Imam Moussa Sadr, the former spiritual leader of the Lebanese Shiite community, mysteriously disappeared during a visit to Libya in 1978. He remains in the memory of the Lebanese as the main figure who championed the cause of dignity for Lebanese Shiites. Born in 1928 in Qom, Iran, this Shiite religious leader, holding the title of Sayyed (borne by descendants of the Prophet Muhammad), pursued theology studies at the hawza (a type of religious school) in Najaf, Iraq. In 1959, he settled in Lebanon and initiated social and educational projects with the support of President Fouad Chehab, who was concerned about the development of Shiite regions in the southern part of the country.
For Human Dignity
Imam Moussa Sadr is best known for his contribution to the creation of the Supreme Shiite Council in 1967 and the “Movement of the Dispossessed” in 1974, which gave rise to the (political) Amal movement. His disappearance in Libya led his sister, Rabab Sadr Charafeddine, to take up the mantle of the Imam Sadr Foundation.
A sermon delivered in February 1975 at the Capuchin Church in Beirut reveals the humanistic values advocated by Moussa Sadr, “It is necessary to preserve and develop all the energies of man and those of every man. This is why we find the principle of perfectibility from the earliest encyclicals to the latest, according to which ‘to be authentic, [development] must be integral, that is, promote every man and all of man,’ in its various dimensions.”
This point, also shared by the late Grégoire Haddad, former Greek-Catholic bishop of Beirut and founder of the Social Movement with whom the imam collaborated for a time, places human dignity at the core of Moussa Sadr’s thought and action. The Imam Sadr Foundation continues to embody this ideal in its projects, implemented over more than six decades.
Dar el Fatat
Rabab Sadr Charafeddine, president of the Imam Sadr Foundation, welcomes us into her office and calmly and humbly recalls, almost without mentioning her own pioneering role, that the foundation’s mission was “to open schools and training centers.” The foundation began with the education of young girls in 1963, parallel to a center for boys led by the imam. “I was administratively responsible for the girls’ center,” recalls Rabab Sadr. Since then, the foundation has continued to grow, particularly in Tyre, where the imam settled four years after his arrival in Lebanon in 1959. A major project was Dar el Fatat, a house for young girls, emphasizing the importance of women’s emancipation through education, enabling their financial independence.
The philosophy underlying the foundation’s action is to educate man to become “a model citizen,” regardless of his religion. Rabab Sadr emphasizes the importance “of moral values, ethics, humanism and citizenship.”
The South
The 1980s were marked by massive displacements of civilians due to military operations and the Israeli invasion of 1982. Despite the damage suffered during the invasion, the Sadr Foundation persisted in its commitment to well-being and education, demonstrating unwavering resilience. Difficulties did not diminish the determination of those in charge to ensure the education of girls, made possible by the rapid resumption of classes in temporary facilities in Borj Chemali, near Tyre.
Humanitarian and medical activities were launched, and despite obstacles, an elementary school was established in 1981, providing educational refuge to orphaned or underprivileged girls through the Rihab al-Zahra school. In 1985, the withdrawal of Israeli forces allowed the laying of the foundation stone for the cultural complex in Tyre, symbolizing a renewal in the foundation’s initiatives. Thus, despite challenges, the Sadr Foundation persists in its mission, like a beacon that maintains hope for a better future, based on constant progress in South Lebanon.
Over the decades, the Imam Sadr Foundation thrived, leasing a coastal land of 30,000 square meters in Tyre and launching Intensive Vocational Training (IVT) programs in 1998. These programs, focused on empowering women, provide intensive vocational training in various fields. Thus, despite challenges, the Sadr Foundation continues to illuminate the path of progress and hope for the benefit of the population of South Lebanon.
Such a message of hope is present in the words of Rabab Sadr Charafeddine, “God created man by granting him many strengths, abilities and graces. Man can be active in life, cooperate with others and maintain friendly relations because, ultimately, we are all children of the same God, whether we are Christians or Muslims. We are all brothers, which urges us to cooperate with others and love others. When love unites us, society becomes different. Every individual can stand out for his ethics, faith, citizenship, religion and be active in his society.”
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