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Hizbullah: The Story from Within
Hizbullah ('Party of God') is one of the Middle East's major political forces. Sheikh Naim Qassem, its Deputy Secretary-General, provides an insider's view of this Shi'ite resistance group turned political party, from its inception to the present day. Formed in 1982 in response to Israel's invasion of Lebanon, Hizbullah was instrumental in forcing Israel to withdraw its troops in 2000. During the 1990s, after many years functioning as both a guerrilla movement and a social-support provider to Lebanese victims of war, Hizbullah moved into mainstream parliamentary politics. The group's mandate is laid out here, allowing access to the mindset of this important party at a crucial stage of its development. 'A comprehensive guide to the mandate of one of the Middle East's major political forces.' Washington Report on Middle Eastern Affairs 'A fascinating account of the creation and rise of Hizbullah.' London Review of Books
464 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2002
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About the author
Naim Qassem
22 books10 followersالشيخ نعيم قاسم
نائب أمين عام حزب الله - لبنان
-----------------------------
مواليد 1953 كفر فيلا - جنوب لبنان.
متأهل وله ستة أولاد (4 ذكور ،2 إناث).
حصل على الليسانس والكفاءة في الكيمياء باللغة الفرنسية من الجامعة اللبنانية - كلية التربية.
دراسته الدينية تزامنت مع الدراسة الأكاديمية وذلك منذ التحاقه بالجامعة اللبنانية عام 1970م.
حصل على المراحل العليا من الدراسة الحوزوية على يد كبار العلماء في لبنان .
درّس الكيمياء لست سنوات في الصفوف الثانوية .
شارك بفعالية في تأسيس الاتحاد اللبناني للطلبة المسلمين.
عمل مع الإمام الصدر في بداية تأسيس حركة المحرومين .
ساهم في تأسيس حزب الله عام 1982م.
نائباً للأمين العام لحزب الله منذ سنة 1991م .
مسؤولاً عن متابعة العمل النيابي والحكومي في حزب الله .
حاضر في العديد من الموضوعات الثقافية وهي موثقة ضمن أرشيف ثقافي يناهز عدد المحاضرات فيه الألف شريط لموضوعات ، ثقافية ، تربوية ، دينية مختلفة .
له مساهمات سياسية هامة في المقابلات الصحفية والإذاعية والتلفزيونية ، عدا عن المشاركة في الاحتفالات والندوات المختلفة .
شارك في العديد من المؤتمرات في لبنان ، سوريا ، ألمانيا ، السودان وإيران .
ترأس المؤتمر الفكري الذي أقيم لمناسبة مئوية ولادة الإمام الخميني (قدس) ، والذي عقد في بيروت عام 1999م.
عضو اللجنة الشعبية العربية لمساندة الانتفاضة في فلسطين .
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
August 24, 2015
Fascinating, albeit fairly dry at points. Naim Qassem, as the Deputy Secretary-General of Hezbollah, offers his unique perspective on the militant group's history, politics and aspirations. From paramilitary to parliament Hezbollah has; despite the recurrent 'predictions' by western 'experts' since the 1980's that its days were numbered, moved from strength to strength, firmly established itself within Lebanese and regional politics and gained widespread popular support.
For anyone wanting to know more about the most disciplined and effective member of the Axis of Resistance, this is a must read.
For anyone wanting to know more about the most disciplined and effective member of the Axis of Resistance, this is a must read.
October 17, 2024
ستشعُر بعد قراءته بالفخرِ أكثر بالإنتماء لمِثلِ هذا الخطِّ العظيم الذي يرسِّخ إيمانك بأنّ ما كان لله ينمو بالرُّغم من قلّة العدد والعدّة، فالعدّة الحقيقيّة هي الإيمان بالله _جلّ وعلا_ والتوكّل عليه فالحقّ عزّ وجلّ يقول "يا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنْ تَنْصُرُوا اللَّهَ يَنْصُرْكُمْ وَ يُثَبِّتْ أَقْدامَكُمْ" (محمّد ٧)
August 6, 2018
No Surprises Here
The Modern Muddled East is a more complex than most realize, including the author of this book. Qassem, long term Secretary General of the party, gives an honest and accurate accounting of Hiz b'Allah's views. In his simplified outlook the United States is devious and controlling and the "Zionist entity" Israel is intent on expanding everywhere, including Lebanon.
As presented in the book, Hiz b'Allah is a Shiite theocratic political party organized along militant lines. It's origin lies in a series of field trips by several clerics to Iran just after that country's Islamic revolution. At the centre of party discipline is the Jurist/Theologian who is the final arbiter of party policy and permissible conduct - a Muslim variation on Plato's Philosopher/King. The central party committee decides who should be admitted to the inner circles of power and who, though useful, should not.
