Sayyed Nasrallah’s Other Side (Part 2): This Is How He Followed Social Networking Sites & Prepared His Speeches
Fatima Salami
Beirut - When we read about the personality of Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, we find ourselves immersed in the finer details. We may read the text a second time and not get bored.
One reader commented on the first segment of this article series noting that the more we read about this extraordinary figure, the more attached we become.
Meanwhile, a politician who stands in stark contrast to Sayyed's political views expressed in private correspondence his admiration for Sayyed’s charisma and personality, describing him an extraordinary leader. This is the opinion of an opponent.
There is no doubt that many like him think the same way, even if they do not declare it. For you cannot dive into Sayyed’s distinctive personality and not find yourself captivated by those exemplary qualities.
Behind the character of a strong and capable leader, a leader who knew how to twist the arm of the Zionist enemy, a leader who terrified the enemy into keeping up with each and every single appearance he makes, Sayyed Nasrallah hides a great deal of humanity, kindness, compassion and love for his people.
In the last part of the interview with the Al-Ahed news website, Sayyed Jawad, the son of Hezbollah's secretary general, talks about the love His Eminence has for the people. He has infinite compassion for his supporters in his heart. He asks about their situation and matters that concern them, follows up on their issues and grieves over their pain.
Jawad also points out that Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah who is today Hezbollah's secretary general is the same person he was before he took up this post. He has great adoration for the Grand Ayatollah Imam Sayyid Ali Khamenei and has a strong relationship with the Mujahideen.
He makes sure to read most of the reports and articles, and he follows with distinction what is published on social media. He underscores the need for civilized communication, calling on everyone to disagree with respect.
His Eminence regards money and legitimate rights as a red line that should never be abused. Jawad talks about an incident that he experienced personally in this regard.
As for Sayyed’s speeches, he has them in his head as they are on paper. Let us assume that he went somewhere to deliver a speech and forgot the papers, nothing changes at all.
Sayyed the human being
Jawad elaborates on Sayyed the man, who has not been changed by the world and has not been taken by the glamor of the podiums. He talks about Sayyed, who was only made more modest by the pride and people’s cheers.
Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, the secretary general of Hezbollah today, is the same person he was before he assumed the post. Not only that, but with time he become more modest.
“My father takes pride in the people's love and trust. He loves them so much. Of course, he does not love them for love’s sake only, but he is also concerned about their interests. He fears for their life in the afterlife [Akhira] more than in this world,” Jawad says.
The first trait that comes to mind when Jawad talks about his father is humanity. He elaborates on this bright side in Sayyed’s personality. In his view, the term "human being" applies to his father in every sense of the word.
This characteristic is further exemplified by the relationship between His Eminence and the most honorable people. We see him carry passion, love and understanding in his heart. He always advises that one should conform with people.
“He calls on us to restore (things). If someone makes a mistake, we have to right it and try to understand it. When two people disagree, we must look for a way to reform it, not to fuel sedition between them.”
“Sayyed Hassan has a high and elegant morality. He has many of the attributes of Amir al-Mu’minin [Commander of the Faithful] (PBUH),” says Jawad. “He has a great ability to control himself. This ability always makes him look into God's eyes, speak his tongue and act with his hand.”
According to Jawad, "all his dwellings and movements revolve around the pleasure of Allah.
There are red lines in life as there are in politics. His Eminence regards the rights of the people as a red line, without which everything else falls by the waist side. He has endless generosity, and at the same time he does not make anyone feel they owe him gratitude. We, his children, do not know what his exchanges are with the people closest to us. It is forbidden.
The dignity of the people as well as their comfort are a top priority. He is eager to insure the comfort of those around him to an extent that no one expects. For example, he does not stay too late so as not to exhaust the young men [resistance fighters] or embarrass them, even though sitting with him is extremely dear to them. According to his convictions, anything that causes others’ exhaustion is unacceptable.
Sayyed’s concern and fear for the people is not limited to their dunya [temporal world] but rather for their afterlife.” Jawad says. “One time, I asked him, ‘If you were an intercessor, would you intercede for me?’ He replied, ‘I would not only intercede for you, but I would intercede for all the believers.’"
"If we look at these positions and sayings over the years, we see in Sayyed the trait of a human being who has compassion, mercy, self-esteem and the understanding of his people," Jawad adds.
In Jawad’s opinion, the commandments of Ahl al-Bayt are imbedded in Sayyed’s actions. He treats people in their absence as if they were in front of him. On numerous occasions, his heart aches for the people and he is saddened by their stories. He is very eager to further their piety. He follows up on people’s attendance in mosques. His concern is people’s piety on the grounds that the world has no value if our relationship with God is not sound. This matter will cost the loss of the dunya and the Hereafter. My relationship with God being good means to preserve the rights of people and not fall into sin. This brings good in dunya and in the Hereafter. In Sayyed’s opinion, what is the benefit of doing Jihad while I deprive the people of their rights, or pray while I attack people?
A mountain of patience
“Among other qualities that Sayyed possesses is his mountain of patience. He is insightful and far-sighted, as if he can see things for years to come,” Jawad explains.
