Sayyed Nasrallah’s Full Speech on October 2nd, 2023

Translated by Al-Ahed News

Speech of Hezbollah Secretary-General His Eminence Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah during a festival hosted by the party in the Sayyed al-Shuhada Complex to celebrate the anniversary of the birth of Prophet Mohammad and his grandson Imam Jaafar al-Sadiq (PBUT)

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 and God's mercy and blessings be upon you all. ‏

I congratulate all of you on these great, cherished, and beautiful occasions – the birth of the Greatest Messenger of God, the Master of the Messengers, and the Seal of the Prophets Abu Al-Qasim Muhammad Ibn Abdullah (peace be upon him), the birth of his grandson Imam Jaafar Al-Sadiq (peace be upon him), and the Islamic Unity Week. I ask God Almighty to bestow upon you goodness, wellness, and victory every year as you mark these occasions. 

I must begin by praising in one place and condemning in another regarding this occasion.

We praise the great and wonderful Yemeni marking of this ocassion in many governorates and cities. The squares are filled with millions or at very least hundreds of thousands. Despite the difficult living, economic, and security conditions that the Yemenis are experiencing, they express their love, attachment, and belief in the Messenger of Islam, the greatest Messenger of God, Muhammad (PBUH), in a striking and amazing way. Of course, they deserve all greetings and thanks. The Yemeni model of commemorating the birth of the Messenger of God (PBUH) must be presented as a role model for all Muslims of the world.

As for the condemnation, it is the condemnation of those Takfiri criminal killers, who blew up mosques filled with Sunni Muslims in Pakistan. Their only crime is that they were celebrating the birth of the Messenger of God and hold ceremonies to commemorate this occasion. This dark, black face and cancer has unfortunately spread again in our Islamic world among those who face difficulties while expressing their love for the Messenger of God. Meanwhile, there are those who kill people expressing their love for the Messenger of God (PBUH). 

Brothers and sisters, in the cultural and civilizational formation of any people or nation, there are features and manifestations. This cultural and civilizational formation has pillars. Among the features of this formation or parts of this cultural and civilizational formation is that peoples and nations throughout history whether they were followers of heavenly religions or pagan civilizations, whatever this intellectual trend may be, even in our present era in light of multiple ideologies, they take days for joy and call them holidays. They also often take days for sadness. When they choose days of joy or days of sadness, they do so based on pivotal historical events that deserve attention, appreciation, glorification, and emotional attachment.

Examples of these days are the birth of a great figure or a great victory in the history of this people. These are usually occasions and days of joy. Meanwhile, the loss of a great person or a painful incident is an occasion for sadness. Other examples are the establishment of an entity or the founding of a state as well as well-known national holidays in our present era.

This is part of the cultural and civilizational formation of any people. As an Islamic nation and as Muslims, this was also part of our cultural, religious, and intellectual formation.
The days of joy that Muslims agree on are Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. Eid al-Fitr is a time when all Muslims feel joy because it is a holiday that concludes a month of fasting, prayer, hunger, thirst, worship, and work.

In any case, we have great and glorious days in our history that we as Muslims agree on, are proud of, and take pride in. I will not delve into the holidays that we differ on based on our sects.

There are two days that we unanimously agree on and believe are great. The first is the day of the birth of the Messenger of God (PBUH), and the second is the Prophet’s honorable mission. We call them days or holidays – there is no scarcity in terminology. However, some protest when we call the [Prophet’s] birthday a holiday, but they do not protest Independence Day, Founding Day, National Day, etc.

In any case, these are terminology. The birthday is the day of the birth of Muhammad Ibn Abdullah (PBUH) – this light that began to shine in Mecca and slowly spread truthfulness, honesty, values, morals, purity, humanity, and honor until Muhammad the son of Abdullah became to the people of Mecca the truthful, trustworthy, honorable, perfect, and great human being. No one can contest this.

40 years after the birth [of the Prophet] was the emanation of light on the day the Prophet’s mission. The light emanated and spread from Mecca to Medina to the Arabian Peninsula to the entire region to the entire world from that time until the Day of Judgment.

Imam Khomeini (may God be pleased with him) considered the day of the Prophet’s mission the greatest day in existence, and this has its analysis. Birth means existing in this earthly and material world – this existence extended with Muhammad (PBUH) until his prophecy and mission, and then nations and great transformations in this world took place.
Do we not have the right, as a nation, to rejoice in this great birth, this birth on which the final prophecy and final message was founded, and the revelation of the Holy Qur’an to the heart of this great Messenger, and the founding of this nation and the salvation of humanity until the Day of Resurrection?

Do we not have the right to rejoice? Don't we have the right to turn this day into a day of joy for Muslims around the world? Not only is it a right, but shouldn't we do this for the sake of our children, grandchildren, and future generations, and to express our great gratitude for this great divine blessing, which is the greatest blessing in existence?

