In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
His Eminence, Sayyed Ali Fadlallah, delivered the two Friday prayer sermons at the Imamain Al-Hassanain Mosque JamadiI 3, 1448H/ October 16, 2026. Several prominent religious scholars, dignitaries and hundreds of believers attended the Jumu’a prayer. Following is summary of his sermons

Friday Sermon

Lady Zainab (a.s.): Steadfastness in Stance and Conservation of the Message

Allah, The Most Exalted, says:

“Indeed, Allah intends only to remove from you the impurity, O people of the [Prophet’s] household, and to purify you with [extensive] purification.” Allah the Almighty has spoken the truth.

Today, on the fifth of Jamada al-Awwal, we commemorate the anniversary of the birth of the pride of Banu Hashim, Lady Zainab (a.s.). From the moment she came into this world, she was blessed by the breezes of prophethood and Imamate and raised in a household that Allah, The Most Exalted, had chosen to purify.

She grew up under the care of her grandfather, the Messenger of Allah (p.), during the five years she lived with him and in his presence. She was also raised by her father, Imam Ali (a.s.), the Commander of the Faithful, and her mother, Lady Fatima al-Zahra (a.s.), whose qualities she embodied in her own personality. She was devoted to worship and was known as the devoted worshipper of the family of Muhammad because of her abundant worship and nightly prayers. It is reported that Imam Zain al-Abidin (a.s.) said: “My aunt Zainab never abandoned her night prayer, not even on the night of the eleventh of Muharram.”

She was also a woman of profound knowledge, as Imam Zain al-Abidin (a.s.) indicated when he saw the extent of her learning. He told her: “You are, by the grace of Allah, learned without having been taught, and understanding without having been instructed.”

She used to hold gatherings for women in Kufa, teaching them the Quran and explaining its meanings. She was also eloquent and gifted in public speaking.

Among the clearest testimonies to her knowledge are the sermons attributed to her, which she delivered in Kufa and in Damascus, in Yazid’s court. One man who attended her sermon in Kufa during the captives’ journey bore witness to her eloquence, powerful reasoning, and ability to move her audience, saying: “I saw Zainab, daughter of Ali (a.s.), and it was as though she was speaking with the tongue of the Commander of the Faithful (a.s.).” We all know the standing of Ali (a.s.) in knowledge, eloquence, and mastery of speech.

Lady Zainab (a.s.) was someone to whom the poor and needy turned. She cared for orphans and showed them tenderness. Her role became particularly evident during the captivity, when she put their needs before her own in matters of food and comfort.

Nor did she neglect another essential responsibility: that of a wife who was devoted to her married life with her husband, Abdullah ibn Ja’far, and a mother who worked to build a family that would be far from ordinary. Rather, she established a model of moral character, faith, generosity, giving, and sacrifice, culminating in martyrdom.

Throughout all this, Lady Zainab (a.s.) understood that she had a mission to fulfil. During her father’s lifetime, she supported him as he bore the responsibilities of the caliphate. She also stood by her brother, Imam al-Hassan (a.s.), through his ordeal with Muawiyah, which ultimately led to the peace agreement between them.

She did not hesitate to answer the call of Imam al-Hussein (a.s.) when he decided to set out for Kufa, the launching point of his uprising against the corrupt and deviant rule of Yazid. Her decision was not driven by emotion or merely by a sister’s desire to accompany her brother. Rather, it stemmed from her conviction that this was the soundest path to confronting the corruption and deviation that had taken root within the Muslim community and to reforming its condition.

Lady Zainab (a.s.) knew that this path would neither be easy nor free of obstacles, and that it would entail sacrifices and the shedding of blood. She was therefore not taken by surprise by what happened in Karbala. She had prepared herself to bear it.

Despite the wounds she suffered, we saw her remain composed, patient, and steadfast. The tragedies did not defeat her or prevent her from fulfilling her role. She acted in accordance with her brother al-Hussein’s (a.s.) instructions, finding relief in Allah’s consolation. She did not scratch her face, nor did she utter words of despair, anguish, or woe, despite witnessing the deaths of her dearest loved ones in Karbala and the tragedies recorded by history.

Whether amid the battle of Karbala or in its aftermath, her resolve was clear: there was no time to surrender to grief, weeping, or retreat. The journey had to continue, and the objectives for which such immense sacrifices had been made had to be preserved.

