Speech of Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on January 14, 2012

I take refuge in Allah from the stoned devil. In the Name of Allah, The Compassionate, The Most Merciful. Peace be on the Seal of prophets, our Master and Prophet, Abi Al Qassem Mohammad and on his chaste and pure Household and on his chosen companions and on all messengers and prophets. Peace be on you, my master and Lord Abi Abdullah, and on all the souls gathering around your holy site. Peace be on you as long as I remain alive and as long as night follows day. May Allah make it not my last visit to you. Peace be on Hussein, Ali the son of Hussein, the children of Hussein and the companions of Hussein.

Scholars, brothers, sisters, and dear people! Peace be on you all and Allah's mercy and blessing. May Allah reward you abundantly, bless you and make your faces radiant in this world and in the Hereafter for consoling the Prophet of Allah – peace be upon him - and His Household – peace be upon them – and for reviving their causes – which are the causes of the prophets, messengers, the divine missions, the Qoran, the Sunna, the nation, the glories of the nation, its past, history, future, fate, pains and expectations.

I address you with esteem, salutation and many thanks for your great, massive and honorable participation. Many among you have started walking since the early hours of dawn. They walked tens of kilometers from the various towns and villages of Al Bekaa. Many came from outside Al Bekaa as well from the various Lebanese regions. They walked for hours in this very cold weather. They bore all these hardships and expressed some of there consolation to that jihadi, Husseini, Zeinabi procession which walked for hundreds of kilometers from Kufa to Musel, Nissibeen, Rikeh, Allopo, Hamah, Homos, Baalbeck and Damascus. Still the long journey, the harshness of the road, hardships, alienation, loneliness, oppression and woes did not harm their determination, will and forcefulness.

Today you are expressing your faith, adoration and your true pledge of allegiance to the Prophet of Allah – peace be upon him - and the Household of the Prophet of Allah – peace be upon them, to the pioneer Muslims of the early stages of Islam, and to the grandson of the Prophet - Abi Abdullah Al Hussein- Peace be upon him. On the tenth day of Muharram, you addressed him on top of your voices saying: At your service, O Hussein. And today on Al Arbaeen, you walked for long distances in a show that expresses the truthfulness of your pledge and compliance through these convoys and processions in this place in particular – the City of Baalbeck - and in the holy site of the Head of Al Hussein in the Field of Marjet Ras Al Ain. You are commemorating the path of that struggling honorable oppressed procession which comprised the sons and daughters of the Prophet of Allah – Peace be upon him – who remained alive following the event of Karbala and who hold the banner of Al Hussein, the blood of Al Hussein and the cry of Al Hussein which will remain reverberating through history and existence until Doom's Day.

Here in the City of Baalbeck and in this holy mosque the procession dismounted. It carried Imam Zein Al Aabideen, Zeinab, the sisters of Zeinab and those who remained alive from among the chaste Household.

On this holy site the heads rested – the heads of Al Hussein, Abbass, Ali Akbar, Qassem, Habib, Zuheir bin Al Qain and the rest of the martyrs from among the Household of the Prophet and the companions.

We gather in this place today to tell the martyrs in Karbala and the prisoners in the procession of woes and pride: you are truly alive in us and in our intellect, culture, awareness, heart, mind, emotions, determination, will, adoration, love and longing.

O our masters! You are the blood in our veins, the tears in our eyes, the beats of our hearts, the breeze of our lives and our absolute dignity. We move on your steps and will never deviate. We will never hesitate and we will move along in this path until we join you and we achieve in our world one of the two virtues: either victory or martyrdom.

On the tenth day of Muharram every year, we reiterate the cry of Al Hussein – peace be upon him – and the stance of Al Hussein – peace be upon him – which may be summed in one phrase. I am enchanted by this phrase and I repeat it and reiterate it on every tenth of Muharram and on every day or occasion in which Al Hussein is mentioned or his memory is marked. It is a resume for the stance, the essence of the religion of the prophets, the divine mission, the core of religion and slavery to Allah only: "The bastard son of a bastard has put us before two choices: war or humiliation. Humiliation, how remote! Allah does not accept that to befall us, neither his Prophet, the believers nor the zealous and haughty souls. They don't accept that we favor the obedience of the ignoble to the death of the noble."

On the day of Arbaeen, we may take a quotation made by Imam Zein Al Aabideen - peace be upon him – as a slogan, stance and a fixed permanent truth, and we may take another quotation made by Sayyeda Zeinab - peace be upon her. As we did on the tenth day of Muharam, through the two stances we may determine our stance, path, view, position and vision of the future.

