Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah

Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah

Hezbollah's Secretary General
Well-known As	Sayyid al-Muqawama
Religious Affiliation	Twelver Shi'a Muslim
Well-known Relatives	Sayyid Hadi Nasrallah
Birth	1960
Place of Birth	Al-Bazuriyya, Tyre
Place of Residence	Beirut, Lenbanon
Death/Martyrdom	September 27, 2024 CE
Cause of Death/Martyrdom	Assassinated by Israeli drones in Beirut
Professors	Sayyid Abbas al-Musawi, Fadil Lankarani, Hashemi Shahroudi
Notable roles	Secretary General of Hezbollah

Al-Sayyid Ḥasan Naṣrallāh (Arabic: السيد حسن نصرالله), b. August 31, 1960, d. September 27, 2024), was a Lebanese Shia cleric and the Secretary General of Hezbollah, the Shia Islamic political and military organization in Lebanon. During his studies in Najaf, he made a good relationship with al-Sayyid Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr and al-Sayyid Abbas al-Musawi which involved him in the battles against Zionist occupiers.

He was in charge of administrative apparatus of Hezbollah for a while, but after the martyrdom of al-Sayyid Abbas al-Musawi, he became the Secretary General of this organization. Nasrallah led Hezbollah for more than three decades. He was elected secretary-general of Hezbollah in 1992, aged 32 after an Israeli helicopter gunship killed his predecessor, Sayyed Abbas al-Musawi.

Under his leadership, Hezbollah became an influential power in the region, and subsequently they managed to force the Israeli army to retreat from Lebanon in 2000 as well as releasing a number of their prisoners. Because of the threat of assassination attempts, Hasan Nasrallah rarely appeared in public places. His son, Sayyid Hadi Nasrallah, was martyred in 1997 in a battle against Israeli army. Hasan Nasrallah was a member of the Supreme Council of Ahl al-Bayt (a) World Assembly.

On Friday, September 27, 2024, the Zionist regime struck Hezbollah's headquarters in southern Beirut. The following day, Hezbollah confirmed the assassination and martyrdom of their leader, Sayyid Hasan Nasrallah, due to the Israeli strike on Beirut.

Birth

Al-Sayyid Hasan Nasrallah was born on August 31, 1960 in al-Bazuriyya town, an unprivileged region in the east of Tyre, a city in the south of Lebanon. His mother's name was Mahdiyya Safi al-Din and his father was al-Sayyid 'Abd al-Karim. He used to work in his father's store, selling vegetables.

Education

Hasan Nasrallah has studied elementary and high school in his hometown, while he studied secondary school in Beirut. In 1987, he moved to Najaf to study religious sciences. He returned to Lebanon after two years of settling and educating in Najaf; he studied religious subjects in Baalbek. In 1989, he migrated to Qom and after a while returned to Lebanon as Hezbollah needed him.

Social and Political Activities

Al-Sayyid Hasan Nasrallah was involved in political activities from his young ages. After he finished high school, Hasan Nasrallah became the leader of Amal Movement in his hometown in 1975.

When he returned from Najaf in 1979, he became a member of the political office of Amal Movement. He was also the representative of this political party in Biqa' Valley.

In 1982 along with a group of clergymen, Nasrallah left Amal and they founded Hezbollah.

He was mainly involved in political activities of Hezbollah party from 1982 to 1992. In addition, he was in charge of preparation of military soldiers of Hezbollah. He was assistant of Ibrahim Amin al-Sayyid (the head of Hezbollah in Beirut) and also administrative assistant of Hezbollah.

After the martyrdom of al-Sayyid Abbas al-Musawi in 1992, al-Sayyid Hasan Nasrallah became the Secretary General of Hezbollah. He led Hezbollah for more than three decades. He was elected secretary-general of Hezbollah in 1992, aged 32 after an Israeli helicopter gunship killed his predecessor, Sayyed Abbas al-Musawi. During Nasrallah's administration, Hezbollah entered into political activities and some of its members entered the Lebanese parliament.

"Sayyed of the Resistance" and Struggles against Israeli Occupation

For his and Hezbollah's role in liberating southern Lebanon in 2000 after 22 years of Zionist occupation, as well as their victory in the 33-day war in 2006, Sayyid Hasan Nasrallah became one of Lebanon's most well-known and popular figures, earning the nickname "Sayyed of the Resistance." Due to his resistance and repeated victories against Israel, Nasrallah has emerged as a prominent figure in the Islamic world, being recognized as the most popular leader in the Arab world and one of the most respected and powerful leaders in both the Arab region and West Asia. His epic speeches and strong personality are considered key factors in his popularity. Nasrallah was respected by the Lebanese and millions across the Arab and Islamic world.

