It is important to understand that
Islam is not like the Protestant Church that has splintered in a
thousand different directions. The Muslim Brotherhood, long banned in
Egypt but now controls the Presidency, is the parent organization,
and that Al Qaeda, Hamas, and Hezbollah are all brothers, kinda like
a fast food chain that directly owns individual restaurants and
controls them 100%.
Normally, I would supply a link so that
you can read the 1988 Hamas Charter.
Instead, below I have cut 'n paste the
whole shebang for your convenience below.
Happy reading (and yes, I know,
according to Islam law, any translation of the original Arabic
produces an invalid document, but I list it because neither I nor
those reading this essay, read Arabic. BTW: did you know that neither
written Hebrew or written Arabic have vowels? Simple coincidence?).
For those who are lazy, here are the
important articles with significant political impact, especially #11:
Article Eleven: The Strategy of
Hamas: Palestine is an Islamic Waqf
Article Thirteen: Peaceful
Solutions, [Peace] Initiatives and International Conferences
Article Fifteen: The Jihad for the
Liberation of Palestine is an Individual Obligation
Article Twenty-Eight
Article Thirty-Two: The Attempts
to Isolate the Palestinian People
…........................................
Hamas Charter (1988)
The Charter of Allah: The Platform of
the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas)
“In the Name of Allah, the Merciful,
the Compassionate You are the best community that has been raised up
for mankind. Ye enjoin right conduct and forbid indecency; and ye
believe in Allah. And if the People of the Scripture had believed, it
had been better for them. Some of them are believers; but most of
them are evil-doers. They will not harm you save a trifling hurt, and
if they fight against you they will turn and flee. And afterward they
will not be helped. Ignominy shall be their portion wheresoever they
are found save [where they grasp] a rope from Allah and a rope from
man. They have incurred anger from their Lord, and wretchedness is
laid upon them. That is because they used to disbelieve the
revelations of Allah, and slew the Prophets wrongfully. That is
because they were rebellious and used to transgress.” Surat
Al-Imran (III), verses 109-111 Israel will rise and will remain erect
until Islam eliminates it as it had eliminated its predecessors. The
Islamic World is burning. It is incumbent upon each one of us to pour
some water, little as it may be, with a view of extinguishing as much
of the fire as he can, without awaiting action by the others.
Introduction
Grace to Allah, whose help we seek,
whose forgiveness we beseech, whose guidance we implore and on whom
we rely. We pray and bid peace upon the Messenger of Allah, his
family, his companions, his followers and those who spread his
message and followed his tradition; they will last as long as there
exist Heaven and Earth. O, people! In the midst of misadventure, from
the depth of suffering, from the believing hearts and purified arms;
aware of our duty and in response to the decree of Allah, we direct
our call, we rally together and join each other. We educate in the
path of Allah and we make our firm determination prevail so as to
take its proper role in life, to overcome all difficulties and to
cross all hurdles. Hence our permanent state of preparedness and our
readiness to sacrifice our souls and dearest [possessions] in the
path of Allah. Thus, our nucleus has formed which chartered its way
in the tempestuous ocean of creeds and hopes, desires and wishes,
dangers and difficulties, setbacks and challenges, both internal and
external. When the thought matured, the seed grew and the plant took
root in the land of reality, detached from temporary emotion and
unwelcome haste, the Islamic Resistance Movement erupted in order to
play its role in the path of its Lord. In so doing, it joined its
hands with those of all Jihad fighters for the purpose of liberating
Palestine. The souls of its Jihad fighters will encounter those of
all Jihad fighters who have sacrificed their lives in the land of
Palestine since it was conquered by the Companion of the Prophet, be
Allah’s prayer and peace upon him, and until this very day. This is
the Charter of the Islamic Resistance (Hamas) which will reveal its
face, unveil its identity, state its position, clarify its purpose,
discuss its hopes, call for support to its cause and reinforcement,
and for joining its ranks. For our struggle against the Jews is
extremely wide-ranging and grave, so much so that it will need all
the loyal efforts we can wield, to be followed by further steps and
reinforced by successive battalions from the multifarious Arab and
Islamic world, until the enemies are defeated and Allah’s victory
prevails. Thus we shall perceive them approaching in the horizon, and
this will be known before long: “Allah has decreed: Lo! I very
shall conquer, I and my messenger, lo! Allah is strong, almighty.”
Part I - Knowing the Movement
Article One: The Ideological Aspects
The Islamic Resistance Movement draws
its guidelines from Islam; derives from it its thinking,
interpretations and views about existence, life and humanity; refers
back to it for its conduct; and is inspired by it in whatever step it
takes.
Article Two: The Link between Hamas
and the Association of Muslim Brothers
The Islamic Resistance Movement is one
of the wings of the Muslim Brothers in Palestine. The Muslim
Brotherhood Movement is a world organization, the largest Islamic
Movement in the modern era. It is characterized by a profound
understanding, by precise notions and by a complete comprehensiveness
of all concepts of Islam in all domains of life: views and beliefs,
politics and economics, education and society, jurisprudence and
rule, indoctrination and teaching, the arts and publications, the
hidden and the evident, and all the other domains of life.
Article Three: Structure and Essence
The basic structure of the Islamic
Resistance Movement consists of Muslims who are devoted to Allah and
worship Him verily [as it is written]: “I have created Man and
Devil for the purpose of their worship” [of Allah]. Those Muslims
are cognizant of their duty towards themselves, their families and
country and they have been relying on Allah for all that. They have
raised the banner of Jihad in the face of the oppressors in order to
extricate the country and the people from the [oppressors’]
desecration, filth and evil.
Article Four
The Movement welcomes all Muslims who
share its beliefs and thinking, commit themselves to its course of
action, keep its secrets and aspire to join its ranks in order to
carry out their duty. Allah will reward them.
