In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
All praise is due to God, Lord of the Worlds, and peace and greetings be upon our Master and our Prophet, Muhammad, and his untainted, pure, immaculate Progeny, particularly the Remnant of God on earth.
I thank Almighty God for allowing me to be with you, my dear brothers, today in this Hussainiyah. You are very welcome here. And before I forget, I would like to thank and send my regards to all those who were kind enough to ask you to send me their greetings. Fortunately, this meeting is taking place in one of the most auspicious months and weeks of the year — the month of Rajab. Rajab is truly and rightly a blessed month.
Throughout this month [of Rajab], God’s mercy is at the disposal of people whose hearts remember the Lord. God's greatest blessing, Bitha [the appointment of Muhammad (pbuh) to prophethood], took place during this month. The Bitha of the Holy Prophet (pbuh) is the greatest, most blessed Eid for all of humanity and not just for Muslims. The birth of the Commander of the Faithful [Imam Ali (pbuh)] took place in this month, and there are a number of other blessed days in this month [as well]. God willing, all of you honorable gentlemen, our pious brothers throughout the country, and I will benefit from the blessings of this month.
Perhaps, the best deed one can do during this month is to ask God for forgiveness. We all truly need to ask Almighty God for forgiveness and to take refuge in Him. God's forgiveness is the greatest blessing that He bestows on a person in this world and in the hereafter. Even those closest to God and even God’s Prophet are in need of His forgiveness, “So that God may forgive your past sins and those to come …” (Quran 48:2). This [asking for] forgiveness is because it is impossible for any individual to fully satisfy their obligations regarding being obedient to God and worshiping Him. That’s the reason why we ask for forgiveness.
“We have not worshiped You with the worship You deserve” (Sahifah al-Sajjadiyyah, supplication 3). No one is able to fully fulfill their duty to worship and serve God in the manner that He deserves. Even if they struggle on this path as much as they can, they cannot do it. That’s the reason why we ask for forgiveness.
We are caught up in problems. People like me are filled with problems and mistakes from head to toe. We have spiritual problems and also problems in our hearts and actions among other things. Thus, we need to ask [God] for forgiveness. We all need to ask for forgiveness. This month [of Rajab] is the month of prayer. It is the month of tawassul [making entreaty to someone or something which has a high position before God in order to get near to God]. Fortunately, the supplications that the Guiding Imams (pbut) have taught us to recite during this month — the supplications that have been narrated from the Imams (pbuh) — are deeply meaningful, lofty and rich in content. God willing, we will benefit from these supplications.
God willing, what I would like to talk to you, my dear brothers, about today is the subject of leading the Friday Prayers. The Friday Prayer is a full chapter on its own. However, the main point I have in mind for our discussion today is about our duty. I too am one of the Friday Prayer leaders, if God accepts this from me. What do we need to do as Friday Prayer leaders, and how should we proceed? I would like to share a few things about this with you.
First of all, leading the Friday Prayers is one of the most difficult jobs. There are perhaps very few things that are as difficult as being a Friday Prayer leader. The reason for that is that the leader of the Friday Prayer must keep both God and the people in mind. During the prayer and sermon, sincerity and attention to the Lord are necessary, for if this is not the case and a person’s heart is devoid of the intention of getting close to God and being sincere, their words will not be effective. The prayer will not be blessed. This [intention for God] is necessary and so is paying attention to the people.
In prayers other than the Friday Prayers, as the poet says, “My back is to the people, and my face is toward God.” However, in this particular prayer, not only is your back not to the people, but your face is actually directed toward the people. You face both the people and God.
You must keep in mind God’s satisfaction as well as the public interest and the satisfaction of the people. So this is very difficult. This is one of the most difficult things to do. Well, I will talk some about the concept of "facing the people" later.
I would like to remind you of an Islamic principle here, and that is the role of the people in the Islamic system and basically in Islamic life. According to Islam, according to the Quran, and considering the collection of Islamic rules, people are very important in moving the Islamic society, Islamic community, and the Islamic community’s life. The people play a significant role.
