Sayyed Fadlullah: we call on the Lebanese to study their stands and political discourse carefully to enhance their unity and internal dialogue, and not to become a liability on the future of the country.

Asked in his weekly seminar the following question: we consider those who pave the way for division in the society as criminals committing big crimes against the nation and the motherland
Asked in his weekly seminar the following question: What is the Islamic view of development?

The Religious Authority, Sayyed Muhammad Hussein Fadlullah, said:

Before turning into an economic action, or a political movement, development in essence is a cultural act. The more the cultural movement is vibrant and not tied by the ropes of backwardness, the more it will have a positive effect on reality.

Moreover, the more the culture is able to change the reality and educate the nation in the Islamic open balanced and universal doctrine, the more we can reach decisive and accumulative results in our development.

The culture that is taking part in development should not create any restrictions, whether humanistic or economic, towards the developmental movement. In this respect, the government plays an important part in the success or failure of this process. And our peoples have to think always about choosing the good relationship and keep holding them accountable.

The problem that our peoples are still paying for is their silence vis-à-vis the governments that the arrogant have instituted in our countries. These governments served the economic and political interests of the arrogant, and then exiled all thinkers and innovators, since they are the ones whom the ruler fears most… That is why corruption became one of the biggest barriers for development.

To proceed with development, we have to respect all those who can think and provide solutions. The first step ought to be building our man both scientifically and culturally, for man is the maker of change for the better.

At the same time, we have to be watchful for the international thieves who have been plundering our wealth. Top among these thieves are the American successive administrations especially under Bush who is responsible for the killing of tens of thousands of Muslims and Arabs from Afghanistan to Palestine and Iraq.

In addition to plundering our wealth, they have also supported the corrupt regimes that waged a war against change and development, for their only concern is to remain in power even if it means an inflated oppressive role for their security and intelligence agencies, thus depriving us of any chance to initiate development.

The American Administration is the world's biggest problem. It is always ready to turn the world order, if it stops being a milky cow that generates an income of hundreds of billions of Dollars that secure the well-being of its people, into total chaos. If it gives a tiny fraction of this wealth as "charity" to some Arab or Muslim countries, it stipulates that they should follow the guidelines of the “neo cons”.

Yet this does not mean that America is a fate we cannot do anything against. There are many "sins" that have been committed by our corrupt authorities and through putting the Arab and Muslim funds in American banks instead of investing them in our poor countries. Moreover, the money raised by Zakat and Khums is not being invested in productive sectors, so that the poor and the needy and subsequently the entire country could benefit from.

We also have to be aware of the fact that the development process needs an atmosphere of internal reconciliation that helps in reaching a consensus over the steps that should be taken on the road of building the country. That is why we call on the Lebanese, and in these times in particular, to seek to find the ways and dynamisms that enhance their national unity in the face of the American attempt to subvert it, and which might intersect with certain internal movements.

In this respect, we consider those who pave the way for division in the society as criminals committing big crimes against the nation and the motherland.