Article Five: Dimensions of Time and
Space of the Hamas
As the Movement adopts Islam as its way
of life, its time dimension extends back as far as the birth of the
Islamic Message and of the Righteous Ancestor. Its ultimate goal is
Islam, the Prophet its model, the Qur’an its Constitution. Its
special dimension extends wherever on earth there are Muslims, who
adopt Islam as their way of life; thus, it penetrates to the deepest
reaches of the land and to the highest spheres of Heavens.
Article Six: Peculiarity and
Independence
The Islamic Resistance Movement is a
distinct Palestinian Movement which owes its loyalty to Allah,
derives from Islam its way of life and strives to raise the banner of
Allah over every inch of Palestine. Only under the shadow of Islam
could the members of all regions coexist in safety and security for
their lives, properties and rights. In the absence of Islam, conflict
arises, oppression reigns, corruption is rampant and struggles and
wars prevail. Allah had inspired the Muslim poet, Muhammad Iqbal,
when he said:
When the Faith wanes, there is no
security
There is no this-worldliness for those
who have no faith
Those who wish to live their life
without religion
Have made annihilation the equivalent
of life.
Article Seven: The Universality of
Hamas
By virtue of the distribution of
Muslims, who pursue the cause of the Hamas, all over the globe, and
strive for its victory, for the reinforcement of its positions and
for the encouragement of its Jihad, the Movement is a universal one.
It is apt to be that due to the clarity of its thinking, the nobility
of its purpose and the loftiness of its objectives. It is in this
light that the Movement has to be regarded, evaluated and
acknowledged. Whoever denigrates its worth, or avoids supporting it,
or is so blind as to dismiss its role, is challenging Fate itself.
Whoever closes his eyes from seeing the facts, whether intentionally
or not, will wake up to find himself overtaken by events, and will
find no excuses to justify his position. Priority is reserved to the
early comers. Oppressing those who are closest to you, is more of an
agony to the soul than the impact of an Indian sword. “And unto
thee have we revealed the Scripture with the truth, confirming
whatever scripture was before it, and a watcher over it. So judge
between them by that which Allah hath revealed, and follow not their
desires away from the truth which has come unto thee. For each we
have appointed a divine law and a traced-out way. Had Allah willed,
He could have made you one community. But that He may try you by that
which he has given you [He has made you as you are]. So vie with one
another in good works. Unto Allah, you will all return. He will then
inform you of that wherein you differ.” Hamas is one of the links
in the Chain of Jihad in the confrontation with the Zionist invasion.
It links up with the setting out of the Martyr Izz a-din al-Qassam
and his brothers in the Muslim Brotherhood who fought the Holy War in
1936; it further relates to another link of the Palestinian Jihad and
the Jihad and efforts of the Muslim Brothers during the 1948 War, and
to the Jihad operations of the Muslim Brothers in 1968 and
thereafter. But even if the links have become distant from each
other, and even if the obstacles erected by those who revolve in the
Zionist orbit, aiming at obstructing the road before the Jihad
fighters, have rendered the pursuance of Jihad impossible;
nevertheless, the Hamas has been looking forward to implement Allah’s
promise whatever time it might take. The prophet, prayer and peace be
upon him, said: The time will not come until Muslims will fight the
Jews (and kill them); until the Jews hide behind rocks and trees,
which will cry: O Muslim! there is a Jew hiding behind me, come on
and kill him! This will not apply to the Gharqad, which is a Jewish
tree (cited by Bukhari and Muslim).
Article Eight: The Slogan of the
Hamas
Allah is its goal, the Prophet its
model, the Qur’an its Constitution, Jihad its path and death for
the case of Allah its most sublime belief.
Part II - Objectives
Article Nine: Motives and Objectives
Hamas finds itself at a period of time
when Islam has waned away from the reality of life. For this reason,
the checks and balances have been upset, concepts have become
confused, and values have been transformed; evil has prevailed,
oppression and obscurity have reigned; cowards have turned tigers,
homelands have been usurped, people have been uprooted and are
wandering all over the globe. The state of truth has disappeared and
was replaced by the state of evil. Nothing has remained in its right
place, for when Islam is removed from the scene, everything changes.
These are the motives. As to the objectives: discarding the evil,
crushing it and defeating it, so that truth may prevail, homelands
revert [to their owners], calls for prayer be heard from their
mosques, announcing the reinstitution of the Muslim state. Thus,
people and things will revert to their true place.
Article Ten
The Islamic Resistance Movement, while
breaking its own path, will do its utmost to constitute at the same
time a support to the weak, a defense to all the oppressed. It will
spare no effort to implement the truth and abolish evil, in speech
and in fact, both here and in any other location where it can reach
out and exert influence.
Part III - Strategies and Methods
Article Eleven: The Strategy of
Hamas: Palestine is an Islamic Waqf
The Islamic Resistance Movement
believes that the land of Palestine has been an Islamic Waqf
throughout the generations and until the Day of Resurrection, no one
can renounce it or part of it, or abandon it or part of it. No Arab
country nor the aggregate of all Arab countries, and no Arab King or
President nor all of them in the aggregate, have that right, nor has
that right any organization or the aggregate of all organizations, be
they Palestinian or Arab, because Palestine is an Islamic Waqf
throughout all generations and to the Day of Resurrection. Who can
presume to speak for all Islamic Generations to the Day of
Resurrection? This is the status [of the land] in Islamic Shari’a,
and it is similar to all lands conquered by Islam by force, and made
thereby Waqf lands upon their conquest, for all generations of
Muslims until the Day of Resurrection. This [norm] has prevailed
since the commanders of the Muslim armies completed the conquest of
Syria and Iraq, and they asked the Caliph of Muslims, ‘Umar Ibn
al-Khattab, for his view of the conquered land, whether it should be
partitioned between the troops or left in the possession of its
population, or otherwise. Following discussions and consultations
between the Caliph of Islam, ‘Umar Ibn al-Khattab, and the
Companions of the Messenger of Allah, be peace and prayer upon him,
they decided that the land should remain in the hands of its owners
to benefit from it and from its wealth; but the control of the land
and the land itself ought to be endowed as a Waqf [in perpetuity] for
all generations of Muslims until the Day of Resurrection. The
ownership of the land by its owners is only one of usufruct, and this
Waqf will endure as long as Heaven and earth last. Any demarche in
violation of this law of Islam, with regard to Palestine, is baseless
and reflects on its perpetrators.
