The party of God (Hizbullāh): islamic opposition and martyrdom in contemporary imamite shiism

Cristianesimo nella storia, 27 (2006), pp. 319-334

Abstract

ENG

In contemporary times Shiism has discovered a new political vocation at odds with the traditional Shiite political outlook. It is not, therefore, surprising that a Shiite party, the Hezbollah or Party of God, was created in reaction to the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982. The Hezbollah also chose to fight its enemies through voluntary martyrdom in the name of the imam Hussein and for the sake of liberation and justice, though the targets were always and only military. Although the idea of martyrdom is rooted in Shiism, Hezbollah's resort to it was instrumental. In fact, after the Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon, martyrdom operations were suspended and Hezbollah has been fully engaged in Lebanese political and parliamentary life. 

La rivista

Cristianesimo nella Storia ospita ricerche di autorevoli studiosi sul percorso storico del cristianesimo, con particolare attenzione ai contesti e alle culture con cui i cristiani sono entrati in contatto, a cominciare da quella vetero-testamentaria e giudaica fino alle società secolarizzate di oggi. Ogni quadrimestre Cristianesimo nella storia propone, oltre ai saggi critici, rassegne, note e recensioni che consentono di valutare criticamente le ipotesi emerse negli studi scientifici internazionali in campo storico, teologico ed esegetico. Un numero di ogni anno viene dedicato a un argomento monografico.