The Friday sermon for Aug 21, 2026 - Sayed Hashim Behbehani Mosque - Sheikh Ali Hassan Ghuloum - Kuwait

 

The 1st sermon: The Testament of Imam al-Askari

On the anniversary of the martyrdom of Imam Hasan al-Askari (peace be upon him), we pause to reflect on the advice he gave to some of his Shia. As narrated in Tuhaf al-Uqul, he (p.b.u.h) wrote:

"I advise you to be mindful of Allah (Taqwa), to be pious in your religion, to strive for the sake of Allah, to be truthful in speech, and to return the trust to the one who entrusted you, whether he is righteous or wicked. I advise you to prolong your prostration and to be good neighbors; for this is what Muhammad (peace be upon him and his progeny) brought. Pray in their tribes [among the general Muslim community], attend their funerals, visit their sick, and fulfill their rights. For if a man among you is pious in his religion, truthful in his speech, fulfills the trust, and is of good character with the people, it will be said, 'This is a Shia,' and that brings me joy. Fear Allah, and be an ornament [for us], and do not be a disgrace. Draw every love toward us and repel every ugliness from us; for whatever good is said about us, we are worthy of it, and whatever evil is said about us, we are not like that. We have a right in the Book of Allah, a kinship with the Messenger of Allah, and a purification from Allah that no one claims other than us except a liar. Remember Allah abundantly, remember death, recite the Quran, and send blessings upon the Prophet (p.b.u.h); for sending blessings upon the Messenger of Allah brings ten good deeds. Protect what I have advised you with. I entrust you to Allah, and I bid you peace."

We will have a pause to reflect on the Imam's (p.b.u.h) advice in the second sermon.

The 2nd sermon: Analytical Reflections on the Imam al-Askari's Testament

If we analyze the aforementioned testament across its various dimensions, we will find the dimension of absolute devotion (Ubudiyyah) to Allah, along with its profound reflections, strongly present. This includes:

1. Complete Sincerity in Devotion to Allah The Imams (AS) were extraordinarily sensitive to this aspect, down to the nuances of everyday speech—unlike many people today who take such matters lightly.

In Tafsir al-Ayyashi, it is narrated from Abu Abdullah (Imam al-Sadiq, AS) regarding the verse: ""And most of them do not believe in God without associating others with Him." [Yusuf: 106]. The Imam explained that this refers to a person saying: "If it were not for so-and-so, I would have perished," or "If it were not for so-and-so, my family would have been lost." Do you not see that he has placed a partner in Allah's dominion, claiming someone else provides for him and protects him? The narrator asked: "What if he says: 'If it were not that Allah blessed me through so-and-so, I would have perished'?" The Imam replied: "Yes, there is no harm in this."

While this type of subtle polytheism (Shirk) does not expel a person from Islam, it certainly represents a flaw in one's perfect sincerity.

Yet, many of us casually repeat phrases like: "I rely on Allah and on you," even though Allah’s message is abundantly clear: "...whoever puts his trust in God, He will be enough for him. God will bring His commands to pass..." [At-Talaq: 3].

2. Piety (Taqwa) as an Inner State, and Scrupulousness (Wara') as its Behavioral Reflection

Taqwa is not merely an outward appearance; it is a profound internal state—an ever-present self-vigilance. This internal vigilance naturally manifests in behavior, and its most significant manifestation is scrupulousness (Wara').

For this reason, the Imam highlighted specific virtues that reflect true piety and scrupulousness, such as fulfilling trusts, truthfulness, good character, and excellent companionship.

This reminds us of the Prophet’s (PBUH) advice when welcoming the month of Ramadan. As Imam Ali (AS) narrated: "I stood up and asked, 'O Messenger of Allah, what is the best of deeds in this month?' The Prophet replied, 'O Abu al-Hasan, the best of deeds in this month is scrupulousness (Wara') in avoiding what Allah the Almighty has forbidden.'"

Similarly, Sheikh al-Tusi narrates in Al-Tahdhib that Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said regarding Pilgrimage: "No weight is given to the one who visits this House if he does not possess three traits: forbearance to control his anger, good character to interact with his companions, and scrupulousness (Wara') that restrains him from disobeying Allah."

If one wishes for their Hajj or Umrah to hold true value before Allah, merely spending money and mechanically performing jurisprudential rituals is not enough. These legislative acts—like fasting, Hajj, and Umrah—are not sought merely for their own sake, but for their transformative impact; primarily, "that you may become righteous," and the scrupulousness that shields a person from sin.

3. Diligence and Earnest Effort, with Utmost Care for Remembrance and Worship

Some people delay their evening prayers until late into the night, performing them with reluctance. Others rarely cross their minds with thoughts of Allah throughout the day, entirely consumed by daily routines, entertainment, and mindlessly scrolling through smartphones.

These are among the traits of the hypocrites: "The hypocrites try to deceive God, but it is He who causes them to be deceived. When they stand up to pray, they do so sluggishly, showing off in front of people, and remember God only a little." [An-Nisa: 142]. I am not saying such a person has become a hypocrite—faith may still reside in their heart—but should a believer ever accept bearing the characteristics of hypocrites?

Anyone dedicated to a serious project does not act with such negligence. Look at Iblis (Satan) when he established his dark agenda: "He said, 'Now that You have led me astray, I will sit in wait for them on Your straight path: I will come at them- from their front and their back, from their right and their left- and You will find that most of them are ungrateful'." [Al-A'raf: 16-17].

Notice the sheer dedication, relentless attempts, unshakable resolve, and contingency plans—all for the sake of falsehood! It is deeply perplexing why the resolve of the people of falsehood is often stronger than that of the people of truth.

In Nahj al-Balagha, Imam Ali (AS), in his final days, lamented the weak resolve of his followers: "How strange! By Allah, it makes the heart die and brings forth sorrow—the unity of these people upon their falsehood, and your disunity regarding your truth." And what is the consequence? "By Allah, I think these people will soon overpower you." This is the inevitable outcome of weak resolve.

Today, those who design agendas to corrupt our youth possess fierce determination. They operate precisely on the methodology of Iblis. One moment they launch campaigns promoting atheism, then sectarian strife, then gender ideologies, then moral deviance, and so on.

Meanwhile, the people of truth—save for a few exceptions—merely sit waiting for Allah's mercy. No diligence, no effort, no innovation, no resolve, and no contingency plans... nothing but uttering "there is no power but in Allah" and endless complaining.

Conclusion: What Imam al-Askari (AS) deeply cared about in his testament was clarifying the true essence of belonging to the School of Ahl al-Bayt (AS). At its core, this means: absolute devotion and sincerity to Allah; tireless diligence in righteous deeds; adherence to noble character; radiating goodness in society; striving for the unity of the Ummah; and igniting a sense of honorable zeal (Gheerah) among his followers. It is a zeal for the Imamate and a protective devotion to this great school, ensuring that the image of the Ahl al-Bayt (AS) forever remains in the brilliant purity with which Allah crowned them in the Verse of Purification.