*–His Eminence, Sayyed Ali Fadlullah, delivered the two Friday prayer sermons at the Imamain Al-Hassanain Mosque, Rabi Atthani 16, 144\November 11, 2022. Several prominent religious scholars, dignitaries, and believers attended the Jumu’a prayer. Following is the edited text of the sermons:

The first Sermon

In The Name of Allah, The Compassionate, The Merciful.

Allah, The Most Exalted, says in His Glorious Book: And hasten to forgiveness from your Lord and a garden as wide as the heavens and earth, prepared for the righteous. Who spend [in the cause of Allah] during ease and hardship and who restrain anger and who pardon the people – and Allah loves the doers of good”[03; 133-134], Allah, the Most Exalted says the truth.

It is natural for man to be angry if he is hurt physically or morally or if he, his family, sect, party, or sacred beliefs are offended…What is unnatural is not to be angry or tempered when this happens. It might even become a duty when the sacredness of Allah, The Most Exalted, and His sanctities are breached

Thus anger is natural and healthy. Nevertheless, it could become devastating and of catastrophic results, if it is left uncontrolled. To discover what anger may lead to it is enough to go back to what we see or hear about what goes on inside the houses, neighborhoods, streets, and political parties that led to wars or divorces, and boycotts, not to mention the health and psychological effects of anger…

This is what the Honorable Hadith have told us about anger such as anger is the key to all evil, and: `Is there anything more violent than anger? Verily, a man gets angry and kills someone whose blood has been forbidden by God, or slanders a married woman’… The Hadith also says Verily, anger is a burning coal lit by Satan in the heart of the son of Adam; It is also narrated that the Prophet (p.) said: Verily, anger corrupts faith as the juice of bitter plants corrupt honey.

It is also narrated that the Prophet (p.) said: “Verily, anger corrupts faith as the juice of bitter plants corrupt honey.”

The consequences of anger are not limited to others. it also affects the angry person as it might make him lose his balance and the respect of others. He might even reveal his secrets, which he has always sought to keep. That is why the Hadith says: Anger is the annihilation of the heart of the wise,

The Holy verses and Hadith have urged man not to let his anger control him. He should curb it to prevent its consequences in this world and the Hereafter,

About this world, the Hadith says When one cannot restrain his anger he would lose his mind. And He who restrains his anger Allah will cover his blemishes.

As for the Hereafter Allah, The Most Exalted, has pointed out that restraining anger is the road that leads to Allah, The Most Exalted,’s Mercy, and paradise. He says: And hasten to forgiveness from your Lord and a garden as wide as the heavens and earth, prepared for the righteous. Who spend [in the cause of Allah] during ease and hardship and who restrain anger and who pardon the people – and Allah loves the doers of good

The hadith says: Anyone who suppresses an anger which could be brought into operation, Allah will fill his heart with His pleasing on the Day of Judgment…

Man can certainly restrain his anger if he is determined to do so, This control of temper is a sign of strength, not weakness The Prophet is said to have passed by a group of people trying each in turn to lift a rock, since they thought, as was prevalent among them and still is now, that strength is a physical phenomenon.

The Prophet (p.) told them: “Would you want me to tell you who the strongest among you is?”

He added: “The strongest among you is he who if pleased, would not let his feelings lead to committing any sin or falsehood, and if angered, he would not let his anger prevent him from saying the truth, and if enabled (become strong enough to force his wishes), he would not act in a way that violates rights”.

Islam not only urged the man to control his temper, but it also provided him with the means of doing so.

Firstly: Man should consider suppression of anger, as adopting the morals of God Who does not act out of anger when His servants disobey Him and commit sins.

He acts with forbearance and Mercy. And this is what we express in the following Dua:

We beseech You, O Allah, to forgive them and we repent before You. You good descend upon us while our evildoing ascends to You. Albeit that a noble angel always carries to You our offensive deeds,

this has never made you stop encompassing us with Your graces

and conferring upon us your elegances.

Glory be to You! How Forbearing, Magnificent.

Secondly: Man should remember Allah, The Most Exalted, when angry, because remembering God would relieve the soul and lead Allah, The Most Exalted, to have mercy on him when He is angry with him.

Thirdly: One should keep silent when he is angered, for this ensures that he does not say anything that will offend others or act driven by his anger…

fourthly: One should change his status. He should, for example, sit if he was standing, go to another place or perform Wudu,

Fifthly: One should adopt the morals of the Prophet and the Imams whose most significant trait was forbearance…

Dear loved ones: We are in dire need these days to be adorned by this trait: to restrain our anger., since we live in a reality in which everything calls for anger, creates tension, and drives one to lose his temper, as we can longer sustain our basic needs as well the spread of corruption and injustice whether around us or in this world…

We cannot isolate ourselves so as not to be affected by the prevailing atmosphere. What we can do is restrain our anger by increasing our awareness of its consequences relying on the mind God has given us, and on our belief in Him and what He promised to reward us when we restrain anger and pardon the people.

The second Sermon

Worshippers of Allah, The Most Exalted, I advise you and myself with the advice of the Messenger(p.) to Abu Zarr: Recite the Quran and remember Allah, for it is a remembrance for you in the heavens and light in the earth. Perform Jihad (struggle in the way of Allah), for it is the asceticism of my nation.

Observe silence except that which there is good in it, for it repels the devil from you and helps you in the matters of your religion. Beware of laughing a lot, for it kills the heart and removes the light from the face. … Tell the truth even if it is bitter. Do not fear anything when it is for the sake of Allah.

Dear loved ones: we are in dire need of these pieces of advice that if we follow, we will become more aware, responsible, and capable of facing challenges

We begin with the sufferings of the Lebanese, which we are told that they will grow worse as a result of the continuous rise in the value of the dollar which seems to be limitless and which leads to a great ongoing increase in the prices of food transport, medication, fuel, hospitalization, and all basic goods. This situation has even begun to affect the security and stability of the Lebanese driving more and more of them to flee the country and run away from its hell.

Unfortunately, all this is happening at a time there is no government that can move the country out of the crises it has fallen in…

Faced with this deteriorating situation, we renew our call to the political parties to shoulder their responsibility and hasten to prepare all the circumstances to elect a president whose election, as it has been cove clear would not be accomplished if an agreement is not reached.

The political parties, as we said several times, can proceed with this task if they abandon their personal and partisan calculations and stop betting on external forces since these forces are either preoccupied with their own problems or Lebanon is no longer one of their priorities. Moreover, Lebanon has become an arena of regional and international conflicts, while the time of reaching settlements does not seem to have arrived…

We would also like to praise all efforts that are being made to confront corruption and we call to continuing it so that it will not be lost like several previous initiatives which were curbed by political pressures or by using them as a tool in political struggles and closing them when settlements are reached. This country cannot stand on its feet again if the corruption is not uprooted and the corrupt are punished

In this respect. We reemphasize the importance of the judiciary which should resume its role. But we want it to be honest, independent, and just, away from any political calculations or acting as a tool of the politicians…

At the security level, we appreciate the active role of the security agencies in dismantling terrorist cells and confronting robberies, and fighting drug trafficking, despite all the tough economic conditions they suffer from. We call for support to these agencies to enable them to continue playing their role in infighting terror and crime…and prevent the transformation of this country into a safe refuge for all those who are determined to destroy it.

Lastly, as we celebrate martyr day, we ought to recall all their sacrifices including their lives to ensure the independence and dignity of this homeland…We have to keep them in our minds and souls and continue their march to safeguard this country and the dignity of its people.