Once Upon a Time…There Was a Martyr
Tanks and military vehicles were all over the roads, and the soldiers watched the entire place. It was a crossing point where people waited for days to get “assent” to reach their towns or the capital (Beirut).
He got off his car and walked steadily to the investigation chamber. His eyes glowed with fury. The “Israeli” investigator examined his face and the photograph posted onto his identity card. In an ineptly accented language, the investigator asked him whether he had been in Saudi Arabia. “Yes,” he briefly answered. That was enough to exclude his name from the list of “terrorists'”. Having clinched his fist, he could hardly avoid punching the investigator in the face. He walked back to his car as soon as he was allowed to leave.
The driver he sat beside didn’t bother to stop speaking about politics, the current security situation, the high living cost, and anything that would eventually blame him for coming back to his homeland. How could one enjoying this golden chance waste it by returning to a country manipulated by war? But he kept quiet all the way, staring at the roads, most of which had been turned into mounds and checkpoints… Hardly could he breathe in any air… Even the tree leaves of the orchards along the seashore of Sour city (Tyr) resembled captives beyond bars…
Could that be the South?! Was it the beautiful city of Sour any longer?! Then why did shell smoke mask away sunlight?! Where were the little yellow flowers sprouting all over the town?! And what about the wild flowers with the scent of earth which inspired souls?! Besides, where were the kids sneaking to the roads to play ball?! Behind which curtained window had freedom hidden?!
It was hard for the car to cross all of those roads. The situation was too throbbing; agony grew wilder every time he reached a new town…
He reached his town, where he walked with his heavy suitcase in hand. While his family eagerly waited for him, he was anticipating the moment he would meet his father… For a while, he anticipated his father’s eyes blaming him for returning home… He had been enjoying a productive job in Saudi Arabia, and his family did need such an income, especially in that harsh time of war. Actually, that war left no room for good but rooted poverty wherever the “Israeli” tanks went…
“I could not stay there,” he said to his father in a soft voice, “It is hard to be away from home when occupation forces strike… Imagine that I needed “assent” to get home… But I promise you, dad, I promise I’m going to send those soldiers to hell…” His father patted his shoulder and held his arm tight, “I’ve been waiting for you…”The smell of the bread his mother was baking at dawn woke him up. He prayed and went out to sit near her. He began to fuel the saj (traditional bread oven) fire with short wood sticks. The low crackle of fire pleased him, and the smell was so lively…
When he met his friends, they said they were headed by His Eminence Sheikh Ragheb Harb at every Friday prayers. His friends added the Sheikh’s sermons overwhelmed the Zionists…
As his friends retold some of Sheikh Ragheb Harb’s statements, he was impassioned… He adored the Sheikh even before seeing him… Wouldn’t that be the case sometimes?
Hardly could he wait for Friday… He got ready early and started the pickup, transporting fresh vegetables he would sell at his father’s shop, just like every day. Two friends sat in the front, while the others sat at the back…
Fast he set off to Jibshit… But wait a minute! He slowed down and got off his pickup truck, getting closer to a sign reading Hebrew letters… He looked at his friends, “What the heck is this?!”
“It’s the town’s name,” one of them said, “The enemy has replaced the Arab signs with Hebrew ones so that the soldiers would find their way…”
Hearing so, he grabbed the sign pole and shook it forcefully until he uprooted it. Then he placed it in his pickup. Breathing out loud, he told his friend, “Well, we do not want the “Israeli” soldiers to find their way…”
Hearing so, he grabbed the sign pole and shook it forcefully until he uprooted it. Then he placed it in his pickup. Breathing out loud, he told his friend, “Well, we do not want the “Israeli” soldiers to find their way…”
All along the way, he kept getting off his pickup, uprooting signs, and placing them in the pickup trunk. Now the trunk was full of signs!
Having reached Jibshit, he met Sheikh Ragheb Harb… It was one of the happiest moments of that dark-skinned young man’s life. He heard the Sheikh saying, “Martyrs’ blood is received by Allah, and whatever Allah receives grows plenty.” Now all he could see were daisies spread above martyrs’ bodies…
Every morning his pickup truck transported vegetables, under which were firearms that the Resistance fighters would be expecting to get… As he drove through “the Bus region”, he could neither accept having to wait at the “Israeli” checkpoint nor seeing the headquarters of the “Israeli” military “governor”… Just like he uprooted the signs, he uprooted that headquarters… And his blood wrote the name of the southern towns, “Welcome to Deir Qanoun an-Nahr…”
This story “Keep in Mind, I’m an Arab” is dedicated to the Self-Sacrifice Martyrs’ Prince Ahmad Jaafar Qasir.
