His Eminence, Sayyed Ali Fadlallah, delivered the two Friday prayer sermons at the Imamain Al-Hassanain Mosque, Shaban 6, 1446H/ April 4, 2025. Several prominent religious scholars, dignitaries and hundreds of believers attended the Jumu’a prayer. Following is summary of his sermons:

The first sermon

Do not waste your deeds

Allah, the Most Exalted, says in His Glorious Book

O you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger, and do not invalidate your deeds. Indeed, those who disbelieve and avert [people] from the way of Allah, then die while they are disbelievers – never will Allah forgive them. (Quran, 47:33-34).

In these two Ayats, the Quran calls upon the believers to obey Allah and His Messenger (p.) , to fulfill their duties, and to carry out the responsibilities they have been entrusted with. However, the warning from Allah comes afterward: they should not cancel out the good deeds they have done, so that their actions do not become vain and ineffective, and they stand before Allah empty-handed, having nothing to shield them from the punishment of their Lord, nor any deeds to qualify them to enter His Paradise.

This is what the Messenger of Allah  referred to when he said to his companions: “Whoever says Subhan Allah (Glory be to Allah), Allah will plant a tree for him in Paradise; and whoever says Alhamdulillah (Praise be to Allah), Allah will plant a tree for him in Paradise; and whoever says La ilaha illallah (There is no god but Allah), Allah will plant a tree for him in Paradise; and whoever says Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest), Allah will plant a tree for him in Paradise.” One man from the tribe of Quraish said: “O Messenger of Allah, the trees in Paradise are many.” He replied, “Yes, but beware of sending upon them the fire that will burn them, for Allah, the Most Exalted,  says: {O you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger, and do not invalidate your deeds}.

Nullifiers of Deeds

There are several things mentioned in the Hadiths that may lead to the invalidation of deeds, and it is important to be cautious about them, so as  to protect ourselves from falling into them and so that our deeds are not wasted at a time when we need them most.

First Hadith:

What can lead to the nullification of deeds is associating partners with Allah (Shirk) which Allah refers to in His saying: {And if they had associated others with Allah, all that they used to do would have been nullified.} (Quran, 6:88). And He said to His Messenger(p.)  {And indeed, it has been revealed to you and to those before you: if you were to associate [others with Allah], your deeds would surely become worthless, and you would surely be among the losers.} (Quran, 39:65).

Shirk occurs when one believes that there is a partner to Allah in creation, sovereignty, or in the management of the universe, life, or what happens within it (such as victory, honor, support, and guidance). It can also occur in worship, such as bowing or prostrating to others besides Allah, or following the commands of others …

Among the forms of shirk is what the Messenger of Allah warned against when he said: “The thing I fear most for you is the minor shirk.” When asked, “What is the minor shirk?” he replied, “Riya” (showing off), when a person does deeds to be seen by others.

Imam Al-Sadiq (a.s.) also referred to a form of shirk in expressions of speech. He explained the verse: {And most of them believe not in Allah except while they associate others with Him.} (Quran, 12:106), saying: “It is the person who says, ‘If it weren’t for so-and-so, I would have perished,’ or ‘If it weren’t for so-and-so, I wouldn’t have succeeded,’ or ‘If it weren’t for so-and-so, I would have lost my family.’ This person has made someone a partner to Allah in His sovereignty, for it is Allah who provides and protects.

Second Hadith:

There is a narration from the Prophet (p.) in which he said: “I will certainly know some people from my Ummah who will come on the Day of Judgment with good deeds as vast as the mountains of Tihama, but Allah will make them turn into scattered dust.” The companions asked, “O Messenger of Allah, describe them to us.” He replied: “They are your brothers, from your own skin, and they take from the night [to pray] just as you do. But they are people who, when they are alone with the prohibitions of Allah, they violate them.” Here, the Prophet(p.) warned about those who, when they are away from the watchful eyes of others, indulge in sin, forgetting that Allah is observing them even in those private moments.

This narration emphasizes the importance of sincerity in worship and behavior, stressing that deeds done in public are not enough if they are not supported by righteous actions when one is alone.

