It's been 40 days, but he will live on forever
9 Min Read
How did Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah become an enduring symbol of sacrifice and resilience?
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Hezbollah's martyred Secretary-General, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Zainab Termos)
We grew up listening to his voice. We grew up watching him. We used to impatiently wait for him and his speeches... we're still waiting.
As I write these lines I'm reminded of a quote by Che Guevara, who said "Let me say that the true revolutionary is guided by a great feeling of love. It is impossible to think of a genuine revolutionary lacking this quality."
Forty days have passed since the martyrdom of Hezbollah's Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, a man who was a symbol of hope, sacrifice, resilience, and resistance, but more profoundly, he embodied love—because what is resistance and sacrifice if not the deepest form of love?
To grasp the magnitude of what this man sacrificed, what many before him have sacrificed, and what countless others will continue to sacrifice, you must understand the essence of love: love for your land, your people, your sovereignty, and your dignity. It is through this that we can redefine and grasp true patriotism.
They attempted to silence him with 83 tons of US-made bombs, to extinguish the resolve of the Resistance, and pave the way for their hopes of ending Hezbollah. But his martyrdom achieved the opposite because the resistance remains resilient, grew in fervor, and he remains present.
Few political figures in the world command as much respect as Sayyed Hassan. Allow me to refer to him as Sayyed Hassan, not Sayyed Nasrallah—whom we affectionately call, ‘el-Sayyed.’ As the former Secretary-General of Hezbollah, he is remembered as a central figure in the struggle against Israeli and Western influence and interference in Lebanon. Yet, beyond his political role, he is a man who has made profound personal sacrifices, with each choice reflecting his unwavering dedication to a cause greater than himself.
‘A totem of sacrifice’
In 1997, Sayyed Hassan’s eldest son, Hadi, was martyred during confrontations with Israeli occupation forces in Southern Lebanon. Hadi, like many men of his generation, was devoted to fighting for Lebanon’s sovereignty, an ideological cause that shaped his father’s life. But for Sayyed Hassan, the loss of his son was more than the heartbreaking reality of a grieving father; it was a deeply symbolic act that underscored the sincerity of his commitment to the cause of resistance.
When Hadi joined the frontlines, Sayyed Hassan saw him through the eyes of a leader, encouraging him to continue on this path in the face of the occupier. By doing so, Sayyed Hassan placed his family’s blood in the same category as the blood of countless others who had also sacrificed their lives during the Lebanese war for liberation and continue to do so.
Hadi’s martyrdom became a powerful message to Sayyed Hassan’s followers: that the leadership of Hezbollah was not above anyone’s sacrifice, and it demonstrated that Sayyed Hassan’s commitment to the cause was not mere rhetoric but a matter of firm belief.
‘A life woven with resistance and sacrifice’
“They [the Israeli occupation] said this arena would be targeted, that this podium would be destroyed, to frighten people and keep them away…Yes—by standing here before you and among you, I place both you and myself at risk. There were other options, and up until 30 minutes ago, we were discussing the matter. But my mind, my heart, and my soul would not allow me to speak to you from afar or through a screen.”
– Sayyed Hassan, during the 2006 victory speech
Sayyed Hassan, as a leader of a resistance that challenged the West and “Israel,” lived under constant threat. Israeli intelligence and other enemy agencies had targeted him for years, viewing his removal as key to destabilizing Hezbollah’s leadership. As a sacrifice for the resistance and its leadership, he had to greatly limit his public appearance.
For over a decade, he was largely absent from public life in the physical sense. This absence came at a tremendous personal cost. It meant he couldn’t move freely in his homeland and could not enjoy the simple liberty of walking among his community. This life came at a sacrifice of the basic human desire for connection. Yet, he accepted this burden, choosing the safety and continuity of Hezbollah’s leadership over his own wellbeing.
Despite the isolation, Sayyed Hassan was an active and influential figure in the lives of his community, his voice and image projected through screens, a symbol of resistance that surpassed physical presence. Each speech he delivered from an undisclosed location reminded his community of his commitment to their shared cause.
This also came with restrictions to his life as a father, husband, brother, and son, living apart from his wife and children for their safety and his own. Unlike most fathers, he wasn’t present for daily family milestones, moments of joy, or even moments of grief. His role as a leader meant that these personal connections also had to be sacrificed, living a life marked by distance from his own flesh and blood.
