September 02, 2024
By Nasser Kandil
- In this era of resistance wars, it would be amiss not to loudly commemorate the pivotal role that Imam Sayyed Musa al-Sadr played in laying the foundation for the culture of resistance and championing the concept of an armed populace under the principle: “They are not stronger than America, and we are not weaker than Vietnam”.
- The Imam invested his full weight in spreading awareness of the existential threat that the occupying entity poses to all nations in the region, due to its expansionist and aggressive nature. For Lebanon, he highlighted the existential danger posed by an entity rooted in a racially exclusive ideology based on religious sectarianism – a threat to Lebanon’s very essence, as the Lebanese are committed to proving that coexistence among religious sects and the building of a unified nation and state is possible.
- Building on this existential principle for Lebanon’s protection, the Imam sought to cultivate a culture of solidarity with the Palestinian people and their right to resist until their land was fully reclaimed. He linked this solidarity to Lebanon’s vital interest in rejecting the permanent settlement of Palestinian refugees within its borders, emphasising the right of return to Palestine.
- After securing Lebanese consensus on these two crucial points, the Imam turned his attention to his immediate followers, urging the formation of an ideological armed resistance organisation, the Lebanese Resistance Regiments (Amal). Just as the Imam was the first in history to establish a resistance movement dedicated to defence before any part of the land was occupied, so too was Amal, under the leadership of Speaker Nabih Berri, the popular vanguard of the resistance against occupation and the central force in armed resistance throughout the first decade of the struggle. The mantle was later passed to Hezbollah, whose Secretary-General, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, frequently reiterates that the resistance, with its two great wings represented by Hezbollah and the Amal Movement, are disciples of Imam al-Sadr. He consistently acknowledges the crucial partnership of others, especially the nationalists, Ba’athists, communists, Nasserists, the Islamic Group, and various national groups, while also recognizing Syria’s role as a sponsor of this resistance and Iran’s role as a steadfast supporter.
- At a time when the resistance is engaged in its most significant and Palestine-centred battles, it would be remiss not to remember Imam Sayyed Musa al-Sadr and his monumental efforts to elevate the cause of Palestine and the voice of resistance.
