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Mujama al-Islamiya

Islamic charity established in 1973

Islamic charity established in 1973

FieldValue
nameIslamic Centre
native_name
typeNGO
founded_date1973
locationGaza, Palestine
key_peopleAhmed Yassin
area_servedPalestine

The Mujama' al-Islami () is an Islamic charity founded in 1973 in Gaza by Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, who had been involved with the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood's Palestinian branch. Mujama established clinics, blood banks, day cares, medical treatments, soup kitchens and youth clubs, and extended financial aid and scholarships to young people seeking to study in Saudi Arabia and the West. In 1979, Israel recognized Al-Mujama' al-Islam as a charity, allowing the organization to set up the Islamic University in Gaza (IUG) and build mosques, clubs, schools, and a library in Gaza.

History

Mujama al-Islamiya was formed in 1973 by Sheikh Yassin, and offered services and programs located in mosques in Gaza. During the late 1970s and 1980s, the organization coerced urban educated women in Gaza to wear hijab, head coverings in Islam.

In January 1980, the movement initiated a riot against offices of the Palestine Red Crescent Society, leftists in Gaza, and Gazan shops that were deemed "immoral".

In 1984, the Israeli military infiltrated a suspected mosque and found a cache of weapons. Sheikh Yassin and others were jailed for secretly stockpiling weapons, but he was released in 1985 as part of the Jibril Agreement. He continued to expand Mujama's reach across Gaza.

Formation of Hamas

In 1987, during the First Intifada, Yassin and six other Mujama Islamist members launched Hamas, originally calling it the "paramilitary wing" of the Palestinian Muslim Brotherhood, and Yassin became its spiritual leader. He also claimed responsibility for a number of suicide attacks targeting Israeli civilians, and Hamas was designated a terrorist organization. By that time, Mujama controlled an estimated 40% of mosques in Gaza. Mujama's institutions would become crucial to Hamas's terrorist activities. They were and continue to provide cover for raising, laundering and transferring funds, facilitate the group's propaganda and recruitment efforts, provide employment for its operatives, and serve as a logistical support network.

In February 2007, Fatah militia stormed the Islamic University in Gaza and confiscated weapons and ammunition that were stored there. Palestinian television aired footage showing dozens of rocket-propelled grenade launchers, rockets, and assault rifles, as well as thousands of bullets which had been found inside the university.

In December 2008, the university was bombed in six air strikes by the Israeli Air Force during the 2008 Gaza War, claiming that university facilities were being used by Hamas to develop and store weapons including Qassam rockets used to target Israeli civilians. Hamas denied the Israeli allegation. The university was again targeted by air strikes during the 2014 Israel–Gaza conflict. The Israeli army said it targeted a "weapon development" centre in the university.

References

References

  1. Higgins, Andrew. (2009-01-24). "How Israel Helped to Spawn Hamas". The Wall Street Journal.
  2. (2 March 2006). "Hamas Victory Is Built on Social Work". [[Los Angeles Times]].
  3. Hammami, Rema. (May–August 1990). "Women and the Hijab in the Intifada".
  4. "HAMAS and Israel: Conflicting Strategies of Group-Based Politics".
  5. (22 March 2004). "Sheikh Yassin: Spiritual figurehead". [[BBC Online]].
  6. Levitt, Matthew. (2006). "Hamas: Politics, Charity, and Terrorism in the Service of Jihad". Yale University Press.
  7. Solts, Andy. (3 February 2007). "IRAN'S GAZA GOONS CAUGHT AT HELM OF BOMB FACTORY".
  8. Erlanger, Steven. (18 May 2007). "Gaza is hit with more Israeli airstrikes".
  9. Katz, Yaakov. (29 December 2008). "IAF bombs Islamic University's R&D labs".
  10. "Israel strikes university in Gaza City". Al Jazeera.
  11. Islamic Charitable Society, [http://www.hebronorphans.blogspot.com/ Orphans Under Threat].
  12. [https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2006/07_july/30/panorama.shtml "Panorama: Faith, Hate and Charity"], ''[[Panorama (TV series). Panorama]]'', [[BBC One]], 30 July 2006
    [https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/panorama/5234586.stm Faith, hate and charity: Transcript]
Info: Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

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