We start with the stance of Imam Zein Al Aabideen – peace be upon him – in the council of Ibn Ziad. Ibn Ziad undermined this group of small number whose beloved and masters were slaughtered and still feel powerful, prejudiced and proud. In confronting Imam Zein Al Aabideen – peace be upon him – Ibn Ziad threatened Imam Zein Al Aabideen with killing. What was the Imam's response to this threat? The Imam - who was chained with cuffs and inflicted with fever while still seeing his aunts, sisters, the womenfolk and the children around him - said his word which was very much similar to "Humiliation! How remote!" and which remains our slogan, soul, and the essence of our stance. Today we reiterate: "O son of the freed! Are you threatening us with death? Killing is a habit to us and our dignity from Allah is martyrdom."

On this day and before all what is taking place in the region, all what is taking place in the world, all what we hear everyday and in every hour whether US-Israeli threats, US and Israeli agents in the region, the threats and bullying we hear day and night, we also tell them though in a different situation: Do you threat us with death? We are the children of Al Hussein and Zein Al Aabideen. We are the children of the Prophet of Allah and the Household of the Prophet and the companions of the Prophet. We are the children of Badr, Khaibar, Hunain and Karbala. Killing is a habit to us and our dignity from Allah is martyrdom. With such a spirit we confronted you in 1982, and we still mass in the squares.

Now we come to the stance of Zeinab – peace be upon her – in the council of Yazid who thought – as Zeinab told him – that he had control over the nation and the land and that his time had come and that he could take grip of the regime. There he was striking the lips of Abi Abdullah Al Hussein – peace be upon him – while the head of the Imam was placed in before Yazid's hands in Yazid's castle. There Zeinab stood. In what condition did she stand? She was a prisoner, alienated and lonely. She had no supporter. She had no helper. However, what did she tell Yazid in her lengthy, clear, strong and firm speech? I want to take from this speech but the extract through which we look to the future as our Lady Zeinab – peace be upon her – looked to it back in 61 (A H). We are now in 1433 (A H). Despite this long interval, the stance is the same. Back in 61 (A H), what did Zeinab – who was in such a condition – say in a council which seemed to laud Yazid's triumph? She said: "You may contrive and try however much you can. By Him, you cannot achieve our status, nor reach our position, nor can you affect our mention, nor remove from yourself that shame and dishonor that is now your lot because of perpetrating excess and oppression on us. Your word now is weak and your days are counted and your crowds are to be dispersed".

Today we tell all those conspiring against the nation, its sanctities, its peoples, its wealth, its religion and its capabilities. We tell those who are conspiring day and night and waylaying the nation's honorable and resistance fighters. We tell them while we are not in a state like Zeinab's and while we are not in Yazid's castle. Our masses rather gather in squares. Our men mobilize on more than one front and country in which the resistance has fronts and the Opposition groups have an axis and men have stances. We tell all the tyrants in the world: "You may contrive and try however much you can. By Him, you cannot achieve our status, nor reach our position, nor can you affect our mention, nor remove from yourself that shame and dishonor that is now your lot because of perpetrating excess and oppression on us. Your word now is weak and your days are counted and your crowds are to be dispersed."

Today we stand in this square – the Square of the Holy Site of the Head of Imam Hussein – Peace be upon him – and the gathering place of his prisoners. It's the very square which witnessed in our present time the popular jihadi starting place of Imam Leader Sayyed Mussa Sader as well as the starting place of the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon. It also marked the first armed show on the International Al Qods Day on its first commemoration. It is the very square that had always embodied the bodies of the martyrs from among the children of this prideful region who return from the South and the West Bekaa or the martyrs of Israeli shelling on Baalbeck, Duris, the training camps in Jinta and Ain Kawkeb. From this square we firmly and finally and with absolute certitude confirm our adherence to the choice of resistance, the course of the resistance, the path of the resistance and the arms of the resistance. That's because this choice, this path, this weapon along with the Army and the people are the only guarantee for the security of Lebanon, the protection of Lebanon, the dignity of Lebanon and the sovereignty of Lebanon.

Yesterday, I felt happy when I heard the UN Secretary General Pan Kimon saying that he is worried from the military power of Hezbollah.

This makes us appeased. I tell him: Mr. Pan Kimon! Your worry appeases us and makes us happy. We care that you be worried along with America and Israel. We do not care about that at all. We care that our people, women, children and elderly be appeased that in Lebanon there is a resistance which do not allow any new imprisonment, any new occupation, and any new violation of dignities. That's what makes us happy and appeased.

Here I tell him and the whole world: This jihadi armed resistance will carry on and persist and increase its power, capacities and readiness as its certitude in the righteousness of its choice increases. We had our experience in Lebanon, Palestine, Iraq and the whole region which lived under occupation. Palestine is still under occupation as it has been for decades of time. What was the outcome of bargaining on the Arab League and on most of the Arab regimes, the Organization of Islamic Conference, the United Nations, the Security Council and the European Union and so on? What was the outcome?