Consider the renowned sentence of Commander of the Faithful [Imam Ali (pbuh)], “If the people had not come to me and supporters had not exhausted their arguments … I would have cast the rope of the Caliphate on its own shoulders” (Nahj al-Balaghah, sermon 3), in which both the role of the people as well as the rights of the people have been mentioned. “The role of the people” implies that if the people do not to go to the person who believes that the right is his and who wants to take on a responsibility, then the person is not obliged to pursue that right, “I would have cast the rope of the Caliphate on its own shoulders.” [He is saying,] “If the people weren’t there, I wouldn’t have a duty. It wasn’t obligatory for me.” That is the significance of the people’s role. If the people are not with or around even someone like the Commander of the Faithful, Ali ibn Abi Talib (pbuh), then he will say, “I have no duty.” But if the people approach him, then it is wajib [religiously obligatory] for him to accept the responsibility. Thus, he accepted the responsibility. The people went to him, pressured him, insisted that he should accept the Caliphate, and he did. The role of the people is this important.
In the sermon related to [the Battle of] Siffin, this phrase by the Commander of the Faithful is of the utmost importance: “No person — however high his position in truth, and however great his distinction in religion may be — is above co-operation in connection with the obligations placed on him by God” (Nahj al-Balaghah, sermon 216). No matter how high a person’s inherent, existential, scientific, and religious value is, there is no one who does not need the assistance of people. “… co-operation in connection with the obligations placed on him by God,” means that if he seeks to fulfill his duty and responsibility, he will need to do it with the help of people. That “help” is from people. The entire sermon shows this. The phrase preceding this phrase and the one after it make it clear that what is being implied here is people’s help. In other words, Imam Ali (pbuh) needs the people's help.
Now the "people" we are referring to, whether they possess a certain social status — for example, they are people who are active in a scientific, religious, or political sphere — or they are from the masses of the people, their help is needed. “It is He who strengthened you with His help and with the believers” (Quran 8:62). This is very important! The Almighty God puts the believers’ help at the same level as His assistance. In other words, if the believers had not helped the Prophet, he would not have been victorious. Therefore, the first thing the Prophet did was to build believers, to make [a community of] believers.
Thus, it is clear that achieving Islamic goals — now may it be the Islamic system or ultimately, the Islamic civilization — is impossible without the presence, attention, and effort of the people. The people must want it. They must come and take action. This is one of our principles. Now, a person who holds a government position, in order to attract, draw, and bring the people into the scene, needs to act in a manner, and another person who may be the Friday Prayer leader needs to act in a different manner. We need to keep in mind that the people are the main issue. This is one of the principles of Islam. Without this, nothing can be accomplished. We will not be able to achieve the goals and reach a pure life.
Therefore, one can say that this is the main reason why Almighty God has composed the Friday Prayer. The composition and the rules of the Friday Prayer are to ensure the people's presence on the scene. Well, there are [also] other [group] prayers besides the Friday Prayer. Those who wish to attend, come. Those who do not wish to attend, don’t come. People come, pray, and then leave.
But the person who attends the Friday Prayers is spoken to, words are said. Ideas are presented to them, and they are provided with direction and plan. As a matter of fact, the purpose of the Friday Prayer is to keep the person who is present on the scene there on the scene. If someone is weak in this, it will make them quick. It will get them moving. This is how the composition of the Friday Prayer is. The wisdom behind the Friday Prayer can actually be understood to be the following: the main issue is the people's presence, and the next issue is advancement and an increase in the people’s presence.
The portion of the Friday Prayer that distinguishes it from other prayers is the sermon. Those two rakats [units] of prayer are a part of all the prayers. The part that is exclusive is the sermon. The thing that is commonly addressed in almost all of the narrations concerning the Friday Prayer sermon is the issue of "preaching." Preaching in the sermon is mentioned in all these narrations concerning the Friday Prayer.
Therefore, it is apparent that the main focus of our sermons [in the Friday Prayers] is preaching. What is preaching? When we say "preaching," we immediately think of moral, mystical, spiritual preaching, and such things. Yes, moral preaching is the most important thing that needs to be communicated, because that is the foundation, and I will say a few words about that later. However, sermons are not limited to just that, and there is also political and social preaching.