Article Twelve: Hamas in Palestine,
Its Views on Homeland and Nationalism
Hamas regards Nationalism (Wataniyya)
as part and parcel of the religious faith. Nothing is loftier or
deeper in Nationalism than waging Jihad against the enemy and
confronting him when he sets foot on the land of the Muslims. And
this becomes an individual duty binding on every Muslim man and
woman; a woman must go out and fight the enemy even without her
husband’s authorization, and a slave without his masters’
permission. This [principle] does not exist under any other regime,
and it is a truth not to be questioned. While other nationalisms
consist of material, human and territorial considerations, the
nationality of Hamas also carries, in addition to all those, the all
important divine factors which lend to it its spirit and life; so
much so that it connects with the origin of the spirit and the source
of life and raises in the skies of the Homeland the Banner of the
Lord, thus inexorably connecting earth with Heaven. When Moses came
and threw his baton, sorcery and sorcerers became futile.
Article Thirteen: Peaceful
Solutions, [Peace] Initiatives and International Conferences
[Peace] initiatives, the so-called
peaceful solutions, and the international conferences to resolve the
Palestinian problem, are all contrary to the beliefs of the Islamic
Resistance Movement. For renouncing any part of Palestine means
renouncing part of the religion; the nationalism of the Islamic
Resistance Movement is part of its faith, the movement educates its
members to adhere to its principles and to raise the banner of Allah
over their homeland as they fight their Jihad: “Allah is the
all-powerful, but most people are not aware.” From time to time a
clamoring is voiced, to hold an International Conference in search
for a solution to the problem. Some accept the idea, others reject
it, for one reason or another, demanding the implementation of this
or that condition, as a prerequisite for agreeing to convene the
Conference or for participating in it. But the Islamic Resistance
Movement, which is aware of the [prospective] parties to this
conference, and of their past and present positions towards the
problems of the Muslims, does not believe that those conferences are
capable of responding to demands, or of restoring rights or doing
justice to the oppressed. Those conferences are no more than a means
to appoint the nonbelievers as arbitrators in the lands of Islam.
Since when did the Unbelievers do justice to the Believers? “And
the Jews will not be pleased with thee, nor will the Christians, till
thou follow their creed. Say: Lo! the guidance of Allah [himself] is
the Guidance. And if you should follow their desires after the
knowledge which has come unto thee, then you would have from Allah no
protecting friend nor helper.” Sura 2 (the Cow), verse 120 There is
no solution to the Palestinian problem except by Jihad. The
initiatives, proposals and International Conferences are but a waste
of time, an exercise in futility. The Palestinian people are too
noble to have their future, their right and their destiny submitted
to a vain game. As the hadith has it: “The people of Syria are
Allah’s whip on this land; He takes revenge by their intermediary
from whoever he wished among his worshipers. The Hypocrites among
them are forbidden from vanquishing the true believers, and they will
die in anxiety and sorrow.” (Told by Tabarani, who is traceable in
ascending order of traditionaries to Muhammad, and by Ahmed whose
chain of transmission is incomplete. But it is bound to be a true
hadith, for both story tellers are reliable. Allah knows best.)
Article Fourteen: The Three Circles
The problem of the liberation of
Palestine relates to three circles: the Palestinian, the Arab and the
Islamic. Each one of these circles has a role to play in the struggle
against Zionism and it has duties to fulfill. It would be an enormous
mistake and an abysmal act of ignorance to disregard anyone of these
circles. For Palestine is an Islamic land where the First Qibla and
the third holiest site are located. That is also the place whence the
Prophet, be Allah’s prayer and peace upon him, ascended to heavens.
“Glorified be He who carried His servant by night from the
Inviolable Place of worship to the Far Distant Place of Worship, the
neighborhood whereof we have blessed, that we might show him of our
tokens! Lo! He, only He, is the Hearer, the Seer.” Sura XVII
(al-Isra’), verse 1 In consequence of this state of affairs, the
liberation of that land is an individual duty binding on all Muslims
everywhere. This is the base on which all Muslims have to regard the
problem; this has to be understood by all Muslims. When the problem
is dealt with on this basis, where the full potential of the three
circles is mobilized, then the current circumstances will change and
the day of liberation will come closer. “You are more awful as a
fear in their bosoms than Allah. That is because they are a folk who
understand not.” Sura LIX, (Al-Hashr, the Exile), verse 13.
