Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah’s Full Speech on the Seventh Night of Ashura 

Translated by Staff

Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah’s Full Speech on the Seventh Night of Ashura - 15/8/2021

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 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, mercy, and blessings of God be upon you all.

What happened today in Akkar’s town of Al-Talil imposes itself on all of us and certainly on our gathering, which commemorates the memory of oppression, martyrdom, wounds, pain, bereavement, and estrangement. The scenes of what happened at midnight are becoming clearer during the day. It is sad and painful for everyone in Lebanon and outside Lebanon as well as for everyone who heard this news and witnessed this scene. This sad and painful incident that led to the martyrdom [of many so far]. Official figures speak of 27 martyrs and some 79 wounded.

First: To our people in Akkar and to the honorable families who lost loved ones and dear ones, to the leadership of the Lebanese army, which also lost a number of its members, and to our dear people in the entire Akkar governorate, we express our sympathy and sadness for what happened to them and their dear ones, and we ask God Almighty to have mercy on the martyr. We also stand in solidarity with the wounded who are suffering greatly from the pain of severe burns. We ask God Almighty to grant them a speedy recovery. We also stand by their side and put ourselves, capabilities, and institutions at the disposal of our people in Akkar and the concerned ministries. We in Hezbollah, including our institutions and personnel, are ready to help in anyway – heal wounds, wipe tears, or console your pain. These are our pain and sorrow.

Of course, in view of this incident, I will talk about it a little and include the relevant topics, although I would usually prefer to leave the political topics for the last night or for the tenth day [of Muharram]. But the topic that is related to this incident, we’ll talk about it tonight, God willing.

What is required first is an investigation to reveal the circumstances of this incident and to punish the negligent people so that this incident does not recur because {there is for you in legal retribution [saving of] life, O you [people] of understanding.} The most important thing at this stage is to help the injured and heal the wounds and to absorb this incident, first and foremost, at the humanitarian level and socially. The most important thing also is to take lessons from this painful incident so that it does not recur in another area in Lebanon, in Akkar, or in any Lebanese town because this matter can, unfortunately, happen again.

Of course, the basis is addressing the matter. We must address the causes so that this incident does not recur, and this is what I will talk about. Despite the painful events in Lebanon, unfortunately, from the first moment this news appeared, instead of rushing to heal the wounds, comforting the injured, treating the wounded, and understanding the incident, the political forces, officials, political movements and popular forces, and the media began exchanging insults, accusations, and hurtful phrases and politicized the incident. I’ve been following up since the dawn. Since early morning and as soon as people woke up, they took to Twitter and issued statements and positions. Nothing was left hidden. This is a sad thing in our country. Usually, in the face of harsh, painful, and sad events, people put their differences and political conflicts aside and console each other, extend a helping hand and assist each other, and show solidarity. But we’ve become a very strange country. Anyway, since the morning we’ve been witnessing a very severe settling of scores. Of course, this will not solve problems and thwart danger, nor will it prevent the recurrence of this incident. Rather it will exacerbate sensitivities and conflicts, especially when it they are nourished by sectarian feelings and sectarian incitement. The issue will become a sectarian issue, unfortunately, as is usually the case with us in Lebanon.

We must address the situation with sad and aching hearts as well as with firm determination, calm, and a sound minds. There are several topics that we must talk about.

1- This tragic incident must constitute a decisive factor in putting pressure on those concerned with government formation to form one within a few days. This country can no longer bear it. Here, the talk is addressed to everyone – all the officials, leaders, political forces, and all those concerned with forming the government. The game of time is over. The same applies to any other political, sectarian, or partisan gains. It is no longer permissible for any person to think about anything else in the face of the situation the country is in. 

Hence, the first message and lesson from the blood of these oppressed martyrs and wounded, their groans in hospitals, and from  their families and the tears of the bereaved is that they form a government within two or three days. Other than that, we – all of us since I do not like to address others while excluding ourselves from the topic – and everyone will be committing a crime against this country because any delay is related to stubbornness, quotas, political gains, as well as personal, sectarian, or partisan gains.

