Adonis Diaries

What myths Hezbollah has to desist spreading?

That is my first installment on myths that religious sects in Lebanon have to desist spreading, now that Lebanon has proven that it can resist Israel aggressions. I selected Hezbollah for my topic for three reasons:

First, I need to have a specific target in order to minimize tendencies for generalization;

Second, Hezbollah is the most powerful movement in Lebanon in number, organization, military training, and in readiness and thus, this important social and political force can either spread havoc or strengthen the independence of Lebanon depending on close dialogue and communication among the Lebanese political parties;

Third, because I have a high respect for this organization that saved Lebanon twice from becoming a total non-entity within the last decade. Yes, with Hezbollah I feel that Lebanon is no longer just a State recognized by the UN but has acquired the status of a Nation; a tiny Nation but with the potential of agreeing that we are one people under the law and against all contingencies.

The first myth that Hezbollah needs to lay off is that “dress codes are religious matters”. Dress codes for man and woman have nothing to do with religious dogma. In Mecca, during Prophet Mohammad’ period, only noble ladies wore the veil outside their residence as a discrimination dress code of their rank from the other working women.  When the companions of the Prophet fled to Yathreb (Medina) at the onset of persecutions, the veil was not used in Medina and women had large freedom; they had their own mind. It was a chock for the women and men of Yathreb seeing a few of the companions’ wives wearing veils as if they were of noble ranks.

Prophet Muhammad did not bring the issue of dress codes until he married many women for political exigencies; he was then inundated with sexual rumors about a few of his wives.  Thus, he asked his wives to wear veils and long dresses when stepping out of their homes in order to minimize their recognition by the public.  Thus, a particular and local case needs not be extended to whole communities and to people of different cultures and in this age.

I suggest to Hezbollah to taking the bold decision of toning down the importance of dress codes and desist of spreading this myth. Women who have no convictions that dress codes are of the domain of religious belief should not be pressured to cheat on their convictions.  Extending liberty to exercising the power of individual rational thinking is the best asset for higher confidence in leadership and tighter cohesion in the ranks in dire circumstances. The leaders of Hezbollah should give examples within their own family and relatives.

The second myth to get rid off is combining political and religious responsibilities.  It certainly is a proof of internal weakness in the organization when the Secretary General feels the need to offering the face of an Imam.

The Prophet Muhammad was upset with the central “Orthodox” Church of Byzantium (Constantinople) because it labeled one of the Christian sects in Mecca (the Ebionites) as “heretic”: Muhammad’s uncle Ain Warkat was the Patriarch of this Christian-Jew sect and he taught Muhammad to read and write in the Aramaic language of the Bible that the sect used.  Ain Warkat translated his “Bible” into the Aramaic slang spoken in Mecca that was called Quraich Arabic.  The Prophet’ goal was to unite the “heretic” sects under common denominators by discarding the abstract notions that divided among them; after all, they all followed the daily rituals of the Jewish customs that they inherited by tradition. Muhammad abhorred central religious power and viewed it as the enemy for harmony and peace among the believers.  That is why the Prophet declined to name an Imam before his death so that Islam should not be regulated by any central power; he could have named Ali as Imam and Ali would have been an excellent religious guide.

Preaching at every religious event, as in a Friday prayer, Hassan Nasr Allah is definitely sending the wrong message to the Lebanese; the mixing of politics and religion is bound to lead to disaster.  We need to hear Hassan Nasr Allah political messages and wish he spares us his religious belief that is not the concern of the people at this junction.

What the Lebanese people and the members of Hezbollah understand is that Hezbollah is a shifty religious sect following the sect of the Iranian Spiritual Guide of the revolution in power at the moment.  For example, taking a religious story to drive through a political message, every now and then, is appropriate rhetorically, but when the entire speech is religious then the people get tired of too much chatting in matters they care less about. Everyone should have his specialty, responsibility, and his target audience.

State business, political organization, and religion should not mix.  Lebanon has 18 formally recognized sects and we need not exacerbate our caste structure problems.  We need to be the vanguard to the other Arabic and Islamic States in running our life and strengthening our individual freedom for rational thinking.

That is my first installment on myths, from all religious castes, to confront head on for a harmonious and stable Lebanon.