Sayyed Ali Fadlullah Friday Prayer in Lebanon; Piety: The outcome of fasting

The First Sermon

His Eminence, Sayyed Ali Fadlullah, started his sermon by stating that, according to the juristic opinion of the late Sayyed Fadlullah (ra), the Eid is on Tuesday, August 30. He then expressed his wishes that all religious authorities agree on a way to unify the beginnings of the lunar months, and that, until they do so, they emphasize their unity.

He, then, said that as we bid farewell to the month of Ramadan; the month of worship, good and forgiveness, we feel sorry for its end and for not having exerted more efforts to seize its opportunities well enough. Consequently, we ought to reflect upon our harvest in this month, just as a farmer does.

Did we perform our worshipping act of fasting as Allah has defined it? The criteria, as Allah has stated, is not fasting from food and drink; but rather, it is piety which is very easy to define, yet very difficult to practice. In addition to fasting and praying in this month, it has to do with saving one's tongue and private parts from any sin. It is to seek Allah's satisfaction in everything we do or say. It is to say the truth at all times and circumstances, to give who denies us and forgive who was unjust to us. It is to be hesitant in judging anyone, so that we will not be unjust. It is to give out charity in richness and in poverty. It is to suppress our rage, forgive people, and not to be selfish. Piety, as such, is a concept we should be trained and educated on.

The absence of piety is what we are suffering from the most in our reality, for such an absence produces hatred, fanaticism, selfishness, strife and loss of common factors. It leads to the absence of Allah as a compass that directs our life.

As we bid the month of Ramadan farewell, we feel sorry for its end and eager to meet it next year, noting that we ought to be ready to become more and more pious in our lives.

The Second Sermon

The Sayyed started his second sermon by celebrating Al-Quds Day. He called for making the issue of Jerusalem the top priority of all Muslims as individuals, groups and states.

He also called on the Arab and Muslim peoples not to forget the issue of Jerusalem as they struggle against internal oppressions, so as not to fall in the hands of those who wish to benefit from these revolutions in a way that serves their arrogant interests.

As for the Palestinian people, the Sayyed called on them not to put their stakes on a meaningless Palestinian state; but rather, to focus on confronting the enemy. Moreover, the Sayyed hailed the reaction of the Egyptian people to the Zionist aggression.

As for Libya, the Sayyed said that he appreciates the Libyan revolution and called on the Libyan people not to enable the arrogant powers to steal it by falling into a state of chaos that would facilitate the arrogant hegemony. He also called on the Libyan revolutionaries to help in unveiling the mystery of the disappearance of Imam As-Sadr.

In Lebanon, he asked all parties to avoid resorting to a tense discourse and called on them to adopt the spirit of dialogue and opening up, especially in this stage in which Lebanon is under the impact of the repercussions of the International Tribunal.

He also called on the government to adopt plans that are capable of solving the economic and social crises, especially that of electricity which should not be a fuel for political struggle.

The Sayyed ended by saying that on the eve of the Eid, we ought to transform it into an occasion that reproduces love and reconciliation between the Muslim Lebanese and all the Lebanese, so as to make every day a Eid.

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