This was evident when she stood with dignity and unshakable resolve before the army of Umar ibn Sa’d. They expected her to wail, weep, collapse, and humble herself before them. Instead, she lifted the body of her brother al-Hussein (a.s.) in her hands and turned to Allah, The Most Exalted, saying: “O Allah, accept this offering from us. It is enough for us that You are pleased.”

Later, in Kufa, in the court of Ibn Ziyad, he asked her with malicious satisfaction over what had befallen al-Hussein (a.s.) and his family: “How did you see what Allah did to your brother and your family?” She replied: “I saw nothing but beauty.”

She saw beauty in the actions of those who had given their lives in Karbala—not for wealth or position, but to enjoin what is right, forbid what is wrong, confront corruption, deviation, and oppression, and uphold the religion of Allah.

Lady Zainab (a.s.) was confident that this blood would give rise to dignity, honor, and renewed life within the Muslim community. And that is exactly what happened. She expressed this conviction when she stood before Yazid in Damascus, after he believed he had eliminated the obstacle standing in his way. Speaking with the dignity and pride she embodied, she declared:

“Plot whatever you will, and strive as hard as you can. By Allah, you will never erase our remembrance, extinguish our revelation, reach our ultimate purpose, or wash away the disgrace that clings to you. Your judgment is nothing but folly, your days are numbered, and your forces will be scattered.”

Despite all her wounds and suffering, Lady Zainab (a.s.) fulfilled her role during the captivity and later in Medina. She understood that her responsibility was to expose the truth about what had happened in Karbala and clarify the objectives behind Imam al-Hussein’s (a.s.) uprising, in the face of Umayyad propaganda that sought to distort and conceal the truth.

She (a.s.) understood that the battle had not ended in Karbala. Another battle lay ahead: the battle for memory and awareness. She worked to ensure that the sacrifices would not be forgotten or stripped of their meaning. In this way, she kept Karbala alive as a cause that would transcend generations and remain deeply rooted in every heart. Its memory was preserved on the tongues of people and those who visit her shrine either in Damascus or Egypt, as well as those who yearn to visit them.

Dear brothers and sisters,

One of the gravest mistakes any society can make is to measure truth and falsehood by the standards of material or military gain and loss.

From Lady Zainab (a.s.), we learn that victory cannot be reduced to the outcome of a military battle or material calculations. A community may suffer defeat in battle yet preserve its principles. Blood may be shed and destruction may occur in a struggle for truth, yet dignity can be preserved. A people may pay a heavy price for taking a principled stand, yet prevent falsehood from becoming an accepted truth and an established reality.

Dear brothers and sisters,

We commemorate Lady Zainab (a.s.) not merely to recall events from a bygone era, but to transform her life into a guiding path for our own. We should draw inspiration from her in all the challenges we face.

We must learn from her that no matter how great a calamity may be, it must not bring an end to the mission we carry in life or the cause we defend. No matter how intense the pain, it must not deprive a person of their will. No matter how besieged the truth may be, it must never be abandoned. There will always be someone to uphold it and defend it. The future will never belong to the oppressors, the corrupt, and the tyrants, no matter how powerful and arrogant they become.

Lady Zainab (a.s.) thus presented a model of a woman who brings together faith, awareness, responsibility, and compassion, alongside sound judgment and strength of character. She is not a passive recipient of events, but a shaper of awareness, a guardian of values, and a true partner to man in shouldering responsibility and fulfilling her role.

We ask Allah, The Most Exalted, to grant us the insight He granted her in matters of faith, steadfastness upon the truth, the courage to speak it, and the commitment to work for the exaltation of His word, no matter how great the challenges and calamities may be.

The Second Sermon

Worshippers of Allah, I counsel you and myself to follow the advice Allah, The Most Exalted, gave His Prophet (p.) when He said:

“My Lord has instructed me in nine things: to be sincere in private and in public; to be just in contentment and anger; to be moderate in wealth and poverty; to forgive those who wrong me; to give to those who withhold from me; to maintain ties with those who sever them with me; to make my silence reflection, my speech remembrance, and my gaze a source of lessons.”

Let us take to heart the counsel Allah gave His Messenger (p.), for these are among the most important counsels. We must be sincere and avoid the contradiction between what we believe and what we practice. Nor should other people’s opinions determine our actions.

