FRIDAY SPEECH January 11, 2002

On the moral level,there are two attitudes that could be chosen in one’s personal and public lives: Leniency and Violence, Being lenient is to adopt the methods that attracts the minds and hearts of others so as to convince them of what you wish, without creating any sensitivities or problems, while violence is adopting rudeness and harshness in a way that offends people.

In this respect, words too could be either lenient or violent. Allah has asked to use the lenient word that makes people feel that they are hearing what they like to hear . This is what Allah told Musa and Haroon when he sent them to Pharaoh,” and speak; to him with gentle words, he may head or fear”. We also read in the context of describing the prophet:” It was thanks to Allah’s Mercy that you dealt so leniently with them. Had you been cruel and hard-hearted they would have surely deserted you”.

If this was the way the Prophet used to be: Merciful and gentle, thEn all the people should act in the same way: Tell my servants to be courteous in their speech.

The devil would sow discord among them” Allah wants you to choose the words that the devil can not exploit to create strife.

The first thing one should pay attention to in his home, is that both parents should talk leniently with their children, and not to use them as a means of proving to ourselves that we are authoritative , or that we possess power. A man who respects himself does not flex his muscles on his children.

For this will yield negative effects; Children are human beings as feelings and emotions. If we treat them well we will draw hem to us and gain their love, and consequently their obedience, where as if we treat them violently they will hate us. Love is the key to bring good children because our love for our children will be reciprocated, And when our children love us they will want to make us happy.

Each of the husband and wife have lived in a different background before they got married. Therefore, it is evitable that will not see everything eye-to eye and that they are going to discuses various issue.

Such discussions should be based on mutual respect. Each should take into consideration the other’s mind heart and circumstances. They are both human beings and ought to be treated by one another as such. A woman is no way one of the things the man owns in his house.

When you base your relations on this principle –the humanity of the other- problems will decrease and so will the rate of divorce… which is often the result of not respecting the other partner.

We should understand that one human being is not free to impose his mood and taste on another, nor does the marriage contract make the husband own his wife. We have to learn how to choose good work, and always remember that the Prophet advised us to be lenient and told us that Allah is lenient and loves those who are lenient.

Social life is much more complicated than familial life because it encompasses tribes, sects, parties and trends. It is even more complicated when the society is quite divergent and when these diversities can turn into fanatic loyalties. In such a society, words in speeches and the like, can have a devastating effect. Just as a spark that could set the whole field on fire, bad words could set the whole Society on a religious or political fire.

Thus, we should not feel free to say whatever we like, even if it were what we believe in. In societies where there are both Shiites and Sunnis or Muslims and Christians, we should not say anything that could violate the sacredness of the beliefs of others. Therefore speakers who address people in public should be carefully chosen, be they religious we or academics, so as to prevent any strife. Our society suffers already, of a high degree of tension that we should not increase even if unintentionally.

Only those who understand the responsibility of speaking in public should be allowed to speak. The previous strifes between Sunnis and Shiites are more than enough.

We already suffer, whether economically , or politically, why do we want to create additional hardships in this world? As for the Hereafter the consequences are more severe. Each word said that leads the shedding of blood or to the creation of problems would be accounted for. Thus, we have to be concerned with the society’s welfare, just as the prophet was{There has now come to you an apostle of your own, one who grieves at your sinfulness ad is solicitous over you; who is compassionate and merciful to true believers}.

Worshippers of Allah, be pious, and fear Allah ,Love your fellow Muslims and fellow human beings and support their just causes.

The Zionist Entity is still creating additional political and security mazes to the Palestinians. It has occupied the International and regional spheres with the ship that was pirated in the high sees, and accused the P.A, Iran and the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon. America has started to adopt the Zionist logic in accusing them although they all-especially Iran- have denied any involvement… Does this mean that there is a new American plot against Iran especially that Bush said that the issue needs some serious follow-up.

They are still exploiting the whole ship-load story against the Palestinians to give up their light of resistance before talking about using arms in their resistance. It wants them to admit that the problem is the Palestinian weapons, and not the Israeli war machine, and that what threatens the stability is “terrorism” and not the occupation…

It is quite ironic that Israel claims that these weapons, change the strategic balance. What balance are they taking about, with Israel, the nuclear state, having an arsenal that is bigger and stronger and more advanced that all the states of the region?

According to America and Israel, the Palestinians should not have any strength or weapons to defend themselves, so that they will be forced to surrender with no cards to play in the negotiations. Nevertheless, the Palestinian people will continue their Intifada by all available means until it achieves its goals in freedom and independence.

In this atmosphere, America condemned the Hamas operation against the occupation soldiers, since it represents, in the American view, a breaking of the ceasefire agreement. At the same time. America never condemns the Israeli crimes that calling them a mere violation is an understatement. America did not even condemn the destruction of 70 houses which left hundreds of Palestinian families without a shelter in this harsh winter.

What kind of justice is this American justice?

It stands 100% with Sharon to the extent that it considers all the crimes that Sharon commits a part of its anti-terrorist campaign. It is with Israel with everything it does and against the Arab and Palestinian fight against the occupation…

Our nation should keep all the sufferings of the Palestinian people alive in their memory, in order to determine how to deal with the American policies without being deceived by its propaganda offighting terrorism.

On another level, Israel has been trying to incriminate Iran in the ship affair. The Israeli foreign minister has stated in India that “the time has come for Iran to feel concerned about terrorism”.

But India which was engaged in a political alliance with Iran, knows that the latter is an important state in Asia with strategic political and economic ties with its countries. It also now that Iran is committed to all its promises , and that its stands with the weakened peoples –including the Palestrina people- against the arrogant powers.

Lebanon suffers from a blackout at a time the Lebanese needs all the power they can get in this very cold winter. We do not know what is going on with every party putting the blame on others, in the usual game of petty politics.

The problem is that the people no longer have any trust in their government. They have got bored with the successive promises of solving the economic problem and providing basic services at a time the political and financial corruptions are draining the country resources.

Where is the country going to? will it reach a safe shore or will it stay in these storing waves in the middle of the sea?