We must do that, brothers and sisters. Of course, those who forbid this commemoration and occasion do not rely on any real jurisprudential or legal support that stands up to the evidence and scientific debate.

Shiite scholars agree on the permissibility of this matter, and the majority of the most senior Sunni jurists also agree. I do not want to delve into a scientific or jurisprudential debate that is not compatible with the nature of our celebration. A lot has been said about this matter.

Dear brothers, we must pay more attention to these two days, and at the very least, on this day. I invite all my brothers and sisters in Lebanon. Of course, the celebration of this occasion is improving year after year. Let us be honest with each other.

We strongly commemorate days of sadness. We are familiar with sadness. We are familiar with weeping and lamentation to the point that they have become part of our cultural, historical, and religious personality. This is a natural, good, and praiseworthy thing. But we must also have days of joy, days of happiness, days of celebration and honor, and the greatest day can be a day of joy for us is the day of the birth of this Prophet, who was the greatest blessing in the history of humanity.

Therefore, we must always celebrate in the coming years, God willing. All brothers and sisters and all those concerned must cooperate and plan so that this occasion has a wider and larger scope, with people showing more interest. After all, we have a week. 

As you know, there is a debate on whether the Prophet (PBUH) was born on the 12th of Rabi’ or on the 17th of Rabi’. In general, many Muslims believe that it was the 12th of Rabi’. Other Muslims believe in the 17th of Rabi’. Hence, a week of unity was created, that is, a point of disagreement was turned into a point of convergence and union.

We have about a week, from the 12th of Rabi’ to the 17th of Rabi’. We must plan for the coming years, God willing, how to make these days days of joy and happiness. This is a point. I would like to start from here.

I usually review what I said on previous and similar occasions. In the past years, one celebration slogan was mercy, the Prophet of Mercy, mercy to the worlds. We talked about this topic, the manifestations of mercy, the symbols of mercy, and how the Messenger of God, Muhammad (PBUH), was a mercy to the worlds.

Before that, we also talked about the ideological, intellectual, cultural, social, value-based, moral, political, and military transformations that occurred after the mission of the Prophet (PBUH) and the blessings of his honorable presence and continuous jihad in the Arabian Peninsula and in the world. I do not want to repeat, but I will briefly talk about the title of this year’s celebration – {But Allah Will Perfect His light}.

The meaning of this verse is mentioned in two surahs of the Holy Qur’an: in Surat Al-Tawba and in Surat Al-Saff.

In Surat Al-Tawba, God Almighty says: {(32) They want to extinguish the light of Allah with their mouths, but Allah refuses except to perfect His light, although the disbelievers dislike it. (33) It is He who has sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth to manifest it over all religion, although they who associate others with Allah dislike it.}

It is the same content with a slight modification in the phrases in Surat Al-Saff – {They want to extinguish the light of Allah with their mouths, but Allah will perfect His light, although the disbelievers dislike it.}

In the book of interpretation, there is a differentiation between ‘to extinguish’ and ‘let them extinguish’. They mentioned beautiful and good stories for those who would like to refer to them.

There is also a difference between ‘Allah refuses except to perfect His light’ – promise and decision – and ‘Allah will perfect His light’ – an actual reality.

{Although the disbelievers dislike it.} {It is He who has sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth to manifest it over all religion, although they who associate others with Allah dislike it.}

The same verse – {It is He who has sent His Messenger} is repeated in Al-Tawba and Al-Saff. This has significance.

Based on the noble and honorable verses, what does Allah’s light mean from its examples? It is the light that illuminates the darkness, the darkness of ignorance, foolishness, confusion, misguidance, temptation, wandering, loss, and deviation.

It is the light that guides and directs to goodness, perfection, and happiness. That is why they said that the prophets are the light of God. The prophets are the light of God and their seal is Muhammad (PBUH). The awliya are the light of God. The heavenly books revealed to the hearts of the prophets and the scriptures are the light of God and their seal is the Glorious Qur’an.

The heavenly messages, including their beliefs, teachings, rulings, directives, and guidance, are the light of God and their seal is Islam, the authentic Muhammedan Islam.

The light of God means His religion, His book, and God’s prophets and awliya. Therefore, in the ziyara to the Prophet (PBUH), we tell him, “Peace be upon you, O light of God in the earths or O light of God in the earth, or O light of God in the heavens and the earth.”

Peace be upon you, O light with which one is illuminated. This is the light of God. The Qur’an is described as light, the Torah is light, the Bible is light – light from God Almighty. This light is attributed to God Almighty.

