HAMAS CHARTER

Below are selections from Prof. Raphael Israeli's [Professor of Islamic History, Hebrew University] translation of the Hamas Charter published in "The 1988-1989 Annual on Terrorism", published in 1990 by Kinwer Academic Publishers.

IMRA interviewed Prof. Israeli on March 26, 1996.

IMRA: What is the status of the Hamas Charter?

Israeli: The 36 article Charter of Hamas was apparently drafted by some heads of Hamas and then announced to the public in 1988. While the PLO Charter is a political document which can be amended, the Hamas Charter is presented as a religious document, based on the Koran and with many references to sacred texts, which cannot be changed once it has been published.

IMRA: Who does the Hamas Charter apply to? The "political wing", the "military wing" or all the wings?

Israeli: There are no "wings" to Hamas. They are all the same organization. The talk of wings is just a game. The so-called military wing cannot exist without the financial backing of the so- called social-welfare wing.

THE HAMAS CHARTER

("Hamas" = "Harakat Muqawama Islamiyya", Islamic Resistance Movement)

Preamble:..."Israel will rise and will remain erect until Islam eliminates it as it had eliminated its predecessors." The Imam and Martyr Hasan al-Banna

Introduction: "...This is the Charter of the Islamic Resistance (Hamas) which will reveal its face, unveil its identity, state its position, clarify its purpose, discuss its hopes, call for support to its cause and reinforcement, and for joining its ranks. For our struggle against the Jews is extremely wide ranging and grave, so much so that it will need all the loyal efforts we can wield, to be followed by further steps and reinforced by successive battalions from the multifarious Arab and Islamic world, until the enemies are defeated and Allah's victory prevails. Thus we shall perceive them approaching in the horizon, and this will be known before long: "Allah has decreed: Lo! I very shall conquer, I and my messengers, lo! Allah is strong, almighty."
Sura 58 (Al-Mujadilah), verse 21.

Part I KNOWING THE MOVEMENT

Article One - THE IDEOLOGICAL ASPECT

The Islamic resistance movement draws its guidelines from Islam...

Article Two - THE LINK BETWEEN HAMAS AND THE ASSOCIATION OF MUSLIM BROTHERS

The Islamic Resistance Movement is one of the wings of the Muslim Brothers in Palestine...

STRUCTURE AND ESSENCE

Article Three

The basic structure of the Islamic Resistance Movement consists of Muslims who are devoted to Allah and worship Him verily...

Article Four -

The Movement welcomes all Muslims who share its beliefs and thinking, commit themselves to its course of action, keep its secrets and aspire to join its ranks in order to carry out their duty. Allah will reward them.

Article Five - DIMENSIONS OF TIME AND SPACE OF THE HAMAS

As the Movement adopts Islam as its way of life, its time dimension extends back as far as the birth of the Islamic Message and of the Righteous Ancestor. Its ultimate goal is Islam, the Prophet its model, the Quran its Constitution. Its spacial dimension extends wherever on earth there are Muslims, who adopt Islam as their way of life...

Article Six - PECULIARITY AND INDEPENDENCE

The Islamic Resistance Movement is a distinct Palestinian Movement which owes its loyalty to Allah...

Article Seven - THE UNIVERSALITY OF HAMAS

By virtue of the distribution of Muslims, who pursue the cause of the Hamas, all over the globe, and strive for its victory, for the enforcement of its positions and for the encouragement of its Jihad, the Movement is a universal one...Whoever denigrates its worth, or avoids supporting it, or is so blind as to dismiss its role, is challenging Fate itself. Whoever closes his eyes from seeing the facts, whether intentionally or not, will wake up to find himself overtaken by events, and will find no excuses to justify his position...

Hamas is one of the links in the Chain of Jihad in the confrontation with the Zionist invasion. It links up with the setting out of the Martyr Izz a-din al-Qassam and his brothers in the Muslim Brotherhood who fought the Holy War in 1936; it further relates to another link of the Palestinian Jihad and the Jihad and efforts of the Muslim Brothers during the 1948 War, and to the Jihad operations of the Muslim Brothers in 1968 and thereafter...

...Hamas has been looking forward to implement Allah's promise whatever time it might take. The prophet, prayer and peace be upon him, said:

"The time will not come until Muslims will fight the Jews (and kill them; until the Jews hide behind rocks and trees, which cry: O Muslim! there is a Jew hiding behind me, come on and kill him!
Cited by Bukhari and Muslim"

Article Eight - THE SLOGAN OF THE HAMAS

Allah is its goal, the Prophet its model, the Quran its Constitution, Jihad its path and death for the case of Allah it most sublime belief.

