According to the Public Relations Office of IICT, as reported by Shabestan News Agency, an international symposium titled “The Assassination of Martyr Haniyeh and the Future of the Resistance Front” was held on Monday, August 12, 2024. This event was organized by the Politics Department of the Institute in collaboration with the Institute of Islamic Sciences and Culture, the Islamic Seminary’s Response Center to Doubts, the Cultural and Educational Committee of Arbaeen, the International Deputy of the Supreme Leader’s Hajj Office, and the Association of Political Studies of the Islamic Seminary.
In this session, Ayatollah Ali Akbar Rashad delivered a speech highlighting that the characteristics of “Ismail Haniyeh,” the heroic and steadfast leader of the resistance front in Gaza and Palestine, are not yet fully recognized. While some aspects of his personality have been discussed in various gatherings, several crucial elements that shaped this champion of the resistance remain underappreciated, which he then outlined.
Ayatollah Rashad emphasized that one of the key facets of Haniyeh’s character is the set of values that are highly esteemed in the Qur’an and Islamic culture, with “piety” being at the forefront. He also pointed to qualities like “jihad, knowledge, awareness, and insight”, which collectively molded Haniyeh into a central figure of the resistance movement and the unity of Muslims. These values drove Haniyeh to stand resolutely against the common enemies of the Muslim community, urging unity and shared purpose among different Islamic sects and nations.
Furthermore, Rashad stressed the significance of piety as an ultimate value in Islam, referring to the Quranic verse from Surah Al-Hujurat (49:13), which states that the most honorable among people in the sight of Allah is the most pious. He also discussed the value of knowledge as described in the Quran, highlighting that true understanding comes from divine guidance rather than mere academic learning.
He added: “Another factor that is also emphasized in the Holy Quran involves the distinction between those who stay behind and those who strive in the path of jihad. These individuals stood firm in the face of disbelief and arrogance. They are contrasted with those who, without any valid excuse, chose to stay at home. Regarding these two groups, God states in Surah An-Nisa:
«لَا یَسْتَوِی الْقَاعِدُونَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِینَ غَیْرُ أُولِی الضَّرَرِ وَالْمُجَاهِدُونَ فِی سَبِیلِ اللَّهِ بِأَمْوَالِهِمْ وَأَنْفُسِهِمْ فَضَّلَ اللَّهُ الْمُجَاهِدِینَ بِأَمْوَالِهِمْ وَأَنْفُسِهِمْ عَلَی الْقَاعِدِینَ دَرَجَةً وَکُلًّا وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الْحُسْنَی وَفَضَّلَ اللَّهُ الْمُجَاهِدِینَ عَلَی الْقَاعِدِینَ أَجْرًا عَظِیمًا»
‘Not equal are those believers who sit [at home]—except those who are disabled—and those who strive and fight in the cause of Allah with their wealth and their lives. Allah has preferred those who strive with their wealth and their lives over those who sit [at home] by a degree. And to both, Allah has promised good [reward]. But Allah has preferred those who strive over those who sit [at home] with a great reward.’
(The believers who, without physical disability, financial hardship, or any other valid excuse, refrained from jihad and stayed at home, are not equal to those who fought in the cause of Allah with their wealth and their lives. Allah has granted a higher rank and status to those who strive in the cause of Allah with their wealth and their lives. While He has promised good rewards to both groups for their faith and righteous deeds, He has greatly elevated the reward of those who strive in jihad over those who stay behind without a valid excuse.)
The Head of the Institute for Culture and Islamic Thought emphasized: “In light of the verse in Surah Al-Hujurat, where God says,
إِنَّ أَکْرَمَکُمْ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ أَتْقَاکُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِیمٌ خَبِیرٌ
‘Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted,’
, it can be inferred that there are different types of piety. For instance, there is innate piety, where individuals benefit from divine teachings that are accessible to them, and by nature, they avoid wickedness and vices. These individuals can be pious by nature. Another type of piety is rational piety, where a person, guided by reason, avoids vices. There is also piety based on religious law, where an individual remains steadfast and committed due to religious and spiritual obligations.”
He continued by saying: “Another value emphasized in the divine word and the Holy Quran is the value of knowledge. God states in the Quran:
الَّذِینَ یَعْلَمُونَ وَالَّذِینَ لَا یَعْلَمُونَ إِنَّمَا یَتَذَکَّرُ أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِ
‘Say, “Are those who know equal to those who do not know?”
Only those with understanding will remember [i.e., take heed].’ (Is the one who stands in devotion throughout the night, prostrating and standing in prayer, fearing the Hereafter and hoping for the mercy of his Lord, better, or the one who does not? Say, ‘Are those who know equal to those who do not know?’ Only those endowed with intellect heed the reminder.) Sometimes, people interpret this verse without considering its full context, implying that an educated person is naturally superior to someone uneducated. However, this verse refers to a different kind of knowledge, which the mystics refer to as divine or gifted knowledge. This is a knowledge bestowed by God Almighty and cannot be acquired from books or formal study; it is attained through other means. This is not the kind of knowledge that can be learned in school, but rather, as Hafiz beautifully expressed, ‘Erase the pages if you are our companion, for the knowledge of love is not found in the books.’
Ayatollah Rashad continued: This was mentioned to highlight that a figure like Ismail Haniyeh possessed these qualities, and it was because of these virtues that God endeared him to the hearts of people. I believe that in this time, not far from the martyrdom of this Palestinian hero, Haniyeh, because he embodied some of these supreme values, was able to hold a special position among Muslims. He had piety and spent his entire life on the front lines of battle. From his youth, he was engaged in jihad, and he attained knowledge through the hardships of jihad. Although he had formal education, he possessed insight and wisdom that were granted to him by God Almighty. His determination for jihad only grew stronger throughout his life, leading him to martyrdom and making him a symbol of unity and solidarity.
He added: Unfortunately, some political leaders in the Islamic world harbored animosity towards him, and some reliable reports suggest that these leaders, behind the scenes, aligned with the ruthless and treacherous Zionists. The possibility that they were complicit in the martyrdom of Ismail Haniyeh is not far-fetched; it is a strong possibility that, if investigated, could reveal the hidden and visible hands behind this.
The Head of the Institute for Culture and Islamic Thought further added: The future of Palestine and the cleansing of the region from the presence of Zionists depend on the unity of Muslims. However, if some so-called Muslims and some self-serving, and perhaps self-deceived, Arab and Islamic leaders do not align themselves with the millions, or even billions, of Muslims whose foremost cause is the liberation of Palestine, the Resistance front will prevail. Therefore, I call on all Muslims, especially those who are either unaware or pretending to be asleep, and particularly those leaders who are, in some cases, betraying the noble Islamic cause of liberating Palestine, to not fall behind. They should advance with the Resistance front under the banner of unity, armed with faith, piety, knowledge, and jihad, because the future of Palestine and the region is very bright, and we have no doubt about the victory of the Resistance front. Anyone who does not stand in solidarity with this front will be defeated and left behind in the march towards victory.
