January 25, 2026
Jaafari Mufti Sheikh Ahmed Qabalan warned against tampering with Lebanon’s fate, history, covenants, and national partnership, warning that this might push the Lebanese into an internal conflict, describing the matter as a major national disaster.
In a statement, Qabalan explained that “what the Shiite community has endured and what it has been enduring for decades is unprecedented in Lebanon’s founding history,” stressing that “the place is not to escape but to shoulder national responsibilities,” stressing that surrender is unacceptable, and that this sect has offered and is offering “all its capabilities, souls, and abilities” for the sake of Lebanon, and that its history bears witness to its national and moral sacrifices.
He added that every achievement achieved by the Shiite community was “in the name of the state and all the sects of this country,” noting that its logic is based on national partnership, stressing that “Christianity is not a coercive partner in this country, but rather a choice stemming from the culture of heaven and the convergence of religions.” He pointed out that the Shiite community enjoys “a deep culture of coexistence, unity of status, and absolute partnership with others,” and that its affiliation to the homeland stems from its values and heritage, despite what he described as “an intertwined internal official, political, and media trend that works to isolate, stifle, and prevent its national rights.”
He continued that these events come “amid a catastrophe affecting the structure of the country and the reality of its existence,” warning that some internal forces are participating in an external plan aimed at destroying the country. He said: “Beware of gambling with the history, charters, and partnership of this country because it may put the people of Lebanon against each other,” stressing that the biggest loser in this game is Lebanon itself.
He also criticized what he described as “stifling and targeting an entire sect” in official institutions and administrations, stressing that this matter does not serve the interest of Lebanon, but rather is in the interest of external parties.
Qablan said that the political game that serves foreign interests will not achieve success, considering that the state is abandoning its role as a national guarantor, pointing to the deliberate marginalization of the suffering of the south, the Bekaa, and the suburbs. He added that the south faces great difficulties, but it is able to withstand, stressing that it is an integral part of Lebanon, and that the sacrifices it made did not receive sufficient support from the state.
He addressed the Lebanese people, saying that there are parties working to marginalize an entire sect and implementing policies aimed at eliminating it, warning of the danger of participating in the external plan, and stressing that the Shiite sect is an essential part of the Lebanese family, despite attempts to isolate it.
In conclusion, he stressed the importance of activating the state’s role as a guarantor of the nation away from destructive foreign projects, considering that Lebanon’s strength lies in its national unity, and that the agency game will only increase our determination to defend our values and identity.
