Sayyed Nasrallah’s Full Speech at the Memorial Ceremony for Sayyed Mohammad Ali Al-Amin | 1-10-2022
Translated by Al-Ahed News
Speech of Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah in memory of His Eminence Sayyed Mohammad Ali Al-Amin in the Sayyeda Zainab (PBUH) Husseiniya in the town of Chaqra on 1-10-2022
I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Satan. In the name of Allah the Most Gracious, the Most 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.
Your Excellencies the scholars, brothers, and sisters, may the peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon you all.
First of all, I thank you for your great presence in this blessed ceremony in which we perform some duties towards this scholarly, striving, mujahid, and pious figure.
First, after thanking you for your honorable presence, I address his honorable family members, in the forefront of whom is the dear brother, Sayyed Muhammad Mahdi Al-Amin, and all members of the honorable family, the honorable and dear Al-Amin family, and the people of the town of Chaqra – men and women, young and old – all our people in Jabal Amel and all the Lebanese and Muslims.
I offer my condolences and express my feelings of sympathy for your loss and the loss of this sympathetic, merciful, great, and beloved father, His Eminence Sayyed Mohammad Ali Al-Amin, may his honorable secret be sanctified and the pleasure of God Almighty be upon him.
In this blessed meeting, God willing, I would like to talk a little. There are two parts. The first part is related to our great and dear deceased, and the second part will be briefly about some of the current developments in Lebanon and the region.
God Almighty says in His Glorious Book:
In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
{Allah will raise those who have believed among you and those who were given knowledge, by degrees. And Allah is Acquainted with what you do.}
The Messenger of God, may Allah’s prayers and peace be upon him, said, “The closest of men to the status of prophethood are those who are accustomed to knowledge and jihad.”
He also said, “The scholars are the lamps of earth and the successors of the prophets.”
The Commander of the Faithful (PBUH) said, “Those who amass wealth are dead even though they may be living, while those endowed with knowledge will remain as long as the world lives. Their bodies are not available but their figures exist in the hearts.”
He also said, “The scholars will remain as long as night and day remain.”
The Messiah (PBUH) is reported to have said, “Whoever learns for God, works for God, and teaches for God, he is called to the mighty kingdom of the heavens.”
This text was roughly narrated by Imam al-Sadiq with an addition – that is, after he was called to the mighty kingdom of the heavens – he was told learn for God, work for God, and teach for God.
The true and clear credential of the content of this noble verse and the honorable narrations is our dear and great deceased.
We stand in this forum in front of one of our venerable and great scholars. He was a great and venerable scholar who learned for God since his childhood, worked for God, and taught God throughout his honorable life. He was a conscious, insightful, wise, and an expert scholar. These qualities was manifested in his stances, line, behavior, and demeanor.
He was devout and pious. He possessed good qualities. He was an educator. He loved people, served them, and guided them to the path of guidance.
Secondly, we are talking about a scholar who had righteous ancestors. God Almighty has lately bestowed upon me the honor of meeting him and sitting with him. I learned a lot from him in those few hours in which I was in his service.
When you sit with him, you feel that you are in the presence of the rest of the righteous ancestors, as if you are present in the hands of all those divine scholars who were born in our country hundreds of years ago; those scholars whose lives, work, and great impact we read about.
His Eminence Sayyed, may God be pleased with him, reminds you of them in form, content, speech, soul, humility, morals, and all the knowledge, jihad, kindness, mercy, patience, and steadfastness that he has in him.
From this point, I’ll talk about a topic, then return to talk about His Eminence.
We have a large number of scholars and jurists who hail from different Lebanese regions that later became the Lebanon we know now. In the past, it used to be called Jabal Amel, the Bekaa, the North – its name became the North today – and Mount Lebanon and the coasts.
Over a long period of time, nearly 1000 years, there were many scholars among them distinguished scholars belonging to this family, especially in recent centuries, the honorable Al-Amin Family.
The most prominent figure we know and is well-known among us is His Eminence, Imam Mohsin Al-Amin, may God be pleased with him.
There are generations of scholars and jurists, among them scholars and jurists of the highest order.
Allow me to mention some of the well-known scholars. I will mention their nicknames, including al-Shahid al-Awwal [the First Martyr] al-Jezzini, al-Muhaqqiq al-Maisi, al-Muhaqqiq al-Karaki, al-Shahid al-Thani al-Juba’i, Sahib al-Ma’alim Wal Madarek, Sheikh al-Baha’i and his father, and al-Hurr al-Amili.
We need to know these scholars, their personalities, their work, their lives, their sacrifices, and their contributions for the sake of Islam, the Ummah, and the oppressed. They set an example for us in the time of the Major Occultation of our Imam, the Master of Time.
And through them also, if we read and get to know or discover their history, we would know and discover some of the true history of this country. Of course, there is a problem related to history.
Much of what has been written and what is being written about the real history, i.e., the real facts and what actually happened in the past 1000 years or 1400 years or more in this region, in the Levant, in Lebanon must be scrutinized.