God Almighty has pledged, in these verses and in others, to perfect His light, and implicitly to preserve His light, to preserve the spread of this light and to perfect it. This is a divine promise and an unworldly, miraculous message from more than 1400 years ago. It’s an unworldly miracle added to the miracles of the Qur’an and the miracles of the Messenger of God Muhammad (PBUH) because it speaks decisively about the future.

Brothers and sisters, going back a little to the verses, God Almighty says in both, {They want to extinguish the light of Allah}. ‘They want to extinguish’ indicates continuity as it happened with the previous prophets. All those who stood in the face of the previous prophets and those who stood in the face of Muhammad (PBUH) wanted to extinguish the light of God. This will continues among the followers of Satan, among the enemies of God Almighty, among the misguided and deviant until the Day of Judgment.

‘They want’ – this expression indicates the continuation of this challenge, this threat, and this confrontation.

They want to extinguish the light of God in order to lead people astray and drown them in darkness, in misguidance, in labyrinth, to deviate them from the path of humanity and human nature so that Man descends to the level of animals. Isn't this what is happening now and has happened many times throughout history? 

But today, in light of modern civilization in America and in the West, flags of homosexuality are raised and promoted. You can see the phenomenon of human dogs, human cows, and human pigs.

God and the prophets wanted Man to be at the highest level, in a lofty position, in the position of divine dignity. But they want Man to become a dog, a cow, or a pig. They want to degrade Man to the lowest of the lowly. Isn’t this war against the light of God Almighty?

What will they use to extinguish the light of God? They want to extinguish the light of God with their mouths. Here, there are two interpretations. One interpretation is famous and well-known, especially among the ancient interpreters. They say that God Almighty likened this to someone trying to extinguish a lamp. Back in the day, they used oil or a lamp to get light. So, they’d blow on it until it was extinguished. These people imagine that by blowing they can extinguish the light of God or by blowing they are trying to extinguish the light of the sun. Is it possible to extinguish the light of the sun by blowing on it?

Rather, God Almighty used this expression in order to mock those who want to extinguish the light of God. This is a common and old interpretation.

There is another interpretation that is more in line with the spirit of the age, the intellectual and scientific transformations, the communications revolution, etc. – they want to extinguish the light of God with their mouths, i.e. the media war or what we call in the present time as soft warfare.

These interpreters say that the soft warfare and media war are more dangerous and deadlier than fighting and military wars. This is true, and this is what we are witnessing now. There are nations and people who have stood firm in the face of military wars, in the face of occupation, in the face of military invasion, but were lost, weakened, torn, and disintegrated in the face of soft warfare and media wars. What the arrogant powers were unable to achieve through war, invasion, and armed aggression, they were able to achieve through information war and soft warfare.

In any case, if this interpretation is the true meaning of these noble verses, then this is also new evidence that the Qur’an has depths and meanings, which always appear with the development of the human mind and the human cultural, scientific, and intellectual . capabilities. Each generation discovers a meaning that the generation before it did not discover. 

Brothers and sisters, truly, in confronting the Messenger of God (PBUH), from the beginning they waged a fierce media war and a dangerous soft warfare against the Messenger of God, his call, his message, his religion, and his words because they lacked logic. They would directly resort to insults, accusation, and distortion – similar to what some are doing now – in order to drive people away from the Prophet, from his words, from his speech, from his religion, from his message. They called him a magician and a liar. For 40 years, they did not record a single lie by him. They said he was crazy and that he stole words from some scholars. They said he was possessed by jinn and inspired by jinn. They accused him of striving for power and seeking to collect money. Therefore, they made a mistake when they offered to make him their king or one of their richest men, and they continued on this path.

Of course, when the information war and the soft warfare are referred to, this does not mean that other wars stop. Rather, the verse points to the most dangerous war and means, but killing, displacement, and the imposition of wars was rampant, as happened to the early Muslims – the Messenger of God and his companions, the Messenger of God and his family – during the Prophet’s more than 23 years of honorable mission.

But there is no doubt that the war of the tongue, the information war, the war of the mouths was more severe, harsher, and more painful. This is still continuing to this day – accusation, distortion, accusation of intentions, accusation of behavior, accusation of view of goals. You know this; I do not want waste your time with these details.

And Allah refuses except to perfect His light and Allah perfects His light. In the two verses, God Almighty perfects His light by means, the most important of which are two means:

The first means is direct divine providence. God pledged to preserve His light, spread it, and perfect it, and He is able to do that while His hands are outstretched. His hand is not shackled. In this existence, He does what He wants, when He wants, how He wants. One of the forms of divine providence is that He preserves, protects, defends, confirms, supports, repays, and shows his religion over all religions.