“He is a strong administrator, a meticulous person with exceptional memory and a light touch when it comes to management. He is sincere with his feelings and shows them without excuses.
He is a father figure and merciful. At the same time, his love for the people and the Mujahideen does not prevent him from making any remarks to anyone on any subject. He is firm but does insult anyone and lenient but not a pushover.
He convinces you of what he is dictating with love and satisfaction, by clarifying and explaining things to you. He possesses the art of listening. When you sit down with him, he seems to be listening to you par excellence.
In short, his flesh and blood have been affected by the infallible household [Prophet’s family],” Jawad adds.
He also points out that His Eminence seems to be closely following up on the conditions of his family despite the strategic matters he is handling. “He keeps a close eye on the family without violating the privacy and freedoms of its members. We also see this quality during work, even with things we don't expect. He considers this organization [Hezbollah] a part of his soul and follows it very carefully.”
The humble Sayyed
Jawad discloses some details that highlight Sayyed’s humility, and the fact that he is not embarrassed by serving the people.
"I remember before the 2006 war His Eminence invited his siblings and their families for Iftar at our house. He sat in the middle and prevented anyone from pouring food. He told them, ‘throughout the holy month, people have been serving me [food]. Now it's my turn to serve you and pour food for you myself.’”
Jawad says that those gathered at the table refused but Sayyed insisted on doing it himself. Here he points out that His Eminence often does things himself in everyday life. He helps in setting the table. Sometimes he heats his food himself. He repeatedly prepares his papers.
He is not demanding or bossy. Because of their great love for him, everyone around him waits for him to ask them to do something.
Sayyed and Imam Khamenei
Jawad points out that His Eminence has a great deal of adoration for Grand Ayatollah Imam Sayyed Ali Khamenei. He follows his recorded lessons, listens to his sermons, and sheds light on anything posted on his behalf. He was so touched when the story of the Leader marrying off one of his sons was circulated. He was affected by the asceticism and humility that accompanied that event. Sayyed always repeats the phrase: look at where we are and where the Leader is!
Sayyed and the Mujahideen
His grave responsibilities did not hinder his ability to closely follow-up on matters concerning the families of the martyrs. With regard to the Mujahideen, Sayyed has a particular sensitivity and passion towards them.
“I remember during the Joroud [battle] and the snow. His Eminence remembered them during ablution and would say, ‘God help them while they perform ablution in this cold.’ Or when he wants to eat, he remembers them and says, ‘I wonder what they are eating now,’” Jawad says.
Jawad pauses and points out that Sayyed is not a show-off. He did not say this to a group of people. Only one person knows these things.
Sayyed puts a great deal of importance on the blood of the martyrs. For him, all the pride that we enjoy comes from those who sacrificed themselves so that the nation can live in dignity.
This is how His Eminence follows social media
His Eminence reads most of the articles and reports. He follows and looks at everything on social media, according to Jawad. Of course, he does not have an account. He, however, receives detailed and lengthy reports on everything every day, including Twitter and Facebook posts. He sees the profiles and pictures of the people on social media. We see them on the screen while he sees them printed on paper. Sayyed even reads most of the letters sent to him. Sometimes, if he does not have time to read everything, his assistants choose funny things of a political nature.
"I ask him what he thinks about some tweets regarding a certain topic. He tells me, ‘I saw the tweets of several people. Aren’t those your friends, Jawad?’”
Sayyed hates foul language and obscenity on social media no matter what party issued it. His Eminence does not permit offending opponents. Of course, the "Israelis" are another topic, says Jawad. There should be manners and decency in political rivalries. He considers that the fraught atmosphere among activists is very bad. People can politely disagree and raise the level of communication, attention and thinking. When Sayyed comes across such types of offensive tweets, he describes them with one word: “wretched”. To him this is the most profound description.
The majalis e-aza are for all Muslims
Sayyed does not only keep a close eye on social media sites while advocating more civilized forms of communication, he also follows a lot of other things. For example, he makes sure that the central majlis e-aza can be attended by all Muslims. Imam al-Husayn is the son of the Prophet (PBUH). In this sense, it is our duty to convey his grievance to everyone. Moreover, when he has time, he looks into the content of the majlis.
Furthermore, His Eminence rejoices greatly with the scientific achievements of the people. He is also delighted with any humanitarian initiative.
Being careful with public rights and money
Jawad stresses that Sayyed is the same person whether he is under the spotlight or alone. To him, the criterion is the satisfaction of Allah.
In this context, he talks about His Eminence’s care for legitimate rights and money in a manner that other people may not notice. “For example, once His Eminence received a present that I liked. He told me, ‘you can take it, but you have to pay for it.’ I wondered and asked him why. He said, ‘I did not receive this present as Hassan the son of Abdul Karim Nasrallah but as the secretary general of Hezbollah. Therefore, you have to pay for it with a certain Hajj. The price of the gifts that are sold are transferred to a [bank] account to help Mujahideen get married.’ He told me confidently, ‘what makes you more special than the other young men?’”
