The First Sermon

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

Imam Al-Hassan's childhood

The Imam(a.s.) lived his youth with his father, Imam Ali (a.s.), who taught him, in addition to Islam, how to be firm and strong in defending the right, and how to be patient and tolerant. Thus, his personality represented that of his father's, just as he looked like his grandfather, the Messenger, both in his appearance and his manners.

The Imam(a.s.) lived all the troubles his father faced, and learned how he scarified everything he had for the sake of Islam, and how he endured what can not be endured for the sake of the Muslim nation. Thus, he acted when he faced some troubles during his caliphate, much like his father.

He was not weak in his confrontation of Muawiyah. On the contrary; when we study his letters to Muawiyah, we find that he used the same method his father did in dealing with him: that of power, proof and defiance. It is unfortunate that those who talk about Imam Hassan do not talk about his letters that revealed his staunch stand in defending the rights. They rather portray him a weak pacifist, and not as an Imam who shoulders his responsibility of enjoining good, forbidding evil and challenging falsehood.

The patience of the Imamate

Thus, Imam Al-Hassan, lived the pains his father lived before him, facing a lot of ingratitude, as if the people, including some of the Messenger's companions, did not hear the Prophet(p.) say: "Al-Hassan and Al-Hussein are the leaders of the youth of Heaven", or that they are Imams whether they rise or not. Yet the Imam, resorted to the patience of his father, mother and grandfather. He faced the situation in a rational way, which means that his patience was one of wisdom, not weakness. He was thinking rationally just like his father before him to safeguard the Muslims’ peace and stability and to unite their word even at the expense of his own concerns.

We know that Imam Ali (a.s.) was appointed by Allah who asked the Messenger to convey this fact to the believers. Yet the Imam chose to freeze any demand of his right without conceding it… He chose to put the Muslim's wellbeing first. This is also what Imam Al-Hassan did: when he saw that the Muslims’ interests demanded a truce and not a peace agreement with Muawiyah he did that.

The Imam(a.s.) did not have the right to concede his Imamate, but he could hold a truce regarding war and not one that has to do with the Imamate, just as his father did before him.

As a token of their compliant, some of the companions of Imam Hassan used to greet him in a way that was nevertheless compassionate, by saying: "Assalamu Alaikum. O, humiliater of Muslims." But he used to say I have glorified the Muslims, because I have preserved the line of the right that stood with Ali's right. Thus, the Imam was paving the way for the movement of his brother, Imam Hussein.

The best way to learn about Imam Al-Hassan, is to read what his nephew Imam Zein Al-Abidien said about him. Hassan Bin Ali (a.s.) was the most and greatest worshiper in his times, the most ascetic person (Although he had a lot of money whom he used to give to the poor) who fears Allah and the best of men. When he went to Hajj (pilgrimage), he went on foot, and mostly barefooted, and if he recalled death, resurrection, and path on the right way, he would cry. If he mentioned or recalled Allah, he would cry until he fell unconscious. When he used to pray, he would quiver. And if heaven and hell were mentioned he shuddered as if he were bitten by a snake or a scorpion and asked Allah for heaven and not hell.”

His wisdom

He was of supreme morals so tolerant and patient was he that it is said that once a man from Damascus whom Mua'wiyah had brainwashed saying that imam Ali does not pray, saw him and began to curse Al-Hassan (a.s.) and his father. The Imam continued to look at him kindly, and when he finished, the Imam (a.s.) said: O old man! I think you are a stranger here. Maybe you mistook me for someone else? If you propitiate us, we will satisfy you. If you ask us, we will give you what you need. If you ask our advice, we will guide you. If you ask us to give you a ride, we will take you with us. If you are hungry, we will satisfy you. If you are naked, we will clothe you. If you are in need, we will make you rich. If you are a refugee, we will give you lodgings. If you have a request, we will grant it. If you join your luggage to ours, and be our guest until the time of your travel, it will be more useful to you, because we have a spacious place, a good social position, and a vast amount of money." They took him to the Imam's house, where he saw how hospitable and kind the Imams were and how they practiced the morals and values of Islam. He began to review his motions about them and said: "Allah knows best whom He entrusts His message with”.

It is also said that he and his brother, Imam al-Hussein once saw an old man performing Wudu’ (ablutions) in a wrong way, they wanted to teach him, and since he was an old man they thought of way to tell him how to perform Wudu’ without offending or hurting him, so they said to him: "We want to perform Wudu’ in front of you, so as to tell us which one of us performs it correctly. When they performed their Wudu' in exactly the same way, yet different than the way he performed it, he understood that they aimed at teaching him the right way, and thanked them for their good deed. We learn from this incident how to tell some one that he is wrong in the way that is best and that does not hurt his morale and these are the morals of Ahl-el –Beit.

The Imams are the embodiment of Islam

When we believe in the Imams of Ahl el-Beit, we do not do this because we are fanatic, but because we see in them the embodiment of Islam and the image of the Messenger(p.) , and we follow them so as to follow the Messenger(p.) who said: "The example of the members of my Household among you is like the example of Noah's ark. Whoever boards it will attain salvation and whoever does not board it will drown."

It is reported that Imam Al-Hassan was on his deathbed, when a companion came to him asking for advice. The Imam did not tell him to go away because he was tired for he believed that this was his responsibility to the last day of his life.

