The first Sermon

 Allah, The Most Exalted, says in His Glorious Book: The Prophet is more worthy of the believers than themselves, and his wives are [in the position of] their mothers. And those of [blood] relationship are more entitled [to inheritance] in the decree of Allah…  Allah, the Most Exalted, speaks the truth.

On the 10^th of the blessed month of Ramadan, in the tenth year after Muhammad’s first revelation, The Mother of the Believers, Lady Khadijah bint Khuwailid, the wife of The Messenger (p.) died.  In this speech, we are going to recall this tragic memory that saddened the heart of the Prophet and those of the believers, to highlight her status in the heart and mind of the Messenger…  This position was so great, as evident by this story narrated by his wife, Aisha, who said the that the Prophet used to remember Khadija a lot. This made her jealous and say to him:  “You act as if there is no other woman than Khadija in the world… Why do you always mention an old woman while Allah gave you a better one than her? Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah grew very angry and said:

“No. Allah did not give me a better one than her. She believed me when nobody believed in me. Everybody called me a liar but she accepted that I was telling the truth. When nobody gave me anything, she supported me with her wealth. God Almighty gave me children from her and denied me from others…” It has also been narrated that whenever the Prophet slaughtered a sheep or was presented with a gift he used [to tell his  servants]  to send some of it to so and so because she was a friend of Khadijah…

As for the position she had reached in Mecca, she was, in addition of being a noble woman of great wealth as a result of her trade, known as the wise and the pure being of a sound mind and an honorable reputation. She came to learn about the Messenger (p.)’s personality in a much closer way, when he worked for her and led her trade caravan to Ash-Sham, for her servant who accompanied Muhammad (p.) told her about his sublime morals, honesty and trustworthiness …Which made her choose him as a husband, despite his poverty, and reject all the dignities and rich men of Mecca who sought to marry her …  

Dear loved ones: Khadijah lived with the Messenger (p.) a life based on love, mercy and respect. She shared with him not only her wealth, but also his contemplations and questions about man, existence and society, as well as his criticism for the dominant and traditional beliefs and the worshiping of idols and the unjust practices of Jahiliyah. 

When the revelation commenced in the Ghar of Hira’, she was the first to believe in him and support him, for she knew he had all the traits and virtues that qualified him for this role. When he came to her on that day, burdened with the heavy weight of the message, she expressed her belief in his message saying: O cousin of mine, Allah has chosen you to be His messenger. You are always kind to your neighbors, helpful to your kinsfolk, generous to the orphans, the widows and the poor, and friendly to the strangers. Allah will never forsake you.

Lady Khadijah chose out of her own free will to live with the Messenger(p.) a life of hardships which those who had her wealth, beauty and honor need not endure. She stood with him when people used to cast stones at him, and was hurt by his closest relatives and accused of being a mad man or a magician and when all those who believed in him or met him were being persecuted. She also supported him when Quraish escalated its pressure and initiated the boycott of Bani Hashim. Khadjah too was boycotted, as the women of Quraish who used to wish to see her were compelled to boycott her. She also stood with him when the leaders of Quraish asked the husbands of her daughters to divorce them, leading to the divorce of Ruqaya and Um—koulthoum, while the husband of Zainab refused to divorce her

At the beginning of the boycott, Khadija was visiting her family, but she chose to return and live with the Hashimites, enduring the boycott that was so severe that they had to eat tree leaves. She gave all her money to buy food for the besieged at very dear prices until the Messenger said: no money has benefited me like the money of Khadijah.  This boycott had a lot to do with making her sick and dying as a result.

Dear loved ones:

Lady Khadijah was an exemplar of the missionary aware woman who was in fact a partner of The Messenger(a.s.)  in the most difficult stages of his life. She shouldered her responsibility, carrying with the Prophet the burdens of the Message and making all sacrifices for its sake. Thus, she deserved to be honored by Allah, The Most Exalted, being one of the first to embrace Islam. Allah, The Most Exalted, says:   And the forerunners, the forerunners -Those are the ones brought near [to Allah]   In the Gardens of Pleasure. It is also narrated that Jibril descended once and told Muhammad(p.) that Allah, the Most Exalted, sends His greetings to Khadija. And gives her the good tidings of a “house in heaven where there is no noise or no toil”.

