We Live Like Dogs

We Live Like Dogs

uploaded 25 Nov 2004

by Dahr Jamail

"Doctors in Fallujah are reporting there are patients in the hospital there who were forced out by the Americans," says Mehdi Abdulla, a 33-year-old ambulance driver at a hospital in Baghdad. "Some doctors there told me they had a major operation going, but the soldiers took the doctors away and left the patient to die." He looks at the ground, then away to the distance.

Honking cars fill the chaotic street outside the hospital, where they'd just received brand new desks. The empty boxes are strewn about outside. Um Mohammed, a doctor at the hospital sits behind her old, wooden desk. "How can I take a new desk when there are patients dying because we don't have medicine for them?" she asks while holding her hands in the air. "They should build a lift so patients who can't walk can be taken to surgery, and instead we have these new desks!" Her eyes were piercing with fire, while yet another layer of frustration is folded into her work.

"And there are still a few Iraqis who think the Americans came to liberate them," she adds, looking out the broken window. The glass lay about outside, shattered from a car bomb that had detonated in front of the hospital. "These people will change their minds about the liberators when they, too, have had a family member killed by them."

Mehdi then takes us to a refugee camp of Fallujans over on the campus of the University of Baghdad. Tents surround an old mosque. Kids run about, several of them kicking around a half-inflated soccer ball. Some women are using two water taps to clean pots and wash clothing. Many people stand around, walking aimlessly, waiting.

We contact a sheikh for permission to talk to some of the families. He greets us then says, "You can see how much we have suffered. We have 97 families here now, with 50 more coming tomorrow. People are kidnapping refugee children and selling them."

A 35-year-old merchant from Fallujah, Abu Hammad, starts telling us what he experienced, and barely breathes while doing so because he is so enraged.

"The American warplanes came continuously through the night and bombed everywhere in Fallujah! It did not stop even for a moment! If the American forces did not find a target to bomb, they used sound bombs just to terrorize the people and children. The city stayed in fear; I cannot give a picture of how panicked everyone was."

He is shaking with grief and anger. "In the mornings, I found Fallujah empty, as if nobody lives in it. Even poisonous gases have been used in Fallujah – they used everything – tanks, artillery, infantry, poison gas. Fallujah has been bombed to the ground. Nothing is left."

Several men standing with us, other refugees, nod in agreement while looking at the setting sun, the direction of Fallujah.

Abu Hammad continues, "Most of the innocent people there stayed in mosques to be closer to God for safety. Even the wounded people were killed. Old ladies with white flags were killed by the Americans! The Americans announced for people to come to a certain mosque if they wanted to leave Fallujah, and even the people who went there carrying white flags were killed!"

One of the men standing with us, a large man named Mohammad Ali, is crying; his large body shuddering with each bit of new information revealed by Abu Hammad.

"There was no food, no electricity, no water," continues Abu Hammad. "We couldn't even light a candle because the Americans would see it and kill us."

He pauses, then asks, "This suffering of the people, I would like to ask everyone in the world if they have seen suffering like this. The people in Fallujah are only Fallujans. Iyad Allawi was a liar when he said there are foreign fighters there."

He continues on, "There are bodies the Americans threw in the river. I saw them do this! And anyone who stayed thought they would be killed by the Americans, so they tried to swim across the river. Even then the Americans shot them with rifles from the shore! Even if some of them were holding a white flag or white clothes over their heads to show they are not fighters, they were all shot! Even people who couldn't swim tried to cross the river! They drowned rather than staying to be killed by the Americans."

Mohammad cuts in and begins his plea. He is from the Julan district of Fallujah, where much of the heaviest fighting occurred, and continues to occur. "They call us terrorists when we live in the city. We own the city. We didn't go to fight the Americans – they came to our city to fight us. Fallujans are defending our city, our houses, our mosques, our honor. Iyad Allawi says we are his family – can you attack your family, Allawi? Do you attack your own family, Allawi?"

He now raises his hands to the sky and asks loudly, "We are asking Islam, all the Islamic countries to have a clear conscience to look at what is happening to Fallujah. We were the most secured city with the police and ING [Iraqi National Guard] without the presence of the Americans. But now when we come to Baghdad, we are afraid because our cars and belongings will be looted."

His large body continues to shudder as he talks on. "We did not feel that there is Eid after Ramadan this year because of our situation being so bad. All we have is more fasting. They said they are going to reconstruct Fallujah – but I would like to ask when and how, and what did they do to Sadr City when they stopped fighting there? They did nothing."

I notice a man with one leg sitting near the mosque, nodding while he smokes his cigarette while Mohammad continues. "I would like to ask the whole world: why is this? I tell the presidents of the Arab and Muslim countries to wake up! Wake up please! We are being killed, we are refugees from our houses, our children have nothing, not even shoes to wear! Wake up! Wake up! Stop being traitors! Be human beings and not the dummies of the Americans!"

