idea that Islam rejects because the day has nothing to do with what happens in it. Days are merely a part of the ongoing time.

One of the companions of the Imam Al-Hadi, Al-Hassan Bin Massoud tells the following story:

“One day I visited the Imam Al-Hadi, having had an accident in which my shoulder was hurt and my clothes were torn and I said: ‘What a bad day. My God prevent it from making more troubles for me.’ The Imam said: ‘You are putting the blame for your faults on someone that can make no mistakes.’ So I knew that I was wrong and I asked God to forgive me. The Imam said: ‘What have the days to do with whether or not you are punished for the sins you have committed.’”

“Corruption has appeared in the land and the sea on account of what the hands of men have wrought, that He may make them taste a part of that which they have done, so that they may return” (30:41)

“Then, when I started to ask God for forgiveness again, the Imam(as) said to me: ‘God will punish you for blaming the days for what they are not responsible for. Don’t you know that God is the One Who rewards and the One Who punishes.”

By taking this stand, the Imam(as) wants to rid us of all superstitious traditions and many practices we used to do that have no basis of truth behind them, e.g. when something bad happens to someone and he goes to witches or wizards to dispel the curse or tell him his fortune. And people would pay money for all this nonsense. For God, when He created the Universe had a reason and a cause for everything whether it be rain, earthquakes or plants. Therefore, we should be reasonable and not put trust in these people who do not know what they are talking about and can do us no good.

In another saying the Imam says:

“Who fears God will be feared. He who obeys God will be obeyed. He who obeys God does not care about the anger of His creations. He who angers the Creator will have to face the anger of those created.”

Thus God’s satisfaction is above the satisfaction of all others. If God who controls this world and the next is pleased with you, how significant is the anger of others? An Arab poet once said: I only care for Your satisfaction even if everyone else is angry.”

We have to follow the line of Ahl-Al-Beit, since they are God’s evidence and since they guide us along the straight path of Islam. May God bless the Imam Al-Hadi(a.s.), the day he was born, the day he died and the day he will be brought back to life.

As Israel prepares to withdraw from the Gaza Strip, it has waged a political/media campaign across the world, especially in the West, to promote a peace plan in which it portrays itself as committed to the Palestinian cause, in order to polish its image for the international public opinion. But, at the same time, it is threatening the Palestinian people to tighten its grip on the West Bank that it considers to be a part of Biblical Israel and which is where the settlers from Gaza will move to as part of a new settlement project that might even extend to receive Jews from other parts of the world.

On its part, the International “Quartet” Committee that initiated the “Road Map” is being reluctant to implement it. The United States represented by its President, Bush, has even agreed to Sharon’s terms that render the whole plan ineffective. He also agreed to Sharon’s “NOs”. The “no” to the return of the Palestinian refugees, the “no” to the withdrawal to the 1967 lands and the “no” to the demolishing of the racist separatist wall. He has also the accepted the annexation of any peace of land, whether in Jerusalem or in any other part of the country in the name of Israeli security. How are we to face the future then? Is the idea of a Palestinian state still realistic? We put this question to the helpless Palestinian Authority that can do nothing other than talk about implementing the law, stopping the Intifada and perhaps even disarming those involved in it.

We believe that the Palestinians in Gaza and elsewhere have the right to internal security in their private lives since this is the condition that allows us to stay strong, stable and unified. But things have to be studied thoroughly to ensure that the withdrawal from Gaza is not at the expense of the rest of the Palestine liberation and that this withdrawal, due to extensive efforts of the Resistance, will not lead to the loss of the whole cause on a regional and international level.

We call upon the Palestinian people to prove to the whole world that it has the ability to liberate its lands, as well as carry out the plan that ensures its liberty in every way. They have to prove that they are able to manage their political and factional differences through dialogue and mutual understanding since this is one of the most difficult stages that the Palestinian cause has gone through.

We want all the Palestinians to believe that the enemy’s withdrawal from Gaza is part of its plan to besiege it whether at the borders, the crossing points or in other places since it represents the racist occupation that rejects the independence of the Palestinian people.

The American occupation of Iraq still imposes itself on every aspect of Iraqi life, even at the level of the constitution where the American President pressurises one party or another to add certain provisions while those in charge in Iraq cannot disobey him. We also have to remember the behind the scene manoeuvres that aim at inciting sectarian differences. On the other hand, we have the barbaric massacres that target the innocent civilians, policemen or children in the name of resistance or sectarian fanaticism. Then we have the ongoing debate concerning the role of Islam in the constitution and the big issue of federalism that could lead to a Kurdish separation and internal sectarian division in which Iraq may lose its unity. As we should be vigilant, we assert that a fundamental role should be given to the U.N. to deal with the Iraqi situation alongside the Iraqi Authority since the U.N. is not a force of occupation that might provoke negative sentiments.

We call upon the Iraqi people to study the situation thoroughly, and we call upon those who are in charge to address the people’s needs and to safeguard its wealth, especially with all the talk in the media (including the American media) that the American companies have managed to earn billions of dollars through imaginary projects, while people are still in need of vital services, especially electricity and water, which are especially necessary in the heat of summer.

As for the Iranian peaceful nuclear project, the Europeans, under American influence, are still trying to create an atmosphere of distrust for Iran while Iran on the other hand has emphasised its rejection of any military nuclear project especially as it has signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Nevertheless. The U.S. and its allies do not want Iran to develop the ability that would enable it to solve its future economic problems or defend itself against the Israeli nuclear weapons. On the other hand, the U.S. has legitimised the possession of nuclear weapons in the cases of Pakistan and India under false pretences that convince no one. Therefore, we would like to emphasise that, due to the fear of all nations, the production of all nuclear weapons in the world, including those of the major powers should be prohibited since the latter represent a direct political, economic and security threat to the whole world.

Lebanon is waiting to see what the current government, which has diverse political trends, will do about the political, economic and security problems facing the country. These problems were all said to be the responsibility of one party as if all the others were angels without studying the issue beforehand.

What we need now is to open all the files so that we can assess the complicated situations that led to us incurring the massive debt that we now owe. We also need to assess the relations with the Israeli enemy and foreign interventions. Since the issues of sovereignty, freedom and independence should be the results of sovereign decisions and should not fall under any foreign influence that moves behind the scenes to impose their own plans while pretending that they are only offering friendly advice.

As for the security issue, a thorough and extensive universal plan should be prepared as a top priority, since security is the soul of Lebanon and so that the Lebanese will feel free in his affiliations and in deciding his destiny. Moreover, we have to achieve our national reconciliation over common goals and general interests. The reconciliation also needs to be based on the need to confront the Israeli enemy that Lebanon has suffered greatly from. All parties must understand that the real problem is the Zionist enemy and not the arms of the resistance, for the latter is our guarantee of protection for the future.