Article Fifteen: The Jihad for the
Liberation of Palestine is an Individual Obligation
When our enemies usurp some Islamic
lands, Jihad becomes a duty binding on all Muslims. In order to face
the usurpation of Palestine by the Jews, we have no escape from
raising the banner of Jihad. This would require the propagation of
Islamic consciousness among the masses on all local, Arab and Islamic
levels. We must spread the spirit of Jihad among the [Islamic] Umma,
clash with the enemies and join the ranks of the Jihad fighters. The
‘ulama as well as educators and teachers, publicity and media men
as well as the masses of the educated, and especially the youth and
the elders of the Islamic Movements, must participate in this raising
of consciousness. There is no escape from introducing fundamental
changes in educational curricula in order to cleanse them from all
vestiges of the ideological invasion which has been brought about by
orientalists and missionaries. That invasion had begun overtaking
this area following the defeat of the Crusader armies by Salah a-Din
el Ayyubi. The Crusaders had understood that they had no way to
vanquish the Muslims unless they prepared the grounds for that with
an ideological invasion which would confuse the thinking of Muslims,
revile their heritage, discredit their ideals, to be followed by a
military invasion. That was to be in preparation for the Imperialist
invasion, as in fact [General] Allenby acknowledged it upon his entry
to Jerusalem: “Now, the Crusades are over.” General Gouraud stood
on the tomb of Salah a-Din and declared: “We have returned, O
Salah-a-Din!” Imperialism has been instrumental in boosting the
ideological invasion and deepening its roots, and it is still
pursuing this goal. All this had paved the way to the loss of
Palestine. We must imprint on the minds of generations of Muslims
that the Palestinian problem is a religious one, to be dealt with on
this premise. It includes Islamic holy sites such as the Aqsa Mosque,
which is inexorably linked to the Holy Mosque as long as the Heaven
and earth will exist, to the journey of the Messenger of Allah, be
Allah’s peace and blessing upon him, to it, and to his ascension
from it. “Dwelling one day in the Path of Allah is better than the
entire world and everything that exists in it. The place of the whip
of one among you in Paradise is better than the entire world and
everything that exists in it. [God’s] worshiper’s going and
coming in the Path of Allah is better than the entire world and
everything that exists in it.” (Told by Bukhari, Muslim Tirmidhi
and Ibn Maja) I swear by that who holds in His Hands the Soul of
Muhammad! I indeed wish to go to war for the sake of Allah! I will
assault and kill, assault and kill, assault and kill (told by Bukhari
and Muslim).
Article Sixteen
We must accord the Islamic [young]
generations in our area, an Islamic education based on the
implementation of religious precepts, on the conscientious study of
the Book of Allah; on the Study of the Prophetic Tradition, on the
study of Islamic history and heritage from its reliable sources,
under the guidance of experts and scientists, and on singling out the
paths which constitute for the Muslims sound concepts of thinking and
faith. It is also necessary to study conscientiously the enemy and
its material and human potential; to detect its weak and strong
spots, and to recognize the powers that support it and stand by it.
At the same time, we must be aware of current events, follow the news
and study the analyses and commentaries on it, together with drawing
plans for the present and the future and examining every phenomenon,
so that every Muslim, fighting Jihad, could live out his era aware of
his objective, his goals, his way and the things happening round him.
“O my dear son! Lo! though it be but the weight of a grain of
mustard-seed, and though it be in a rock, or in the heavens, or in
the earth, Allah will bring it forth. Lo! Allah is subtle. Aware. O
my dear son! Establish worship and enjoin kindness and forbid
inequity, and persevere, whatever may befall thee. Lo! that is of the
steadfast heart of things. Turn not thy cheek in scorn toward folk,
nor walk with pertness in the land. Lo! Allah loves not braggarts and
boasters.” Sura XXXI (Luqman), verses 16-18
Article Seventeen: The Role of
Muslim Women
The Muslim women have a no lesser role
than that of men in the war of liberation; they manufacture men and
play a great role in guiding and educating the [new] generation. The
enemies have understood that role, therefore they realize that if
they can guide and educate [the Muslim women] in a way that would
distance them from Islam, they would have won that war. Therefore,
you can see them making consistent efforts [in that direction] by way
of publicity and movies, curricula of education and culture, using as
their intermediaries their craftsmen who are part of the various
Zionist Organizations which take on all sorts of names and shapes
such as: the Freemasons, Rotary Clubs, gangs of spies and the like.
All of them are nests of saboteurs and sabotage. Those Zionist
organizations control vast material resources, which enable them to
fulfill their mission amidst societies, with a view of implementing
Zionist goals and sowing the concepts that can be of use to the
enemy. Those organizations operate [in a situation] where Islam is
absent from the arena and alienated from its people. Thus, the
Muslims must fulfill their duty in confronting the schemes of those
saboteurs. When Islam will retake possession of [the means to] guide
the life [of the Muslims], it will wipe out those organizations which
are the enemy of humanity and Islam.
Article Eighteen
The women in the house and the family
of Jihad fighters, whether they are mothers or sisters, carry out the
most important duty of caring for the home and raising the children
upon the moral concepts and values which derive from Islam; and of
educating their sons to observe the religious injunctions in
preparation for the duty of Jihad awaiting them. Therefore, we must
pay attention to the schools and curricula upon which Muslim girls
are educated, so as to make them righteous mothers, who are conscious
of their duties in the war of liberation. They must be fully capable
of being aware and of grasping the ways to manage their households.
Economy and avoiding waste in household expenditures are
prerequisites to our ability to pursue our cause in the difficult
circumstances surrounding us. Therefore let them remember at all
times that money saved is equivalent to blood, which must be made to
run in the veins in order to ensure the continuity of life of our
young and old. “Lo, men who surrender unto Allah, and women who
surrender and men who believe and women who believe, and men who obey
and women who obey, and men who speak the truth and women who speak
the truth and men who persevere (in righteousness) and women who
persevere and men who are humble and women who are humble, and men
who give alms and women who give alms, and men who fast and women who
fast, and men who guard their modesty and women who guard [their
modesty], and men who remember Allah much and women who remember
Allah has prepared for them forgiveness and a vast reward.” Sura 33
(Al-Ahzab, the Clans), verse 35.