He is weeping even more when he adds, "I left Fallujah yesterday and I am handicapped. I asked God to save us, but our house was bombed and I lost everything."

As Mohammad no longer speaks, a 40-year-old refugee, Khalil, speaks up. "When the Americans come to our city, we refuse to accept any foreigner coming to invade us. We accept the INGs but not the Americans. Nobody has seen any Zarqawi. If the Americans don't come in our city, who do Fallujans attack? Fallujans don't attack other Iraqis. Fallujans only attack the American troops when they come inside or near our city."

Rather than weeping like so many others I interviewed, Khalil is raging. His sadness is being covered with anger. "If we have a government, the government should solve the suffering of the people. Our government does not do this; instead they are always attacking us, our government is a dummy government. They are not here to help us. The ministers of defense and interior are speaking that we are their family, so why do they collapse our houses on our heads? Why do they kill all of us?"

But then tears find his eyes, and while pointing to several small children nearby, he says, "Eid is over. Ramadan is over – and the kids are remaining without even a smile. They have nothing and nowhere to go. We used to take them to parks to amuse them, but now we don't even have a house for them."

He continues pointing at the children, along with some women nearby, "What about the children? What did they do? What about the women? I can't describe the situation in Fallujah and the condition of the people. Fallujah is suffering too much, it is almost gone now."

He then explains, "We got some supplies from the good people of Baghdad, and some volunteer doctors came on their own with some medicines, but they ran out daily because conditions are so bad. We saw nothing from the Ministry of Health – no medicines or doctors or anything."

He says those who left Fallujah did not think they would be gone so long, so they brought only their summer clothes. Now it is quite cold at night, down to 10 degrees C (50 degrees F) at night and windy much of the time. Khalil adds, "We need more clothes. It's a disaster we are living in here at this camp. We are living like dogs, and the kids do not have enough clothes."

As of today, a spokesman for the Iraqi Red Crescent told me none of their relief teams had been allowed into Fallujah, and the military said it would be at least two more weeks before any refugees would be allowed into their city.

Source: AntiWar.com

A Letter to Youth Muslim

A Letter to Youth Muslim

In the name of Allah the Beneficent, the Merciful

My brother and sister in faith, may the peace of Allah, grace and blessings be upon you.

i'm just aiming to talk to your spirits, so open your heart and listen to my strong words, we hope their strength will awake you from your negligence.

Dear in Islam: put your desires aside in order to understand and rip the veil over your soul to meditate, and forget your unreasonable
wishes and get down to some work, and escape to Allah for tranquility and security.

Enough brother!
It has been a longtime since you stopped and analyzed your actions. Your heart is dying, you lack motivation, your soul is still and your prayers are like yellow leaves in autumn winds. Poor you! You have been killed with no weapon, they have robbed you of the warmth of your feelings. They have deprived you of the tears you weep on Islam, and your torment on a religion they are aiming to bury, they have robbed you of your resolution and determination.They have made fun of you ..
Poor you! You went abroad in order to get a qualification, what a pity .. you also lost your faith. What have you gained from material life?
You're empty in spite of everything you have, sick in spite of your good health, and dead in spite of being alive.

The paradise of the disbeliever is found in worldly mansions and palaces , needing money and degrees, with desires for prestige and women.

This is the life of mud and worms -the grave-.

While the paradise of the believer is in his prayers.Allah (s.w) makes the one who goes down in his estimation the slave
of an idol. To the one who has traveled thousands of miles I ask: "what was your intention?".

If you emigrated on a whim out of stupidity, or for worthless money. How much you have lost!
The one who was led by the devil to wander around the world following his whim and dialing to go to prayers he is lost. There is no good of dry branches, but for them to be cut off and
also organs (limb's) slackened from worshipping (can only go to the hellfire).
Many times you thought you were ok while you were actually dissolving and slowly dying with no adviser or helper. How can a dead-hearted man notice what's going on to his soul?
And how can a slave of his desires find the right way?
Stop deceiving yourself! Don't let our strong words prevent you from profiting by it.
The one who scared you until he led you to security is the one who loved you, and advised you sincerely.Whereas, the one who concealed the defects until there was in front of you grievous penalty they have deceived and betrayed you.
The final position for you in this worldly life is a hole (grave)

where worms surround you. So pay attention my (brother-sister) and awake!

Resolve sincerely to return to Allah (s.w) in repentance as you were accustomed to in your truehearted days.

The way of repentance starts with: "I ask for Allah's forgiveness", "I wronged my soul, my god forgive me". And say : my god forgive me and have mercy upon me, you are the most Merciful".
Whoever keeps on knocking a door will final it will open.