The result was that Palestine is still under occupation, that more than 10 thousand Palestinian men and women are still in prison, that millions of Palestinians are still in exodus, and that Al Qods of Muslims and Christians is still profaned with Zionists who judaize it everyday.

As for the Resistance in Lebanon which had faith in Allah and bargained on the arms of its men and the embracement of its women and people, it achieved liberation. The resistance in Gaza achieved liberation. The resistance in Iraq achieved liberation.

It is however strange that in this time and on the onset of 2012 and after all these historic achievements of the choice of resistance and the path of the resistance and the very great victories in Lebanon, Palestine and Iraq, some still argue with us over the resistance, the futility of the resistance, and the course of the resistance. Well what is your alternative? What is your path?

Today we stress this concept.

As for national dialogue, I did not say on the tenth of Muharram that we refuse dialogue. I rather said – and I was precise and clear – that some do not want from dialogue but disarming the resistance. I told them: You won't be able to achieve this goal. Today on the day of Arbaeen of Imam Hussein I tell them anew: These are illusions. This is mirage. You won't be able to achieve this goal.

As for national dialogue for setting a national defense strategy to defend Lebanon, we are the people of dialogue and callers for dialogue. We are ready for such a dialogue on the national level or on a bilateral, threefold or quadrate levels.

We always used to say: We are the people of dialogue because we possess the logic, the evidence, the strong proof, the experience and the achievements. When we talk about the futility of the resistance, we do not talk about experiences that took place hundreds of years ago or experiences of other peoples in the world. We rather talk about the experiences of our people, men, women, children and elderly. We talk about experiences made here in the South, Bekaa, Beirut, Dahiyeh, the Mount and the North. Here the experiences were made and the achievements were eye witnessed by the world. Thus we are the people most fit of dialogue because we are the people of evidences, logic, proof and clear vision. We are not the people of slogans, zeal and futile and unclear phrases.

Also here we must recall the Imam of the resistance – absented Imam Sayyed Mussa Sader - May Allah restore him safe and sound. We also recall both his brethrens - His Eminence Sheikh Mohammad Yaqoub and Abbass Badriddine. We assert our support of the steps taken by the Lebanese government and the official Lebanese delegate which headed to Libya these days. We thank the brethrens in Libya on their willingness to deal with this file with the required seriousness, and we demand that from them. We especially demand that efforts be exerted in the framework of a joint investigation to lead this cause to its good final stages which meet the expectations of the family of Imam Sader, the family of Sheikh Yaqoub and the family of Abbass Badriddine as well as all their adorers in this country – and they are many.

As for security and before tackling the governmental issue, I would like to stress today and from the City of Baalbeck our interest in civil peace, security and stability in the country, and that no political dispute over any Lebanese or regional issue - whether we disagreed over Syria, Iraq, Iran, Palestine, Bahrain or any other regional issue - lead to a crack in security, stability or civil peace. This is our commitment, path, position and religion.

I stress this strict commitment of ours. I call for this commitment. I also stress on the responsibility of preserving internal security, social security, confronting thieves, confronting killers, and confronting the aggressors in all the Lebanese regions. This is the responsibility of the state. It's the responsibility of the government, the army and the security institutions. It's not the responsibility of any side whether the resistance or any other party. We refuse that anyone hold us responsible for that. This is the responsibility of the Army and the security institutions.

Any security achievement is counted among their accomplishments. Any security shortcoming is counted among their disadvantages. Through our position in the government, the Parliament, the street and the squares, we recall our demand on the Lebanese Army and the security institutions to assume fully their responsibility of security in all the Lebanese regions. There is no pretext or excuse for failing to assume this responsibility.

As for the government, we are interested on the persistence and continuity of this government, and we are acting accordingly. We hope that its head and ministers exert greater efforts. We hope that this government be more effective. We hope it would give greater interest and more priority to the living and social causes of the people. This is what makes the government more popular and this is what makes it win the interest of the people and their support.

As for the wages of laborers, teachers and employees, it is time this issue be finally settled. Prima facie, this issue does not seem to be that of routine and legal dispute. I can say we started viewing it with suspicion as if there are some who do not want this government in particular to achieve such an important sensitive living issue.

As for the situation in the region, I start with Syria. Lebanon is the country which is most influenced with what takes place in Syria whether we liked it or not. It's just theories to say the opposite. True we in Lebanon are trying to keep our political, security, governmental and official status away from what is taking place in Syria; still, we are the country which is most in the region influenced with what takes place in Syria. As Lebanese, we must thus call on the Syrian Opposition locally and abroad to respond to the calls for dialogue made by President Assad and to cooperate with him to undertake the reforms which were announced and which are very important and which promote Syria and address its crises. We also frankly call for restoring peace and security and for laying down arms so as to address crises with dialogue.

