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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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