Keep on the carpet of repentance and start with two (Rak'ahs) –
prayer-.and wash your heart with abundant tear's in order for Allah (s.w) to give you what you seek.
Invoke Allah to ensure his continuous lavish bounties upon you in exceeding measure.

A bright soul which gives you more tranquility and assists your emigration to being conscious of god and assists you in the good intention of all you do.

This is a great resolution which is inevitable to exist in all Islamic youth in order to prevent the disbelief from passing through their minds and deceiving them with an elusive mirage. A shining forehead will characterize you one day, and we are longing to see you rise with it to assist us in the long journey.If people compete with sins, leave them, don't worry about what they are saying.

If your heart is faithful to Allah (s.w) you will not worry about anything of their's.
If Allah loves you, he will fill your heart with the sweetness of his confidential talk and his amiability with which you will not tolerate the companionship of the disobedient and disbelievers. However if you go down in Allah's estimation Allah will throw you out to the others, because Allah will not accept any partner.

Don't be deceived by the hopes of what may happen in the future, or a stupid frivolity, or foolish habits and devilish ideas that pass
through your mind little by little.

If lights charm you and fancies and delusion are reeling wound in your mind, if women capture your imagination, besotted with a stupid life and a false pleasure. Know that behind it's veneer is a frightening affliction.

If you are captured by luxury and ease and if your determination for Allah (s.w) slackened and your support grows less in this nonsense
land.

If idea of indulgence in pleasure crossed your mind even for a while in the wicked celebration which they make as a compound for transgression, negligence and misery.

If your soul stepped out of the prophet's way.
Stop a minute! And ask Allah to give you back a heart washed by rivers of brightness and remember the ways of obedience to Allah you
walked, and (mihrabs of masajed) , prayers mats and minarets that rose to sky with pure brothers you were brought up among.

Who are awaiting the meeting day with you, secluded their time with Qura'an and a verse of it and a tear at the still of a chilly winter
night, and remember my (brother-sister) and don't forget at all the enemies cunning, the wicked slyness, and spiteful plans and the blood waterfalls )we suffer from).

Remember countries who we looking forward for the prophet's followers to come and bring a new civilization where bliss is. So be patient my (brother-sister) , like virtuous men and women, and keep on praying and stay in good company, and keep up your supplication to Allah.
And the good will come-if Allah wills- if the supplication was sincere.

your sister in faith....Sedra

written by Member Sedra

Maturity, Personality Development, and Leadership Qualities

Maturity, Personality Development, and Leadership Qualities Asma'a Albadawi
Student in the 9th Grade

People always say that as a person gets older, he just naturally matures, and his personality just naturally develops. But, in fact, there are many things, many factors, which affect a person's maturity and personality and help him develop into a leader.
A leader is known, of course, to have many responsibilities. This is the first listed factor: Development through responsibilities. When a person has a responsibility, he is in charge of it, has to make sure he takes good care of it, and he learns to take blame and criticism, as that is something that a leader should expect. Also, when you start carrying a responsibility, you look at everything with a different eye, from a different point of view.

For example, before I started working on the school's newsletter staff, and before I got the responsibility of putting it together, I used to just look at the newsletter as a few pieces of paper, with some announcements and news, stapled together. I didn't think anything of it, and I tremendously underestimated the amount of work it required.
But after I joined the newsletter staff, and after I became the layout/graphics manager of the newsletter, I saw how big of a responsibility it actually was, and how much hard work, effort, and commitment it required. Ever since then, I have seemed to appreciate things more, and I've been paying attention and giving more credit to things such as this.
In addition, a responsibility helps you develop other qualities that also help you mature, such as understanding other points of view, patience, and commitment.
Next on the list is: Moving from dependent to independent. First of all, a leader cannot be dependent. He needs to learn to work and do things on his own, without needing to be spoon-fed, babied, or spoiled.

For instance, if you see one teenager who depends on his parents for money, and you see another teenager who works and earns the money he gets, who would you expect to be more mature? Of course, the one who works and earns his own money. He is independent, and he knows how to work on his own rather than depending on the help of others (i.e. his parents).

A dependent person would get used to depending on, for example, his parents. What if his parents suddenly die? He will be lost and confused, not knowing what to do or how to survive on his own, because he had been too dependent.

A person can also develop through assignment. Usually, when you hear the word "assignment," you think of something that you have to do, something with a deadline. This means it is a responsibility, something you have to make sure you get done, and on time. Even homework assignments make a difference in a student (if he does them, that is.)