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Third Hadith:

The Prophet (p.) asked: “Do you know who the bankrupt person from my Ummah is?” The companions replied: “The bankrupt among us is the one who has no dirham or dinar, and no belongings.” The Prophet(p.) said: “The bankrupt person from my Ummah is the one who will come on the Day of Judgment with his prayers and fasting, but he has cursed this one, slandered that one, consumed the wealth of this one, shed the blood of that one, and struck another. Then, the rights of these people will be taken from his good deeds, and if his good deeds run out before the others’ rights are fully paid, then some of their sins will be placed upon him, and he will be thrown into the Fire.”

Fourth Hadith:

A person will be brought on the Day of Judgment to stand before Allah, the Most Exalted,  and receive his book of deeds. Upon reviewing it, he will find that his good deeds are missing. He will say: “My Lord, this is not my book! I do not see my deeds in it!” It will be said to him: “Your Lord does not err or forget. Your deeds have been wasted due to your backbiting of others.” Then, another person will be brought and given his book, and upon reading it, he will find many good deeds. He will say: “My Lord, this is not my book! I did not do these good deeds!”* It will be said: “This is because so-and-so backbit you, and their good deeds were given to you in return.”

It has been reported that a man heard that someone had backbitten him, so he sent him a plate of dates, saying: “I have heard that you have given me your good deeds, so I wanted to repay you for them. Please forgive me, for I am unable to repay you properly.”

Fifth Hadith:

There is a warning for those who presume to speak on behalf of Allah regarding the fate of others on the Day of Judgment. These are people who claim to know who will enter Paradise and who will enter Hell, though it is only Allah who can make these judgments. Allah says: {Indeed, to Us is their return. Then indeed, upon Us is their reckoning.} (Quran, 88:25-26). Since Allah’s judgments may differ from ours, and while we may know people by their outward appearance, Allah knows both their inner and outer realities.

The Prophet (p.) said: “Woe to those who presume upon Allah from my Ummah …Those who say, ‘So-and-so is in Paradise and such-and-such is in Hell.‘ Then Allah will say:

“Who is it that presumes upon Me that I will not forgive so-and-so? Indeed, I have forgiven him, and I have invalidated your deeds.”

The Greatest Loss:

Dear  beloved ones, the greatest misfortune that has no comparison is when a person labors in this world, performing acts of worship, doing good deeds, and striving in charity, learning, and helping others, but when the Day of Judgment arrives, seeking to receive his reward and be saved from the Fire, he is told: “Your good deeds have been blown away, and you will not find them.” This will be a time when there is no opportunity for compensation, except if Allah, in His mercy, covers him with His grace.

This is similar to a merchant who earns a great amount of money through effort and toil, but later wastes or misuses the money, finding himself empty-handed when he most needs it. Or like the woman mentioned in the Quran: {Do not be like the one who unravels her yarn after it has been spun, as if to undo the work she had done.} (Quran, 16:92). This woman worked with others in spinning wool from morning to evening, but once the work was done, she ordered them to unravel everything for no reason.

Therefore, dear loved ones, we are called to watch ourselves carefully, to monitor and account for our actions, ensuring our intentions are sincere and solely for the sake of Allah. We should ensure that our actions, words, and deeds do not disobey Allah or harm others. We must refrain from interfering in matters that belong to Allah alone, such as determining the fates of others, for Allah says: {Indeed, to Us is their return. Then indeed, upon Us is their reckoning.} (Quran, 88:25-26). We should not be surprised by what Allah has pointed out in His words: {Say, ‘Shall we inform you of the greatest losers in [their] deeds? Those whose effort is lost in this life while they think that they are doing well in their work. } (Quran, 18:103-104).

This is something we should keep in mind at all times—after every act of worship, such as those we performed in Ramadan or any other act of goodness we engage in. We should guard the efforts we make, the sacrifices we offer, and the rewards we deserve, so that we do not lose them or waste them.

Second Sermon

Worshippers of Allah, I advise you and myself to reflect upon the position taken by the Muslims after the Battle of Uhud, when they were informed that Abu Sufyan, with his army, intended to invade Medina, taking advantage of the victory they had achieved in the Battle of Uhud and the injuries that the Muslims had sustained that day. Yet, the Muslims did not succumb to Abu Sufyan’s threats and boasts. Instead, they responded with confidence, faith, and certainty, saying: “Hasbunallahu wa ni’mal wakeel” (Allah is Sufficient for us, and He is the Best Disposer of affairs). They were rewarded with Allah’s mercy and support, as He stated: {Then they returned with grace from Allah and His bounty, no harm had touched them, and they followed the pleasure of Allah. And Allah is the possessor of great bounty.} (Quran, 3:174). This steadfastness caused Abu Sufyan to retreat from his intended invasion upon seeing the resolve and determination of the Muslims.