Many of the things that I "learned" from this book are just not true. I learned that the Iran/Iraq war took place just to benefit the United States and Israel. I learned that the reason that Lebanon does not allow civil marriages is because it was tried in the United States and as a result millions of children there live in orphanages. I learned that the Iranian Islamic Revolution was a tremendous success and that the Syrian invasion and occupation of Lebanon was benevolent and for the purpose of keeping peace and order, even when they killed 27 members of Hiz b'Allah. I learned that negotiations with adversaries are just a distraction from one's main goals, but that accepting concessions from others should be done as long as you are not influenced by them to change.
Overall the prose is turgid and stern; the perspective a cardboard and one dimensional apologetic, rather like reading an East German school primer on civics written by a member of the Stassi. The edition, though ostensibly an update from the 2005 edition, contained little that is new insightful. The introduction mentions the continuing war in Iraq though fails to note that it is essentially winding down. It views the failed Annapolis conference as an attempt to impose an Israeli viewpoint by the US, skirts over the 2005 assassination of Rafiq Hariri which it likely was involved in.
The coverage 2006 war between Hiz b'Allah and Israel leaves out the initial attacks on Israeli communities in the North, views the kidnapping and subsequent murder(3) of two Israeli soldiers as a tactic, and Israel's response as unwarranted aggression. No mention of the unguided missiles launched at non military targets in Israeli towns and cities, why they were loaded with anti-personnel ball bearings vs explosives, or their use of civilian infrastructure to launch attacks. There is an interesting link (still active) given to the Party's construction company that was used selectively to benefit support for the party after the war, but gave no hint as to where the financing came from. (Answer: Iran through Syria.) No mention at all of UN resolution 1701 which required Hiz b'Allah to disarm but there is discussion of integrating into Lebanese Army Forces (LAF) for the purpose of turning "resistance" against Israel into Lebanese policy - something that the government of Lebanon has tried to avoid.
Overall I would not recommend this book as a stepping stone to understanding Lebanon, other than to comprehend how disastrous for Lebanese independence and individual liberty a Hiz b'Allah takeover would be. The goal of Hiz b'Allah is not to be pro Lebanon, it is to be pro Muslim and anti-Israel. Should the party succeed one winds up with a country that is nothing more than an military extension of Syria and Iran on the Mediterranean with the sole goals of eliminating Israel and creating an Islamic State.
Frankly I would prefer an outcome where Beirut returns to becoming the Paris of the Middle East once more, and where Israelis invade en mass - in order to spend money and take their annual vacations. Peace.
The Modern Muddled East is a more complex than most realize, including the author of this book. Qassem, long term Secretary General of the party, gives an honest and accurate accounting of Hiz b'Allah's views. In his simplified outlook the United States is devious and controlling and the "Zionist entity" Israel is intent on expanding everywhere, including Lebanon.
As presented in the book, Hiz b'Allah is a Shiite theocratic political party organized along militant lines. It's origin lies in a series of field trips by several clerics to Iran just after that country's Islamic revolution. At the centre of party discipline is the Jurist/Theologian who is the final arbiter of party policy and permissible conduct - a Muslim variation on Plato's Philosopher/King. The central party committee decides who should be admitted to the inner circles of power and who, though useful, should not.
Many of the things that I "learned" from this book are just not true. I learned that the Iran/Iraq war took place just to benefit the United States and Israel. I learned that the reason that Lebanon does not allow civil marriages is because it was tried in the United States and as a result millions of children there live in orphanages. I learned that the Iranian Islamic Revolution was a tremendous success and that the Syrian invasion and occupation of Lebanon was benevolent and for the purpose of keeping peace and order, even when they killed 27 members of Hiz b'Allah. I learned that negotiations with adversaries are just a distraction from one's main goals, but that accepting concessions from others should be done as long as you are not influenced by them to change.
Overall the prose is turgid and stern; the perspective a cardboard and one dimensional apologetic, rather like reading an East German school primer on civics written by a member of the Stassi. The edition, though ostensibly an update from the 2005 edition, contained little that is new insightful. The introduction mentions the continuing war in Iraq though fails to note that it is essentially winding down. It views the failed Annapolis conference as an attempt to impose an Israeli viewpoint by the US, skirts over the 2005 assassination of Rafiq Hariri which it likely was involved in.
The coverage 2006 war between Hiz b'Allah and Israel leaves out the initial attacks on Israeli communities in the North, views the kidnapping and subsequent murder(3) of two Israeli soldiers as a tactic, and Israel's response as unwarranted aggression. No mention of the unguided missiles launched at non military targets in Israeli towns and cities, why they were loaded with anti-personnel ball bearings vs explosives, or their use of civilian infrastructure to launch attacks. There is an interesting link (still active) given to the Party's construction company that was used selectively to benefit support for the party after the war, but gave no hint as to where the financing came from. (Answer: Iran through Syria.) No mention at all of UN resolution 1701 which required Hiz b'Allah to disarm but there is discussion of integrating into Lebanese Army Forces (LAF) for the purpose of turning "resistance" against Israel into Lebanese policy - something that the government of Lebanon has tried to avoid.
