Friday speeches 17 Jamadi' I 1426h/24 June 2005 AD

Allah, the most Exalted, says in His Glorious Book: : 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.

In this Holy Ayah, God talks about the phenomenon of corruption on earth and in human life. He asserts that corruption will affect those who initialize it and that they will be punished for what they did, and live the pains they have utilized.

When Allah talks about corruption, it is divided into many categories. We have first, the financial corruption that is represented by those who become rich whether lawfully or unlawfully and try to gain more money by corrupting the life of others. They use the fortunes they have to exploit the poor. And this is what we notice when the rich in this country plan for politically corrupting the people to ensure that they win political positions.

This is also what is happening in most parts of the world, even in the developed countries, where we find that the multinational companies, of oil and weapons… these companies are making use of their financial political leeway to employ some persons to become presidents. Then those presidents would execute the plans of these companies. We know, for example, that the arms companies in their pursuit to sell arms would incite wars.

Similarly, owners of oil companies wish the various administrations to secure the flow of oil, even if it means military presence in our region.

Even in the Arab countries, like, for example, the Lebanese recent elections, where talks about political and electoral money filled the air... They exploited the extensive state of poverty to buy votes for a few Dollars, thus enabling those who are not qualified with responsibility to win.

We also notice financial corruption in those who exploit the poor by lending them money with interest.

The Quran talked also out a rich personality that exploited it fortune to oppress people. He is Qaron.

Whom we can see the likes of him in our communities . God says: Qarun was doubtless, of the people of Moses; but he acted insolently towards them: such were the treasures We had bestowed on him that their very keys would have been a burden to a body of strong men, behold, his people said to him: "Exult not, for Allah loves not those who exult (in riches). But seek, with the (wealth) which Allah has bestowed on thee, the Home of the Hereafter, nor forget thy portion in this world: but do thou good, as Allah has been good to thee, and seek not (occasions for) mischief in the land: for Allah loves not those who do mischief."

He said: "This has been given to me because of a certain knowledge which I have." Did he not know that Allah had destroyed, before him, (whole) generations,- which were superior to him in strength and greater in the amount (of riches) they had collected? but the wicked are not called (immediately) to account for their sins. So he went forth among his people in the (pride of his worldly) glitter. Said those whose aim is the Life of this World: "Oh! that we had the like of what Qarun has got! for he is truly a lord of mighty good fortune!" … Then We caused the earth to swallow up him and his house; and he had not (the least little) party to help him against Allah, nor could he defend himself.

This is a kind of financial corruption committed by a man who was one of Pharos's pillars.

An example of political corruption the Quran gives is Pharaoh, who was so arrogant that he told his people, that was their supreme lord. We also have moral corruption, like these bars , night clubs and the like that corrupt the life of the people. There is also the economic corruption committed by those who cheat, waste or sell unlawful items. This could also be done by the rulers, and we in Lebanon have suffered form such a kind of corruption which made the country carry a heavy burden of debt that reached 40 billion Dollars.

Yet the people still support such politicians. That is why we used to say that the problem is not that of the politicians but of the voters, who have become enslaved to the politicians.

In this respect the Messenger(p.) says: How would Allah, the most Exalted, bless a people, whose the poor people’s rights are not taken from the strong. He adds: "Those who were before you perished, because when the noble among them stole, they left him". This what we notice in the Lebanese sectarian regime. The leaders of the sects have robbed the country and the people. And nobody held them accountable . Then the Messenger concludes: But if the weak steals this would punish him. By God if Fatima bint Muhammad should steal I would have cut her hand".

This is in spite of the fact that Fatima is infallible and would not possibly commit any sin, let alone stealing.

Allah wants us to confront and change corruption, the Messenger(p.) says: "If the sin is committed secretly it will only harm who commits it, but when it is done in public it would harm all of them". This is because if they do not condemn it will spread among them.

Allah wants us to institutionalize reform among people. He has commanded us to "do right and follow not the way of mischief makers". He wants us to confront corruption on earth, wherever it occurs and do that we spread goods and peace and good on earth.

The Palestinian cause is still the core of the problem in the region despites all the American-Israeli efforts to trap it in a web of political and security details. The visit of the American Secretary of State can only be understood as an attempt to diffuse the general state of tension in the region by a series of cloudy statements, presenting the Zionist with draw it from Gaza, as a major step towards reaching a solution, but without mentioning the withdrawal from the West Bank and Jerusalem, and without any talk about the racial wall and the settlements. They are left for the find status, which Israel has linked with the dismantling of the militant organizations. This is an impossible condition, because it leads to a civil war among the Palestinians, making the Israelis win the war without actually having to fight it.

In the meantime, Israel countries to build new settlements and assassinate the Intifada activists without any American condemnation.

America only condemns the Palestinians defensive retaliation, for all it is concerned about is the death of an Israeli settler, it does not care if scores of Palestinians are killed everyday.

Moreover, the American Secretary of State has tried to pose the Israelis as seeking peace, while the Palestinians are thwarting their efforts, although the international public opinion has noticed that the head of the Palestinian Authority got nothing from Sharon in their last meeting.

Rice's visit to the region was to advocate for American reform that brings about democracy, humans rights and freedom. Yet everybody knows that America does not care about these values; it only cares about its interests. That is why it threatens to incite anarchy in our region and states. It concentrates on Syria because it did not yield to the American demand to control the borders with Iraq _ although Washington did not agree to give Syria the technology it needs to monitor the vast border region.

As for Iran, America slammed the Islamic regime; at a time Iran was practicing a model experiment in democracy, by electing a new president.

Furthermore, America still attacks the Iranian peaceful nuclear project, claming that it endangers the world in general and Israel in particular, because America does not want Iran to process nuclear power and experience.

America's policies in Iraq and Afghanistan have failed and America is trying to cover up by its talk about democracy and freedom.

Our people have to be aware of these American plans and the policies it seeks to carry out at the expense of our interests and vital causes s that we can avoid the great dangers that are threatening our political and economic future.

In Iraq, blood is still being spilled by the soldiers of the occupation and the terrorism of the apostatizers, as well as the political anarchy that is trying to incite sectarian .On the other hand, if the International conference in Brussels claims to have convened to rebuild Iraq, we notice that the donor countries are not sincere in fulfilling their promises. The figures they came up with do not solve anything in a country whose infrastructure ways devastated by the occupiers, who also have created a state of chaos and disintegration that could not end unless the occupier withdraws.

In Lebanon, we have always warned against turning it into a new arena for American and Israeli security chaos. It has begun to enter into the maze of this chaos form the security window having entered it from the political one. Therefore, we have to warn against the sectarian language that has been used exclusively in the last elections that have poisoned the political climate of Lebanon, in an effort to spread it in the entire region.

We also have to warn against this de facto federalism, which we are afraid, might explode.

Moreover, the American and European talk about an international conference on Lebanon might pave the way for the new tutelage. This series of political assassinations, and this freedom of movement for the international intelligence agencies, drive one to asking:

"Should we get rid of one security regime to allow another one to enter under the cover of investigations of serial crimes?"

Lebanon needs an open and clear dialogue between national forces to discuss forging a unified voice and a united program to solve the country's economic problems.

Lebanese should unite on the basis of humanizing politics, security, economy and culture and pursue the country's fate freely.