Article Nineteen: The Role of
Islamic Art in the War of Liberation
Art has rules and criteria by which one
can know whether it is Islamic or Jahiliyya art. The problems of
Islamic liberation underlie the need for Islamic art which could lift
the spirit, and instead of making one party triumph over the other,
would lift up all parties in harmony and balance. Man is a strange
and miraculous being, made out of a handful of clay and a breath of
soul; Islamic art is to address man on this basis, while Jahili art
addresses the body and makes the element of clay paramount. So,
books, articles, publications, religious exhortations, epistles,
songs, poems, hymns, plays, and the like, if they possess the
characteristics of Islamic art, have the requisites of ideological
mobilization, of a continuous nurturing in the pursuance of the
journey, and of relaxing the soul. The road is long and the suffering
is great and the spirits are weary; it is Islamic art which renews
the activity, revives the movement and arouses lofty concepts and
sound planning. The soul cannot thrive, unless it knows how to
contrive, unless it can transit from one situation to another. All
this is a serious matter, no jesting. For the umma fighting its Jihad
knows no jesting.
Article Twenty: Social Solidarity
Islamic society is one of solidarity.
The Messenger of Allah, be Allah’s prayer and peace upon him, said:
What a wonderful tribe were the Ash’aris! When they were overtaxed,
either in their location or during their journeys, they would collect
all their possessions, and then would divide them equally among
themselves. This is the Islamic spirit which ought to prevail in any
Muslim society. A society which confronts a vicious, Nazi-like enemy,
who does not differentiate between man and woman, elder and young
ought to be the first to adorn itself with this Islamic spirit. Our
enemy pursues the style of collective punishment of usurping people’s
countries and properties, of pursuing them into their exiles and
places of assembly. It has resorted to breaking bones, opening fire
on women and children and the old, with or without reason, and to
setting up detention camps where thousands upon thousands are
interned in inhuman conditions. In addition, it destroys houses,
renders children orphans and issues oppressive judgements against
thousands of young people who spend the best years of their youth in
the darkness of prisons. The Nazism of the Jews does not skip women
and children, it scares everyone. They make war against people’s
livelihood, plunder their moneys and threaten their honor. In their
horrible actions they mistreat people like the most horrendous war
criminals. Exiling people from their country is another way of
killing them. As we face this misconduct, we have no escape from
establishing social solidarity among the people, from confronting the
enemy as one solid body, so that if one organ is hurt the rest of the
body will respond with alertness and fervor.
Article Twenty-One
Social solidarity consists of extending
help to all the needy, both materially and morally, or assisting in
the execution of certain actions. It is incumbent upon the members of
the Hamas to look after the interests of the masses the way they
would look after their own interests. They must spare no effort in
the implementation and maintenance of those interests, and they must
avoid playing with anything that might effect the future generations
or cause damage to their society. For the masses are of them and for
them, their strength is [ultimately] theirs and their future is
theirs. The members of Hamas must share with the people its joys and
sorrows, and adopt the demands of the people and anything likely to
fulfill its interests and theirs. When this spirit reigns,
congeniality will deepen, cooperation and compassion will prevail,
unity will firm up, and the ranks will be strengthened in the
confrontation with the enemy.
Article Twenty-Two: The Powers which
Support the Enemy
The enemies have been scheming for a
long time, and they have consolidated their schemes, in order to
achieve what they have achieved. They took advantage of key elements
in unfolding events, and accumulated a huge and influential material
wealth which they put to the service of implementing their dream.
This wealth [permitted them to] take over control of the world media
such as news agencies, the press, publication houses, broadcasting
and the like. [They also used this] wealth to stir revolutions in
various parts of the globe in order to fulfill their interests and
pick the fruits. They stood behind the French and the Communist
Revolutions and behind most of the revolutions we hear about here and
there. They also used the money to establish clandestine
organizations which are spreading around the world, in order to
destroy societies and carry out Zionist interests. Such organizations
are: the Freemasons, Rotary Clubs, Lions Clubs, B’nai B’rith and
the like. All of them are destructive spying organizations. They also
used the money to take over control of the Imperialist states and
made them colonize many countries in order to exploit the wealth of
those countries and spread their corruption therein. As regards local
and world wars, it has come to pass and no one objects, that they
stood behind World War I, so as to wipe out the Islamic Caliphate.
They collected material gains and took control of many sources of
wealth. They obtained the Balfour Declaration and established the
League of Nations in order to rule the world by means of that
organization. They also stood behind World War II, where they
collected immense benefits from trading with war materials and
prepared for the establishment of their state. They inspired the
establishment of the United Nations and the Security Council to
replace the League of Nations, in order to rule the world by their
intermediary. There was no war that broke out anywhere without their
fingerprints on it: “…As often as they light a fire for war,
Allah extinguishes it. Their efforts are for corruption in the land
and Allah loves not corrupters.” Sura V (Al-Ma’ida—the
Tablespread), verse 64 The forces of Imperialism in both the
Capitalist West and the Communist East support the enemy with all
their might, in material and human terms, taking turns between
themselves. When Islam appears, all the forces of Unbelief unite to
confront it, because the Community of Unbelief is one. “Oh ye who
believe! Take not for intimates others than your own folk, who would
spare no pain to ruin you. Hatred is revealed by [the utterance of]
their mouth, but that which their breasts hide is greater. We have
made plain for you the revelations if you will understand.” Sura
III, (Al-Imran), verse 118 It is not in vain that the verse ends with
God’s saying: “If you will understand.”
