Islamic_Group_(Lebanon)

Islamic Group (Lebanon)

Islamic Group (Lebanon)

Sunni Islamist political party in Lebanon


The Islamic Group (Arabic: الجماعة الإسلامية Al-Jama'ah Al-Islamiyah) is a Sunni Islamist political party in Lebanon. Jamaa Islamiya was founded in 1964 as the Lebanese branch of the Muslim Brotherhood. In fact, it was established by young members of 'Ibad al Rahman (or the Worshipers of the Merciful). Its origins, as documented by Nizar Hamzeh, go back to the height of Gamal Abdel Nasser's efforts at Arab unity in the mid-1960s.[1] It supports the idea of establishing a legal order in Lebanon that is based on Islamic shari'a. As a local branch it closely follows the doctrines of the Muslim Brotherhood.[1] Fathi Yakan was the group's grandfather and main ideologue who is a veteran Islamist scholar and preacher from Tripoli.[1]

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Its ex-leader is Ibrahim Al-Masri, who succeeded its former leader Faisal Mawlawi due to sickness. The party entered the 2009 Lebanese general election beside the Future Movement in Beirut's 3rd electoral district. Currently they have 1 seat in the Lebanese Parliament.[2][3][4]

The Islamic Group's armed wing, the al-Fajr Forces, launched missiles into Israel during the 2023 Israel-Lebanon border clashes,[5][6][7] in what The National called a "resurgence... after almost 20 years of relative inactivity."[8] Bassem Hammoud, the deputy head of the Islamic Group's political bureau, clarified that his party was "not in complete alignment with Hezbollah... [b]ut we are with them in terms of resistance against Israel."[8] On 10 March 2024, three members of the Islamic Group were killed after an Israeli strike on the town of Aqroub.[9]

See also


References

  1. Saab, Bilal Y.; Magnus Ranstorp (2007). "Securing Lebanon from the Threat of Salafist Jihadism" (PDF). Studies in Conflict and Terrorism. 30 (10): 825–855. doi:10.1080/10576100701561236. S2CID 110251115. Retrieved 1 July 2012.
  2. Kamal Shayya, Rania Sabaayon, Ghassan Makarem, Makram Kamel, Mustafa Hazim "Islamic Movements in Lebanon", Masar Association, Aِugust 2009.

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