Fazl ibn Shadhan narrates this meaningful phrase from Imam Reza (pbuh), “And he informs them of what is coming to them from around the world.” The Friday Prayer leader informs the people about events in the world in his sermon. “He informs people about the events that are to their benefit or their loss” (Wasail al-Shia, 7: 344). So, we shouldn’t just go and tell people, “O you who believe! Be wary of God.” No, you need to tell your audience about what is taking place in the world and anything that is related to them that may be to their harm or benefit. If there is an enemy that may harm your audience, inform them about the existence of that enemy. If there is a way to protect them from that enemy, you need to tell them. And you should tell them about the world’s political situation and condition.
“And he informs them of what is coming to them from around the world” is political. This is what we mean by “political preaching.” Of course, it is evident that if you wish to talk about what is coming to your audience from around the world, you need to first address the events taking place inside your own country. If there is a sedition, if there is a conspiracy, if there is something harmful, if there is a benefit, if there is a service, if there is something that needs to be done, if there is something that is unfinished, if there is a task that is to the benefit of the people and sharing this information can be helpful, you need to inform them about it and include these topics in your sermon. These topics will never get old, because events are not always repeated. There may be one event this week and a different one the following week. You need to keep them informed.
[Next is] social preaching. We have issues within our society that are not political, but they are vital for society. For example, there is the issue of having children and having a young population which is a vital matter. Some of the enemies of the Iranian nation are sitting in a corner of the world and devising strategies to prevent an increase in the population in Iran. Imagine now, that a country with so many material facilities and resources, a strategic geographical location, and other such things, with this talented population that our country has, has a population of, for example, 150 million or 200 million people! This is a great danger to them. [Thus, the enemy has made plans] to prevent such growth.
Who are the human driving force that move the country forward? The youth. A few years ago, when we reported some statistics about the country, we said that a certain percentage of the country's population — a high percentage — were young people. Today it is not the same. The percentage has lessened. If this decline continues and the country becomes dominated by an aging population, it will no longer progress. This is the enemies’ plan. I once told the whole nation in a public speech that I am one of the people who made a mistake in raising and pursuing this issue in the 1990s. Well, it was a good thing at the beginning, but continuing this was a mistake. We should not have made this mistake. Now, this is a social issue that we need to tell the people about.
There is also the subject of the marriage of the youth. They keep raising the age of marriage. They keep delaying it! Well, this is a social problem. It is a social issue. This should be explained to the public. Young people, both girls and boys, should get married when it is time, at the right time as much as possible. This verse from the Holy Quran is addressed to us, “If they are poor, God will enrich them out of His grace, and God is Bounteous, Knowing” (24:32). This is the word of God. We need to share this with the people. These are social issues. They are preachings. This is what is meant by “social preaching.”
And there is the issue of wasting. One of the problems of our country now is the problem of wasting. We waste water. We waste bread. We waste leftover food. Some people, who are financially able to, even waste household appliances. We waste electricity. These are social issues. We must preach the people, tell them, and draw attention to the fact that we shouldn’t do these things.
So, consider this. The Friday Prayer is a place for preaching, and not just moral preaching. In his book, Tahrir al-Wasilah, Imam Khomeini (ra) speaks about the sermons of the Friday Prayer. [What he says is that] during the Friday Prayers, you should tell people about what is happening in the Islamic countries, as well as matters that are related to the country's independence, relations with other nations, and the interference of foreign governments in the country. He says that you should mention these things in the Friday Prayer sermons. No matter who your audience is — whether they have a regular job, they are a typical laborer, or a typical business owner — they need to know these things. So what does this mean? It means enriching your audience's thoughts. You enrich the audience's thoughts. In other words, you broaden their knowledge so that they can think and act correctly in the issues of their personal and social lives.
Of course, these preachings are about politics and society. Moral preaching too, in its own place, is at a high point, and a person needs a tenderness in spirit and edification of the carnal self. Our hearts are contaminated. Our hearts are contaminated with misplaced likings, unwarranted enmities, inappropriate desires, and undue attachments.
