Sayyed Moussa- Episode 2
Alintiqad.net, By Linda Ajami
Local Editor
Construction of the Higher Islamic Shiite Council:
The Imam was concerned with preserving the rights of the Shiite confession in order to strengthen it and maintain its presence. Accordingly, he dreamed of formulating a higher Shiite council that preserves the Shiites' rights and reinforces their constitutional presence within the Lebanese nation- exactly as are the other constitutional parties.
In order to provide background for the idea of establishing the Higher Shiite Council, the Imam commenced discussing the issue with a number of his close acquaintances. Then the idea grew more apparent as soon as the Imam moved to Beirut, where his reputation and performances had become well-known. For instance, in 1962, the Lebanese newspapers and magazines began
to spread word of the Imam's performances, mentioning the social institutions he had established in Tyr, his fight against beggarliness, his fortification of social security, and the religious lectures he had made at the Jaffarite School in Tyr or Alamliyeh High School in Beirut, and his other various activities.
At that time, not only was the Imam famous within the Shiite medium, but also he became well-known within the Lebanese intellectual, educated medium including different doctrines. As a result, the founder of the "Lebanese Symposium ", Michelle Asmar -who was a great admirer of the Imam- called him and requested that the Imam lecture at the " Lebanese Symposium " to introduce himself and the Shiites. The Imam found this an appropriate chance to introduce himself and the Shiites since it became, now, the time to move to Beirut after he had established a high socio-religious state in Tyr.
In contrast with the easy mission and environmental readiness that had existed in Tyr, the Imam's task of spreading his ideas and achieving his dreams in Beirut was harder since there was a different environment and a bigger audience. Still, these actions were put into performance since the Imam was the pioneering leader and trustee.
In 1965, Imam Sadr lectured at the "Lebanese Symposium ", which was attended by a great number of learned Lebanese intellects including politicians, social activists, historians, literati, and philosophers. Among those were Kamal Jonblat, Saeb Slam, and other well-known, grand ones.
With respect to the Imam, that period was a transitional stage from socio-popular work in Tyr to modern, intellectual dialogue with elites and learned parties in Beirut. Having fought beggarliness in the society of Tyr, the Imam, now, had to fight the society's ignorance of the Islamic Shiite confession, which represented a constitutional part of the Lebanese society. However, spreading the ideology of Islam and Shiites did not actually put an end to the Imam's religious, missionary, and social work within his social, popular, and normal medium.
The Shiite Imam was well-known since the media, newspapers, and magazines spread news of his activities. Still, such knowledge was limited and distant from the essential intellect of the "reviving" Imam, the depth of his principles, the concepts he integrated, and the confession he represented. This is why he adhered to setting dialogue and meeting others in order to introduce Shiites and their creeds and to discuss their problems and concerns. His book, "Abjadiyat Alhiwarr" (The Alphabet of Dialogue), was the first full edition of the Imam's lectures and preachments, and it is considered as the main reference for dialogue at any time or place. The Imam also gave an important lecture on May 24, 1965, which was entitled "Islam and the Twentieth-Century Culture". The book, which was translated into the French language and the lecture, gave fine proof of the Imam's pursuit and endeavor.
As a reviving Shiite, unique Islamic intellect, the Imam made his first lecture, talking about Shiites and their culture, creed, and heritage. He declared that Shiites die for the Sunnites, Muslims, and Islamic causes. During his second lecture, the insurmountable Imam introduced Islam and the Islamic culture in such a perfect way that religion looked different and reviving. Hereupon, the oriental, Professor Henri Courbon, requested that the Imam write the introduction to his book, "The History of the Islamic Philosophy", which was on the Shiite intellect. Courbon actually did this because he regarded the Imam as the best to understand and represent this intellect. Upon this, word of the Imam spread in the books of intellects and literati.
In order to crown the activities and lectures concerning Christianity and Islam, which had been organized by the " Lebanese Symposium ", Imam Sadr signed, on July 8, 1965, a statement entitled "Christianity and Islam in Lebanon" along with his companions: Bishop George Khodr, Father Yuakeem Mubarak, Sheikh Sobhi As-Saleh, Hassan Saab, Father Francois Daubery Latour, Yusuf Abu Halqa, and Nasri Salhab. This statement is considered as the true nucleus of the Islamic-Christian dialogue and its main and practical start point, for it reiterated the common constants between Islam and Christianity and the intersection points.
In addition to his works of intellectual dialogue, Imam Sadr sustained his vocational, missionary work among people. He believed that faith was of two dimensions; the first is heavenward and the second is on earth. He also believed that faith isn't the mere seclusion at mosques and worship at hermitages; instead, faith is a daily enlivened practice including care for people, concern for the deprived and indiscriminate attention to others' hopes and dreams. This is why the Imam commenced moving between Lebanese cities and villages, disregarding the confessions and religions of their people. He would visit Shiites, inquire about the Sunnites, and meet the Christians. Hereupon, he received love, admiration, and respect of massive Lebanese crowds of different belongings and doctrines. Whenever he arrived at a village or a city, he would receive the love of its folk. This was upon his belief that to serve a human is to serve God, Prophet Muhammed (Peace be upon him and his household), and prophet Issa (Jesus) (Peace be upon him). Once, he visited the area of Alashrafiyeh after he had been invited there by a number of loving friends. Right then, the Christian neighbors at the close buildings rushed to meet and greet him and to ask him whatever questions they had.
The Imam met them gladly and answered them lovingly and happily. He would, without hesitation or discrimination, accept all of the invitations he received from different places and areas. All of those visits, tours and meetings were means of correspondence and communication between the Imam and the citizens of the nation. Thus, the Imam was apparently a unique Lebanese and a religious character distinguished from those who had proceeded and those who would follow. Furthermore, the Imam of the nation truly received the title of the "Imam of Dialogue and Call for Equality". All prophets have been messengers of one God, whose same message they have called to.
For more establishment and organization of work at that period of time, Imam Sadr hired a small apartment in the region of Ras An-Nabeh, where he sustained his meetings. He had still been concerned with formulating the Shiite structure and laying its foundations. This was upon Sayyed Abdul Hussein Sharaf Ed-deen's rejection to be the legal Shiite advisor of the Lebanese Republic since he had received the offer from the French occupant, whom the Sayyed opposed, struggled against, and refused any kind of communication with. Besides, being a Shiite legal advisor or knowing dilettante was not a job that an Imam or a savant would tackle in a republic or discipline, so how would it be in the case of occupation or mandate? Yet, legal advisement and diligence is a jihad path for the sake of God. Every dilettante has the total freedom concerning legal advisement, and to oppose him is to oppose God and his Prophet... As legal advisement considers matters on earth, diligence regards heavenly matters.
Sayyed Abdul Hussein Sharaf Ed-deen, who became a legal advisor at the age of thirty-two, had striven for the Shiites and refused to cooperate with the French occupant. He had greatly influenced the socio-political level in Mount Amel in southern Lebanon and had founded a convenient background for Sayyed Moussa Sadr's line of action. It is true that Shiites had governmental representatives; however, they had no formal representative institution. This made the Imam seriously advocate a license given by the Lebanese government to constitute a council that organizes the issues of the Shiite confession and handles its affairs. The Imam censured the insistence on disregarding the Shiites when all of the other Lebanese confessions had private councils- even the Jews, but not the Shiites.
