Ayatullah Sayyid Mujtaba Nur Mufidi in an Interview with Jamaran News Agency: Nasrallah’s Prudence, Intelligence, and Sense of Timing Had Turned Him into a Distinguished Figure in the Region

Ayatullah Sayyid Mujtaba Nur Mufidi: Nasrallah’s Prudence, Intelligence, and Sense of Timing Had Turned Him into a Distinguished Figure in the Region

Jamaran: Before entering into our main dialogue, we would like to hear about the personality of Martyr Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah and his popular dimensions, which made him so beloved among the people of Lebanon—including Shia, Sunni, Druze, Christians, and non-Muslims.

Ayatullah Sayyid Mujtaba Nur Mufidi: In the Name of Allah, the All-Beneficent, the All-Merciful. First, I extend my condolences on the tragedy of the martyrdom of this noble and revered Sayyid, which truly was an irreparable loss (thulmah) for the Islamic world, the Shia world, and the Axis of Resistance. I hope that the blood of this martyr will eradicate the roots of oppression, rebellion, and Zionist crime in this region.

What I can mention regarding this martyr is that he was a true son of Islam and a product of the Islamic Seminary who wholeheartedly learned the pure teachings of Islam and Shiism in the school of the Household of the Prophet (peace be upon them). His growth and development in the school of Imam Khomeini, coinciding with the Islamic Revolution of Iran, transformed him into a comprehensive personality, aware of his times, and deeply concerned with the issues of the Islamic world.

With this personal foundation, qualities were united in him that made him such a beloved figure—transcending sect and transcending religion; a beloved figure for all religions and ethnicities in Lebanon, which in a sense is the gathering hub of all religions and ethnicities, possessing vast ethnic, sectarian, and religious diversity. He was a completely humble, pure-hearted, and warm personality; when one met him, this purity, warmth, and humility were entirely tangible in his face and behavior. More importantly, he possessed sincerity (ikhlas) and stepped forward for God; and whoever steps forward for God, God undoubtedly makes him so beloved in the hearts of the people. His courage against enemies—specifically an enemy like Israel, against which almost all Arab governments took and continue to take a cautious approach—and his perseverance and steadfastness in resistance against this criminal regime made him an exemplar and role model for Muslim nations and the youth of Islamic countries.

That a Shia religious scholar should care so deeply about the fate of other Muslims despite sectarian differences, and stand firm against Israel in defense of the oppressed people of Palestine and Lebanon, shows that he was a very fine student in the school of Imam Khomeini and also the Supreme Leader. The efforts he made for unity among the Islamic Ummah and among the people of Lebanon are unforgettable.

For over thirty years at the helm of Hezbollah, during times of danger, he manfully stood firm against the aggression of the Zionist regime. At one point years ago—perhaps over twenty years ago when conditions were not yet as difficult as today—he himself mentioned, “It has not yet happened that I rest two consecutive nights in one place.” His entire life was spent in struggle and jihad. His son was martyred in this path. Truly, I think few people have devoted their days and nights to the people, to Islam, and to resistance in such a manner. God too rewarded all this tireless effort, striving, and jihad in His path with martyrdom.

Alongside all of this, his prudence, intelligence, and sense of timing had turned him into a distinguished figure in the region. Whenever an event occurred in that region, all press, governments, and politicians waited to see what stance he would adopt. In his speeches, he captivated everyone; his words were extremely powerful, firm, and simultaneously effective. May Allah, God willing, resurrect this martyr with his pure ancestors—with the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him) and with Imam al-Husayn (peace be upon him). God willing, his path and this movement that took shape in that region owing to his efforts and under the light of the Islamic Revolution, the guidance of Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified), and the support of the Supreme Leader, will grow stronger and brighter day by day. Despite the false assumption and delusion of the enemies that with his martyrdom this movement will stop, this movement will continue its path more powerfully, more firmly, and God willing with even greater steadfastness.

Jamaran: How do you evaluate the reaction that Iran carried out and the impact it has had or will have?