Well, this affects our actions. It sets us back. It causes problems for us and it has caused problems for us. [Therefore] we need a tender spirit. “O God, fill my heart with love for You, awe of You, belief and faith in You, fear of You, and yearning for You” (Al-Kafi, 4: 561). The heart must serve as a vessel for God's love. It must be tender. This also requires moral preaching. We must educate others about asking for God’s forgiveness. One of the things that should be talked about in the sermon is, "I seek forgiveness from God for both myself and you.” We should ask [God] to forgive both us and our audience, and we should teach them to do this too. We should truly teach ourselves this. Asking forgiveness is not just limited to saying, “I ask for God’s forgiveness.”
There is a well-known sermon in Nahja al-Balaghah [where Imam Ali (pbuh) asks], “Do you know the meaning of istighfar [asking for forgiveness]?” (wisdom 417). Asking for forgiveness has several conditions and is made up of several elements that constitute true istighfar, but we will not delve into that now. So, that was one point about the Friday Prayer sermons. The content of the sermon must include a comprehensive preaching. There are also other factors about the sermon — both about the sermon itself, the content of the sermon, and also about the behavior and conduct of the Friday Prayer leader — which are important matters and which significantly influence the impact of the sermons.
One issue is the matter of a needs assessment. When you are going to have a talk, ascertain what it is that your audience needs. Know your audience. We may say something to a particular group and it may be appropriate for that group. However, it may be inappropriate to say the same thing somewhere else. That is, it may not be useful for them. So, one of the issues is to know our audience. Now, in your case, you have a diverse audience that includes the young, the old, women, men, and people with varying levels of education. There are all kinds of people in your audience.
You must demonstrate your skills in a way that will be useful for each group and everyone can benefit from your speech. Well, most of you are young. You know that the minds of today’s youth are exposed to an influx of strange ideas and information. This was not the case a few years ago. It is very different from the way things were during my younger years, but up until just 20 years ago, this large influx of ideas and information for young people did not exist in the way that it exists today. All kinds of opinions and discussions can be found on social media platforms, etc. Well, this young person’s mind is filled with a large amount of information. You need to know what they understand, what they want, what is going on in their minds, and what questions they may have. You must know what their questions are.
So, how can we find out about these? Imagine you live in another city, and you go to a certain city for prayers just one or two days a week, or you have limited communications with the people in that city. Well, you will not be able to identify and assess their needs. To know their needs, you need to interact with them. This is why we say that the Friday Prayer leader needs to be with the people. They should be present in the community, be among the people, and be aware of the people’s thoughts and concerns. One of the things that is needed for you to be able to prepare the sermon according to the needs of your audience is studying. In Islam, religious knowledge is very broad and includes all the details and needs of a person’s life. How can you find out about these? By studying. By becoming well acquainted with the Quran, the hadiths, and knowledge-related books. Studying is very necessary. The need for studying and reading books is constant. Reading books is necessary and essential.
Another point about leading the Friday Prayers is the issue of caring for and being kind to the people. Now, some of us naturally love the people. We love the people of our city, the people of our region, and our audience. Our people are very good. They are pious, even those who may not adhere to some of the Islamic rules in appearance. This lack of commitment in some actions does not mean they lack devotion in their hearts. Their hearts are devoted to God. Their hearts are immersed in spiritual concepts and ideas. They have faith. We all have shortcomings in our actions. Who among us does not have any shortcomings in actions? Each of us has shortcomings in different ways. I have certain shortcomings, you have certain shortcomings, and he/she has certain shortcomings. Our people are faithful people. Our people are loyal. Our people are ready to help.
Look at how we have faced numerous issues in the country over the past 40 years or so. There have been countless conspiracies against us. There have been numerous attacks in propaganda, in action, by the military, in economics, and in other such areas coming from all around us. Who defended the Islamic system? It was these very people. They were the ones who took to the streets whenever the need arose. They were the ones who were patient when patience was needed. They were the ones who gave their support when support was needed. They were the ones who shouted slogans when slogans were needed. When it was necessary for them to go to the battlefield, they went to the battlefield.