The second means are the prophets and awliya of God, His righteous servants – so as not to say that the issue is completely unworldly – as well as the Messenger of God, his family, and companions who made great sacrifices for 23 years. They were patience and endured displacement, killing, confiscation of money, torture, imposed wars, martyrs, wounded, prisoners, siege, and hunger. In the trench, the Messenger of God suffered from hunger like the rest of the Muslims.

However, the conclusion was victory thanks to the great sacrifices in the time of the Prophet until today – including the sacrifices of the imams, the awliya, the scholars, the mujahideen, the martyrs throughout history.

Since the birth of Imam Jaafar al-Sadiq (PBUH) is one of the titles of this occasion, we must mention that he was one of the greatest imams who preserved this religion and light and spread it. 

Imam Jaafar al-Sadiq transformed Medina and the mosque of his grandfather, the Messenger of God (PBUH), into a major Islamic university that attracts scholars from all the Islamic world and from all intellectual, jurisprudential, and political trends.

His pupils included four thousand Shiites and Sunnis from various trends, some of the imams of well-known sects and their students, and the remaining sects that have ceased to exist. All of these were proud to be among the students of this great imam who spread his knowledge, which is, with certainty, is the knowledge of the Messenger of God (PBUH).

In any case, through these great sacrifices, this religion and light have been preserved. In these verses, there is also unworldly and miraculous message. I will talk about it before getting into the political files.

Surat Al-Tawba and Surat al-Saff are Madinan Chapters [Suwar Madaniyyah]. They were sent down to [address the people] in Madina. 

In Madina, there was a new, young state and society. Many of the people who entered Islam were new to Islam, especially after the conquest of Makka. There was also a dangerous movement called the Munafiqin [the hypocrites]. There was a movement that was preparing to revert after the death of the Prophet (PBUH). So, these were internal threats.

There was also the empire of Caesar and the empire of Khosrau. These two empires viewed the young Islamic state emerging in the Arabian Peninsula as a threat, so the Prophet’s state was a difficult position.

Amid that atmosphere, in which internal and external threats are increasing, these verses were sent down to tell Muslims that God will perfect His light. The verse was sent down twice. 

{It is He who has sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth to manifest it over all religion, although they who associate others with Allah dislike it.} This is until the Day of Judgment. Brothers and sisters, this is an unworldly and miraculous message.

Any message, religion, new society, and young state can collapse, perish, and scatter when faced with threats and dangers. However, the Qur’an – this is evidence that it is from God Almighty – speaks about this future categorically and decisively and that it is the future of revealing the religion.

God Almighty revealed it after the Messenger of God until today. This vast expansion in the geography of the Islamic world is part of showing the religion. Today, there are one and a half billion Muslims. Some say two billion Muslims. This is part of showing the religion.

Some thought that this religion would be besieged and strangled in Makka and Madina and eliminated after a period of time. however, look at it spread and expand, and it will continue to do so until the Day of Judgment. God Almighty pledged this preservation, and the Messenger of God (PBUH) also communicated this meaning. This is part of the miracles of Muhammad (PBUH). The Holy Qur’an states, {Indeed, it is We who sent down the Qur'an and indeed, We will be its guardian.}

Brothers and sisters, this Qur’an is the book of God Almighty, which was revealed to the heart of Muhammad (PBUH) more than 1,400 years ago. Its words, verses, and surahs are preserved to this day, knowing that throughout history there have been many intellectual, ideological, and cultural, political, sectarian, and jurisprudential conflicts in the Islamic world. There were many motives and incentives for distortion, forgery, and change in words and verses.

During the life of the Prophet, there were those who fabricated false hadiths about the Prophet (PBUH). After the death of the Prophet, especially during the time of the Umayyads and the Abbasids, false hadiths were fabricated about the Messenger of God (PBUH). This was paid for.

Among the books known to Sunnis and Shiites are those that specialize in false and fabricated hadiths about the Messenger of God. There were incentives and motives to fabricate hadiths about the Prophet. However, no one has been able for 1400 years, Muslims or non-Muslims, to distort this Qur’an. Is this not a divine miracle?

Isn't this something beyond human power? Isn't this a preservation of the divine promise and decision? This was also embodied in the commandment of the Messenger of God – “I am leaving among you the thaqalayn (two weighty and precious things) - the Book of God (the Qur’an) and my progeny ('itrah), the members of my household (Ahlul Bayt). If you hold to both of them, then you will never go astray. These two will never separate from each other until they meet me at the Pool of al-Kawthar on the Day of Judgement.”

In these few sentences from the Messenger of God (may God bless him and grant him peace), there are three unworldly messages, which are present today and are being fulfilled, and will be fulfilled until the Day of Resurrection.

The first message is that Allah’s Book will remain until the Day of Resurrection. Otherwise, how would Muhammad invite all generations in his will to adhere to the Book of God if this book will disappear, be distorted, torn, abandoned, and forgotten?