Today, facing all the challenges and threats before us, we must declare as they did: “Hasbunallahu wa ni’mal wakeel”. We have full confidence in Allah’s promise of grace and favor, and we trust that no harm will touch us if we remain steadfast. With this trust, we become stronger and more capable of facing the challenges that lie ahead.

Dangerous escalation

Let us begin by addressing the recent escalation by the Zionist enemy, who targeted the southern suburbs of Beirut. This marks the most dangerous escalation since the ceasefire agreement, coming amidst a series of violations and assassinations carried out by the enemy. The fear is that the Zionist enemy might continue with such actions, given its statement that there are no red lines when it comes to violating Lebanese sovereignty. This is happening amidst the complete silence of the committee tasked with enforcing the ceasefire agreement.

It has become clear that the enemy’s goal is to exert pressure on the Lebanese state and the Resistance, which has declared its support for it. The enemy seeks to force Lebanon into political negotiations that would allow the Zionist entity, with its technological superiority and international support, to gain political and security gains.

In light of these events, we reaffirm the importance of mobilizing the Lebanese stance—both officially and publicly—to prevent any further violation of Lebanese sovereignty. This is something the enemy failed to achieve during the war, and after the heavy price Lebanon paid, it is crucial to stand united against the continuous security and political pressures and to reject any connection between reconstruction and negotiations.

We must also acknowledge the unified official stance that has rejected any normalization with this entity, or direct political negotiations with it. The official stance insists on the complete withdrawal of the Zionist entity from all Lebanese territories before discussing any other matters.

We call on the Lebanese people to not be deceived by the rhetoric being spread by some, claiming that the problem lies only in the Resistance’s weapons, and that the solution in Lebanon is tied to the disarmament of this resistance. The truth, which is beyond any doubt, is that the problem lies in the enemy’s ambitions toward Lebanon and its plans to dominate Lebanon and the entire region. The enemy is not looking for an excuse to act; it creates excuses when it deems necessary for its goals.

The Lebanese people must understand that the strongest weapon in confronting this enemy and regaining their land, prisoners, and sovereignty is their internal unity. They must agree on what guarantees Lebanon’s sovereignty, security, and freedom. Lebanon will not be weak if its forces and efforts are united, and if its diplomacy and international friendships are mobilized, rather than being undermined.

Gaza: The Displacement Plan

Now we turn to Gaza, where the enemy continues its massacres and tight siege. The enemy is working to sever Gaza’s ties, expanding its occupation of the area, all while the world remains silent about what is happening.

It has become clear that the enemy aims to achieve its primary goal: the displacement of the people of Gaza, or at least the majority of them. This serves the American president’s proposal, which has pressured several Arab countries to accept the idea of absorbing the people of Gaza, in order to rid the enemy of the problem.

This plan is also continuing in the West Bank, where the enemy is destroying homes, camps, and infrastructure, making room for wider settlement expansion. This is part of a strategy to practically dismantle the concept of a Palestinian state, before it collapses politically.

Enemy’s Violations in Syria

As for Syria, the Zionist enemy continues its attacks and violations, aiming to weaken Syria’s capabilities and destabilize its unity. The goal is to prevent the establishment of a strong state in Syria, imposing its own conditions on the new government, and dictating the country’s path.

We renew our call to the Syrian people to remain vigilant about the enemy’s plans, unite, and prevent it from achieving its goals and ambitions in Syria.

Unity to confront the threats…

In light of all that is happening, we call upon the Arab and Islamic nation and their peoples to stand united at this critical time. They must overcome all the divisive calculations that hinder their unity, because if the enemy succeeds in its objectives, the consequences will not be limited to these countries. It will extend to change the entire face of the Middle East, weakening all Arab and Islamic countries and diminishing their role in the region and in the world.

Let us remember that unity, both internally and in our collective stances, is our greatest weapon against these enemies. Through steadfastness, resolve, and faith in Allah’s support, we will overcome these challenges and preserve our sovereignty, our freedom, and our dignity…