THE 500 MOST INFLUENTIAL MUSLIMS - CESD

18SEYYED HASAN NASRALLAHSecretary General of HezbollahSeyyed Hasan Nasrallah is serving his sixth term asthe third Secretary General of Hezbollah (the Partyof God). Hezbollah is a Twelver Shi’a Islamic politicalparty and paramilitary organization based in Lebanon.Hezbollah’s ideology is based on seeking social justicethrough Islamic ideals. Political and military successeshave made Nasrallah a vastly influential figure in Lebanon,and in the Middle East more broadly. Nasrallahand Hezbollah are also controversial; the US and Canadalist Hezbollah as a terrorist organization.Country: LebanonDate of Birth: 31 August 1960Source of Influence: Political,DevelopmentInfluence: Main politicalleader of 1-2 million LebaneseShi’a (45-55 percent ofLebanon’s population), widersupport with the Syrian andIranian Shi’a populations andthose who support his resistanceto IsraelSchool of Thought: TraditionalTwelver Shi’a, RevolutionaryShi’ismRank: 2010:18 · 2009:17 Military PowerNasrallah has immense importance in Lebanon as afigure of military power. He gained this influence byleading Hezbollah during the time that Israeli forceswithdrew from southern Lebanon. The withdrawalresulted in huge popularity for Nasrallah, giving himincreased recognition at home and abroad as a powerfulfigure. Hezbollah remains a de facto security force in southern Lebanon, and its militarypresence is felt throughout the country, with a force of around 300,000 fighters.Lebanon’s leading Twelver Shi’a FigureUnder Nasrallah, Hezbollah has gained in popularity and in political stature. As Syria andIsrael have withdrawn from Lebanon, Hezbollah has begun to position itself as a Lebanesenationalist organization, with revolutionary Shi’ism as the guiding line. Nasrallah was educatedat the Hawza Shi’a seminary in Najaf in Iraq, where he met Abbas Musawi, his predecessoras leader of Hezbollah. Nasrallah took over leadership in 1992 and has popularized theparty among the Muslim population of Lebanon, and also among non-Muslims. Hezbollahhas gained wide popular appeal by providing social services, health care and also running AlManar—an influential television station.Social ServicesHezbollah has also won significant grassroots support by cultivating a social welfare systemthat provides schools, clinics, and housing in the predominantly Shi’a parts of Lebanon, andalso in others. These welfare activities are run with efficiency and rival those carried out bythe state, giving the organization even broader appeal.International Symbol of Resistance Against IsraelNasrallah has broader influence in the Muslim world as a figure of defiance against Israel.Israel remains a key issue for the Muslim world and Hezbollah’s aim to achieve social justicein Palestine is central to its activities. The military successes Nasrallah had in the late ninetiesare seen as the main factor for Israel’s withdrawal from South Lebanon in 2000. Moreover, thestaunch defense put up by Hezbollah forces against Israel in July 2006 earned Nasrallah manymore supporters. In February 2010 he openly criticized Arab states’ lack of involvement in theopposition against Israel, while at the same time praising Syria and Iran for their support.62