The second miracle is in the unseen message of the Prophet which is the progeny. Many Muslim writers, Sunnis and Shiites, when they talk about what happened to the family of the Messenger of God, they say: No family in history was exposed to killing, imprisonment, and displacement as the family of the Prophet (PBUH).

Today, you find throughout the Islamic world graves of these descendants, the children of the Imams, the grandchildren of the Imams, the grandchildren of the Prophet. For example, the brothers in Iran use the term ‘Imamzadeh’. They’ve been displaced to Pakistan, India, and Africa, but God preserved them. The descendants of the Messenger of God and his household still remain to this day and will remain until the Day of Judgment.

The third miracle is that “these two will never separate from each other until they meet me at the Pool of al-Kawthar on the Day of Judgement.” Where there is the Book of God and the family of the Messenger of God (PBUH), He will perfect His light.

We believe that God will be fully perfect His complete and absolute light at the end of time when the earth is filled with equity, justice, monotheism, and worship of God alone, at the hands of the Awaited Mahdi (peace be upon him), the grandson of Muhammad (PBUH) and the descendant of Fatima, and Jesus Christ, son of Mary (peace be upon them). This is a divine promise that will be fulfilled.

Therefore, we, who believe in the words of God and the hadiths and miracles of the Messenger of God, look to the future with hope and certainty. We are certain about the future of humanity, and everything that humanity is suffering today are necessary stages in this struggle for it to become fit and qualified for that divine promise – when God Almighty perfects His glory and light.

Brothers and sisters, one of the means of soft warfare by which they want to extinguish the light of God is strife, strife among people, strife among Muslims. Therefore, this is an occasion for Islamic unity.

We do not need to infer the importance of unity. By unity we do not mean that all Muslims become Sunnis or all Muslims become Shiites or all Muslims follow a particular school of jurisprudence. No, we mean Islamic brotherhood and Islamic cooperation. We unite in our work to serve common goals that we do not fundamentally disagree on. We do not need reasoning.

From here, I delve into the political files. The October 1973 war took place around this time. When Egypt and Syria united and many Arab countries supported the Egyptian and Syrian Arab armies, "Israel" suffocated. It suffocated in every sense of the word.

A while ago, they published a document saying that the prime minister of the “Israeli” government at that time made a decision to use nuclear weapons because they felt that this war would destroy them and end their existence.

This unity in the October war almost achieved a decisive historic victory, and it was a historic victory. However, it was not allowed to be decisive. President Anwar Sadat unilaterally ceased fire, and the Syrian front remained alone, which wasted this historic opportunity.

This is an example of unity, dedication, and acting alone. When we bring together and unite the elements of power, we can achieve victories and achievements.

Today, the entire Islamic nation is concerned with bearing responsibility for what is happening in Palestine and for the Palestinian people who fight every day, make daily sacrifices, and offer martyrs every day. Dozens of people are arrested every day; their homes are demolished every day; and they are besieged. They’ve been starved for many years. The nation must bear responsibility, regardless of its preoccupations. It is not permissible to leave the Palestinian people alone or ignore what is happening to Al-Aqsa Mosque, especially in days like these.

Muslims in the world, their scholars, their politicians, their leaders, and their governments must bear responsibility. This matter must not be left and neglected because it may be the plan of the Zionists that what is happening nowadays become a normal, routine, traditional matter. Hence, in a lapse of time, the Al-Aqsa Mosque is divided and controlled or transformed into a Jewish synagogue. Or in a sudden moment, Al-Aqsa Mosque is destroyed for any argument or statement, while the Islamic world is silent and mummified.

This is a great responsibility that should not be neglected, and the Zionists must hear the voice of the Islamic world regarding the first qibla of Muslims. Unfortunately, instead of the Zionists hearing this strong voice from the Islamic world, we find some countries turning towards normalization.

I want to tell you today that regardless of what country heads towards normalization, when it signs a normalization agreement, it must be condemned and its action must be denounced. This has nothing to do with political relations and political etiquettes.

This is very serious because it is a blow to the Palestinian people, the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and the Islamic and Christian sanctities. It also abandons Palestine and strengthens the enemy, and it should not be tolerated at all.

With the time remaining, allow me to address some Lebanese files, some briefly, but I want to talk in detail about the Syrian displacement file.

Lebanese files:

1-    During the past days and weeks, we’ve heard many speeches, loud voices, and accusations. I will not respond to everything mentioned and reported because we do not want to be part of this political tension.

When we do not respond to accusations, loud voices, and threats, it does not mean that we agree with these accusations or their content. These are absurdities, trivialities, and lies.

In any case, this political tension and wrangling, especially in this manner, only lead to more noise and tension in the country. We want to spend our time and nerves on what is beneficial for our country.

