Al-Zaytouna Centre for Studies and Consultations in Beirut has released an Arabic translation of the book “Hamas: Unwritten Chapters” by Dr. Azzam Sultan Tamimi. The first two chapters are available for free download.
The 343-page book is a valuable addition to Hamas’s self-vision and its understanding of the Palestinian conflict and potential resolutions. It provides insight into the movement’s stance on the conflict and the methods it deems acceptable or unacceptable for resolving it. The first edition, published in English in 2007 by Hurst Publishers in London, is now presented in Arabic for the first time by al-Zaytouna Centre.
| >> Click here to download: Chapter 1: The Beginnings  (52 pages, 1.3 MB) (Arabic)
>> Click here to download: |
Publication Information Arabic – Title: Hamas: Fusul Lem Tuktab (Hamas: Unwritten Chapters) – Author: Azzam Tamimi – Published in: 2025 – Pages: 343 – Paperback: $10 – Soft Copy: $6.99 – ISBN: 978-614-494-058-7 |
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The first chapter of the book, “The Beginnings,” opens with a brief description of the incident on 8/12/1987, that sparked the Intifadah, followed by the circumstances leading to the birth of Hamas. It also covers the developments in the two decades preceding the movement’s formation.
The second chapter of the book, “From Da‘wah to Jihad,” chronicles the story of Palestine’s Muslim Brothers (MB) movement, beginning in 1977, when they began planning their own resistance project, which came to fruition a decade later with the outbreak of the Intifadah. During this period, key institutions such as the Islamic Center and the Islamic University were established, providing Palestinian society with essential social, medical and educational services while strengthening the movement’s grassroots support.
The third chapter, “An All Out War,” examines key events that shaped Hamas after its founding, from the early days of the Intifadah to the 1993 announcement of the Oslo Accords between the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Israel.
The fourth chapter, “Into Jordan,” recounts Hamas leadership’s move to Jordan following Saddam Hussein’s 1990 invasion of Kuwait and the increasing pressure on Jordanian authorities after the Wadi Araba peace agreement to limit Hamas’ activities and expel non-Jordanian leaders. It also covers the arrest of Dr. Musa Abu Marzuq, a Hamas leader, at New York’s Kennedy Airport, his two-year detention, and Jordan’s eventual decision to accept him back. Additionally, the chapter examines the growing rift between the Hamas leadership and the Jordanian MB movement.
The fifth chapter, “The Mish‘al Affair,” recounts the failed Israeli attempt to assassinate Khalid Mish‘al and the unexpected benefits it brought to Hamas.
The sixth chapter, “Out of Jordan,” details the events leading to Hamas’ complete expulsion from Jordan.
Chapter Seven, “The Liberation Ideology of Hamas,” examines Hamas’s stance on Jews and the State of Israel, its use of military resistance—particularly martyrdom operations—and significant developments in its political discourse since the issuance of its charter in 1988. It also explores the concept of a truce or ceasefire agreement that Hamas has proposed to Israel since 1994.
Chapter Eight, “Jihad and Martyrdom,” explores the debate surrounding martyrdom in contemporary Islamic political ideology, while Chapter Nine, “Hamas, the PLO and the Palestinian Authority,” examines Fatah’s stance toward Hamas, its main rival in the Palestinian political sphere.
Chapter Ten, “Toward Intifada III,” opens with the repercussions of Yassir Arafat’s death in November 2004, followed by the developments leading to the Legislative Council elections in January 2006 and the impact of Hamas’s landslide victory. It also examines measures employed by Hamas’s opponents, including Israelis, the US and certain Fatah leaders, to pressure Hamas into relinquishing its leadership of the Palestinian Authority after Fatah’s democratic defeat.
This book offers a clearer understanding of Hamas and its principles, aiming to benefit researchers, academics, media professionals and those interested in Palestinian studies and contemporary movements, as well as universities, research centers and academic institutions.
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