We must be just towards Allah’s servants, ensuring that emotions and personal interests do not control our judgments—that love does not lead us to favoritism and anger does not lead us to injustice. We must also act with moderation, so that wealth does not lead us to extravagance and poverty does not cause us to lose our balance.

We must elevate the quality of our human relationships by forgiving those who wrong us and refusing to let the wrongdoing of others determine the standard of our own morals. We should give to those who withhold from us, allowing our generosity to spring from our values and principles rather than treating it as a reward for the kindness of others. We should maintain ties with those who sever them with us, so that resentment does not become a permanent rule governing our relationships.

We must also promote awareness in our thinking, speech, and observation. Silence should not be empty, but an opportunity for reflection and self-examination. Speech should not be frivolous or hurtful, but a conscious expression of goodness, truth, and justice. We should not merely look at the outward appearance of events, but understand their implications and draw lessons and insights from them.

When we truly understand these precious counsels from our Lord, the All-Forgiving, the Most Merciful, we will become more aware, more responsible, and better prepared to face challenges.

We begin with the ongoing Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon, including airstrikes on areas adjacent to the enemy’s occupation positions. Meanwhile, the enemy continues to pursue its policy of blowing up buildings, infrastructure, and institutions in the villages and towns it occupies. It has become clear that the aim is to consolidate its occupation of these areas and prevent their residents from returning—a goal the enemy has repeatedly declared openly.

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We must remain alert to the possibility that the enemy may undertake military action to expand the areas under its occupation or launch airstrikes beyond the areas it is currently targeting.

In light of these developments, we renew our call on the Lebanese state, which is responsible for extending its sovereignty over every part of the country, to fulfil its duty to protect Lebanon and work to stop the daily devastation suffered by villages and towns under occupation or adjacent to occupied areas.

The state must prevent its sovereignty over its land and airspace from being violated, so that the Lebanese people can feel that they live under a state capable of protecting them and shielding them from the dangers they face. It must not leave them to suffer alone when crises arise and challenges intensify.

Foremost among the challenges confronting us today is the occupation, in response to which the state has yet to demonstrate the necessary level of action. As a result, the country remains dependent on pressure being exerted on the enemy—pressure that may never materialize.

Turning to the displaced, we call on the state to fulfil its responsibilities towards them and assume the leading role in providing assistance.

These people have the right to expect their state to provide them with what they need to continue their lives with dignity, after being driven from their homes and losing many of their houses, livelihoods, and sources of income. The state is obliged to provide them with the means to endure until they can return when circumstances permit, and to serve as their refuge and source of protection. This is their right, not a favor bestowed upon them.

We must also acknowledge and commend all the initiatives undertaken by organizations, associations, institutions, and individuals, both in Lebanon and abroad, in support of the displaced. Such efforts deserve our appreciation and gratitude, as they reflect an awareness of their responsibility towards these people. However, they cannot replace the role that the state itself must fulfil.

At a time when the economic and living conditions continue to deteriorate on every level, we renew our call on the government to act swiftly and introduce measures that ease the burden on citizens.

This requires strengthening effective and serious oversight of the prices of goods and foodstuffs, healthcare, private electricity generators, water, and transport…

The government must also adopt a serious fiscal policy that benefits the public treasury without placing further pressure on the pockets of the Lebanese people.

While calling on the state to fulfil its responsibilities, we also call for stronger social solidarity among the Lebanese, and for greater compassion, cooperation, and mutual support in confronting the difficult living conditions.

No one should exploit the vulnerability of those who need assistance in securing housing, medical treatment, or medication. Rather, we must be a source of ease for their pain and suffering, not a source of further hardship.

We turn now to developments in the region, where fears are growing of a renewed war between the Islamic Republic of Iran, the United States of America, and the Zionist entity.

Meanwhile, the ongoing war in Yemen is intensifying, along with all its consequences and repercussions for the security of the region. These developments call on Arab and Islamic countries to make every effort to contain the situation and stop this bloodshed, which is intended to weaken every source of strength in the region and thereby open the way for those seeking to dominate it and control its decisions.

Amid all these developments, we must not forget what is happening in Palestine. The Palestinian people in Gaza continue to suffer despite the ceasefire, while the siege remains in place. The same policy is being pursued in the West Bank and Jerusalem.

In the face of these developments, we place the human conscience and the international community before a historic responsibility: to exert pressure on the Zionist entity and prevent it from continuing its aggressive practices against the Palestinian people, while safeguarding their legitimate rights and their right to live with dignity on their own land.