Tonight, from the wounds, we all shout and say, it’s enough. This country can no longer tolerate it. Form a government in any way and at any cost. Let go of the conditions and counter conditions. Saving face is now tied to forming a government. Everyone should make sacrifices. Blood was spilt, and you have to give face. You are not asked to give your blood or the blood of your sons.

Today, this is the natural entrance for the country to get on the road of dealing with all issues, especially living and security issues. Some say we are facing a collapse. No, we are collapsing. They say we are facing chaos. No, we are in chaos. But we can still tackle chaos before it completely engulfs us.

Yesterday, when it was said that subsidies were lifted from oil derivatives, the whole country started debating and placing blame – who had knowledge and who didn’t, who made the decision, and who was covering this decision and who wasn’t. The solution to this issue is not in placing blame. The solution is for you to form a government and for it to meet as soon as possible and make the decision it deems appropriate in the matter of subsidies, lifting the subsidies, as well as the cash card and implementing it as soon as possible, etc.

Today, the country is in a power vacuum. It is true that there are leaders and meetings, but who is the party concerned with making the decision. The government and the executive authority are concerned with making decisions. The Supreme Defense Council can fill part of the vacuum, but it cannot be the executive authority in the country. The current government is not meeting – it is said that it is constitutional and unconstitutional. As a result, it does not meet, so what is the solution? How do we take the first step on the way to a solution, to manage the crisis, not to resolve the crisis, to regulate suffering and alleviate pain, and to prevent chaos? The only way is to form a government, and there is no other way.

Brothers and sisters, yes, there are external sanctions, a siege, and a conspiracy. This is certainly true, but our calamity in Lebanon is that even though we have a siege and external sanctions, we also have internal inability and failure, an absence of authority, an inability, and a failure in authority. Call it whatever you like, I am not talking about a person, and I am not holding one person or entity responsible. I am talking about the authorities, the authorities as a whole that must bear responsibility and all the political forces that must constitute this authority. Many countries in the world were besieged and punished for decades, with some still being besieged. But they have authorities that can manage a crisis. We have no authority to resolve the crisis and manage it. For weeks, people have been queuing in front of petrol and diesel stations. They are left to their fate – queuing and are left to their fate. Gas station workers, who are assaulted, are left to their fate. People on the roads are left to their fate. What does this mean? It means that there is a void, helplessness, and failure. Is there no idea? There is an idea, and there is clarity. What we must do is clear, but there is no one to act, take responsibility, and take initiative. This is the problem the country is stuck in.

Therefore, the first thing in light of this incident is to form a government as soon as possible – within days, and everyone must provide the required facilities and concessions. This is first.

Second, we come to define some responsibilities, and at a later time I will talk about the state. It is true that we say that the authority and the state are responsible, but is it not required that we cooperate to find a solution and form a vision for the solution? Let us go to the real reasons. Many people in Lebanon are accomplices in bearing the responsibility for the suffering of the Lebanese people. The broad title is the limitless greed of many from all areas and sects. Unfortunately, when someone was found hiding gasoline and diesel in an area with a sectarian color, the other areas gloat. When a storehouse or someone belonging to a certain party was found hiding diesel or gasoline, the rest of the parties gloat; knowing that this practice is found in all areas and sects, and no one is excluded because greed is part of human instincts and satanic obsessions that is found in everyone.

People are accomplices in the responsibility, how? The state had taken a decision to subsidize. Meanwhile, the central bank, regardless of its performance now, was subsidizing in one way or another. Gasoline and diesel entered the country, and companies were able to buy them, take dollar from the central bank, and buy at a rate of 3900 Lebanese pounds per dollar. These companies were supposed to sell based on this rate after calculating the fees and so on. Then, the companies were supposed to deliver to the stations, and the stations are supposed to sell to customers. But what has been happening for several weeks until today?

I do not want to say everybody so as not to wrong everyone. Most of the companies delivered to the stations and store a lot of gasoline and diesel that came to Lebanon. They store them in warehouses and monopolized them to sell them later on the black market or when the price rises. As for the stations, most of the stations, also sold to people. But they also set some aside and hide quantities. As for the people who come to buy, sometimes people buy gasoline or diesel because they have generators and wants to run it. Hospitals also bought to operate. Others bought diesel or gasoline for their cars. Sometimes, they would go overboard and buy a little extra out of fear that they won’t be able to get some more later. So, they fill an extra two or three gallons.