He said: get ready for your journey (towards Resurrection Day) and get your provisions before your death arrival. And know that you seek the world (material sources) and death is seeking you. Do not load the worry of the Day which had not yet come, upon your present day. And beware that you do not achieve and attain a wealth above your enemy but you are a trustee of it (wealth) for an other person. And do know that there is an account in its lawful and permitted, and in its prohibited lies punishment and retribution, and in its paradox and doubtful there is reproof.

O' Son of Adam! Since the day you left your mother's womb your life has been on the decrease. Therefore, avail yourself of that between your hands for the hereafter, because the believer takes provisions (from this world) and the disbeliever only takes his leisure (from this world).

Peace be on him the day he was born, the day he died and the day he will be brought back to life.

The Second Sermon

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

A collective punishment in Palestine

In Palestine, the enemy is preparing to strengthen the siege against the Palestinians in Gaza, denying them their vital needs, but it is improbable that the International Community will condemn this collective punishment that is in fact a grave tragedy. Moreover, the international Community is also silent towards the Enemy's war minister threat to invade Gaza.

They claim that they want to make Hamas understand that there is a price for every rocket that is launched on civilians. But this collective punishment targets all Palestinian citizens, including those who have nothing to do with the rocket launching, knowing that the Resistance targets the settlements and the posts of Israeli Army, to retaliate against the aggression that has resorted to assassination, bombing, detention, and torture of the civilians on the crossings, leading to the death or miscarriage of pregnant women, as well as the death of children and the elderly, which renders the launching of the rockets an act of self defence and not in any way an aggression.

All human rights, organisations, Muslim and Arab regimes and the PA should uphold their responsibilities in standing against this collective punishment, and voicing their denouncement of these Israeli violations to international law, human rights and moral values.

The Palestinians, both the Authority and the people, should know that the proposed peace conference will not be more than a manoeuvre that will only deliver the Palestinians to the unknown, especially that the Enemy Prime Minister has stated that he does not expect his entity to reach a final status agreement before 20 to 30 years.

Israel: Direct threats to Syria

The Enemy's War Minister has called for preparing for a war against Syria, which suggests that Israel is planning to increase the level of tension in the region, in coordination with the USA, which uses the Jewish state to implement its strategic gaols of aggression in all the region. This means that the Resistance in Lebanon should be on the alert to confront any new aggression against Lebanon.

This is what the Lebanese should understand in order to engage in a serious discussion of the Lebanese defence strategy, especially that America refuses to arm the Lebanese Army in accordance with the American plan of preserving Israeli military superiority in the region, and to prove once again that the saying that politics-not arms can defend Lebanon is wrong.

Playing with democracy

The United States continues to show its military and political force in the region and interferes in the affairs of all nations in the world. It spread chaos in many states, such as the political turmoil in Lebanon, security tensions in Somalia, political and security tensions in Pakistan and the brutal occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan. It also pushes its agents in any country that refuses to accept its arrogant policies to dominate over the entire country and put the opposition in jail, and manipulate the democracy process to serve their own interests.

In referring to the close alliance with the US, the British Prime Minister warned that force alone will not be enough, and hinted implicitly that the arrogant violence of America and its allies in the Third world, as well as its support to Israel, in increasing the security tensions and pushing the opposition in several countries to stand against state terrorism.

We also warn against this arrogant policy of America, France and Britain that impose their hegemony over the Security Council to issue resolutions against many peoples, such as Iran and Lebanon. These resolutions serve only the imperialistic interests and prevent the peoples from acquiring any scientific knowledge, especially the nuclear know-how, to remain dependent on the arrogant nations and unable to achieve self-sufficiency.

Confronting the American threat

We are trying to make the downtrodden world, especially the Arab and Muslim world, feel this American threat of building a universal empire, whether by sheer force, political alliances or economic pressures. We want them to reject this arrogant scheme, and build their own force to achieve freedom and independence.

The Muslim World should try to reduce the strength of internal conflicts, whether racial or sectarian, which are encouraged by political leaders in association with international intelligence institutions, to ensure that they will stay in power.

We appeal to the Muslim peoples to learn about their elements of strength and develop them. We also want them to uphold Islamic unity, by conducting a dialogue among the sects or by cooperating and coordinating among the peoples.

The Organization of the Islamic Conference should become an effective one, and not one that yields to the arrogant demands. The Arab League should rise to the level of the issues it deals with; using the economic elements of strength, especially oil, it posses to be defiant, instead by being a ghost that is neither harmful nor useful. It only yields to Israeli and American pressures and runs after an elusive peace.

Will there be a solution in Lebanon?

Although there are some hopes for finding a solution to the crises of the coming presidential elections, the super powers, especially the US, are killing these hopes.

The Lebanese are living a state of anxiousness, as a result of the fear of where the internal struggle will lead to, especially that it has been dominated by an abusive language, nasty accusations and external political motives.

Some of the sectarian leaders who are afraid to use their positions, are against any realistic solution, specially that they are commissioned to play roles that serve international projects that exploit the sectarian situation, the national state of despair and the security and political fears of new assassinations, that are being predicted by certain politicians whose sources are not revealed, thus exploiting these fears an a means of safeguarding their sectarian positions.

Will the Lebanese see sunrise, or are they headed to a dimmer darkness in this long night?