Ayatullah Sayyid Mujtaba Nur Mufidi: They initially made promises and called for restraint; Iran, in order to allow a ceasefire in Gaza to take place and to prevent the destruction, slaughter, and genocide by these criminals, exercised patience despite the violation committed against it. However, unfortunately, they did not fulfill their promises, and Iran was compelled to undertake reciprocal action. In my opinion, this action conforms to all rational, customary, sensible, religious, and international criteria. We can apply several jurisprudential titles to this pride-inducing operation and fundamentally to any form of support for the resistance movement: defense of Islamic lands against the aggression of the enemies of Islam; defense of the oppressed whose cries for help reach everyone’s ears; and the fact that Israel is the root of corruption (maddat al-fasad) in this region, and severing the root of corruption is obligatory; and from several other aspects, we can consider this action completely legitimate from a religious perspective.

From the standpoint of international legal standards as well, as the Supreme Leader stated today in the magnificent Friday Prayer, this was a completely legitimate action from several angles. When looking at it from a rational, sensible, and customary perspective too, the reality is that this operation is entirely defensible. Thus, this action conforms to all legal, religious, Shari’ah, international, and customary criteria. Experience has also shown that against aggressors like Netanyahu and the criminal regime of Israel, if leniency is exercised, it will certainly make them bolder.

We saw this experience during the Arab-Israeli War in 1967; at that time, due to the atmosphere of terror created among Islamic countries, they assumed that we lacked the power to confront Israel, and gradually the mentality of resistance gave way to the mentality of compromise. From that time until today, spanning over half a century, we see day by day that the audacity and boldness of the Zionist regime have increased, while in contrast, a feeling of weakness has grown among Islamic governments. If on that day Islamic governments had joined hands and resisted, it certainly would have yielded results.

Therefore, while thanking all the armed forces, especially the zealous Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC), we are confident that this action will have a deterrent effect, as it has had so far, and will, God willing, put the aggressors in their place.

Jamaran: Some believe that these events caused the weakening of the Resistance Front and were a kind of defeat for the Resistance Front.

Ayatullah Sayyid Mujtaba Nur Mufidi: There is no doubt that during this time, through cooperation with all major intelligence services of the world—the US, UK, France, Germany—and using advanced tools, they were able to deal heavy blows to the body of Hezbollah and the resistance movement. But should these blows push us toward surrender and compromise, or make us more resistant?! I answer your question citing the Quran. Almighty God states: “So do not weaken and call for peace while you are superior; and Allah is with you and will never deprive you of [the reward of] your deeds” [Quran 47:35]. Or in another verse He states: “And those who are killed in the cause of Allah – never will He waste their deeds. He will guide them and amend their condition, and admit them to Paradise, which He has made known to them” [Quran 47:4-6]. God states that those killed in the cause of God—their deeds will certainly not be lost or destroyed; God guides them, and God brings the plans of the believers to fruition.

This is God’s promise in the Quran that if someone perseveres and conducts jihad in the way of God and is killed, it will lead to bringing their plans on earth to fruition. Throughout the Quran, when we read the stories of the Prophets and observe the fate of past nations, it is nothing other than the fact that those who oppressed were all destroyed: “Have they not traveled through the land and seen how was the end of those before them? Allah destroyed them completely, and for the disbelievers is something similar” [Quran 47:10]. He states: Why do they not travel through the land to see how God destroyed those who came before them? God states to the Prophet (PBUH): “And for the disbelievers is something similar”—meaning that this destruction of disbelievers and enemies is not solely for past nations; the chastisements that God narrates regarding certain tribes during the time of previous Prophets, He states to the Prophet (PBUH) that these will certainly be carried out regarding the disbelievers of your time as well. That is, this is the Sunnah (custom) of God.

Therefore, the divine promise is true. God Himself states: “So be patient. Indeed, the promise of Allah is truth” [Quran 30:60]. If we believe that God’s promise is true, we must be patient and continue the jihad. These losses and blows occur throughout struggle and jihad; sometimes there is victory and ascension, and sometimes there is descent. But what is certain is that following these hardships and difficulties that arise for the mujahidin in the path of Allah, if they persevere, according to the verses of the Quran and based on the divine Sunnah, this will ultimately lead to the decline and destruction of the enemies. I think that if we fall victim to terror and panic in the face of these pressures, or if we think of compromise and surrender in the face of these blows, we have deprived ourselves of divine assistance.

In any case, this loss was truly a great loss; however, in Hezbollah, which is a powerful organization, highly valuable personnel have been trained who will swiftly fill the places of the martyrs. Undoubtedly, the blood of this martyr and other martyrs will cause the motivations among adolescents and youth to join this organization to increase, and using past experiences, it will, God willing, grow stronger and fulfill its mission against the Zionist regime and its supporters.