Through the Eyes of the Mufti: The Essays of Haj Amin, Translated and Annotated

Mufti Haj Amin al-Husayni (1897-1974) was a Palestinian Arab nationalist and Muslim leader in Mandatory Palestine, yet he had no chance of prevailing against the well-organized Zionist movement with its international support. The Palestinian Party that he headed after the World War I was split, conflicted and rife with corruption. In particular, it was isolated, with neighboring Arab countries more concerned with their own problems. In light of this, Haj Amin sought to enlist the help of the Arab and Muslim world in favor of the Palestinians. How did he do this? When appealing to the Arab world, he utilized the myth that Zionists would use Israel as a base from which they would seek to conquer all Arab countries. When appealing to the Muslim world, he said that the Jews wished to destroy the al-Aqsa mosque and build their temple on its ruins. Another of the Mufti's myths is the story of 'the ancient conspiracy,' the supposed plot of the British and the Jews to expel the Arabs from Palestine and award the land to the Jews. Although unsubstantiated, at the time, millions of local Palestinians believed the Mufti's inventions and were alarmed by them. This remains true to a great degree to this very day. Now available in paperback, this book presents the Mufti's essays - the literal source of those myths, as well as notes and essays which reply to the ideas presented by Haj Amin. Translated by Zvi Elpeleg, the book also includes Elpeleg's notes and essays rebutting these myths. *** Librarians: ebook available on ProQuest and EBSCO [Subject: History, Middle East Studies, Palestinian Studies, Islamic Studies, Politics, International Relations]