The Name of Allah, The Compassionate, The Merciful.
His Eminence, Sayyed Ali Fadlullah, delivered the two Friday prayer sermons at the Imamain Al-Hassanain Mosque, Jamada Ath-Thaniya 27,1441H/ February 21, 2020. Following is an edited text of the sermons
The first sermon
Allah, The Most Exalted, says in His Glorious Book:“Indeed, the number of months with Allah is twelve [lunar] months in the register of Allah [from] the day He created the heavens and the earth; of these, four are sacred. That is the correct religion, so do not wrong yourselves during them. And fight against the disbelievers collectively as they fight against you collectively. And know that Allah is with the righteous [who fear Him]” [9; 37].Allah, The Most Exalted, speaks the truth.In a few days, we will receive one of the great months, the month of Rajab. Rajab in Arabic is derived from Tarjib, which is glorification. Thus it indicates the greatness of this month and how much it is welcomed.
The sacred months
This month is one of the four sacred months that Allah, The Most Exalted, has distinguished from the rest of the months .He says:“Indeed, the number of months with Allah is twelve [lunar] months in the register of Allah [from] the day He created the heavens and the earth; of these, four are sacred”.
The Hadith says: “indeed Allah chose elite ones from His creation, He chose from the angels Messengers and from mankind Messengers, He chose from His Speech His ?ikr(remembrance) He chose from the earth the mas?jid,(mosques). He chose from the months Ramadan and the Sacred Months”.
These months are distinguished with several traits: they are, firstly, months in which startinga war is forbidden, even if itis for a legal and just cause. If the fighting has started before thearrival of these months, then it has to stop unless it was for defending oneself, community, religion or country. Nevertheless, it should not exceed these limits.
The Quran has pointed out to this principle when it said:“They ask you about the sacred month - about fighting therein. Say, Fighting therein is great [sin]”[2; 217].
Postponing
This ban of fighting was not restricted to Islam. It was known in Jahiliyah, for it was one of the Prophet Ibrahim(a.s.) teachings.But although they knew about this command, they used to cheat and find a way to evade it when it ran counter to their interests. When they wanted to fight in one of these months, for example the month of Rajab, they used to say that they would substitute the month of Rajab by the month of Shawal; that is they would actually delay the advent of the sacred month to a later date. The Quran denounced this practice when it said:“the postponing [of restriction within sacred months] is an increase in disbelief by which those who have disbelieved are led [further] astray. They make it lawful one year and unlawful another year to correspond to the number made unlawful by Allah and [thus] make lawful what Allah has made unlawful. Made pleasing to them is the evil of their deeds; and Allah does not guide the disbelieving people” [9; 37].This Divine denouncement underscores the significance of these monthsand the importance of the role they play in the private and public lives.
The months of peace
Allah, The Most Exalted, wanted these months to be months of peace, whether with respect to wars, tribaland familialrivalries or personal differences,such as those that occur at work or at home.
This clearly points out that the principle, in Allah, The Most Exalted’ view is peace while war is an exception…He called for peace in several Ayats such as“Believers, all of you, enter the peace” [2; 208]and“if they incline towards peace, you should also incline towards it” [8; 61].
Peace is also the greeting of Muslims in this world and in the Hereafter.
We are in a dire need to live this moral trait in our reality at the time when aggressive behavior and resorting to arms and killing are frequent in our society. They might occur over traffic or inheritance differences as well as marital, religious, financial and political problems leading to several causalities. We could do without all this if we embrace the principle of peace. And the fourmonths period is enough to plant thisvirtue in our souls.
Doubling the awards and the punishments
In addition to the distinguishing quality of peace, these months are also the months in which the awards and punishments are multiplied. That is why the Quran :“so do not wrong yourselves during them” [9; 36],despite the fact that we should not wrong ourselves at all the times …but especially in these months.In addition to these traits, the month of Rajab was privileged with the Mercy Allah showers on the believers in this month. The Messenger(p.)says in his speech at the advent of this month:“Rajab is the month of Allah that is called Al-Assab (the pourer) for Allah showers His servants with mercy in it”. But this mercy is not for free. It is given for those who pray and fast;those who mention Allah, the Most Exalted, and ask for His forgiveness; those who give incharity…The Hadith says:“Allah the Most High has placed an Angel in the seventh heaven who is referred toas‘Da’ee’. When the Month of Rajab approaches, this Angel repeats the following prayer every night until the morning time, ‘Congratulations to those who are busy in the glorification of Allah. Congratulations to those who are obeying the commands of Allah, the Most Exalted...”
Supplication too is significant in this month and there are several supplications that we can recite in it, including the one thatis recommended to be recited after every obligatory prayer:O He from whom I can hope for all goodness And I am safe from His anger at every evil.O He who gives a lot in exchange of a little. O He who gives to one who asks Him.
O He who gives to one who does not ask Him and does not know Him, Out of His affection and mercy.Give me, for my request is only to You alone, All the good of this world and all the good of the Hereafter.Keep away from me, for my request is only to You alone, All the evil of this world and the evil of the Hereafter. For indeed it is not diminishing what you give. Increase (for) me from Your bounty, O The Generous.
Let us benefit from this occasion and ask our Lord toenable us to pray and fast and recite the Quran in this month, to earn His mercy and Forgiveness.
The second sermon
Worshippers of Allah, The Most Exalted: I advise you and myself with what Imam Al-Baqir (a.s.) … more