His Eminence, Sayyed Ali Fadlallah, delivered the two Friday prayer sermons at the Imamain Al-Hassanain Mosque, Zul Hijja 17, 1446H/ June  13, 2025. Several prominent religious scholars, dignitaries and hundreds of believers attended the Jumu’a prayer. Following is an edited summary of the sermons  

The first sermon

The Day of Ghadir: The Completion of Religion and Perfection of Favor

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

{This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion.} (Quran 5:3)

Indeed, Allah, the Most Exalted, has spoken the truth.

On the eighteenth of the sacred month of Zul-Hijjah, the angel Jibreel came down to the Messenger of Allah (p.) in a place called Ghadir Khumm, near Al-Juhfah. This was on his way back with many Muslims from his last pilgrimage, known as the Farewell Pilgrimage. He was to deliver a very important message before the groups of Muslims separated and each person returned to their home country:

{O Messenger, announce that which has been revealed to you from your Lord; and if you do not, then you have not conveyed His message. And Allah will protect you from the people.} (Quran 5:67)

The Messenger of Allah (p.) quickly asked the companions traveling with him to gather, ensuring no one was left behind, despite the intense heat of that midday.

After a place was prepared for the Messenger of Allah (p.) to stand and oversee the crowds of Muslims, he began his speech by saying: “O people, I am about to be called [to Allah] and I shall answer. I am responsible, and you are responsible. O people, I am your guide, and you will meet me at the Pond [in Paradise]. So, look at how you leave me regarding the two weighty things.”

It was asked: “And what are the two weighty things, O Messenger of Allah?” He replied: “The greater one is the Book of Allah, the Mighty and Exalted, and the other is my progeny, my household. And … that they will not separate until they meet me at the Pond. So, do not fall short concerning them, lest you perish.”

After this, he called Ali(a.s.) to him, took his hand, and raised it. Then he said: “Am I not more entitled to the believers than their own selves?” They said: “Yes, indeed.” He said: “Am I not more entitled  to every believer than his own self?” They said: “Yes, indeed.” Then he said: “Whoever I am his master, then Ali is his master. O Allah, befriend whoever befriends him, and be an enemy to whoever is an enemy to him, and help whoever helps him, and abandon whoever abandons him, and keep the truth with him wherever he turns. Let those present among you inform those who are absent.”

And then, the verse was revealed:

{This day have those who disbelieve despaired of [defeating] your religion; so fear them not, but fear Me. This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion.} (Quran 5:3)

This verse highlighted the importance of this event, which happened a few months before the Messenger of Allah (p.) passed away. It filled a void that disbelievers and hypocrites were hoping would remain, so they could gather their strength and undo all the achievements made by the Messenger of Allah, the Most Exalted,(p.) and the Muslims with him. Allah, the Mighty and Exalted, expressed this by saying: {This day have those who disbelieve despaired of [defeating] your religion.}

Ali was the most capable choice to lead the ship after the Messenger of Allah (p.) because of his personal qualities and his spiritual, intellectual, and courageous qualifications that made him fit to carry this responsibility. Ali (a.s.) was raised in the house of the Messenger of Allah (p.)From a young age, under his watchful eye, and drank from the wellspring of his knowledge. Regarding this, the Messenger of Allah (p.) said: “I am the city of knowledge and Ali is its gate, so whoever wishes to enter the city, let him enter it only through its gate.”

Throughout his life, Ali (a.s.) was a strong support for the Messenger of Allah (p.). He showed readiness to take on responsibility with him at the beginning of the Islamic call, when the verse was revealed to the Messenger of Allah ,saying: { warn, [O Muhammad], your closest kindred.} (Quran 26:214). At that time, the Messenger of Allah (p.) stood and said: “Which of you will support me so that he may be my brother, my successor, and my caliph after me?” And on that day, Ali(a.s.) stood and said: “I will, O Messenger of Allah.”