Overall I would not recommend this book as a stepping stone to understanding Lebanon, other than to comprehend how disastrous for Lebanese independence and individual liberty a Hiz b'Allah takeover would be. The goal of Hiz b'Allah is not to be pro Lebanon, it is to be pro Muslim and anti-Israel. Should the party succeed one winds up with a country that is nothing more than an military extension of Syria and Iran on the Mediterranean with the sole goals of eliminating Israel and creating an Islamic State.
Frankly I would prefer an outcome where Beirut returns to becoming the Paris of the Middle East once more, and where Israelis invade en mass - in order to spend money and take their annual vacations. Peace.
February 5, 2023
كتاب مهم صادر عن جهة عُليا في حزب الله لنائب الأمين العام الشيخ نعيم قاسم عالج فيه أسئلة جوهرية ومفصلية حولة استراتيجية ومنهج حزب الله تميزت بالجرأة والصراحة في أطروحات الحزب وفي مواكبة لمختلف المنعطفات(الكتاب طبع بعد عام ٢٠٠٠ أي بعد تحرير الأراضي اللبنانية) وصولاً إلى رؤى الحزب المختلفة على مختلف الأصعدة وأساسها رؤية الحزب الإسلامية الشاملة التي تتبنى الخط الإسلامي وشموليته والتي تعتبر المقاومة واجباً مقدس ذو أولوية.
August 21, 2021
The translation is quite good and does not read in a clumsy way like some translated works, though it is a bit dry in parts. Probably the best book to get an idea of Hezbollah’s views in the mid 2000s, and most other books on the subject refer back to this one anyway so it is good to go back to the original source.
November 18, 2013
Great book, that gives a lot of background-information so the reader can get all the context to understand more about this subject
June 28, 2025
Read for work.
this is a comprehensive guide to the party's core principals, presumed goals and affiliations. as this book is written by a member, not once in this book is it mentioned that the party is in fact Shiite - adressing it as simply 'muslim' perhaps to focus on less controversial matters such as occupation and resistance with those it seeks to be its audiences. This book in general does not give you a look inside the mind of Naim Qassem, nor does it reveal the party's goals in their entirety, as its mentioned in the book, presenting the party's future aspirations would only serve Israel's intrests. either way, this book does give some islamic insight to the organisation's core principals which is quite interesting to read about, and generally, mostly the author does not lie - even if in some places he decides on perticular wording or curving out the core of the situation at hand to act to the party's intrests.
generally would not recommend, especially not to western peeps who are not accustomed to Islamic thought and language and would find this very dry book almost burning in the sun dying out of thirst.
There are many courses to be taken on Hizbullah and the study of it, and in general this book does not add much to pre-existing knowledge - even though its very quite humurous to read in context of modern day events.
this is a comprehensive guide to the party's core principals, presumed goals and affiliations. as this book is written by a member, not once in this book is it mentioned that the party is in fact Shiite - adressing it as simply 'muslim' perhaps to focus on less controversial matters such as occupation and resistance with those it seeks to be its audiences. This book in general does not give you a look inside the mind of Naim Qassem, nor does it reveal the party's goals in their entirety, as its mentioned in the book, presenting the party's future aspirations would only serve Israel's intrests. either way, this book does give some islamic insight to the organisation's core principals which is quite interesting to read about, and generally, mostly the author does not lie - even if in some places he decides on perticular wording or curving out the core of the situation at hand to act to the party's intrests.
generally would not recommend, especially not to western peeps who are not accustomed to Islamic thought and language and would find this very dry book almost burning in the sun dying out of thirst.
There are many courses to be taken on Hizbullah and the study of it, and in general this book does not add much to pre-existing knowledge - even though its very quite humurous to read in context of modern day events.
Read
May 20, 2024Comprehensive partisan analysis of the party, extensive background of history in relevance of Shia form of Islam.
A clear timeline of events would have made it easier to consume.
A clear timeline of events would have made it easier to consume.
October 29, 2024
Arch terrorist writing books, and you like it? what a world we live in
October 16, 2008
Buku ini bukan hanya bertutur tentang perang dilebanon tapi juga menampilkan sisi kemanusiaan ditengah konflik.cuama judulnya kayanya lebih asyik aslinya history from within,ga sah diganti ma english juga.sebagai orang dalam penulisnya yakin akan kebaikan hizbullah,da pembanding ga ya?
June 21, 2014
585 - 2014
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews