Sayyed Fadlullah: We are not trying to underestimate American's abilities and cards, but we are sure that we have many resources and potentials that could enable us, if deployed in the best manner, to force American and Israeli plots to return to the starting point.

Asked in his weekly seminar the following question: What is Islam's position towards national wealth?

The Religious Authority, Sayyed Muhammad Hussein Fadlullah, said :

Islam considers that all national resources whether physical or moral are parts of the national wealth that should be utilized and benefited from. It should not be wasted in any way, for Islam has prohibited any wasting of wealth even in trivial and simple things, and all the more so if it has to do with vital and critical wealth resources.

Wealth in Islam is divided into two categories:

First the public wealth that is not owned by individuals, but rather they are the property of the entire nation. Such wealth includes oil, minerals, water depth… etc. Islam has instituted a detailed program of running these resources by the legitimate religious ruler or his deputies, who would carry on their task without any wronging on injustice.

The second kind is the wealth owned by individuals or groups, as a result of their work or inheritance. This kind of wealth is also governed by a detailed program. For although Islam did not take a negative stand regarding personal property, it hindered its accumulation in the hands of few people. It was concerned through its tax system and inheritance to ensure that the wealth is distributed among the biggest number of people, Imam Ali says in this respect: "No poor man is hungry except by what the wealthy man enjoys”. He also says: "I have never seen an accumulated wealth, that there is not a usurped right beside it”.

As for the public wealth, which is a major source of strength to the nation, we believe that a province or a tribe does not own it, just because it lies in its region. It is the property of the entire nation, which has the right to benefit from, not only financially, but also politically and strategically, since it is an element that strengthens the defense of the nation against its enemies.

The wealth of the nation is being plundered wasted, and not distributed. A few people put their hands on it as if were private property. This constitutes a big injustice, although many have been treating it as an accomplished fact, especially after the nation has been divided into parties and mini states.

We believe that the natural resources in the lands of Muslims are the property of the successive generations of the nation. Thus, the first generation does not have the right to waste these resources, preventing the coming generations from benefiting from it.

Our real wealth as Muslims is the Islamic nation itself. If it reforms and follows the straight path, feeling how strong it is, its wealth will not continue to be plundered by others. That is why the internal tyranny and the external colonialism have sought to make the nation enter into a state of intellectual and political unconsciousness, plunging it into the atmosphere of ignorance, myth and divisions, so that this great giant will not wake up and revolt against those who plunder this wealth.

The problem is that our wealth is being robbed twice. The first time occurs when colonialism and arrogance put their hands on it in a direct manner, while the second occurs when they benefit from the way it is marketed, and the way they benefit from its returns. They even determine the amount that should be produced (if we take oil as an example) in accordance to all their market needs and interests.

We noticed that our plundered wealth has become a card in the hands of the international thieves, with the US in their forefront, Not only does the US companies employ some of the American officials and put them on their pay-roll, but they also control the oil reserves, such as in Iraq, to turn it into a political and economic pressure card against the EU, China and Japan. Thus these resources turned into a liability on its rightful owners, and an a asset to the arrogant, in view of the state of fall of the Arab and Muslim states that even reached the extent of putting our funds in the American banks… thus enabling America to control our financial assets too.

The international resolutions that target the countries this oppose America's political line is yet another step that aims to appropriate the political decision having appropriated the national resources.

Therefore, all the Security Council resolutions that have been passed and those that will be passed, and targeted Lebanon Syria and Iran aim at spreading chaos in the region. Nevertheless a new American adventure could well turn into a grave for the American project that has to choose between retreating or interning into a new adventure they know that it will be very costly.

Therefore, the only option we have in Lebanon is to unite against this reality that finds no easy way to change the image of the country and does not posses the potentials to change from within, although it tries to intimidate from afar, by the resolutions that might enlarge in number, but can not defeat the internal state of steadfastness.

We are not trying to underestimate American's abilities and cards, but we are sure that we have many resources and potentials that could enable us, if deployed in the best manner, to force American and Israeli plots to return to the starting point, and then try to change our own realities with our own visions and in what serves our own interests.