The Imam's primary concern was to create a moral and legal character of the Shiites in order to respect them and claim their rights. The Imam wanted this character to combine religionists, politicians, intellects, and learned citizens into a single, well-balanced council since the Shiite confession included great characters like presidents, members of parliament, doctors, lawyers, and managers... It wasn't fair to get the Shiites simply represented by some feudal leaders merely carrying the name of the Shiites, but not representing all variations and not tackling their concerns and hopes.
As for the United Islamic Council which existed then, it only had two Shiite representatives among twelve members. The Imam refused this, for it was unfair to represent the Shiites as one-sixth of Muslims despite their large number. Even the authority of the council did not exceed that of a charity association.
The obstacles facing the Imam's constitution of the council was not only the pressure of the Shiite feudal leaders, but also it was the disadvantage of some that Shiites would gain true existence on earth and a pioneering role. In fact, "Al Moharrer" (The Editor) Newspaper published a telegram, by means of which it accused the Muslim Lebanese savants and Imam Sadr of supporting Abdussalam Aref's communist reign. However, the Imam faced it deliberately and proved it as false. This was one of the false accusations and rumors that confronted the Imam.
Afterwards, the Imam organized a press conference, during which he suggested the idea of constituting the Shiite council. He requested that the public send petitions to the president, the prime minister, and formal constitutions, in addition to copies of the petitions to the pursuit office. The call to which the public responded was considered as a perfect, popular commission of the Imam and a full satisfaction with his rightful request.
After this popular commission, the Lebanese government formally ratified the law of constituting the Shiite council, what was regarded as a formal commission of the Imam. Then the Shiite Reference Sayyed Mohsen Al Hakeem sent a telegram to congratulate the Imam and the public for the constitution of the Shiite council that would represent the Shiites and claim their rights for the first time in history. This congratulation, received from the highest legitimate authority, represented a new legal commission of the Imam in addition to the previous ones. Hereupon, on May 23, 1969, Imam Sadr was elected first president of the Higher Islamic Shiite Council in Lebanon. According to the law of the council constitution, the presidency of the council was six-year long before it was adjusted to last until the Imam would become 65. According to the principles, the adjustment took place on March 29, 1975, after the general committee of the council had unanimously agreed.
At the beginning of Sayyed Moussa's presidency, Imam Sadr provided a center for the Higher Islamic Shiite Council, which lay at Alhazmiyeh District in the south-eastern suburb of Beirut. The center was a fine, four-storey building of 6375 m²-area estate, and it included large halls for general meetings. The property of this estate was registered as an endowment of the Islamic Shiite confession.
The agenda of the Islamic Shiite Council:
Imam Sadr announced his agenda concerning the achievement of the purposes of the Higher Islamic Shiite Council in a speech he delivered on the day of his election, in his word of honor to the Lebanese president, who came to congratulate the Imam, and in his first statement, which was issued on June 10, 1969. The agenda included the main titles here below:
o Organizing the affairs of the Shiite confession and enhancing its socio-economic situations
o Performing a perfect Islamic role of intellect, activity, and jihad
o Indiscrimination between Muslims and pursuit of perfect unity
o Cooperation with all of the Lebanese confessions and preserving the Lebanese unity
o Practicing national and federal responsibilities and preserving Lebanon's independence, liberty, and security
o Confronting ignorance, adversity, social oppression, and corruption of ethics
o Supporting the Palestinian resistance and practical participation with the neighboring Arabian countries to liberate the occupied lands
Upon all of this, it is obvious that even though the Imam was primarily concerned for the Shiites, he did not neglect his purposes of bringing Muslims together, uniting the Lebanese, and even freeing Palestine.
Seeking to protect southern Lebanon and to keep its people steadfast:
Imam Sadr regarded the South as the land of civilizations, the stream of culture, and the site of the alphabet. He also regarded it as the land of humans and faith, so he declared his sincere readiness to offer his life to stop the pains of the south. During the first months of his presidency of the council, "Israeli" assaults and violations were committed against the southern borders; hence, the Imam launched a campaign, advocating the protection and fortification of the southern-border villages by the Lebanese authorities. He saw that, whether the authorities wished or not, it was every Lebanese person's duty to prepare, train, and get armed to protect Lebanon against the "Israeli" dangers and greed. Without the South, Lebanon had no dignity or safety.
Upon the "Cairo Agreement" in 1969, which aimed at organizing the armed Palestinian presence in Lebanon, the Lebanese government began to further disregard the southern state. All of the governmental establishments had been withdrawn from the bordering areas, and all of the developmental projects over there were frozen, whereupon the southerners and Palestinians were left to direct confrontation with each other on the southern land, what would make "Israel" the biggest and most pleased winner.
Still, Imam Sadr sought to protect the South and its people from "Israel" and the malicious parties. At a dinner organized to support the resistance, he reiterated that he would not use arms against Lebanese parties unless some of those tried to divide Lebanon or restrict the Palestinian presence, yet the Imam didn't consider the forces of the Palestinian resistance as alternatives to the Lebanese army.
Besides supporting the Palestinians, the Imam launched an awareness campaign against the danger of emptying the Lebanese-border villages, which would be a Lebanese edition of the scenario of dislodging the Palestinians away from their cities and villages. He did not encourage people to migrate from their land, emphasizing the role of the government and the necessity of the permanent presence of its army and establishments in the South in order to support it. The Imam believed it was necessary to build a resistant society- based on a counteractive national strategy- against the "Israeli" plot of widening settlement so that the persistent invasions of the border could be confronted and the foreseen occupation of the Lebanese territories could be resisted.
Aitaroun Town in southern Lebanon was once shelled by the forces of the "Israeli" enemy, so the Imam rushed to visit the town and check on its people, whom he asked to persevere and be steadfast rather than to leave their land and homes. So he did when Kafarshuba Town and its mosque were shelled; the Imam hurried to help the townspeople, console them, and strengthen their determination, whereupon he headed the prayers at the damaged mosque; however, when the enemy intensified the shelling, they resorted to the church.
In all occasions and feasts, the Imam adhered to visiting all of the southern regions in order to encourage the people, support them, and strengthen them. He would warn them from the plot to empty the Litany Region of the southerners- just like what happened during the calamity of ravishing the lands of 1948 in Palestine.
The Imam's concern was not to let go of the government and the army and not to change their absence at that time into a persistent reality. Therefore, he requested that a recruitment law be issued, and he advocated training the southern youth and calling them the "Supporters of the Army". All of this represented a clear sign of his great determination to get the government into continuous action on the southern territories. Upon his continuous pursuit and pressure, the Lebanese cabinet issued a governmental, resolution in 1970; it stated that a general plan be made to enhance the situation of the southern-border areas.
Establishing the Council of the South:
The Imam believed that religion meant caring for people's daily concerns and that the faith in God meant unrest when others suffer. He also saw that the southern situation was a conviction to everyone and that history shall judge the attitudes towards the South. Besides, the Imam could see, with his own eyes that the South was endangered, and he was ready to make the first step in confrontation with the danger; he was ready to die for the South if he had to. The Imam continued his tours unflinchingly among the Lebanese regions, explaining and lecturing about the southern situation and people and calling on his audience for a general mobilization in order to rescue the South.
