Sayyed Nasrallah’s Full Speech on the 10th of Muharram, 2019

Translated by Staff

Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah’s speech marking end of the 10th of Muharram procession organized by the party in Beirut’s southern suburbs at noon on Tuesday 10/9/2019

I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Satan. In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious the Merciful. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds, and prayers and peace be upon our Master and Prophet, the Seal of the Prophets, Abi al-Qassem Muhammad Bin Abdullah and his good and pure household and his good and chosen companions and all the prophets and messengers.

Peace be upon you, O my master and my lord, O Aba Abdullah and upon the souls that gathered in your courtyard. Peace of Allah be upon you all from me forever as long as I am existent and as long as there are day and night. May Allah not cause this (visit) to be the last of my visit to you (all). 

Peace be upon al-Husayn, upon Ali ibn al-Husayn, upon the sons of al- Husayn, and upon the companions of al- Husayn.

Gentlemen, brothers and sisters, peace and God's mercy and blessings be upon you all.

At the beginning, we extend our condolences to the Messenger of Allah, to the people of solace, and tell them as stated in some of the Ziyarat recited on Ashura:

Peace be upon you, O Allah’s Messenger! May Allah confer upon you excellent consolation concerning the (tragedy) of al-Husayn, your son.

Peace be upon you, O Fatima! May Allah confer upon you excellent consolation concerning the (tragedy) of al-Husayn, your son.

Peace be upon you, O Commander of the Believers! May Allah confer upon you excellent consolation concerning the (tragedy) of al-Husayn, your son.

Peace be upon you, Abu-Muhammad al-Hasan! May Allah confer upon you excellent consolation concerning the (tragedy) of al-Husayn, your brother.

We can also add:

Peace be upon you, O my masters and Imams! May Allah confer upon you excellent consolation concerning the (tragedy) of al-Husayn, your father and grandfather.

Dear brothers and sisters, who are gathered here and elsewhere, peace be upon you. You are the loyal people who heed and will heed the call of your Imam and console your Prophet and his household. You prove that you are truly the supporters of Allah and the supporters of His prophet. May Allah confer upon you excellent consolation and reward you concerning the (tragedy) of al-Husayn, your Imam. May Allah bless your striving.

Thank you all for this great attendance on al-Husayn’s day. Thank you all for this great attendance in all of Lebanon on this day and for the past 10 nights and days. This reflects your commitment, your faith, your love, your adoration and your loyalty.

Praise be to Allah for his care, compassion, mercy and the kindness he bestowed on all of us. He facilitated all forms of commemorations this year and this season to be performed in the best, calm, expressive, powerful and effective way possible.

We should thank all those who invited, resided, managed and contributed to the commemoration of these nights and days.

At the security level, we should extend special thanks to the Lebanese army and the official security forces for their efforts day and night so that people can commemorate this occasion in peace and security. We also thank the people who cooperated with all those involved in security.

And thanks to all the brothers and sisters, who worked hard and strenuously in all areas for the commemorations to take place in the best of ways at all levels.

Before I start, we must express our sorrow for the loss of a scholar, brother, a mujahid, a dear person and a member of the resistance. We lost him in the past few days. It was His Eminence Allamah Sheikh Hassan Malak. May Allah have mercy on him. For many years on days like these, he read Imam al-Husayn’s biography. He is missed today. He had embarked on this path from the very first day and from the time of the first military training courses in the Bekaa camps. His picture wearing those clothes, the clothes of a trainee, while wearing a turban is ever-present.

May Allaah have mercy on him, and I ask Allah Almighty to put him with his messenger and his pure household and the martyrs, especially the martyrs of the resistance.

On al-Husayn’s day, on Ashura, this great attendance is a demonstration of heeding the historic call on the tenth day of Muharram stemming from the heart of the Karbala desert, amidst the siege, danger and the bloody confrontation.

