Sheikh Izz Ad-din Al-Qassam is originally from Syria and was born in 1882 in Jableh town south of Latakia. He was raised in an educated house with high morals. After finishing his primary education, his father sent him to Al-Azhar where he was taught by great scholars, including Sheikh Mohammed Abdu.
His Journey in Jihad and Dawa
He returned to his village in 1903, then moved to Turkey for education. Later he returned to his village and took his father’s position. He taught students the Holy Quran and became the Imam of Al-Mansouri Masjid.
Al-Qassam believed that the role of scholars was not limited to teaching people the forms of worship only. In fact, scholars must help spread the spirit of belonging to the nation and pride. Therefore, he led a demonstration in his town supporting the Libyan people against the British occupation, collected donations for them and formed a group of mujahidin, but he was banned from travelling.
He fought against the French in north Syria (1920-1921) and he was sentenced to death. He moved to Haifa in 1921 after the collapse of the Syrian revolution.
In Haifa
The Sheikh started his life in the Palestinian city as a school teacher at the Islamic School, and as a preacher at Masjid Al-Istiqlal. He then became member in the Young Men’s Muslim Association and later became its president. In 1929, he was assigned a marriage registrar, so he moved across the villages and became well-known and loved.
Al-Qassam considered the British occupation Palestine’s first enemy, and he called for resistance and unity. He believed in armed revolution as the sole means to end the British occupation and prevent the establishment of a Zionist state in Palestine.
Al-Jihadiya Movement
Sheikh Al-Qassam founded Al-Jihadiya Movement in 1925, which was based on the religion of Islam. Its slogan ran, “This is Jihad; triumph or martyrdom”. The Movement spread in north Palestine, especially among the workers and peasants. 200 men became members, and 800 became supporters. It worked in secret, but participated in the Buraq Revolution. It also carried out operations during the first half of the thirties of the 20th century. It announced its foundation in November 1935, the year the Revolution started.
Sheikh Al-Qassam moved around Palestine as an official worker at the court. He started recruiting the youth, maintaining 5 in each group. He founded five committees for Dawa, military training, supplies, elections and external affairs.
His Martyrdom
Britain felt the presence of Arab groups working in Bisan, Al-Karmil and Jenin. It later knew that they worked under a political agenda. Britain directed its attention to the Sheikh as he was the President of the Young Men’s Muslim Association, member in the Scholars Conference, famous preacher and Imam of Masjid Al- Istiqlal.
The British government started looking for the Sheikh, so it formed a group of 500 soldiers supported with aircraft and carriers to look for him in Jenin. The forces arrested lots of villagers accusing them of being involved in the Jihad. When they approached the mujahidin, the Sheikh ordered his men not to shoot the national policemen who were in the front followed by the British soldiers in the back. He said, “We must never shoot a single bullet at anyone from our people, even if they started shooting first”.
The forces surrounded the mountain but the mujahidin stood up to them. The battle lasted for 8 hours and resulted in the martyrdom of Sheikh Izz Ad-Din Al-Qassam, Omar Hassan Al-Sa’di, Yousef Abdullah from Al-Gharib Vilalge, and Ahmed Atiya, from Egypt. 5 were arrested, and one of them was severely injured. According to Arab sources, Britain lost 15 soldiers.
The events took place on Wednesday, November 2nd, 1935. On the next morning, Haifa initiated a public strike. About 30,000 person gathered to perform prayer for the souls of the martyrs in Al-Jami’ Al-Kabir. They waved Arab countries’ flags, and during the march clashes erupted between the participants and the British occupation.
The condolences correspondences were received from all over the Muslim world. Then, Sheikh Farhan Al-Sa’di succeeded Al-Qassam. He, along with a number of mujahidin, took cover in the mountain areas between Palestine and Syria.