By Iqbal Suleiman
On the Friday 26th September 2024, the settler Zionist Israeli State used 85 “bunker busting” bombs which weigh between 900 to 2000kg, 80 tons in total to assassinate Hassan Nasrallah. Today marks his first martyrdom anniversary. Millions of people all over the world are commemorating his martyrdom.
Never in the history of humankind has so much force or anything close to it been used to kill one man. According to Norman Finkelstein, the foremost chronicler of the Palestinian liberation struggle and a leading contemporary public intellectual, Hassan Nasrallah was unlike other leaders in the Arab and Muslim world, he could not be bought, “he had no price”. Finkelstein expressed his bereavement on the martyrdom of the Hezbollah chief and simultaneously his awe and admiration for Nasrallah as a principled leader like no other in the world today.
According to reports approximately one million and four hundred thousand people attended the funeral procession of the leader of the Islamic Resistance Movement, the most popular leader in Lebanon and the Arab world.
Youth and Political Development
Seyyid Hassan Nasrallah was born on the 31st August 1960. He was named after Imam Al Hassan, the son of Imam Ali and Fatima, the grandson of the Holy Prophet. It was the Prophet (p.b.u.h) who chose the name Hassan for his beloved grandson.
Seyyid is an honorific title given to pious scholars who are from the Ahlu Bayt (family of the Prophet p.b.u.h). Hassan Nasrallah is a descendent of the Ahlu Bayt.
Hassan means beauty. Nasrallah means victory through God. A beautiful victory through God epitomizes the life he lived which culminated in his martyrdom.
He was the son of a vegetable seller and grew up in the slum quarters of Karantina, East Beirut. His roots were working class and this class consciousness was forever part of his life experience. He lived his entire life frugally, modestly and with simplicity which earned him the fervent love of the working class in Lebanon as well as the admiration of the poor, downtrodden and deprived people throughout the world. From a young age, he had an intellectual curiosity. Whilst his peers were engaged in playing sports and other fun filled pursuits, the young Nasrallah spent his time walking to the city centre to buy second hand books.
From a very young age he was committed to social justice and taking up the struggle of the oppressed. After finishing his schooling, he became a member of Harkat al Muhrimun (Movement for the Deprived and Oppressed) which was founded and led by the legendary Imam Musa Al Sadr. This movement later became popularly known as Amal. Imam Musa Al Sadr was a deeply devout and committed Muslim leader and appealed to the young Nasrallah.
At the age of 15, Nasrallah was an activist and elected as the leader of Amal in Bazouriyet. At this young age he demonstrated leadership qualities and wisdom that was beyond his age. Together with Shaykh Ali Shamsuddin, he created a library to make books accessible to the people. He spent much of his time in pious devotion and intellectual engagement in the mosque where he befriended Sayyid Muhammad Gharawi, a religious teacher who was impressed by the ascetic character and intelligence of the young Nasrallah. Gharawi wrote a letter to Imam Muhammad Baqir al Sadr of Iraq, requesting of him to accept Nasrallah as a student in his religious classes. Although his father was poor, he gave the young Nasrallah whatever money he had to allow him to travel to Iraq. When Nasrallah reached Iraq, his money was finished. In Iraq, as he was moving around, he met Abbas Mussawi, who happened to be a student of Imam Muhammad Baqir Al Sadr. Abbas Mussawi took the young Nasrallah to meet Imam Sadr. This interaction is awe inspiring and reminds us of when Abuzarr al Ghifari first went to Medina in search of the Prophet (p.b.u.h) and when in Medina, he met Imam Ali who led him to the Prophet. This was no coincidence, it was a heavenly hand that guided and caused Nasrallah to meet Mussawi and lead him to meet Imam Sadr just like it was a heavenly hand that inspired Abuzarr to meet Imam Ali and take him to Muhammad (p.b.u.h).
When Nasrallah first met Abbas Mussawi, he perceived Mussawi to be an Iraqi because of his darker skin complexion. This prompted Nasrallah to speak to Mussawi in colloquial Arabic with an Iraqi accent. Mussawi was humoured and replied in colloquial Arabic with a Lebanese accent, telling him that he was from the Bekaa Valley. Nasrallah, fondly remembers this meeting with Mussawi as a “sweet start”. Mussawi became a beloved friend, brother, comrade and mentor to Nasrallah. Imam Baqir al Sadr warmly received Nasrallah and placed him under the tutelage of Abbas Mussawi who at this time passed into the second phase of religious instruction. Mussawi introduced Nasrallah to the teachings of Imam Khomeini which was to influence him for the remainder of his life. Nasrallah described Imam Khomeini as the “The greatest, most dignified and undisputed personality of the twentieth century”. Imam Khomeini’s book Wilayat al Faqih was ground breaking, it outlined the criteria for leadership as pious righteousness, knowledge and justice with the responsibility of the committed Muslim leader (Faqih) to be actively engaged in the leadership and pursuit and realization of justice and Islamic governance.