Anew, the bordering villages were assailed by "Israel" halfway in 1970, whereby there were grave casualties and damaged properties. Besides, thousands of people of thirty bordering villages were dislodged.
Imam Sadr called on the chiefs of the religious confessions in the South to an urgent meeting, and he established the "Committee of Support of the South". Upon the request of its members, Sayyed Sadr tackled its presidency, whereas Bishop Antonios Khreis was selected vice-president. According to the Imam's vision, the committee set a group of requests to protect and develop the South. Once the political authorities did not respond to those requests, the committee called on the Lebanese for a general and peaceful national strike for the sake of the South. Massive Lebanese crowds of the different confessions and areas responded to that call. In the evening of the strike day, the parliament ratified a constitution stating the establishment of a general institution called the "Council of the South". That was "to respond to the requirements and needs of the southern region, to support its people, to compensate for the damage made by the "Israeli" assaults, and to fund projects and general, developmental services in the region."
Establishing the Movement of the Deprived:
The Imam considered that the messengers chosen by God for perfect change were -mostly- deprived and tortured, and he saw that the religionists had an accurate and uneasy task concerning their domain because they were trustees of the nation's service- mainly of the deprived- and also since only they could make the right representation of the social struggle of the deprived and the oppressed. Hereupon, the Imam offered special care and greater regard to the poor and deprived because religion considers those who disregard the poor as killers. He called on his audience to provide the requests of the deprived and to develop their areas. Since 1971 and on, the Lebanese sovereignty began witnessing persistent and repeated assaults of "Israel"; thus, the Imam continued advocating the rights of this region and the unavailable governmental duties, reiterating that the collapse of the South would mean the perfect collapse of Lebanon. He would also call, anew, for compulsory recruitment, fortification of villages, building shelters, and providing the fundamentals to steadfastness and defense.
Furthermore, the Imam advocated a balanced developmental policy executed by the Lebanese authorities, whereby the capital won't be the priority instead of the remaining secondary regions. In order to attain a perfect Lebanese unity, all of the country's regions must be built- he believed; therefore, he asked for the development of the different regions, the end of sectarianism, and ending the neglect of the Shiites regarding ministerial positions, public administrative jobs, and budgets of developmental projects. The Imam mentioned that they had always ranked among the most loyal and obedient citizens to the national ruler and among the least annoyers of the authorities.
Still, these authorities ignored, once more, the Imam's advocating and calls. Consequently, the Imam declared his opposition to the Lebanese governors because of their neglect for the rights of the deprived and the poor and for neglect of developing the poor, neglected regions. The Imam intensified his protest for the sake of the deprived through massive popular festivals- the greatest of which were the festivals off Baalbeck and Tyre, whose crowds exceeded a hundred thousand that vowed to the Imam that they would sustain the campaign and never stand still before the calls are achieved. In consequence with this, the "Movement of the Deprived" was born upon people's suffering and deprivation. The principles it declared were the adherence to faith in God, the human, freedom, and dignity; rejection of oppression and sectarianism; encountering tyranny and feudalism; clinging to national sovereignty and its safety; and fighting settlement, assaults, and greed.
Afterwards, the command of the Lebanese Army formulated committees to consider the requests of the "Movement of the Deprived" and to agree on execution mechanisms; however, the documents remained untouched, so Imam Sadr called on the religionists of the Shiite confession to regard and support the calls. Then, he called on the general committee of the Higher Islamic Shiite Council, which included more than a thousand Shiite characters who supported the Imam's calls, censured the government's attitude, commissioned the Imam to perfect all measures, and supported him fully. As a result, the government resigned, and a new government was formed. Its president Rasheed As-Solh, promised the Imam of a positive regard of the calls; however, as soon as the Lebanese Civil War broke, the government resigned.
Forming the squads of the Lebanese Resistance "Amal":
The Imam was faithful that "We have to trust only God and refer to Him only because God defends the believers". The Imam knew well that Prophet Muhammed's fighters had been victorious upon their faith in their just cause, their loyal command, and their belief that God grants victory. Yet, the Imam knew that this victory wouldn't exist unless it is sought.
Accordingly, Imam Sadr called for the formulation of the armed resistance and the constitution of a Lebanese resistance that could encounter the "Israeli" assaults, conspiracies and greed. He refused to wait until land was occupied, houses were destroyed, people were dislodged, dignity was profaned, and afterwards resistance was formed to recover the occupied land and bring people back to it. The Imam saw that not only is self-defense a right, but also it is the duty of every citizen. Nobody can be stopped from that, and none needs a decision, a plan, thinking, or council because the country is preserved with jihad, and dignities are preserved with martyrdom. Hereupon, the Imam called for positioning since it is an Islamic purpose and a national duty and since that was the time for positioning against the enemy and martyrdom, for the government had abandoned its duties.
Imam Sadr glorified the resistance's work, for he saw that fighters apply the human rights and execute the will of Prophet Muhammed (Peace be upon him and his household) and Prophet Eessa (Peace be upon him). He also saw them as trustees of ethics and values, grand heroes who didn't need arrogance, and a connection between religion and jihad and between war and prayers. To him, their resistant work was sustenance to the worship of God in the fields of battles and sacrifice- just like worship is at hermitages and at public service.
In 1975, Imam Sadr declared the birth of the squads of the Lebanese Resistance "Amal", reiterating its historical importance and the necessity of maintaining it in order to preserve honor, existence, and the future of the country and generations. The Imam definitely knew that the struggle is hard and long, that humanity has a ferocious enemy, and that a human has little good deeds to show to God. Nevertheless, he had great trust in God; he kept calling for offering continuous sacrifices and martyrs, for he knew that "Rebels are like waves; once they stop, they end." He denied that the fighters' actions were only performed to annoy Israel; to him, the fighters were oppressed and rightful and their jihad was not a mere revolution of an oppressed nation, but it was the revolution of a nation against its recent and far past.
Recalling Al Quds in his conscience:
Imam Sadr considered Al Quds the direction of the Muslims, the meeting of their values, and the
representation of their unity and vocation; thus, he took the cause as his own sacred cause, and he considered that Palestinians and all people have a common responsibility of liberating Al Quds. Besides, the Imam saw that this sacred land is the stream of heavenly messages and the base of all religions and human civilizations. It is a blessed land, along with its surroundings, and it must be freed by believers and fighters. Whatever Muslim or Christian abandons this purified land abandons and disrespects his religion. The Imam censured motionless people who disregard the recovery of Palestine and the expulsion of the Zionist invaders who defile all what is sacred. The duty calls for preserving dignity, Easter, resurrection, Prophet Muhammed's birth and migration, and Al Israa- all what is related to "Al-Quds".
The Imam fought the idea of changing Al Quds into a Jewish settlement and denounced insulting Al Aqsa Mosque and the Resurrection Church and spreading corruption in the old city. All that distorted Islamic and Christian sites and concepts. He vowed to guard and maintains the Palestinian resistance. He would repeat that he was a summoner of support for the Palestinian resistance and whoever assisted its path- whatever was his mean. He wanted the resistance to be preserved, secure at the heart, and devoted to the liberation cause-away from assaults.
The Imam frankly announced that he and his people should always fight for Al Quds and defend every deprived person until they receive the honor of being the companions of Imam Hussein (Peace be upon him).
His attitude towards the Lebanese Civil War:
When the Lebanese Civil War broke, in 1975, among the different Lebanese parties, the Imam sought to put an end to sedition. He asked the parties in conflict to be aware of the "Israeli" plans; the Israelis did not count on their war craft and artillery then, but they counted on partitioning the Lebanese parties and driving them into combat with each other. The Imam reiterated the importance of preserving the Lebanese country and the Palestinian revolution at a time. To point guns at neighbors is no source of pride or gallantry; the guns must be pointed at the enemy. The Imam advocated an end to the internal conflict and the transfer of battle arms to the South- exactly where they should be used.
Along with a group of Lebanese people, the Imam formulated the "National Detente Committee" in order to meet the representatives of the Palestinian resistance and commence, hence, the reconciliation of the situations. They also wanted to set intersection points represented by co-existence with the other confessions, dialogue for the sake of reformation, ending sectarian coercion, and preserving the Lebanese -Palestinian co-existence.
Once those pursuits failed to end the internal combat, the Imam carried out a sit-in at the Faculty of Ameliyeh, where he fasted and worshipped God. He also advocated the constitution of a national government that would bring peace back and reconcile the parties in conflict. He declared that he still adhered to the path and insisted on the rightful attitudes until earth was purified, thorns were plucked, a new dawn rose, and peace spread in his nation. The Imam's sit-in was perfectly received by the various sects and confessions at the religious, popular, and social levels... Once the newly constituted government promised the Imam to carry out reconciliation, he ended his set-in.
The Imam could see the Lebanese Civil War as the definite evil that would hit the Lebanese nation, the Palestinian resistance, the Syrian neighbor, and the Arabian cause in general. He could see it as a promising choice for the "Israeli" enemy, for the arms used eternity- by whatever parties- offer advantage to "Israel"; any bullet shot in Lebanon is an "Israeli" one shot at the Lebanese body.
The Imam denounced killing the innocent citizens, and he refused to react the same way and revenge. After the genocide of tens of Shiites, destruction of the houses of others, assailing them, and dislodging them into regions with Christian majorities, he reiterated the necessity of the protection of the Christian minorities living within Islamic regions, warning from assault and revenge from innocent people. That was along side with his continuous calls for stopping the combat, ending the war, and returning to dialogue and meeting.
Besides his endeavors to get the Lebanese-Palestinian and Lebanese-Lebanese points of view together, the Imam played an important role in getting the viewpoints of the command of the Palestinian resistance and Syria together. He arranged a meeting, too, between the president of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, Yasser Arafat, and the Syrian president, Bashar Alassad. The meeting attended by the Imam was followed by other ones.
The Imam denounced works of constitution of sectarian federals, which were known as doctrinal "canteens", whereby every party had established a local administration and a private state instead of the official administrations of the uniting government.
Endeavors to terminate the Lebanese Civil War:
Since ending of the Lebanese War required a Lebanese national accord and a common Arabian agreement, Imam Sadr was moving between Arabian capitals: Damascus, Cairo, Riyadh, and Kuwait, in addition to the Lebanese presidency, and the Palestinian-resistance command. He was working hard to convince the leaders and chiefs to unite their attitudes against the sedition war and, thus, terminate the continuous bleeding in Lebanon. Furthermore, the Imam sought to unite opinion to end the blazing war in the countries, and he remained hopeful until his efforts- along side with others'- resulted in a resolution to end the Lebanese War through Arabian restrictive forces.
Later on, the Imam announced the necessity of terminating the burning war, adherence to the governmental and establishment legacy within the united country, protecting its sovereignty, freedom, and independence, and rebuilding what was demolished. The Imam reiterated the permanent co-existence of the different Lebanese confessions and sects. And he suggested that Lebanon be kept distant from the grand regional catastrophes, that Cairo Agreement be deactivated, and that a new formula be set to organize the relationship of the Lebanese government and the Palestinian resistance.
The South remained the title:
As soon as the Arabian restriction forces came to Lebanon, there was a detente- except for the South that was still external to the Lebanese sovereignty and to the charge of the Arabian forces. The struggle between various sects and forces on the southern territories persisted until the catastrophe worsened and became more complex and dangerous; the destiny of the whole South was now endangered with conspiracies. Despite such facts, the Imam never stopped seeking to explain to Lebanese and Arab officials the danger of the southern situation and changing it into a target of the "Israeli" Occupation or Palestinian settlement. In 1978, the Zionist entity had carried out a wide land invasion known as the Litany Operation. The declared purpose was to set off the Palestinian Liberation Organization to the north of the river, yet, the Occupation remained in a region known as the borderline.
Anew, the Imam toured among a number of Arabian countries (as Syria, Jordan, Algeria, etc..), explaining the situation of the southern Lebanese situation and the struggling forces on earth, requesting that Lebanon be untied with the Arabian and regional conflicts and calling on the League of the Arabian Countries to hold a conference of the Arabian Summit in order to consider the occupation of the South and the means to liberate it.
The Imam's disappearance in Libya:
Upon the Libyan Colonel Muammar AL Qathaffi's invitation and the Algerian President Bu Medyan's counsel, Imam Sadr traveled to Libya, on August 25, 1978, accompanied by Sheikh Muhammed Yaacoub and the journalist Abbass Badr Eddeen.
Imam Sadr had spent his last day in Lebanon at the house of his sister, Lady Rabab Sadr. Actually, many tried to forbid the Imam from the visit, but declared that he was determined to travel to Libya in order to hold a meeting with Colonel Al Qathaffi.
The Libyan media didn't cover the news of the Imam in Libya or the details of his visit, and no announcements were made of any meetings the Imam held with Libyan officials. All of a sudden, at noon on August 31, 1978, there was no more news of the Imam. The Libyan authorities announced that the Imam and both of his companions had traveled from the Libyan capital to Italy in the evening of that day. Their suitcases were discovered at "Holiday Inn" in Rome.
As a result of the wide investigation that the Italian judiciary carried out concerning the Imam's disappearance, the general appeal prosecutor in Rome proved that Imam Sadr and his companions hadn't entered the Italian territories; neither did they have a transit across Italy. He affirmed they must have stayed in Libya; that was formally informed to the governments of Lebanon, Syria, Iran, and to the Islamic Shiite Council.
The Lebanese government sent a security delegation to Libya to find out the truth, but the Libyan authorities did not allow them to enter the country. After the accurate investigations this delegation had carried out in Italy, it reached the same result declared by the Italian judiciary to Lebanon.
Ever since, Colonel Al Qathaffi has been held responsible for concealing the Imam and his companions..
Imam Sadr has once said, "You, officials, won't get rid of me and of my ghost that annoys your sleep unless I'm dead or helpless." He has also said, "They will fail making the South submissive, and they won't be able to humiliate the nation of Imam Hussein (Peace be upon him) - the nation that had wished to be a thousand years back in time with Imam Hussein..."
This is it; because the Imam's ghost annoyed their sleep and since they wanted to make the South and its people submissive, they tried to conceal the Imam- thinking they could reach their will. Never have they absented the Imam from the minds and hearts, nor have they made the South submissive. An oppressor will never reach his will.
Local Editor
Construction of the Higher Islamic Shiite Council:
The Imam was concerned with preserving the rights of the Shiite confession in order to strengthen it and maintain its presence. Accordingly, he dreamed of formulating a higher Shiite council that preserves the Shiites' rights and reinforces their constitutional presence within the Lebanese nation- exactly as are the other constitutional parties.
In order to provide background for the idea of establishing the Higher Shiite Council, the Imam commenced discussing the issue with a number of his close acquaintances. Then the idea grew more apparent as soon as the Imam moved to Beirut, where his reputation and performances had become well-known. For instance, in 1962, the Lebanese newspapers and magazines began
to spread word of the Imam's performances, mentioning the social institutions he had established in Tyr, his fight against beggarliness, his fortification of social security, and the religious lectures he had made at the Jaffarite School in Tyr or Alamliyeh High School in Beirut, and his other various activities.At that time, not only was the Imam famous within the Shiite medium, but also he became well-known within the Lebanese intellectual, educated medium including different doctrines. As a result, the founder of the "Lebanese Symposium ", Michelle Asmar -who was a great admirer of the Imam- called him and requested that the Imam lecture at the " Lebanese Symposium " to introduce himself and the Shiites. The Imam found this an appropriate chance to introduce himself and the Shiites since it became, now, the time to move to Beirut after he had established a high socio-religious state in Tyr.
In contrast with the easy mission and environmental readiness that had existed in Tyr, the Imam's task of spreading his ideas and achieving his dreams in Beirut was harder since there was a different environment and a bigger audience. Still, these actions were put into performance since the Imam was the pioneering leader and trustee.
In 1965, Imam Sadr lectured at the "Lebanese Symposium ", which was attended by a great number of learned Lebanese intellects including politicians, social activists, historians, literati, and philosophers. Among those were Kamal Jonblat, Saeb Slam, and other well-known, grand ones.
With respect to the Imam, that period was a transitional stage from socio-popular work in Tyr to modern, intellectual dialogue with elites and learned parties in Beirut. Having fought beggarliness in the society of Tyr, the Imam, now, had to fight the society's ignorance of the Islamic Shiite confession, which represented a constitutional part of the Lebanese society. However, spreading the ideology of Islam and Shiites did not actually put an end to the Imam's religious, missionary, and social work within his social, popular, and normal medium.
The Shiite Imam was well-known since the media, newspapers, and magazines spread news of his activities. Still, such knowledge was limited and distant from the essential intellect of the "reviving" Imam, the depth of his principles, the concepts he integrated, and the confession he represented. This is why he adhered to setting dialogue and meeting others in order to introduce Shiites and their creeds and to discuss their problems and concerns. His book, "Abjadiyat Alhiwarr" (The Alphabet of Dialogue), was the first full edition of the Imam's lectures and preachments, and it is considered as the main reference for dialogue at any time or place. The Imam also gave an important lecture on May 24, 1965, which was entitled "Islam and the Twentieth-Century Culture". The book, which was translated into the French language and the lecture, gave fine proof of the Imam's pursuit and endeavor.
As a reviving Shiite, unique Islamic intellect, the Imam made his first lecture, talking about Shiites and their culture, creed, and heritage. He declared that Shiites die for the Sunnites, Muslims, and Islamic causes. During his second lecture, the insurmountable Imam introduced Islam and the Islamic culture in such a perfect way that religion looked different and reviving. Hereupon, the oriental, Professor Henri Courbon, requested that the Imam write the introduction to his book, "The History of the Islamic Philosophy", which was on the Shiite intellect. Courbon actually did this because he regarded the Imam as the best to understand and represent this intellect. Upon this, word of the Imam spread in the books of intellects and literati.
In order to crown the activities and lectures concerning Christianity and Islam, which had been organized by the " Lebanese Symposium ", Imam Sadr signed, on July 8, 1965, a statement entitled "Christianity and Islam in Lebanon" along with his companions: Bishop George Khodr, Father Yuakeem Mubarak, Sheikh Sobhi As-Saleh, Hassan Saab, Father Francois Daubery Latour, Yusuf Abu Halqa, and Nasri Salhab. This statement is considered as the true nucleus of the Islamic-Christian dialogue and its main and practical start point, for it reiterated the common constants between Islam and Christianity and the intersection points.
In addition to his works of intellectual dialogue, Imam Sadr sustained his vocational, missionary work among people. He believed that faith was of two dimensions; the first is heavenward and the second is on earth. He also believed that faith isn't the mere seclusion at mosques and worship at hermitages; instead, faith is a daily enlivened practice including care for people, concern for the deprived and indiscriminate attention to others' hopes and dreams. This is why the Imam commenced moving between Lebanese cities and villages, disregarding the confessions and religions of their people. He would visit Shiites, inquire about the Sunnites, and meet the Christians. Hereupon, he received love, admiration, and respect of massive Lebanese crowds of different belongings and doctrines. Whenever he arrived at a village or a city, he would receive the love of its folk. This was upon his belief that to serve a human is to serve God, Prophet Muhammed (Peace be upon him and his household), and prophet Issa (Jesus) (Peace be upon him). Once, he visited the area of Alashrafiyeh after he had been invited there by a number of loving friends. Right then, the Christian neighbors at the close buildings rushed to meet and greet him and to ask him whatever questions they had.
The Imam met them gladly and answered them lovingly and happily. He would, without hesitation or discrimination, accept all of the invitations he received from different places and areas. All of those visits, tours and meetings were means of correspondence and communication between the Imam and the citizens of the nation. Thus, the Imam was apparently a unique Lebanese and a religious character distinguished from those who had proceeded and those who would follow. Furthermore, the Imam of the nation truly received the title of the "Imam of Dialogue and Call for Equality". All prophets have been messengers of one God, whose same message they have called to.
For more establishment and organization of work at that period of time, Imam Sadr hired a small apartment in the region of Ras An-Nabeh, where he sustained his meetings. He had still been concerned with formulating the Shiite structure and laying its foundations. This was upon Sayyed Abdul Hussein Sharaf Ed-deen's rejection to be the legal Shiite advisor of the Lebanese Republic since he had received the offer from the French occupant, whom the Sayyed opposed, struggled against, and refused any kind of communication with. Besides, being a Shiite legal advisor or knowing dilettante was not a job that an Imam or a savant would tackle in a republic or discipline, so how would it be in the case of occupation or mandate? Yet, legal advisement and diligence is a jihad path for the sake of God. Every dilettante has the total freedom concerning legal advisement, and to oppose him is to oppose God and his Prophet... As legal advisement considers matters on earth, diligence regards heavenly matters.Sayyed Abdul Hussein Sharaf Ed-deen, who became a legal advisor at the age of thirty-two, had striven for the Shiites and refused to cooperate with the French occupant. He had greatly influenced the socio-political level in Mount Amel in southern Lebanon and had founded a convenient background for Sayyed Moussa Sadr's line of action. It is true that Shiites had governmental representatives; however, they had no formal representative institution. This made the Imam seriously advocate a license given by the Lebanese government to constitute a council that organizes the issues of the Shiite confession and handles its affairs. The Imam censured the insistence on disregarding the Shiites when all of the other Lebanese confessions had private councils- even the Jews, but not the Shiites.
The Imam's primary concern was to create a moral and legal character of the Shiites in order to respect them and claim their rights. The Imam wanted this character to combine religionists, politicians, intellects, and learned citizens into a single, well-balanced council since the Shiite confession included great characters like presidents, members of parliament, doctors, lawyers, and managers... It wasn't fair to get the Shiites simply represented by some feudal leaders merely carrying the name of the Shiites, but not representing all variations and not tackling their concerns and hopes.
As for the United Islamic Council which existed then, it only had two Shiite representatives among twelve members. The Imam refused this, for it was unfair to represent the Shiites as one-sixth of Muslims despite their large number. Even the authority of the council did not exceed that of a charity association.
The obstacles facing the Imam's constitution of the council was not only the pressure of the Shiite feudal leaders, but also it was the disadvantage of some that Shiites would gain true existence on earth and a pioneering role. In fact, "Al Moharrer" (The Editor) Newspaper published a telegram, by means of which it accused the Muslim Lebanese savants and Imam Sadr of supporting Abdussalam Aref's communist reign. However, the Imam faced it deliberately and proved it as false. This was one of the false accusations and rumors that confronted the Imam.
Afterwards, the Imam organized a press conference, during which he suggested the idea of constituting the Shiite council. He requested that the public send petitions to the president, the prime minister, and formal constitutions, in addition to copies of the petitions to the pursuit office. The call to which the public responded was considered as a perfect, popular commission of the Imam and a full satisfaction with his rightful request.
After this popular commission, the Lebanese government formally ratified the law of constituting the Shiite council, what was regarded as a formal commission of the Imam. Then the Shiite Reference Sayyed Mohsen Al Hakeem sent a telegram to congratulate the Imam and the public for the constitution of the Shiite council that would represent the Shiites and claim their rights for the first time in history. This congratulation, received from the highest legitimate authority, represented a new legal commission of the Imam in addition to the previous ones. Hereupon, on May 23, 1969, Imam Sadr was elected first president of the Higher Islamic Shiite Council in Lebanon. According to the law of the council constitution, the presidency of the council was six-year long before it was adjusted to last until the Imam would become 65. According to the principles, the adjustment took place on March 29, 1975, after the general committee of the council had unanimously agreed.
At the beginning of Sayyed Moussa's presidency, Imam Sadr provided a center for the Higher Islamic Shiite Council, which lay at Alhazmiyeh District in the south-eastern suburb of Beirut. The center was a fine, four-storey building of 6375 m²-area estate, and it included large halls for general meetings. The property of this estate was registered as an endowment of the Islamic Shiite confession.
The agenda of the Islamic Shiite Council:
Imam Sadr announced his agenda concerning the achievement of the purposes of the Higher Islamic Shiite Council in a speech he delivered on the day of his election, in his word of honor to the Lebanese president, who came to congratulate the Imam, and in his first statement, which was issued on June 10, 1969. The agenda included the main titles here below:
o Organizing the affairs of the Shiite confession and enhancing its socio-economic situations
o Performing a perfect Islamic role of intellect, activity, and jihad
o Indiscrimination between Muslims and pursuit of perfect unity
o Cooperation with all of the Lebanese confessions and preserving the Lebanese unity
o Practicing national and federal responsibilities and preserving Lebanon's independence, liberty, and security
o Confronting ignorance, adversity, social oppression, and corruption of ethics
o Supporting the Palestinian resistance and practical participation with the neighboring Arabian countries to liberate the occupied lands
Upon all of this, it is obvious that even though the Imam was primarily concerned for the Shiites, he did not neglect his purposes of bringing Muslims together, uniting the Lebanese, and even freeing Palestine.
Seeking to protect southern Lebanon and to keep its people steadfast:
Imam Sadr regarded the South as the land of civilizations, the stream of culture, and the site of the alphabet. He also regarded it as the land of humans and faith, so he declared his sincere readiness to offer his life to stop the pains of the south. During the first months of his presidency of the council, "Israeli" assaults and violations were committed against the southern borders; hence, the Imam launched a campaign, advocating the protection and fortification of the southern-border villages by the Lebanese authorities. He saw that, whether the authorities wished or not, it was every Lebanese person's duty to prepare, train, and get armed to protect Lebanon against the "Israeli" dangers and greed. Without the South, Lebanon had no dignity or safety.
Upon the "Cairo Agreement" in 1969, which aimed at organizing the armed Palestinian presence in Lebanon, the Lebanese government began to further disregard the southern state. All of the governmental establishments had been withdrawn from the bordering areas, and all of the developmental projects over there were frozen, whereupon the southerners and Palestinians were left to direct confrontation with each other on the southern land, what would make "Israel" the biggest and most pleased winner.
Still, Imam Sadr sought to protect the South and its people from "Israel" and the malicious parties. At a dinner organized to support the resistance, he reiterated that he would not use arms against Lebanese parties unless some of those tried to divide Lebanon or restrict the Palestinian presence, yet the Imam didn't consider the forces of the Palestinian resistance as alternatives to the Lebanese army.
Besides supporting the Palestinians, the Imam launched an awareness campaign against the danger of emptying the Lebanese-border villages, which would be a Lebanese edition of the scenario of dislodging the Palestinians away from their cities and villages. He did not encourage people to migrate from their land, emphasizing the role of the government and the necessity of the permanent presence of its army and establishments in the South in order to support it. The Imam believed it was necessary to build a resistant society- based on a counteractive national strategy- against the "Israeli" plot of widening settlement so that the persistent invasions of the border could be confronted and the foreseen occupation of the Lebanese territories could be resisted.
Aitaroun Town in southern Lebanon was once shelled by the forces of the "Israeli" enemy, so the Imam rushed to visit the town and check on its people, whom he asked to persevere and be steadfast rather than to leave their land and homes. So he did when Kafarshuba Town and its mosque were shelled; the Imam hurried to help the townspeople, console them, and strengthen their determination, whereupon he headed the prayers at the damaged mosque; however, when the enemy intensified the shelling, they resorted to the church.
In all occasions and feasts, the Imam adhered to visiting all of the southern regions in order to encourage the people, support them, and strengthen them. He would warn them from the plot to empty the Litany Region of the southerners- just like what happened during the calamity of ravishing the lands of 1948 in Palestine.
The Imam's concern was not to let go of the government and the army and not to change their absence at that time into a persistent reality. Therefore, he requested that a recruitment law be issued, and he advocated training the southern youth and calling them the "Supporters of the Army". All of this represented a clear sign of his great determination to get the government into continuous action on the southern territories. Upon his continuous pursuit and pressure, the Lebanese cabinet issued a governmental, resolution in 1970; it stated that a general plan be made to enhance the situation of the southern-border areas.
Establishing the Council of the South:
The Imam believed that religion meant caring for people's daily concerns and that the faith in God meant unrest when others suffer. He also saw that the southern situation was a conviction to everyone and that history shall judge the attitudes towards the South. Besides, the Imam could see, with his own eyes that the South was endangered, and he was ready to make the first step in confrontation with the danger; he was ready to die for the South if he had to. The Imam continued his tours unflinchingly among the Lebanese regions, explaining and lecturing about the southern situation and people and calling on his audience for a general mobilization in order to rescue the South.