A leader needs to be in the habit of planning, and planning ahead of time, or he will not succeed in his plans. I read a saying that says, "You either fail to plan, or you plan to fail." Even when I am doing my homework, everything turns out better quality-wise and efficiency-wise when I have everything organized and have planned what I want to do, in what order, and when. A leader needs to have the skills of planning and time management. Without these two things, his whole life, all of his plans, and all of his daily affairs will be total chaos.

A teacher could be considered a leader as well, being the leader in the classroom. And what is something required of a teacher? Lesson plans. The teacher has to have his lessons, his classes, his responsibilities, planned ahead of time.

Now, a very important factor that plays a big role in a person's maturity and personality development is that he goes through hardships. Hardships requires a person to use his mind, his strength, and his power to overcome the hardships and tests.

In our Islamic history, we have many examples of our early prophets who went through many hardships. For example, Prophet Ibrahim (AS) went through many hardships and tests in his life. When he was young, he had to take all of the criticism from his father, who was a mushrik. Also, the mushrikeen threw him into the fire. Then, when he was married, his wife turned out to be infertile, and so he had no child. When he finally, at an old age, married Hajar and had a child, Allah commanded him to leave her and the child in the desert, and he did so. These tests, as well as many others, helped him become strong physically, emotionally, and psychologically.

Hardships and tests, especially if you face many of them, allow you to be ready for the worse. Usually, when a person has a very easy life and no problems at all, he freaks out when he comes across one small problem because he is not used to it. Hardships and problems require a person to use his mind, his body, his strength, and his power.
A person also develops through interaction with mature people. When a person has to deal and communicate with mature people, he is obligated to behave and think in the same way that they do. Mature people usually speak about mature topics, such as work, marriage life, etc. When a person speaks with them about these topics, he gets some background about it, and learns some things about them, allowing him to be able to mature in a way.

Development through commitment to ethics, values, and Islamic principles: As we all know, Islam is a way of life providing us with principles for every aspect of our daily lives. Islam teaches us the correct, proper, and mature way of doing things, dealing with things, and behaving.

Islam teaches us to do many things, such as being clean; speaking appropriately at the appropriate time; and being caring, generous, and considerate. All of these characteristics, which are the characteristics of a Muslim, are what can make a person develop and mature.

Making presentations publicly is another thing that can make a person develop his personality. It does not necessarily have to do with maturity, but it helps him develop his personality. For instance, a person who speaks publicly is not shy, can face people with his opinions, and let his voice be heard. A person who is too shy to speak in public may still be mature, though. However, a leader should not be too shy to speak in public, or the people cannot listen to him. Public speaking and making presentations helps a person to develop the qualities needed to be able to speak with the people who work with him.

Development through Jihad. Jihad brings many qualities to a person: emotional strength, physical strength, patience, commitment, etc. Jihad is not just fighting physically. The idea of Jihad is sacrificing something valuable to you for the sake of something that you are committed to—a psychological t struggle.

This brings us to another point: development through physical fitness. Physical fitness allows a person to be physically strong, and more exposed to and capable of handing rough situations.

This point is also related to the next: development through attending camps and workshops. Usually camps and workshops are to train you for things. Camps could be to train you how to survive in the outdoors. You are usually not babied or spoiled at a camp, and so it helps you to be stronger and more developed.

Development through prayers at the masjid: When a person gets used to going to the masjid for salah, there is a certain time that he should be at the masjid for each salah. This allows him to practice being punctual, which should always be one characteristic of a leader. Also, praying frequently at the masjid requires commitment, another characteristic of a leader.

Just as there is a proper etiquette for everything, there is a proper etiquette for praying in the masjid. When a person goes to the masjid, he has to act in a certain manner and follow certain rules. He has to be kind to everyone and greet everyone, etc. When a person does these things, it is a sign of maturity. So when he has to follow these manners in the masjid, he is practicing some things that could allow him to mature.
Development through reading certain books: Sometimes one book can do to a person what many people can't. A certain book can sometimes change a person's whole life and switch it around.

For instance, a few years ago I read a book about a girl who kept to herself and was very quiet, shy, and alone. This resulted in her having no friends. To gain friends, she tried to act like other people, dress like them, and talk like them. Then she realized that that was not working. So she tried to be herself and let people know what she was really like. Over time, she gained popularity and many friends, and people liked her for who she was.

When I read that book, I was the same type of person she was. After I read the book and saw how the character changed herself, I did the same; now everything is so different. I can deal with people now, and I'm more social. I have many more friends, and I'm more involved in community programs and affairs. All of this allowed me to mature and develop my personality.

Contemplation and reflection: Allah asked all of the believers to contemplate on all of His creations around us. When we contemplate on these things, we don't just see them as we normally we do, we see them with a different eye. We start really thinking about them, their meaning, and their value. Our mind starts to think in a different way, and we start maturing.