In 1977, the Saddam Hussein regime of Iraq brutally cracked down on freedom seekers. Imam Baqir Al Sadr was executed and students were imprisoned. Nasrallah managed to evade arrest and returned to Lebanon where he enrolled in the religious seminary established by Abbas Mussawi in Baalbek. In August of the same year Imam Musa al Sadr “disappeared” whilst apparently on a trip to Libya.
In 1979, there was an international political earthquake with the popular Islamic Revolution in Iran that toppled the American puppet regime of Shah Reza Pahlavi. This provided further inspiration for Nasrallah and the Islamists within Amal. The Islamist faction led by Abbas Mussawi and Hassan Nasrallah came to be known as Islamic Amal. In 1982, Nasrallah became the chairperson of Amal in the Bekaa region and a member of the movements Politburo.
Amal without Imam Musa Sadr and under the leadership of Nabih Berri in 1982 decided to stop fighting Israel militarily and join a national salvation government which included various political parties. This created a schism within Amal as the Islamist faction led by Mussawi and Nasrallah did not agree with Berri and believed that resistance to Israel should not be abandoned.
The Formation of Hezbollah
In 1982, Israel invaded Lebanon. Hezbollah was formed in 1982 with the primary purpose of resisting the Israeli Occupation. Nasrallah explains how Hezbollah came into being when Israel invaded Lebanon. “Iranian Revolutionary Guards arrived in the Bekaa upon the orders of Imam al Khomeini and the faithful were of the opinion that a revolutionary and Islamic current should be established to adequately confront the new challenge facing Lebanon. This current was to have a clear Islamist political vision, and operate through a consistent ideology based on the principles and political line of Imam Al Khomeini and according to the principle of Wilayat-al-Faqih in which we believe. This is how Hezbollah came to be.”
On February 16 1985, in Al Shayyah in southern Beirut, the Islamic Resistance Movement of Lebanon (Hezbollah) publicly and formally announced its formation and released its political programme by publishing its “open letter” which in essence was the political manifesto of Hezbollah. The two notable goals of the programme was ending the Zionist occupation of Lebanon and the liberation of Jerusalem from the Israeli Occupation. These two goals in essence defined the life and struggle of Al Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah.
In 1987, Nasrallah was elected to be on the Hezbollah Shura Council, its decision making structure. His political profile was now on the ascendancy as he was giving public speeches and interviews with journalists.
In 1988, there was an attempted assassination as a bomb exploded next to the vehicle carrying Hassan Nasrallah, Abbas Mussawi and Subhi Tufeili. Tufeili was the first Secretary General of Hezbollah.
Hezbollah experienced internal division on whether to participate in parliamentary politics. Tufeili was opposed to political participation in Lebanese parliamentary politics whereas Mussawi and Nasrallah advocated for participation. Nasrallah and Mussawi prevailed. For Nasrallah, a parliamentary presence would strengthen Hezbollah’s resistance priority in the post war era. He explained this decision “In Islam, the act of serving the people and God’s families, rescuing the oppressed, saving the distressed and stretching ones hands to the weak and dispossessed are major to the faith. These are mentioned in the Quran and we care to encourage them anew”. This demonstrates the visionary character of Nasrallah and his acumen in articulating the political expression of Islam with its focus on social justice. The Resistance Movement was indigenous and had popular support. Whilst it was a military resistance movement, it was also political with a political programme. Hezbollah introduced a banking system that was free from usury where poor people were able to access loans without having to pay interest on the loan. By participating in parliamentary elections, the Resistance was able to express its political views and validate its legitimacy within the broader Lebanese situational context.
Ascending to the Leadership of Hezbollah
Hassan Nasrallah and Abbas Musawi were the founders of Hezbollah. Musawi led the group. In 1992, Abbas Musawi was assassinated by Israeli helicopter gunships together with his wife and child.
A 32 year old Hassan Nasrallah was elected to succeed and lead Hezbollah. He led the liberation movement for the next 32 years until his martyrdom on the 26th September 2024. At the inception of his leadership, Hezbollah participated in parliamentary elections in Lebanon for the first time and won 12 out of 128 seats. Four of the twelve seats were allocated to non-Hezbollah individuals. This was an expression of Nasrallah’s pragmatic and non-sectarian approach to power and politics. Hezbollah could have given all 12 seats to Hezbollah members but Nasrallah was not a power hungry zealot. His vision was that of a united Lebanon without sectarian divisions but a Lebanon that was independent and free from Imperialist and Zionist control. In 2018 Hezbollah won more than 34000 preferential votes, this was the most for any Lebanese party since Independence. This reality contradicts the myth created by the mainstream media describing the party as fringe, extremist without support of the Lebanese people. The electoral process to the contrary showed Hezbollah to be the most popular party and Nasrallah the most popular leader in Lebanon. Nasrallah led Hezbollah with strategic vision, retaining its ideology of Islamic Universalism and simultaneously maintaining it’s Lebanese and Arab identity. This was done without compromising the values and ideology of the Islamic Movement that he led.
