They Dreaded Him Alive—They Fear Him Even More in Martyrdom
By Ali Abadi
It may be one of the rare paradoxes in the modern era that so much commotion is stirred over a funeral, like that which has preceded the farewell of the Sayyed of the Nation’s Martyrs, Hezbollah’s Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, and his successor, Sayyed Hashem Safieddine.
Since Hezbollah’s Secretary-General, Sheikh Naim Qassem, announced on February 2 that the funeral would take place on the 23rd of this month as a grand public event attended by dignitaries and delegations from Lebanon and beyond, a flood of speculation, warnings, and rumours has spread. Hostile domestic and foreign actors, sensing that the turnout would be massive and transcend sectarian and regional lines, have attempted to discourage participation through various means.
This may be because opposing forces recognized that the massive turnout was not just a show of support but a revival—an awakening that breathed new life by rekindling Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah’s spirit across the nation. They saw their carefully crafted narrative—repeated incessantly since the ceasefire in late November, claiming Hezbollah’s defeat and the end of the Resistance—crumbling under the weight of a vast popular movement. Once again, the people would declare that the Resistance is not just an organization or a moment in time; it is an enduring creed, kept alive by unwavering loyalty to the martyrs and a steadfast commitment to their path.
The same sense of panic gripped these adversaries when they witnessed the massive crowds in the south, standing face to face with the enemy, defying the occupation with sheer presence as the withdrawal deadline expired on January 26.
On that day, the opposing media was shaken by the unexpected force of a crowd they had predicted would fade into submission after the brutal war, surrendering to the so-called “Israeli” fate. Instead, they were met with an overwhelming resolve to sacrifice everything for the liberation of occupied lands, regardless of the cost.
Now, this heroic presence has grown even stronger, reaffirming that the spirit of the great leader lives on in every field. It continues to guide the people of the Resistance, leading them to reject any notion of retreat, to rise above the fear of the enemy’s brutal machine, and to advance relentlessly toward their goal.
Opposing forces, using various methods, tried in advance to undermine the anticipated turnout for the funeral. The most notable of their attempts can be summarized as follows:
1- Spreading vague remorse suggesting that the ‘Israeli’ enemy might resort to bombing the funeral site as revenge against the martyr and the resistance’s supporters. These rumours were designed to instil fear, based on the assumption that the enemy no longer has any inhibitions about doing anything, especially after the ‘Al-Aqsa Flood’ and the massacres witnessed in Gaza and, later, in Lebanon.
2- Creating an atmosphere of anxiety and fear, suggesting that Sunday might not end peacefully. This was reinforced by a warning from the U.S. Embassy in Beirut to American citizens, advising them to avoid the routes the funeral procession would take in Beirut that day.
3- Spreading rumours about the boycott of the major funeral event by Lebanese religious and political figures. It later became clear that some of these reports were fabricated, such as the one claiming that the Council of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops would boycott the funeral, which the council officially denied in a statement.
4- Dominant foreign powers exerting pressure on local leaders and influential figures to either publicly announce their boycott of the funeral or at least abstain from attending. U.S. Congressman Joe Wilson (Republican) stated that any Lebanese politician attending the funeral of Sayyed Nasrallah would be ‘standing with the Iranian regime.’ This reflects the increasing American attempts to directly dictate the behaviour of Lebanese leaders without any reservations.
5- Influential figures within certain institutions pressuring their employees and threatening them with penalties if they attend the funeral, claiming these institutions are ‘neutral’.
6- Reigniting the atmosphere of division that prevailed in the country in 2005 and resorting to the promotion of sectarian strife once again through the use of mocking rhetoric on some media platforms. Those behind these platforms seemed to forget the civilized values and principles they claim to uphold, especially in a time of death and tragedy, where human conduct is supposed to follow a set of moral and ethical guidelines.
7- Spreading fabricated news about the funeral preparations, such as the claim that there would be entry fees to the Sports City in Beirut, where the ceremony would take place.
8- Spreading claims about the funeral expenses, alleging they amount to tens of millions of dollars and suggesting that the funds should have been better spent on reconstruction. These claims are propagated by those who serve the interests of those obstructing the flow of funds for rebuilding efforts.
9- Criticizing the selection of the Sports City as the venue for the funeral, arguing that it is an official institution, and threatening the Lebanese state with allegations of ‘submitting’ to Hezbollah and the Amal Movement, according to the politically driven Emirati billionaire Khalaf Al-Habtoor.
10- Using weather forecasts to discourage public attendance, with reports warning of a severe polar storm, the likes of which Lebanon hadn’t seen in years, expected to hit the Lebanese coast, including Beirut, on Saturday and Sunday. However, credible assessments later revealed that these predictions were highly exaggerated, to the point of sparking ridicule on social media. This raised questions about the underlying motives behind these forecasts and their connection to the January 23 event.
It goes without saying that this campaign is no different from the efforts aimed at undermining the reconstruction of what was destroyed by the “Israeli” aggression, which are based on spreading doubts and fears about the lack of funds for reconstruction, as well as various Arab and Western conditions. Both campaigns stem from a massive media effort orchestrated by states with vast financial resources aimed at demonizing the Resistance, intimidating its supporters, eroding trust in it, and dismantling its alliances.
The enemy’s propaganda machines crafted a distorted image of the Resistance’s supporters in the post-war period, portraying them as defeated and disheartened. Even more, they pushed the narrative that the Resistance and its leader were to blame for the destruction inflicted by the enemy on civilian infrastructure.
This is precisely why it frustrates them—and completely shatters the image they have worked so hard to spread through reports, articles, and various media platforms—to witness crowds of Resistance supporters from Lebanon and across the world gathering to honor the noble leader who was martyred on the battlefield, in the central operations room, as he stood his ground against one of the most ruthless enemies humanity has known in modern times.
It also reveals something deeper: the oppressive powers, whether political, security, or media-driven, fear the funeral of a man who, through his words and speeches alone, captured hearts and dismantled antagonistic rhetoric—without the need for massive propaganda machines funded by billions.
In the end, this nation once again proves that martyrdom is the beginning of a new life. And what greater martyrdom to this than the martyrdom of leaders—especially that of the historic leader of the Resistance, who was there from its inception, helped shape its growth, and played a key role in resisting American dominance in the region.
In 2023, he took a defining stand in support of Palestine, giving his life without hesitation on the path to Al-Quds. Even in martyrdom, he continues to strike fear into the hearts of the arrogant, just as he did in life—embodying the words of Imam Ali (peace be upon him): “Death in a life of submission is defeat, but life in death is true victory.”
