Sayyed Nasrallah’s Full Speech on the 10th Day of Muharram
Translated by Al-Ahed News, Hezbollah Media Relations
Speech of Hezbollah Secretary His Eminence Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on the Day of Ashura 1445 AH.
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.
Peace be upon you, O my master and my chief, O Abu Abdullah, and upon the souls that gathered in your courtyard. Peace of Allah be upon you from me forever as long as I am existent and as long as there are day and night.
May Allah not cause this [visit] to be the last of my visit to you [all]. Peace be upon al-Husayn [Imam Hussein], upon Ali ibn al-Husayn, upon the sons of al-Husayn, and upon the companions of al-Husayn.
Peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon you all.
Peace, mercy, and blessings of God be upon all of you, O Hussainis and Zainabiyyat.
On this great day, the day of calamity, the day of condolence, and the day of sorrow, you and I, must first turn to the greatest Messenger of God Muhammad [may God’s prayers and peace be upon him and his household], to the Commander of the Faithful, Ali bin Abi Talib, to the Lady of the Women of the Worlds, Fatima Al-Zahra, to Imam al-Hasan al-Mujtaba, our imams, masters, and leaders, and especially to the imam of our time, al-Mahdi, al-Hujjat ibn al-Hasan al-Askari [peace be upon him].
We express our sympathy for what befell their beloved, dear, and honorable Aba Abdullah Al-Hussein and what afflicted his brothers, children, companions, family, and everyone with him in the eyes of God and for the sake of God. What befell them bawls the eyes out and bleeds the hearts. It will continue to cause grief and remain a calamity until the Day of Judgment.
We also extend our condolences to the deputy of al-Mahdi in this era, the Imam and Leader, His Eminence the Grand Ayatollah Imam Sayyed Ali Khamenei as well as to our great references, all Muslims and lovers, and to all the oppressed who understand and feel the reality of Karbala and are in pain over what happened there.
First, we express our condolences and sorrow. Secondly, we express our loyalty through this large gathering. I thank my brothers and sisters for their attendance, endurance, and patience throughout these days and nights. Despite the weather and the difficult living conditions and everything happening in our country, you have taken part in recent days and nights.
Today, we thank you for taking part in the southern suburbs of Beirut [Dahiye] and in all the cities and villages that will witness and are witnessing great Husseini marches. May God brighten your faces and accept your efforts.
Through your presence and raised fists you are sending a message of steadfastness, devotion, endurance, and your ability to stay in the battlefield. It expresses the firm determination to continue on the path that began with the prophets and concluded with the last Messenger of God in a new breakthrough that passed through Karbala – a historical juncture – and will carry on until al-Mahdi appears and until the Hour.
Brothers and sisters, usually on a day like this I don't take up much of your time because of the fatigue and hardship, and especially since we’ve talked a lot during previous nights. That is why I’ll briefly mention a number of things that have been accomplished.
Last night, we said that the title of our march here is to defend the two thaqalayn: the Book [the Book of God] or the Quran and the progeny [the household of the Messenger of God].
1- The Quran:
When it comes to the issue of the Noble Quran, the governments of Sweden and Denmark as well as the whole world must understand that we are a nation that does not tolerate aggression and desecration of its symbols and sanctities, its Quran, Prophet, and Al-Aqsa Mosque – its first Qibla. We are a nation that does not tolerate that. This has been our cultural, moral, spiritual, and sentimental composition since the beginning, hundreds of years ago. This is how we are.
We reject this injustice, this humiliation, and this aggression. There might be nations in the present era that do not care and are not shaken or affected when their sacred symbols and religious sanctities are desecrated, and therefore, deal with this assault indifferently or may excuse it as a type of freedom of expression.
However, the nation of two billion Muslims is not like that. Its awareness, conscience, way of thinking, morals, history, and present are not like that. This must be understood by the whole world.
In the past few days, the Holy Quran was burned and desecrated again in Denmark. They placed shoes on top of the Quran, with the protection of the Danish police. When some people came to rescue this Quran, they were beaten, abused, and humiliated.
This is an aggression against Islam and against two billion Muslims in this world. In a few days, there will be a meeting of the foreign ministers of Islamic countries or the Organization of Islamic Cooperation [OIC]. Muslims in the world will await the results of this meeting, and we are among them.
Islamic countries and their foreign ministers must take decisions with the same level of aggression, desecration, violation, and persistence that took place in Sweden and Denmark. They must deliver a firm, decisive and unequivocal message to these governments that aggression will be met again with a diplomatic and economic boycott.
If they do not do that, they are not defending their religion, their Quran, or their Prophet. I tell you this on the day of rejection of humiliation and the eradication of injustice. If they do not do that, it is upon the Muslim youth in the world and those who are zealous and brave to take charge and punish the desecrators and aggressors and those who want to burn the Quran. They must not wait for someone to defend their Quran and their religion.