Leading the first military victory against Israel
Nasrallah immediately introduced tactical military changes within Hezbollah. The military resistance became more organised with specific structures set up dealing with weapons, strategy and intelligence gathering. He gave more autonomy to field commanders. This radically changed the effectiveness of the Resistance. For instance in 1990 there were 19 attacks against the enemy but by 1994 there were 187 attacks. In the final months of the Israeli Occupation, between 1999 and 2000, there were 300 attacks a month on the Occupying enemy. Astonishingly, under Nasrallah’s leadership, the fatality ration amongst Hezbollah cadres dropped from five to one in 1990 to three to two in the late 1990’s. Under Nasrallah’s leadership, not a single year passed without the exchange of gunfire between Hezbollah and Israel.
In the year 2000, after eighteen years of Occupation and resistance led by Seyyid Nasrallah, Israel was defeated by Hezbollah and left Lebanon in utter humiliation. Hassan Nasrallah became the first Arab leader to lead a military victory against Israel. This is commonly referred to as the divine victory. The leader of Islamic Iran Ali Khamenei described it as “A small force vanquishing an army by the will of Allah” This victory inspired the Palestinian Intifada of 2000. Hezbollah provided training for Palestinian freedom fighters, provided funds and smuggled weapons into Occupied Palestine and trained fighters in the discipline of bomb making. Hezbollah worked with Hamas, Islamic Jihad and the Popular front for the Liberation of Palestine.
In the victory speech of May 2000, Nasrallah addressed the people of Palestine “We offer this lofty Lebanese example to our people of Palestine. You do not need tanks, strategic balance, rockets or cannons to liberate your land, all you need are the martyrs who shook and scared this angry Zionist entity. You can regain your land, you oppressed, helpless and besieged people of Palestine, you can force the invading Zionists to return from whence they came….the choice is yours….. And the example is clear before your eyes” In the year 2000, Nasrallah led Hezbollah in kicking Israel out of Lebanon and ending the Israeli Occupation. After Israel’s humiliating retreat from Lebanon, Nasrallah explained his military strategy of particularly and specifically targeting Israeli soldiers “We focused on striking at the enemy’s main point of weakness-its inability to bear extensive human losses” “The strategy of the resistance has been to fight a war of attrition. We bled the enemy in the human element specifically. The sight of Israeli soldiers fleeing shocked the world. The Israeli’s didn’t like this and wanted vengeance which prompted them into the all-out war with Hezbollah in the year 2006.
It was in this July 2006 war between Israel and Lebanon that the genius of Hassan Nasrallah became apparent to the world when he and his band of guerrilla fighters rattled one of the worlds most advanced military and technological powers and forced them to leave Lebanon with their tails between their legs.
After the 1967 war, Israeli Military generals are reported to have said “Muhammad died and left sissies” arrogantly mocking in an Islamophobic tone the military inability of Muslims and Arabs to beat the Israelis in warfare. However after the defeat in the July 2006 war, Israeli’s never repeated those words when they realized that they were up against a Muhammadi fighting force led by Nasrallah that they have never encountered since the establishment of the colonial settler state. In a speech delivered by Hassan Nasrallah on July 14, 2006, just 2 days after Israel launched its war on Lebanon, the learned leader said
“To the Zionists and the people of Israel at this hour I say; you will soon discover how foolish and stupid are your new rulers, your new leaders. They do not know how to assess reality. ……You wanted open warfare so it will be open warfare. Your government wanted to change the rules of the game, so let the rules be changed. You don’t know who you are fighting today. You are fighting the children of Muhammad (p.b.u.h) of Ali, of Hassan, of Hussein, of the Prophets family and the Prophets Companions. You are fighting a people who have faith such as no one else on the face of the earth possesses.
This is testament to his excellent skills as an orator. By invoking the emotional attachment of Islam’s most luminary figures and aligning his fighters with them and their line, he powerfully inspires his fighters and simultaneously terrified his enemies “You are fighting a people who have faith such as no one else on the face of the earth possesses”.
Besides intelligence, charm, eloquence, humour and a disarming smile, he had the unique skill of connecting with his audience, touching their hearts and minds. Notably, he was always honest and truthful with his words. He was able to express fearlessly what most people felt in their hearts like the treachery of ruling Arab elites.