However, there are people who bought two, three, 100, 200, and 500 gallons from the stations. Thousands and tens of thousands of liters began to appear. They stored them in their homes, garages, and warehouses. I will return to this later. Aren’t these responsible? Most companies are responsible because of greed. Most of the stations are responsible because of greed. Most of those who took gasoline and diesel away from people to sell it on the black market, are accomplices in gree. Doesn’t this exist or not? In order not to place responsibility on one party, ministry, or area, all of them are responsible and will be questioned on the Day of Resurrection, regardless of what area, sect, or political party they belong to no matter whether they are independent or not.

In a previous speech, I talked about monopoly, and I mentioned to everyone what the Prophet (PBUH) says about monopolists. He says they are traitors. Those who’ve monopolized diesel and gasoline in the past few weeks – whoever they are – sold them on the black market at exorbitant prices, or smuggled them to Syria to sell them at exorbitant prices are traitors. They betrayed the trust. They are criminals that committed crimes against their people. They must think of what they’ve done. Their money is dirty money and their profit is ill-gotten gains. Do not feed your family with dirty money and ill-gotten gains. Doing so has bad effects in this world and in the hereafter. You have to absolve yourselves of guilt – whoever you are. Why is this betrayal? When these companies, stations, or customers buy or sell gasoline, they are doing so with subsidized gasoline, which should be sold at the price of 3900 Lebanese pounds to the Lebanese people in Lebanon. When you sell it anywhere else, even in Syria at the black market price, you are betraying the trust.

We are now talking not only about what happened in the past. The crisis is still there and is continuing. They might say, Sayyed, after several days, they will sell these quantities, lift subsidies, and raise prices. You don’t know. Perhaps when the new government is formed, it will confirm the subsidies, set it, or guide it. We will continue to face the same tragedy.

Hence, first of all, people are responsible, and I tell everyone who made profits during the past weeks, whether they are old or young, they should seek a absolve themselves from their debts so that they do not eat dirty money. This is first.

Secondly, the state is also responsible. Here, I return to talk about the state. Do you remember over the past few months when monopolizing food items started, then medicine? Gasoline and diesel were not monopolized yet. On that day, we demanded – I was among the people who demanded – the concerned state ministries to raid shops, stores, pharmacies, cooperatives, and warehouses. We asked them to check at which prices these subsidized food items and medicines are being sold at and to look for those who are hiding and storing them. 

You say you don't have personnel. I offered them once, twice, and three times 20,000 men and women who do not need to be taught a lot. You just need two or three days to teach them how to work. They are all university students, professors, engineers, our closest and elite members. But they did not get back to us because they did not want, because they did not want to bear the responsibility. Someone might say, ‘Sayyed, you send your youth.’ No, if these students professors, teachers, men, and women go, they should be there as representatives of the state’s Ministry of Economy and other the relevant ministries and not as representatives of a party categorized politically as well as at a sectarian and regional level because the state does not want to assume its responsibilities.

Well, we saw that as soon as the decision was made, albeit too late, for the army and the security forces to head to gas stations and stores, search for hidden fuel and diesel, and sell them to people directly or force the owners of the stations to sell – and I don’t know what they did to companies who have larger quantities – station owners got scared. Some started selling before the army and security forces arrived. Others started contacting political forces. There are people who called us asking us to buy their stock. There were people who opened against their will and started selling or distributing for free. This is human nature, and this is how the world works. Nice words do not work. You need an authority, and the authorities must exercise their authority. But leaving people to act at their own free will does not work, for there are not many mean people in this country. There are many greedy people and many people who have lost their sense of responsibility. Nice words do not work with such people.

Fuel and diesel began to appear in all areas and all denominations. The army has to continue. But what was the decision? The existing gasoline and diesel fuel that entered into the country was subsidized at the price of 3900 Lebanese pounds. So, sell this material before these unsubsidized oil derivatives reach. This is the point of the decision. But this decision must continue, and it must not stop at gasoline, diesel, pharmacies, and foodstuffs. Monopoly deprives people of the most basic necessities of living and life. How will you address it? Who are you leaving it for?

