Who is Naim Qassem?
Hezbollah’s deputy secretary general, Sheikh Naim Qassem, appointed as the new chief of the Lebanon-based resistance organization Hezbollah on Tuesday.
Qaseem, who is often dubbedto as “Hezbollah’s number 2”, will succeed former chief Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut on September 27.
Qaseem addressed from a secret location on October 8 and highlighted that the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah is a battle on who cries first, saying that the Iran-backed resistance group will not shed tears first.
His televised address came out just days after senior Hezbollah leader Hashem Safieddine was believed to be the target of an Israeli attack.
Hezbollah verified the assassination of Safieddine on October 23.
In its report on October 21, the UAE-based Erem News website said that Qassem left Beirut on October 5in an aircraft used by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi for a state visit to Lebanon and Syria.
His transfer was ordered by top leaders of Iran due to fear of assassination by Israel, the report said, citing a source.
Who is Naim Qassem?
Hezbollah.org explains Qaseem as one of the group’s earliest members, who played a key role in its formation, and a prominent ideologue within its ranks.
His involvement in a network of influential Shia scholars, including figures like Abbas al-Moussaoui, Subhi al-Tufaili, Mohammad Yazbek, Ibrahim Amin al-Sayyed, and former chief Hassan Nasrallah, shaped his trajectory within the Lebanese organisation.
Education
Qaseem holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from Lebanese University, completed in the 1970s.
Simultaneously, he also studied religious and theological subjects under Ayatollah Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah, an influential Islamic scholar.
Head of AIRE
By 1974, he became head of the Association for Islamic Religious Education, a role he held until 1988.
He also co-founded the Lebanese Union of Muslim Students.
Deputy Secretary General
In 1991, Qaseem was elected Hezbollah’s Deputy Secretary General, stepping into the role after the assassination of Abbas al-Moussaoui.
He also assumed a prominent position on Hezbollah’s Shura Council, the organization’s executive body, where he oversees governmental and paramilitary operations.
His involvement in these dual spheres underscores his influence within Hezbollah’s political and operational arms.
The 71-year-old Naim Qassem has often been called as Hezbollah’s “number two”.
Well reputed writer
Apart from his leadership role, Qaseem is known for his writings. Fluent in French, he authored “Hizbullah: The Story from Within,” which details Hezbollah’s foundation and ideology.
The book has been translated into six languages, including Arabic, English, and Farsi, reflecting its international reach
