We must rise

If we narrate the history of the Resistance solely through its battles, operations, and official statements, we'd be missing a huge part of the story – the part that unfolded during their private meetings, right there in the simple, unadorned office of the martyred Leader. The men of the Resistance themselves admit that the roots of this mighty tree took hold right there. It flourished from the calm smile of a man who, whenever weary and disheartened fighters came to see him, would say with absolute conviction: "By God's will, you shall be victorious."

During his lifetime, Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah recounted how exceptionally difficult circumstances had become for him in 1997 and 1998 – domestically within Lebanon, in the confrontation with Israel, and amidst the region's tense atmosphere. He noted that he sometimes felt he had lost the strength to bear such a heavy burden, even contemplating that perhaps someone else should take over his responsibility.

During those very days, he traveled to Iran and, in a meeting with Sayyid Ali Khamenei, he asked: "Agha, what should I do?"

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution reminded him that hardships, dangers, and pressures are a natural part of the path of a battle. He advised him: 

"We believe that God exists. He hears and sees us, and He is All-Powerful and All-Wise. So, speak to Him."

Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah later recounted that this was their greatest asset during the 33-Day War: "Seeking recourse in and relying upon God. We sought guidance, help, victory, strength, courage, and steadfastness from God, and we took refuge in Him."

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution's faith in the victory of the Resistance was firmly anchored in Quranic conviction, specifically where God states in Surah Muhammad, Verse 7: "If you help God, He will help you."

Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah used to recount that during one of his meetings with Ayatollah Khamenei, the Leader recited this verse and remarked: "God does not joke around. What He says is serious. 'If you help God, He will help you' means that whoever aids God’s cause, God will aid them in return."

This conviction guided the Resistance Front through its most grueling battles time and again, including the 33-Day War. Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah recounted a memory from those days: In the opening days of the war – which had been launched with the explicit goal of obliterating the Lebanese Resistance – everything was under such intense bombardment that speaking of survival, let alone victory, seemed like sheer madness.

During those very days, a verbal message reached me in the southern Dahiyeh district; it was a message from the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Khamenei, in which he said: "Put your trust in God. I tell you, with absolute certainty, that you will be victorious."

But who could possibly see things that way in those dark days? Only someone who truly believed in the Resistance's victory.