The political parties cannot address this issue, and it would be a mistake for them to intervene and address it. Only the state, state institutions, the army, the security forces, and the relevant ministries can address this issue and find a solution. So, this must continue.

I must mention two issues related to this research: 

1- We appeal to everyone who is still hiding gasoline and diesel, especially gasoline, because gasoline ignites quickly and is difficult to control. For those who still store gasoline in their homes and in residential neighborhoods, including homes in villages and cities, what you are doing is a prescribed crime. It is forbidden. There is a real danger; this fuel might explode due to heat or any other cause, heat from the sun. As long as there is a significant possibility that it might explode means you are a partner in the killing. A jurist might say that it is a premeditated killing or a semi-intentional killing, but you are an accomplice in killing. Before the army and security forces come and before anyone indicates to them their humanitarian, moral, religious, and legal responsibility, they must take these materials out of their homes, neighborhoods, villages, and cities; either sell them, give them to gasoline stations, throw them in the sea -it’s their business. Of course, it is not permissible to throw it into the sea. They must sell it to people because it was paid for in subsidized dollars, the Lebanese people’s money. This is first.

2- It was also rumored in the past few days that a municipality had purchased diesel to run its generator or for a health center. There was a diesel tanker heading to this village. Young people from another village confiscated the tanker and seized the diesel and gave it to generators in their village. Now, they got electricity and are happy. This is theft. The municipality bought that diesel, and it belongs to that municipality and village. Whoever confiscates diesel on the road is a thief. Today, I will not care about anyone. Today, I will be speaking for God Almighty. I want to absolve myself by informing and speaking out – my brothers and me. And we all have to say, “let us not heal at the expense of others.” Let us not give anyone some slack. Anyone who confiscates a fuel tanker that was bought by a hospital, a bakery, a municipality, or someone is a thief. They call themselves revolutionaries. They are thieves, not revolutionaries. The money from the fuel oil is haram, and using it is forbidden. In every village, the wisemen, the scholars, and those who are keen on the world and the hereafter must intervene. It is not permissible for the fate of our villages, towns, and cities to be in the hands of six or seven young men here and ten young men there doing whatever they want.

This issue must be addressed. I am not saying by clashing with them but rather with wisdom, good advice, and understanding, and eventually calling in the army and the security forces because this is an attack on people’s money and property. It is unleashing chaos that will not stop at any border. This is related to what happened.

We have a point that I would like to raise. In the past and for several months, this existing crisis had no happened yet. And in order to provide hard currency to the central bank, we had to provide dollars.

We suggested that they buy fuel for electricity and diesel from Iran. Of course, no one responded publicly; no one said yes or no. But the answer was no, we can't. The reason is what we talked about previously – I will just say the Americans. Recently, some in Lebanon are saying that there is no fuel in Iran to begin with. For your information, there is fuel in Iran, to the extent that the ships that carried fuel were just waiting for someone to buy for them to sail. There is no fuel and diesel in Iran. This is incorrect and empty talk. There is fuel for the electricity company, and there is gasoline and diesel. We would have preferred the Lebanese state to buy, and I am now frankly telling you everything we talked about with our brothers in Iran. We did not talk about aid or donations. This may come later because their circumstance is similar – a state of siege. But we are talking about buying and selling with some facilities.

The state does not to do such a thing because there are the accounts of the Americans. The Americans are pressuring the country with everything, and they bear responsibility. Everything that is happening in this country, even this chaos, is run by the Americans from the American embassy. You should not take everything simply – this person made this decision; this is related to that. Look over there, in the black room, what they’re doing. 

I will not talk about everything tonight, but I would like to emphasize the following:

First: Whatever you hear in the media, do not build on it. Wait for me. You will either hear from me or Hezbollah will issue an official statement. Someone said in the media that Iran informed so-and-so – we apologize to you, Sayyed, we cannot do anything. This is a lie and is not true. On the contrary, the Islamic Republic of Iran informed me that we are with you and by your side, and we are ready to give you whatever you want. This is true, and what they said is a lie. This is first.