*Written by Nisreen Idriss on behalf of the martyrs association–obtained and translated by moqawama.org
Martyrs Do Not Die! Hajj ’Alaa 125’ Example
Zeinab Daher
[And do not say about those who are killed in the way of Allah, “They are dead.” Rather, they are alive, but you perceive [it] not.] – Holy Quran, Surat al-Baqarah, verse 154.
As you enter his house, you have to notice how simple, humble and cozy it is. The house where Hajj Hatem Adib Hmedeh, better known as Alaa 125, raises his small family, sends you positive vibes due to the amicable atmosphere spread over its simple details.
Although the family is used to his absence [because he spends almost all his time at work, in the forefronts of the battlefield], they enjoy a unique relationship that is based on respect, love, appreciation and modesty.
The down-to-earth leader, who represents a model to all those who got to know him, favored resistance to having a very well paid job abroad as soon as he graduated with a degree in telecommunication engineering.
In this regard, his wife Mrs. Mariam Fakhreddine told us that as soon as he graduated in 1994, he was offered a job in his domain with a net monthly salary of 3000$, which he strictly rejected, as he finds the duty to resist the occupier at the first level of his priorities.
The man who loves and encourages education, also mastered in electronic engineering, and then continued studies in physics.
As much as he is dedicated to his job, Hajj Alaa devotes all his emotions to the family he belongs to. His wife stressed that whenever he can, he calls, asks about their needs, and expresses how much he misses and loves his two kids, namely his beloved Fatima.
Hajj Hatem Hmedeh does not care for any detail regarding the materialistic life. He can manage to live with any situation, no matter what simplicities or difficulties life would bring.
The pious man, his wife describes him, performs his religious duties with all the devotion of a real worshipper. His relationship with Allah almighty is way more important than the life people live.
The most important among his deeds is to fulfill all divine duties. He considers that when a person does not make any behavior that angers Allah, then he would have never made any single deed that harms his worshippers.
The husband supported his partner during her hard times of either failing or successful pregnancies. He was pleased whether Allah wanted to gift him with his daughter and son, or whether two previous pregnancies were destined to death.
When he comes home, he benefits from the time to give his wife a break from taking care of the children. He takes it upon himself to take care for them, teach them their lessons, take them out, play with them and compensate them with the short times he can spend there.
The father doesn’t kiss his beloved 11 years old Fatima but on her hands. However, he lets his 8 years old Ali acquire much of his characteristics. Ali, his mom says, looks very like his dad. Referring to his behavior more than the physical shape, Mrs. Mariam stresses that he takes care of his sister as if a man is doing so.
When Ali learned that his father is martyred, he told everybody who was at their home not to cry: “Don’t bother him, my father doesn’t like to hear someone crying.”
When she was 8 years old, Fatima sent her father a flower with a person she knew could deliver it. Three days later, the caring father called her: “Thank you my sweetheart, your flower has been delivered.” Some three years later, the flower was still saved very well with the loving father. When he was martyred, it was found among his belongings.
Other than his military suit, Hajj Alaa just owns three shirts, a couple of trousers and a pair of shoes. “My military suit is my clothes,” the martyr always says.
Whenever a problem happens to be, Martyr Leader Hajj Hatem Hmedeh depends on the divine intervention that facilitates solving it. His every time comment is that Allah hears and sees everything: “I am with you both, I hear and I see,” Holy Quran, surat Taha, verse 46.
However, he so much believes in the sensed tangible evidence rather than a group of words said without any proof. His famous word, his wife says: “Words are illusions, truth is numbers.”
Whether among his family members, companions or all the people who loved his soul, the martyred leader will ever be living in the minds, hearts, souls and entire lives of the people whom he admired, and who loved him truly in return.
Note: The verbs in this article describing the martyr’s personality have been written in the simple present tense because as the title said “martyrs do not die”, Hajj Alaa’s deeds will never stop taking place because the soul will ever be more effective than the body.
Source: Al-Ahed News
11-11-2016 | 10:41
They All Have One Thing in Common… Martyrdom!
Fatima Haydar
To thee who has endowed himself to God leaving behind this mundane world and those who grovel over it… you surely have obeyed Allah and his holy messenger [PBUH]…
In the memory of all the brave martyrs of the Islamic Resistance who had fallen for the sake of True Islam… May you always be remembered… I dedicate this to you…
Kassem Shamkha and Alaa Nejmeh are two of many who were joined together by the same cause: repelling the Takfiri enemy and safeguarding our borders against any usurper.
At first glance, the two appear to have nothing in common given the 5-year age difference. But upon unearthing details about their lives, one comes to the conclusion that they are not that different after all!
It is the drive of martyrdom that pushes our youth to sacrifice their lives for the sake of their countries and for whatever is holy and sacred.