In the same speech Nasrallah addressed the Arab rulers “We have never for one moment counted on you. We have trusted in God, our people, our hearts, our hands and our children. Today we do the same and God willing, victory will follow”. His psychology was in tune with God’s words in the Quran “Verily my prime protector is Allah, who has bestowed this divine writ from on high, for it is he who protects the righteous”. Quran (7-192)
Leadership style and universalism
Nasrallah followed the example of Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h) as a political and military leader. It was this combination that put him miles ahead of every other leader in the Arab world. Some are great political leaders with little or no military insight. Others are great military leaders with no political acumen. Some have exceptional diplomatic skills but are not soldiers or warriors. Hassan Nasrallah was both a political and military genius. He read Israeli news publications every day, studied Israeli politics and society. This provided him with an astute understanding of the Israeli public psychology and he developed to become a master in the art of psychological warfare against Israel.
Charming and charismatic, he was able to communicate with anyone and everyone, from the rural to the suburban, from the peasants in the Bekaa Valley to the chief of the United Nations. He was a principled and committed Muslim who was able to build strong relationships with other faith based communities in Lebanon and successfully navigate the political landscape.
He used reason and logic. He was defiantly committed to principles but simultaneously a strategic thinker and a pragmatist. In 2006, he signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Free Patriotic Movement which was the largest Christian political party in Lebanon. This alliance was committed to a developmental state in Lebanon and opposed to pro U.S and pro-Israel consensus.
Nasrallah led the resistance to American and Israeli hegemony in the Middle East. When the U.S backed Saudi invasion of Yemen in 2015, Nasrallah stood in solidarity with Ansarallah and its leader Abdul Malik al Houthi. Hezbollah provided technical assistance and military training to Houthi cadres with veteran Ibrahim Akil playing a prominent role in developing the Houthi fighting capabilities. Today as Ansarallah is the leading actor in upholding the Genocide Convention, the fruits of the seeds planted by Nasrallah is evident for all to see.
The 2009 manifesto of Hezbollah further expresses Nasrallah’s political vision and internationalism. The manifesto advances solidarity with liberation that “rejects U.S hegemony”. It identifies Latin American struggles with a “humane identity and a common political and moral background” and speaks about the unity of the wretched. The struggle is framed in the language of Imam Khomeini as a struggle between the Mustadifin (Downtrodden) against the Mustakbirin (Oppressor).
Under his leadership Hezbollah became a formidable social movement that addressed the needs of the poor. Qard al Hassan was an institution that provided low cost loans to the financially disadvantaged. Jihad al Bina provided post war reconstruction of houses and supported small business, agriculture and seed distribution to advance an economy that was beneficial to the masses. Nasrallah provided an alternative economic model as the chief of Jihad al Bina argued that the Lebanese economy “concentrated wealth and political power within a small fraction of the population at the expense of the great majority, impoverishing the poor and enriching the wealthy, in contrast Jihad al Bina seeks to create new levels of local production and dignified job opportunities. Our ultimate end game is to save the dignity of the working class”.
Hezbollah established low cost supermarkets that made products accessible to the poor. It also established hospitals and clinics that were accessible to all the people. Nasrallah was opposed to capitalism and the neo liberal project that was associated with U.S hegemony in the region and advocated for economic and political alliances with China, Russia and Iran to pushback against the U.S./Israeli hegemony.
Anti-Sectarianism
Seyyid Hassan had an intuitive insight and was able to detect the strategy and plans of Zionists and Imperialists from a million miles away. In a speech delivered on Al Quds day on the 29 November 2002, he warned the people about sectarianism because Imperialism and Zionism used sectarianism to divide the followers of Muhammad (SAW) in order to subjugate them “What is even more dangerous is playing the religious and sectarian cards. What is worst is that they will try to provoke sections against each other especially the Shi’is and Sunnis”. “We are coming to a time in which the Muslims, all Muslims, especially the Shi’is and Sunnis, need to unify and cooperate, while maintaining their distinct characteristics. They all must cooperate in order to restore al-Quds and to defend the Palestinian people and Prophet Muhammad (SAW). At this time we must all unite to defend the dignity of the Ummah against those who want to change the map of the region and cause more separations and divisions, causing people to search for a “Shi’I country here or a “Sunni” country there, an Arab country here or a Kurdish country there”. According to Nasrallah, the greatest and most hostile enemy to the Muslim masses are Imperial America and Zionist Israel and it is imperative that Muslims whether they are Shi’i or Sunni form a united front in resisting Imperial America and Zionist Israel. There was not an ounce of sectarianism within his being which is why he calls for Muslims of both persuasions to retain their distinct characteristics and mutually love and respect each other. Hassan Nasrallah advocated for the brotherhood of Muslims and the unity of all oppressed people across faith and nationality. His words are as relevant today as they were 22 years ago. In essence he is saying that it is going to take a united solidarity front and people liberated from sectarianism to free Palestine. Nasrallah detested sectarianism and not once did he ever express sectarian sentiments in any of his speeches. 22 years ago Nasrallah was correct about the Imperial project to stir sectarian conflict among the Muslim as is evidenced by the reality of the last two decades in which sectarian conflict has bled the Muslim body politic from the centre to the periphery.
