Great students of the school of Islam: Martyr Sinwar and his martyred comrades

In a part of his message after the martyrdom of the heroic commander Yahya Sinwar, Imam Khamenei addressed the Muslim nations and the brave youth of the region:

“For one like him who had dedicated his life to the battle against the usurping, cruel enemy, anything less than martyrdom would have been an unworthy fate. Indeed, his loss is painful for the Resistance Front. However, this front did not halt its progress in the wake of the martyrdoms of eminent figures such as Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, Fathi Shaqaqi, Rantisi, and Ismail Haniyeh. Similarly, it will not falter the least with the martyrdom of Sinwar either, God willing. Hamas is alive and will stay alive.”

Imam Khamenei’s remarks about Hamas’s resilience directly counter the claims, indicating that the organization is weakened or even destroyed following the martyrdom of three of its key leaders in the past year (Al-Arouri, Haniyeh, and Sinwar).

Following Yahya’s martyrdom, some suggested that Hamas had suffered a significant blow. However, a straightforward look at the situation in Palestine reveals that these claims lack evidence, and in fact, the opposite appears to be true.

A monotheist human is an inspiring figure

One of the legacies that great individuals leave behind after their heroic sacrifices is their ability to inspire others. This aspect is something that modern thought and secularism struggle to understand.

In today’s world, prominent figures are often seen as symbols, and their death or defeat is regarded as the end of their significance. However, from the perspective of monotheism and Islamic Resistance, these individuals view themselves as students of this school and do not fear death as a form of failure.

The devoted martyr Yahya Sinwar captures this perspective by stating, “This issue is an idea, not a personal matter.”

The inability to recognize the inspirational nature of these schools is evident in the rhetoric and media outputs of the Zionist regime. For instance, the release of images showing Yahya Sinwar on a couch, wearing a keffiyeh and holding a weapon, exemplifies this misunderstanding. Otherwise, such documentation of Sinwar’s moment of death would not have been made public.

After these images were published, it became clear—albeit too late—that Yahya Sinwar had become a role model. Reports from Hebrew media highlighted significant discontent within Israeli circles over the publication of images depicting Sinwar in a “military form” during his assassination, especially since he was targeted in a battlefield confrontation.

According to one Hebrew outlet, many in Israel were shocked that the Hamas leader was present in a conflict zone with Israeli soldiers. Sinwar’s decision to move from a secure area (central Gaza) to Rafah, a conflict area, astonished many and left political and security circles stunned by his boldness.

Despite this, Netanyahu insists that a new era has begun, stating in a press conference about Yahya Sinwar’s martyrdom: “Hamas will no longer govern Gaza; this is the beginning of a new day!”

This viewpoint reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of discourses and the inspiration drawn from their leaders throughout history. A clear example is the event of Karbala, where blood triumphed over the sword, despite the apparent omission and martyrdom of the Prophet Muhammad’s (pbuh) grandson. Centuries later, Yahya Sinwar, wrote in confidential letters to his comrades: “We must continue on the path we have started… or let it be another Karbala.”

When a great person leaves us, another great person will take their place

This idea illustrates that the martyrdom of Resistance commanders will not spell the end for Hezbollah and Hamas; they are alive and will continue to be so. A look at history supports this notion.

In his last meeting with Imam Khamenei, Martyr Ismail Haniyeh recited a couplet that captures this perspective, despite its origins in the pre-Islamic era: “We are a people, when a great person leaves us, another great person will take their place.”

This concept reflects a historical experience of Resistance that has become the genuine faith of its leaders and the school of truth and Islamic Resistance. As Abu Obeida, the spokesperson for the Al-Qassam Brigades, noted during the anniversary of the Al-Aqsa Flood: “Imaginary, deceptive, and short-term assassinations will not end our Palestinian liberation movements. If these assassinations were victories, then we would have seen the end of our struggle since the assassination of Izz ad-Din al-Qassam 90 years ago.”

A historical review shows that Abu Obeida’s statements, echoed by other Resistance leaders, are not just slogans but undeniable truths. In his message about Yahya Sinwar’s martyrdom, Imam Khamenei referenced Hamas leaders such as Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, Rantisi, and Ismail Haniyeh, emphasizing that their martyrdom has not halted the Palestinian cause; rather, the Resistance has continued to advance.