He was the one who slept in the bed of the Messenger (p.) on the night of his migration from Makkah to Medina, even though he knew that forty horsemen from Quraish were waiting for dawn to kill him. On that day, Ali (peace be upon him) only said to the Messenger of Allah (p.): “Are you safe, O Messenger of Allah?” He replied: “Yes.” So Ali said: “Go,  rightly guided. By Allah, I don’t care whether I fall upon death or death falls upon me.” Regarding this, the verse was revealed: {And among the people is he who sells himself, seeking means to the approval of Allah. And Allah is Kind to [His] servants.} (Quran 2:207).

He was also at the forefront of all the wars fought by the Messenger of Allah (p.), being their knight, hero, and flag-bearer. The Messenger honored him when he faced Amr ibn Abd al-Wud al-Ameri in the Battle of the Trench, saying: “All of faith has come forth against all of polytheism.” Then he said: “Indeed, Ali’s strike on the Day of the Trench is equivalent to the deeds of all humans and jinn.”

And then, in the Battle of Khaybar, after others failed to open the fortress gate, the Prophet (p.) said: “Tomorrow, I shall give the banner to a man whom Allah and His Messenger love, and who loves Allah and His Messenger. Allah will grant victory through his hands, a recurrent attacker, not a fleeing one.” And on that day, he gave it to Ali (a.s.). He is the one about whom the Messenger of Allah said, on the day he wanted to go to the Battle of Tabuk and left Ali (a.s.) behind to manage the affairs of Medina and protect it from those who wanted to exploit the Messenger of Allah’s long journey to Tabuk to attack it: “You are to me as Aaron(Haroun ) was to Moses(Musa), except that there will be no prophet after me.”

However, despite all these stances and directives, the caliphate was entrusted to others. But Ali, who was faithful to Islam and Muslims, and aware of the delicate circumstances at that time, made a statement that should be our guide in all our choices and positions: “I will make peace as long as the affairs of the Muslims are safe and there is no injustice except on me personally.”

Ali (a.s.) made peace and did not declare war on those who assumed the caliphate then. He prevented a fitna (strife) that was intended to happen. Moreover, he offered guidance, advice, and counsel to all who held the caliphate at that time, so much so that the second Caliph, Umar, said: “Had it not been for Ali, Umar would have perished.”

When he assumed the caliphate, he established a model of a just ruler. He did not favor anyone and confronted those who opposed him because he would not compromise on truth and justice, which he expressed by saying: “Truth has left me with no friends.”

Therefore, my beloved ones, when we celebrate the Eid al-Ghadir, it is not to stir up emotions, intensify sectarian tensions, or deepen disagreements among Muslims. Rather, we want it to be an occasion to emphasize Ali’s   approach in preserving Islam and protecting Islamic unity, and to affirm it despite doctrinal and jurisprudential differences.

This is in the general Islamic sphere. As for us, commemorating this occasion means adhering to the guardianship of the Ahl al-Bayt (the Household of the Prophet) (a.s.). We do not want this to stop at the limits of affiliation and emotion, but rather that we embody them in their conduct, worship, forbearance, and stances. We should make peace where they made peace, and fight where they fought, and be, as they were, a strong barrier against oppression, corruption, deviation, and extremism, and a distinguishing mark in any society we are in.

As in the Hadith of Imam al-Baqir (a.s.) when he said: “By Allah, our followers are none but those who fear Allah and obey Him. And they were not known, O Jabir, except by their humility, submissiveness, trustworthiness, abundant remembrance of Allah, fasting, prayer, kindness to parents, caring for poor neighbors, the needy, the indebted, and orphans, speaking truthfully, reciting the Quran, and restraining their tongues from people except for good. And they were trustworthy among their tribes in all matters.” Then he said: “Is it enough for a man to say, ‘I love Ali and am loyal to him’?”