This requires a lot of effort, exploration, prospecting, drilling, and extraction – since we’re talking about oil and gas fields. This, in fact, needs exploration, drilling, digging, and extraction.
There are many real things buried in history books, in the belly of history, and discovering them and cracking the truth requires boldness and courage.
Much of what has been written so far is fictional history. This means that some writers imagine a history and write about it, or some assume that this is how it should have been and write about it. Some write about how they like history to be – the things that fit with their own interests.
We need to know the true history of this country and this region to be built upon it. Not to drown in but to learn from because the basic principle in reading history is to learn lessons and to benefit from it for the present and the future. This is what we need.
These scholars, their lives, and their history are an integral part of the history of this country.
It is possible to understand the history of this country with all the positives, negatives, struggles, sensitivities, grudges, joys, sorrows, victories, and defeats without understanding these scholars.
We must accept history as it is, as it happened in reality in order to benefit from it.
We must also revive their contributions, many of which were damaged, confiscated, and burned, especially during the period of Ahmed Pasha al-Jazzar.
We must introduce them to the people and to the world so that the Lebanese know that such a large number of great people of science, culture, jurisprudence, philosophy, literature, and poetry belonged in their history.
I know many scholars, parties, and some university professors are currently making great and respectable efforts in this field. What is needed is teamwork and extensive cooperation.
We must all make efforts. This is one of the most important duties of our present generation, which has very great capabilities compared to those that were available to previous generations.
In this context, I invite every family who own books and manuscripts – because they are in the homes and this appears with time – to reveal them and give copies to the parties that are concerned today in this field so that we may, as I said, extract and explore this great and huge cultural, intellectual, and scientific treasure in our country.
We return to His Eminence (may God be pleased with him). Whenever I mention a highlight from his honorable life, I’d love to enter an address.
One of the highlights of his honorable life is his early work and from the start with His Eminence Sayyed Musa al-Sadr. In a time of alienation, controversy, and conflict over options, at the beginning of the movement of Imam al-Sadr when he came to Lebanon, in the years that followed, and even during the days of his kidnapping – but it was mostly in the beginning – there was controversy in the scholarly and religious circles.
There was a large scholarly trend, not a small one, which was predominantly traditional. He had a different point of view. By the way, this was not only in Lebanon, but also in Iraq, Iran, and in our hawzas in general.
There was a large trend that had a position on the religious scholar’s interference in political and public affairs, or at the very least, of the religious scholar’s interference in one level of political and public affairs.
This trend had opinions, of course, with varying degrees in moderation and extremism.
Some rejected this interference and activity but excused the other party for being understanding or finding an argument for it, saying, in any case, this is his opinion.
As for some, they were extreme in their position. They accused the religious scholar who interfered in the political and public affairs of immorality and deviating from the line of the type. They even necessitate that they take off the [cleric’s] apparel. Others went further than this.
Of course, today, praise be to God, this phenomenon is much less. It still exists. There are still in many of our Islamic countries those who believe that the religious scholar should only go to the mosque, worship, perform funeral prayers, answer the jurisprudential referendums, and preach Friday sermons, etc.
As for him interfering in public and political affairs, leading resistance movements, or engaging in a military conflict with an enemy, etc., they had a position regarding all that.
However, things are no longer the same as they were in the sixties and seventies and sometimes in the eighties.
This is one of the things His Eminence Sayyed Musa al-Sadr faced when he came to Lebanon, and of course, this suffering was similar in other countries.
In Iran, the great Islamic Revolution that triumphed and established an Islamic state, which God honored Islam and the Muslims with, brought about a tremendous transformation.
Imam Khomeini, the revolution’s leader and imam, used to say in the last years of his honorable life in some of his statements that he used to suffer from some adherents of this traditional trend who pretend to be holy, present themselves as holy, upright, pure, and have not defiled their souls by interfering in these public affairs.
He said, "The harm and pain inflicted on me by these people is greater than what befell me from the Shah and the Shah's regime."
This reflects the harm that was inflicted on the great leaders who took up the responsibility of looking after their countries and nation, as well as defending their Islam and the sanctities.
Imam al-Sadr suffered a great deal from this in Lebanon. Now, I do not want to waste time.
The brothers the scholars, our professors, and elders who lived through that stage know this very well. These scientific and religious circles have leveled accusations against His Eminence Imam Al-Sadr, his behavior, position, meetings, and addresses.
The important thing is that the choice of His Eminence the dear deceased, whose memory we celebrate today, was decisive. It was based on awareness, wisdom, and insight.
He stood by Imam al-Sadr and joined him when this matter was costly and had exorbitant prices because the accusation was not against Imam al-Sadr alone but against everyone who worked with him and supported his approach and his way.
Today, when we want to talk about the faithful scholar, Sayyed Muhammad Ali, we understand through his belonging to this line his vision on Islamic unity, national unity, coexistence in civil peace, national dialogue, and the nation’s causes, including the Palestinian cause and the al-Quds cause.
