Chapter Five
Historical proof throughout history [sic] regarding the confrontation with the agressors
Article 34
Palestine is the heart of the globe, the place where the continents meet, the place that has attracted the greedy [aggressors] since the dawn of history. The prophet, may Allah’s prayer and blessing of peace be upon him, mentions in his noble hadith in which he addressed his revered companion, Mu’adh bin Jabel: “Mu’adh, Allah will enable you to conquer Al-Sham after my death, from El-‘Arish to the Euphrates, its men, women and handmaidens will be [permanently] stationed at the frontier until Judgment Day. Whoever among chooses [to dwell permanently in] one of the shores of Al-Sham or Jerusalem, will be in a [permanent] state of jihad until Resurrection Day.”
Indeed, many times a greedy [aggressor] coveted Palestine and took it by surprise with columns [of soldiers] to satisfy their greed. Thus the huge armies of the Crusaders invaded it in the name of their faith and flew the banner of the Cross over it. They succeeded in defeating the Muslims for quite a while, and the Muslims only succeeded in reconquering it after they gathered together under the banner of their [own] religion. Then they joined forces and cried [the Muslim battle cry] Allahu Akbar, and set out to fight for almost two decades as jihad warriors under the command al Salah al-Din al-Ayyoubi, and were manifestly victorious:[67] The Crusaders were defeated and Palestine was liberated, [as it is written in the Qur’an:]
“Tell the infidels, you will be defeated and brought together in hell. How terrible [will] the resting place [there be]” ([Surah 3] Aal-‘Imran [Verse] 12).
That is the only way to liberate [Palestine]. There is no doubt as to the true proof of history. It is one of the laws of the universe and one of the rules of existence. Only iron can break iron, and [the infidels’] false and faked faith can be overcome only by the true Islamic faith. Religious faith can only be confronted by religious faith. Eventually, justice will prevail, since justice is [always] triumphant, [as it is written in the Qur’an:] “We have already given our word to our servants the messengers, that they are those who will indeed be triumphant and that our battalions are the ones that will prevail” ([Surah 37] Al-Saffat [Verse] 171-173).
Article 35
The Islamic Resistance Movement has given to the defeat of the Crusaders at the hands of Salah al-Din al-Ayyoubi and the wresting of Palestine from their hands very deep thought, as it has done to the overthrow of the Mongols at ‘Ayn Jalout[68] when their force was broken by Qutuz and Al-Zahir Baybars,[69] who thus rescued the Arab [sic] world from the Mongol invasion which destroyed every vestige of human culture. [The Islamic Resistance Movement] takes those things seriously and draws inspiration and learns lessons from [all of] them. To be sure, the current Zionist invasion was preceded by Crusader invasions from the west and Mongol invasions from the east. As the Muslims withstood those invasions and made plans to confront them and [eventually] defeated them, thus it has the capability to face the Zionist invasion and to defeat it [as well]. That is not difficult for Allah, if intentions are pure and resolve is honest, and if the Muslims learn the lessons of the past, shed the influences of intellectual invasion and follows the practice of their ancestors.[70]
Conclusion
the Islamic Resistance Movement [consists of] soldiers [for the cause]
Article 36
While making its way forward, the Islamic Resistance Movement again emphasizes to all the [Palestinian] people, and to all Arab and Islamic peoples, that it is not seeking glory for itself, material gain or social status. It is not directed against any one of our people since it does not wish to compete with any one of them or try to take his place, nothing of the kind. Moreover, it will not in any way oppose any Muslim or those non-Muslims who wish it well, here [in Palestine] or any other place. It will only serve as a support for any group or organization active against Zionist enemy and its lackeys.
The Islamic Resistance Movement regards Islam as its way of life. Islam is its faith [and ideology] which it professes. Whoever regards Islam as the way of life, either here or elsewhere, be it an organization, group, state or any other body, the Islamic Resistance Movement will serve as its soldiers and nothing else. We ask Allah to guide us and to guide [others] through us [along the straight past] and judge us and our people with the truth, [as it is written in the Qur’an:] “Our sovereign, judge between us and our people with the truth, for you are the best of judges” ([Surah 7] Al-A’raf [Verse] 89).
Our final prayer [is]: Praise be to Allah, lord of the universe.[71]
Contents:
• An analysis of the Hamas charter
• Translation (Appendix A)
Introduction and Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5 and Conclusion
• The original Arabic document (Appendix B)
[67] Fath Mubin – mentioned in Surah 48 (Al-Fath) Verse 1 – it has positive connotations apparently linked to Muhammad’s victory after the Hudaybiyyah agreement, a 10-year cease-fire agreement signed in 628 AD (and lasting until 630 AD) between the prophet Muhammad and his enemy -- the infidels of (his own) Quraysh tribe, as a result of which he was later very successful on the battlefield.
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[68] I.e., Ein Harod in the Jezreel Valley in the northern part of the State of Israel.
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[69] Saif al-Din Qutuz was the Mameluke Sultan of Egypt from 1257 AD until his death in 1260 AD. The commander of his army, Al-Zahir Baybars (1223-1277 AD) defeated the Mongols at the battle of Ayn Jalout.
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[70] Aslafihim in the original: the first generation of distinguished Muslims, considered the ideal figures for devout Muslims, especially radical Muslims in the modern world.
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[71] The usual closing words of Muslim speeches or sermons given in mosques.
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