Second: When will the diesel and fuel come? And why are you late? Basically, from the first day, I did not say, after a week, we will bring diesel and gasoline. I said, when the state no longer imports gasoline and diesel, we are obliged to do this, otherwise it is not my job, my brothers’, or Hezbollah’s to bring gasoline and diesel. This is the job of the state and the companies in Lebanon, even though the state used to provide and still is, regardless of whether the subsidies remain or are lifted. I confirm to you what we talked about in an internal meeting. I assure you that yes, God willing, we will definitely bring diesel and gasoline from Iran. When? In two or three days, I'll tell you so I don't say everything tonight. The matter is settled. When [the ships carrying] diesel and gasoline leave Iran, we will face challenges. We will talk ab out them later. But to leave the country like this. No. We promised, and we abide by our promises. There is no precedent that we do not fulfil our word. We do not promise people and break it.

Now when will it arrive? How will we distribute the diesel and gasoline when they arrive? Who will we give? Who will we gift? Who will sell to? How much will we sell for? What will we do? These are details that will come later. Everything you read are personal opinions. I repeat, either you will hear from me personally or an official statement will be issued.

Of course, two or three days ago, it was said that there is a tanker coming from the north, from Tripoli. This is baseless talk. When diesel and fuel will enter Lebanon, we will not bring it at night. It will enter Lebanon openly during the day – a matter we will not be ashamed of. Rather, we are proud of it – to provide this service to our people to alleviate their suffering. This is regarding fuel and diesel.

I will say a few words about the entirety of this file. Look, my brothers and sisters. The speech is directed at all the people who are listening to me. What is happening is not innocent, nor is it accumulating by chance. No. There’s been a room for the last two years that is pushing matters in this direction, to lead the country towards collapse and chaos. There are external forces and internal accomplices. There is one room. Think about this. In Iraq, is it a coincidence that during the hot summer days and amid electricity problems some plant explosives devices at every electricity pole in the desert and blow them up to deprive people of electricity? In Lebanon, is it a coincidence these individuals who call themselves revolutionaries? Yesterday, the Ministry of Electricity stated that eight stations distributed in the south, Beirut, etc. have gone out of service due to attacks. These individuals attacking power plants or an electricity transmission station, do they want electricity for the people or are they accomplices and a conspirators?

Is this how we secure electricity for the country? Is this how we fix the country? Is this how we build the country? Is this how our hearts burn for the sake of the people? Those who tamper with the transmission stations or the electricity generating stations, are they Lebanese and have honor, morals, and humanity? Instead of providing electricity for an hour or two to homes, you destroy and sabotage these stations. On what pretext? On the pretext that you are objecting to the political authority in the country. What lie is this!? Look for them, and you will find that their threads are connected to the American embassy, just like what is happening in Iraq. There is one room that is managing this entire chaos and siege and causing tragedies and pains.

We should all be responsible – the state, presidents, ministers, representatives, parties, political forces, and people. We should not give in to emotions. In a battle of this kind, we must be patient, tolerate, and keep our nerves in check. I always tell you that we should not go where the enemy wants to. But we must go where the interests of our people and our country lie. This is what we should work on. Therefore, we should address the situation. This is where we apply political pressure. This is where we raise our voices. This is where we look for alternatives and advise people. We should not stand aside and distance ourselves from what is happening. For example, if there is a village of 10,000 or 20,000 people, and we see six or 20 young men come out and consider themselves revolutionaries, destroying the power station, stealing tankers, and burning stations, and you stand and watch. O people of the village, is this how you defend your village, children, life, electricity, and livelihood? How is that? We need patience and to be responsible. But what else do we need?

We need to rely on ourselves. All that we have gone through in Lebanon during these last decades, O dear Lebanese, I invite you to think carefully about it. I speak about all our experiences: military, security, occupation, the takfiris, the internal political struggles, and the economic and social situation. The time must come —and it must be now — when we will all have the firm conviction that we must rely on our people, on all our people, on our own capabilities, on our intelligence, on our means, and on our wise policies that are not imposed from the outside to succeed in building our country. This is how we have protected Lebanon, and this is how we can build it.

