27 November 2000

In the name of Allah the most Gracious the most Merciful

 The month of Ramadan … the month of seeking Ta’at and closeness

to Allah through Jihad and escalation of resistance

“Ramadan is the (month) in which was sent down the Quran, as a guide to mankind, also Clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment (between right and wrong …” (Quran 2/185)

The advent of the month of Ramadan has bought with it blessings and tidings breezing anew the spirit of Jihad through remembering past historical memories of great victories of our forefathers in that blessed month during which they recorded heroic epics that changed history and that are still breathing spirit in our Nation hopefully inspiring it to restore lost honor and past glory.

Ramadan this year befalls us while the Nation is witnessing great events taking place on our holy land in which our people trigger anew the Jihad torch irrigating it with blood and remains of martyrs. The events have united our Nation along the road of Jihad and martyrdom to liberate its first Qibla and site of its prophet’s Isra’.

Our heroic Palestinian people … here you are initiating the month of Jihad and patience with more martyrs and sacrifices, patiently hoping for reward from Allah, here you are teaching the world with your pride and dignity that you are a people who will never die and will not kneel or surrender before their tormentors regardless of plots or treachery. You tell the world that your determination and readiness for death for the sake of Allah breath life into this Nation and restore hopes anew in Allah’s promise and victory.

Our Palestinian people … a great month has begun so decorate it with your Jihad for the enemies of Allah, the damned Jews, are terrified of its advent. One of their criminals and senior leaders said, “The approach of the month of Ramadan so quickly (this year) is a very serious thing and necessitates exerting big efforts to prevent escalation of the intifada”. Another criminal said, “The Barak government should do all what it could to stop the intifada as soon as possible before the Palestinians seek closeness to Allah through their and our blood in Ramadan!” So disappoint them and persist in your blessed Jihad march and be sure that thus you would be glorified and honored besides receiving double reward from Allah. Hear our dear brothers, who love death as your enemies love life and who yearn for making even with grandsons of monkeys and pigs that desecrated our sanctities, shed our blood and usurped our holy land, hear the glad tidings of prophet Mohammed, peace be upon him, “The stationing for one hour for the sake of Allah is better than praying Qiyam (late night prayers) of Lailatul Qadr at Al-Hajar Al-Aswad (the black stone in the holy Kaaba)”. Hear dear brothers, who are confronting enemies in Beitul Maqdes (Jerusalem) and its surroundings at this month where rewards are doubled, hear the glad tidings of prophet Mohammed, peace be upon him, “Lining for one hour in a battle for the sake of Allah is better than praying Qiyam (late night prayers) for sixty nights”. Hear dear brothers, who are guarding our Aqsa Mosque with bare chests and offering for its sake convoys of martyrs regardless of enemies’ schemes and who guard the land of blessed Palestine, hear the glad tidings of prophet Mohammed, peace be upon him, “Shall I tell you about a night that is better than Lailatul Qadr? A sentry who stands on guard in a land of fear, (for) maybe he would not go back to his family.”

Our patient people in Palestine congratulations on the advent of the month of Ramadan, and let it be a distinctive month in escalating intifada activities and targeting criminal Jews in all areas of Palestine. And we, in the Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, would like to affirm the following:

1- Let next Friday be a day of rage and escalation of resistance against the occupiers … and a day of solidarity on the part of Arab and Islamic peoples through marches and activities.

2- We Urge our people to spend more time on worship of Allah through praying at night, reciting holy Quran, organizing group breakfasting, lectures and seminars in mosques and seeking closeness to Allah through fighting Jews and inflicting severe casualties in their lines.

3- We call on our people to head to the Aqsa Mosque, break the military siege around it and offer night prayers there especially on Fridays.

4- We appeal to the rich people to pay their Zakat (alms), to cater for their brothers and to act as one body in face of the enemy’s oppressive measures and savage siege.

5- We ask our people to pay special visits to families of martyrs and detainees and to call on the wounded.

Our Arab-Islamic Nation … the Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, seizes the occasion on the start of the holy month of Ramadan to congratulate the Arab and Islamic peoples and call on them to stick to the meanings of Jihad as crystallized in that great month. We urge them to shoulder their duty towards their stationed brothers on the land of Palestine and unite in their backing with money, arms, Duaa and political stands that reject halting the intifada or returning to negotiations with the enemy. We also ask them to endorse boycotting the Zionist entity and its supportive countries in words and deeds and to start preparing themselves for the coming day of confrontation with that entity. Let the month of Ramadan be the start of spreading public awareness among those peoples on the compulsory duty of Jihad for the sake of liberating Palestine. Let the television and space channels refrain from presenting disgraceful programs that weaken the Nation and distract youths from their fateful issues.

The month of Ramadan is one of generosity and the best of Sadakat (alms) is that given during that month, so let it be for the Mujahideen stationed on the land of Palestine and let worshippers in all mosques pray for the shackled Aqsa Mosque and for the Mujahideen seeking its liberation.

Finally, let all those who extend their hands to the criminal Jews and continue open and secret contacts with them for the sake of terminating our people’s intifada, let them know that Allah will foil their work and that our people will never forgive them. Our people will remain an angry volcano ejecting lava over heads of the usurpers depending on the one and only Almighty Allah.

“Allah has promised, to those among you who believe and work righteous deeds, that He will, of a surety, grant them in the land, inheritance (of power), as He granted it to those before them; that He will establish in authority their religion, the one which He has chosen for them; and that He will change (their state), after the fear in which they (lived), to one of security and peace: `They will worship Me (alone) and not associate aught with Me.' If any do reject Faith after this, they are rebellious and wicked.” (Quran 24/55)

The Islamic Resistance Movement
(Hamas – Palestine)
27 November 2000