His Eminence, Sayyed Ali Fadlallah, delivered the two Friday prayer sermons at the Imamain Al-Hassanain Mosque, Shawal 3, 1445 /April 12, 2024. Several prominent religious scholars, dignitaries, and hundreds of believers attended the Jumu’a prayer. Following is a summary of the sermons.

The First Sermon

Allah, the Most Exalted, says in His Glorious Book:

{And do not be like she who untwisted her spun thread after it was strong [by] taking your oaths as [means of] deceit between you because one community is more plentiful [in number or wealth] than another community. Allah only tries you thereby. And He will surely make clear to you on the Day of Resurrection that over which you used to differ} Allah, the Most Exalted,  has spoken the truth.

 

This Quranic verse, found in Surah An-Nahl, illustrates an example of wastefulness and mismanagement of resources, as depicted by a woman from the Quraish tribe during the days of ignorance (Jahiliyah ). It is narrated that she used to spin wool with her female workers from morning until midday, and after they completed their work, she would arbitrarily  tell them to undo what they had spun without any valid reason.

 

The implication of this verse extends beyond this specific scenario to encompass all those who squander resources without utilizing them properly to improve their own conditions or the conditions of those around them. Such behavior is seen as extravagance and misuse of blessings, and it will ultimately lead to regret in the Hereafter, where individuals will find their efforts wasted due to their heedlessness.

 

Muhammad (p.) warned against such wastefulness and emphasized the importance of obedience to Allah and His Messenger. He taught that every good deed will be rewarded, but those rewards can be nullified by engaging in sinful behavior or neglecting one’s duties.

 

Therefore, it is incumbent upon us to be mindful of our actions and ensure that we do not squander the blessings bestowed upon us by Allah. Instead, we should use them wisely and in accordance with His commands, so that we may find success and contentment in this life and the Hereafter. In the hadith, it is reported: “Three people will be brought forth on the Day of Judgment: a fighter in the cause of Allah, a scholar, and a charitable person. It will be said to the scholar, ‘What did you learn knowledge for?’ And he will reply, ‘I learned knowledge for Your sake, O Allah.’ The angels will say, ‘You have lied, but you learned knowledge to be called a scholar, Then it will be said to him that  he  does not deserve anything from Allah, the Most Exalted. The same will happen to the fighter in the cause of Allah, the Most Exalted, who will be told that he  fought so that he would be described as courageous and the charitable person who would be told that he sought to be known as a generous person…

 

Another example, mentioned by the Prophet Muhammad (p.), is when he asked, “Do you know who is bankrupt?” They replied, “The bankrupt among us is one who has no wealth or possessions.” He said, “The bankrupt of my nation are those who will come on the Day of Resurrection with mountains of good deeds, but they have insulted this person and wronged that person. So their good deeds will be taken from them, and if their good deeds run out before the score is settled, their sins will be cast upon them, and then they will be thrown into the Fire.”

 

A third example, also from the Messenger(p.), is: “I know people from my nation who will come on the Day of Resurrection with good deeds like the mountains of Tihamah, but Allah will make them like scattered dust.” They said, “O Messenger of Allah, describe them to us.” He said, “They are your brothers and from your race. They Pray  at night like you do, but when they are alone with what Allah has forbidden, they violate it.”

 

And a fourth example: “A person will be brought on the Day of Resurrection and will be placed before Allah, and his record will be given to him. He will see in it no good deeds, so he will say, ‘O my Lord, this is not my record, for I do not see in it my good deeds.’ And it will be said to him, ‘Indeed, your Lord does not wrong anyone.’ Your good deeds have been wasted because you backbited people.’ Then another person will be brought, and his record will be given to him, and he will see in it many good deeds. So he will say, ‘O my Lord, this is not  my record, but I I have not done these good deeds.’ And it will be said to him, ‘Indeed, your people backbed you, so Allah transferred their good deeds to you.'”

 

Dear loved ones, there is no greater calamity than one’s hard work throughout life, diligently performing duties and recommended acts day and night, then coming on the Day of Judgment to find that their deeds have vanished into thin air, when they are most in need of them, with no room for compensation, except to be encompassed by His Mercy.

 

This should remind us first not to be content with merely performing deeds until we secure Allah’s satisfaction and love, but to monitor ourselves to ensure that we have not squandered them, making sure our intentions are pure, untainted by reputation or show, and to follow what comes from our tongues and what our limbs do, adhering to what Allah calls us to and refraining from what He forbids.

 

This is what we must remember after the end of the blessed month of Ramadan, where we were guests of Allah and were blessed with divine generosity and abundant provision. Let us not spoil it with our bad deeds…

 

Secondly, we must prepare for the test as indicated by Allah when He said in Surah Al-Ankabut: “Alif, Lam, Mim. Do the people think that they will be left to say, ‘We believe’ and they will not be tried? But We have certainly tried those before them, and Allah will surely make evident those who are truthful and He will surely make evident the liars…”

 

These Ayats  are a clear indication that we  will all undergo trials to show Allah, the Most Exalted,  the extent of our sincerity in what claims we carry and the seriousness of our obedience in what we have done in terms of acts of worship. Allah, the Most Exalted,  does not suffice with a person merely saying “I fasted” to write them down among the fasting ones and they receive what was promised to the fasting individuals, but it is essential for them to undergo a test to reveal the extent to which they have benefited from this fasting. Some will be tested through their emotions, others through their conduct, desires, and inclinations, and some through a bribe offered to them or an outburst they face, or a nervousness they experience…

 

So let us, beloved ones, strive to be among the successful and victorious ones. What victory is better than to be among those whose necks are freed from the Fire, who deserve the reward of His pleasure? Let our supplication be: “O Allah, keep us steadfast in Your religion as long as You keep us alive, and do not let our hearts deviate after You have guided us. And make us among those who are granted mercy, and do not make us among those who are deprived, O Most Merciful of the merciful.”