Part II OBJECTIVES

MOTIVES AND OBJECTIVES

Article Nine

...The state of truth has disappeared and was replaced by the state of evil. Nothing has remained in its right place, for when Islam is removed from the scene, everything changes. These are the motives.

As to the objectives: discarding the evil, crushing it and defeating it, so that truth may prevail homelands revert (to their owners), calls for prayer be heard from their mosques, announcing the restitution of the Muslim state. Thus, people and things will revert to their true place. Allah is the one whose hold we see.

Article Ten

The Islamic Resistance Movement, while breaking its own path, will do its utmost to constitute at the same time a support to the weak, a defense to all the oppressed. It will spare no effort to implement the truth and abolish evil, in speech and in fact, both here and in any other location where it can reach out and exert influence.

Part III STRATEGIES AND METHODS

THE STRATEGY OF HAMAS: PALESTINE IS AN ISLAMIC WAQF

Article Eleven

The Islamic Resistance Movement believes that the land of Palestine has been an Islamic Waqf throughout the generations and until the Day of Resurrection, no one can renounce it or part of it, or abandon it or part of it. No Arab country nor the aggregate of all Arab countries, and no Arab King or President nor all of them in the aggregate, have the right, nor has that right any organization or the aggregate of all organizations , be they Palestinian or Arab, because Palestine is an Islamic Waqf throughout all generations and to the Day of Resurrection.

Who can presume to speak for all Islamic generations to the Day of Resurrection? This is the status (of the land) in Islamic Shari'a, and it is similar to all lands conquered by Islam by force, and made thereby Waqf lands upon their conquest, for all generations of Muslims until the Day of Resurrection. This (norm) has prevailed since the commander of the Muslim armies completed the conquest of Syria and Iraq , and they asked the Caliph of Muslims, Umar Ibn al-Khattab, for his view of the conquered land, whether it should be partitioned between the troops or left in the possession of its population, or otherwise.

Following the discussions and consultations between the Caliph of Islam, Umar Ibn al-Khattab, and the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, be peace and prayer upon him, they decided that the land should remain in the hands of its owners to benefit from it and from its wealth; but the control of the land and the land itself ought to be endowed as a Waqf (in perpetuity) for all generations of Muslims until the Day of Resurrection. The ownership of the land by its owners is only one of usufruct, and the Waqf will endure as long as Heaven and earth last. Any demarche in violation of this law of Islam, with regard to Palestine, is baseless and reflects on its perpetrators.

Article Twelve HAMAS IN PALESTINE: ITS VIEWS ON HOMELAND AND NATIONALISM

Hamas regards Nationalism (Wataniyya) as part and parcel of the religious faith. Nothing is loftier or deeper in Nationalism than waging Jihad against the enemy and confronting him when he set foot on the land of the Muslims. And this becomes an individual duty binding on every Muslim man and woman; a woman must go out and fight the enemy even without her husband's authorization, and a slave without his master's permission....

Article Thirteen PEACEFUL SOLUTIONS (PEACE) INITIATIVES AND INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES

(Peace) Initiatives, the so-called peaceful solutions, and the international conferences to resolve the Palestinian problem, are all contrary to the beliefs of the Islamic Resistance Movement. For renouncing any part of Palestine means renouncing part of the religion; the nationalism of the Islamic Resistance Movement is part of this faith, the movement educates it members to adhere to its principles and to raise the banner of Allah over their homeland as they fight their Jihad: "Allah is the all-powerful, but most people are not aware."

From time to time a clamouring is voiced, to hold an International Conference in search for a solution to the problem. Some accept the idea, others reject it, for one reason or another, demanding the implementation of this or that conditions, as a prerequisite for agreeing to convene the Conference or for participating in it. But the Islamic Resistance Movement, which is aware of the (prospective) parties to this conference, and of their past and present positions towards the problems of the Muslims, does not believe that those conference are capable of responding to demands, or of restoring rights or doing justice to the oppressed. Those conferences are no more than a means to appoint the nonbelievers as arbitrators in the lands of Islam. Since when did Unbelievers do justice to Believers?

"And the Jews will not be pleased with thee, nor with Christians, till thou follow their creed. 'Say: Lo! the guidance of Allah (himself) is the Guidance. And if you should follow their desires after the knowledge which has come unto thee, then you would have from Allah no protecting friend nor helper."
Sura 2 (the Cow) verse 120.