One factor I can really relate to is determination. When we are determined and committed to doing something, we gain more positive outcomes from it. If we start to work on something and then lose determination, commitment, and dedication, it will start to fall apart.

I remember when other students and I first signed up for being on the newsletter staff. One of the first questions asked of us was "Are you determined to work on this newsletter, or do you feel that you might lose commitment later on?" Determination, commitment, and dedication are very important in a leader's success, and in the success of his projects and missions.

This all does not mean that if you don't have one of these characteristics, then you are not mature, or that you do not qualify to be a leader. However, all of these factors help in developing your personality, your maturity, and in allowing you to be a successful leader in life, insha'Allah. May Allah help us all become the best in everything we can do. Amin.

Coping With an Ill-Tempered Child

Coping With an Ill-Tempered Child

It never ceases to amaze me how many people complain about their children’s bad tempers and have not the faintest idea what to do when their children get angry.

We are often surprised and hurt by the things we hear our children say in anger, their hands folded across their chests, words like: “I hate you!” and “I don’t want you!” and “I don’t love you anymore!” Children say such things when they are angry, and parents are often at a loss to respond with anything other than harsh words, curses, and a good smack. Most parents have no better remedy to administer and justify themselves by saying that they are disciplining their children for their bad manners.

In truth, cursing and hitting the child is nothing more than a hasty reaction from the parents dressed up in the guise of “discipline”.

There are many things that the parents need to take into consideration in order to handle the situation correctly and remedy their children’s tempers:

* When we consider the guidance of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.), we observe that he never once struck his wife or servant. I am not merely discussing the question of “to hit or not to hit”. What I am saying is that hitting often exacerbates the problem far more than it remedies it.

* Many parents are confused about what they should do first when their child gets angry – should they focus on the cause of the anger or on the anger itself?

In my personal estimation, it seems that seeking a solution for the cause of the anger is better than trying to remedy the anger itself. Eliminating the cause of a problem is invariably a solution to the problem.

* If we as adults fail to exhibit any self-restraint when we are angry, how can we expect our children to do so? It is important for us to raise our children to know how to stay calm and collected and deal with things in a rational manner. If we are neglectful in this, then we will have no recourse but to calm the child down when he gets angry and then try to find out how to deal with the cause of his anger.

There is an old Arab saying that goes: “You cannot give what you do not have.” This is true. If the parent has a bad temper and is unable to control himself when he gets angry, how can he fault his child for the same? The parent is the role model. The child does what he sees his parents doing.

* Why should we not discuss the matter with our children when they get angry? Isn’t it better to use such a tone than it is to cry and shout, which only causes the child even more distress? There is no problem with using a conversational tone in discussing matters with our children. In the Quran, we see that the Lord of All the Worlds uses such a tone with his angels and His Prophets. We see the Prophet Solomon (p.b.u.h.) using such a tone even when he speaks to a bird. Is not it more appropriate for us to do so with our children who are our own flesh and blood?

Many parents address their children in a demeaning, condescending tone, simply because their children are small and their young minds have not matured. The parents see that the time to show respect has not yet arrived. I see this as a big mistake, though one that is very common. If we look to the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) for guidance, we see that he behaved very respectfully towards children.

* We need to exercise a lot of patience when dealing with children. A child is naturally eager and impressionable, with an unlimited imagination. It is wrong to expect him to behave like an adult when he has yet to learn to distinguish between what is beneficial and what is harmful. This explains to us the reason why the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) descended from the pulpit to meet his grandchildren al-Hasan and al-Husayn, even though many prominent Companions were standing before him.

* It is a serious mistake for our children to feel unloved by his parents. This is the case even when the child is being punished. The feeling of love should be ever-present, even when administering bitter medicine. This is especially true since our children have hold of our hearts, and in spite of their tender years, they have an influence over us.

* We need to accustom our children to communicating their feelings to us, to express themselves properly when they are angry instead of crying and shouting.

When we come to know the cause of the anger, we need to speak to our children on their own level and explain matters to them in a way that they can understand. We cannot deal with them as if they were adults like ourselves, we must deal with them on their own level, no matter how trivial their problems may seem to us.

We can think about how a little girl took the Prophet’s hand and he allowed her to lead him around wherever she wanted to go.

A child needs to feel that he lives in an environment of controlled freedom. He should not live in an atmosphere of constant control and domination so that he represses his feelings and his identity.

* In one survey, it was determined that 70% of the children living in the Gulf region suffer from psychological disorders of one kind or another. We find ourselves between two opposite extremes – that of going overboard in controlling and disciplining our children and that of utter laxity. What is needed is a just balance.

I know some very respectable people who insist on pining over every detail when it comes to “raising” their children, so much so that the child can scarcely breathe without being taken to account for it. When the father comes to me with his son in tow, the boy’s face is ashen and he is visibly disturbed. This is because the child is not allowed to act in any way other than according to his father’s mindset, which is an impossible burden for the mind of a small child.

