Exclusive: Interview with Head of Revival of Resistant Heritage Association
The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon first saw light with the aim of serving justice: to rise against injustice, to defend the oppressed, and to guard the sovereignty of this country which has been facing oppression not only since 1982 but since 1948 (when South Lebanon became subject to daily "Israeli" violations).
It arose from within the people and the sons of this land and country setting itself a series of objectives including liberation of the land, and most importantly liberating man from injustice, granting man his rights to life, to living in freedom and dignity in a country and a world that seek freedom and sovereignty day after day.
The fleet of martyrs forms a major part of this resistance, and therefore, based on the existing keenness of this society to pass the experience on, martyrs' biographies and effects should be collected.
And so was the decision to establish the "Revival of Resistant Heritage" Association Headed by Sheikh Moussa Daher.
Sheikh Daher clarified the association's objective as an institution which is "keen on preserving people's consciousness and consolidation of the resistance experience so that our society reaches a stage in which it can refer to the resistance experience from its early beginnings all the way to the present time, particularly because the "Israeli" enemy not only targets and destructs our military and civilian infrastructure, but also our memory and consciousness."
Moqawama.org conducted an exclusive interview with head of the association on its goals, activities, an inclusive documentation of the resistance and its history and effects, and... a Future MUSEUM in memory of the Martyrs who paved the way to victory.
The project-museum would mimic the current National Museum and is designed to receive visitors and tourists from many countries. It is the only museum for the martyrs, since Lebanon's first spark of resistance.
The effects of the martyrs will be important references for researchers, intellectuals and thinkers in many domains, thus making them part of the resistance culture and identity.
Nour Rida: How does one revive resistance heritage and why?
Sheikh Daher: Our association "Revival of Resistant Heritage" is an official association which has recently been established and licensed by the Lebanese government.
It's clear from the name of the association that it draws together and preserves the heritage and memory of the resistance heritage in Lebanon.
We know very well that for many long years -since 1982 and to this day- the resistance has lived a rich experience in Lebanon. However, due to many considerations, particularly the ongoing conflict against the occupying "Israeli" enemy, certain aspects of this experience were not documented.
On the military and Jihadi level, certain authorities have constantly been documenting experiences and have been in charge of the authentication process - in which we have no direct relation or interference.
A section of this memorabilia is related to the Mujahideen themselves and their experiences, the resistance community and its experiences, and of course the dear martyrs who were martyred on this path and about whom much can be collected and said.
Nour Rida: Tell us about the association: what are its aims in addition to reviving the memory of the martyrs?
Sheikh Daher: We have a goal which turned into a series of partial objectives.
The overall goal is to collect and publish biographies of the martyrs and their effects.
On the biography level, we focus on the intellectual, spiritual, and ideological dimensions in the martyr's character. We believe that the martyr's march towards martyrdom, towards God Almighty was the product of a specific ideology and a certain vision of this life.
The value in the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon does not come from its military victories, because any side with enough dedication and devotion to its military action can attain these achievements. The primary accomplishment is transformation on the intellectual and spiritual levels it has brought about.
In compiling the martyr's biography we attempt to record aspects of his personality in all its intellectual and spiritual dimensions and the impacting results it left on society.
Regarding the effects of martyrs, we have many forms of effects, some in written form while other visual. These effects represent wills, notes, poems, stories, drawings and even artistic work the martyrs left behind. This is an indication of the high cultural level of the martyrs.
This shall be exhibited in a gallery for public viewing in the years to come.
Nour Rida: There are many upcoming activities including the establishment of a museum in Beirut, what's your comment on that? And what are the prior activities the Society held in commemoration of the martyrs of the Islamic Resistance?
Sheikh Daher: Yes, due to domestic circumstances this project has not yet begun. However, over the years a group of volunteers worked on many projects, the matter which inspired them to come up with this ‘vision' in 2002.
The team could not start working on a larger scale exhibition in a suitable manner; instead, they focused in the past years on simple yet effective presentations and activities.
Examples of these events are exhibitions that were held in different parts of Lebanon in addition to two major books currently in print collecting speeches made by His Eminence Sheikh Ragheb Harb and Sayyed Abbas Moussawi in addition to a group of publications on martyrs and their lives.
We look forward to take advantage of media coverage and any means possible to present the resistance effects of the martyrs in many forms such as in plays, paintings or movies.
For instance, an association concerned with art in Lebanon by the name of Risalaat (Messages) produced a film about the Islamic Resistance called ‘Ahl Al Wafa" (faithful folks).
Nour Rida: This is the first museum of its kind set up for commemorating martyrs. Have you decided on a location? And when is this project expected to be launched?
Sheikh Daher: The location has not yet been determined. We need to find a suitable piece of land. We're looking for an easily accessible centrally located location in the capital.