In rare interviews, Sayyed Hassan spoke about the pain of living away from his family and the emotional cost of his lifestyle. Those moments offered a glimpse into the man behind the Secretary-General, a father who, like any other, yearned to be close to his children but understood that his absence was a necessary burden.
‘A cause beyond political motives’
“I assure all of you: to the enemy, to the friend, to the whole world: You cannot eliminate Hezbollah, nor will you be able to eliminate the honorable Resistance movements in Palestine. You will never be able to do so, because the Resistance is not a conventional army, and because the Resistance is, first and foremost, the people. A people who possess faith, willpower, and confidence in victory, who love martyrdom, and who reject humiliation and disgrace. This is a people that no one can defeat. You may kill its men, women, children, and elderly. You may destroy their buildings and homes over their heads. But you cannot defeat them. And with us as well, I assure you, the Resistance will not break. And the Resistance will not be defeated.”
– Sayyed Hassan, 2006
He stood with a few, resisting pressure from countries around the world that failed to sway him. Faced with political and diplomatic challenges, Sayyed Hassan stayed firm on issues of sovereignty and resistance, sacrificing possible alliances and broader involvement in Lebanon’s power shifts.
These pressures only highlighted his commitment to principles over temporary political interests. By remaining true to his beliefs, even at the cost of political and popular benefits, he earned respect from his followers and a reputation as a figure who stood for firm, unwavering ideals.
There were multiple offers for him to back down and achieve political gains in return, albeit at the cost of the neutralization of the Resistance.
As part of Al Mayadeen's "40 and Beyond" documentary series, Sayyed Hassan revealed that he received several US offers following the liberation of most Lebanese lands in 2000. The US offered to resolve the issue of Lebanese detainees in Israeli jails, acknowledge Hezbollah’s political role, and fully incorporate it into the Lebanese government. The US also proposed substantial financial aid to rebuild liberated and impoverished areas. Additionally, they promised to remove Hezbollah from the “terror list” and elevate it to “respected international standing.”
However, these came at a hefty cost: Hezbollah would be neutralized from what is described as. the "Arab-Israeli conflict", and it would have to stop supporting the Palestinian Intifada, including ceasing the supply of funds, weapons, training, and expertise, which he firmly refused.
According to the martyred resistance leader, the US was trying to convince Hezbollah that the Shebaa Farms were not worth a conflict and that the issue could be solved through diplomacy. But his refusal to soften his stance, despite the political and economic repercussions, reflected a deep-rooted commitment to the ideals of resistance. For him, the cause was not a means to achieve political power; it was an end in itself, an identity rooted in Lebanon’s struggle for dignity.
‘A man of the people’
Sayyed Hassan's life, defined by profound sacrifice in all its forms, served as a living testament to his leadership, and his martyrdom stands as a powerful affirmation of that.
He rose among the people and was martyred among his people. He grew up in the same streets where he was martyred. Little did they know – killing Sayyed Hassan only increased his presence.
With all this faith and unwavering resilience to continue this path and keep the banner of resistance and resilience high, one cannot deny the reality – it’s been forty days. Forty days since he graced us with his presence, since he laughed with us, cried with us, reassured us with the warmth of his smile. Forty days, Sayyed, and we're still suspended in a grief that feels somewhat lacking, a sorrow that waits patiently in the quiet corners of our hearts.
As we wait, still fully faithful for the day we can celebrate our victory, I can’t help but wonder—how could anyone but you stand before us to deliver that victory speech? What emptiness would follow when our fists are raised in triumph, but without the call, "Oh Allah, Oh Allah, protect for us, Nasrallah." There will be one call, though, that will echo above all others: "Labbayka ya Nasrallah"—[Here we respond to your call, O Nasrallah.]
As I write these very words, your children stand on the frontlines, carrying high the banner of resilience and resistance, refusing humiliation or surrender. Each of us carries a part of you within, guiding us along the path you continued so steadfastly, like the leaders before you. You were more than a leader—you were a symbol of sacrifice, a beacon of warmth and love. You left us as you came—a son of southern Lebanon—who sent shockwaves across the world. Our hearts have been graced with your presence, and it is there that you will remain Sayyed, just as you've made a place for yourself among history's great men.
Men like you do not fade; men like you are timeless, as those who sacrifice and resist are meant to live on forever.
“Shall we remain after you? Shall we leave you and go on living without you? May God make life unbearable after you”
- Companions of Imam Hussain Ibn Ali, 10th of Muharram
