News > Statements&Communiqués > 29/1/2007 A.D, 9 Muharram 1428 H

On the occasion of Ashoura, The Religious Authority, Sayyed Muhammad Hussein Fadlullah delivered a letter addressing the Muslims and the Lebanese. He said:

“The stage in which the season of Ashoura has arrived this year is one of the most delicate and critical stages. It is the stage of the biggest strife that is occurring in both the Arab and Islamic worlds, that made the Arab and Islamic reality in a state of security and political emergency and economic plunder.

From the wounded Iraq that the occupation has made worse and which has fallen in an internal strife in which the Muslim declares that it is permissible to kill Muslims of the other sect, to Afghanistan whose citizens do not enjoy any security, thus people there are killing each other under some political justifications that are held by this or that party, to Palestine that represents the Islamic position that sums up all the Islamic lines in the struggle against Zionism and arrogance, and was also dragged into internal strife in which Muslims declared that it is permissible to kill one another under factional and sectarian titles.

We also see that America is encouraging a war between Iran and its neighbors in the Arab world. Hence, America is deceiving the world by saying that Iran threatens the Gulf region and other Arab countries. Under this pretence, it is trying to fill the Gulf with its weapons and aircrafts to carry out its plan that no country will be safe from it even the Arab countries.

And if we go as far as Somalia, the most wretched and poorest country, we see how security is breached there, whether among its citizens or by the foreign parties, especially the American and Ethiopian parties.

Besides, if we come back to Lebanon, we see that it is living in a state of political and security c haos due to the American and European plan that is interfering in the Lebanese internal affairs, to the extent that it prevents the Lebanese from reaching reconciliation or a realistic solution for their crisis. On the other hand, we saw how the American President is threatening the Resistance in Lebanon, Palestine and Iraq and giving his soldiers the permission to kill any of them.

The barbaric mad campaign that targets Islam in its doctrine, culture and symbols, especially through the American and European media, as well as stirring up sectarianism, reveals that this campaign is an international one that targets Islam as a religion, and against Muslims being against the project of dominating the region.

In Ashoura which represents an Islamic reform movement that Imam Hussein (a.s.) lunched not on sectarian basis, but for the sake of reform in the Muslim nation. He was also open on the stage he was living in and looked towards the future in all his words and stands…

On this occasion, we say to all Muslims that “The Karbala slogans which are the slogans of Islam and all divine messages, call upon us to make them the slogans of our movement against strife, arrogance and occupation. Imam Hussein (a.s.) said: “I rose to seek reform in my grandfather’s ,the Messenger, nation... I want to enjoin good and forbid evil”.

Hence, one of the greatest ways of reform and preserving the Muslims dignity is preventing the internal fighting and refusing strife among Muslims and furthering the values of dignity, honor and freedom in all the Muslims decisions and positions.

The first step to solve our problems is to abide by the Islamic unity. Unity will provide us with the strength that will make the world respects us since we respect ourselves and enables us to be partners in making the world decisions that are controlled by the arrogance axis, and stop being in the margin.

This stage requires from all Muslims to adopt the educational and cultural lines of Islam and to transform this education into an Islamic stand that prevents the Muslim from abusing the other Muslim or any other person regardless of his religion.

We say to our brothers and children in Lebanon: “Do not turn the political discords into sectarian ones, because that does not serve Muslims whether Sunnis or Shiites, but rather it will bring down the Islamic spirit, weaken the Islamic observance, paralyze the Islamic vitality and undermine Islam.

Be aware of those whom the international arrogance is employing, whether Muslims or not; those who adopt the line of arrogance and try to inflame the sectarian strife among Muslims. Because when the fire of strife erupts, it destroys everything and makes the temple fall on everybody’s head.

We call those who observe the Husseini line, on the level of sectarianism, to be open to the Husseini line on the general Islamic level.

Respect your Islamic privacy, do not deem lawful what Allah has prohibited, especially the blood of fellow Muslims and confront challenges since, the international arrogance wants to change all the reality. Do not be lost in the narrow dilemmas that enable the enemies of the nation and humanity to achieve their plans.

Direct your efforts against occupation, whether in Iraq, Afghanistan, or Palestine and be a resistance against it on all levels. Follow the lines of those who respect the Muslims’ blood and stand against those who accuse Muslims of unbelief and declare that it is permissible to kill them.

Ashoura’s message is the message of Islam, and Islam nowadays is in great danger and Muslims are facing the threat of a civil war. Allah says: {And hold fast by the covenant of Allah all together and be not disunited, and remember the favor of Allah on you when you were enemies, then He united your hearts so by His favor you became brethren; and you were on the brink of a pit of fire, then He saved you from it, thus does Allah make clear to you His communications that you may follow the right way. Let there arise out of you a band of people inviting to all that is good, enjoining what is right, and forbidding what is wrong: They are the ones to attain felicity. And be ye not as those who separated and disputed after the clear proofs had come unto them. For such there is an awful doom.} (03:103-105)

Oh Lord! Did I convey? Oh Lord bear thou.