* We must teach our children to seek means to control their anger. We might instruct them to perform ablutions or to sit down if they are standing or to take hold of a book or some other object. If he does so and his anger subsides, then he should be commended and rewarded for keeping his anger under control. Do not withhold the praise when your child keeps himself calm. Let him know with your words and gestures that you recognize his achievement. Give him a little token of appreciation, even just the pen in your shirt pocket.

* Allow the child to role-play. Be the angry one and let your child try to calm you down. Let his try whatever means he feels are appropriate.

* It is better for a child to say “I feel angry because of this or that” than it is for him to scream and shout.

* The dictatorial approach is not always the right one. We need to avoid saying things like “Shut up!” “Get out of my sight!” “If I get my hands on you, I am going to break your head!” and “Don’t use that impudent tone with me!”

At times, might we rather say: “Dear, I am your father (or mother, as the case may be) and I love you. I feel it when you are angry, so do not distress me so.” What is important is for the child to empathize with your feelings. The child today will be an adult tomorrow, and if we do not develop such an empathy with our children when they are young, we may regret it down the road.

* We should take to heart the example of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.). Anas said about him: “I swear by Allah. I have never seen anyone show more mercy to his family that Allah’s Messenger (p.b.u.h.).” (Sahih Muslim 2316)

The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) loved children. He wept when his little son Ibrahim died.

Whenever a child was born, they would bring the child to the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) and he would offer supplications for the child. Sometimes he would change a child’s name to a better one. He used to play with children and humor them.

When al-Hasan, the Prophet’s grandson came running into the Prophet’s room and jumped down in front of him, the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) embraced him and kissed him and said: “O Allah! Love him and love those who love him.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 2122 and Sahih Muslim 2421)

He would go to the mosque, carrying either al-Hasan or al-Husayn on his shoulder. Once he prayed his prayers while carrying Umamah bint Zainab in his arms. He consoled a small child whose pet bird had died. He would even seek the permission of a child sitting to his right to allow him to offer a drink first to some elders on his left. When the child refused to waive his right, the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) served the child first. We see where `Amr b. Salamah was appointed to lead the prayers for his people though he was only six years old, simply because he was the most knowledgeable among them of the Quran.

Examples like these abound, and when we regard them, the greatness of the Prophet’s character becomes all the more evident to us. We realize that the best schools of education and childrearing in the East and West are in need of the light of our Prophet’s example.

By: Shaikh Salman al-Awdah
Source: www.islamtoday.net

How America Wages War in Iraq

Crimes in Iraq

How America Wages War in Iraq

By Firas Al-Atraqchi
Freelance Columnist
18/11/2004

Millions of viewers around the world were horrified when their local news media broadcast footage of a US soldier killing at point blank range a wounded Iraqi man
lying in a mosque.

Pool journalist Kevin Sites, an embed traveling with US marines, shot the footage and later said the man appeared unarmed and unthreatening. This is what the footage showed.

“He's (expletive) faking he's dead!”

“Yeah, he's breathing,” another Marine is heard saying.

“He's faking he's (expletive) dead!” the first Marine says.

A Marine raises his rifle toward the wounded prisoner lying on the floor and umps a bullet into his head. US networks blurred the image or blacked it out. The BBC showed it. So did Aljazeera. As the wounded man is shot, his legs rise in the air in reaction to the impact of the bullet to his skull. Blood is spattered on the mosque wall behind him.

“He's dead now,” a Marine is heard saying.

There is no escaping this was a war crime. Now the world can see for itself that the torture and murderof Iraqis while in detention at Abu Ghraib was not an isolated matter.

How many more Iraqis were killed in this way that video cameras were not able to capture?

Hello America. This is your US army, valiant and proud. Today we will review the finer merits of military strategy when taking and maintaining a hold on a vibrant city of some 300,000 men, women and children.

Step 1: The Media.

This has to fully comply with our strategic goals by ensuring that key words are repeated thoroughly when referring to a certain subject matter. In Fallujah’s case, we will allow the media to repeat words like “bastion,” “stronghold,” “insurgent base,” “insurgent center of Iraq,” “terrorist heart of the Sunni triangle,” and so on, until all semblance that this was once a city bustling with civilian life is erased from the psyche and the reader is fully engrossed in the mandated logic that the US military is fighting insurgents in their terrorist base.

Furthermore, ensure that the local and world media toe the line when it comes to reporting about Fallujah and any other military campaigns:

Iraq’s media regulator has warned news organisations to stick to the government line on the US-led attack in Falluja or face legal action.

