Imam Al-Askari (a.s.): A short life flourished with faith

His Eminence, Sayyed Ali Fadlullah, delivered the two Friday prayer sermons at the Imamain Al-Hassanain Mosque, Safar, 4th 1433 H. - January, 27th 2012. Several prominent religious scholars, dignitaries and thousands of believers attended the Jumu’a prayer.

Following is a summary:

The First Sermon

In the first sermon, His Eminence, Sayyed Ali Fadlullah, commemorated the death anniversary of Imam Al-Hassan Bin Ali Al-Askari (a.s.). He pointed that history did not relay many details about the life of the Imam, due to the fact that he lived a short life, during which he prepared for the stage of Imam Al-Mahdi (a.j.) and faced all kinds of pressure and oppression.

Nevertheless, he was able, through the short time (6 years) he lived as an Imam, to gain even the respect of the people who were the harshest on Ahl El-Beit (a.s.).

He was very wise and prudent in his struggle with the political power at the time. He was also cautious about the networks he created with his companions and followers.

He gave them money and always guided them, but he preferred underground work and called on his followers not to profess their real stands, even if they were in jail. This state of affairs led to what is called Taqiyyah (dissimulation); however, the Sayyed pointed out that Taqiyyah is not the rule, but the exception that should be applied only when one has to. Thus, saying that the positions of Ahl El-Beit are not to be trusted, being initiated by Taqiyyah, is wrong.

The Imam (a.s.) also followed the mission of Ahl El-Beit (a.s.) preserve the purity of Islam, and he was concerned with educating his companions to make sure that they would represent the school of Ahl el-Beit and their views in religion and life.

Imam Al-Askari was a unique scholar, who had accompanied the developments of his time and sought to reform any deviation that might have occurred. He endured much oppression and he was imprisoned several times, but he did not care about all the pressures which he regarded as a burden he had to bear for the sake of the Message.

He, thus, taught us that we should never succumb or fall under pressures. He also called on us to remain calm and not to be provoked in any dialogue, even with our foes, so that the struggle will remain at the ideological and intellectual levels, and it will not produce violence and fanaticism, as we are witnessing nowadays.

The Sayyed, then, confirmed that one should not be provoked, even if the other is the one who refuses dialogue and resorts to verbal violence and the like, because we are the holders of the cause, and it is our responsibility to open up to closed hearts, in addition to the already open ones.

The Imamate of Al-Askari did not last for too long, but he managed to succeed in performing two extremely important roles: ensuring the birth of Imam Al-Mahdi in secrecy, and preparing the base of the Imam who would follow him in anticipation of the bigger occultation.

He also bequeathed us with the best provisions of sublime manners and piety. He said in his will before he died:

“I recommend you to be in awe of Allah, establish prayers, and pay poor rates (Zakat), because no prayer will be accepted if one forbids paying poor-rates. I also recommend you to ask for forgiveness in the case of committing sin, restrain yourself in case of rage, strengthen the relationship with relatives, help friends, strive hard in meeting their needs, whether in times of difficulties or easiness, have patience in times of ignorance, have good knowledge in your religion, act slowly and carefully in all affairs, bind yourself with the Quran, have good morals, enjoin good and forbid evil and avoid abominations altogether. Allah says: ‘There is nothing good in most of their whisperings except (in him) who bids charity or goodness or peace among the people.’ (04:114). You should keep up prayers at night, for indeed, this is what Prophet Muhammad recommended to Ali (a.s.), saying: ‘O Ali! You should perform the night prayer, because whoever belittles the night prayer is not from us’; therefore, act according to my recommendations and inform all my true followers of what I ordered you until they practice it.”

The Second Sermon

In the second sermon, the Sayyed commented on the situation in Palestine. He noticed that the unabated Israeli arrogance is escalating, especially with the arrest of the Palestinian Parliament Speaker and the confiscation of new lands in Jerusalem… He found it strange that the Palestinian Authority did not stop the negotiations with the Zionist enemy, and called on the Palestinians to strengthen their unity.

In Syria, the efforts to raise the problem to the Security Council will put Syria on the verge of chaos and plunge it in a struggle between the regional and international powers. The Sayyed, then, considered that the increase in the Western sanctions against Iran, coupled with the military threats, is a new attempt to push Iran into succumbing to the humiliating American conditions. Thus, the Sayyed called on the Western world to realize the negative impacts of such a behavior on world peace and economy, which necessitate finding a solution that guarantees for Iran the peaceful use of nuclear energy.

The Sayyed also felt that a huge responsibility lies on the shoulders of the Arab and Muslim states, since accepting such pressures will make it easy to impose them on another country whenever the arrogant need arises.

As for Bahrain, the Sayyed called on the officials to stay away from violence and adopt dialogue, reminding those who advocate freedom and human rights that the cause of freedom is but one.

On another level, the Sayyed called on the Egyptians not to leave any window of opportunity open for those who incite strife, whether between Muslims and secularists or between Muslims and Christians.

He considered that the current government in Lebanon has disappointed the Lebanese, for it has not worked as a unified team, but as divided parties; each seeking to promote its own interests. He warned that this no way to build a country, especially in such turmoil in the region.

He ended by reminding the officials that the beauty of this country is a trust they should keep, instead of distorting its image in the hearts of its citizens, as well as others.