2-    The land border file:

It is said that within days, there may be a new mediation regarding  this matter. Much is said and written about the position of the resistance and Hezbollah, in particular, its vision and responsibility.

I want to say that you know very well that with regard to the borders, we said previously that the land borders are already demarcated. The use of the phrase “border demarcation” is incorrect.

There are three points when it comes to the land borders file: 

1-    There are points occupied by the “Israelis” that Lebanon is demanding them to leave. These are specific border points. They are 13 known points. They agreed on some points and disagreed on the rest, the most important of which is point B1 in Naqoura.
2-    North of Ghajar and some of the refuges located there and belong to the town of Al-Mari
3-    The Shebaa Farms and the Kfarshouba Hills

For us, this issue is the responsibility of the Lebanese state. If the state accepts mediation or it engages in negotiations, that is its business. We are not concerned with either acceptance or response. In other words, we are not concerned with saying: ‘We accept this mediation or reject this mediation.’

We are not concerned with this matter. The state and state officials are concerned when it comes to this matter. I believe that the upcoming mediation, if it comes, will focus more on the issue of the northern Ghajar region because they want to resolve the issue of the two tents.

In all cases, it is the state’s responsibility. No one should link mediations over land borders with the presidential file. It is as if they are speaking on our behalf when it comes to this matter, and it is not true.

In other words, they are saying that we want to make concessions regarding the land borders and give up land in order to obtain certain support, American support or Western support, for the candidate that we support – former Minister Suleiman Franjieh.

This is absolutely out of the question. There is no connection whatsoever. The land border file is one thing and the presidential file is another.

Unfortunately, some people link the land borders file with the Iranian-American negotiation or the Iranian nuclear file. Don’t these Lebanese tire from absurdities and trivialities? Didn't they say the same thing during the maritime border and oil and gas fields negotiations?

They said that it was part of an Iranian-American deal, but nothing emerged from this deal. In fact, there were no American-Iranian negotiations related to this issue, and this issue was never brought up at the table of indirect American-Iranian negotiations. You should stop being ridiculous and stop these dull and baseless analyses. 

The issue of land borders is the issue of land borders. We take Lebanon’s natural right and our right to water in full. We take our right to land in full. We do not bargain it with any other files or in any other titles. 

In any case, if mediation of this kind occurs, and there is integration, solidarity, and cooperation between the resistance and the state, any step that helps liberate the land will also receive solidarity and cooperation between the resistance and the state in the next stage, God willing. ‏

Since we are talking about the maritime borders, you know that the majority of the Lebanese are betting that something will be explored in drilling and prospecting in Block 9. Unfortunately, there are people in Lebanon who are betting that nothing will be explored. To this extent, they are enemies of their people and their country to prevent a certain political party from recording a victory, knowing that this is a victory for Lebanon and a great achievement for Lebanon and the Lebanese people.

In any case, our preliminary information indicates that, as for the official announcement, the Ministry of Energy is supposed to announce this later, that all indicators are positive in Block 9.

One of the positive indicators in Block 9 is that today, regarding the issue of companies providing licenses, the same coalition of oil companies operating in Block 9 has submitted a request to take over blocks 8 and 10.

Experts say that if these companies believed that Block 9 had nothing important in it, they would not have applied to take responsibility for the other two blocks. In any case, only time will tell. God willing, there will be happy and useful news for the Lebanese. ‏

3-    The presidential file:

This is the file before the last that we will be shedding light on. There was an opportunity for dialogue that Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri called for. It was possible for the people to engage in dialogue, discuss, present candidates, and talk about guarantees, the future, and everything.

The initiative says that if we agreed on a candidate, we go and vote. If we disagreed on two names, we vote. However, this chance was wasted due to bickering and arrogance. What would happen if we sat together for a couple of days and sessions? Is that a waste of time? It’s been a year. 

In any case, we must see what’s become of the French initiative. The Qatari envoy is exerting daily efforts. ‏Dialog between Hezbollah and the Free Patriotic Movement is still ongoing. There is nothing clear or new in the near future, and we must wait to see more efforts in the presidential file.

4-    The Syrian refugee crisis:

In my opinion, the most important file these days and the one that concerns the Lebanese is the Syrian displacement file. Let us calmly tackle this file.

Today, there is a Lebanese consensus that the displacement file constitutes a threat, an economic threat, a social threat, a financial threat, a security threat. Some see it as an existential threat to Lebanon, to the survival of Lebanon, to the composition of Lebanon, and to Lebanon’s demographics.

There is a consensus that this file is a threat, a national consensus. What do these people do in the face of this threat? When you say there is a threat, you must take responsibility and carry out this responsibility. ‏

Each person makes a suggestion and hold the other responsible. This will not lead to a result. Bickering about the past can only be useful when reminding people of situations and mistakes and learning from them.