“We hope you comply ... otherwise we regret we will be forced to take all the legal measures to guarantee higher national interests,” the statement said, without elaborating.

Count on a media blackout and our ordinary citizens’ ignorance to ensure they do not realize that our tactics are as terrorist and inhumane as those of countries we previously condemned on the world stage:

The fundamentalist Muslim Brotherhood seized Hama as the first step towards its goal of a national uprising against the secular Baathist regime. The Syrian President demanded their surrender. His army shelled the city, and special forces went in to kill or capture the militants. The Syrians employed the same strategy that the US is using now. Its tanks and artillery waited outside the city; they fired on militants and civilians alike. Its elite units, like the American Marines surrounding Falluja today, braced themselves for a bloody battle.

The US condemned Syria for the assault that is believed to have cost 10,000 civilian lives. The Syrian army destroyed the historic centre of Hama, and it rounded up Muslim rebels for imprisonment or execution. Syria's actions against Hama came to form part of the American case that Syria was a terrorist state. Partly because of Hama, Syria is on a list of countries in the Middle East whose regimes the US wants to change (Charles Glass in Sulaymaniyah, The Independent, November 9, 2004).

Step 2: Public relations. Tell the world the city we are about to storm has been emptied of civilians:

Mohammed Abboud said he watched his nine-year-old son bleed to death at their Falluja home yesterday, unable to take him to hospital as fighting raged in the streets and bombs rained down.

“My son got shrapnel in his stomach when our house was hit at dawn, but we couldn't take him for treatment,” said Mr Abboud, a teacher.

“We buried him in the garden because it was too dangerous to go out” (Fadel al-Badrani for the BBC in Fallujah, November 10, 2004).

Make sure our soldiers know that they aren't fighting for the people of Iraq but for cold revenge:

I'm not sure it will be better when we're gone, but it's gotten to the point of retribution for all the things that have happened. The beheadings, the bombings and everything (Tom Lasseter Knight Ridder/Tribune news – November 13).

Even if Fallujah has to go the way of Carthage, reduced to shards, the price will be worth it. We need to demonstrate our strength of will to the world, to show that there is only one possible result when madmen take on America (Ralph Peters, New York Post, November 4).

“This is for the Americans of Blackwater that were murdered here in 2004 Semper Fidelis (always faithful),” is scrawled in black print on a section of the bridge across the Euphrates where the remains of two out of four Americans, killed by a mob in Fallujah at the end of March, were hung.

The graffiti is signed “3-5”, an abbreviation of the 3rd Battalion 5th Marines, one of the units that is taking part in a massive US-Iraqi assault on the rebel stronghold to regain control of the city.

It finished with: “PS, Fuck You” (AFP, November 14).

“I see the little kids in the cars and I feel sorry for them, but when they turn 16 they’re evil.” (Lindsey Hilsum, with the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force in Fallujah, November 14, 2004)

Tell enough lies to our troops until even our own spokesman starts to believe them:

The goals are simple: to win the gratitude of Fallujah civilians who will no longer have to cope with Iraqi and foreign fighters in their midst; and to demonstrate to other insurgent-dominated towns and cities what can happen if they refuse to participate peacefully in the Iraqi political process (John Diamond, Steve Komarow and Tom Squitieri, USA TODAY, November 12).

Let our troops know that God wants them to kill Iraqis in Fallujah, that US President George Bush received direct orders from the Divine that war was sanctioned in Fallujah:

The marines that I have had wounded over the past five months have been attacked by a faceless enemy,” said Colonel Gareth Brandl. “But the enemy has got a face. He's called Satan. He lives in Falluja. And we're going to destroy him” (Paul Wood, BBC News, embedded with US Marines near Fallujah, November 7).

We must not be afraid to make an example of Fallujah. While we always seek to fight humanely, the most humane thing we can do in that tormented city is just to win, to burn out the plague of fanaticism and prove to Iraq's people that the forces of terror will not be allowed to enslave them (Ralph Peters, New York Post, November 4).

Tell the Iraqi people that their own representatives in the interim government are negotiating a peaceful settlement, while in reality, we are preparing for a major assault:

Although the Fallujah operation has lasted less than a week, it was several weeks in the planning and the forces involved may be tied down establishing stability for some time to come (John Diamond, Steve Komarow and Tom Squitieri, USA TODAY – November 12).

Make the fighting seem like a video game our young soldiers may have played a few years ago, or even better, a Hollywood production:

“A psychological operations Humvee drove by, blaring Richard Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries,” the music used in a famous helicopter attack scene in the movie “Apocalypse Now” (James Janega, Chicago Tribune staff reporter, November 10).

Step 3: Kill everything in sight.