Nasrallah reasoned “The enemy does not target us on a religious basis but targets anyone opposed to Zionism and having a culture of resistance”.
Legacy
The Israeli regime has been praising itself about its assassination of Nasrallah and most western media outlets have described it as some sort of an epic achievement. But was it really such an achievement? Since assuming the leadership of Hezbollah and particularly after the 2006 military humiliation of the Zionist State, Hassan Nasrallah was a dead man walking. The Israeli regime desperately wanted him dead and made every effort to kill him but it took them more than 18 years to assassinate him after he struck them with their most humiliating defeat in 2006. It is somewhat of a miracle that he survived for so long. This perhaps alludes to the mystical protection he had as a friend of God. For almost thirty two years as the leader of the Islamic Resistance Movement in Lebanon he was in the merciful and protective care of God. How do you explain why a Government with the most advanced technology and the most resourced intelligence agency, supported by the rest of the most advanced intelligence agencies of the West was not able to kill him for more than thirty years? It reminds us of the Prophet of Islam and the attempted assassinations on his life by his enemies. We remember the time when he was on the run with his comrade Abu Bakr in the cave and the assassins closed in on them but a spider made a web at the entrance of the cave which made the assassins think that the Prophet (p.b.u.h) and Abu Bakr could not have entered the cave. It was in the infinite wisdom of the Almighty that the messenger of God was able to survive assassination attempts for more than two decades and lived till his early sixties. The rule of life though is that every soul must pass on and return to its Creator.
“But Muhammad (SAW) is only a messenger who was preceded by other messengers [who also passed away], so if he dies or is killed, will you retreat and fall back? And whoever does so shall not in the least do harm to Allah and Allah will compensate those who are thankful” [Quran 3-144]. The Almighty cautions the committed Muslims by reminding them that the Prophet even though he is the greatest of all creation is a human as were other Prophets who passed away before him but it behoves committed Muslims to stay the course after the passing of the leader. At the time of the passing of the holy Prophet (p.b.u.h), his companions were distraught and dejected to the point where some could not even believe that the Prophet (p.b.u.h) has passed but Abu Bakr stood up and recited the Quranic verses, reminding the people that it was God who was ever Living and that the Prophet was like other Prophets that preceded him and has passed on to return to his Maker. The killing of the leader does not kill the Islamic Movement. Were it not for the valiant resistance on the fields of Karbala and the martyrdom of Imam Al Hussein, Hezbollah would not have existed. Nasrallah’s elegy for Seyyid Abbas Mussawi after his martyrdom describes the folly in the Israeli policy of assassinating resistance leaders. “By murdering His Eminence al-Sayyed, our secretary general, they warned to kill our spirit of resistance and destroy our will for jihad(revolutionary armed struggle), but his blood will keep simmering in our veins and will only increase our determination to forge ahead and heighten our enthusiasm to pursue the path. The martyrdom of Hezbollah’s secretary general is proof of the maturity and grandeur attained by Hezbollah in Lebanon, it is also proof of its loyalty to God’s objectives, the extent of harmony between the leadership and the base, of giving without restraint, of its considerable presence in the battle, and of its deep commitment to the entire project and nation. It is also proof of the beginning of a far reaching spiritual, moral and jihadist transformation that no one has expected, not even those who murdered him”.
Indeed, Israel would never have imagined that through assassinating Abbas Mussawi, the Islamic Resistance Movement instead of becoming weaker would become more powerful beyond anyone’s calculus. Israel would suffer two major humiliating military defeats at the hands of Hezbollah despite its overwhelming military superiority. Hezbollah under the leadership of Nasrallah reached unprecedented and unimaginable heights.
Hassan Nasrallah is loved and revered by justice seekers the world over, especially in the global south where his anti-colonial and anti-occupation victories against the Israeli Settler Regime resonates with the historically deprived, oppressed and colonized people.
In South Africa, the chief of the Media Review Network Iqbal Jassat who was honoured to have met Seyyid Hassan, says of Nasrallah “He led the Resistance which will not bend but grow as his memory and example seed a new generation. He fought for his people despite the immense personal cost and was hated by his enemies because he defeated them. His loss is a blow to Lebanon but he taught two successive generations how to succeed him”. GIWUSA (General Industries Workers Union of SA) released a statement in solidarity with the Resistance “Giwusa strongly condemns this cowardly assassination of Hassan Nasrallah, a prominent leader and General Secretary the Lebanese Resistance Movement Hezbollah, perpetrated by the Israeli State. This brazen act of terrorism is a stark reminder of the Israeli regime’s blatant disregard of peace and security in the middle east including Lebanon, Palestine and Israel itself, and the imperialist warmongering belligerence of its racist right-wing leadership”
The Resistance Movement in particular and the Arab and Islamic world in general was infinitely blessed to have a leader with the greatness, leadership, dynamic charisma and the impeccable character of Seyyid Hassan to lead them for more than three decades. His death is a monumental loss but those that remain will stay the course and have faith, remembering that Allah is ever living. The movement that he led for three decades is organisationally strong with a powerful ideology that has popular support and natively rooted amongst the Lebanese populace.