Imam [Khomeini] said, “The faith of our people surpasses that of those in the early days of Islam” (Sahifeh-ye Imam, 17: 151). He stated this with conviction. Some may be surprised by this.
Now, let’s draw a comparison. The Holy Prophet (pbuh) is the highest person in the entire universe. Who can we compare the Holy Prophet to in order to say that the Prophet is one thousand times higher [than that person]? What’s a thousand times? Let’s say the status of a great person whom we know, such as Imam Khomeini (ra), is one billionth that of the Prophet (pbuh). Is it possible to compare any individuals to the Prophet?
Those people in the city of Medina had such an outstanding figure like the Prophet among them. It was the beginning of their revolution too, for example, it was the second year of the revolution at the time of the Battle of Badr. The Prophet lead them toward the battlefield. The Quran states, “But you wanted the unarmed group to be yours” (8:7). There were two groups. One group was a group of combatants from among the unbelievers who were coming. The other group was a group of merchants. It [the Quran] says that they desired to confront the group of merchants, “But you wanted the unarmed group to be yours.” Of course, they went and fought, and praise God they were victorious. It was very good, but it was their heart's desire [to confront the group of merchants].
Compare this to the young man who during the time of the Sacred Defense had a beloved wife, a small child, loving parents, and a comfortable home. When Imam [Khomeini] delivered a message, this young man — who had neither seen the Imam, nor heard this from the Imam in person, and had only heard the Imam's message on the radio — left all these behind. Because of Imam Khomeini’s message, he got up, went to the battlefront, and started fighting. It was the same with the Defenders of the Shrine even though there was a 30-year time span between these two remarkable movements.
That is the nature of our people. Our people are pious, enthusiastic, loyal, and intelligent. We must appreciate them. We must truly love them. The people have not refrained from making sacrifices for Islam, their country, and the Islamic system. They have done everything they should have done and could do. So, this is another point that we should love the people.
Love comes from both sides. If we love the people, if you love the people, they will love you too. They will be fond of you too. That is when your words will touch their hearts. Love is an elixir. When the relationship is loving and friendly in nature, your words will have an effect on them and they will move on that path that you describe for them based on what Almighty God has said.
Another point, which is similar to the point about preaching, is the subject of taqwa [piety]. It has been repeated in the hadiths, in the fatwa of the religious scholars, and in such people that the Friday Prayer leader must invite people to piety. At first glance, piety may seem to be a personal matter. Piety means is "forbearance," and this is a personal matter. However, piety is also a social practice. In other words, it is a matter that is related to [both] the individual’s heart and action, and also to the society as a whole. This is because the Almighty God states, “Cooperate in goodness and piety” (Quran 5:2). Therefore, piety involves collaboration and making a collective effort. “Cooperate in goodness and piety.” The places where people participate and work together effectively are demonstrations of piety.
With regard to piety, there is [a concept called] political piety, which involves refraining from committing sins in politics. The field of politics is an area where many go astray. But everyone must be political. That is, in the world of Islam, there is no apolitical area, and Islam is a political religion. As you have understood from my previous talks, everyone needs to be involved in politics. However, politics is an area where many go astray. In the absence of piety, individuals are prone to making mistakes and going astray. By practicing piety, exercising self-restraint, and being vigilant while pursuing politics, it is possible to avoid the pitfalls.
If there is political piety, then the enemy’s psychological warfare will be ineffective. One example of the enemy's psychological warfare is “the blame of any blamer” (Quran 5:54). A person does a good deed, then several disreputable people start questioning him about why he did that. He may say something good, only to be threatened by others because of what he said. That is the nature of the field [of politics].
If one has piety, then he/she should “not fear the blame of any blamer” (Quran 5:54). In this verse from the Quran, which states, “Do not fear the blame of any blamer,” the Holy Prophet pointed to Salman and said, the part in the verse which states, “God will soon bring a people whom He loves and who love Him” (5:54), is referring to his [Salman’s] nation. This is how we should deal with the enemy’s psychological warfare, and this is one example of soft warfare that you should not be afraid of. You should not fear “the blame of any blamer.”
