Shaykh Ahmad Yasin

Shaykh Ahmad Yasin, the spiritual leader of Hamas has been assassinated by Israel. An era has come to an end in that the spiritual leader has departed from this world to live in his heavenly abode. May Allah shower His blessings on him, Ameen!

Perhaps it is not needed to condemn Israel’s state-sponsored terrorism. Suffice to say that the Zionist entity is simply incapable of being civilized and, therefore, no civilized behaviour should be expected from it. Tel Aviv does not believe in terrorism; it is terrorism per se.

Neither Hamas nor the Palestinian resistance will be cowed down by such barbarism as the assassination of an old and physically paralyzed spiritual leader. Hamas is much more than Shaykh Yasin and the Palestinian resistance is bigger than any leader, dead or alive. The resistance will continue, of course, till the final victory.

Shaykh Yasin was born in mid 1930s. The house he was born in no longer exists, as it was demolished by Israel. He, along with his family, has been living in Ghaza Strip for quite a long time. He knew Ghaza and Ghaza knew him. He was widely respected by his followers and also by those who did not share his vision. The reason lied in his extraordinary personality.

Shaykh Yasin grew up at a time when the British and the Zionists were conspiring against his dear land. He was still teen-aged when Israel came into existence, and since then his eyes saw but plight and miseries for the Palestinians. He, like many children of his age in 1948, vowed to liberate Palestine. Although he became paralyzed at an early age, he was determined to pursue his studies. He studied at al-Azhar and then returned to the occupied territories.

With the formation of PLO in early 1960s, the bulk of the members of the Muslim Brotherhood joined Arafat’s al-Fatah and apparently disbanded the once famous religious-political organisation in Ghaza Strip. However, there were few who were not satisfied, and prominent among them was Shaykh Yasin. He surely would have been ignored in mid 1960s when the PLO had become the buzzword. But the Shaykh was a coot headed, far-sighted and, above all, an embodiment of determination despite suffering from physical paralysis. He decided to temporarily shun politics and do the much needed social work. He focussed on the education of Palestinian children. He not only taught but also opened schools, orphanages and charities which helped the poorest among the poor. He also traveled all across Ghaza urging people to follow the Islamic teachings and not to be pessimistic about the liberation of Palestine. His social works and speeches raised the spirit of the Palestinians who were fast loosing the hope of life. The fact that a physically paralyzed man was capable of doing so much for the society mesmerized many a Palestinian and inspired specially the youngmen.

Shaykh Yasin came to political prominence in the wake of first Palestinian Intifadha, which began in 1987. This also marks the beginning of Palestinian resistance in the occupied territories, as until now it was carried out mainly by PLO from Lebanon and other Arab countries. The Shaykh helped to form Hamas which is the short form of an Arabic name that means: The Movement for Islamic Resistance. Hamas, besides being an acronym is also an Arabic word and means zeal. And over the years the Hamas workers have carried out their activities with exemplary zeal, conviction and commitment.

Shaykh Yasin was arrested by Israel in 1989, and remained in Israeli prison for 13 years. His being jailed did not affect the activities of Hamas and surely his martyrdom would not halt the march of the Islamic resistance to the brutal Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands.

The assassination of Shaykh Yasin is a telling commentary on Arab weakness. It shows how insignificant they have become in world politics. Palestine is an occupied territory since 1948, Afghanistan after 9/11 and Iraq for over a year. The Arab and Islamic leaders, meanwhile, busy in be friendship the West. This is the mental slavery which is the worst of all things called bad. Sure, the martyrdom of Shaykh Yasin would not disturb the Arab-Islamic leader; it would, however, surely electrify the Muslim masses, specially in the occupied territories. Efforts to liberate Palestine from the river to the sea must continue. This is the message that the Shaykh’s martyrdom carries for one and all.

[March 2004]