Nasrallah’s universalism endeared him to all people. In Lebanon, his support base spans across faith and cultural lines. The Lebanese were heartbroken and mourned the martyrdom of their beloved leader. The leader of Lebanon’s Christian political party, Sleiman Frangieh said “The symbol is gone, the Legend is born and the resistance continues”. Former Lebanese President Michel Aoun, a Christian and founder of the Free Patriotic Movement party said “With the martyrdom of his Eminence, the Secretary General of Hezbollah, Seyyid Hassan Nasrallah, Lebanon loses a distinguished and honest leader who led the national resistance on the paths of victory and liberation. He was faithful to his promise and loyal to his people who reciprocated his love and commitment’. Women dressed in Abayas, women dressed in shorts and tee shirts, men in beards and conservative dress, young lads in hip clothing and fashionable hairstyles, the old, the young, grandmothers and grandfathers, kids, Christians, Druze, Shia and Sunni were all shattered and crying their hearts out for the man they called “The Protector of Lebanon”. Across the world from Beirut to Brighton, Jammu to Johannesburg, Caracas to Cairo, London to Tehran, Gaza to Najaf, the hearts of justice seekers are broken. Tears fill the streets, sobs fill the air. A dark and desolate moment in history when the soul of this great freedom fighter leaves planet earth. In countries such as Lebanon, Iraq and Iran, the governments officially declared at least three days of mourning. Millions of people took to street to express their heartbreak and love for Hassan Nasrallah.
Nasrallah is loved by the Muslim rank and file because of his truthful tongue. He called out the Arab governments who are complicit with Israel and who never come to the assistance of those oppressed by Israel. His calculation is accurate. Even today after two years of Genocide, the Arab regimes have done nothing to help the oppressed people of Gaza, instead they have collaborated with Israel and handed over trillions of dollars to America and Trump who are financing the Genocide in Gaza.
It was his God Consciousness, the absolute trust in God and following the path of Muhammad (SAW) that resulted in what is described as a “miraculous victory” for Hezbollah over the Israeli regime in 2000 and 2006. Hassan Nasrallah and the Hezbollah fighters actualized God’s message in the Quran about how many times those with seemingly less military and financial power with the assistance of God defeated those with seemingly superior military and economic power.
This changed the mind-set of the oppressed people the world over. Israeli military might was considered to be invincible prior to the 2006 war but Nasrallah and his band of Muhammadi fighters shattered the perception of Israeli invincibility. Nasrallah taunted Israel and said “Israel’s strength is less than that of a spiders web”.
The 2006 victory was not just a military earthquake but also a psychological game changer.
“Oh Prophet! Inspire the committed Muslims to do combat [when it is necessary to do so, so that] if there be twenty of you who are patient in adversity, they might overcome two hundred and that if there be one hundred of you, they might overcome one thousand of those who are bent on denying the truth [of his power] because they are people who cannot practically grasp the truth of this whole matter’’. [Quran 8: 65]
Seyyid Hassan and his Muhammadi followers sincerely believed in these words of God and actualized this reality on the battlefield in July 2006. This is the Quranic mystical wisdom that contradicts earthly logic. Earthly logic tells us that twenty people will not be able to fight and defeat two hundred people but the July 2006 war, bears testimony to the truth of God’s words in the Quran.
This is perhaps Nasrallah’s greatest legacy. He demonstrated in practice the veracity of God’s words about how poorer and militarily weaker oppressed people are able to defeat richer and militarily stronger oppressors. Tyrants will always be terrified by this inspiration Nasrallah has given to oppressed people to remain steadfast and defiant in pursuit of freedom and justice, no matter the extent of the oppressor’s military superiority.
It was always Muhammad (p.b.u.h) who guided his military conduct and decision making. In the July 2006 war, Hezbollah matched the Israeli military casualty numbers at least one to one. Israel of course slaughtered much more Lebanese civilians though it should be expected to be the other way around because Israel has the most sophisticated, advanced and precision guided weapons compared to a resistance movement with much inferior weaponry. It is reported that between 40 and 43 Israeli civilians were killed in that war whereas 1109 Lebanese were killed according to Human Rights Watch, the majority of them civilians. HRW reported “In critical respects Israel conducted the war with reckless indifference to the fate of Lebanese civilians and violated the laws of war”.
