Friday speeches 1 Zu elhujja 1423h/23 January 2003AD

Allah says in His Glorious book “Allah only desires to keep away the uncleanness from you, O people of the House! And to purify you a (thorough) purifying. (33:33). On of those members is Imam Muhammad bin Ali Al-Jawad (a.s.) whose death anniversary we meet in this month. He was one of the youngest Imams, but despite his age, which resembles the age of Yahia, the prophet who was given “wisdom while yet a child”, Al-Jawad lived under the rule of the Abbasids who prosecuted the Imams because they were afraid of them for they used to be trusted by all Muslims including those who did out subscribe to their prophethood.

But this knowledge and wisdom of this Imam earned him the respect and admiration of Al-Ma’moun, who used to be an intellectual and he even gave him his daughter in marriage, in a gesture showing how much he appropriated him.

The Abbasid family became worried that Al-Ma’moun would appoint him as his successor as he did with his father, Imam Al-Rida. When they blamed him, he said, I have seen how much knowledgeable this man is. They replied that he was still very young and he needs to be more educated before he could be given such a position but Al-Ma’moun replied that he was one of the members of the House whom Allah has educated.

They agreed to let the chief justice of that time, Yahia bin Aktham, test his knowledge… But when the judge began to ask, the Imam(a.s.) divided the issue into various subdivisions which made the Judge himself bewildered and unable to match the Imam (a.s.). Thus he became the most knowledgeable religious scholar of his times a fact that was recognized by all other scholars or scientists in various fields of human knowledge.

In this speech, we are going to choose some of his sayings that cover both religious issues and social ones. He says: Do not be loyal to Allah in public and his enemy in private, as those who harm their families or their subordinates, or those who lie or incite strife regardless of how pious they pretend to be in public.

In another saying, the Imam (a.s.) warmed about agreeing to what they are told without thinking of the nature of the one saying it.

Is he honest? Does he know the subject he is talking about…etc?

He says: “If you listen to whoever says something then you are worshipping him.

If he is talking on behalf of God then you are worshipping Allah, but if he is calling for Satan then you are worshipping the devil.”

When the Imam (a.s.) talks about the fundamental traits of believers he says: “A believer need God’s Blessing that would lead him to God, truth and piety - and a internal preacher, one who tells him what to do and would blame him if he is wrong and the acceptance of advice of those who are experienced and wise.

Asked by a man for advice he said: Be patient when you face grievances and challenges. But we know that patience does not mean total submissiveness. On the contrary, it means that you should not feel helpless but which means to bear all the effects of certain painful incident so that you will be able to stand up again. If you are patient, then you would study the problem, and plan how to face it and overcome it by your strong willpower.

Embrace poverty: do not compromise your dignity-freedom and principles to become rich. Reject desires: For desires come for the instinct which we are told that it should be controlled by our minds. Allah did not tell us not to fulfill our desires, but He ordered us not to be slaves of our desires. We also have to know that Allah watches all our moves, acts and thoughts. And he will punish you if you let your desires control your actions instead of letting your mind guides you to piety and worshipping Allah alone.

In the same context, the Imam answered a question about swearing by saying Allah sewers, by the night, the day and the star but we should not swear except by Allah. Swearing by someone means that you glorify him, and people should glorify Allah alone and swear by Him only to feel the oneness of Allah, who alone is the one who watches your actions and who would punish and reward you.

He is the only one whom you should be afraid of, or care for his anger.

On the social and political level, the Imam said: “A believer does not betray”. This was in the course of an answer to someone who came to him saying that he wants to live in the houses of God in Mecca and Medina. The Imam told him: “Go back to those who have lent you, and be sure that you meet your God without any debt, for a believer does not betray”. Thus, we learn that since the believer ought to honor all his pledges including dept, you would be a traitor if you fail to do this. There is no difference between borrowing some money and keeping it for somebody as a trust. In both cases if you do not give it back you would not be trustworthy.

Allah says: O you who believe! Be not unfaithful to Allah and the Messenger, nor be unfaithful to your trusts while you know. (8:27). Traditions also have it that: “No faith for he who is not trustworthy”. Thus the Imam is trying to convey the idea that the believer does not betray and he is never unfaithful.

On this basis, I like to point out to certain cases abroad where immigrants might borrow some money benefiting from the laws that facilitate lending. He would then go back to his country thinking that he does not have to pay the money back, especially that there are certain fatwas that permit such an act on the ground that the leaders are not Muslims. But this is against Islam and Islamic law. Allah says: Allah does not forbid you respecting those who have not made war against you on account of (your) religion, and have not driven you forth from your homes, that you show them kindness and deal with them justly; surely Allah loves the doers of justice (60:8). The same thing goes to those who falsely declare that they have been bankrupt.

Other kinds of betrayal include the betrayal of one’s job, where the employer would exploit his job to favor some individuals in a way that violates the law, especially if this job in the field of civil service.

The Imam also says: “It is enough to be a traitor, if you are faithful to traitors”. Meaning supporting traitors, defending their acts and helping them execute their plots.