Today, I am calling for a national plan, a national strategy, a unified national program – call it whatever you want, a plan, strategy, or program – that the Lebanese would carry to the world. They would carry it to their friends abroad and use it to pressure the caretaker government, state institutions, the Lebanese army, the security forces, the municipalities, and society.

However, this plan should be considered, calculated, and agreed upon because working based on a nationally agreed-upon plan can lead to results.
Let me give you some examples. Today, we need statistics. The Lebanese state has not yet obtained statistics. We do not know the number of displaced Syrians in Lebanon. Who knows?

No one knows. God Almighty knows and the United Nations Commission, but in Lebanon, who knows? Everyone puts a number. Some say two million; others say a million and a half; some others say 3 million. At the very least, there must be an accurate census so that the Lebanese know what they will face.

There should also be statistics on Syrian families and a separate one on Syrian individuals. There are some young Syrians who are displaced to Lebanon while their families remain in Syria. On the other hand, entire Syrian families seek refuge in Lebanon.

In this census, a distinction must also be made between the labor force and the displaced so we do not confuse things. Lebanon always has 100,000 Syrian workers, 200,000, 300,000, and at one point, it reached 400,000 because, as you know, there are many jobs that we as Lebanese do not accept to do or undertake for many reasons.

Hence, even in some areas, when municipalities take some measures, some Lebanese shops, stores, factories, and farms protest because they need Syrian labor force.

This mix-up between the Syrian labor force and the displaced is wrong. Statistics and studies must clarify this issue to the people who will develop the plan so that we know the extent of the issue and how to address it. 

The most important issue is addressing the causes. To the Lebanese who feel in danger, you are addressing the results, but you are not addressing the causes and you are not helping in addressing the reasons. Today, the Lebanese say that there are two types of displacement:
1-    The security displacement: This was caused by the war on Syria. Who launched the war on Syria? America and its people. This is known. 

The American ambassador assigned to Damascus was the one who was managing the war in Syria. He was in Turkey, and the operations rooms were full of American and Arab generals. 

Security displacement happens when a war breaks out in any country. Displacement is a natural consequence. Do the Lebanese people know that the primary side responsible for the security exodus to Lebanon is the one who ignited the war in Syria – the American administration?

2-    The economic displacement: Now that war has failed, it’s time for the second type of displacement.  

Who is responsible for the economic displacement in Syria? The United States of America. Why? The primary party responsible for the security displacement to Lebanon is the one who ignited the war in Syria, which is the US administration.

When the war ended in Syria, international companies rushed to invest in it. This could have helped Syria recover. Its people would have remained there, and those who had immigrated or been displaced could have returned. Why? Because there is reconstruction, electricity, water, job opportunities, and an economy that is being rebuilt again. However, the United States of America imposed the Caesar Act.

Why do some Lebanese ignore these facts and hold the regime in Syria or the friends of Syria in Lebanon responsible? This is unfair. Why do you not hold those who made the decision to impose the Caesar Act, besiege Syria, and impose sanctions on all the companies and countries that were ready to invest in Syria. For this reason, Syria is suffering economically, hence affecting people’s livelihood. Therefore, this led to economic displacement.

The Lebanese who feel that the Syrian displacement threatens the existence of Lebanon, including the religious and political authorities that have strong relations with America, France, and the West, must know that the main responsibility falls on them to tell their friends that in order for Lebanon to remain, the Caesar Act must be abolished.

Have you done any of this? America and Europe are not our friends for us to talk to. They are your friends. But that's part of the plan because that's the real reason. I'm telling you now. If the Caesar Act on Syria is lifted and construction begins in it, the Russians and the Chinese, who are still hesitant, and the rest of the Arab companies and countries, might come to Syria. These hundreds of thousands of Syrians will return to their country. Returning them to their country will be easy and accessible, but there is surrender to the American will. ‏

Let us talk about the solution. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is doing whatever it wants in Lebanon. What happened to Lebanese sovereignty? Recently, we heard that the Commission began issuing residency cards in Lebanon. Where are the people calling for sovereignty? One solution is controlling the borders. This is true. 

Also, search for, hold accountable, and punish the smuggling rings and those being paid to smuggle large numbers of Syrian refugees to Lebanon, regardless of who they are. This is also a form of treatment.

In any case, I would like to suggest that if there is a possibility of establishing a committee of political forces, a committee of parliamentary blocs and representatives, a ministerial committee that has a comprehensive nature. In other words, the committee includes all forces, regardless of hostilities, rivalries, tension, and existing accusations. Aren’t you saying that this is an existential threat. Then, let us rise above everything and not link it to the presidential file or any other file. So as Lebanese who are facing an existential threat, what should we do to address it?

