Friday speeches Rajab 21 1426 H, August 26 2005 A.D

“Oh members of the family (the Prophet’s Family), God only seeks to cleanse you of all impurities to make you pure and immaculate.” (33 33).

One of these family members referred to in the above verse is the Imam Moussa bin Ja’afar Al Kazim (a.s.), and the anniversary of whose death and martyrdom is on the 25th of Rajab.

This great Imam was known by his scientific knowledge as well as knowledge of Islamic law. When we study the life of this Imam, we will find that he filled the Islamic world in his age with knowledge, thought, movement and spirituality just like his father, Imam Jaafar As-Sadiq (a.s), did before him. This made him quite an authority that people referred to in everything they need, whether in their religion, or the issues and problems they met in their lives.

Such a position made Haroun Ar-Rashid, the Abbasid caliph of that time, feel that the Imam was the actual caliph, for even those who wanted to rebel against the state used to consult him first. Ar-Rashid decided to imprison the Imam, and kept transforming him from one jail to another, until he poisoned him in the Sindy bin Shahiq jail in Baghdad.

The oppressive Abbasid caliphate was afraid from the trust the Muslims showed in Imam Al-Kazim (a.s), just like many other tyrants who fear any Islamic leader who is trusted by the believers and follow his leadership without being motivated by fear or personal interests.

When we embrace the line of Ahl el-Beit, this is because we believe that they are God's arguments to His creations, and that they are the trustees and the guides to Allah. Thus, we stay with them although they have been elevated to Him because they were in everything they did or said the guides to Allah and Islam.

Imam Al-Kazim (a.s) was called as such because the meaning of the word in Arabic has to do with controlling one's temper and restraining anger. This is what the Imam used to. He was never provoked by those who hurt him. On the contrary, he used to deal with them in the best and kindest manner hoping that he will win them to the right path.

In this respect, his biography provides us with the following story: There was a man in Medina who used to curse the Imam, and distort his image, to the extent that the companions of the Imam asked for permission to kill him, but the Imam used to forbid them from hurting him. Then one day the Imam (a.s) went to the man’s garden. When the man saw him, he said: Do not step on my plants, for he was so hateful that he did not even have the courtesy of welcoming him. The Imam continued to move towards him. And when he reached the man the Imam asked him: How much did you pay for your plants, and how much do you expect to gain? Adding the two sums together the Imam gave him the money and said:

Take this money and you still can sell your corps, and he started talking to him in a very pleasant and kind manner. The man felt guilty and changed his attitude towards the Imam. The next day the man went to the mosque. When he saw the Imam (a.s) coming he said :“God knows where he puts His Message". Asked what made him change his mind, he said that it was the way the Imam dealt with him. The Imam then asked his companions: which is better the way you wanted to deal with this man using violence or my way?

This is the way adopted by the Imam and Ahl el-Beit (a.s), whose grandfather, Muhammad (p) was described in the Glorious Quran as being of sublime morality. God also described the believers who will dwell in Heaven as those who restrain (their) anger and pardon men; and Allah loves the doers of good (to others). (3:132). And this is what following Ahl el-Beit (a.s) means: to adopt their manners; the manners of Islam.

In his anniversary, we would like to study some of his teachings to be guided by them in all times, since he might not be with us in person, but he certainly is in his teachings and knowledge.

Imam Al-Kazim (a.s.) said to one of his sons: O son, let not Allah see you committing acts of disobedience against which He warned you, and let Him not miss you in an act of obedience to Him of which He ordered you.

This is what it means when you say that you worship Allah. To worship Allah is to be faithful to Him.

He added: keep serious and do not convince yourself that you are worshipping and obeying Allah perfectly, because no one can achieved perfection in the fields of worshipping Allah.

You have to believe that no matter what you do, you will still be imperfect in worshipping Allah, for no one could achieve such perfection. He is the one who created you, and He is the One who gave you everything. You could not repay Him whatever you do.

"Beware of joking because it extinguished the illumination of your faith and disgraces your personality. Beware of indolence and laziness because they both prevent you from receiving your shares of the pleasure of this would and the world to come".

Joking might make others make fun of you, or they might not take you seriously, while laziness will deprive you from earning the benefits of your work: you should be energetic so that you could renew yourself with the sunrise of every day. He then added: “He who does not hold himself accountable everyday is not one of us, so as to ask Allah for more it his deeds were good, and not ask Him for forgiveness and repent if they wicked".

You should be aware of every emotion that you experience and every act you do, so as to monitor the points of strength and weakness in your self. If you do not the points of weakness would become stronger and affect your personality which might lead you to the spiritual and practical fall in all aspects of life.

In another saying, the Imam (a.s) says: "Do not regard goal deeds as two many, nor regard sins as too few, for few sins will accumulate to become many" this is what the Messenger (p) said when he told his companions to find him some firewood, and they begun to collect small branches for him. But when they put them together, they become a big bundle. The Prophet told them. "This is how small sins gather to become big". The Imam went on to say: "Fear Allah in your privacy so that you will be just, and hasten to obey Allah, and be truthful in what you say, Return the trusts…”

The Imam also indicated to the people what they should learn, He said: I have found knowledge to be of four domains: to know God - Knowing God's abilities, glories and grace will make you open upon Him, The second is to know what He has made in you, the third is to know what He wants from you, and the fourth is know what gets you out of your religion". If you do not know your responsibilities and you do not know what gets you out of your religion, people will easily deceive you and lead you in believing what is against your religion as part of Islam.