Fire at everything that moves. This will guarantee that we save our own skins. Fire before you even know what you are firing at:

“Jump out. Kick in door. Spray machine-gun fire. Run to rooftop. Kill enemy. Jump back into armored vehicle. Move to new location” (Tom Lasseter, Knight Ridder/Tribune news, November 13).

To disarm possible booby traps, mines, and other explosives, the advancing forces fired rockets charged with plastic explosives down the empty streets and alleys, which detonated a number of jury-rigged bombs (Anne Barnard, Boston Globe Staff, November 9, 2004).

“I'm supposed to shoot into the houses before our troops go in”, a weary Porter told an Agence France-Presse correspondent in this dusty, devastated city that was once home to around 300,000 Sunni Muslims.

Shoot unarmed Iraqi soldiers. It’s okay; we’ll probably get a few Purple Hearts for it:

Jeff was about five feet away from two unarmed Iraqi soldier-prisoners - each about his own age - when he was ordered to shoot them. He said he looked them in their eyes before closing his own, then pulled the trigger.

He took off two dog tags around his neck, threw them at me and said, ‘Don't you understand? Your brother is a murderer,’ Debbie said (Adam Gorlick, Associated Press, November 13).

A US marine has sparked world-wide revulsion after being seen shooting an injured and helpless Iraqi. The sickening scene was broadcast by Channel 4 News after a fire-fight in the rebel stronghold of Falluja.

The trigger-happy soldier had been asked to get nearer to the injured man. But instead of trying to capture him, the marine is seen leaning over a wall and cold-bloodedly shooting him (Paul Gilfeather, Political Editor, Sunday Mirror, November 14).

“I decided to swim … but I changed my mind after seeing U.S. helicopters firing on and killing people who tried to cross the river.”

He watched horrified as a family of five was shot dead as they tried to cross. Then, he “helped bury a man by the river bank, with my own hands.”

“I kept walking along the river for two hours and I could still see some U.S. snipers ready to shoot anyone who might swim. I quit the idea of crossing the river and walked for about five hours through orchards” (AP, ABCNews.com, from accounts by AP photographer Bilal Hussein, November 14).

The morbid gallery of quotes, facts, and figures above printed and published in Western media by verifiable and veritable sources can stream on endlessly. But these testimonials are enough to conjure the reality of the US onslaught in Iraq. It is not humanitarian, nor is it compassionate. It bears the mark of skull ‘n’ bones—the more killed the better.

It is the taste of hatred and brutality, one that has been equalled by the razing armies of history—the Nazis, the Romans, the Visigoths, the Mongols—but rarely exceeded.

This article is not endowing the reader with fuel for hatred. It is not about wanton violence or revenge. It is about truth, the truth that has been kept from a majority of readers and viewers. Insulated and protected from the way war is waged, they refuse to believe that a Western army can execute people in cold blood and fire on unarmed civilians, that a free press is actually less free than many presume.

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Firas Al-Atraqchi is a Canadian journalist of Iraqi heritage. Holding an MA in Journalism and Mass Communication, he has eleven years of experience covering Middle East issues, oil and gas markets, and the telecom industry. You can reach him at firascape@hotmail.com.

forwarded message untuk renungan semua

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lebih gembira menyambut 1hb. Januari daripada 1 Muharram.

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lebih tahu apa itu 14 Februari daripada 12 Rabiulawal.
KITA SEBENARNYE...
lebih membesarkan hari Sabtu dan Ahad daripada hari Jumaat.
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lebih khusyuk mendengar lagu daripada mendengar azan.
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lebih suka lepak, tidur, tengok tv daripada sembahyang.
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lebih suka menyebut helo atau hai daripada Assalamualaikum.
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lebih suka menyanyi daripada berwirid atau bertasbih.

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kita sebenarnya lebih suka memuji manusia daripada ALLAH, Tuhan kita sendiri.

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kita sebenarnya lebih suka membaca majalah daripada buku-buku agama dan al-quran.

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lebih suka pergi ke konsert daripada ceramah agama.
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tapi, bila ada orang tanya arah tujuan kita,
kita lebih suka menjawab..
KITA SEBENARNYE...
lebih suka menuju ke syurga daripada neraka..

tapi... layakkah kita dengan syurga milik Allah s.w.t?

'yang sesungguhnya, akhirat itulah negeri yang kekal. Barang siapa mengerjakan perbuatan jahat, maka ia tidak akan dibalasi melainkan setimpal dengan perbuatan jahat itu. dan barang siapa yang mengerjakan amalan soleh,baik laki-laki mahupun perempuan, sedang ia dalam keadaan beriman,maka mereka akan masuk syurga,mereka diberi rezeki di dalamnya tanpa dihisab'.
(surah al-mu'min:39-40)


"Kesabaran adalah tunjang kekuatan dan kebahagiaan di dunia mahupun akhirat...."