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  His Eminence, Sayyed Ali Fadlallah, delivered the two Friday prayer sermons at the Imamain Al-Hassanain Mosque, Shawal 13,  1446H/ April 11, 2025. Several prominent religious scholars, dignitaries and hundreds of believers attended the Jumu’a prayer. Following is summary of his sermons

From Victory to Defeat: Lessons from the Battle of Uhud  The first sermon

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

{Indeed, those of you who turned back on the day the two armies met—it was Satan who caused them to slip because of some of what they had earned. But Allah has pardoned them. Surely, Allah is Forgiving, Forbearing.}  Allah, the Most Exalted,  speaks the truth

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On the 15th of the month of Shawwal, in the third year after the Hijrah, we commemorate the Battle of Uhud, a battle for which Quraish prepared all that was necessary in terms of soldiers, weapons and provisions, seeking to achieve a victory they desired as revenge for their defeat at the Battle of Badr, and to restore their lost prestige in the Arabian Peninsula.

 

Preparation for the Battle

The news of Quraish’s advance reached the Messenger (p.), so he gathered his companions to inform them of Quraish’s intentions and to consult with them. This was always the practice of the Messenger, who would consult his companions in any decision he intended to make, respecting their opinions and in adherence to Allah’s command: 

{Consult them in matters. And when you decide, put your trust in Allah.} 

 

The decision was made for the fighting to take place outside of Madina, and the opinion that suggested fighting from within the city was not adopted. Thus, the Muslim army marched to meet the Quraishi army in an unequal battle in terms of numbers and equipment: the army of the polytheists was estimated at four thousand, while the number of Muslim fighters did not exceed seven hundred.

 

The Messenger of God (p.) relied on a positioning strategy that would protect his army from being outflanked by Quraish and prevent them from entering the city. To that end, he stationed fifty archers on an elevated area called “Mount Ainayn,” overlooking the battlefield, appointing Abdullah ibn Jubayr as their commander. He instructed them, saying: 

“Repel the cavalry from us with your arrows. Do not allow them to approach us from your side. Stay in your position and do not leave it. If you see us being killed, do not come to aid us, and if you see us gaining spoils, do not join us.”

 

The battle began, and it was not long before Quraish was defeated, abandoning their weapons and fleeing, leaving behind many spoils.

 

The Reason for the Muslims’ Defeat

At that moment, forty of the fifty archers made a mistake that changed the course of the battle. They decided to leave their position to seize the spoils, despite the clear instructions of the Messenger (p.) and the warnings of their commander not to abandon their posts.

 

Khalid ibn al-Walid, who at that time was a commander in the army of the polytheists, seized the opportunity. He attacked the position with his men, killed the few archers who had remained, and surprised the Muslim army from behind. This caused the Muslim forces to scatter, leading to a large number of martyrs and wounded. Among the most prominent martyrs were Hamzah, the uncle of the Messenger of God, and Mus‘ab ibn ‘Umayr, the Messenger’s ambassador to Madina.

 

Most of the fighters fled to the surrounding mountains and desert, leaving the Messenger(p.) who was wounded during the battle, especially after a cry spread among Quraish that Muhammad  had been killed. Only a few Muslims remained steadfast around the Messenger of God, continuing to fight and defend him, preventing Quraish from achieving their goal of killing him.

 

At the forefront of these defenders was Imam Ali(a.s.)  , whose sword, according to narrations, broke due to the intensity of his fighting and defense of the Messenger(p.)  . He came to the Prophet and said that a man fights with his weapon and his sword had broken. The Prophet (p.) then gave him his sword, Zul-Fiqar, to continue defending him and Islam.

 

Ayats about the battle

The Battle of Uhud caused a psychological defeat for many Muslims and nearly wiped out all the gains they had achieved. Therefore, God Almightyrevealed Quranic  Ayats (verses)—more than sixty—to strengthen the Muslims and restore their spirit, which had been affected by the high number of martyrs and wounded.

 

Today, we mention some of these Ayats so that they remain always in our memory, and we can draw from them the meanings of steadfastness and strength that support us in facing any frustrations, media intimidation, or psychological defeats sought by those who do not wish us well.

 

Among these noble Ayats: 

{Do not weaken or grieve, for you will be superior if you are true believers.} 

{And so that Allah may make evident those who believe and [may] take to Himself martyrs from among you—and Allah does not like the wrongdoers.}

 

Thus, there is no despair, no frustration, and no hopelessness in the vocabulary of the believers, if they live their faith and call upon it in difficult circumstances, no matter the setbacks or failures they face.