In another saying, he advises his sons: "Strive to divide your time into four intervals, the first to pray to God, the second to earn your living, the third is to communicate with your brothers and trusted friends, and the fourth is for your un-prohibited pleasures".

It is another saying the Imam tells one of his companions who complained that some are calling him a heretic, as some of the people nowadays call some respected and trustworthy scholars, accusing them of deviation. He said: What harm could be done to you if you have a pearl and people say it is a pebble, and what good will it do to you, if people say you have a pearl while you have a pebble, the Imam wanted to say to the people that man has to study himself thoroughly so that he will not be affected by what they say, failing if people call him a failure and becoming inflated if people praise him, and lead him to trust himself in areas where it should not be trusted.

The last saying we would like to talk about is the one in which he asked his companions “to do good and say good and not to be a member of the herd”, meaning that you should not say I am with the people… Do not be as echo of others; your decision should be based on your own judgment that is based on your thorough studying

These are some of the illuminating words of Imam Al-Kazim (a.s), which we should enlighten our life with, for it is the light of Allah, the light of Islam and that of the Messenger. This is what the Messenger called on us to do when he was praying to God and said: "If You are not angry with me, then I do not care".

Peace be on Imam al-Kazim (a.s) the day he was born, the day he was martyred and the day he is brought back to life.

Israel continues to practice its brutal terrorism whether by confiscating Palestinian lands to build a fence that surrounds the Major West Bank settlements, and connects them with the Jewish neighbourhood of East Jerusalem.

Such a plan aims at separating between the northern part of the West Bank and the Southern parts, as well as changing the demographic state of Jerusalem. Nevertheless, no European or American protest was heard, for they do not respect the Palestinians’ rights in their lands, instead they support the Zionist "right” of usurping Palestinian lands. The West does not believe in the Arab or Muslim rights; it supports the Zionist usurpation and protects the occupation and the usurpation of Arab and Muslim lands. In addition, Israel continues to control the crossing to Gaza and impose restrictions on Gaza airport and port, so as to keep the Palestinians besieged in their own country, and deny them the right to travel. Thus, the Palestinian state that President Bush promised is still a promise that Bush cannot fulfil for Israel controls his will, as it raises the slogan of fighting "Palestinian terrorism" as a condition to resume negotiations or to execute the Road Map.

Thus, America is the problem, since the Administration that is run by the fanatics, the neo-cons and the Zionist lobby is planning to let Israel hold total control over all of Palestine, leaving the Palestinians with few fragmented lands. This is what the Palestinians should know to institute a new Intifada to circumvent the Zionist Plan of settlement, assassinations, detentions and official annexation of most of the West Bank including Jerusalem, a plan that is fully backed by the American Administration.

We should enter into a new phase of the Intifada, because the new developments in Palestine and the region aim at eliminating the Palestinian cause, and creating further differences and conflicts among the Palestinians, so that they will all be farther away from the major cause of liberating Palestine.

Iraq is suffering from two threats. The first threat is the daily bombings that haunt the civilians, which the occupation cannot deny its responsibility, whether direct or indirect, of, for we believe that it is inciting civil strife to justify its presence.

The Iraqis have to be aware of the plans and gaols of the occupation that promotes its own interests, while the Iraqi people suffer from a state of chaos on the security level and a lack of basic and vital services. Moreover the Iraqi people's wealth is being usurped by the American monopolizing companies, and the Mossad conspires with the CIA to undermine the unity of the Iraqis.

The second threat is that of internal political divisions that in demonstrated in the differences regarding the constitution, and especially the issue of federation, which is so vaguely worded that it could turn into partition in favourable political conditions.

The American Ambassador's interference in the Iraqi affairs, even in writing the constitution is yet another crime committed against the Iraqis. We want all Iraqis to focus on how to struggle against the plots and schemes of the occupation by strengthening their internal unity on the basis of the equality of the Iraqis in their rights and duties, as well as working together in strengthening their economy, political power, and internal security. They should also preserve the Islamic identity of Iraq that interacts with the Arab and Islamic environment, and cooperate with the other fronts in the region so as all peoples will struggle together to defeat both the visible and the hidden occupations that plan to put their hands on the regions fortunes.

Finally, in addition to our rejection of all sectarian differences, we also warn from the plots that aim at inciting strife within the same sect and call on all parties to fail them.

Lebanon was still drowning in the rumours circulating among people and the analysis in the press regarding the UN interim report of the investigation into the assassination of former Premier Rafik Hariri.

These rumours are attempts to intimidate people, especially after the recent bombings that have been targeting economic sites and threatening tourism.

Disputes on the administrative, security and judicial appointments resulting form the distribution of sectarian and personal spoils, and the exchange of accusations between one party and another made the public think that politics was still not abiding by principles of change and reform.

In such circumstances, how could the officials achieve change and reform if they are still obsessed with their sectarian and personal interests?

Are there governance and a government that are planning for a future that saves the country from bankruptcy, chaos and security negligence?

How can we confront the Israeli occupation and aggression? And some of us – by the help of an American and European inspiration – call for protecting the enemy and disarming the resistance before protecting Lebanon form the enemy's violations?

How can we liberate the country from the new hegemony that is moving in the invisible back scenes, and how can the country achieve national reconciliation without planning the reconciliation of reform programs?