The First Sermon
In the first sermon, Sayyed Ali Fadlullah commemorated the birth anniversary of Imam Ali Bin Abi Talib (a.s.). He began by highlighting the significance of his birth in the Kaaba which indicates the path of devotion to Allah that the Imam was to take throughout his life. This relation with Allah was deepened when he was taken by the Prophet (p.) at the age of 6 to raise him.
He was the first to adopt Islam and he built his relation with Allah on the basis of his knowledge in Him, which made him see Allah as Merciful even to those who disobey Him.
His love to Allah did not seek any gain. It was pure love that made him worship Allah and not any benefit or fear from him. This love made him situated in all the places Allah commanded him to be in, starting by accompanying the Messenger (p.) since the very beginning of the mission. He also stayed in the Prophet's bed when Muhammad immigrated to Al-Madina although he knew that he would probably be killed.
He was always in the vanguard in each battle, and when he found that the interests of Islam lies in the state of peace, he was very patient towards those who usurped his right, saying that he will keep the peace as long as the harm affects him only.
He refused all the pleasures and bounties of this world, although it was offered to him on a sliver plate. The reason behind all his sufferings was that he wanted the people for the sake of Allah, while they wanted him for themselves, and this left him with no friends. He was a pious worshipper who was concerned with performing the acts of worship day and night… He was never satisfied or angered for a personal reason; but rather, for what satisfies Allah or brings His wrath.
He held himself accountable before Allah for every responsibility he undertook, stressing that he was not in pursuit of a position or a prestige; but rather, he aimed to prevent any act of aggression and injustice so that the downtrodden would feel secure and justice would prevail.
Even on his deathbed, he was concerned with the fact that the Shariah should be applied when handling the issue of his assassination, refusing the spilling of any Muslim blood except that of the murderer.
The Sayyed concluded that our loyalty to Allah should be an adherence to the values that the Imam lived for and applied throughout his life. Imam Ali (a.s.) does not want our love and affections only, but he also wants us to adopt a proper code of behavior and action. He knew that we cannot reach his standards, yet we have to try our best to emulate him. Therefore, to be loyal to Ali is to know Allah as he knew him and not to ascribe partners to Him. We should love Allah more than we love ourselves, our loved ones and our wealth. We ought to preserve this relationship with Allah by monitoring ourselves continuously. We should also keep in mind that Allah, Who is Merciful and Forgiving, is also strong and severe in punishment.
The personality of the believer ought to be balanced. One should not fear Allah in such a way that makes him obsessed with punishment, nor believe in His mercy in a way that makes him forget his responsibilities towards Him.
The Second Sermon
The West is exerting every effort to thwart the Arab revolutions, either by exploiting their need for arms and money, or by exerting pressures on them by inciting sectarian or political strife. At a time we feel that it is the right of the Arab peoples to initiate reform and change, we call on them to adopt extreme caution when dealing with all the Western attempts to support these revolutions, since they actually aim at their self destruction.
The aim of the international arrogance is to dominate over the region so as to prevent it from turning into a significant force that could out-weigh the Zionist Entity. In the meantime, the Zionist enemy is seizing every opportunity and accelerating the building of settlements in the occupied lands, benefiting from the American and European support to thwart any recognition of a Palestinian state even within the 1967 borders.
America is also trying to extend its occupation of Iraq, whether by trying to incite strife or exerting pressure on certain parliamentary blocs to accept this occupation. In these circumstances it is vital that all the Iraqis express their absolute rejection of the occupation so that Iraq and the entire region can enjoy a real sense of freedom and security. It must be noted that although the withdrawal of the occupation troops will result in certain suffering, it will surely be of lesser costs than those of its stay.
In Lebanon, the government was finally formed. In this respect, the Sayyed expressed his appreciation for the concessions made by some parties to maintain Islamic and national unity. Such a move is a clear demonstration of a new political attitude that puts the country's interests before that of the confessions and sects.
The Sayyed called on the new government to carry out its tasks in a unified manner, and accelerate its efforts, taking into consideration the time lost in trying to form it. He also called on it to work on solving the problems of the society, especially the poor and the deprived, who now constitute the majority of the Lebanese. More importantly, the government should set out a strategic plan to safeguard national and Islamic unity, protect the country, and fortify it against the Zionist greed and the American pressures.
17/06/2011 A.D 15/07/1432 H
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