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In the Name of God, The
Compassionate the Merciful
Ayatullah Al Ozma
H.E. M. H.
Fadlullah delivered two khotbas (at the Imamain Al-Hassanain Mosque)
Jumadi 20, 1422h August10, 2001 (Several prominent religious scholars,
dignitaries and thousands of believers attended the Jumu’a prayer).
The First
Khotba
Isolate Prosecutors,
for they are the Servants of Arrogance
One of the important
issues, the Holy Quran has underscored is the issue of unity. God (SWT)
wants the Muslims and Islam to be strong; something that cannot be
achieved unless the Muslims unite on the general lines, although they
might still differ on certain details.
God (SWT) dealt with
the issue of unity in several verses in the Quran. In the beginning, He
dealt with it in His message to His Messengers asking them to do good and
reminding them that their "nation is but one nation" and
that He is their lord that they ought to worship. This unity of all
messengers on the basis of piety and worshipping of Allah (SWT) is an
indication to their followers that all the messages too, are essentially
the same, and that there is no difference between the messages of Noah,
Abraham, Moses and Jesus except in how detailed or specific each one is,
in accordance with the social needs of the people it is sent to.
Therefore, the
dialogue among religions is a central and vital issue in the Quran. It
commanded the Messenger and the Muslims to call the People of the Book-
The Jews the Christians- to reach a common ground on the basis of the
oneness of Allah (SWT) and the unity of mankind. He wanted the Muslims to
base their discussions with the People of the Book on reciprocal
recognition. The Muslims recognize the religion of the others and those in
return recognize the Muslims beliefs:
“Say we believe
in what was revealed to us and what where revealed to you . Our God and
yours is the same god…”
The Muslim discourse
in a mixed Society is a discourse of unity that recognizes the existing
pluralism.
For this unity could
lead to the convergence of all lines into a common ground. And this is
what we learn form the Prophet’s experience in Medina where the Jews
used to constitute a large group living with the tribes of Aos and Khazraj
who became Muslims. The Messenger (P) wanted to organize the society in
the Medina so as he could concentrate on the outside world. Thus the
Prophet held the first treaty in that region in which the Jews were one of
the parties, for he wanted that mixed society to integrate, and probably
become united in the end.
Thus Islam searches
for what it meets upon with others, so that both parties become closer
both intellectually and psychologically. If this the case with other
religions, it comes without saying that Islam wants the Muslims to join
hands and unite to serve their common causes and not let anything outside
Islam draw them apart:
”Cling all and
one to the chord of Allah and let nothing divide you”.
The chord of Allah (SWT)
as the interpreters say and as the Prophet confirmed is the Quran. The
Prophet (SAWS) says:
"I am
leaving among you, what if you cling to you will never be lead astray: The
book of Allah (SWT) a chord that stretches between the earth and heaven
and the Members of my family”.
To cling to this
rope obviously means to follow all what the Quran says on every level,
whether intellectual, practical, legal or otherwise, and never act in a
contradictory way in your private and public lives so as we would feel
that this chord is what joins us together being the Book of Allah (SWT)
which falsehood cannot draw near to.
Yet the Muslims are
of various nationalities and races, which poses the question of calling of
a national unity or a unity of race and even feel that there are things
that divide between one race and another.
Islam did not
prevent us from belonging to our nations or races, but it asked us not to
raise them as our principles.
“Men, we have
created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes
that you might get to know one another. The noblest of you in Allah’s
sight is the most righteous of you. Allah is wise and all knowing.”
Our differences are
the road to know one another while Islam is the chord that unites us.
Now there are other
kinds of differences in the Muslim community. The political or
jurisprudent differences: when the question of succeeding the prophet was
raised the Muslims were divided between those who called for the caliphate
and those who called for the Imamate, and thus we had the Sunnis and the
Shiites. Then both groups divided into subgroups. Then as time passed the
difference between the two major groups grew bigger to the extent that
people started to treat the sect as a religion, and Shiites started not to
pray in Sunni mosques and vice- versa. And they even began to accuse one
another of unbelief.
God (SWT), the most
Exalted, has solved this problem: He told us that when you differ upon
something, like the difference between the Shiites who say that the
caliphate belongs to Ali and the Sunnis who says it belongs to Abi Baker,
you have, since you believe in Allah (SWT) and His Messenger (P) to refer
to them, for this is the common basis you both agree upon. Sit down
together and study the matter in an objective and academic manner to learn
what does Allah (SWT) say about the issue you differ on. The same thing
applies to the differences inside each sect. In the Shiite sect, for
example, the jurisprudent differences have reached a level that we call
each other names. But since the difference is academic, the religious
scholars can sit together and study the difference objectively on the
basis of evidence derived from the Book and the Prophet’s traditions
while the public should not get involved since they are not qualified,
they can only sit down and learn. What causes all these differences in the
religious and political spheres is fanaticism that was described by our
tradition as an attribute we obtain from the devil, and which we should
certainly do our best to rid ourselves of.
There will always be
some individuals who will incite these fanatical differences among us. And
we are not vigilant enough and act on all basis of common belief and
Islamic brotherhood we will be over whelmed by them.
