Napoleon Bonaparte is reported to have said: “An army of rabbits led by a lion is better than an army of lions led by a rabbit.” This highlights the importance of leadership in the lives of nations; the strength of a nation lies in the strength of its leaders, who have the ability to guide, direct, and reform societies. Leaders with influence and power can achieve great accomplishments and goals that once seemed unattainable, especially divine leaders who seize opportunities, utilize time wisely, and safeguard the nation’s resources from waste.

Characteristics of Successful Leadership

There are several traits that a successful leader should possess, including:

• Self-Confidence: This stems from within the leader, who values themselves not out of arrogance but through skills and behaviors evident in difficult situations. They recognize their importance in ensuring the progress and achievement of goals.
• Initiative, Boldness, and Decisiveness: A leader should be courageous and proactive without being reckless or falsely enthusiastic. They must be able to face challenges with a clear vision and long-term perspective, having planned well in advance.

Traits of Leadership: Self-Confidence, Initiative, Decisiveness, Honesty, Integrity, Patience, and Uprightness

• Gradual Progress and Avoidance of Impulsiveness: Initiative and boldness should not translate into rash decisions or emotional reactions. Leaders should take calculated, strategic steps, ensuring that priorities are well-ordered and adhered to.
• Delegation Ability: Effective delegation is crucial for a successful leader. It does not mean shirking responsibilities but rather promoting teamwork, expanding its scope, supporting second-tier leaders, and creating new leaders. The leader remains accountable for the outcomes of these decisions and choices.
• Honesty, Integrity, Patience, and Fairness: These are moral qualities essential for a leader's success. A leader should serve as a role model for their team, embodying strong character and moral energy fitting for the significant tasks they undertake.

Leaders of Resistance as a Model

Resistance leaders embody the general characteristics of effective leaders mentioned above, with additional traits rooted in Quranic and prophetic teachings due to their Islamic principles and adherence to the doctrine of monotheism. They share charisma and inherent qualities with other leaders but differ in their moral traits and psychological capacities, including:

• High Ambition, Patience, and Compassion: They are steadfast in their faith in God's support and promises to the sincere and devoted. This trust allows them to rely on God in all their actions.
• Persistence in Achieving Advocacy Goals: They are relentless in pursuing their objectives, whether these are religious, political, or military, and they provide evidence through both words and actions.
• High Capacity for Crisis Management: They excel in managing crises and making critical decisions through meticulous teamwork and binding consultation.

A Leader of Resistance: Seeking God's Pleasure, Life or Death

• A leader of resistance is indifferent to worldly gains or positions. They are not tempted by power or status, nor do they covet transient benefits. Their sole goal is to seek the pleasure of God, the Lord of the Worlds.
• Such a leader knows no despair; despair is considered disbelief, and is not part of a Muslim's character. They firmly believe that today’s dreams are tomorrow’s realities, for a Muslim does not recognize the impossible.
• Consequently, a leader of resistance is undeterred by human-made obstacles. They are committed to seeking God's pleasure, viewing both death and life as equal. Their choices are between victory or martyrdom.
• They refuse to accept weakness or humiliation, and do not know laziness or complacency. They prepare for battles, stay ahead of new developments, and continuously strive to perfect their efforts, as indicated by the verse: “And prepare against them whatever you are able of power and of steeds of war by which you may terrify the enemy of Allah and your enemy and others besides them whom you do not know [but] whom Allah knows” (Surat Al-Anfal: 60).

Ismail Haniya: The Martyr Leader

Martyr Ismail Haniya exemplified the modern resistance leader as if he were from the prophetic lineage or the era of the righteous predecessors. His life was marked by fighting from his birth until his martyrdom, born into a family displaced by war and experiencing the harshness of life under occupation from a young age. He joined the struggle as soon as he was able and was martyred at the age of 61, having never known rest from arrests, assassinations, wars, bombings, and destruction. Yet, he remained a model of tranquility and serenity, untroubled by death or loss, eagerly awaiting martyrdom as if waiting for a long-absent beloved.

Signs of leadership in Haniya appeared early. He led the "Islamic Bloc," the student arm of Hamas, during his final university year. After the outbreak of the Intifada in 1987, he was appointed a member of the "High Follow-up Committee for the Intifada" representing Hamas, and also served on the committee for dialogue with factions and the Palestinian Authority.

Haniya was not just a political leader but also held significant administrative roles. He rose through the ranks at the Islamic University of Gaza to become its dean and was later awarded an honorary doctorate. Despite these roles, he continued to serve as director of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin’s office, then as Prime Minister, and finally as the head of Hamas' political bureau.

The Martyr Haniya Was the Practical Model of a Resistance Leader as if He Were from the Prophetic Lineage or the Righteous Predecessors

Haniya was imprisoned by the occupiers three times, once for three years, and was exiled for a year to "Marj al-Zuhour" in Lebanon. He survived four assassination attempts by Fatah and the Zionists, and his home was bombed in 2014. During the "Flood of Al-Aqsa," 60 members of his family were martyred, including his sister, three of his children, and several grandchildren.

Despite all this, he never stopped or wavered. He maintained hope in achieving his goals, saying: “We are steadfast here, resilient on our land, vigilant and striving. The state will come, God willing. If not today, then tomorrow; if we don’t seize it today, we will seize it tomorrow, God willing. We feel that the state is near, and victory is near, for when the nation moves and frees itself from the shackles of servitude, it will move towards Palestine, all of Palestine, God willing.”

Haniya, universally recognized, combined leadership charisma with Islamic ethics. In addition to his profound self-confidence and significant psychological influence on others, he had a dignified and respectful personality. He was simple in all things, extremely humble, kind to others, patient, good-natured, transparent, and honest. He possessed a brilliant mind, bright understanding, fervent emotion, a generous heart, an energetic spirit, and eloquent speech. He was a flexible debater who respected others’ opinions, and was considered to truly embody the voice of Hamas.

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