For example, we heard an idea from some political forces, some media professionals, and some who write on social networks. I am not saying that we are now adopting it, but rather it can be subject to study.

These people are wondering why the displaced Syrians are being prevented from leaving Lebanon to Europe via the sea. Why are you preventing them? When you prevent them from going, they resort to smuggling. They are forced to board rubber boats. This results in tragedies and drowning at sea. They are asking the Lebanese government and the Lebanese army.

This is an idea proposed in the country – they should let them board ships, not the rubber boats. The idea is not what some are suggesting that pack them and send them into the sea.

Rather, it can be approached humanitarianly; we can tell those displaced Syrians who wish to go to Europe to board ships without having to flee at night in rubber boats.

People who believe in this idea say that it will lead to an inevitable result – European countries will come submissively to Beirut, to the Saray and ask the Lebanese what they want so that they stop this migration of displaced people towards Europe. This is what Turkey and other countries did.
In any case, this idea is debatable. Even Hezbollah can sit and discuss this idea. Do we adopt it? Can we work based on it? The point is to make a plan. The state is taking measures and waiting for a plan to be developed.

I must draw attention to an important matter, brothers, that is happening now in Lebanon. We are two peoples, the Lebanese people and the Syrian people. We live next to each other, and we will remain next to each other due to geography, demographics, history, and the future.

There are a million and a half, two million Syrians in Lebanon, and they are from different regions of Syria. The existing atmosphere must not turn into hostility against these people. No one should break the law when addressing something illegal. No one should cross the line of morality; no one should commit injustice.

In other words, it is not permissible for some people in Lebanon to act like the shedding of the blood the displaced Syrians is acceptable and that it is acceptable to attack them and confiscate their money. 

Their hard-earned money must not be confiscated and must be returned to them. This is something that cannot be addressed with insults, beatings, aggression, or abuse.

This is a very dangerous matter. Neither religion, nor Sharia, nor the law allows this. Tomorrow, someone will come out saying that Sayed is defending the displaced Syrians. No, I am calling on people not to commit injustice. Injustice does not remedy a result.

There are laws in Lebanon, and we must work according to the law. As Lebanese, we have morals, customs, traditions, and religion, and we must act on this basis.

In the end, we call for this. Of course, some say Syria is your friend and you are allies. Why don’t you go to Syria and address the issue? This is what some genius politicians in Lebanon say, and it is misleading and ignorant. Are we a state?

States should address this. The most important evidence of the lie is that Hezbollah controls the state’s decision-making process. If Hezbollah is really controlling the state’s decision-making process in Lebanon, not only would a ministerial delegation have gone, but the Prime Minister of Lebanon would be in Syria already.

In any case, this is one of the many pieces of evidence that confirm the lie that Hezbollah controls the decision. So far, we have been unable to make this government send a respectable ministerial committee to discuss solutions with Syrian officials, knowing that the treatment is not only with the Syrians, as I mentioned at the beginning.

Addressing the matter starts somewhere else. It is not Syria, the Syrian regime, the leadership in Syria, the Syrian people or the displaced Syrians that are threatening the demographic situation in Lebanon and the nation with annihilation. The arrogant, ugly, and impudent American policies are the ones threatening demographics, existence, and the homeland. I don't want to mention names.

I know that when the American ambassador here learns that a security or military agency or a certain ministry has deported some Syrians back to Syria for a legal reason, she personally goes to them, meets with them, and conducts an investigation with them, a judicial and security investigation.

Who did that? Who made this decision? Who implemented this decision? The Lebanese must answer because there is a sword of sanctions hanging over their necks. What did the Lebanese get from the Americans? Praise, right? When a person from the US State Department met some Lebanese officials, he thanked them for their generosity in hosting the displaced Syrians. Other than that, what did they get? Nothing. ‏

This is the way to address the matter. Meanwhile, shifting responsibilities and political bickering will not lead to results. This did not liberate our land when the “Israeli” military occupation was a threat. This did not remove the takfiri threat when militants came to the eastern chain and sent car bombs. Today, any phenomenon that poses a threat must be confronted with action, not with accusations or insults. 

Brothers and sisters, on this day, the day of the noble birth of the Prophet, which we consider a day of joy, celebrations, and pride, we renew our pledge of allegiance to the Messenger of God, to his message, his Qur’an, his path to remain among the people of this light. We pledge to carry it, preserve it, and spread it in all the world, united and cohesive until we achieve for our people, our country, and our nation everything they aspire for in terms of justice, victory, pride, dignity, happiness, and stability, God willing.

Many Happy Returns, and may God’s peace, mercy, and blessings be upon you. ‏