God (SWT) wants us
to believe that we are brothers: “Believers are but brothers, Reconcile
between your bothers”.
He wants us to
remain united by His chord and solve all our differences, whether social,
political, religious or jurisprudent, along the lines of piety and
preserving the unity of belief and believers.
The Second
Khotba
In the Name of
God, The Compassionate the Merciful
Worshippers of Allah
(SWT) be pious, and uphold your unity especially as the others are trying
to disperse us by inciting all religious and sectarian persecution to
enable the Arrogance and Zionists to perpetuate their dominance.
The
Palestinian Heroes
The Intifada is
still going on against all odds especially the superiority of the Zionist
killing machine… The last martyr operation in west Jerusalem was able to
shake the Israeli sense of security. It also proved that Sharon’s plan
of continuous escalation of terror and violence has failed to protect the
Zionists. The Mujahiden have proved that they can strike inside the enemy
lines, for they are armed with the spirit of martyrdom and the
determination to break Zionist arrogance.
The Israeli
retaliation, demonstrated by ”capturing” some of the Palestinian centres
in Jerusalem, and the invasion of some of the liberated territories, as
well as the shelling of cities and villages is only an expression of a
burst of anger, but it will not affect the steadfastness, the
determination and the strength of the Palestinian Mujahideen.
As for America, it
condemns and protests because the operation dealt a severe blow to the
Zionists. An American official declared a few days before, that Israel in
its barbarian shelling and assassinations of Palestinians is not violating
the American Arms act. This lead the enemy to feel free to do what it
wants. And it also proves that America is equally responsible for the
Israeli brutal killing of children, women and elderly, although it might
sometimes pay some lip service to convince the Arabs that it is against
these Killings.
America gives the
Arabs worthless words, while supporting the enemy with arms and political
stands and providing international protection. Moreover, America no longer
talks about occupation and the need for withdrawal, as any freedom-loving
nation ought to support. It now talks about condemning ”violence” as
though the Palestinians are the aggressors, and as if the Israelis are
acting in self -defence.
As for the Arabs,
they condemned the martyr operations and although they condemned the
Zionist aggression, they did not provide the Palestinians with any
substantial support.
In this respect,
Europe too might provide some compliments to the Arabs and Palestinians.
but it would not take any effective stands.
The Palestinian
people are therefore the ones who are supposed to hold the bulk of
responsibility and ensure with their determination and readiness to
sacrifice that they will be triumphant in the end. The history of nations
proves that the oppressed are the ones who will be victorious in the end
despite the existing balance of force.
Furthermore, the
Arab and Muslim popular movements are a political necessity. They should
stand with the Palestinians, and stand against the American role in the
region, for, in addition to their support to the enemy, the Americans
continue to besiege Iraq and starve its people. They feel that they can
inflict any punishment on the Arabs for they are fully aware that the Arab
regimes are politically helpless.
Turkish-Israeli
Relations
In view of the
recent visit of the Butcher (Sharon) to Turkey in which he announced that
he is going to continue to pursue the policy of assassinating the
Palestinian activists, without any condemnation, on the part of Turkey,
which asked so as not to lose face. Sharon to ease the Israeli Condition
to resume negotiations.
I believe that the
Turkish government is acting against the will of its people, when it holds
a military alliance with Israel.
Such an alliance
could only be against the surrounding Arab and Muslim countries,
especially Iran, Iraq and Syria. I reckon that the Arabs should punish the
Turkish government for taking such a hostile stand against both Arabs and
Muslims.
On another level, I
appreciate the revitalization of the Islamic brotherly relations between
Iran and the Emirates and hope that they will develop into a serious and
objective dialogue to solve the current problems, especially the issue of
the three Islands that America exploits to increase tensions.
Lebanon:
freedom of Expression Is Essential
In the Lebanon
internal front, I like to welcome any reconciliation between the Lebanese
sects, for it puts a final end to the civil war and enable the dislocated
to return to their towns and villages.
As for the latest
detentions, I notice first that the issues of civil peace, preserving the
stability and security of the Lebanese Army are of the most important
priorities that cannot be compromised.
At the same time, I
would like to point out that justice is not served when people are accused
because of their thoughts and not their actions. The state, along with all
its security apparatus, should not, under any circumstances , violate the
public and civic liberties.
The Lebanese citizen
should feel that the government protects him from himself and from the
others and not persecute or oppress him.
Violating the
freedom of the citizen does not serve the interests of the state. On the
contrary it weakens it, which hurts the interests of all Lebanese.
I advise them to
stop such acts for it undermines the image of Lebanon abroad.
I call for dialogue,
and most importantly for the independence of the judiciary and keeping it
out of the political game. The country faces a severe economic crisis that
needs the participation of all Lebanese and all parties to find a way out.
And the region is passing through a very critical stage that nobody could
foresee what is going to happen.
In these
circumstances we do not need additional problem and creating additional
political, economic and security difficulties. We have to concentrate on
facing the occupier and supporting the Palestinian Intifada. We have to
preserve our national unity through objective dialogue so as not to let
the future fall victim of the struggles of the present.
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