 

In another Ayat, God calls on Muslims not only to focus on what has befallen them but also to reflect on what has befallen their enemies, so their perspective remains balanced, and they maintain their composure, realizing that days of victory and defeat alternate among people. By addressing the causes of what happened, victory can be achieved again, as stated in the noble Ayat: 

{If a wound has touched you, a similar wound has touched the other people. And such days [of varying conditions] We alternate among the people.}

 

Thereafter, the verse points out that Paradise, which they strive for, cannot be attained except through patience and perseverance in the face of challenges: 

{Or do you think that you will enter Paradise while Allah has not yet made evident those of you who strive [in His cause] and made evident those who are patient?}

 

Other Ayats directed Muslims not to be overwhelmed with grief over the loss of their loved ones who were martyred in the cause of Allah, the Most Exalted , but to rejoice for them for the great reward and honor they received from God: 

{Do not think of those who have been killed in the way of Allah as dead. Rather, they are alive with their Lord, receiving provision, rejoicing in what Allah has bestowed upon them of His bounty, and they receive good tidings about those [to be martyred] after them who have not yet joined them—that there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve.}

 

Then the Ayats  addressed those who were defeated and fled the battlefield upon hearing the news that the Messenger(p.)  had been killed. It called them to ensure that their attachment was to the message itself and not merely to the person of the Messenger(p.)  such that their commitment would not waver if he were killed or passed away: 

{Muhammad is not but a messenger; other messengers have passed on before him. So if he was to die or be killed, would you turn back on your heels? And he who turns back on his heels will never harm Allah at all; but Allah will reward the grateful.}

 

The believer should be like that companion who, upon hearing that the Messenger(p.)   was killed, said: 

“If Muhammad has been killed, fight for what Muhammad fought for He then he advanced into the battlefield.

 

These Ayats and others came to heal the wounds of the Muslims, and the Messenger(p.)  showered them with his noble character. After the battle, he did not harshly rebuke them for their shortcomings but embraced them with his mercy, until the verse was revealed: 

{And by the Mercy of Allah, you dealt with them gently. And if you had been rude [in speech] and harsh in heart, they would have disbanded from around you.} 

 

Addressing Points of Weakness

The Ayats did not stop there; rather, they pointed out the weaknesses within the ranks of the Muslims so that they could recognize and address them — and indeed, they did. The Ayats attributed the defeat to internal causes, among them the love of worldly life, lack of steadfastness in battle, and disobedience to the Messenger. Allah, the Most Exalted,  says: 

 

“And Allah had certainly fulfilled His promise to you when you were killing them by His permission until [the moment] you lost courage and fell to disputing about the order and disobeyed after He had shown you that which you love. Among you are some who desire this world, and among you are some who desire the Hereafter.”

 

Drawing Lessons

Dear beloved ones: 

These divine directives, along with the role played by the Messenger(p.)  left a profound impact on the souls of the Muslims. Consequently, the Battle of Uhud became a pivotal station that paved the way for significant achievements and victories, manifested in the spread of Islam throughout the Arabian Peninsula and across the world. 

Today, as we face the reality we live in, we are called to draw lessons and to sincerely ask Allah to purify our hearts from the love of this world, saying: 

 O Allah, remove the love of this world from our hearts 

And let the state of our hearts be: “If You are not angry with us, we do not mind — whether we fall upon death or death falls upon us — so long as it is in Your cause and for the dignity of our nation.”

We ask Allah to make us among those who are worthy of His promise of victory and support. Indeed, He is the Most Merciful of the merciful.

 

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The second sermon

O Worshippers of Allah, I advise you and myself with what the Commander of the Faithful (a.s.) advised his companions when he said: 

“Know, O servants of Allah, that Allah did not create you in vain — {Did you think that We created you uselessly and that you would not be returned to Us?} — And He did not leave you neglected. He is aware of the extent of His blessings upon you and has counted His favors to you — He said: {If you try to count the blessings of Allah, you will not be able to enumerate them. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving, Merciful} — so seek Him and implore Him, and ask Him and beseech Him. No veil separates you from Him, and no door is closed before you. Indeed, He is in every place, at every time and moment, and with every human and jinn. His giving does not wear Him down, nor does His generosity diminish Him. One person does not distract Him from another, nor does one voice divert Him from another.”

