Friday speeches May 13, 2005 A.D. / Rabi' II 04, 1426h.

{And whoever commits a fault or a sin, then accuses of it one innocent, he indeed takes upon himself the burden of a calumny and a manifest sin. or goodness or reconciliation between people; and whoever does this seeking Allah's pleasure, We will give him a mighty reward}. This Ayah is one of the Ayahs that flows though the Quran like day and night or like the sun and the moon ;the Holy Quran is renewed in every situation of life and in every development.

And that is what made the Quran the Book of the Message that outlives life, and opens for every generation a window for knowing its responsibility, and for developing the thought as a result of its interaction with the reality, while it does not need any development. That is why Allah considers it as a light that takes people out of darkness. It is a light in every aspect; a light when it talks about issues of doctrine and jurisprudence, and a light when it talks about the relation between people or their relations with God and life.

This Ayah was revealed when the Muslims accused a Jew of stealing while the real thief was a Muslim. They wanted to frame the Jew thinking that this was allowed. But God revealed this Ayah, to ask the Prophet (p.) not to defend those who betray themselves even if the accused were a Jew… In the Islamic Justice, there is no deference between a Muslim and a non-Muslim. Justice is for all, and all who have rights will attain them even if they were unbelievers. God has revealed all messages to establish justice on earth for all human beings, regardless of their religion or any other differences.

In these Ayahs, Allah, the most Exalted, has established several foundations for justice asserting that it not acceptable to blame innocent men for a crime someone else had committed, telling those who do so that if they had the means to frame someone in this life, they certainly will not be able to defend a criminal in the Hereafter.

Moreover, by defending the Jew's innocence and condemning the Muslim who actually committed the crime, Islam is telling the Muslims not to be fanatic, since Islam is the religion of Justice that does not accept siding with a member of one's religion sect…. etc.

Now, we came to the Ayah that guides the Muslims to the positive side having warned of the negative one "There is no good is most of their secret counsels", which usually concentrates on the negative aspects of people and life, and which is usually associated with evil- -although we might need some secret meetings to plan for certain public issues- unless to enjoin charity or goodness. Charity, in this sense, is the essence of giving. It is a feeling of concern and compassion towards the people's grief and pain. It is giving your knowledge or experience to those ignorant or inexperienced. It is giving money to the poor and giving strength to the weak.

Thus, charity is giving those in need, whether individuals, communities or nations. It is sharing what you have with others, for when Allah, the most Exalted, gave you certain capacities, he made the others partners in it. You do not have the right to withhold it, for you are part of the society, and the part should serve the whole.

Then we have the concept of Goodness, which is all what elevates man on all levels. It is all what Allah is pleased with, for He created man whom He made His successor as earth to develop his skills and potentials, and to be developed by others to become worthy of being God's successor; which means that he ought to do all what Allah wants him to do on earth: to build and develop man and change earth into a garden that resembles the eternal garden he will go to in the end.

On the other hand, man should forbid wrong, which means everything that reduces the level of man in life, "or reconcile between people” – the entire nation should contain any difference that leads to strife. And here we have to notice that Allah said "between people" and not between believers which makes the nation responsible for establishing peace in the entire world. Then Allah promises those who seek to please Him by doing that "a mighty reward". And when Allah, the Giver promises such a reward one could be sure that it is something never seen or imagined before, for Allah's giving is limitless.

We as, Muslims, have to turn the moral values into an integral and innate part of our being; something that will enable us to uphold our responsibilities in this life in serving the Muslim Nation. "He who does not care about the Muslims is not a Muslim".

We have, as we live various psychological, social and economic pressures and problems, to live all that with a feeling of responsibility that we ought to change everything . The way to do that is by changing oneself for this is what Allah told us when He said that He does not change the condition of the people until they change themselves…".

Change yourself you will change the reality, and when the reality changes, history itself changes.

Israel is celebrating the 57th anniversary of its foundation at the expense of the Palestinian people which it expelled out of its land by brutal massacres, and turned them the rest who stayed into prisons. It was able to do so as a result of the European support in the beginning, which was replaced later on with the American one. Then Israel became an integral part of the American international empire to the extent that America is prepared to be engaged in a world war to protect Israel's security.

Thus, America declared war on the Arab and Muslim states to force them to change their principles of defending their land and values. The political complications and military aggressions led to imposing peace between Israel and some of the Arab countries in a comprehensive way, and in a partial one with others (through economic normalization and secret talks). All this led the enemy's foreign minister to declare that there are ten states that are about to hold peace with Israel and establish full diplomatic relations. The Palestinian people were left all alone, with nobody concerned with protecting their existence or regaining their freedom.

Thus the Arab and Islamic line changed to the betrayal of the Arab and Islamic unity, on a time the enemy in coordination with America is still supporting the Jewish expansionist of the state, thus threatening the Arab's future in Palestine.

The difference between the Israeli state and the Arab and Islamic States it that the former was loyal to it original Zionist plan while the Arabs and Muslims offered a lot of concessions to reach peace with Israel, but Israel did not accept that because it despises their weakness.

This anniversary should undoubtedly induce many reactions in the Arab and Islamic world and among the free peoples of the world who believe in the right of self- determination.

We have to renew our rejection of this sate and decline to recognize it. The Muslim and Arab peoples should once again provide all sorts of political and material support for the Palestinians, and confront the American support of Israeli brutal massacres, killings, detentions… etc. All this should be coupled with the establishment of executing a Palestinian state backed by the Americans who are practicing political hypocrisy, since their hateful Administration does not recognize the Palestinians' right in a decent and free life.

As for the American President who is flexing his muscles in the speeches he gives about America’s establishment of democracy in Afghanistan, Iraq… while in actual fact it only spread negative chaos that led to terrorism and genocide…

This American President who in is interfering daily in the Lebanese political life is trying to suggest that he is the one who gave democracy to the Lebanese, although everyone knows the Lebanese democracy is as old as independence. We would like the Lebanese to be aware that America wants to impose guardianship on them. We also believe that the electoral debat have turned into a seatrain one, although these who are taking part in it are trying to cover up with patriotism and reconciliation.

We ask them: Should the Lebanese leave the Qaza or the Muhafaza, so that each sect will elect its own deputies: Christians will elect their deputies without Muslim interference and vice-versa. Thus we will have two parliaments one for the Muslims and another for the Christians.. Is this how justice is served. This only lead to a confessional federation, but is this what the Lebanese want?

The problem is not one of electoral districts, but one or politicians, in both the loyalist camp and the opposition, who have led Lebanon to this black future.

We want a free and independent country whose people could decide for themselves, and we call upon the new generations to think about the future in a civilizational futuristic way. They should contribute to the struggle that aims at securing the rebirth of their country if they do not want to be forced to leave it. It is sad that we did not hear in all the debates any talk about the social and economic crisis or the public debt.

Any reconciliation should involve the relationship of the Lebanese with their vital interests, and not concentrating on a limited aspect that is left by history as a result of the previous wars.