Seyyid Hassan was always directed by the words of God. “And engage in battle for Allah’s cause against those who wage war against you, but do not commit aggression, for verily Allah does not love aggressors”. The Islamic leadership is cultured and cultivated by God’s words. The mind of Seyyid Hassan was soaked in the Quran. Seyyid Hassan was “engaging in battle for Allah’s cause”. He could not commit aggression. He was engaging in a resistance against aggression and Occupation. This is the difference between the Israeli leadership and the Islamic leadership. And the West tells us that Nasrallah is the terrorist and Netanyahu is the democratic civilised statesman even after all of Gaza has been brutally reduced to rubble. Nasrallah’s position was principled and he made it clear that Hezbollah will stop all military operations against Israel if there is a ceasefire in Gaza and an end to the Genocide. “But if they (the aggressive enemies) incline to peace, incline you to it as well, and place your trust in Allah, verily he alone is the All-Hearing, the All Knowing” [Quran: 8-61]
The Resistance has the most committed cadres who yearn for martyrdom. Of death, they are most fearless amongst all people walking planet earth today. Having these committed followers is a specific gift from God and this is the Arab fighting force that Hassan Nasrallah led. You can’t purchase this calibre of cadres. The Imperialist and Zionists with their millions of dollars and billions of shekels will not be able to produce the like of a Muhammadi fighter whose heart is illuminated with faith and yearns for martyrdom.
Nasrallah was martyred because of this solidarity with Gaza and his lifelong commitment to the liberation of Palestine. He sacrificed his life for the liberation of Palestine. History will never forget this fact. His martyrdom bears witness to this truth. In this respect his martyrdom is the ultimate victory, surpassing the military victories against the enemy in 2000 and 2006. He stood and died with the oppressed of Palestine when all of the world powers stood with the oppressors. Like Imam al Hussein, he knew that resisting and taking a stand will not result in an immediate victory but in his martyrdom and willingly chose this path of martyrdom.
Seyyid Hassan had a premonition of his death as is normally the case with the close friends of God. In his last two speeches, he tells us that he will speak to us again if he is still alive. He never mentioned this in all of his previous speeches. This was a man who knew that the enemy was closing in on him and that he was going to be martyred. But he always led a selfless life and there was no way that he was going to stop fighting Israel to save his own life. Like Imam Hussein, who stood alone, screaming a defiant no to injustice and tyranny while most of the people lacked the courage, Hassan Nasrallah said no to Genocide, Oppression and Occupation and gave his life for the Palestinian struggle. His end was Husseinic in that he stood as the lone leader fighting for Palestine. When the rest of the world stood back, he led, he took action, stood firm, refused to bow to pressure from the arrogant powers and was killed for his heroic stand. The people are watching the Genocide live as it happens and they read Gods words in the Quran and become conscious of their responsibility. “And how could you refuse to fight in the cause of Allah and of the utterly helpless men and women and children who are crying “Oh our Sustainer! Lead us forth to freedom out of this Imperial civic society whose people are oppressors, and raise for us, out of Your grace, a Protector, and raise for us, out of your Grace, one who will bring us support”. Quran Surah 4. Verse 6.
It is these words of God that Seyyid Hassan acted upon when he created a solidarity front for Gaza, in support of the “utterly helpless men, women and children” of Palestine on the very first day that the Genocide began. History will never forget this fact. And the context of his martyrdom must be understood. It is the time of Genocide and the most brutal and inhumane violence visited on the innocent and righteous people of Palestine. The most merciless government viciously targeting and slaughtering children. Acting with impunity and committing every war crime imaginable. The suffering and deathly cries of babies haunt the ears of every human with a conscience just as the spear that pierced the throat of little Ali Asghar in Karbala. Just like the family of Muhammad was shown no mercy on the fields of Karbala, the followers of Muhammad are shown no mercy in Gaza. Everyone knew the nature of Yazid’s oppressive regime just as everyone today knows the nature of Netanyahu’s tyrannical regime. But everyone is afraid to confront the powerful Zionist regime just as everyone was afraid to confront the powerful regime of Yazid. All of the Arab governments with all of their armies are scared to send bread to the people of Gaza, let alone sending bullets to the victims of Genocide to defend themselves. Except for the Axis of Resistance, all of the military formations who have not hesitated to fight against their fellow Muslims have not sent a single bullet in the direction of the Genocidal Zionist army. The followers of Muhammad are dying from famine in Gaza and bullets and bombs, every hour, every day, every month for two years now. The moment the Genocide started, it was a Husseinic moment. Hassan Nasrallah arose and bore witness. He did not wait for anyone else to lead the way. He knew that he had to rise up and resist. Nasrallah is the sign of Imam Hussein. By arising and bearing witness to truth and justice. This was not an impulsive act but a thoughtfully considered one. Carefully and calculatedly choosing a path that has only one direction and that is martyrdom. Just like Imam Hussein knew that his resistance and martyrdom will not immediately topple and defeat the oppressive regime of Yazid, Seyyed Hassan knew that his resistance and martyrdom will not immediately defeat the Israeli regime and liberate the Palestinians. Like Imam Hussein, Seyyid Hassan knew that Resistance is the only path to freedom, justice, liberation and dignity. In this context, as we commemorate his first martyrdom anniversary with no end to the Genocide in sight and all of the world powers complicit in their inaction, the last stand and martyrdom of Hassan Nasrallah is truly epic and Husseinic. The resistance and blood of Imam Hussein was a catalyst for the liberation of the people from tyranny of Yazid. The resistance and blood of Sayyed Hassan is a catalyst for the liberation of Palestine. Liberation will come only through resistance and defiance.