The Divine will also have decreed that she would be the mother of all the purified progeny of Fatima and the Imams (a.s.). Peace be on her the day she was born and the day she was the first to embrace Islam and the day she died and the day she will be raised alive… The day she will be rewarded by a palace of Qasab (i.e. pipes of precious stones and pearls in Paradise).

The second sermon

Worshippers of Allah, The Most Exalted, I advise you and myself, to embrace the virtues that were embodied in The Messenger(p.)’s establishing, on Ramadan 12, a bond of brotherhood between the Muhajirin and Ansar.  Today we recall the sweetest meaning of brotherhood that Allah, The Most Exalted, committed the Muslims to when he said that Muslims are but brothers and that the Prophet detailed its actual practices. The Hadith says: “The believers in their mutual kindness, compassion and sympathy are just like one body. When one of the limbs suffers, the whole body responds to it with wakefulness and fever”. The Muslims have demonstrated the best example of this brotherhood when the Ansar and Muhajirin shared their wealth and properties, following the immigration to Medina.

Dear loved ones: We are in a dire need of the virtue of brotherhood in our feelings and behavior to be stronger and more capable of facing challenges.

We begin by Lebanon, where the crises continue to escalate on all levels without any glimpse of hope whether domestic or otherwise, to save the country, since it has become clear that there is no government in the near future and no foreign aid to reduce the burden of these crises.

 Meanwhile, many files which we deem necessary to confront corruption, are jumping to the forefront. After the file of forensic audit to reveal the corruption that was taking place in state institutions, it is now the turn of the money firms that might have played a part in smuggling the money or withholding the dollar which have raised its price.

 In this respect, we have always stressed on the need to open all doors to any investigation that deals with corruption, whether with respect to this issue or any other one. Moreover, no formality should be used as an excuse to prevent knowing where the money of the Lebanese has gone or who is tampering with their daily bread and their economy, provided that it is far away from political calculations or used as tool in the ongoing political struggle in this country that would be opened closed or exempted due to certain political considerations.

The interests, money and properties of the Lebanese, should not become a tool in the current political struggle.  Thus, we called and we still call for a just, honest and independent judiciary that rules in the name of the Lebanese and serves their interests. Regretfully, the last few days have shown indications of  what we are afraid from of division, sectarianism and politicization in the judiciary body that if continued would threaten its credibility. And the Lebanese would lose a new hope in reform and finding a solution for the economic crisis, for there is no hope in building a nation without an honest, free and independent judiciary that is not restricted by political and partisan interests. That is why we say to all those in charge: have pity on the country and do not aggravate the despair of its people and take your hands off what is left of the official institutions that people resort to for protection. Leave the judiciary free, and it will protect the people and you. If you think that your positions can protect you being in charge of the country, they will no longer do so when things change.

On the other hand, we call for not including the army in the political struggle, for the independence and credibility of this institution should be preserved to enable it play its role as a security valve and a unifying   force for Lebanon and the Lebanese. As for the talk about the arms of the Resistance, we reassert what we stressed before and restress now on the need not to repudiate the great role it played in liberating and protecting the country and the state of balance it created with the enemy that made him count to ten before making any aggression against Lebanon. Any fears from these arms and their role should not be dealt with through speeches and public statements…   But by constructive dialogue and communication that takes into account the fears of all parties… On the domestic level, as the living crises accelerate and with its consequences are expected to rise more as the lift of subsidizing is approaching, we call on Lebanese of all sects, those living in Lebanon and those abroad, to unify their efforts to confront all the expected consequences, so that we can manage to pass these difficult times with the least possible amount of losses and damages in such a way that philanthropic initiatives will include everybody        

Lastly, we feel proud of the Jerusalemites, who stand   with determination and resolve, despite the tough conditions they suffer from, in the face of the Zionist arrogance, and prevent it from Judaizing the city and The Aqsa Mosque. We call on the Arab and Muslim   peoples to stand with them so that they will feel that they are not alone, but that they enjoy the support of the Arabs, Muslims and all freedom loving nations and the downtrodden.