There is no solution to the Palestinian problem except by Jihad. The initiative, proposals and International Conferences are but a waste of time, an exercise in futility. The Palestinian people are too noble to have their future, their right and their destiny submitted to a vain game...

Article Fourteen - THE THREE CIRCLES

The problem of the liberation of Palestine relates to three circles: the Palestinian, the Arab and the Islamic.

...the liberation of that land is an individual duty binding on all Muslims everywhere...

Article Fifteen THE JIHAD FOR THE LIBERATION OF PALESTINE IS AN INDIVIDUAL DUTY

When our enemies usurp some Islamic lands, Jihad becomes a duty binding on all Muslims. In order to face the usurpation of Palestine by Jews, we have no escape from raising the banner of Jihad...We must spread the spirit of Jihad among the (Islamic) Umma, clash with the enemies and join the ranks of the Jihad fighters.

The ulama as well as educations and teachers, publicity and media men as well as the masses of the educated, and especially the youth and the elders of the Islamic Movements, must participate in this raising of consciousness...We must imprint on the minds of generations of Muslims that the Palestinian problem is a religious one, to be dealt with on this premise...

Article Sixteen EDUCATING THE (YOUNG) GENERATION

...it is also necessary to study conscientiously the enemy and its material and human potential; to detect its weak and strong spots..

THE ROLE OF MUSLIM WOMEN

Article Seventeen

The Muslim women have a no lesser role than that of men in the war of liberation...

Article Eighteen

The women in the house and the family of Jihad fighters, whether they are mothers or sisters, carry out the most important duty of caring for the home and raising the children upon the moral concepts and values which derive from Islam; and of educating their sons to observe the religious injunctions in preparation for the duty of Jihad awaiting them...

Article Nineteen THE ROLE OF ISLAMIC ART IN THE WAR OF LIBERATION

...It is Islamic art which renews the activity, revives the movement and arouses lofty concepts and sound planning...

SOCIAL SOLIDARITY

Article Twenty

...The Nazism of the Jews does not skip women and children, it scars everyone...As we face this misconduct, we have no escape from establishing social solidarity among the people, from confronting the enemy as one solid body, so that if one organ is hurt the rest of the body will respond with alertness and fervor...

Article Twenty One

...It is incumbent upon the members of the Hamas to look after the interests of the masses the way they look after their own interests...

Article Twenty Two THE POWERS WHICH SUPPORT THE ENEMY

The enemies...stood behind World War II, where they collected immense benefits from trading with war materials, and prepared for the establishment of their state...The forces of Imperialism in both the Capitalist West and the Communist East support the enemy with all their might, in material and human terms, taking turns between themselves...

Part IV OUR POSITION VIS-A-VIS THE ISLAMIC MOVEMENTS

Article Twenty Three

The Hamas views the other Islamic movements with respect and appreciation. Even when it differs from them in one aspect or another or on one concept or another, it agrees with them in other aspects and concepts...

Article Twenty Four

Hamas will not permit the slandering and defamation of individuals and groups, for the Believers are not slanderers and cursers...Whenever the Hamas detects faulty positions and modes of conduct, it has the right to point to the mistake, to denigrate it, to act for spelling out the truth...

THE NATIONAL (WATANIYYA) MOVEMENTS IN THE PALESTINIAN ARENA

Article Twenty Five

...All the nationalist streams operating in the Palestinian arena for the sake of the liberation of Palestine may rest assured that they will definitely and resolutely get support and assistance, in speech and in action...

Article Twenty Six

The Hamas, while it views positively the Palestinian National Movements which do not owe their loyalty to the East or to the West, does not refrain from debating unfolding events regarding the Palestinian problem, on the local and international scenes...

Article Twenty Seven THE PALESTINE LIBERATION ORGANIZATION

The PLO is among the closest to the Hamas, for it constitutes a father, a brother, a relative a friend...the PLO has adopted the idea of a Secular State...Therefore, in spite of our appreciation for the PLO and its possible transformation in the future, and despite the fact that we do not denigrate its role in the Arab- Israeli conflict, we cannot substitute it for the Islamic nature of Palestine by adopting secular thought. For the Islamic nature of Palestine is part of our religion, and anyone who neglects his religion is bound to lose.

"And who forsakes the religion of Abraham, save him who befools himself"
SuraII (Al-Baqra - the Co), verse 130

When the PLO adopts Islam as the guideline for life, then we shall become its soldiers, the fuel of its fire which will burn the enemies. And until that happens, and we pray to Allah that it will happen soon, the position of the Hamas towards the PLO is one of a son towards his father...

