Mosque In Windsor, Canada, Holds Memorial Service For Slain Hizbullah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah And Other Hizbullah 'Martyrs'

The Ahlul Bayt Mosque, a prominent Shi'a Islamic center in Windsor, Ontario, hosted a commemoration service in honor of Hizbullah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah. The mosque, which regularly hosts memorial services in honor of other Hizbullah fighters, frequently also glorifies Hizbullah on Instagram and promotes a Telegram channel which provides minute-by minute updates on Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Hizbullah, and other groups' operations against Israel. The Mayor of Windsor, Drew Dilkens, was photographed attending a mosque event to support the family of a deceased Hizbullah leader

A gathering at The Ahlul Bayt Mosque on Sunday September 29, 2024, to celebrate the life of the slain leader of Hizbullah, Hassan Nasrallah. (Source: Dearborn.org/preview/photos-isbouh-commemoration-service-for-all-martyrs-of-lebanon-in-windsor-canada-61658, October 1, 2024).

The Ahlul Beyt Mosque has mourned Hizbullah martyrs, starting well before October 7th. Back in 2018, the Mayor of Windsor, Drew Dilkens, was photographed attending an event at the Ahlul-Bayt Mosque, to support the family of a deceased Hizbullah leader. In the picture, Dilkens is shown posing next to Firas Al Najim, a young supporter of the Iranian regime whose scarf depicts the supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.[1]

Windsor, Ont., Mayor Drew Dilkens at the Ahlul Beyt Mosque in October 2018 supporting the family of a deceased Hizbullah leader. Dilkens later claimed not having a strong recollection of the event. (Cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/dilkens-photo-1.6663306, November 24, 2022.)

Memorial Service Honors Hizbullah Leader Hassan Nasrallah At Ahlul Beyt Mosque in Windsor, Ontario

On October 1, 2024, a local news outlet uploaded pictures of the commemoration service held by the Ahlul Beyt Mosque for Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah and "all martyrs of Lebanon."[2]

Pictures of the martyrs commemorated at the Ahlul Beyt Mosque. (Source: Dearborn.org/preview/photos-isbouh-commemoration-service-for-all-martyrs-of-lebanon-in-windsor-canada-61658, October 1, 2024).

Pictures of the commemoration service were also posted by the mosque's women's group on Instagram (@ayc_sisters), with the caption: "Gathering at the mosque and school of Ahlul Bayt, for the martyrdom of our teacher and our father Sayid Hassan Nasrallah. Though he has left this earth […], he raised us well to never bow to the enemy, our Sayid raised us to be faithful. I wish you would come back, my dear." [3] The Ahlul Bayt Mosque operates an educational institution known as Ahlul Bayt Islamic School, where a memorial in honor of Nasrallah was allegedly also held.[4]

The Ahlul Bayt Mosque, pictured on Sunday, September 29, 2024, showing hundreds of people gathering for the memorial service honoring the slain Hizbullah leader, Hassan Nasrallah.

Flag of Hizbullah pictured at the event at the Ahlul Bayt Mosque. (Source: Instagram.com/p/DAhlXY2MkM8/?igsh=ZjJlZ242bWRkcGx4, September 29, 2024).

Throughout the week, similar euologies of Nasrallah were posted by the mosque's women's group (@ayc_sisters), as well as by the mosque's youth collective (@aycwindsor).

On September 28, 2024, @aycwindsor wrote a post on Instagram glorifying Nasrallah and calling for his death to be avenged. The caption read: "Our hearts are shattered today. Our backs are broken. Thank you to this leader of leaders for everything he has sacrificed for us. This great man, our father, who's given us a sense of safety & security since before a lot of us were born until now will be avenged. May Allah [] grant him the highest level of heaven. Today we are orphans. Today we lost our father. Today we call out to the Imam of our time to help & guide us. Glory to the resistance. Glory to our leaders. Glory to each revolutionary, from the ones who defend our land & people with weapons, to the young adults in the west who do not back down from pressure and demand justice. Glory to our martyrs."[5]

Post by the Ahlul Beyt Mosque's youth collective (@aycwindsor) glorifying Nasrallah as well as the Iranian Revolution, its leaders and martyrs. (Source: Instagram.com/p/DAddzJ5s64M/?igsh=cXY2MDNrYXNuZzZy, September 28, 2024).