Today as it was over the years, we feel that al-Husayn is calling us. He is calling every generation until Judgement Day. The voice of al-Husayn is in our ears. He is calling through every oppressed, tormented and besieged person in the world today. He is shouting in our ears and the ears of every honorable person in the world.

The call he made while he stood on the tenth day of Muharram before and after the martyrdom of his companions will remain eternal. As if he was addressing everyone in the future who will be living during the times of injustice, occupation, tyranny and arrogance and telling them: “Is there anyone to support me? Is there anyone to defend the honor of the Messenger of Allah?”

Al-Husayn Peace Be Upon Him (PBUH) can hear your cries and see you heeding his calls and your fists. He rejoices and feels that his blood has been preserved, his voice has been heard and his slogan resonates. He has not been forgotten despite the years, decades and centuries. And now he sees you taking the same position. We base all of our positions on it. This is the position that we base all our jihadi and political path on. It started from the Day of Ashura. When they wanted al-Husayn to surrender and submit, Abu Abdullah al-Husayn [PBUH] told them: “By Allah! I shall not give my hands in yours like a base man, nor shall I flee away like a slave.”

They told him: So, war, murder, cutting off hands, heads and legs it is.

Then he said the words that we base all our lives, jihad, faith and dignity on: “Indeed, that baseborn son of a baseborn father has left me only two alternatives to choose from: the sword or disgrace. And far from us is disgrace! It is disdainful to God, His Messenger and the faithful that we should yield to anything of that kind, and those born of chaste mothers and high-minded fathers and possessing a lofty sense of honor disdain that submission to vile men should be preferred to honorable death.”

The martyrdom of Abu Abdullah al-Husayn is the martyrdom of every oppressed and tormented martyr. On the day of reform in the nation of Allah’s messenger, Imam Husayn raised his slogan and sacrificed his blood so that it reaches future generations. Imam Husayn sacrificed himself, his family and his companions to revive the humanity, dignity and pride of this nation in the face of corrupt tyrants. 

On the day when blood triumphed over the sword, we will briefly look at some of the issues affecting our nation and its oppressed and vulnerable people who are suffering from occupation. [We will also look at] the looting of its wealth and the taking away of its rights and will.

We start in Palestine, with the central cause. We reassert to its people and resistance movements that there is no choice for our nation and the Palestinian people other than to resist as a means of attaining liberation and preventing the liquidation of this cause.

We affirm our eternal commitment to the Palestinian people and to the cause of Palestine.  We know that this position costs us a lot locally, regionally and internationally. But this is our commitment.

Confronting what has been planned at this point within the Deal of the Century, which was rejected by all the Palestinian forces and factions, in addition to the position of the Palestinian people are the mainstay to confronting this “Israeli”-American liquidation scheme and destroying it no matter how big the conspiracy is. And because these steadfast people are making sacrifices, they will protect their cause and sanctities from al-Aqsa Mosque to the Tomb of the Patriarchs. We condemn and denounce Netanyahu’s despicable desecration of this hallowed and sanctified site.

We stand in one trench and in one battle with the Palestinian people, with its heroes from the resistance fighters in Gaza and the West Bank, its steadfast and patient detainees in “Israeli” prisons, its people on the 1948 territories and in the diaspora and all its resistance fighters. We will remain by their side.

In Lebanon, we reaffirm our commitment to the natural and legitimate rights of the Palestinian people as honorable refugees in our land who are working to return to their homeland. We are committed to these rights and will defend them.

Another Hijri [lunar] year passes in Yemen. Another Ashura and another Karbala pass in Yemen. Yemen and its people remain as firm as their mountains facing an unjust war. Today, the Yemeni people are the symbol of oppression, siege and estrangement, as al-Husayn was in Karbala. The war against them turned into a futile war, into crimes against humanity committed amid the silence of the so-called international community and through a US-British partnership that is killing women and children. This partnership’s sole concern is the sale of tens of billions of dollars’ worth of weapons, ammunition and missiles to the forces of aggression attacking the Yemeni people.