One important matter to note regarding the Friday Prayer and sermons, which is going to be my final remark for today, is to encourage everyone, including your audience, to participate in various fields. For instance, individuals can contribute in social fields and social services. Suppose it is decided to build a school in a certain city. You need to encourage the people to take part in this and urge them to help as much as they can and in any way they can. Or let's suppose some philanthropists decide to build a hospital in a certain city. These charitable undertakings have always existed, and they still exist. Or, for example, they may decide to pay the blood money that is owed by some prisoners who are in prison because of their debt. By doing this, those prisoners will be released from prison. People should be encouraged to take part in these sorts of righteous actions. This is a field, a field of social issues.
[There is also] the field of political issues, such as the elections. The elections are a perfect example of a political field. Regarding the elections, I have mentioned many times that the elections are a political field in which the presence of the people is truly necessary. That is, it is both a duty and the people’s right. Participating in the elections is not just a duty. It is a right. It is your right. It is the people’s right to choose the person they want to write or implement the laws for them. They should take part in the elections. Or they choose the Assembly of Experts to choose the Leader. This is the people’s right. They should exercise this right by participating in the elections.
Of course, as I said, this cannot be achieved through just verbal communications. Talking is effective. Both dialogues and clarifications are truly a form of jihad. Clarifying things to people and speaking to them are indeed a form of jihad. But it is not limited to these. As I mentioned before, there should also be action. This should be done while showing a pleasant countenance, while being responsive, and by being present in various public gatherings, especially in the gatherings of the youth. Now, these were some points about leading the Friday Prayers. As I said, being a Friday Prayer leader is truly a difficult job. It is one of the most difficult jobs. [But] God willing, the reward given by Almighty God is in proportion to its difficulty.
Our Islamic issue at the international level today is the issue of Gaza. God’s hand can be seen in the case of Gaza. These people, these oppressed, strong people, have been able to influence the world. Today the world is influenced by the battles of the Palestinians and the people of Gaza. The world sees these people as being heroes. It sees the Palestinians, their fighters, and the resistance groups as heroes. These people are heroes.
It is interesting how people around the world agree to two things about the people of Gaza and Palestine at the same time. On the one hand, they see the Palestinians are oppressed. On the other hand, they are seen as being victorious. This is a widely held belief across the globe. People have understood they [the Palestinians] are oppressed. They’ve understood they [the Palestinians] are being oppressed. They are both oppressed and victorious. There is no one in the world today who believes that the evil, usurping Zionist regime has won the war in Gaza. Everyone says they [the Zionists] have failed. Conversely, the usurping regime is a cruel, oppressive, bloodthirsty wolf in the opinion of the people of the world, the world’s politicians, and the masses of the people around the world, regardless of whether they are Muslims or non-Muslims. That regime is ruthless and has been overpowered and defeated. It is disheartened and has fallen apart.
This is the effect of patience and trust [in God]. The people of Gaza have spread Islam with their resilience. The seekers of truth around the world want to see what it is that keeps the Palestinians steadfast like this. They want to find out what Islam is. They [the Palestinians] have introduced Islam [to the world]. They have made the Quran dear to many people. O Lord! By Muhammad and Muhammad’s progeny, increase the respect and honor of the fighters of the Resistance Front, especially the oppressed Gazan people and fighters.
What the people of Yemen and the Ansar Allah government did was truly magnificent. What they did in support of the people of Gaza is truly and rightly worthy of praise. They struck a blow to the lifeline of the Zionist regime. The US threatened them, but they didn’t fear the US. That’s how they are! They didn’t fear the US. When a person fears God, he does not fear anyone else. What they did is truly and rightly an example of fighting on the path of God. And we hope that, God willing, these struggles, this resistance, and these actions will continue until victory is achieved, by the will of Almighty God.
May God, make all those whose actions are for the cause of God and to seek His satisfaction successful and victorious. May God protect you and make you truly successful on this path.
May God’s greetings, mercy, and blessings be upon you.
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