Relation with Iran

Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah's meeting with Ayatollah Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran

Sayyed Hasan had a close and friendly relationship with Iran and its leaders. He traveled to Iran multiple times and met with various Iranian leaders. His first meeting with Imam Khomeini occurred in 1981 or 1982 at Husayniya Jamaran. In 1985, he visited Imam Khomeini again, accompanied by members of Hezbollah. His third and final meeting with Imam Khomeini took place a few months before Khomeini's demise, during the conflict between the Amal movement and Hezbollah. In 1981, al-Sayyid Hasan Nasrallah was granted ijaza (permission) from Imam Khomeini, which made him the first Lebanese clergymen to achieve it from him.

As stated in Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah's autobiography, his close relationship with Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei began in 1985. He also met multiple times with various Iranian military and state officials, including Qasem Soleimani and Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, the late Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Nasrallah viewed Iran as a friend and supporter of Hezbollah, and he, in turn, defended Iran. For instance, in response to the Zionist attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus in April 2024, he affirmed Iran's right to retaliate and deemed a response against the Zionist regime inevitable. He regards his friendly relations with Iran as an honor. In November 2009, Hasan Nasrallah unveiled Hezbollah's new political document, which emphasized the group's commitment to and dependence on the Wilayat al-faqih in Iran as a core policy.

Martyrdom of His Son

Seyyed Hasan Nasrallah's televised speech

Hassan Nasrallah's speech in Beirut, November 2023

Al-Sayyid Hadi Nasrallah, Hasan Nasrallah's son, was martyred in 1997 in a battle with Israeli soldiers. Israeli soldiers kept his body, and it was given back to Lebanon after a year in an exchange deal between Israel and Hezbollah.

Assassination Attempts

Al-Sayyid Hasan Nasrallah has been the target of assassination for a number of times, including:

• Giving him poisoned food in 2004.
• He was the target of Israeli airstrike in 2006.
• A group of terrorists were captured in an attempt to hit Nasrallah's vehicle by bazooka in 2006.
• A house was destroyed by an Israeli airstrike in 2011, as they thought Nasrallah was staying there.

Because of a series of assassination attempts, al-Sayyid Hasan Nasrallah did not appear commonly in public; however a guard team was always protecting him established by Imad Mughniyeh who was assasinated by Zionist Regime in 2008. Till his martyrdom, Abu 'Ali al-Jawad, his son-in-law, was in charge of this guard team. The Hezbollah leader is said to have become more cautious than ever since the September 17 blasts, out of concern that Israel might attempt to assassinate him. Evidence of this is his pre-recorded speech that was aired a few days before his assassination.

Martyrdom in the Last Assassination Attempt

A woman reads the Quran at the site where Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah, was martyred in Beirut’s southern suburbs

On Friday, September 27, 2024, the Zionist regime struck Hezbollah's headquarters in southern Beirut. Six buildings were razed to the ground as a result of the Israeli aggression in the southern suburb of Beirut. Zionist media claimed that the regime targeted Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, in strikes on the Dahiya neighborhood. The following day, Hezbollah confirmed the assassination and martyrdom of their leader, Sayyid Hasan Nasrallah, and number of his companions due to the Israeli strike on Beirut. Hezbollah also confirmed that one of its senior commanders, Ali Karaki, was martyred in the Zionist air strike on Friday that martyred its leader Hassan Nasrallah. Over 80 tons of explosives, including bunker-busting bombs, were used to attack Hezbollah's headquarters in the strike that led to the martyrdom of Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah. The bombs used by the occupying regime, particularly in civilian areas, are prohibited under international law.

Iran's Retaliatory Operation

Main article: Iran's missile attack on Israel

On October 1, 2024, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched the Second True Promise Operation, a missile attack targeting military and security sites in the occupied territories. This operation involved hundreds of missiles fired from various Iranian cities and was a retaliation for the assassination of Hezbollah's Secretary General Sayyid Hasan Nasrallah, along with Ismail Haniyya, the head of Hamas and IRGC commander Sayyid Abbas Nilfroushan.

Reactions

In Iran, Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, issued a message on the occasion of the martyrdom of Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah. In part of his message, he stated: "The Islamic world has lost a noble figure, the Resistance Front has lost an eminent standard-bearer, and Lebanon’s Hezbollah has lost an unparalleled leader. However, the blessings from his decades of planning and jihad will never be lost. The foundation that Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah established in Lebanon and the direction he provided to other centers of Resistance will not be destroyed as a result of his martyrdom, but rather it will also be strengthened due to his sacrifice and that of the other martyrs of this event."