Saudi Arabia’s and the UAE’s persistence in this war will not result in victory. It will only bring them defeat, humiliation, eternal and historical shame and doom on the Day of Resurrection. All the objectives they announced to justify their war on Yemen have failed.

The events taking place in southern Yemen, in Aden, Abyan and elsewhere, are evidence of the false allegations of the forces of the Saudi-Emirati aggression against Yemen. They protected the falsehood of their claims with what they called Yemeni legitimacy. Now their intentions are being unveiled out in the open.

Their intentions and projects are aimed at tearing Yemen apart – not into two states, but into several states to weaken it, to oppress it and occupy its ports. They need these ports badly and covet its natural resources. Then they hand out some crumbs under the slogan of aid.

Isn’t it time for all Yemeni groups, for all those who still carry weapons against their fellow Yemenis under false pretenses, such as confronting Iranian influence and the Iranian tide, to recognize and be aware of the Saudi-Emirati objectives in Yemen?

Isn’t it time for these Yemenis to abandon the camp of the forces of aggression, lay down their arms and reach out to each other and engage in a national, internal dialogue that aims to restore the unity of their happy and blessed Yemen, protect their families and safeguard their natural resources and ports? Isn’t it time for this awareness to triumph over all this falsehood promoted by the media of the forces of aggression?

In any case, today on al-Husayn's day, we renew the call to end the brutal aggression against Yemen and its people, and let the Yemenis decide the fate of their country and address their problems.

In Bahrain, the Bahraini people are still suffering. Another Hijri year full of tyranny and brutality caused by this corrupt and traitorous regime has passed. This regime has stepped-up its assault on Husseini rituals throughout recent days. It is fighting the commemorations, which are part of the cultural, religious, social and historical identity of the people of Bahrain. It has also summoned and oppressed [religious] scholars and preachers. In addition, it went too far in normalizing ties with the Zionist enemy. Worse than that, it gave its blessing and support to all the Zionist attacks that took place in Palestine, Lebanon, Syria and Iraq in recent weeks. This is the ugliest form of treason in addition to the treasonous hosting of the economic conference on the Deal of the Century.

On the day of al-Husayn (PBUH), we tell the people of Bahrain that you are performing a great jihad on the path of Allah through your peaceful revolution, your resounding calls and your steadfastness in demanding your rights. You gain insight into the truth of your jihad with every new revelation about this despicable, corrupt and traitorous regime. Your great jihad must bear fruit because this is God's promise to the true Mujahideen.

Also, today, we reaffirm our faith in your right, honesty and steadfastness and express our solidarity with you.

Regarding the US sanctions: these unjust US sanctions, imposed on the countries of the axis of resistance, on the Islamic Republic of Iran, on the Syrian Arab Republic as well as on the resistance movements in Palestine, Lebanon and Iraq, are an act of aggression by the US administration and a form of financial and economic pressure after the failure of two things. The first is the failure of the Zionist entity’s wars against the resistance in Lebanon and Palestine. “Israel’s” wars were unsuccessful in undermining the determination of the resistance fighters in Palestine and Lebanon.

The second is the failure of the US policy of proxy wars, in which the Americans used terrorist takfiri groups in Lebanon, Syria and Iraq. The US also failed in its policies regarding the resistance countries and movements.

The resistance in Lebanon has been on the terror list and the sanctions list for many years. We said this is nothing new between us and the US administration.  The Americans do this for “Israel” and for the Zionist entity. But a different approach is required for this aggression being extended to affect others in Lebanon such as banks that Hezbollah does not own and has no relations with, or rich people or traders just because of their religious or sectarian affiliation or their political views.