I tell all the countries in response to much of what have been said these days whether statements, declarations or recommendations: Some are warning against a sectarian war in the region which starts off in Syria.

I call on them and tell them that your very conduct – the very political, media, provocative, and field conduct of these states and governments – is pushing things in that direction. Thus warning is futile. If you are faithful in your warning, if you are really interested in sparing Syria and our region a sectarian war and civil conflicts, you only have to start with yourselves. Reconsider this political, media, diplomatic and field conduct. Let all efforts – the efforts of the Arab states and the Arab League along with the influential Islamic states in the region muster not on inflaming fire, embarrassing people and pushing things towards an explosion but rather on partaking in a true, logical address of the crisis. I believe that everyone in Syria is interested in his country, his people and his strategic position in the region and is willing to respond.

As for Iraq, we must strongly condemn the explosions which targeted the visitors which took place in the past few days and today and which led to the fall of hundreds of martyrs and hundreds of wounded. I call anew on the religious scholars of the nation, its governments, movements and parties – especially the Islamic parties – to condemn all of these kinds of explosions especially the suicidal explosions which target civilians because of intellectual, religious, sectarian or political dispute whether in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syria, Somalia, and Nigeria and which target Muslims and Christians.

The only sin of those who are killed in Iraq today is that they walked to visit the grandson of the Prophet of Allah. They are avenging them. The killers are avenging from the spirit of Iraqi resistance which defeated occupation and forced it to withdraw. However I tell the killers whoever they may be: Killing is futile. It will not halt this faithful, prophetic procession which is taking pains for the sake of Allah. Killing in Karbala did not put a decisive end to the battle. It rather made it stronger and fiercer. Neither did the killing in Lebanon, the killing in Palestine, the killing in Iraq, and the killing in Iran. Killing the nuclear scholars in Iran will not halt the scientific development in Iran, the Iranian technological enhancement and Iran achieving the elements of scientific and economic force.

Why do they kill nuclear scholars? That's because they want the Arab world – excuse me! Perhaps what I will say does not go with the occasion – and they want us to be singers and dancers. They want us to be unmindful and among those who waste their days and nights and pant after pleasure and self-indulgence. They do not want us to be scholars in every field whether in physics, chemistry and medicine. They do not want us to be a nation which produces science in every domain. They want us to import science. Imam Khomeini called on Iran to produce science. Today Iran produces science. He called on us to be a nation that produces science and exports science as it used to do in the past ages. This is one of the most important reasons of strength. They do not want this power to be available.

As for Bahrain, we renew our call on the authority in Bahrain to respond to the demands of the people, to start with the true required reforms, and to usher in a serious true dialogue with the Opposition on the basis that achieve the desires and the expectations of this dear people.

On the day of Al Arbaeen, we can't forget Palestine – the kiblah of the noble and the resistance fighters. Day after day, it is proven to the people of Palestine that there is no way other than the resistance, and that the enemies of this nation do not want for the Palestinian people to reconcile and for its factions to unite. They always pressure and frustrate any effort for reconciliation between Hamas, Fatah and the various Palestinian factions because their perpetual project is disjointing our people in Palestine, disjointing our people in Lebanon, disjointing our people in Syria, disjointing our people in Iraq and disjointing our peoples in all our Arab countries.

Our brothers and sisters in Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, Iraq and the entire region! Our path for dignity, esteem, independence, freedom, strength, invulnerability, prosperity and security is unity, evading ordeals and conflicts, addressing crises through dialogue, adhering to the resistance, the choice of resistance and the spirit of resistance. Historic experiences including this solemn great occasion have shown that with our spirit that refuses humiliation and longs passionately for martyrdom and which trusts the future and is certain of final victory we may lead our nation which is in this risky stage to the secure side where unity, strength, integrity, dignity and victory are awaiting.

Peace be on you my master and Lord Abu Abdullah – O son of the Prophet of Allah - and on all the souls gathering around your holy site. Peace be on you as long as I remain alive and as long as night follows day. May Allah make it not my last visit to you.

Peace be on Hussein, Ali the son of Hussein, the children of Hussein and the companions of Hussein.

Again may Allah reward you abundantly and thank you for your efforts. O our dear people, men, women, children and elderly! May Allah make your faces radiant in this world and in the Hereafter. May Allah make us and you among the supporters of Al Hussein in this world and gather us along with you with Al Hussein, the grandfather of Al Hussein, the father of Al Hussein, the mother of Al Hussein in the Hereafter. Peace be upon you and Allah's mercy and blessings.