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian says the international community will not forget that the order for Israel’s terrorist act to assassinate Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah was issued from New York. In a message of condolences on Saturday, Pezeshkian said the United States cannot absolve itself of complicity with the Zionists in the terror attack against the Hezbollah chief. He added that Israel’s Friday terrorist attack, will further strengthen the “tree of resistance."

Iraqi Prime Minister Muhammad Shiya' al-Sudani said in a statement on Saturday that the Zionist entity crossed all red lines after perpetrating this heinous act of aggression. He went on to reaffirm Iraq’s principled stance in standing with Palestinian and Lebanese nations and announced three days of national mourning over the assassination of Nasrallah.

Iraq’s prominent Shia cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani also offered his condolences over the martyrdom of the late Hezbollah leader:

“The great martyr was an unmatched role model. He played a distinguished role in the victory over the occupying Zionist regime by liberating occupied Lebanese lands, and supported Iraqis with everything he could to help them free their homeland from the clutches of ISIS terrorists,” the top Iraqi cleric said in a statement. Ayatollah Nasir Makarim Shirazi, one of the prominent authorities on Taqlid, has issued a message of condolence for the martyrdom of Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah, and stated that the people of Palestine, Lebanon, and the Islamic Ummah will never forget the contributions of this martyr. Ayatollah Noori Hamadani issued a message of condolence and stated "this action does not disrupt the determination of the resistance front".

Palestinian resistance groups along with other regional resistance factions say the assassination by Israel of Hezbollah’s Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah will only increase the determination of the resistance in the region. Palestinian resistance movement Hamas said in a Saturday statement that crimes and assassinations by Israel “will only increase the determination and the insistence of the resistance in Palestine and Lebanon.”

Other religious figures in Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen, Pakistan, Syria, and other Islamic countries also issued messages condoling the martyrdom of Seyed Hassan Nasrallah and condemning the terrorist actions of the Zionist regime.

Condemnations

In Iran, protesters gathered in Palestine Square in Tehran.

Protests took place on Saturday in multiple countries mourning the assassination of Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah, the leader of the Lebanese militant organization Hezbollah. Protesters gathered on Saturday not only in Lebanon, but also in Iran, in the West Bank, Iraq, Syria, Türkiye, Pakistan, Indian Keshmir, some European countries and elsewhere to mourn his assassination.

National Mourning

In a statement on Saturday, Ayatollah Khamenei expressed his condolences to the family of Nasrallah, the resistance front, the Lebanese people and the entire Islamic Ummah. He also declared five days of national mourning in Iran.

In Iraq, Prime Minister Muhammad Shia' al-Sudani announced on Saturday a three-day period of national mourning over the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.

Also, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen declared three days of mourning over the Hezbollah leader's martyrdom by the Zionist regime.

Related Works

Al-Sayyid Hasan in his youth

Al-Sayyid Hasan with al-Sayyid Abbas al-Musawi in Najaf

A number of written and visual works have been done about the personality of al-Sayyid Hasan Nasrallah, including a number of books, documentaries and even music songs.

Documentries

• Nasrallah through the Eyes of his Enemies, Al-Mayadeen TV Channel has prepared this 50-minute documentary based on Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah's speeches, incorporating images and analyses from Israeli experts and analysts.

• Hikayat Hasan (Hasan's Story), This documentary aired on Al-Arabiya TV and discusses how Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah gained power and popularity in Lebanon. The broadcast prompted protests from Nasrallah's opponents, leading to the dismissal of the director of Al-Arabiya Network for airing it.

• Heralds of Freedom, (part of Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah) The documentary aired on Khabar TV, a channel of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Musical Pieces

• The song "Ahibbaii" (Dearly Beloved), was performed by Julia Boutros, a Lebanese Christian singer in 2006, inspired by Seyed Hasan Nasrallah's letter to the fighters of Lebanon's Hezbollah. She dedicated the piece to the fighters of the Islamic resistance in Lebanon.

• The song Ya Nasrallah with the voice of 'Alaa Zelzali, a Lebanese singer (2007)

• Li-Sayyid Rabbi Yuhmih lit. "O noble Sayyid, may God protect you for us and Islamic resistance and Islam.

See Also

• Sayyid 'Abbas al-Musawi
• Naim Qassem
• Ragheb Harb
• Imad Mughniyeh
• Imam Musa al-Sadr
• Sayyid Muhammad Husayn Fadl Allah

External Links

• The Multilingual Website of al-Sayyid Hasan Nasrallah]