Sayyed Fadlullah condemns extremist fatwas issued by some religious scholars

The First SermonIn the first sermon, His Eminence, Sayyed Ali Fadlullah, talked about the virtue of forgiveness, one of the noblest virtues of Islam. He cited some examples from the biographies of the Prophet (p.) and Ahl El-Beit (a.s.), especially Imam Zein Al-Abideen (a.s.), to show that to forgive, especially graciously (to forgive without any rebuke), is one of the sublime morals they sought to teach.He further explained that such an attitude will bring about a lot of good that the entire community will benefit from. Furthermore, to forgive someone might be the best way to reform him. On the other hand, forgiveness might be a sign of weakness as when you forgive a mean or dissolute person, for by that, you might be encouraging him to carry on with his shameful acts.The Sayyed ended his sermon by asserting that forgiveness means that we ought not seek revenge, for revenge is not an act of justice. We ought to forgive, since forgiveness is an act of faith. He explained that forgiveness is particularly needed in our modern Muslim societies, which seems to have gone back to the age of Jahiliyya which our Prophet (p.) struggled to eradicate. We need to produce a new history, by adding a new chapter of mercy and love to the history of Islam.The second sermonIn the second sermon, His Eminence, Sayyed Ali Fadlullah, urged all the religious scholars who issue Fatwas of “Jihad” (struggle) against other Muslim parties to direct these Fatwas to the right places that best serve the Nation and its unity, by giving absolute priority to fighting the Zionist enemy. The most dangerous thing the nation might face is the fall of its religious scholars in the abyss of strife.The Sayyed condemned the hideous massacre committed in a Syrian village and called, in the face of the continuous blood shedding and the talk about arming the opposition or the use of chemical weapons that further fuel the civil war, to engage in an internal dialogue that is the only way to secure the country’s resisting stance and the right of the Syrian people to freedom.The Sayyed then praised the Iranian democracy that was demonstrated in the recent presidential elections.He then called on the Gulf countries to review their decision that harms the Lebanese living and working in these countries, and not to judge them on the basis of their religious or political beliefs.He also called on all Lebanese, especially the Muslim sects, to find a solution that would prevent the country from falling into a civil war. The Sayyed asserted that there is a dire need to remove all obstacles that hinder the formation of a national unity government in which all parties take part./129