There is no specific opening date for the museum yet, but there are expectations about the museum's nature and services. Our main idea is a non-traditional approach based on the exhibition of the martyrs' effects to public viewing.
The exhibition is an interactive type and calls for the visitors' participation with the martyrs' effects through visual screens and resistance games. The visitors will also be able to engage their senses and interact through a ‘hologram' system, which enables them to hear the voices, sounds and see the movements, personalities and visual effects.
This is the type of a museum we are hoping for and working on opening.
Nour Rida: What is the projected impact of the museum not only on the resistance community which believes in the resistance, but on the remaining segments in society and on communities outside Lebanon?
Sheikh Daher: All societies, resistance or non-resistance, seek to perpetuate and immortalize the values, ideas and personalities that affect their society or community. Many examples exist. Even in the "Israeli" enemy, who has what they call ‘Baliat Hiroshem', a museum built to commemorate the victims of the Holocaust (despite the fact that it is a big lie).
We believe that the values for which our martyrs stood for are deeply rooted since the martyrs of the Islamic Resistance saw themselves as a continuation of the path of the Prophets and Imams, peace be upon them, whose goal through history has ever been to realize justice and lift injustice from society.
These martyrs want good and happiness for mankind, all of mankind. They carried their weapons not to achieve personal gains or power, to take post or impose their way of thinking on others...they fell martyrs for the values that govern this society.
Nour Rida: What is the impact of such an exhibition on the "Israeli" entity, psychologically and militarily? What is its impact on Western society which does not believe in the spiritual beliefs and values of the Islamic Resistance?
Sheikh Daher: There was a previous experience that took place in Beirut two years ago, when the Risalaat Society hosted an exhibition called ‘Bait al-Ankabut' (Spider Web).
It was held in a very narrow space based on a simple theme compared with what we have now. Simple things were presented; nonetheless, the exhibition received an excess of 250,000 visitors in a short period.
The amount of attention this exhibition received from world media was noteworthy. Even Zionist media outlets were interested to know what the exhibition put on display.
The establishment of this museum will be part of the means used in the conflict against the "Israeli" enemy. We know that a great part of the reasons behind the Islamic Resistance's victory is in the strength of will possessed by the resistance and its society, contrasted by that weakness in the "Israeli" enemy and its society.
Nour Rida: In terms of internet activities, are there any projects you are planning to do, such as a virtual museum and setting up a website connected to this Society to follow up matters related to the museum?
Sheikh Daher: Among the different media, internet is considered the number one medium, attracting the largest number of public viewers, so we are naturally and certainly heading in that direction.
Right now a process is taking place for establishing a website, a medium to present the Society's activities and materials through, and God willing we will be able to launch this project in the future. We hope this website will be at the level of this Society's work and its activities.
Nour Rida: Is this Society connected with reviving the Lebanese resistance heritage only? Or might it revive the heritage of other movements such as that of the Palestinian resistance in the face of the "Israeli" enemy?
Sheikh Daher: All resistance movements in general feel a certain bond with each other, despite intellectual and religious differences that may exist among them. All aim at ending injustices they were subjected to.
These movements may differ according to the depth of vision their resistance project, or the ultimate goals they set when compared with other resistance movements. But ultimately there are intersections and shared contributions, especially those found in resisting this same usurping enemy regime. Our Society is working on consolidating this legacy on the Palestinian level.
It is certainly connected on the individual, emotional, and spiritual levels with the current Palestinian movement struggle. Therefore, when we try to instill resistance values, we are certain to shed light on great shining examples in the Palestinian heritage like martyrs Yahya Ayyash and Fathi Shikaki. We will certainly be going in that direction.
Nour Rida: Do you have proposals for hosting resistance fighters from Lebanon and abroad to give seminars on this culture and approach through the Society's activities? And in your opinion, who leaves a greater impact, the martyrs or the living fighters?
Sheikh Daher: Due to recent circumstances, we are now at what can be called an internal workshop stage to organize the Society's internal situation, and to prepare for the next phase in a proper scientific manner, and God willing, we will move on to the production stage and communication with our audience and community and all who care for our work, be it in Lebanon or the region in general.
We will not only emulate the resistance society but rather attempt to emulate all societies, because while we may differ on certain things we all see injustice as something ugly. We feel the pain caused by injustice in all countries and find its occurrence disgraceful.
Regarding who is more existent, a martyr or the present resistance fighter, when we work on biographies of martyrs and their path, their belonging and effects, we feel that martyrs are more alive than ourselves.
In one case a martyr visited one of the brothers in a dream and rejected the information that had been collected on him and pointed out different names and persons as source for information on his biography. Following this dream, the brother later found the information he had collected on the martyr was incomplete and needed reconstruction.
We have a conviction that martyrs intervene to guide us to right and truth.