We, in Hezbollah, must reconsider and study our options well. We have said in the past that if injustice befalls on us alone, we will be patient. But if this injustice affects our people, we act in a different manner. The state and the government must also defend and protect the Lebanese instead of implementing American desires and decisions in this regard as some state institutions did. They should not be grander than the king. This is unacceptable. This is rejected and condemned. This dossier should be opened because it is targeting Lebanon and the Lebanese economy.

I come to Lebanon. In Lebanon, I have two quick points. The first point is related to the “Israeli” issue and the second is related to the internal issue, especially the financial and economic situation.

Regarding the “Israeli” issue, the Lebanese have foiled the latest “Israeli” attempt to change the rules of engagement, which has been in place since 2006. The enemy has always conducted breaches, hundreds of violations each month, thousands of violations every year over a period of 13 years.

But in the end, there were red lines. Bombing or subjecting areas in Lebanon to air strikes became a highly sensitive issue. The latest attempt of aggression against the southern suburbs of Beirut [Dahiyeh] through the deployment of booby-trapped drones to carry out bombings was grave. The official, political and popular Lebanese position was very strong. Then the resistance responded. The resistance’s response came from inside Lebanese territory onto Palestinian territory and through the Palestinian-Lebanese border. The other response was yesterday when the first “Israeli” drone was shot down outside the village of Ramyeh.

Despite all the intimidation and threats, today we are establishing equations and strengthening the deterrence force that protects our country. We saw what the “Israelis” did. We saw the “Israeli” dummies in the past few days. This reflects the weakness of the “Israeli” army. They called it a deception operation. They pretended to bring people, carry them on stretchers and put blood on them. They said they were deceiving Hezbollah.

Let us suppose you deceived us. But this deception shows that the legendary army, the invincible army has turned into a Hollywood army acting in movies because it has become weak, debilitated, afraid and cowardly. It withdrew from the border fence to a depth of five to seven kilometers.

Brothers and sisters, when it comes to Lebanon the “Israeli” enemy always looks for security belts. In 1978, it set up a security belt. In 1982, it launched an invasion. In 1985, it established the known borderline. However, one of the manifestations of the resistance’s strength is that for the first time in the history of the conflict between Lebanon and the “Israeli” enemy, the “Israeli” enemy established a security belt inside Palestine and away from the border fence at a depth of five to seven kilometers. It evacuated its positions, soldiers, patrols and tanks. Is this not a manifestation of power?

I say to the Hollywood army, we would benefit from this experience if it were real. In future responses, instead of hitting one vehicle, we will hit more, and instead of hitting one target, we will hit more, and let’s see how many Hollywood shows you can perform. This is proof of illusion and proof of weakness.

Regarding the conflict between us and the enemy, I would like to emphasize one point. When I said that from today there are no more red lines, this does not mean giving up Resolution 1701 at all. There are people in Lebanon who are in a hurry. First of all, “Israel” does not respect, recognize or enforce this resolution. Now while we are talking, certainly there are “Israeli” violations in the skies somewhere over Lebanon. For people not to worry and wonder. Lebanon respects [UN Security Council Resolution] 1701, and Hezbollah is part of the government that respects this resolution. This is one thing and that is another thing. If “Israel” attacks Lebanon, bombs it, violates it or sends booby-trapped drones to Lebanon, the Lebanese people have the right to defend Lebanon and its sovereignty and to defend their dignity, blood, families and money. This is their legal, humane and legitimate right. It is also their right as stated in the ministerial statement and their right affirmed by the Supreme Defense Council.

Hence away from the noise inside the country and away from the threats coming from outside, on al-Husayn’s Day I reiterate the equation established by the Islamic Resistance fighters in Lebanon with their patience, presence and great jihad during the past few days. Its people and its supporters have embraced it. I say: Yes, if Lebanon was attacked in any form that is considered an aggression, this aggression will receive an appropriate response. For the sake of defending Lebanon, the Lebanese people, Lebanon’s sovereignty, security and dignity, there will be no red lined at all. That is it.