This applies too to tyrants and political traitors, whom you would be helping them by voting for them.

Therefore, before we cast our vote or give our opinion, we have to make sure that we are not voting for traitors, for we will be held accountable for our vote on the Day of Judgment. Thus, our support or opposition should be based on attaining Allah’s satisfaction. Giving our vote to traitors will lead to severe punishment. Therefore, study where you are going to cast your vote, or whom you are going to support. For you will stand before Allah in the Hereafter with nothing to defend you but your good deeds.

These are the teachings of Ahl-el-Beit, the teachings of the Messenger and Islam that we ought to follow so that Allah, His Messenger and the believers “will see your work”.

What kind of a world, do we live in?

Those who have the military strength, like the Major powers, especially America, threaten those who are back trodden, and who do not any strength to defend themselves.

They justify their campaign by spreading lies they can convince no one of. The American Administration accuses Syria and Iran, as it did with Iraq, of possessing weapons of mass destruction, or of planning to possess them, as well as backing terrorism. They do not care even to provide evidence. On the other hand, they do not allow anybody to discuss what terrorism actually means, and they exploit the talk about fighting terrorism as a cover for their preventive wars against any country whose interests might not intersect with theirs… They call for democratic regimes in the Middle East, as if the American president is a messenger sent by God to reform the world by military force… All this at a time he suggests to Israel that it should follow the American example of not asking the permission of anyone, even the UN, before it commits aggressions against the Palestinian civilians and freedom fights, as well as the countries of the region…

President Bush had put his country in a state of war against the world, that, as he imagines, constitutes a threat to America, but he was not able to provide peace for his country.

This is what we have noticed when he passed the new laws that constrain the civil liberties of the American people, especially the Muslims .In the meantime, and while he constantly talks about freedom and human rights, he gives Israel the right to deprive the Palestinians of any right, and justifies Israel’s possession of all kinds of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons that constitute a threat on the whole region. He also continues to support all its aggressions, including its occupation of Palestinian, Syrian and Lebanese territories and its building of the racial wall that made the Palestinians’ life unbearable in the big prison they live in.

The latest of these acts was the support the Americans provided for the Israeli aggressions against the blue line that was drawn by the UN on the Lebanese-Israeli borders. At the same time, America considered the Lebanese practice of self-defense an act of terror, as if the Lebanese do not have the right to defend themselves…

Moreover, the American President continues to give a rosy picture about the future of Iraq as a democratic prosperous and free nation, while in actual fact the Americans have their eyes on the oil resources and the big investments in the region…

To accomplish their schemes they declare that the American army will stay in the region as long as it takes to accomplish their goals, which are, as the Secretary of State declared in the beginning of the wars, to change the region politically, economically, culturally and militarily to be receptive of the American interests.

If the American President talks about fighting the anti-American campaigns by boosting the Voice of America radio, we say that the Arab and Muslim peoples do not judge on the basis of what is said, but rather on what America is doing in region: defying peace by encouraging and leaving the Palestinian issue to be solved by means of the Israeli security and not by finding a just political situation, which made Israel impose new facts on the ground and intimidate the Arabs to accept its dictates.

What America wants is securing the security of the occupation… We call on this president to be truthful with the back trodden nations even for once, but the problem is that lying has become a political profession that the arrogant uses to deceive the weakened.

We ask the Palestinians to be aware of the rules of the game and the American deceiving calls…

They should plan a way to benefit from the international public opinion, and intensify their informational efforts, especially in Europe, so that all Europeans will be aware of how dangerous Israel, and America behind it, is on the human civilization and world peace.

We also want the Iraqi people to study the real intentions of promises and policies and not take them at their face value. They should also be aware of the danger of the sectarian game that many players have been lunching with their talk about the majority and the minority, and about unity and federalism… They should also be conscious of the plan that aims to thwart the call for a referendum about the constitution, the government and self-determination with their talk about security concerns and racial obstacles.

The Iraqis have acquired the freedom of speech and demonstration, but when well they acquire the freedom of change and planning for security and economic independence… We are very concerned and worried about the future of this country that suffered a lot from all the devils which gathered around it by means of the greater devil. When will this country be liberated from all the devils which gathered around him by means of the greater devil? When will this country be liberated from all these devils to live in peace and freedom that come from inside the country not from outside?

Lebanon is still living in a state of anarchy when it comes to its basic needs or its political and social life that are dominated by personal feuds, theft, corruption, unemployment that leads to immigration, and intimidation and false dreams… It would have collapsed had it not been held by an invisible miraculous hand.

The Lebanese ought to study the region around them that is hit by many political, military and economic storms, which have a big negative impact on them.

To face this critical situation, they should seek to be citizens whose only concern is to protect their homeland, instead of being divided by sectarian differences, which make each sect, live in its dark cell. We call on them to worship Allah alone and do not to assume partners to Him especially those human idols… They should think about their future in a very serious manner and stop all this talk about which is first the chicken or the egg.