My beloved ones, our commitment to this is what makes us worthy of being among those who are committed to the Messenger of Allah, among the followers of Ali(a.s.) , and among the Shi’a of the Ahl al-Bayt , and to say: “Praise be to Allah who honored us with this day, and made us among those who fulfill His covenant to us, and His pact which He confirmed with us concerning His guardianship, and those who establish His justice…”

The Second Sermon

 In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

 

O worshippers of Allah, I advise you and myself with the advice of the Commander of the Faithful to his followers when he said to them: “So, you must strive and exert yourselves, prepare and get ready, and take provisions from the abode of provisions. And let not this world deceive you as it deceived those before you from past nations and bygone generations who milked its abundance, attained its allure, exhausted its count, and wore out its newness. Their dwellings became graves, and their wealth became inheritance. They do not recognize who visits them, nor do they care who cries over them, nor do they answer who calls them. So, beware of this world, for it is treacherous and deceitful, giving and withholding, clothing and stripping. Its ease does not last, its toil does not end, and its afflictions do not cease.”

My beloved ones, this is the advice of the Commander of the Faithful  to us. Let us take provision from it to understand the reality of this world, so that we are not deceived by its adornments, hopes, and deceptions, and that we understand our role in it, so that we may be more aware, responsible, and capable of facing challenges.

We start with the dangerous Zionist aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran, which comes despite negotiations with the United States of America regarding its nuclear program, through which Iran confirmed the peaceful nature of this program and stability in the region.

It has become clear that the enemy intended, through this aggression targeting political, military, security, and scientific leaders, to undermine the capabilities and directions of this country, which, since the victory of its revolution, has posed a challenge to this enemy. This was evident when Iran closed the Israeli embassy and opened its doors to the Palestinian embassy, and declared the last Friday of Ramadan as International Quds Day, so that it remains present in the conscience of the nation and is not forgotten. Iran has been sincere in its support for the Palestinian cause and in carrying its banner, considering it among its priorities, and supporting all those working for it with all available means and capabilities, transcending political and sectarian considerations and the dangers that might face it. It has endured all this pressure and siege for the sake of the cause, and still does.

Facing this dangerous aggression with its dimensions, results, and repercussions on the region and the world, we condemn this aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran, which has always stood with this country, and offered much to regain its land, freedom, and sovereignty in facing the Zionist enemy. We are confident that Iran, with its people and leadership, which has overcome severe challenges in the past, is capable of overcoming the effects of this aggression and its goals of breaking the will of the Iranian people and their endeavor to develop their capabilities.

Meanwhile, the Israeli aggression on Lebanon, which does not seem to stop, continues. It has become a constant concern for Lebanese people due to the drones that violate Lebanese airspace, the daily targeting of citizens in their villages or while they are moving, and the raids, the latest of which happened in Southern Lebanon after what occurred in the Dahiyeh, despite the full commitment of the Lebanese state to the requirements of the ceasefire agreement and Resolution 1701…

It has become clear that this enemy aims to pressure the Lebanese state and terrorize the Lebanese people, to push them into making concessions that it desires, which affect Lebanon’s sovereignty, security, and stability, leading to normalization with it, and to establish its control over this country.

In light of what is happening, we renew our call to the Lebanese state to prioritize working to expel this enemy from the positions it has occupied, which it seeks to make a fait accompli, and to recover Lebanese prisoners, and prevent the violation of Lebanese sovereignty. It must take all measures that lead to stopping the bleeding of blood and destruction and the violation of this country, and not to compromise its sovereignty. It should utilize the means available to it and make this a priority on the political and diplomatic levels, and benefit from its points of strength to strengthen the confidence of the Lebanese people in their state, and to prove that it is capable of providing them protection from this enemy.

At the same time, we renew our call to the Lebanese people to strengthen their unity in confronting what is happening and any repercussions that may arise from the Zionist aggression, which will not be for the benefit of a sect, denomination, political position, or to strengthen its power, but will be at the expense of everyone and for the benefit of this entity.