Here, Jawad points out that Sayyed is always concerned with the worries of his people, and he fears for their rights. After 2006, he was ready to take from Hezbollah's funds to aid people and pay for their health, education, etc.
“Conforming with people” is the permanent commandment at every situation
Sayyed always underscores the need to conform to people in many of the things that we wants to do.
“Following the July 2006 war, I was able to borrow money and buy an ordinary house, and the prices were still acceptable," says Jawad.
“My father told me at the time, ‘you’re not allowed to. After reconstruction, you return to your home. You have to live the way people are living. You have to rent like them, even if this drives you to move from one house to another. We are not better than people. We have to console them and be equal to them.’ According to His Eminence, it is possible not to share one’s joy. However, consolation during hardship and pain alleviates the heart and spirit. As long as you are my son, you have to accept and live this life with its sweetness and bitterness. If we cannot console them, the least we can do is be equal to them. This is stated in our religion and the morals of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and his family (PBUT). It is not our business what others do within what God allows. We are accountable to the people who give and love expecting no return. Those are the people of loyalty. The relationship with them is beyond leadership. And the least we can do is to conform with people, leave behind what we can and live in asceticism to be closer to Allah Almighty. Then he reminds me of the holy verse {Never will you attain the good [reward] until you spend [in the way of Allah] from that which you love. And whatever you spend - indeed, Allah is Knowing of it.} (Surah Ali-Imran – Verse 92).”
What is the secret behind Sayyed’s confidence in victory?
“About two years after the 2006 war, I said, ‘Father, I know you are someone who cares a lot about the speeches you give. Honesty is a red line for you, so you are careful not to shake the trust between you and the public. In the beginning of the July war, tell me how were you able to say your famous sentence ‘as I always promised you victory, I promise you victory again’? What did you base this certainty on at the beginning of the war and the whole world was against us? He told, ‘aren’t you a reader of the Quran?’ I said, ‘Yes.’ He gave me two verse: {O you who have believed, if you support Allah, He will support you and plant firmly your feet.} (Surah Muhammad – Verse 7) and {Indeed, Allah defends those who have believed. Indeed, Allah does not like everyone treacherous and ungrateful.} (Surah Al-Hajj – Verse 38). ‘This is Allah's promise,’ he said.”
"This is certainty," says Jawad. “The whole world is against us and is conspiring against us. A cruel war is launched against us, yet someone comes with all this confidence and certainty to say this famous sentence. In my opinion, this is the foundation of the great popular trust that Sayyed enjoys today. This has turned him into a symbol of truth and everyone began to see him as a person who is certain.”
No favoritism in employment
For Sayyed, there is no place for favoritism when it comes to jobs.
Jawad says, “once, I waited for three months to get a direct job appointment with him. Sayyed had me disapproved. Although I tried more than once to bring the date forward, but I did not succeed. He even put me at the end of the day. Then, I felt something. I contacted his assistant and told him, ‘I will cancel the appointment but on one condition do not schedule any appointment instead of mine. Let my father rest.’ He said, ‘I accept.’ I said, ‘Cancel my appointment.’ When I met my father later, he told me, ‘you know, my son, when X told me that Jawad canceled the appointment on the condition that you rested, I was very happy because I was very tired. Then I said thank God and I was grateful to you from my heart.’”
The speech is in the mind as it is on paper
There is no doubt that His Eminence’s distinguished speeches have always been admired because of the methodology, strength and eloquence. Every speech is unlike the previous one. Every time you listen to him, it feels like it is the first time. Many wonder how His Eminence prepares his speeches.
In this regard, Jawad tells us that when an idea comes to His Eminence’s mind in any particular subject, he thinks about it before putting it down on paper. “You see him put the points he will include in the speech in his mind. He has mental and intellectual abilities and other unnatural gifts. Let us assume, for example, that he went to deliver a speech and forgot the papers somewhere, nothing changes at all. What is written on the papers is imprinted in his mind – the same sequence and order.
He has a strong memory. This is sometimes evident, for example, when we talk to him about something that might not be a needle in the haystack. 15 days later, on the allotted time he replies to us even though the date is not written down.
How does Sayyed approach politics?
Sayyed has a realistic view on how we should approach politics. In his view there must be flexibility. Nobody takes everything in politics. We have to coexist with people. Politics, in the end, is give and take. Nothing can just be because you say so.
Sometimes His eminence regrets when the public opinion does not wait in a particular case to see what is behind Hezbollah’s decision regarding a certain matter. According to his convictions, it is very wrong to make judgments arbitrarily, especially regarding sensitive subjects.
Jawad concludes his heartfelt talk about his father by pointing out that despite all this compassion and affluent passion, Sayyed is a wise manager, a brilliant and intelligent person, resolute, decisive and deadly in war.
Finally, writing about His Eminence’s other side carries us to another world where there is a lot of beauty. There is no doubt
that Sayyed Nasrallah’s personal and human traits constitute some of the many in an exceptional leader that brought pride to the nation. And even so, everything written and said about him remains too little.