Picture of Nasrallah posted by the Ahlul Beyt Mosque's women's group (@ayc_sisters). The caption on the post reads: "Peace be upon you the day you were born and the day you were martyred." (Instagram.com/p/DAdjPHPJm5f/?igsh=MTcyZ3p2cTR1ejhhYg==, September 28, 2024).

Banner of Nasrallah and Hizbullah flags posted by @ayc_sisters.  (Source: Instagram.com/windsor4palestine/, October 1, 2024).

Commemoration Of Other Hizbullah Martyrs By Ahlul Beyt Mosque In Windsor

The Ahlul Beyt Mosque regularly glorifies Hizbullah martyrs on social media. On October 9, 2024, on the first death anniversary of the Hizbullah martyr Ali Dabeja[WL1] , the Ahlul Beyt Mosque posted to its Instagram account @aycwindsor a story honoring Dabeja.[6] Similarly, on November 25, 2023, it posted a story captioned, "Glory to our Martyrs," featuring a Hizbullah flag being waved in front of the Parliament of Canada at a pro-Palestine rally.[7] On November 22, 2023, the Ahlul Beyt Mosque posted a story featuring Hizbullah Martyr Abbas Muhammad Ra'ad[WL2] as a martyr "on the road to Jerusalem."[8]

Story posted by @aycwindsor honoring Hizbullah Martyr Ali Dabeja on the first anniversary of his death.  (Source: Instagram.com/stories/aycwindsor/3475288452130179308?igsh=bHR5b20wdTE3Z2Zk, October 9, 2024). 

Story posted by @aycwindsor honoring Hizbullah martyrs, featuring a Hsizbullah flag at the Parliament of Canada. (Instagram.com/s/aGlnaGxpZ2h0OjE4MDAyOTE5MTEwMzA5NTUy?story_media_id=3227972439338161618&igsh=MW1temphMHBzZ21ueQ==, November 25, 2023).

Story by @aycwindsor glorifying Hizbullah Martyr Abbas Muhammad Ra'ad. (Instagram.com/s/aGlnaGxpZ2h0OjE4MDAyOTE5MTEwMzA5NTUy?story_media_id=3227972439338161618&igsh=MW1temphMHBzZ21ueQ==, November 22, 2023).

A related account, @windsor4palestine, posted a video on January 7, 2024, of a dozen youths saluting the deceased Hizbullah martyrs in a commemoration service that was also held at Ahlul Beyt Mosque in Windsor.[9] Similarly, on June 22, 2024, @windsor4palestine announced another commemoration service for Hizbullah martyrs, scheduled for Saturday, June 22, 2024, at the Ahlul Beyt Mosque.[10]

Reel by @windsor4palestine featuring youths saluting deceased Hizbullah martyrs at the Ahlul Beyt Mosque in Windsor. The song "Salam Farmande" — a Shi'ite ode to the Mahdi, in which children call for his return and ask him to make them his soldiers — plays in the background. (Instagram.com/reel/C10J-kSPNMu/?igsh=aXJiemM1djUxa2w3, January 7, 2024).

Story of the commemoration service for Hizbullah martyrs held at the Ahlul Beyt Mosque, shared by the mosque's women's group (@ayc_sisters) (Instagram.com/stories/highlights/18021551611925751/, January 7, 2024).

Instagram post by @windsor4palestine announcing a commemoration service for 13 Hizbullah martyrs would be held on June 22, 2024 at the Ahlul Beyt Mosque in Windsor. (Instagram.com/p/C8fH1nAv-YD/?igsh=aXB4OGFxbGRrdXZm, June 21, 2024).

 

Glorification Of Hizbullah, Hamas, Iran's Supreme Leaders And The IRGC By Ahlul Beyt Mosque In Windsor

The mosque's youth collective, @aycwindsor, as well as the mosque's women's group @ayc_sisters, both post regularly on Instagram, glorifying the Lebanese terrorist group Hizbullah, Iranian Supreme Leaders Khomeini and Khamenei, as well as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds-force commander, Qassem Soleimani.

