FRIDAY SPEECH January 19, 2001

Tomorrow, the 25th of Shawal is the anniversary of the death of the Imam Ja’afar As Sadeq (AS), the Imam whose education and debate extended to all people whether or not they followed him. He was the Imam who spread the Prophet (SAWS)’s knowledge and that of the Imams before him. His truthfulness was never doubted. He was so spiritual that non-Muslims used to describe him as a spirit that is revered by all those who meet him.

The Imam was known to be willing to talk with anyone. He used to sit in the Haram mosque and while others were busy going around the Ka’aba, he was busy talking about truth and Islam to draw others nearer to Islam. He used to meet groups of non-believers with an open heart and mind and give them solutions to all the intellectual problems they were facing.

He was an Imam who mixed socially with all people regardless of their social status and he never lost an opportunity to tell others what he felt they ought to know about God (SWT), themselves and everyday life. He was so tolerant that he used to meet those who hurt him with forgiving smiles.

Thus the stage that the Imam Ja’afar represented in progression of the Imamate was that of the knowledge of Islam. He wanted all people (intellectuals, jurists and even non-Muslims) to understand that Islam is a comprehensive religion that has solutions for every aspect of life and that there is nothing that people might need that Islam does not have something to say about.

This is what we discover when we study the life of the Imam and find out that there was nothing that anyone talked about which he did not touch upon. In addition, he used to take care of the people who followed the Ahl Al Beit making sure that they were united and protected from liquidation.

That is why he emphasised the principle of taqqiyyah. We shouldn’t understand by taqqiyyah that he wanted the followers of Ahl Al Beit to deviate from the right path but rather to be adaptable when faced with grave threats in order to stay alive and ensure that the beliefs of Ahl Al Beit will continue to exist. Therefore the Imam did not agree with those who were over excited. He wanted to tell them that when we are faced by a big threat we have to study the objective circumstances first so that we can find the best course that ensures the continuity of our beliefs. This is what the Messenger (SAWS) used to do before Hegira when he discouraged Muslims from taking any negative action that could lead to a confrontation with the leaders because he wanted that period to be one where the call was spread peacefully.

When we follow Ahl Al Beit (AS) we follow all of them as one unit since they all follow the beliefs of the Messenger (SAWS) and their sayings are the sayings of Mohammad (SAWS). Therefore, we ought to follow their advice and teachings concerning all matters of life especially as we are faced with a society full of lies, hatred and division.

So let’s hear what advice the Imam has for the Muslims.

“The Messenger (SAWS) said: “The ones who earn the greatest position on the day of judgement are the ones who give advice to their fellow humans in this world”

Notice that the Prophet said to “fellow humans” and not only to Muslims, which means that people should love their fellow humans and wish no ill towards them. Moreover giving advice to fellow human beings will bring us nearest to God (SWT) on the day of judgement, which shows how important advice is in the eyes of God (SWT).

He also quoted the Prophet (SAWS) as saying:

“If you ask the advice of a fellow believer and he does not give it he has betrayed God (SWT) and his Messenger (SAWS)”

Imam Ja’afar also said:

“To give advice to the believers is the best thing you could do”

This is the principle that the Imam wants the Muslim community to follow so that the Muslim community will be formed on the basis of advice and honesty on all levels. This is especially true on a national level regarding political and social issues where we have to give advice as well as avoid whatever causes conflict or strife. Our hearts have to be filled with love with no place for hatred or malice. For a heart that has room for hatred is a heart in which Satan has found a place to stay.

When God (SWT) tells us about gambling and alcohol he says that the devil wants to create hatred among us by these means. Therefore hatred in all its forms, including partisan and sectarian, is the work of Satan that we ought to avoid.

Thus following Ahl Al Beit (AS) does not just mean marking their anniversaries or attending ‘Achoura gatherings, it means following what God (SWT)’s Messenger said.

Imam Mohammad Al Baqer (AS) said:

“Is it enough for those who claim to be Shiites to love Ali and say that they follow him without abiding by his teachings? The messenger is better than Ali…To be a Shiite is to follow what God (SWT) says. Whoever is a follower of God (SWT) is one of our followers and whoever is an enemy of God (SWT) is an enemy to us. Piety is the only way to follow us”

Try to think about this when you face God (SWT) on the day of judgement.

Worshippers of God (SWT) be pious and give your best advice to your nation and to the weakened of the world because any victory of the weak is a victory for the Muslims that support their causes.

Attempts to contain the Intefada whether on a political or a security pretext are still going on but these negotiations will only serve to buy the enemy more time or to help Barak win the elections. The Washington Institute for Near East Policies has advised the new American President to wage an all out war against the Arab world in order to impose a settlement that favours the Israeli interests and allows them to keep the land, have peace and ensure their security at the same time and I fear that such advice might influence American policy on the whole region.

I warn the Arab world against these political manoeuvres and advice them to confront such a policy by exerting pressure on American interests in the region. The Arab policies should not be mere reactions but policies for the future. They should plan carefully as their very existence is at stake. I also want the Palestinians to be aware of the Zionist, American and European plots so that they carry on with their Intefada in an appropriate way that responds to any new development. We have to deal with the arrogant nations in a clever way so as not to let their diplomacy eradicate the Palestinian people’s rights to independence and liberation.

On the tenth anniversary of the Iraqi regime’s invasion of Kuwait with all the tragedies and pains that were inflicted on the Kuwaiti people whose properties were destroyed and who were dislocated we must also think of the Iraqi people who have been devastated as a result of their regime’s irresponsible policy that led to a fierce war destroying the Iraqi infrastructure and killing thousands of civilians and military personnel. In addition this war has had negative repercussions on the whole region and encouraged the Arab countries make peace with the enemy.

My reason for talking about this aggressive war against Kuwait and the Arab world is in order to point out that Iraq is still suffering from the policies of the tyrant who has engaged the whole region in many wars and problems and that the only ones who benefit from all this are the Americans. The latter want the regime to stay in order to justify their presence in the gulf while suggesting that they are supporting the Iraqi opposition. They are, in fact, trying to lead ththat lead to nowhere. At the same time, the British and American bombing of Iraq is still continuing…On this anniversary we stand with the Kuwaiti people, we call for the release of its prisoners and remind the world of the tragic Iraqi suffering both inside and outside Iraq.

As the daily aggressions continue and as the enemy continues to fortify the border region, I would like to point out the fact that these moves are part of the Israeli plan to exert psychological pressure on Lebanon and especially the way they talk about an imminent military strike.

Faced with all this, the Lebanese should be wary of all the enemy’s internal political plots and external diplomatic moves that aim at destabilising Lebanon by inciting internal strife.

At the same time the economy is in a bad state and some are warning that it may soon be irretrievable unless radical moves are made. These internal rows that Lebanon is witnessing every now and then will only increase the chaos.

Considering the gravity of the situation, the solutions so far proposed are inadequate. There is a dire need for a national consensus within an objective non-sectarian political dialogue that could create a plan to lead us out of this crisis before we find ourselves without a homeland to save.

O Lebanese your country is on the verge of collapse. Save it by unity, awareness of the future and co-operation in looking for solutions.