This sentence is a key sentence when we say that the scholar Sayyed Al-Amin was an essential part of the team of Imam Musa Al-Sadr in everything that this line and this path mean from the beginning to the end.
Here, the great deceased was present in the establishment of the Institute of Islamic Studies in Tyre and the Supreme Islamic Shiite Council, where he was a member of its elected Shariah body until the day of his departure.
Anyway, one can say that this matter we are talking about today is not a big deal. However, at that time, it was a big thing. It was a sacrifice. It needed people to bear a lot of harm and endure a lot of alienation. I don’t want to go into details.
In any case, this matter expresses this aspect of the personality of our sacred scholar – the aspect of sacrifice, steadfastness, patience, endurance, insight, and making choices.
What should also be mentioned on this occasion is his contribution in the establishment and management of the Institute of Islamic Studies in Tyre.
It was later called the Center for Islamic Studies in Tyre. He assumed responsibility in it for 12 years, raising new students and new scholars who carry this thought, culture, vision, and insight.
Among the students who joined this institute and center which was run by His Eminence was the late Sayyed Abbas Al-Masawi, may God be pleased with him.
Perhaps many did not have knowledge. After all, Sayyed Abbas was one of the students of this institute and the origin of his education and religious study attainment.
Martyr Sayyed Abbas was at the Institute of Islamic Studies in Tyre at the time of His Eminence Sayyed Al-Amin managed it. After that, he had the honor of joining the hawza in Najaf and continue his studies.
His Eminence, the deceased, witnessed major events in his long and honorable life, including the establishment of the usurping entity in Palestine, the 1948 war, the displacement of the Palestinian people in the diaspora – of course, most of the displacement towards Lebanon happened in 1948 because the enemy occupied northern Palestine in 1948, and the Palestinians emigrated and sought refuge in Lebanon – the 1967 war and the occupation of al-Quds, the enemy’s attacks on Lebanon since he is the son of a town close to the Lebanese-Palestinian border – the enemy’s attacks from the beginning of the establishment of the entity to the last moment – “Israel’s” wars against Lebanon, the last of which was the July 2006 war, as well as all internal events and developments.
From the beginning, his line and choice were also clear: resistance and support for the resistance, this approach, this path, this line. The factions are frameworks, organizations, and operational entities. The important thing is the ideology of resistance, the culture of resistance, the path of resistance, the resistance approach, the resistance’s will, the resistance’s decision.
This is the basis. The resistance factions translate this thought, this legitimate position, this culture, and this choice. His Eminence the Sayyed was one of the advocates of this option and this path from the start. Therefore, he naturally found himself, as I said a while ago, alongside his Eminence Sayyed Musa Al-Sadr, etc.
When I had the honor of meeting him a while ago, His Eminence was very proud of the resistance, its achievements, its men and women, its martyrs, and its victories.
One of the most important things he talked about and demanded was identifying a blessing, the blessing of the existence of the resistance.
On the one hand, we talk about the resistance as a responsibility, a job, a duty, a challenge. On the other, we talk about the resistance as a blessing. Perhaps you saw a while ago in the film he referred to this topic.
When he says, "With the blessing of the resistance and the martyrs, we live here safely and with security, and we go out at night and during the day." He was talking about that a little while ago.
He talked to me about this because he witnessed all the massacres, all the bitter and painful events, the displacement of people from southern Lebanon, the repeated attacks, and multiple wars.
People who have lived through those pains, calamities, and sad events know more than others the blessing we are living in today in terms of security, safety, pride, dignity, and honor.
Unfortunately, a while back, there was a representative who was talking about this crowd and the living situation, saying that they have neither pride nor dignity.
Usually, the person who has a problem with his pride and dignity is the one who perceives others like him.
This state of security and peace of mind that people are experiencing today, especially in southern Lebanon and the border areas – not just security; you can have security but no tranquility and peace of mind – this inner peace, pride, and dignity are not a favor from anyone.
With the help of God Almighty, they created this state of security and safety – with their own hands, the strength of their men, and the sacrifices of their families.
It did not come from the United Nations, UNIFIL, the [UN] Security Council, or the Arab League.
This was made in Lebanon. This is a victory made in Lebanon. This security and safety were made in Lebanon. This dignity and pride were made in Lebanon and by its people.
They were made by scholars like the holy Sayyed Muhammad Ali Al-Amin, his sons, his students, his generation, and the generations that were brought up in his school and under his pulpit and the pulpits of other scholars.
Therefore, yes, he realized this grace, knew this grace, was thankful for this grace. This is what we also need, brothers and sisters, you and I, when we talk today about the Sayyed to learn from him.
One of the things we learn from him is to know the blessing and be thankful for it so that God Almighty may increase it to last.
You see no values, no international law, no morals in this world. It is governed by the worst law of the jungle that has been absent in place since God created Adam. The capabilities of killing, destruction, demonization, extermination, deception, fraud, and corruption available today among human beings were not available in the time God created Adam (PBUH).
Therefore, we must hold on to this blessing – the blessing of the resistance – firmly. We must not be affected by all these voices that do not offer any alternative except fantasies and mirages.
The resistance presented achievements, victories, tangible results. What you are talking about are hypotheses that can be discussed. They [the voices] do not even accept theories even though they have not present anything at all.
Of course, what we are experiencing is a continuation of what happened in Palestine. I felt that when we were talking about Palestine, it was strongly present in His Eminence’s conscience and heart.
Today, too, after the Palestinian people have given up on the negotiations, the Oslo [Accords], and the whole world, you find the resistance rising in the West Bank, in Palestine, in Gaza, in al-Quds, in all areas.
Martyrs, a generation of martyrs, young martyrs, and child martyrs – some of whom were laid to rest yesterday – are rising. The Palestinians have no other choice.
I will conclude with one more important thing about His Eminence and move to the last section and talk briefly.
Among the important matters, in my opinion, is the position of His Eminence Sayyed regarding the confrontation that took place in recent years with terrorist and takfiri groups, whether in Lebanon’s Eastern chain, in Syria, in Iraq, and elsewhere.
This expresses His Eminence’s complete awareness of this phenomenon and its causes, dangers, and consequences. Brothers and sisters, many have reconsidered their position in the past ten years. Why?
Because there are many facts that have been discovered, revealed, said, and appeared, including many documents, confessions of presidents, prime ministers, army leaders, presidents, foreign ministers, heads of intelligence services, and generals who participated in the events in the past years in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and the rest of the region.
Now, they're talking about the truth of what was going on. It had nothing to do with democratic change, the rights of peoples, or a bright future for these peoples. Rather, it was something else, tools in a very dangerous project.
A while ago, a Republican senator spoke frankly about everything that happened in Syria and the plans for Syria, Iraq, and the region. He talked about the theft of oil and gas so that people would die of cold. Can you imagine!
I was surprised that there is someone who is talking so clearly about stealing wheat fields to starve people, about self-destruction, about destroying institutions, armies, and peoples.
He was saying everything we have said for the past 11 or 12 years a few weeks or months ago. Due to this frankness, of course, he was punished later in the US elections.
It does not matter that the picture has become clear to you now. What’s important is that the picture was clear to you from the beginning when it required that you take a tough and serious stance – a position that you will be accountable for before God Almighty on the Day of Resurrection.
Here, we are talking about religious people. It is not about taking a stance in this world where someone may or may not hold you accountable, where you may or may not pay the price for your stance. That’s easy. Everything in this world is mortal and will perish.
However, what is most dangerous and most important is that you will be asked about every word you said, every stance you took, and every one of your actions.
You will stand before God Almighty on the Day of Resurrection and be asked about every word, attitude, action, and behavior.
Therefore, taking a position of this kind requires a great deal of insight, vision, evidence, clarity, and guidance from God Almighty.
His Eminence was clear and decisive from the beginning.
When we find scholars of the stature of His Eminence Sayyed Muhammad Ali al-Amin backing us, this, of course, for us, the ones who go to battle, engage in or conduct combat will reassure us and fuel our confidence in our choice.
This is because we are fighting here, blood is being shed, lives are being sacrificed. It is but one life that man offers in this path when we push our children, loved ones, and children to these battlefronts.
As an expression of this conscious, insightful, decisive, and courageous stance of His Eminence, he insisted, despite his old age and health condition, to take part in the funerals of the martyrs, perform funeral prayers for them, and ask for mercy on their souls. This is, of course, a matter of very high value.
I conclude here by praying for His Eminence, the deceased, and a dear and great father. May God Almighty embrace him with His mercy and grace and grant him high ranks and he is fit for that, God willing.
May He grant his family and loved ones patience, solace, and steadfastness on his path, and they are worthy of that, God willing.
When we look at the impact, blessings, efforts, deeds, and sacrifices he left behind, as well as his righteous descendants, foremost His Eminence and dear brother Sayyed Muhammad Mahdi Al-Amin and the members of this good and honorable family.
God willing, he will, like all the scholars, remain in our hearts as long as eternity remains and as long as night and day remain. They will not leave our hearts, nor the hearts of future generations, even if their bodies are not present.
Regarding the issues that exist today, I will speak very briefly and in a few words.
1- Maritime borders and oil and gas fields:
After months of hard work, jihad, as well as political, field, and media struggle – in any case, we saw today in the media, of course – the three leaders officially received the written text proposed to address this file from the mediator. This is a very important step.
They used to always come and speak. Sometimes, they would tell the leaders different things. There would be something missing or something added. Then, each person would understand something.
The importance of what happened today is that there is a written text submitted by the mediator to the three leaders. Each person will later translate it to English or Arabic based on the language they understand. Then, they will agree and discuss.
Since this file was opened and since the parliamentary elections, this file has become hot, even though negotiations over it have been taking place for more than ten years.
I have always said that this is the job of the state and the responsibility of the state. It is the one that must make a decision. The state, the leaders [the President, the Parliament Speaker, the Prime Minister], and state officials are the ones who make the decision they see fit in the interest of Lebanon.
This means, dear brothers and sisters, gentlemen, that we are facing crucial days with regard to this file. Many were waiting for September, before September, after September, October. Now, we are in the crucial days.
That is, this week, the Lebanese will discuss, study, and give a response. We are also waiting for the enemy's position regarding this written text. There are crucial days ahead of us. It will become clear in the coming days what position state officials will take regarding this issue and where things will go.
We hope that things will end well, God willing, and be good for Lebanon and all the Lebanese. If God Almighty grants a good result in this file, this will open great and very promising prospects, God willing, for the Lebanese people.
We have always said in the past months that this is the only option available.
You are following the international situation, the economic and financial situation, and the monetary situation in the world.
Some currencies, especially foreign currencies, have plummeted.
Today, even countries that some thought could provide aid or provide loans may be facing gas, fuel, and food situations. There is talk of food shortages in some countries, European countries. We are not talking about Africa and Somalia.
Therefore, it does not make sense for us to wait on the side of the road for aid and loans from here and there, and our treasure is nearby at sea and we are able to extract it by making use of our strength, wisdom, and unity.
Today, God willing, if this file reaches the desired results, it will undoubtedly be the product of unity, cooperation, and national solidarity.
Of course, there are people who, unfortunately, do not like this issue to be accomplished because they only see in it the partisan issue – who achieved this victory?
This is unfortunate. However, it is the outcome of this model, a model when we are together, we stand together. When we use the elements of strength available to us as Lebanese, yes, we can reach good results. In any case, we will talk about this point later.
2- The presidential elections:
Holding the session on Thursday was important. This session confirmed, with the results of the voting, the truth of what we said after the parliamentary elections. You know, after the parliamentary elections, there were people who still believe that they won the majority, defeated, and crushed.
In any case, all previous events confirmed that this was a wrong reading, wrong conclusions.
The election of the Parliament Speaker and the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, the vote that took place on Thursday, and other things that took place confirm that there is no current political party or political alliance that has the majority in the country.
Rather, there are political parties or political forces, if they agree on a matter or on an issue, can form a majority regarding this issue.
In any case, Thursday's session also confirmed that whoever really wants to elect a new President of the Republic of Lebanon must shun the approach of confrontation and the presidents and candidates of confrontation.
How can this country be managed in light of a very deep crisis at every level – political, economic, living, monetary, financial, etc. – and major developments in the region and in the world with a president who wants to confront a large part of the Lebanese people?
Now, I won't give a percentage. He [the president] wants to confront a large part of the Lebanese people who support the resistance and the choice of resistance.
Are you going to bring a confrontation president for them? How are you going to build a country? You are contradicting yourself when you say we want a confrontation president who will build a country.
When you bring a confrontation president, you are talking about sabotaging the country and not building it.
In any case, the session also confirms that the political forces should consult and activate their contacts in the coming period in order to reach a choice the enjoys a majority in parliament so that we have a President of the Republic as soon as possible.
3- Government formation:
Time is running out. I am talking about great hope. I am hopeful, and we hope, God willing, that in the next few days, a real government will be formed, and it is required in any case, whether a president is elected or not within the constitutional deadline.
4- The boats of death [migrant boats]:
Unfortunately, more than one incident happened. In the most recent and unfortunate incident, more than 90 dear and precious souls – Lebanese, Palestinians, and Syrians – were lost in the sea off the coast of Tartous.
This is, of course, sad and painful for anyone who has the least human feelings. There are people who pass by such news, and it is as if nothing happened. It does not mean anything to them.
But normal people – we suppose, God willing, that we are normal people – feel pain, grieve, and are affected. Some of them also cry even if they do not know who these people are.
This human instinct, human feelings stem from the person who has morals, knows God Almighty, and knows what this injustice and alienation mean.
We, once again, extend our condolences to the families of these martyrs and victims. But the most important thing is to reveal the truth of what happened in more than one incident because what happens is more like a crime.
When illegal immigration does not involve risk, the sacrifice of men, women, and children, and contempt for human souls, we take a political position.
But this illegal immigration is at the level of a recurring crime because these merchants and smugglers are not loading people onto a ship but on a boat or a plank of wood that can carry 40, 50, or 60 people.
However, they are loading it with 200 and 300 people. Hence, as a result of this raging sea and violent waves or any change in the climate, these people are bound to die and drown.
This is a crime being committed against these families and infants whose photos we saw from this tragic incident.
Therefore, we call for a judicial investigation and call on the security services to be serious. Some people said that there are those who are taking bribes, and this must be investigated.
In fact, there are facilities from some of the security services. It is not permissible to tolerate to the level of crime, and to participate in the killing of men, women, children and even infants through this flagrant negligence.
Of course, it is my duty here, even if some of the Lebanese officials did not fulfill this duty, to thank the Syrian authorities, the Syrian government, the Tartous governorate authorities, and the honorable people on Arwad Island.
In addition to the Syrian state agencies, we saw the island’s residents, men, fishermen, and others on television venture to save the lives and recover the bodies of the victims.
They are still making a great effort. On behalf of all the Lebanese, the Palestinians, and the Syrians, we thank them and appreciate what they have done.
5- International developments:
We have to follow the developments in the international arena. Some people say that this does not concern Lebanon, but what is happening now can change the face of the world.
The conflict between Russia and Ukraine is no longer a regional issue. It was from the beginning an international event, but with the latest developments, especially what happened yesterday, Friday [September 30] and the implications of the Russian position as well as the American, European, and NATO positions, and the international divisions, we are facing a huge and major international development, which will have repercussions on the whole world.
Of course, Lebanon must follow these developments with responsibility and vigilance. Generally, many events that should be followed by Lebanon are not, while they do have an effect on the country.
6- Iran:
I would like to say a few words about the Islamic Republic of Iran, as it is the most important regional event in the region.
I forgot to mention earlier the position of His Eminence [Sayyed al-Amin] on the Takfiri groups. Some assumed that this matter is over. This issue is not over.
Although Daesh’s government and state have fallen – what the great martyr Qassem Soleimani, may God bless him, announced about the eradication of the Daesh Emirate has materialized – yet the Daesh organization, project, and instrumentalization are still relevant.
You remember that when the Syrian desert was liberated, as well as Deir Ezzor, Al-Mayadin, Al-Boukamal, and when Mosul in Iraq was liberated, American helicopters landed to exfiltrate some of the leaders and executives of Daesh and relocate them – the videos are available on the Internet, you can find them. It is possible that their cadres are their recruits within Daesh.
I am not claiming that all members of Daesh are CIA agents, and that they know themselves to be spies in the service of the United States, no.
But the American influence, the American infiltration of Daesh, allowing the United States to instrumentalize it in its service, is enormous and clearly established.
The question then was where did the United States transport these Daesh cadres? They were transporting them to Afghanistan. And we see where Afghanistan is now: every Friday, a suicide bomber blows himself up in a mosque. And this does not only affect Shiites, but also Sunni mosques, foreign embassies, etc.
The day before yesterday, a suicide bomber blew himself up in an educational institution where 300 girls were studying for an exam, killing more than 50 people. They were Shiites. These things are happening before the eyes of the world, but who said anything about it? Has anyone in the world commented on or condemned this attack?
But when an Iranian woman dies in obscure circumstances – because what happened to Mrs. [Mahsa] Amini is so far not clear – the whole world stands up!
The United States, the White House, Europe, European leaders and ministers, as well as Arab, regional, and international media, etc.
When more than 50 innocent young girls were killed in an attack in Afghanistan, not to mention the hundreds of injured, no one in the whole world paid the slightest attention, because after all, [in their eyes] this blood is licit; it can be shed with impunity and without consequence; it has no value.
But in Iran, because the Islamic Republic is targeted, because the Iranian regime is targeted, the slightest incident is instrumentalized, even if it is obscure, even when what happened is not known, in order to incite [the world] against this regime.
I say that Daesh is still present, and there are attempts to reactivate it in Syria. There are attempts to reactivate it in Iraq, and Daesh is very present and powerful in Afghanistan. It strikes, unfortunately, every week.
We must not forget that it was the United States that created Daesh, by the admission of American [officials], President Trump, and American generals.
It is the United States and its secret services that continue to protect Daesh, ensure their movement from one place to another, finance them, and provide them with new manpower and additional capabilities. No one should forget that. We must always keep this reality in mind.
As for Iran, because it is the main pillar of the axis of resistance, it has been targeted since the day of its victory. It has always been targeted, since the first day – the assassinations of scholars, religious authorities, great political and military leaders, the internal unrest, the incitement to sedition among the different components and faiths of the Iranian people in several provinces.
There was also the eight-year war financed by some Gulf countries to the tune of hundreds of billions of dollars. It was supported by the whole world, from the East to the West, from the USSR to the USA, all the armed forces.
There are also sanctions and the reinforcement of the sanctions recently, not to mention the daily and hourly incitement in the media, with tens and hundreds of radios and television stations in Farsi. We are rarely aware of this because we do not follow Farsi news.
There are hundreds of electronic armies, as we are currently suffering the scourge of social networks and a daily incitement that reaches every house, every young man and woman in Iran.
The bet is on the inside because Iran is strong, dear, and capable. Successive US administrations have realized. Many are asking, is it possible for an American war to happen against Iran? If that were to happen, it would have happened in the Trump era. But it did not happen. Why? Because Iran is strong, dear, and capable. It is not out of American benevolence.
And today, what is happening with us, with Lebanon, the agreement on maritime borders and offshore oil and gas fields that is being negotiated between Lebanon and the usurper entity, is not out of benevolence on the part of the United States or the Zionists. It is because Lebanon is strong and capable.
It is because the external attack has no prospect of success that the United States has resorted to the choice of internal destabilization of Iran.
The harsh and unprecedented sanctions were meant to incite the Iranian people against the Islamic regime, just as the sanctions against Lebanon are meant to incite the people against the resistance. They want to make people believe that the cause of the crises that hit them is the Islamic regime [in Iran] or the resistance [in Lebanon].