Article Twenty Eight THE ARAB AND ISLAMIC STATES AND GOVERNMENTS

...The Arab states surrounding Israel are required to open their borders to the Jihad fighters, the sons of the Arab and Islamic peoples, to enable them to play their role and to join their efforts to those of their brothers among the Muslim Brothers in Palestine...

NATIONAL AND RELIGIOUS ASSOCIATIONS, INSTITUTIONS, THE INTELLIGENTSIA, AND THE ARAB AND ISLAMIC WORLDS

Article Twenty Nine

Hamas hopes that those Associations will...mobilize the Islamic peoples ideologically, educationally and culturally in order to fulfill their role in the crucial war of liberation...

Article Thirty

...Jihad means not only carrying arms and denigrating the enemies. Uttering positive words, writing good articles and useful books, and lending support and assistance, all that too is Jihad in the path of Allah, as long as intentions are sincere to make Allah's banner supreme.

"Those who prepare for a raid in the path of Allah are considered as if they participated themselves in the raid. Those who successfully rear a raider in their home, are considered as if they participated in the raid"
(Told by Buykhari, Muslim, Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi)

Article Thirty One THE MEMBERS OF OTHER RELIGIONS, THE HAMAS IS A HUMANE MOVEMENT

...Under the shadow of Islam it is possible for the members of the three religions: Islam, Christianity and Judaism to coexist in safety and security. Safety and security can only prevail under the shadow of Islam...

...The Nazi Zionist practices against our people will not last the lifetime of their invasion, for "States built upon oppression last only one hour, states based upon justice will last until the hour of Resurrection."...

THE ATTEMPTS TO ISOLATE THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE

Article Thirty Two

World Zionism and Imperialist forces have been attempting, with smart moves, and considered planning, to push the Arab countries, one after another, out of the circle of conflict with Zionism in order, ultimately, to isolate the Palestinian People...

Hamas is calling upon the Arab and Islamic peoples to act seriously and tirelessly in order to frustrate that dreadful scheme and to make the masses aware of the danger of coping out of the circle of struggle with Zionism. Today it is Palestine and tomorrow it may be another country or countries. For Zionist scheming has no end, and after Palestine they will covet expansion from the Nile to the Euphrates. Only when they have completed digesting the area on which they will have laid their hand, they will look forward to more expansion, etc. Their scheme has been laid out in the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, and their present (conduct) is the best proof of what is said there.

Leaving the circle of conflict with Israel is a major act of treason and it will bring curse on its perpetrators.

"Who so on that day turns his back to them, unless manoeuvering for battle or intent to join a company he truly has incurred wrath from Allah, and his habitation will be hell, a hapless journey's end."
Sura 8 (Al-Anfal - spoils of war), verse 16.

We have no escape from pooling together all the forces and energies to face this despicable Nazi-Tatar invasion. Otherwise we shall witness the loss of (our) countries, the uprooting of their inhabitants, the spreading of corruption on earth and destruction of all religious values. Let everyone realize that he is accountable to Allah...

Within the circle of the conflict with world Zionism, the Hamas regards itself the spearhead and the avant-garde. It joins its efforts to all those who are active on the Palestinian scene, but more steps need to be taken by the Arab and Islamic people and Islamic associations throughout the Arab and Islamic world in order to make possible the next round with the Jews, the merchants of war...

Article Thirty Three

...calling upon the Arab and Islamic peoples as well as their governments, popular and official associations, to fear Allah in their attitude towards and dealing with Hamas...

Part Five THE TESTIMONY OF HISTORY

CONFRONTING AGGRESSORS THROUGHOUT HISTORY >Article Thirty Four

Palestine is the navel of earth, the convergence of continents, the object of greed for the greedy since the dawn of history...

....Only iron can blunt iron, only the true faith of Islam can vanquish their false and falsified faith. Faith can only be fought by faith...

Article Thirty Five

...the current Zionist invasion had been preceded by a Crusader invasion from the West; and another one, the Tatars, from the East. And exactly as the Muslims had faced those invasions and planned their removal and defeat, they are able to face the Zionist invasion and defeat it...

EPILOGUE

THE HAMAS ARE SOLDIERS

Article Thirty Six

The Hamas....does not seek fame for itself nor material gains, or social status. Nor is it directed against any one member of our people in order to compete with him or replace him....It will never set out against any Muslims or against the non-Muslims who make peace with it, here or anywhere else. It will only be of help to all associations and organizations which act against the Zionist enemy and those who revolve in its orbit...