#umma

by Winston Marshall

Their ideology, outlined in Hezbollah’s 1985 manifesto, “Open Letter,” casts their struggle as a global Islamic one: “We are an umma linked to the Muslims of the whole world.” Their goals include extending the Islamic state established in Iran by Ayatollah Khomeini, who is referred to as their “one leader, wise and just”; the destruction of the West—“we combat abomination and we shall tear out its very roots, its primary roots, which are the U.S.”; and the eradication of Israel, “our struggle will end only when this entity is obliterated.” Their 2009 manifesto moved away from explicit references to an Islamic state, adopted more conventional political language for its role in Lebanon, and replaced the Manichaean language of an Islamist struggle against Western “abomination” with the language of resistance to “hegemony.” They maintained their core animosity to Israel, “an eternal threat to Lebanon.” They continued to share revolutionary ambitions with their patrons in Tehran, commitment to the armed struggle of their Palestinian allies, and a devotion to martyrdom.

The endless portraits of killed Hezbollah militants plastered over Shia country implicitly suggests that participation means near-certain death. Hashem Safieddine, for example, Nasrallah’s cousin and likely heir, was killed in an Israeli air strike last October even before he could take up leadership. But the posters act as an incentive rather than disincentive. The exhalation of martyrdom is a central belief. It has been a key to their longevity.

“I give my time for Hezbollah. I give my money for Hezbollah. I give my blood for Hezbollah,” boasts my shaggy young host at the Baalbek mosque, jabbing at his wrist, then at his heart.

“What is more important, Hezbollah or Islam?” I put to him.

“They are same. Hezbollah is Islam. Is. . . ” he looked to his friend, struggling for the English word, then to me. “Faith?”

at least I have my babies (pics from my bestie cat sitter) and a new cookbook that’s scheduled to arrive tomorrow