Sometimes they create incidents and build hopes, illusions, and mirages on them. A few weeks ago, we saw how many media outlets in the Gulf and the world, as well as social networks and electronic armies spread the news that His Eminence the Leader Sayyed Ali Khamenei, may God preserve him, has dead and that the Iranians were hiding it and arguing over the election of his successor.
Of course, this is not new, even in the time of Imam Khomeini, may his soul be sanctified, we’ve hear rumors of his death. This is what they hope for.
Then, His Eminence the Leader appeared on the occasion of the commemoration of the Arba’een [fortieth day after the martyrdom of Imam Hussein].
He delivered a speech, standing up, in full health, thank God, and may God prolong his honorable life. Such lies are continuously spread to undermine people’s will, their determination, their morale, their trust in their leaders, in their republic, in their regime, and in their resistance.
The same applies to the latest events. The truth will eventually be known, but this event was instrumentalized, and people took to the streets in several Iranian cities: tens, hundreds of people? One thousand, two thousand, three thousand? Very well, we admit it. Some of them were rioters who destroyed property, assaulted, and killed.
All the world’s media presented them as if they were the whole Iranian people, as if they represented the will of the Iranian people.
However, a few days later, when millions of Iranians took to the streets in many cities of Iran [to denounce the rioters and support the government], the international media fell silent.
They were not heard from again. Nothing was shown on television or on social media, nothing at all. They even expressed their disappointment, primarily the “Israeli” media. This is the truth about this world, O my brothers and sisters.
I want to say two things about Iran. The first is that Iran is strong, capable, and dear. The Iranian people are committed to their Islam, their religion, their Prophet, and the family of their Prophet, peace and blessings of God be upon him.
These ignorant fools need only look at the days of Muharram and Safar in Iran [during which the martyrdom of Imam Hussein is commemorated].
Let them just look at the seasonal [regular] and even daily visits to the shrine of Imam al-Redha in Mashhad and Sayeda Ma’souma in Qom, peace be upon them.
It is enough for them to see the demonstrations of the Iranian people on various occasions. It is enough for them to see the unprecedented funeral procession of martyr Qassem Soleimani. It’s unparalleled since God created Adam.
This massive, colossal, and breathtaking presence of millions of people. It was not the regime that made them come; they came of their own accord, the children, the elderly, extremely sad to the point of crying with emotion.
These fools – and we have a few of them in Lebanon, not many, thank God – must read this truth, the truth about Iran. You are chasing mirages.
I tell the friends of the Islamic Republic of Iran and to all those who love it around the world: do not be saddened, do not be worried, do not be affected.
This blessed Islamic Republic, which has in one of the essential passages of its Constitution, which cannot be amended, that the true ruler of this state is the Argument of God on Earth, the son of Imam al-Askari, the awaited Mahdi [Savior who is to come at the end of time with the Messiah to bring about justice on Earth], may God hasten his reappearance, this Islamic Republic is stronger than ever.
It is stronger than ever, more rooted than ever, and more courageous than ever.
That is why you should not be affected by fake news and rumors. It is natural for people to be affected, but I tell you not to be affected, not to be worried, whatever happens.
Much more serious things have happened in the history of the Islamic Revolution for more than 40 years, much more dangerous and much more massive things.
However, the Islamic Republic of Iran, which relies on its great faith in God the Most High and Exalted, on its trust in Him, and on the presence of this historic and exceptional, wise, courageous, persevering, lucid, and wise leader, and by the presence of this sincere, sacrificing, loving, loyal and martyrdom-ready people, will make it absolutely impossible for them to get rid of the [Islamic] Republic.
The second thing and the final point in this part is also addressed to the peoples of our region. After reassuring them, I want to tell them this: the Western media and some Gulf media are constantly working to incite their people against the Islamic Republic of Iran and to create animosity between them and Iran.
Of course, their efforts have largely failed so far. Making this or that regime an enemy of Iran is easy because many of them in our region are only instruments in the hands of the hegemonic American regime.
They are only instruments, nothing more. They receive instructions and carry them out. The same goes for a large number of media outlets, which only carry out instructions and are financed to serve these goals. But the people must act.
I am addressing today in particular the Iraqi people who are dear to us. I have no intention of interfering in their internal affairs: what happens in Iraq, the cause of the disputes, what to do, is their problem.
Thank God, there are wise, well-guided, and lucid religious authorities in Iraq, with a big heart and great capacity. There are also many leaders, scholars, wise people, and sincere people.
But the only point I want to emphasize, which does not only concern Iraq but all the peoples of the region, is that the constant incitement against Iran and portraying that the Islamic Republic and the Iranian people as enemies of the peoples of the region are satanic acts.
They are an American hegemonic and satanic plan aimed at dividing the ranks of this Ummah. I would like to tell them and remind them something about this Islamic Republic, this regime, this state, this people, and its leaders.
