By Latif Al-Husseini
On January 3, 2020, the senior jihadi leader and martyr Hajj Mohammad Jaafar Qasir wrote just two words in his personal journal: “The loss of the Champion.” He wrote them only hours after the assassination of Quds Force commander Major General Hajj Qassem Soleimani. Jotting down those words reflected a deep awareness of the scale of the blow—and of how close he was to someone who truly understood who Qassem Soleimani was and the human value he embodied before any of his military qualities.
Abu al-Qasim al-Ferdowsi, author of the most famous epic poem in the history of the Persian language, says—paraphrased—that what remains of a person is not the body, but a good name and the mark left among people. Soleimani’s name here is the heart of the matter. From the moment he assumed command of the Quds Force and entered the arenas of struggle wherever duty called, many spoke of the exceptional nature of this man from Kerman. Everyone agreed on his uniqueness, rooted in his spirit and essence.
“Dissecting” Soleimani’s humanity is not an easy task, though it is not impossible. The dominant image is of the soldier and the battlefields of the Axis, where the measures are strength and defensive capability. Yet according to numerous testimonies from those who knew him well and can speak, Hajj Qassem dealt with fighters and commanders alike, without distinction of rank. All were equal, because human bonds were the driving force—the bridges of trust that are built with fighters and strivers.
You are who you are
In preserved memoirs, the martyred commander Hajj Mohammad Qasir—Hajj Majed—addresses the “General from Kerman” a year after his martyrdom, and after that of Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis [2021]:
“Dear brother, father, friend, commander, and teacher… we are still at the beginning of the road… O one who resembles Malik and Salman… the greatest thing about you is simply you.”
This summed up a relationship with no limits—one built over twenty years and more: cooperation and partnership in the “bread and salt” of the battlefields, far beyond missions, assignments, and complex operations. The bond grew so deep that Hajj Qassem’s presence came to necessarily mean Hajj Majed’s presence at his side.
Those familiar with this relationship recount that Hajj Qassem saw in his comrade only the image of a loyal companion. His dealings with him were therefore grounded in mutual fidelity and nobility. He kept in mind the details of his “close friend”—his work and his family life. He even visited him at his home in Beirut in 2013, as he did with the martyred Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, showing a precise awareness of matters within Hajj Majed’s family—something that surprised those present. He would ask the children about things they assumed were unknown to him, only to astonish them with his knowledge and concern. To this day, they remember the warmth of that gathering and the calm that enveloped it.
On his last visit to Beirut, less than twenty-four hours before his assassination—when he bade farewell to the Sayyed in the well-known meeting—Hajj Majed accompanied the “Banner of Islam” to Syria, from where he traveled on to Iraq. He asked Hajj Majed to come with him, but commitments prevented him. The next day brought heartbreak when the general was announced martyred. Of that moment, Hajj Majed wrote in his personal journal:
“Isn’t this departure too sudden? We were still at the beginning of the road… Why did you go so quickly and leave me when I needed you most, O one like Malik and Salman… You left without warning—except for what you said in our last meeting. Were you bidding farewell without realizing it? You asked me to convey your words directly to the Sayyed of the Resistance, to ignore the talk, remain steadfast, and move forward. You urged me to expand the work, develop it, and exert even greater effort. And you said goodbye—do you remember? Three times, slowly this time, as if sending the message that you were leaving without return. We agreed I would join you the next day to meet our dear Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis… You went, and I remained. My brother, I never knew you to break a promise like this. Why this time?”
He concludes: “Do you know, my brother, what is the greatest and most magnificent thing about you—even as the great, great strategic commander whom so many do not truly know? The greatest thing about you is that you are simply you.”
Trust in the youth
The clarity that marked the bond between the two men extended to the human and moral ties the field commander forged with those who worked with him. Fighters and sector and brigade commanders who met Hajj Qassem in Syria and Iraq all say the same: he treated us with an unmatched brotherhood. This is embodied in the images and scenes that show the general among groups of fighters, sharing with them the moments of battle and war, and also warm, quiet gatherings.
In a testimony attributed to IRG commander Sayyed Akbar Tabatabaei, Hajj Qassem appears as someone who loved young commanders, relied on them greatly—especially those gifted in leading fronts and units. When he heard of the martyrdom of one of them, his state would change for days. He would not find rest until he visited the martyr’s family and met them in person.
A mentor to the fighters
Colonel Mohammad Mahdi Abu al-Hasani, director of the artistic and cultural foundation Malhamat Thar Allah, speaks of another distinctive aspect of Hajj Qassem’s personality. He notes that in appointing people, Hajj Qassem prioritized three things: motivation, patience, and willpower—seeing them as the keys to success in all endeavors, and living by them himself. He was also meticulous and deep-thinking.
Being present in the battles was a fixed part of Hajj Qassem’s agenda. According to a description by Reuters, he personally oversaw the situation on the ground in Fallujah. During the Samarra–Baghdad operations, an Iraqi fighter recounts, “He kept fighting alongside us like any ordinary soldier, which left Iraqi soldiers feeling comforted, encouraged, and uplifted.”
One Iraqi fighter describes Hajj Qassem as “a supporter” and “a mentor to the fighters,” pointing to the strong relationship he had with them and to the extent of the assistance he provided to the Badr Corps in Iraq, as reported by Sheikh Ali Shirazi in his book The Countenance of Soleimani.
An enduring legacy
Some liken Hajj Qassem’s approach to that of Malik al-Ashtar; others see in him a legacy whose impact does not fade. His moral and military methodology did not disappear. His training, tactics, principles and major victories on the battlefield are still felt by thousands of fighters who continue to carry the spirit of the revolution wherever they are, having absorbed Qassem Soleimani’s example. It is an ongoing charity so long as there remains a firm will that does not bow to the arrogant and their demons.
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