For instance, we can look back at the difficult years from 2000 to 2005, marked by the assassination of various Palestinian leaders.

The year 2000 marked a turning point with Sharon’s entry into Al-Aqsa Mosque, igniting the Second Intifada, which lasted five years. During this period, 3,300 Palestinians were murdered and 1,100 Israelis were killed in street clashes. This five-year span was one of the most intense in terms of pressure and tension in Palestine, especially in the Gaza Strip, where the Resistance and the Palestinian people suffered greatly.

The peak of this turmoil came in 2004, one of the bloodiest years of the Zionist assassination campaign, when numerous leaders from Hamas and the Resistance were killed. On March 22, 2004, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, the founder of Hamas, was assassinated by an Apache helicopter after leaving the mosque following morning prayers. Having led Hamas for over 40 years (even before its official founding), his assassination was viewed as the largest effort by the Zionists to eliminate Hamas at that time. Sheikh Yassin’s martyrdom was a tremendous loss for the Resistance, resulting in the largest funeral in the history of the Gaza Strip.

Imam Khamenei, in his condolence message, stated: “This crime took nothing away from Sheikh Ahmed Yassin and the Palestinian nation but a frail and weak body. They cannot take his thoughts or the path he laid out from the Palestinian nation. The spirit of the Sheikh lives on, and his teachings, now made even more powerful by him getting killed unjustly, will resonate with the youth and future generations of Palestine.”

After Sheikh Yassin’s assassination, Abdulaziz Rantisi, a close companion of Yassin since the early days of Hamas, was elected as the new leader by the Hamas central council. He remarked, “We do not compete for leadership… we compete for martyrdom.”

However, Rantisi’s leadership lasted less than a month. Just three weeks after Yassin’s assassination, he was targeted by an Apache helicopter and killed alongside his son, leading to another massive funeral in Gaza.

The year 2004 saw the assassination of two historic and influential leaders of Hamas. During this time, the Zionists, in collaboration with certain Palestinian security factions, exerted various pressures on Hamas, which was also facing internal rivalries within Palestinian society.

In 2005, the first portion of Palestinian territory, the Gaza Strip, was liberated from Zionist political and security control. This withdrawal inspired the Palestinian community to pursue the dream of liberation from the river to the sea.

The liberation of Gaza marked the beginning of a new era for the Palestinian Resistance, one that continued through a blockade and three major wars. The first assault on Gaza by the Zionists occurred in late 2008, justified by the need to free Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier captured in Gaza. Despite Hamas having recently emerged from internal conflicts with the Palestinian Authority and lacking significant military strength, the war ended with a withdrawal of the Zionists. Shalit was eventually exchanged in 2011 for 1,027 Palestinians in an operation led by Martyr Yahya Sinwar. The Zionists repeated their aggression against Gaza two more times, particularly in 2014, but faced defeat again.

Inspired by Sheikh Ahmed Yassin’s teachings, the Resistance in Gaza progressed year by year, step by step, until executing a bold and strategic action on October 7, 2023. This operation, aptly named “Flood,” successfully disrupted the Zionists’ grand plan to erase the cause of Al-Quds.

In his first meeting after Yahya Sinwar’s martyrdom, the Leader of Islamic Revolution remarked: “Today, we are involved in the middle of fundamental, critical issues in the region. The issues related to West Asia, Lebanon, Gaza, and the West Bank are writing history. Each of these events could be a starting point for a development or a historic movement in one direction. If there hadn’t been people like Martyr Sinwar who fought to the end, the region’s destiny would have been one way. But since these people came, it has turned out a different way.

If there hadn’t been great people like Martyr Nasrallah who combined jihad, wisdom, courage, self-sacrifice, and selflessness together and put these to use, the movement would have been one way. But since such people came, the movement has turned out a different way. These are very important matters.”

History is repeating itself, with leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah being assassinated in quick succession or facing challenging circumstances. However, contrary to enemies’ assumptions and the misguided direction of history, this change in leadership has not only failed to disrupt the movement but has also inspired the continuation of Resistance. Thousands of young people are ready to follow the path of those who have been martyred, and it is the blood of these martyrs that will alter the region’s fate after their sacrifices, as their deaths embody dignity, honor, and the advancement of the Palestinian cause.