Martyrs are the greatest of human beings. They sacrifice their lives for freedom, dignity and justice. This is why they are the highest rank of human civilisation. But even among this esteemed category of martyrs, there are different ranks. For instance all of the martyrs of Karbala are at the apex of the great martyrs but Imam Hussein is the highest ranked. He watched his children, his brothers, his comrades and his entire family killed while he was in battle and he still continued fighting, knowing that he will be martyred. His body was targeted with the most amount of weapons. Hassan Nasrallah sacrificed everything that was dear to him. 80 U.S Mark 84 bunker busting bombs was used to kill him. Imam Ali said “One thousand strikes of the sword are easier than one death on the mattress”. Seyyid Hassan put himself and his family in the firing line. His eldest son Hadi was in the frontlines of the resistance facing off with the Israeli enemy when he was martyred in 1997. Nasrallah emulated the Prophetic method. Like the Holy Prophet, he put himself and those closest to him in the firing line to face death. In every battle the Prophet (p.b.u.h) would participate and lead from the front and Imam Ali was designated to engage in the one on one battle to death with the enemies’ strongest warriors thus exposing himself to death at every instance. Compare this Islamic leadership to that of the Zionist leadership. Netanyahu puts on a war vest and smiles for the cameras and then retreats to his palatial villa whilst his son plays around in America avoiding military duty.
Nasrallah if he wanted to, could have lived the most luxurious and comfortable life in any part of the Arab or Western world if he chose to normalize, collaborate and renege on resistance. But like Imam Hussein, he always said no to injustice, tyranny, racism, apartheid, monarchy and colonialism. He chose the part of selflessness and self-sacrifice. He consciously chose martyrdom. This defiance is fundamentally rooted in the ideology of Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h) when he was offered by his enemies all of the material wealth and niceties of the world, he replied “Even if you were to put the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left, I will not surrender”.
Seyyed Nasrallah’s martyrdom bears witness. His blood exposes all the hypocrites and leaders in the Arab and Muslim world who express solidarity with the Palestinians but collaborate with Israel and America. His words are poignant “ If someone bets on a relationship with the U.S. chumming up to the U.S, setting up Arab lobbies in the U.S thinking we can get Palestinian and Arab rights, this person is wrong because you can’t divide between the U.S and Israel and the nature of their entities and their essence”
“The illegitimate son Israel of the illegitimate America whose own history involved the massacre of millions of natives, I have my choice between humiliation and the sword, I chose the sword”.
He identified America and Israel as oppressive, racist and settler regimes. True to his word, Nasrallah chose the “sword” resistance and died the noblest death of a martyr. On the 8th October 2023, when Israel began its Genocidal war in Gaza, Hassan Nasrallah was the first leader to heed God’s call and from the very first day of the Genocidal war till his death, he fought this war against Israel with daily launching of rockets and missiles at Israeli military positions.
Nasrallah, did not see the Palestinians in Gaza as “Sunni” but as his brothers who were the most devout followers of Muhammad (p.b.u.h) suffering persecution, colonisation and Genocide. He was the first leader to rise to their defence. The leader of the Resistance in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar acknowledged this beloved brotherly and brave action in a letter he sent to Nasrallah on the 13 September 2023.
This is why Nasrallah will forever live in the hearts and minds of the Arab and Muslim street. Today we see the leaders from the Arab and Muslim world “chumming” up to the U.S and Trump, looking pathetic and emasculated. After having pumped trillions of dollars into America, they have to beg to even send a loaf of bread into Gaza. All of these governments have allowed U.S military troops to be stationed in their countries. Qatar which has the largest U.S. military troop presence and gifted President Trump with a private jet was recently humiliated when the U.S allowed Israel to bomb Qatar.
Nasrallah will be regarded as one of the greatest revolutionary leaders of all time. Not since Che Guevara has a revolutionary freedom fighter captured the imagination of justice and freedom loving people across the world. Nasrallah will continue to inspire freedom fighters forever. He lived and led gracefully like Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h) and he fought and died gallantly like Imam Hussein (A.S). “And say not of those who are slain for Allah’s cause, “They are dead”, nay they are alive but you perceive it not”. Quran Surah 2. Verse 154.
To the Arab street, Hassan Nasrallah was the martyr and the greatest Arab leader of the last century.
Iqbal Suleiman