The second sermon

Worshippers of Allah, I advise you and advise myself to continue to live the spiritual and faithful atmosphere we experienced, and to continue reflecting on ourselves in the month of Ramadan, so that all of that does not end with the end of Ramadan. We should not abandon the Quran, supplication, seeking forgiveness, attending mosques, maintaining family ties, connecting with neighbors and believers, and revitalizing the night with prayer and worship, or strict monitoring of our tongues, ears, eyes, and limbs, as if these actions are exclusive to Ramadan alone!

 

Ramadan should not be a phase of time, but its presence should be reflected in all the coming months, casting its spiritual, religious, and educational shadows upon them. If we understand the meanings of this month and live them, we will be purer, cleaner, and more capable of facing challenges.

 

Starting with Gaza, which Eid al-Fitr came upon stained with the blood of its sons due to the continued Zionist enemy’s crimes against it, without considering the sanctity of the Eid day. The latest of these crimes was the one that claimed the lives of sons and grandchildren of a Hamas leader, the head of the political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh. It is clear that these crimes aim to undermine the will of the resistance and push it to compromise in the ongoing negotiations regarding its legitimate and humanitarian demands, which this enemy still refuses, seeking only a temporary  ceasefire…

Then, according to its public statements, it  would return to the war it does not want to stop at what it has reached, but rather aims through it to destroy Gaza and push its people into displacement…

 

At this time, the world continues to support this entity on all levels, standing with it against any country, even those that want to defend themselves or respond to the attacks they are subjected to. Today, we witness threats of war from the Zionist entity against Iran if it retaliates  to the attack that targeted its consulate, indicating that this entity is now considered by the world to be above international decisions and diplomatic norms, with the right to destroy, kill, commit massacres, practice starvation and assassination policies as it pleases, while imposing sanctions and waging wars on anyone who seeks freedom for their people or stands to defend themselves or the oppressed in this world. Although we have begun to see some changes in the positions of supporting countries after warning this entity   not to continue its current approach. However. this warning was not for the sake of the people of the Gaza Strip and their suffering, but rather comes in the context of these countries’ attempts to absolve themselves of these crimes and improve their image among their peoples who support the Palestinian people and raise their voices through the media and marches condemning the crimes of this enemy.   If these warnings are  serious ,they should be accompanied  by actions from the countries of this world that deter this enemy from continuing its war.

 

Therefore, our bet is not on this world and the so-called international community, but rather on the steadfastness, patience, and resistance of the Palestinian people… and on those who feel the injustice of this people and their suffering and do not betray them, those who stand with them today and offer sacrifices for their cause.

 

We move on to Lebanon, which still suffers from the attacks of the Zionist enemy and the violation of its villages, as it continues its threats to Lebanon and the Lebanese, which do not stop at specific borders, sects, or locations, but rather include the entire country and all its spectrums, which calls on the Lebanese at this stage to unity to confront the imminent danger and prevent anything that threatens this unity.

 

On this level, we stop at the tension caused by the crime that targeted one of the sons of the Jbeil region, which almost caused internal strife and returned people to the atmosphere of the civil war that the Lebanese are still living its bitterness and repercussions, were it not for the speed of the security forces in revealing the reasons for this crime… We had hoped that it would end at this point, and while some still raise questions, we call for the continuation through the judiciary, which should remain the reference for uncovering any ambiguity seen in the course of the investigation. It is regrettable that we witness some trying to frame this crime within the framework of political or sectarian conflict in the country without realizing the risks to the stability of the nation, which awaits those who seek to ignite strife among the Lebanese for their own interests, as we have seen some manifestations of it in recent days.

 

Here, we appreciate all voices calling for keeping this crime within its judicial framework and not turning it into a gateway for strife, as there is no interest for any party in reaching it.

 

This country is in desperate need of those who calm minds and hearts, heal wounds, and deter strife, not those who inflame tensions, summon emotions, and evoke hatred, which if happened will burn the remaining greenery of this country and its dry land.

 

In this context, we once again condemn all practices that targeted Syrian refugees and call for not judging everyone by the actions of individuals. We call on the state to bear responsibility in this regard and prevent the injustice they are subjected to, while emphasizing the necessity of regulating the Syrian presence to prevent the commission of such atrocities as those that occurred, calling on the countries sponsoring this presence to play the required role.

 

Remaining within the security framework, we point to the danger of the crime that occurred in Beit Mery, which claimed the life of the money changer, Mohammad Ibrahim Sarour, indicating the extent of the Zionist infiltration of this country to incite discord in it or settle scores with those who stand against it. This urges us to act seriously to confront this infiltration with all its repercussions, to raise our voice against it, and to be vigilant about its dangers to all Lebanese and unity in dealing with it…