 

This is Allah in His mercy, His giving, and His benevolence. He is the best supporter and the strongest backer, and by relying on Him, we can face any challenges, no matter how great.

 

Continuing aggression against Lebanon 

We begin with the ongoing Israeli aggression against Lebanon. Despite nearly four months having passed since the ceasefire agreement, we still witness assassinations and air raids targeting the Bekaa and the South, along with threats to Dahieh (Beirut’s southern suburb), preventing residents from returning to their destroyed villages in the border strip. Even the prefabricated shelters established to house those whose homes were demolished are being targeted, as well as relief organizations and municipalities responsible for caring for the residents in border villages.

 

This comes while the Lebanese state, along with the Resistance, is fulfilling all its commitments under the agreement with the enemy — even refraining from responding to its attacks, leaving the matter in the hands of the committee tasked with enforcing the ceasefire and the guarantor countries. It is those parties who must uphold their responsibilities and honor their commitments to the Lebanese state by preventing the Zionist entity from continuing its violations and ensuring the end of its occupation. They are capable of doing so if they truly will it. However, unfortunately, we see no reaction to the enemy’s actions — not even mere condemnation. Meanwhile, there is increasing pressure on the Lebanese state to disarm the Resistance,  which emphasized that it stands behind the Lebanese state, viewing it as the concerned authority, even though the aggressions have targeted its cadres and supportive environment.

 

In light of these events, we must commend the unified official stance conveyed to the deputy of the American envoy, which insisted that the discussion on the Resistance’s weapons should only occur after the enemy halts its aggressions, withdraws from Lebanese lands, guarantees the preservation of Lebanese sovereignty, and ensures the return of Lebanese prisoners.

 

We call on all political parties and all Lebanese citizens to support this stance in order to strengthen it, to refrain from any statements that weaken this position and serve the enemy’s goals, and to unite and pool their efforts so that this country can regain its sovereignty over its territory, and to prevent the enemy from achieving any security or political gains during this phase.

 

We urge everyone in this country to let their decisions and positions stem from national interests, and to steer clear of factional interests that — sadly — are still invoked even in critical national matters. Their stances should not echo external agendas, and their priority should be stopping the aggression and not succumbing to external demands.

 

We are fully aware of the pressures exerted on this country, and we do not wish to underestimate them, but that should not strip Lebanon of its sources of strength, which the enemy fears. Some call for disarmament without any guarantees ensuring Lebanon’s safety from the enemy — an enemy that would continue to aggress Lebanon as it does today if it loses the capacity to resist any aggression. Lebanon would then become vulnerable to threats against its security, sovereignty, and stability. Indeed, we see today that the enemy’s threats, practices, and movements only reinforce these fears.

 

Economic rReform 

Turning to internal affairs, we reaffirm the importance of any reform efforts that enable the country to emerge from its economic and financial crises and restore its health — particularly by closing all the loopholes through which those who plundered the Lebanese treasury and the deposits of its citizens managed to bring the country to collapse.

 

Amidst the efforts of the banks to regain their role, strength, and the trust of the people, it must be stressed that the first gateway to restoring this trust is for the banks to return the depositors’ money — the money entrusted to them by the people. If they do not, no Lebanese citizen will never think of depositing their money again in banks that have proven themselves untrustworthy and undeserving of a role in Lebanon’s economic life.

The plan to displace Palestinians

We now turn to Gaza, where the enemy continues its war of extermination, targeting every aspect of life — stone and human alike — all while maintaining its tight siege, reaching the point of starvation and dehydration. This siege extends to the West Bank and its camps as well. It has become clear that the goal is to displace the inhabitants and end the Palestinian cause. This requires an Arab, Islamic, and global stance — one that does not stop at issuing statements but actively supports the people of Gaza, stands with them, and confronts the Zionist project.

 

Anniversary of the Civil War

Finally, the thirteenth of April marks the anniversary of the unfortunate civil war that befell the Lebanese people — a war whose repercussions we continue to suffer from today.

 

We do not seek, by recalling this anniversary, to reopen old wounds or to recount past events, but rather to understand the causes that led to that war so that we do not repeat the mistakes of the past — mistakes that left this country open to those who sought to sow discord among its components for their own gains at the expense of the people.

 

Therefore, we call for promoting dialogue, building bridges of communication, rejecting exclusionary and eliminationist rhetoric, and remaining aware of the schemes that aim to turn this homeland into a battleground rather than the state we aspire to — a state of citizenship and justice, one that dismisses the fears and concerns of the Lebanese people and strengthens national unity.