During the remainder of my time, I would like to talk about something that is occupying the whole world’s attention. It is preoccupying the United States, the region, Russia, China, Iran, Pakistan, and India. If you watch American channels, you’ll see that they’re covering Afghanistan day and night. But of course, in Lebanon, we don’t have time to devote to Afghanistan, nor to the lessons to be learned from what is happening in Afghanistan because we are preoccupied with (the shortages of) fuel, medicines and gasoline. I only have a couple of words to say about the situation, I won’t take up too much of your time. 

The United States has been occupying Afghanistan for 20 years. They have ruled Afghanistan, installed and overthrew governments, imposed their plans and policies, built (Afghan) armed forces, and armed the Afghan army. After 20 years, what is the fate of Afghanistan? We are not talking about a situation where (the Afghans) called the United States for indirect help. No. The Americans were there. The US armed forces, their advisers, the (military) commanders were there. And the country was occupied for 20 years! There are people, you call them whatever you like: friends of the United States, allies of the United States, those who are betting on the United States, the tools of the United States. Call them whatever you want. These people lived with the Americans and fought under the banner of the Americans against the Taliban and others for 20 years. 

Well, after 20 years, without consultation or qualms, the United States negotiated with the Taliban in Doha, and made the decision to withdraw. This decision dates back to the Trump administration. Why are you in haste to leave? Can you not wait a bit, push for a political agreement between the Taliban and the Afghan government, which is your friend? No way. They haven’t even tried. They were in too much of a hurry to get away. They could no longer endure the losses, and their interest was to leave Afghanistan, so they decided to leave. And what will happen to your friends, allies, loved ones, who fought alongside you for 20 years? No (in reference to indifference). You claimed to have established democracy, human rights, public freedoms in Afghanistan? Nothing. That’s it. The Americans saw that their interest was in withdrawing from Afghanistan. So, they packed their bags and left Afghanistan without a political settlement or any agreement in the country. Isn’t that what is happening now? Follow the news, even a little, it’s fine. This is what is happening!

On the other hand, the Taliban moved forward. I don’t want to attack anyone or condemn anyone; I’m just describing the situation to learn from it. One after another, Afghan provinces fell into the hands of the Taliban, mostly without fighting, and sometimes with timid fighting. There are two theories. Of course, Afghanistan is in the hands of the Taliban. Only Kabul remains, where negotiations are ongoing. Before I started my speech, I saw that Afghan President (Ashraf) Ghani had fled Kabul. Someone said that he has an American citizenship, and he will probably go to live in the United States as a US citizen. But what is the fate of the people of Kabul? They are abandoned and left to fend for themselves. The future of all the provinces in Afghanistan is left in the hands of the Taliban. May God save all the Afghan people.

There are two theories on what happened. One theory says that when the United States spoke with the Taliban, they agreed to hand the country over to them. If this theory is correct, it means that the US administration has betrayed its allies, stabbed them in the back, plotted against them. This is if it is the first theory is true.

The second theory says that no, there was no agreement between the United States and the Taliban to hand over the country to the latter. The United States simply left the country and left the Afghans to sort out their problems by themselves. If this theory is correct, it means that the United States has abandoned and betrayed its friends and its allies. Either way, the United States is either a traitor and deceiver or forsakes and abandons its friends. As I have said a while ago, Afghanistan is gone. Afghanistan is entirely in the hands of the Taliban: its government, its security, its honor, its women, its blood, its future, its economy, its hunger, or satiety, etc., everything is in the hands of the Taliban. It’s over! And even Kabul, the Taliban will take it via a settlement. They may not even need to fight. There is no one eft to fight them, and maybe no one is being asked to fight them. Isn’t this experience developing before our eyes?

Let us come to Lebanon. O friends of the United States in Lebanon, you want the United States to protect Lebanon? And against whom? Against its tool, its stepdaughter, its dear and beloved “Israel”? What can the Americans do to protect Lebanon? Send troops to our aid? Take a look at their experience (in Afghanistan)!
Today, in the US Senate, in the American media, the public opinion in the United States, everyone is saying that what is happening is reminiscent of (the fall of) Saigon, the Vietnam war. What is happening is a real humiliation for the United States of America. And you rely on the United States to protect our country? Is that how we’re going to protect Lebanon? With the Americans, the American promises, the American support, the American guarantees? Anyone in Lebanon who wants to place his hopes in the American guarantees and promises, let him look at Afghanistan! Such is the  United States! As for us, as evidenced by these nobles wounded, we strongly believe that those who protect Lebanon are the Lebanese! Those who protect Lebanon are the Lebanese people, the Lebanese army, and the Lebanese Resistance! That, and nothing else!