Part IV
Article Twenty-Three: Our Position
Vis-a-Vis the Islamic Movements
The Hamas views the other Islamic
movements with respect and appreciation. Even when it differs from
them in one aspect or another or on one concept or another, it agrees
with them in other aspects and concepts. It reads those movements as
included in the framework of striving [for the sake of Allah], as
long as they hold sound intentions and abide by their devotion to
Allah, and as along as their conduct remains within the perimeter of
the Islamic circle. All the fighters of Jihad have their reward. The
Hamas regards those movements as its stock holders and asks Allah for
guidance and integrity of conduct for all. It shall not fail to
continue to raise the banner of unity and to exert efforts in order
to implement it, [based] upon the [Holy] Book and the [Prophet’s]
Tradition. “And hold fast, all of you together, to the cable of
Allah, do not separate. And remember Allah’s favor unto you how ye
were enemies and He made friendship between your hearts so that ye
became as brothers by His grace; and (how) ye were upon the brink of
an abyss of fire, and He did save you from it. Thus Allah makes clear
His revelations unto you, that happily ye may be guided.” Sura III
(Al-’Imran), verse 102.
Article Twenty-Four
Hamas will not permit the slandering
and defamation of individuals and groups, for the Believers are not
slanderers and cursers. However, despite the need to differentiate
between that and the positions and modes of conduct adopted by
individuals and groups whenever the Hamas detects faulty positions
and modes of conduct, it has the right to point to the mistake, to
denigrate it, to act for spelling out the truth and for adopting it
realistically in the context of a given problem. Wisdom is roaming
around, and the Believer ought to grasp it wherever he can find it.
“Allah loves not the utterance of harsh speech save by one who has
been wronged. Allah is ever Hearer, Knower. If you do good openly or
keep it secret, or give evil, lo! Allah is forgiving, powerful.”
Sura IV (Women), verses 147-148.
Article Twenty-Five: The National
(wataniyya) Movements in the Palestinian Arena
[Hamas] reciprocated its respect to
them, appreciates their condition and the factors surrounding them
and influencing them, and supports them firmly as long as they do not
owe their loyalty to the Communist East or to the Crusader West. We
reiterate to every one who is part of them or sympathizes with them
that the Hamas is a movement of Jihad, or morality and consciousness
in its concept of life. It moves forward with the others, abhors
opportunism, and only wishes well to individuals and groups. It does
not aspire to material gains, or to personal fame, nor does it
solicit remuneration from the people. It sets out relying on its own
material resources, and what is available to it, [as it is said]
“afford them the power you can avail yourself of.” [All that] in
order to carry out its duty, to gain Allah’s favor; it has no
ambition other than that. All the nationalist streams, operating in
the Palestinian arena for the sake of the liberation of Palestine,
may rest assured that they will definitely and resolutely get support
and assistance, in speech and in action, at the present and in the
future, [because Hamas aspires] to unite, not to divide; to
safeguard, not to squander; to bring together, not to fragment. It
values every kind word, every devoted effort and every commendable
endeavor. It closes the door before marginal quarrels, it does not
heed rumors and biased statements, and it is aware of the right of
self-defense. Anything that runs counter or contradicts this
orientation is trumped up by the enemies or by those who run in their
orbit in order to create confusion, to divide our ranks or to divert
to marginal things. “O ye who believe! If an evil-liver bring you
tidings, verify it, lest ye smite some folk in ignorance and
afterward repent of what ye did.” Sura XLIX (al Hujurat, the
Private Apartments), verse 6
Article Twenty-Six
The Hamas, while it views positively
the Palestinian National Movements which do not owe their loyalty to
the East or to the West, does not refrain from debating unfolding
events regarding the Palestinian problem, on the local and
international scenes. These debates are realistic and expose the
extent to which [these developments] go along with, or contradict,
national interests as viewed from the Islamic vantage point.
Article Twenty Seven: The Palestine
Liberation Organization
The PLO is among the closest to the
Hamas, for it constitutes a father, a brother, a relative, a friend.
Can a Muslim turn away from his father, his brother, his relative or
his friend? Our homeland is one, our calamity is one, our destiny is
one and our enemy is common to both of us. Under the influence of the
circumstances which surrounded the founding of the PLO, and the
ideological invasion which has swept the Arab world since the rout of
the Crusades, and which has been reinforced by Orientalism and the
Christian Mission, the PLO has adopted the idea of a Secular State,
and so we think of it. Secular thought is diametrically opposed to
religious thought. Thought is the basis for positions, for modes of
conduct and for resolutions. Therefore, in spite of our appreciation
for the PLO and its possible transformation in the future, and
despite the fact that we do not denigrate its role in the
Arab-Israeli conflict, we cannot substitute it for the Islamic nature
of Palestine by adopting secular thought. For the Islamic nature of
Palestine is part of our religion, and anyone who neglects his
religion is bound to lose. “And who forsakes the religion of
Abraham, save him who befools himself?” Sura II (Al-Baqra—the
Co), verse 130 When the PLO adopts Islam as the guideline for life,
then we shall become its soldiers, the fuel of its fire which will
burn the enemies. And until that happens, and we pray to Allah that
it will happen soon, the position of the Hamas towards the PLO is one
of a son towards his father, a brother towards his brother, and a
relative towards his relative who suffers the other’s pain when a
thorn hits him, who supports the other in the confrontation with the
enemies and who wishes him divine guidance and integrity of conduct.
Your brother, your brother! Whoever has no brother, is like a fighter
who runs to the battle without weapons. A cousin for man is like the
best wing, and no falcon can take off without wings.
Article Twenty-Eight
The Zionist invasion is a mischievous
one. It does not hesitate to take any road, or to pursue all
despicable and repulsive means to fulfill its desires. It relies to a
great extent, for its meddling and spying activities, on the
clandestine organizations which it has established, such as the
Freemasons, Rotary Clubs, Lions, and other spying associations. All
those secret organizations, some which are overt, act for the
interests of Zionism and under its directions, strive to demolish
societies, to destroy values, to wreck answerableness, to totter
virtues and to wipe out Islam. It stands behind the diffusion of
drugs and toxics of all kinds in order to facilitate its control and
expansion. The Arab states surrounding Israel are required to open
their borders to the Jihad fighters, the sons of the Arab and Islamic
peoples, to enable them to play their role and to join their efforts
to those of their brothers among the Muslim Brothers in Palestine.