All of the world’s Muslim youth will be ready if the Islamic countries do not assume their responsibility and if these governments do not stop this aggression. The world will see, God willing, the courage and zeal of these youth who are prepared to sacrifice their lives and blood for their Prophet, their Book, and their Quran.
Our main slogan today are these three sentences. Let us repeat them as we did last night, together and let them be heard by the world. Labbayk ya Quran [I am at your service O Quran], Labbayk ya Hussein [I am at your service O Hussein], Labbayk ya Mahdi [I am at your service O Mahdi].
2- Al-Aqsa Mosque:
These savage extremist Zionists insist on the desecration of Al-Aqsa Mosque and constantly threatening this place that is sacred to all Muslims.
The [“Israeli”] enemy must also see from all Muslims in the world a firm, decisive, and clear position. The meeting of OIC ministers must also take a stand on this issue, especially since the Al-Aqsa Mosque was subjected to grave violations a few days ago by these filthy occupiers and aggressors.
Our Islamic world and our Muslim youth in the world must make this enemy understand what the dire consequences of harming this dear part of our Islamic sanctities are.
3- Palestine:
The issue of Palestine in this time is the obvious right, while the Zionist entity is the clear and obvious falsehood. It is the greatest evil in our region, the absolute evil in our region, the germ of corruption in our region, and the cancerous gland in our region, in the body of our region. This region will not rest before eradicating and uprooting this cancerous gland and this germ of corruption.
Today, the Palestinian people believe in resistance and have taken the option of resistance more than ever before. They are betting on the resistance within themselves and on the Axis of Resistance in the region. They are offering martyrs every day and fighting every day, using cars, knives, stones, locally manufactured explosives, pistols, and bullets. The oppressed, struggling, resisting, sacrificing and patient Palestinian people is entitled to support and victory from all the free people of the world, not just the Muslims of the world.
Here, from the southern suburbs, we affirm the support of Hezbollah and the Islamic resistance in Lebanon. We will offer anything we can and will be on the side of the Palestinian resistance and people. We consider their battle ours.
Our battle is one, our destiny is one, our dignity is one, and our future is one in this region. The will of the resistance fighters will triumph and this usurping entity will cease to exist in Palestine, God willing. They see it far, and we see it near.
4- Regional issues:
- Yemen:
The dear people of Yemen are still suffering from a blockade and the repercussions of aggression. An informal truce is not enough. These people have been attacked, and wars have been waged on them for years.
They steadfastly, patiently, and valiantly resisted and sacrificed tens of thousands of martyrs and wounded, men, women and children, as well as prisoners, demolished homes, and destroyed livelihoods.
They’re led by a brave, wise, and a dear leadership that evaluates the situation responsibly and with precision. These people believed in jihad, resistance, and Karbala, its leaders, culture, and spirit. That is why they’ve been displaying legendary steadfastness during all these years amid great aggression and the large number of coalition forces, led by the United States of America.
It is the right of the dear Yemeni people that the aggression against them be halted, the siege on them be lifted, and for them to return to their normal lives.
In the event of persistence, procrastination, and insistence, they have the right to make the appropriate choice and decision, and everyone must support whatever choice they choose because it is the choice of the oppressed and the assaulted and those claiming their rights.
- Syria:
There is ongoing suffering in Syria due to the sanctions under the Caesar Act, the unjust American law, and the American blockade imposed on Syria to subdue it after the military and political failure. Every free and honorable person in our region and in the world must strive to break this unjust, unfair, tyrannical, inhuman, and savage siege.
- Bahrain:
In Bahrain, the people aspire to obtain their natural rights in the face of tyranny and occupation through naturalization and demographic change that is deliberately altering the identity of Bahrain. Its indigenous people are being replaced by immigrants from all over the world. Meanwhile, its religious scholars, leading figures, and young people are either in prisons or in exile.
- Lebanon:
The southern border:
On the southern border with occupied Palestine, Lebanon is the one being attacked. “Israel”, the usurper entity, is still occupying part of our land in the Shebaa Farms and Kfar Shuba Hills. Over the past weeks, it reoccupied the Lebanese part of the town of Ghajar, and with extreme insolence it is talking about the resistance’s provocations on the border.
All the while they are the ones provoking, infiltrating our borders, and violating our airspace. They are the ones occupying land again and continuing to occupy land yet talk about provocation.
They say in the media that tomorrow the “Israeli” Prime Minister will meet with his generals to assess the situation and study how to address the issue on the southern border.
From here, I warn them of committing any foolishness and any wrong choices. The resistance in Lebanon will not be lenient and will not abandon its responsibilities, in protection, in deterrence, and in liberation.
It will not bow its neck to this defeated entity. It will be ready to face any choice, any mistake, or any foolishness. This proud, honorable resistance in Lebanon will not be silent about it.
Domestically:
- The presidential elections: It is clear, after all the efforts and all the initiatives, that there are political forces that reject dialogue that brings everyone together in one place and at one table, regardless of who leads this dialogue.