On November 26, 2023 @ayc_sisters posted a story displaying Hizbullah's logo, captioned, "Indeed, Hizbullah is the victorious one." (Source: Instagram.com/s/aGlnaGxpZ2h0OjE4MDIxNTUxNjExOTI1NzUx? story_media_id=3271782860229637994&igsh=dnE4MnU1eGFmZW9l, November 26, 2023).

On January 3, 2024, the four-year anniversary of Qassem Soleimani's death, @ayc_sisters posted a cinematic reel showing Hizbullah soldiers gearing up for an operation in a room where pictures of Iranian supreme Leaders Ruhollah Khomeini and Ali Khamenei are visible, together with Hizbullah flags. (Instagram.com/stories/highlights/18021551611925751/, January 3, 2024).

On October 8, 2023, a day after the October 7th attacks, @aycwindsor posted a story featuring Qassem Soleimani camouflaged in a background of rockets being launched and smoke rising from an urban area. The story is captioned with Qur'an 3:169, which glorifies jihad and martyrdom: "And do not think of those who have been killed in the cause of Allah as dead. Rather, they are alive with their Lord, receiving provision." (Instagram.com/s/aGlnaGxpZ2h0OjE4MDAyOTE5MTEwMzA5NTUy?story_media_id=3209292138306701361&igsh=MW1temphMHBzZ21ueQ==, October 8, 2023).

On November 28, 2023, @aycwindsor posted a series of infographics describing the leaders, weapons arsenals, locations and MO [mode of operation] of each of the various Palestinian militant groups involved in attacks against Israel.[11] The Infographics, called, "The Resistance News Network's Guide to the Palestinian Resistance," provide information on eight  Palestinian militant groups, namely: The Izz el-Din Al-Qassam Brigades, The Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, Saraya Al-Quds, The National Resistance Brigades (Omar al-Qasim Forces), the Mujahideen Brigades, Al-Nasser Salah Al-Deen Brigades, The Martyr Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades, and The Lions' Den.

The Resistance News Network's Guide to the Palestinian Resistance Infographics. (Instagram.com/p/C0NXpLAMXPl/?igsh=OGF3bWcwOWg5d2Ez, November 28, 2023).

The guide also provides an infographic about the "Joint Operations Room," the central body governing Gaza's military responses that orchestrates the military collaboration among all major Palestinian resistance factions. @aycwindsor highlights that Hizbullah is occasionally present in the Joint Operations Room.

The Resistance News Network's Guide to the Palestinian Resistance Infographic of the "Joint Operations Room" (Instagram.com/p/C0NXpLAMXPl/?igsh=OGF3bWcwOWg5d2Ez, November 28, 2023).

Telegram channel "Palestineresist," a.k.a "The Resistance News Network," provides minute-by minute updates on operations against Israel. (T.me/PalestineResist/61734, October 9, 2024), (T.me/PalestineResist/61743, October 9, 2024).

In their bios, the Ahlul Beyt Mosque's Instagram accounts @aycwindsor and @ayc_sisters also directly promote the Telegram channel "Palestineresist,"[12] which provides minute-by minute updates on operations against Israel.

Both @aycwindsor and @ayc_sisters promote the Telegram channel, t.me/PalestineResist, on their Instagram bios. (Instagram.com/aycwindsor?igsh=ZzZ6Mm14N3RycDRy; Instagram.com/ayc_sisters?igsh=dWVlbGE1NGN3eXkw).

On August 10, 2024, @aycwindsor posted a reel featuring a speaker saying: "To the ones and to everyone who comes and tells us 'leave this struggle and we will give you safety, don't protest and we will give you safety, don't get involved with politics and we will give you safety, don't mention the martyrs and we will give you safety, don't mix religion and politics and we will give you safety, stop your resistance for safety, stop talking about palestine…', we say to them […], 'you promise us safety […] May Allah cut the hands of acceptance and normalization with Israel, may Allah curse your promised safety.'"^[13]

On October 9, 2024, @aycwindsor posted a reel of an interview with young Hassan Nasrallah where he declares, "Death, according to our belief, is not oblivion. It is not the end. It is the beginning of a true life…"

Instagram.com/stories/aycwindsor/3475288452130179308?igsh=bHR5b20wdTE3Z2Zk, October 9, 2024.