Today Lebanon is imposing itself on the world and demanding respect. I recall before the response, most of the countries in the world that have an interest in the region contacted Lebanese officials. This means that Lebanon is imposing itself on the countries of the world. The Americans called. The French called. The British called. The Germans called. The United Nations called. The Egyptians called. Many countries called before and after the resistance’s response.

The Lebanese should know that today they are strong because of the golden equation – the army, the people and the resistance. When an American delegate, who is a friend of “Israel” and is concerned about its interests, wants to negotiate with our leaders over oil, gas and borders, the Lebanese people should know that they are strong and act from a position of strength. They are capable of protecting the oil, gas, the land, sea and sky, God willing. Accordingly, leaders and state officials have a very great responsibility in preserving the rights of the Lebanese to oil, gas, water, land and borders.

The prevailing concern is the financial and economic situation. Everyone is talking about the dangers of the current crisis and the need to lay the foundations for addressing it.  The economic situation is not hopeless. There is a possibility to address it if there is a high level of seriousness and action in line with national responsibilities. This is the nation’s economy, and this is the fate of this national economy. It is not a sectarian economy or a doctrinal economy or a regional economy.

Not everybody bears the responsibility for the financial crisis Lebanon is in. There are those who bear responsibility and others who do not. There are reasons for this financial crisis, most notably corruption, waste, theft, mismanagement and political situations. But finding solutions needs cooperation. The biggest burden is on the government. The government is the one that proposes the budget. It is responsible for the disbursement of public funds after the approval of the Parliament. The government’s regulatory bodies are responsible for enforcing laws.

The government is called upon to activate the work of these bodies and take its responsibilities seriously and fill the gaps. It should fill the administrative gaps on the basis of efficiency and integrity because no reform and rescue operation can be carried out without an efficient administration and an impartial judiciary.

A few days ago an economic dialogue was held in Baabda under the patronage of His Excellency the President of the Republic. Ideas for addressing the problem were presented. We in Hezbollah started studying them positively and responsibly through specialized committees. We are keen on cooperating with everyone to find solutions. We seriously discussed the 2019 budget and what we will do with the 2020 budget.

The principles governing our position are the same as those during the discussions on the previous budget. We commit to any discussion to address the current crisis.  At the forefront of these principles is an effort to spare low-income people or impose new taxes on the poor popular groups. Addressing the crisis should not come at the expense of these people. Such groups must be protected, nurtured and supported. There are other options that were not taken seriously during the discussions of the 2019 budget. Revenues can be increased, and spending reduced. But more importantly funds need to be shielded from corruption and waste. And most importantly, which we strongly call for today is the recovery of the looted funds.

Instead of going into the pockets of the poor, let's look at the rich, the rich people, who illegally filled their pockets with Lebanese money. Recovering the looted funds should be at the forefront of the options being considered to address Lebanon's financial and economic situation. On the 10th day of Muharram, we renew our commitment to defending the rights and funds of the Lebanese in the context of our project to combat corruption and reduce waste.

Certainly addressing the crisis needs serious work. At the forefront is the restoration of popular trust in state institutions.  I call on officials who are making plans to manage the economic and financial situation to consider this as the primary and existential condition. If we want people to sacrifice, endure, be patient and contribute even from their own pockets, the state must gain the people's trust first. Otherwise, when people feel or see that the taxes being imposed on them and on their pockets will not be used for addressing the economic situation, providing job opportunities for their sons and daughters, addressing neglect and deprivation, especially in the deprived areas, why then would they pay taxes? Why should they interact and respond?

Regaining people’s confidence is a prerequisite for addressing the financial and economic situations. Take a look at the resistance experience. Because people’s sacrifices bore the fruit of liberating the land, freeing the prisoners and providing safety, security, dignity and pride, their readiness to sacrifice increased. They gave their money. In return, they saw that what they gave bore fruit. They offered their loved ones. In return, they saw how the blood of their loved ones attained freedom and dignity. That is why when it comes to the resistance, many of our people support, back and declare their willingness to bear the consequences and to sacrifice. Why? Because they trust the resistance and its ability to achieve victory.

