The point cannot be missed that the reason for the absence of clearly delineated political direction (guidelines) was the lack of sincere revolutionary leadership. Those who started the movement felt ashamed to give the cause its true nationalist essence; they believed that the most effective way of attaining the necessary power was by propagating Islam. They, thus, tied the movement within the bounds of Islam and programmed their actions accordingly both within and outside of Eritrea. The bosses of "Jebha" assumed the responsibility to deal with foreign governments; supposedly in execution or this responsibility, they established links with those countries and organisations professing the faith of Islam. They tried to solicit the help of these countries and organisations against Haile Selassie, "that king of the Habasha who is oppressing the 80% (eighty per cent) Muslim population of Eritrea". They presented their case as that which seeks to resist the expansion of Christianity by Haile Selassie, and to that end they asked for the sympathy and help of their "Muslim brothers". Having wholeheartedly embraced whatever help was extended to them; the bosses gave the movement a totally Islamic base.
Likewise, their armed followers in the field told the innocent people of the lowlands ( Metahit) that they were engaged in a war of "Jihad"(holy war) against the "kafir" king Haile Selassie, who is the grandson of Yohannes, that king of the Habasha who had ventured to wipe out Islam and expand Christianity. In the course of fighting the holy war (Jihad Fi Sabil Allah), they conducted vicious anti-Christian propaganda, which was not in line with the interest of the national liberation struggle. The extent of the propaganda was such that the Christian Eritrean was ostracized as a "kafir" (infidel/traitor) and attacked as an enemy. Lacking the capacity to correctly understand that the roots of its oppression were essentially of economic and political nature and not merely religious, the Muslim population of the country vehemently responded in favour of the "Jihad" operation designed by the leaders of "Jebha". However, those Eritreans who were not aware of the "Jihad" politics of the front, assessed the situation to be similar to that which was prevalent during the period preceding the federation; and conscious as they were of the manoeuvres of foreign oppressors, their true nationalist sentiment drove them towards Idris Awate who led the armed struggle in 1961. The basis for the widespread Eritrean nationalist ferment and the resolute determination to engage in armed struggle lay in the politics of crude oppression that characterized the period 1950-61. This period was particularly rich with political events of national resistance. It must be stressed, however, that this national resistance was devoid of religious antagonism; it was a common struggle of Muslims and Christians, highlanders and lowlanders. This experience unified the people and raised the level of their political awareness.
Aroused by these developments, the Eritrean people resolved to join the struggle. Even though all Eritreans materially and morally supported the armed resistance headed by Idris Awate, almost all of those who joined him in the fields of Barka were Muslims. At that stage, the highland population did not participate in field operations; the reason is solely that geographic conditions did not facilitate such participation. The allegation that highlanders avoided the struggle with the knowledge and for the reason that it was initiated by Muslims is groundless. The movement flourished and continued operating till 1965; nevertheless, there was no halt to the propagation of Islam.