Beirut Friday Prayer: Righteousness between theory and practice

The First SermonRighteousness is remaining on the straight path that is void of any deviation or hypocrisy. It is the straight path that Allah bestowed upon His servants so that they would lead a better life on earth and in Heaven. It is one of the axioms of ethics and a practice that demonstrates it in all the aspects of life.Some might think that it might mean to perform the religious rites on a daily basis, but this is not enough for the Hadith says that one should not look at how frequently he prays or fasts, but at how truthful he is and whether he actually returns the trusts. This is the only criterion for which there are no exceptions.Religion, in this sense, is treatment, and to be a true believer, one must be fair and just, never cheat, lie, steal, hate, envy and backbite… etc. It is to be steadfast on the path of righteousness in weakness and in strength, in private and in public.Righteousness is a choice that one makes out of his freewill. He has always to make sure that he has not deviated from the straight path. He has to know that following this road is not easy. It requires patience, endurance, steadfastness, devotion and awareness. It is also a collective act as when the nation faces a certain setback. It is, in this case, a test for the nation’s steadfastness and perseverance.This is what the Messenger (p.) has educated the Muslims on till the last moment of his life (and we are commemorating these days his death anniversary). He had his worries and concerns about the future. He feared the challenges that might cause strife, and this is what actually happened. That is why he made it clear that the Muslims’ blood and property are sacrosanct until they meet their Lord, and: “Do not become after me infidels that hit the necks of one another.”In his memory, let out grief on his demise be that of the Mujahideen and the righteous. Allah says: “Those to whom the people said: ‘Surely men gathered against you, therefore, fear them,’ but this increased their faith, and they said: ‘Allah is sufficient for us and most excellent is the Protector.’” (03: 173).May Allah bestow His blessings upon the Messenger, the day he was born, the day he departed and the day he will be brought back to life.The second sermonIn the second sermon, the Sayyed explained in the beginning that we are living in a stage in which we are fragmenting and dividing the region into sects and races.In Iraq, for example, the Sayyed expressed his concern that the growing sectarian discourse will lead to the return of the catastrophic state the Iraqis suffered from. He called in the Iraqi government to take into consideration the rightful demands, but warned against factional attitudes.As for Syria that is still in the midst of the storms, the Sayyed considered that all Syrian parties who were part of the crisis should be part of the solution, even if some see that the currently articulated solutions are not realistic. Thus, one should not rush to reject any initiative; but rather, build on it.The Sayyed welcomed the release of the Iranian detainees and others, and hoped that this move will be a prelude for the release of the kidnapped Lebanese citizens in Syria.He also called on the Bahraini government to review its latest decrees and the new trials of a number of members of the opposition.In Lebanon, the Sayyed noted that the storm has unveiled the extent of neglect and deprivation the Lebanese poor neighborhoods suffer from. He stressed on the need to take preventive measures beforehand to protect all the country against any future storms. As for the electoral law, he called for a law that accommodates the needs of the future generations, and that leads to the election of true representatives and not partisan or personal aspirations, or one that consolidates sectarian division./129