It is also clear that everyone will be waiting for September for the return of the French envoy and his initiative, which he is being talked about.
It is clear that everyone will wait for the September return of the French envoy and the initiative he talked about, and we believe that this is a chance until that time comes to open the door to serious strenuous bilateral talks that might break the current impasse in the presidential file. This is what we’re working on and cooperating on, and we’ll see what we can achieve in the coming days.
The caretaker government, whatever the difficulties, should continue to shoulder its responsibilities within the allowed constitutional restraints. It is unacceptable to paralyze parliament under any excuse when it comes to necessary legislation and everything related to the people’s lives.
Homosexuality:
We brought up this topic a few nights ago. Some people got angry about that, and this is good. This is what is required. Those working in the service of the Great Satan to promote this human, moral, and social deviation in Lebanon must get angry.
We are not inventing a battle or danger. It is a real and imminent danger. Today, the world started crying out, even within the United States of America and Western societies. It will only get louder because this project is inconsistent with human instinct and human nature, regardless of the religion and ideology they belong to.
In Lebanon, this danger began through some educational institutions and the so-called NGOs. A few days ago, children’s books promoting this deviant culture were published.
It was said that they had the approval of the Lebanese Ministry of Education. I do not know if this is true or not. It needs to be verified.
However, we call on the Lebanese government, and in particular the Lebanese Ministry of Education, to monitor, reconsider, prevent, and be part of protecting the children of Lebanon, the sons of Lebanon, the daughters of Lebanon, the next generation, and this society.
This battle is not for Muslims or Christians. It is the battle of the honorable man, the natural man, the man who still preserves his instinct, the man who is keen on his family and society and on the purity and originality of this society. This issue must be pursued with all the required seriousness.
Brothers and sisters, in the face of all the existing challenges – security, military, the enemy, jihadist, political, livelihood, economic, cultural, and educational – our duty that we understand from Karbala is to be present in all fields and in all arenas, regardless of the sacrifices, the pains, and the difficulties. We must not to abandon the arena at all, especially as we are facing this Great Satan who is taking advantage of the existence of this usurping entity to dominate the region, besiege it – with the Caesar Act and hunger – impose wars on it, and plunder its resources, oil, gas, and water. This is an open battle in defense of Lebanon, the nation, and the sanctities.
On Ashura, we renew our position, our speech, and our determination that we are a nation that wants to defend our people so that they are safe, dear, generous, free, and sovereign. We will defend our country, its wealth, oil, gas, and water from usurpation and plunder. We reject humiliation and injustice; we do not accept submission, humiliation, or surrender.
When the Great Satan, the Zionists, or any enemy puts us between two choices: between war and humiliation, between the sword [to fight] and humiliation, they know us very well.
They’ve known us during all the past decades, and especially during the past 40 years. We, the sons of Hussein [peace be upon him], do not only express this position on Ashura day but every day, in every field, battle, confrontation, arena, and challenge.
We echo to them and to the world the words of our master, our Imam, and our Hussain:
“Know that this evil-doer, who is a son of an evil-doer, makes me choose between two things: the sword [to fight] and humiliating allegiance. We will never be humiliated! Neither God, His Prophet, the immaculate women who raised us, nor the zealous and dignified ones would let us accept such humiliation.”
The martyrdom of our martyrs, our martyred leaders, our martyred scholars, and our martyred men and women are proof of our logic and our stance.
As on every Ashura day, we conclude with stating our commitment, our loyalty, our covenant, and our oath to [Imam] Hussein, the master of martyrs. We will continue in his path, carry his banner, and chant his name. His pure blood flows in our veins, and we will carry goals and confront all the tyrants of the earth.
We tell him every new Hijri year, “Labbayk ya Hussein” [We are at your service, O Hussein], and we are waiting for his grandson, who will preserve his blood, avenge him, achieve his goals, and establish justice in the land.
In the defense of the Quran for which Hussein was martyred, our permanent and renewed position and our loud call will be: Labbayk ya Quran [We are at your service O Quran], Labbayk ya Hussein [We are at your service O Hussein], Labbayk ya Mahdi [We are at your service O Mahdi].
May God bless you, increase your reward, and accept your deeds. May He reward you with the best reward.
Peace be upon you, O Abu Abdullah, and upon the souls that gathered in your courtyard. Peace of Allah be upon you from me forever as long as I am existent and as long as there are day and night.
May Allah not cause this [visit] to be the last of my visit to you [all]. Peace be upon al-Husayn [Imam Hussein], upon Ali ibn al-Husayn, upon the sons of al-Husayn, and upon the companions of al-Husayn who made sacrifices for the sake of al-Husayn.
Peace be upon the grandson of al-Husayn, the Awaited Mahdi, whom we await with our souls, our supplications, our jihad, our work, our pains, and our hopes.
Peace and Allah’s mercy and blessings be upon all of you.