The other Arab and Islamic states are required, at the very least, to
facilitate the movement of the Jihad fighters from and to them. We
cannot fail to remind every Muslim that when the Jews occupied Holy
Jerusalem in 1967 and stood at the doorstep of the Blessed Aqsa
Mosque, they shouted with joy: “Muhammad is dead, he left daughters
behind.” Israel, by virtue of its being Jewish and of having a
Jewish population, defies Islam and the Muslims. “Let the eyes of
the cowards not fall asleep.”
Article Twenty-Nine: National and
Religious Associations, Institutions, the Intelligentsia, and the
Arab and Islamic Worlds
Hamas hopes that those Associations
will stand by it on all levels, will support it, adopt its positions,
boost its activities and moves and encourage support for it, so as to
render the Islamic peoples its backers and helpers, and its strategic
depth in all human and material domains as well as in information, in
time and space. Among other things, they hold solidarity meetings,
issue explanatory publications, supportive articles and tendentious
leaflets to make the masses aware of the Palestinian issue, the
problems it faces and of the plans to resolve them; and to mobilize
the Islamic peoples ideologically, educationally and culturally in
order to fulfill their role in the crucial war of liberation, as they
had played their role in the defeat of the Crusades and in the rout
of the Tartars and had saved human civilization. How all that is dear
to Allah! “Allah has decreed: Lo! I verily shall conquer, I and my
messengers. Lo! Allah is strong, Almighty.” Sura LVIII
(Al-Mujadilah), verse 21.
Article Thirty
Men of letters, members of the
intelligentsia, media people, preachers, teachers and educators and
all different sectors in the Arab and Islamic world, are all called
upon to play their role and to carry out their duty in view of the
wickedness of the Zionist invasion, of its penetration into many
countries, and its control over material means and the media, with
all the ramifications thereof in most countries of the world. Jihad
means not only carrying arms and denigrating the enemies. Uttering
positive words, writing good articles and useful books, and lending
support and assistance, all that too is Jihad in the path of Allah,
as long as intentions are sincere to make Allah’s banner supreme.
“Those who prepare for a raid in the path of Allah are considered
as if they participated themselves in the raid. Those who
successfully rear a raider in their home, are considered as if they
participated themselves in the raid.” (Told by Bukhari, Muslim, Abu
Dawud and Tirmidhi)
Article Thirty-One: The Members of
Other Religions The Hamas is a Humane Movement
Hamas is a humane movement, which cares
for human rights and is committed to the tolerance inherent in Islam
as regards attitudes towards other religions. It is only hostile to
those who are hostile towards it, or stand in its way in order to
disturb its moves or to frustrate its efforts. Under the shadow of
Islam it is possible for the members of the three religions: Islam,
Christianity and Judaism to coexist in safety and security. Safety
and security can only prevail under the shadow of Islam, and recent
and ancient history is the best witness to that effect. The members
of other religions must desist from struggling against Islam over
sovereignty in this region. For if they were to gain the upper hand,
fighting, torture and uprooting would follow; they would be fed up
with each other, to say nothing of members of other religions. The
past and the present are full of evidence to that effect. “They
will not fight you in body safe in fortified villages or from behind
wells. Their adversity among themselves is very great. Ye think of
them as a whole whereas their hearts are diverse. That is because
they are a folk who have no sense.” Sura 59 (al-Hashr, the Exile),
verse 14 Islam accords his rights to everyone who has rights and
averts aggression against the rights of others. The Nazi Zionist
practices against our people will not last the lifetime of their
invasion, for “states built upon oppression last only one hour,
states based upon justice will last until the hour of Resurrection.”
“Allah forbids you not those who warred not against you on account
of religion and drove you not out from your houses, that you should
show them kindness and deal justly with them. Lo! Allah loves the
just dealers.” Sura 60 (Al-Mumtahana), verse 8.
Article Thirty-Two: The Attempts to
Isolate the Palestinian People
World Zionism and Imperialist forces
have been attempting, with smart moves and considered planning, to
push the Arab countries, one after another, out of the circle of
conflict with Zionism, in order, ultimately, to isolate the
Palestinian People. Egypt has already been cast out of the conflict,
to a very great extent through the treacherous Camp David Accords,
and she has been trying to drag other countries into similar
agreements in order to push them out of the circle of conflict. Hamas
is calling upon the Arab and Islamic peoples to act seriously and
tirelessly in order to frustrate that dreadful scheme and to make the
masses aware of the danger of coping out of the circle of struggle
with Zionism. Today it is Palestine and tomorrow it may be another
country or other countries. For Zionist scheming has no end, and
after Palestine they will covet expansion from the Nile to the
Euphrates. Only when they have completed digesting the area on which
they will have laid their hand, they will look forward to more
expansion, etc. Their scheme has been laid out in the Protocols of
the Elders of Zion, and their present [conduct] is the best proof of
what is said there. Leaving the circle of conflict with Israel is a
major act of treason and it will bring curse on its perpetrators.
“Who so on that day turns his back to them, unless maneuvering for
battle or intent to join a company, he truly has incurred wrath from
Allah, and his habitation will be hell, a hapless journey’s end.”