This is August 15th. Yesterday was August 14, the (anniversary) day of the great victory of the 2006 war. Since 2006 until this day, as I recalled in my speech a few days ago, who was it that protected Lebanon? Who was it that stopped the “Israeli” enemy from carrying out strikes against Lebanon? Who? The US administration? The West, at whose feet you crawl? The international community? The Arab League? Or the (firm) footsteps of these noble heroes, children of your villages, your towns, and your families, thanks to their blood, their wounds, and their courage? They are the ones who protected Lebanon and who will protect Lebanon forever! This goes for protection and security. And the same goes for the economy. A country that lives on aid cannot be free, nor be independent, nor be sovereign. Such a country is a slave because if it lives off help from others, it means that the tap is in their hands. They just have to close it for us to die of thirst. For them to give us water, we must submit, make concessions, bow our heads, hand over our resources, our waters, our choices, our country, and our political decision to them! These economic and financial policies that we have seen for 40 years. Any new government that would follow these same policies would bring the country to ruin! They have transformed our country into a country of services, which lives only on aid. They destroyed the agricultural and industry sectors. They liquidated all production capacity in the country. And that is why we depend on abroad. They made the country dependent on foreign actors. Even the services country depends on foreign actors. The West besieges us as it pleases. It can easily stop the operation of the airport, the port, tourism, hotels and banks: with a stroke of the pen, it paralyzes our entire banking system! Our agricultural sector is destroyed, our industry is destroyed, we have nothing to eat, no clothes; we only survive thanks to help from abroad, our imports from abroad, and aid from abroad. If we continue with these policies, getting loans in the future and continuing to get into debt by borrowing abroad, I tell you, we will be the first to oppose such moves! Because this will only lead to more collapse. What is right is to strengthen the services industry, but the priority must be to for you to have production, agriculture, and industry, so that if we were besieged in the country, we will at least have something to eat and clothes to wear. We must transform ourselves into a producing society. The Lebanese lack nothing to achieve this, neither intelligence, nor will, nor strength, nor courage, nor experience, nor understanding, nor capacities. But decades of policies have led us to this situation. Should we count on foreign actors? 

These foreign actors, the United States, has just abandoned millions of Afghans, leaving them hungry, thirsty, stripped of everything, refugees, scattered in deserts and valleys, and on the borders of regional countries! Do we want to remain in this situation in Lebanon because some Lebanese political forces are the servants and worshipers of the United States and the West? No, I swear it by God! As for us, we only worship God, and we don’t trust any of these people. Yes, we trust our own people, our intelligence, our will, our determination. Yes, the situation is difficult, but we are able to overcome it! This is certain. This requires seriousness, cooperation, and a sense of responsibility – contrary to what we’ve seen today. Instead of people healing the wounds, the wounded, and the martyrs, investigating, treating, and addressing the situation, people issued sectarian and political insults at each other sectarian, doctrinal, while others settled scores. Is this how a country is run? Is this how we save the people?  

And this is what they did at the Beirut Port on August 4, the same thing. This is the lesson that we must learn. I am out of time, but I will take a couple of minutes to show respect for the anniversary and the wounded. On August 15, 2013, the explosion of Ruwais took place. It resulted in a large number of martyrs and wounded. We did not wait for America or anyone else for us to defend our villages, our loved ones, and our cities. Those who sent car bombs, we went to their backyard, to their backyard, in the barrens of Syria and wherever they were. Whoever sends car bombs to our neighborhoods, we will go to their homes wherever they are on the earth. This is our responsibility and the responsibility of our people. With this will, we protect our country and society.