This is a normal condition in any country, in any state. But if people continue accusing the state, state institutions and state officials, there will be no real progress in a country like Lebanon when it comes to addressing problems.

The main position of the today, brothers and sisters, is our rejection of any scheme for war against the Islamic Republic of Iran because such a war will set the region on fire, destroy countries and peoples and target the whole axis of resistance. It is aimed at destroying the last hope of regaining Palestine and the sanctities. It will open the door – in their view – to the absolute American-“Israeli” hegemony in our countries and region.

On the day of al-Husayn, on the Day of Ashura, we reiterate our position as part of the axis of resistance. We are not neutral. We will not be neutral in the battle between right and wrong and in the battle between al-Husayn and Yazid. Those who think that such a war will be the end of the axis of resistance, I tell them: with this axis’s strength, perseverance, truth, sincerity, determination and sacrifices, such a war will be the end of “Israel” as well as the American hegemony and presence in our region.

The leader of this axis and this camp is His Eminence the Supreme Leader Sayyed Ali Khamenei. From here, from Lebanon, we tell the whole world that our Imam, leader, master and the Husayn of this time is His Eminence Ayatollah al-Ozma Sayyed Ali al-Husseini al-Khamenei. The heart of this axis, its main center, its strongest supporter, its strength, truth and essence is the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Therefore, to all those who are betting on us leaving this axis and this equation through enticement or intimidation or by threatening war, sanctions or starvation, we tell them on the day of al-Husayn’s Ashura, we are the sons and daughters of that Imam who stood on the tenth day of Muharram and declared his position clearly. Whatever the consequences, he said in the face of the baseborn, “Indeed, that baseborn son of a baseborn father has left me only two alternatives to choose from: the sword or disgrace. And far from us is disgrace!”

To our master and our Imam, Imam Khamenei, we say, O our master, Imam and our Husayn, we tell you what al-Husayn’s companions told him on the eve of the tenth day of Muharran, “O our Master, our Imam, our leader, if we knew that we will be killed and brought back to life then burnt alive and our ashes scattered, we would not abandon You even if this process were repeated one thousand times, even if the Americans and the Zionists did this to us one thousand times.

We tell you what the companions of al-Husayn told him on the eve of the tenth day of Muharram. What did al-Husayn’s companions tell al-Husayn (PBUH)? “How can we stay after you? Life would be so distasteful after You, O Husayn."

We, in this axis, have only seen victories, dignity and the preservation of our existence, sanctities and sovereignty. This axis is the only hope for the oppressed and usurped people.

We do not bet on America lending us a helping hand and saving us. Who will help us? America that fully supports “Israel”? The West that fully supports “Israel”? America and the West who only take note of us if we are strong, standing on our feet, threatening our enemy and defending our land with our hands and weapons.

We are not betting on these people or their lies or their hypocrisy. We are betting on our axis, our people, our resistance movements, our jihad and our Husseini spirit.

Every year at the last moments of Ashura, we renew our pledge of allegiance to al-Husayn. We heed his call and bid him farewell. We affirm to him that throughout this year until the next tenth day [of Muharram] he will stay alive in our minds, hearts, culture, practices, behavior and schedule. Today, tomorrow and forever Labayka ya Husayn [We heed your call, O Husayn]!

Peace be upon you, O my master my lord, O Aba Abdullah and upon the souls that gathered in your courtyard. Peace of Allah be upon you all from me forever as long as I am existent and as long as there are day and night. May Allah not cause this (visit) to be the last of my visit to you (all). 

Peace be upon al-Husayn, upon Ali ibn al- Husayn, upon the sons of al- Husayn, and upon the companions of al- Husayn.

May Allah reward you and bless your striving. Peace and Allah’s mercy and blessings be upon you.