Anew, the bordering villages were assailed by "Israel" halfway in 1970, whereby there were grave casualties and damaged properties. Besides, thousands of people of thirty bordering villages were dislodged.
Imam Sadr called on the chiefs of the religious confessions in the South to an urgent meeting, and he established the "Committee of Support of the South". Upon the request of its members, Sayyed Sadr tackled its presidency, whereas Bishop Antonios Khreis was selected vice-president. According to the Imam's vision, the committee set a group of requests to protect and develop the South. Once the political authorities did not respond to those requests, the committee called on the Lebanese for a general and peaceful national strike for the sake of the South. Massive Lebanese crowds of the different confessions and areas responded to that call. In the evening of the strike day, the parliament ratified a constitution stating the establishment of a general institution called the "Council of the South". That was "to respond to the requirements and needs of the southern region, to support its people, to compensate for the damage made by the "Israeli" assaults, and to fund projects and general, developmental services in the region."
Establishing the Movement of the Deprived:
The Imam considered that the messengers chosen by God for perfect change were -mostly- deprived and tortured, and he saw that the religionists had an accurate and uneasy task concerning their domain because they were trustees of the nation's service- mainly of the deprived- and also since only they could make the right representation of the social struggle of the deprived and the oppressed. Hereupon, the Imam offered special care and greater regard to the poor and deprived because religion considers those who disregard the poor as killers. He called on his audience to provide the requests of the deprived and to develop their areas. Since 1971 and on, the Lebanese sovereignty began witnessing persistent and repeated assaults of "Israel"; thus, the Imam continued advocating the rights of this region and the unavailable governmental duties, reiterating that the collapse of the South would mean the perfect collapse of Lebanon. He would also call, anew, for compulsory recruitment, fortification of villages, building shelters, and providing the fundamentals to steadfastness and defense.
Furthermore, the Imam advocated a balanced developmental policy executed by the Lebanese authorities, whereby the capital won't be the priority instead of the remaining secondary regions. In order to attain a perfect Lebanese unity, all of the country's regions must be built- he believed; therefore, he asked for the development of the different regions, the end of sectarianism, and ending the neglect of the Shiites regarding ministerial positions, public administrative jobs, and budgets of developmental projects. The Imam mentioned that they had always ranked among the most loyal and obedient citizens to the national ruler and among the least annoyers of the authorities.
Still, these authorities ignored, once more, the Imam's advocating and calls. Consequently, the Imam declared his opposition to the Lebanese governors because of their neglect for the rights of the deprived and the poor and for neglect of developing the poor, neglected regions. The Imam intensified his protest for the sake of the deprived through massive popular festivals- the greatest of which were the festivals off Baalbeck and Tyre, whose crowds exceeded a hundred thousand that vowed to the Imam that they would sustain the campaign and never stand still before the calls are achieved. In consequence with this, the "Movement of the Deprived" was born upon people's suffering and deprivation. The principles it declared were the adherence to faith in God, the human, freedom, and dignity; rejection of oppression and sectarianism; encountering tyranny and feudalism; clinging to national sovereignty and its safety; and fighting settlement, assaults, and greed.
Afterwards, the command of the Lebanese Army formulated committees to consider the requests of the "Movement of the Deprived" and to agree on execution mechanisms; however, the documents remained untouched, so Imam Sadr called on the religionists of the Shiite confession to regard and support the calls. Then, he called on the general committee of the Higher Islamic Shiite Council, which included more than a thousand Shiite characters who supported the Imam's calls, censured the government's attitude, commissioned the Imam to perfect all measures, and supported him fully. As a result, the government resigned, and a new government was formed. Its president Rasheed As-Solh, promised the Imam of a positive regard of the calls; however, as soon as the Lebanese Civil War broke, the government resigned.
Forming the squads of the Lebanese Resistance "Amal":
The Imam was faithful that "We have to trust only God and refer to Him only because God defends the believers". The Imam knew well that Prophet Muhammed's fighters had been victorious upon their faith in their just cause, their loyal command, and their belief that God grants victory. Yet, the Imam knew that this victory wouldn't exist unless it is sought.
Accordingly, Imam Sadr called for the formulation of the armed resistance and the constitution of a Lebanese resistance that could encounter the "Israeli" assaults, conspiracies and greed. He refused to wait until land was occupied, houses were destroyed, people were dislodged, dignity was profaned, and afterwards resistance was formed to recover the occupied land and bring people back to it. The Imam saw that not only is self-defense a right, but also it is the duty of every citizen. Nobody can be stopped from that, and none needs a decision, a plan, thinking, or council because the country is preserved with jihad, and dignities are preserved with martyrdom. Hereupon, the Imam called for positioning since it is an Islamic purpose and a national duty and since that was the time for positioning against the enemy and martyrdom, for the government had abandoned its duties.Imam Sadr glorified the resistance's work, for he saw that fighters apply the human rights and execute the will of Prophet Muhammed (Peace be upon him and his household) and Prophet Eessa (Peace be upon him). He also saw them as trustees of ethics and values, grand heroes who didn't need arrogance, and a connection between religion and jihad and between war and prayers. To him, their resistant work was sustenance to the worship of God in the fields of battles and sacrifice- just like worship is at hermitages and at public service.
In 1975, Imam Sadr declared the birth of the squads of the Lebanese Resistance "Amal", reiterating its historical importance and the necessity of maintaining it in order to preserve honor, existence, and the future of the country and generations. The Imam definitely knew that the struggle is hard and long, that humanity has a ferocious enemy, and that a human has little good deeds to show to God. Nevertheless, he had great trust in God; he kept calling for offering continuous sacrifices and martyrs, for he knew that "Rebels are like waves; once they stop, they end." He denied that the fighters' actions were only performed to annoy Israel; to him, the fighters were oppressed and rightful and their jihad was not a mere revolution of an oppressed nation, but it was the revolution of a nation against its recent and far past.
Recalling Al Quds in his conscience:
Imam Sadr considered Al Quds the direction of the Muslims, the meeting of their values, and the
representation of their unity and vocation; thus, he took the cause as his own sacred cause, and he considered that Palestinians and all people have a common responsibility of liberating Al Quds. Besides, the Imam saw that this sacred land is the stream of heavenly messages and the base of all religions and human civilizations. It is a blessed land, along with its surroundings, and it must be freed by believers and fighters. Whatever Muslim or Christian abandons this purified land abandons and disrespects his religion. The Imam censured motionless people who disregard the recovery of Palestine and the expulsion of the Zionist invaders who defile all what is sacred. The duty calls for preserving dignity, Easter, resurrection, Prophet Muhammed's birth and migration, and Al Israa- all what is related to "Al-Quds".The Imam fought the idea of changing Al Quds into a Jewish settlement and denounced insulting Al Aqsa Mosque and the Resurrection Church and spreading corruption in the old city. All that distorted Islamic and Christian sites and concepts. He vowed to guard and maintains the Palestinian resistance. He would repeat that he was a summoner of support for the Palestinian resistance and whoever assisted its path- whatever was his mean. He wanted the resistance to be preserved, secure at the heart, and devoted to the liberation cause-away from assaults.
