A unique insider's view of one of the most important political parties in the Middle East

The founders of the resistance group Hizbullah ('Party of God') organised in 1982, during the Israeli invasion of Lebanon, and were instrumental in eventually forcing Israel to withdraw its troops altogether - thus ending a twenty-two-year-old military occupation.

Many armed factions sprang up in the face of Lebanon's descent into chaos, but few were as organised, disciplined, persistent and civic-minded as Hizbullah. In the 1990s, after many years functioning as both a guerrilla movement targeting the Israeli military on Lebanese soil and as a social-support provider to Lebanese victims of war, Hizbullah moved into mainstream parliamentary politics. (Contrary to the US categorisation of Hizbullah as a 'terrorist group', the party has never advocated attacking non-military targets, and was quick to condemn the events of September 11.) Today they remain a force to be reckoned with on the Lebanese political scene, with many of their positions co-opted by other parties.

A religious Shi'ite party with ties to Iran, Hizbullah advocates the establishment of an Islamic republic in Lebanon. However, they are as adamant that such a change would have to come about peacefully and with popular support. Unique amongst Islamic resistance groups, they regularly network with 'rival' parties as well as groups from other denominations.

Sheikh Naim Qassem offers an insider's view of the workings of Hizbullah, from its inception until now. It is a comprehensive guide to the mandate of one of the Middle East's major political forces, in their own words.