I affirm to you with all my experience. For 40 years, we have had a direct relationship and are in constant contact, discussions, and follow ups.
We have faced for the past 40 years, both in Lebanon and in the region, many great and dangerous challenges. I affirm today before God and in the face of this recent ordeal that Iran has overcome, thank God, I say before God the Most High and Exalted, and I bear witness to it in this world and in the Hereafter, that this Islamic Republic of Iran wants absolutely nothing from the peoples of this region.
It does not want anything from the Iraqi people. Many countries in the world insist that they covet Iraqi oil and gas. Trump has repeatedly made such statements to the press, denouncing the Obama and Bush administrations for not getting their hands on the oil wells [in Iraq and Syria].
Some countries openly state that they have an interest in Iraq’s oil, Iraq’s resources, Iraq’s waters. The Islamic Republic does not covet anything – oil, resources, or waters – in Iraq or elsewhere in the region.
On the contrary, the Islamic Republic employs all its efforts, all its capabilities, even the blood of its great commanders and fighters, and sacrifices its own children so that the Iraqi people may be safe, peaceful, free, dignified, and noble.
How could the Iraqi people forget the presence of martyr Hajj Qassem Soleimani and the other martyred Iranian soldiers, commanders, and volunteers?
How could they forget Iran’s position [on the side of Iraq], which Iraqi officials recall daily? The United States abandoned Iraq; the countries of the world abandoned Iraq.
Who opened up their arms supplies and skies for Iraq? Who sent their leaders and fighters there? Who provided Iraq with all its armed force, all its weapons, all its money?
The entire Islamic Republic of Iran was standing in defense of the Iraqi people when they were invaded by Daesh, which seized several Iraqi provinces and threatened to take Baghdad, Karbala, and other cities. How could it be possible to forget this?
How could normal men look with affection and love at Saudi Arabia which sent 5,000 suicide bombers against Iraq, tearing the bodies of Iraqi women, children, and men of all races and sects to pieces in mosques, churches, and marketplaces?
How can this person be normal and turn with hostility to the Islamic Republic which did everything to make Iraq free from the American occupation, be able to confront the danger of Daesh, and preserve the existence of Iraq, its people, and its identity?
Anyone who tells the Iraqi people and the peoples of the region that Iran has colonizing, lucrative, or manipulative intentions is a liar and a traitor! He is a coward, whoever he is!
I do not mean anyone in particular, I am speaking in general. One might disagree with Iran. There is no problem with that. One might disagree with certain policies of the Islamic Republic. There is no problem.
One can have remarks about the behavior of certain Iranian officials, no problem. This is a different matter. It is perfectly normal. But to turn oneself or others into enemies of the Islamic Republic of Iran is in whose interest, whose service is it?
Is this how we serve Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Bahrain, Yemen, Palestine, or the countries of the region? In all simplicity, O noble scholars, dear brothers and sisters, let me ask you two quick questions:
After the Camp David Accords and the developments in the last decades, if there was not a state called the Islamic Republic of Iran, where would Palestine be today? Where would Al-Quds be? Where would the Palestinian people be? Where would Lebanon be? Where would “Israel” be? I leave it to you to answer me.
Today, the most important force in the axis of resistance, for Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, and the whole region is the Islamic Republic of Iran.
And my second question, if this Arab Spring or rather this Arab Autumn, the truth of which has begun to emerge, had come today, if Daesh had come – and they acknowledge that they have brought fighters in the hundreds of thousands from all over the world; an American Senator says they have brought fighters in the hundreds of thousands from 100 countries of the world – and there had been no Islamic Republic of Iran to stand up to it, to stand with Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and the peoples of the region, where would these people be?
Where would these states be? Where would these governments be? What dark, black, and atrocious era would the region be in today?
We were talking about His Eminence the Sayyed (Mohammad Ali al-Amin), may God be pleased with him, and his saying that man should count his blessings, be grateful for them, and not ignore, deny, or curse them.
This is what is required today, within the axis of resistance and the people of the region. You who place your hopes in the United States. This is the face of the United States, the United States that today is fighting to the last Ukrainian.
Yesterday, what did the Americans tell Zelensky when he asked to join NATO in response to the accession of four [Ukrainian] regions to the Russian Federation?
They told him, ‘No, the time is not right.’ the time is not right. Why not? Because if Ukraine became part of NATO, the US would be forced to fight Russia.
The United States does not want to fight Russia with the Americans. It wants to fight Russia with the Ukrainians, and after the Ukrainians, with the Europeans, and just watch while reaping the results and benefits. Such is the United States.
Know your friends, hold on to them, and take care of them. Know your enemies. If you do not want to fight them, at least do not rush to them and seek refuge. For you will find neither comfort nor security in their embrace. You will only find betrayal and backstabbing.
To our great and holy deceased, His Eminence, Sayyed Muhammad Ali Al-Amin, all the mercy and the highest ranks beside the Messenger of God and his pure fathers and grandfathers.
Thank you for your efforts and your great attendance. May He grant you wellness. May the peace, mercy, and blessings of God be upon you.