However, it is not easy for any parent, sibling or friend to lose a loved one. But what consoles them is the fact that their beloved was fighting for their protection and well-being as well as fulfilling God’s will:
{Among the Believers are men who have been true to their covenant with Allah: of them some have completed their vow [to the extreme], and some [still] wait: but they have never changed [their determination] in the least} – the Holy Quran: Surat Al-Ahzaab, Verse 23.
Not less than a week ago, a professional 19-year-old Lebanese footballer lost his life fighting against terrorist Takfiri forces in Aleppo province.
Kassem Shamkha was born in the southern Lebanese village of Burj Qallawiyah in 1997 and grew up in Burj al-Barajneh, a neighborhood in Beirut’s southern suburbs.
The late midfielder previously played for al-Ahed Sport Club, which competes in Lebanon’s top soccer division – the Lebanese Premier League.
When asked about Shamkha, al-Ahed football club Secretary General Mohammad Assi said that the late midfielder “was a talented player with huge potential for the club and for Lebanon, but he chose the route of ‘jihad’.”
“He will go down in history in the club’s records, because he was a hero on the football field just like on the battlefield in defense of the homeland,” Assi added.
Martyr Kassem Shamkha will never be forgotten by his peers and coaches in his football club.
“With great pride and honor, al-Ahed football club announces the beloved, proud martyr Kassem Shamkha was martyred while defending our nation [and] our land from the terrorists Takfiri tide. Congratulations on fulfilling your wish, Kassem,” the footballer’s club said in a message posted on their official Facebook page.
The young midfielder was also praised by the Italian Mondo Ultra website that wrote: “the Lebanese footballer Kassem Shamkha lost his life in Syria’s Aleppo front. He favored to fight voluntarily with his peers in Hizbullah instead of thinking about his career… Glory to him!”
The Italian website made no mistake when it used the word “voluntarily” since Kassem, who comes from a relatively wealthy family, was hailed with tempting offers of stardom abroad.
“As his football skills grew, I offered him to travel abroad and tryout for a number of Spanish clubs with whom I am bound by friendship and a mutual relationship,” Kassem’s older brother, Samir said.
He went on to say that Kassem refused the whole thing “just because he loves to live in Lebanon and defend our homeland.”
“I’ve always taken pictures with him as my inner feeling was telling me that one day, Kassem will leave us… Though, I refused to believe it!” Samir sighed.
The stadiums will miss you dear Kassem… you were always there for your team, cheering with all your heart… a passionate supporter and a motivator for the Yellow Team!
From the soccer fields to the fields of society and social media… Alaa Nejmeh, the 24 year-old Facebook activist, scout leader, amateur actor and graphic designer was martyred battling the Takfiri terrorists.
Alaa was born in the southern village of Adloun on January 8th, 1992 and grew up in al-Kharayeb, another southern city.
Martyr Alaa grew up as an orphan and soon became the father to his 3 brothers and sister.
Although orphaned, Alaa was not broken hearted. On the contrary, he had a big loving heart filled with love for life and hope.
Alaa was popular and loved among his community. “He has a village of friends,” one of his closest friends described the martyr.
The young man fancied photography and designing in addition to acting and directing.
With his handsome looks and attractive smile, Alaa would have been a “big shot” someday had he picked this path.
But, he, who has been nurtured by a family that strongly believes in the concept of Resistance, chose the afterlife through Jihad leaving behind the avaricious materialistic life and its temptations.
At times, he received various job offers from the Iranian TV industry, but he rejected them all for the sake of the Resistance and martyrdom.
The conservative but up-to-date martyr encouraged the use of social media such as Facebook. He was also among the forerunners of “soft war”.
He used his computer skills to photoshop images of his fellow martyrs and post them on “Ascension of Martyrs” Facebook page that he created in their honor.
Alaa was a scout leader at al-Mahdi Scouts who enjoyed working with and instructing children. Apart from being a father to his siblings, he fathered the children of his martyred companions and attend to their needs.
Recently, after his departure, social networking sites poured with condolences and solaces with some congratulating the heroism of Alaa. While others, recalled moments with the martyrs and their friends.
His mother, dressed in white – as he asked her shall he becomes a martyr – held a framed photograph of Alaa, bode him farewell and accompanied him to his last resting place.
Indeed, we come from dust and to dust we shall return, but {Think not of those who are slain in Allah’s way as dead. Nay, they live, finding their sustenance in the presence of their Lord} – the Holy Quran: Surat Al Imraan, Verse 169.
We weep the heartache of separation…
Sleep tight O’ hero…
We promise to be as you desired us to be…
We will be where we should be…
Blessed be the martyrs…
Source: Al-Ahed News
12-11-2016 | 14:40
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