As for this night, we turn to our dear wounded who took Al-Abbas as an example and a role model. We remember with them all these meanings. With the blessing of those meanings and blood as well as the blessing of the martyrs and wounded and steadfast mujahideen, we won the July war. On the tenth of Muharram, in the last hour of the confrontation, Al-Abbas shares the same trait as Hussein (PBUH): one person alone in the face of at least 5000 soldiers – some say 10 thousand, 12 thousand, and 30 thousand. 

A thirsty person whose loved ones, brothers, and nephews were martyred. There is no one behind him except his master and Imam, Hussein (PBUH), and he is facing this army, carrying a sword, a banner, and a water bladder – a sword to defend his religion, his Islam, his Imam, and his honor; the banner for immortality because Aba al-Fadl al-Abbas knows of you, O mujahideen and wounded and also knows that there will be generations of people of determination and insight that will come throughout history and will keep the banner of Hussein raise in the face of every Yazid; and the water bladder is a reminder to remind people of the thirst of Hussein, Zainab, and the orphans. It is also there to remind the people of injustice and estrangement as well as the altruism of Abu al-Fadl al-Abbas, who refused to drink water while his brother Hussein was thirsty. This is how a great leader like al-Abbas deals with a great imam like Hussein; he deprived himself of water because his imam was thirsty. What is the value of this relationship?

Last night, I spoke about the Prophet’s relationship with the Ansar, how he spoke to them and how he embraced them. Here, I will talk about the relationship between Abbas and Hussein, the relationship between a leader with another leader. This is the relationship that we learn from al-Abbas. On this day, there was altruism, sacrifice, praise, sincerity, honesty, and not abandoning the Imam, no matter the difficulties. The other lesson is that when al-Abbas stood in front of all these people and was never shaken. He was not afraid, and he never hesitated. He was not in doubt. He was not hesitant, afraid, or weak. Nothing he faced frightened him. This is the school of Al-Abbas on this night.

These wounded are a testament to the resistance. There are types of testaments to the resistance. The martyrs are a testament; the families of the martyrs are a testament; the liberated prisoners are a testament; and the wounded are the greatest testaments because they are among us. They are present in front of us. We see them and talk to them. These are testaments to what today? They are a testament that this resistance is like al-Abbas and Hussein (PBUH). The whole world rallied against it as the Yazidis gathered in front of Abbas (PBUH).

In the July war, it stood in the face of the whole world and all the conspiracies for 33 days. Despite this [“Israeli”] army being supported by the whole world, the resistance didn’t tremble nor did its will shake. It was not afraid, did not weaken, and did not cower. It advanced certain that victory will be from God Almighty. It fought and was steadfast. It created victory with God’s help and its people. This spirit as well as these wounded among you today send a message saying that the hearts that were with Hussein on the tenth of Muharram are still present. That certainty, love, determination, and will still exist. The hearts that did not tremble in the July war are in our men and women in Lebanon. The minds that possess certainty and trust in God still possess certainty and are stronger. And these people cannot be shaken by fear, hunger, thirst, poverty, siege, media terrorism, lies, or rumors. These wounded, like what they said in the song and like what they said a little while ago, are the mouthpiece of tens of thousands of resistance fighters and hundreds of thousands of the supporters of this resistance in Lebanon who did not leave Hussein on the tenth night of Muharram or on Ashura.

Their call is what we say on the tenth night of Muharram and on Ashura: O Aba Abdullah, even if we come to know that we shall be killed and then burnt in fire and shall be brought to life again and eventually our ashes will be scattered in the air and we die and become alive and this is done to us one thousand times, even then we shall not leave you O Hussein.

With your will, determination, patience, faith, certainty, sincerity, love, trust, and your loyalty, this battle is going on now. It is a battle in the full sense of the word, and we will be able to overcome it and triumph, God willing. America and its tools in Lebanon will come out of this battle, as in all previous battles, defeated and humiliated, God willing. But this requires patience, hard work, seriousness, cooperation, integration, planning, and responsibility.

Peace be upon you, my master, O Aba Abdillah and upon the souls which were annihilated with you. Upon you, from me, is the peace of Allah for eternity, as long as the night and the day remain and please do not make this as my last contact with you. Peace be upon Hussein, upon Ali bin Al-Hussein, upon the children of Hussein, and upon the companions of Hussein.

May God’s peace, mercy and blessings be upon you all.