The Imam frankly announced that he and his people should always fight for Al Quds and defend every deprived person until they receive the honor of being the companions of Imam Hussein (Peace be upon him).
His attitude towards the Lebanese Civil War:
When the Lebanese Civil War broke, in 1975, among the different Lebanese parties, the Imam sought to put an end to sedition. He asked the parties in conflict to be aware of the "Israeli" plans; the Israelis did not count on their war craft and artillery then, but they counted on partitioning the Lebanese parties and driving them into combat with each other. The Imam reiterated the importance of preserving the Lebanese country and the Palestinian revolution at a time. To point guns at neighbors is no source of pride or gallantry; the guns must be pointed at the enemy. The Imam advocated an end to the internal conflict and the transfer of battle arms to the South- exactly where they should be used.
Along with a group of Lebanese people, the Imam formulated the "National Detente Committee" in order to meet the representatives of the Palestinian resistance and commence, hence, the reconciliation of the situations. They also wanted to set intersection points represented by co-existence with the other confessions, dialogue for the sake of reformation, ending sectarian coercion, and preserving the Lebanese -Palestinian co-existence.
Once those pursuits failed to end the internal combat, the Imam carried out a sit-in at the Faculty of Ameliyeh, where he fasted and worshipped God. He also advocated the constitution of a national government that would bring peace back and reconcile the parties in conflict. He declared that he still adhered to the path and insisted on the rightful attitudes until earth was purified, thorns were plucked, a new dawn rose, and peace spread in his nation. The Imam's sit-in was perfectly received by the various sects and confessions at the religious, popular, and social levels... Once the newly constituted government promised the Imam to carry out reconciliation, he ended his set-in.
The Imam could see the Lebanese Civil War as the definite evil that would hit the Lebanese nation, the Palestinian resistance, the Syrian neighbor, and the Arabian cause in general. He could see it as a promising choice for the "Israeli" enemy, for the arms used eternity- by whatever parties- offer advantage to "Israel"; any bullet shot in Lebanon is an "Israeli" one shot at the Lebanese body.
The Imam denounced killing the innocent citizens, and he refused to react the same way and revenge. After the genocide of tens of Shiites, destruction of the houses of others, assailing them, and dislodging them into regions with Christian majorities, he reiterated the necessity of the protection of the Christian minorities living within Islamic regions, warning from assault and revenge from innocent people. That was along side with his continuous calls for stopping the combat, ending the war, and returning to dialogue and meeting.
Besides his endeavors to get the Lebanese-Palestinian and Lebanese-Lebanese points of view together, the Imam played an important role in getting the viewpoints of the command of the Palestinian resistance and Syria together. He arranged a meeting, too, between the president of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, Yasser Arafat, and the Syrian president, Bashar Alassad. The meeting attended by the Imam was followed by other ones.
The Imam denounced works of constitution of sectarian federals, which were known as doctrinal "canteens", whereby every party had established a local administration and a private state instead of the official administrations of the uniting government.
Endeavors to terminate the Lebanese Civil War:
Since ending of the Lebanese War required a Lebanese national accord and a common Arabian agreement, Imam Sadr was moving between Arabian capitals: Damascus, Cairo, Riyadh, and Kuwait, in addition to the Lebanese presidency, and the Palestinian-resistance command. He was working hard to convince the leaders and chiefs to unite their attitudes against the sedition war and, thus, terminate the continuous bleeding in Lebanon. Furthermore, the Imam sought to unite opinion to end the blazing war in the countries, and he remained hopeful until his efforts- along side with others'- resulted in a resolution to end the Lebanese War through Arabian restrictive forces.
Later on, the Imam announced the necessity of terminating the burning war, adherence to the governmental and establishment legacy within the united country, protecting its sovereignty, freedom, and independence, and rebuilding what was demolished. The Imam reiterated the permanent co-existence of the different Lebanese confessions and sects. And he suggested that Lebanon be kept distant from the grand regional catastrophes, that Cairo Agreement be deactivated, and that a new formula be set to organize the relationship of the Lebanese government and the Palestinian resistance.
The South remained the title:
As soon as the Arabian restriction forces came to Lebanon, there was a detente- except for the South that was still external to the Lebanese sovereignty and to the charge of the Arabian forces. The struggle between various sects and forces on the southern territories persisted until the catastrophe worsened and became more complex and dangerous; the destiny of the whole South was now endangered with conspiracies. Despite such facts, the Imam never stopped seeking to explain to Lebanese and Arab officials the danger of the southern situation and changing it into a target of the "Israeli" Occupation or Palestinian settlement. In 1978, the Zionist entity had carried out a wide land invasion known as the Litany Operation. The declared purpose was to set off the Palestinian Liberation Organization to the north of the river, yet, the Occupation remained in a region known as the borderline.
Anew, the Imam toured among a number of Arabian countries (as Syria, Jordan, Algeria, etc..), explaining the situation of the southern Lebanese situation and the struggling forces on earth, requesting that Lebanon be untied with the Arabian and regional conflicts and calling on the League of the Arabian Countries to hold a conference of the Arabian Summit in order to consider the occupation of the South and the means to liberate it.
The Imam's disappearance in Libya:
Upon the Libyan Colonel Muammar AL Qathaffi's invitation and the Algerian President Bu Medyan's counsel, Imam Sadr traveled to Libya, on August 25, 1978, accompanied by Sheikh Muhammed Yaacoub and the journalist Abbass Badr Eddeen.
Imam Sadr had spent his last day in Lebanon at the house of his sister, Lady Rabab Sadr. Actually, many tried to forbid the Imam from the visit, but declared that he was determined to travel to Libya in order to hold a meeting with Colonel Al Qathaffi.
The Libyan media didn't cover the news of the Imam in Libya or the details of his visit, and no announcements were made of any meetings the Imam held with Libyan officials. All of a sudden, at noon on August 31, 1978, there was no more news of the Imam. The Libyan authorities announced that the Imam and both of his companions had traveled from the Libyan capital to Italy in the evening of that day. Their suitcases were discovered at "Holiday Inn" in Rome.As a result of the wide investigation that the Italian judiciary carried out concerning the Imam's disappearance, the general appeal prosecutor in Rome proved that Imam Sadr and his companions hadn't entered the Italian territories; neither did they have a transit across Italy. He affirmed they must have stayed in Libya; that was formally informed to the governments of Lebanon, Syria, Iran, and to the Islamic Shiite Council.
The Lebanese government sent a security delegation to Libya to find out the truth, but the Libyan authorities did not allow them to enter the country. After the accurate investigations this delegation had carried out in Italy, it reached the same result declared by the Italian judiciary to Lebanon.
Ever since, Colonel Al Qathaffi has been held responsible for concealing the Imam and his companions..
Imam Sadr has once said, "You, officials, won't get rid of me and of my ghost that annoys your sleep unless I'm dead or helpless." He has also said, "They will fail making the South submissive, and they won't be able to humiliate the nation of Imam Hussein (Peace be upon him) - the nation that had wished to be a thousand years back in time with Imam Hussein..."
This is it; because the Imam's ghost annoyed their sleep and since they wanted to make the South and its people submissive, they tried to conceal the Imam- thinking they could reach their will. Never have they absented the Imam from the minds and hearts, nor have they made the South submissive. An oppressor will never reach his will.