Sura 8 (al-Anfal—Spoils of War), verse 16 We have no escape from
pooling together all the forces and energies to face this despicable
Nazi-Tatar invasion. Otherwise we shall witness the loss of [our]
countries, the uprooting of their inhabitants, the spreading of
corruption on earth and the destruction of all religious values. Let
everyone realize that he is accountable to Allah. “Whoever does a
speck of good will bear [the consequences] and whoever does a speck
of evil will see [the consequences].” Within the circle of the
conflict with world Zionism, the Hamas regards itself the spearhead
and the avant-garde. It joins its efforts to all those who are active
on the Palestinian scene, but more steps need to be taken by the Arab
and Islamic peoples and Islamic associations throughout the Arab and
Islamic world in order to make possible the next round with the Jews,
the merchants of war. “We have cast among them enmity and hatred
till the day of Resurrection. As often as they light a fire for war,
Allah extinguishes it. Their effort is for corruption in the land,
and Allah loves not corrupters.” Sura V (Al-Ma’idah—the Table
spread), verse 64.
Article Thirty-Three
The Hamas sets out from these general
concepts which are consistent and in accordance with the rules of the
universe, and gushes forth in the river of Fate in its confrontation
and Jihad waging against the enemies, in defense of the Muslim human
being, of Islamic Civilization and of the Islamic Holy Places,
primarily the Blessed Aqsa Mosque. This, for the purpose of calling
upon the Arab and Islamic peoples as well as their governments,
popular and official associations, to fear Allah in their attitude
towards and dealings with Hamas, and to be, in accordance with
Allah’s will, its supporters and partisans who extend assistance to
it and provide it with reinforcement after reinforcement, until the
Decree of Allah is fulfilled, the ranks are over-swollen, Jihad
fighters join other Jihad fighters, and all this accumulation sets
out from everywhere in the Islamic world, obeying the call of duty,
and intoning “Come on, join Jihad!” This call will tear apart the
clouds in the skies and it will continue to ring until liberation is
completed, the invaders are vanquished and Allah’s victory sets in.
“Verily Allah helps one who helps Him. Lo! Allah is strong,
Almighty.” Sura XXII (Pilgrimage), verse 40.
Part V - The Testimony of History
Article Thirty-Four: Confronting
Aggressors Throughout History
Palestine is the navel of earth, the
convergence of continents, the object of greed for the greedy, since
the dawn of history. The Prophet, may Allah’s prayer and peace be
upon him, points out to that fact in his noble hadith in which he
implored his venerable Companion, Ma’adh ibn Jabl, saying: “O
Ma’adh, Allah is going to grant you victory over Syria after me,
from Al-Arish to the Euphrates, while its men, women, and female
slaves will be dwelling there until the Day of Resurrection. Those of
you who chose [to dwell in one of the plains of Syria or Palestine
will be in a state of Jihad to the Day of Resurrection.” The greedy
have coveted Palestine more than once and they raided it with armies
in order to fulfill their covetousness. Multitudes of Crusades
descended on it, carrying their faith with them and waving their
Cross. They were able to defeat the Muslims for a long time, and the
Muslims were not able to redeem it until their sought the protection
of their religious banner; then, they unified their forces, sang the
praise of their God and set out for Jihad under the Command of
Saladin al-Ayyubi, for the duration of nearly two decades, and then
the obvious conquest took place when the Crusaders were defeated and
Palestine was liberated. “Say (O Muhammad) unto those who
disbelieve: ye shall be overcome and gathered unto Hell, an evil
resting place.” Sura III (Al-Imran), verse 12. This is the only way
to liberation, there is no doubt in the testimony of history. That is
one of the rules of the universe and one of the laws of existence.
Only iron can blunt iron, only the true faith of Islam can vanquish
their false and falsified faith. Faith can only be fought by faith.
Ultimately, victory is reserved to the truth, and truth is
victorious. “And verily Our word went forth of old unto Our Bordmen
sent [to warn]. That they verily would be helped. And that Our host,
they verily would be the victors.” Sura 38 (Al-saffat), verses
171-3.
Article Thirty-Five
Hamas takes a serious look at the
defeat of the Crusades at the hand of Saladin the Ayyubid and the
rescue of Palestine from their domination; at the defeat of the
Tatars at Ein Jalut where their spine was broken by Qutuz and
Al-Dhahir Baibars, and the Arab world was rescued from the sweep of
the Tatars which ruined all aspects of human civilization. Hamas has
learned from these lessons and examples, that the current Zionist
invasion had been preceded by a Crusader invasion from the West; and
another one, the Tatars, from the East. And exactly as the Muslims
had faced those invasions and planned their removal and defeat, they
are able to face the Zionist invasion and defeat it. This will not be
difficult for Allah if our intentions are pure and our determination
is sincere; if the Muslims draw useful lessons from the experiences
of the past, and extricate themselves for the vestiges of the
[western] ideological onslaught; and if they follow the traditions of
Islam.
Epilogue
Article Thirty-Six: The Hamas are
Soldiers
The Hamas, while breaking its path,
reiterates time and again to all members of our people and the Arab
and Islamic peoples, that it does not seek fame for itself nor
material gains, or social status. Nor is it directed against any one
member of our people in order to compete with him or replace him.
There is nothing of that at all. It will never set out against any
Muslims or against the non-Muslims who make peace with it, here or
anywhere else. It will only be of help to all associations and
organizations which act against the Zionist enemy and those who
revolve in its orbit. Hamas posits Islam as a way of life, it is its
faith and its yardstick for judging. Whoever posits Islam as a way of
life, anywhere, and regardless of whether it is an organization, a
state, or any other group, Hamas are its soldiers, nothing else. We
implore Allah to guide us, to guide through us and to decide between
us and our folk with truth. “Our Lord! Decide with truth between us
and our folk, for Thou are the best of those who make decisions.”
Sura VII (Al-A’raf—the Heights), verse 89. Our last call is:
Thanks to Allah, the Lord of the Universe.
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