I wrote a post a few years ago about the significance of May 15th for the Palestinians. Now that we're approaching another anniversary, here's a re-post.
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Clouds against a blue sky,
Dotted by birds flying high,
Bright, sunny, airy and roomy,
This is my life, my life's free for me
—Abd elAzeez
Dotted by birds flying high,
Bright, sunny, airy and roomy,
This is my life, my life's free for me
—Abd elAzeez
... and so forth I may rap about the joys of living in a free country. The thoughts can keep going on and on and I could keep counting my blessings all the day long , saying Alhamdulillah (All praise is for Allah) like I try to do everyday.
But alongside this feeling of happiness and gaiety, is a throbbing pain in my side. A pain that's turning chronic now, since I really cannot remember when it actually started and neither can I see a relief in sight.
Of course if Allah wills something He merely says "Be" and it is (which incidentally is the literal translation of the one-liner verse numbered 40 in Chapter 16 from the Holy Quran attached on the right side of this article), and that would definitely put an end to the pain InshaAllah, but, for now the pain persists in my side!
But brother Abd elAzeez why are you in pain? you might ask me; and I am quick in quoting the Hadith (i.e. teaching of Prophet Muhammed Peace Be Upon Him) when he (PBUH) said "The Muslim Ummah is like one body. If the eye is in pain then the whole body is in pain and if the head is in pain then the whole body is in pain". That, stands as one of the finest examples of proclaiming unity and brotherhood amongst people yet many of us do not know!
But alongside this feeling of happiness and gaiety, is a throbbing pain in my side. A pain that's turning chronic now, since I really cannot remember when it actually started and neither can I see a relief in sight.
Of course if Allah wills something He merely says "Be" and it is (which incidentally is the literal translation of the one-liner verse numbered 40 in Chapter 16 from the Holy Quran attached on the right side of this article), and that would definitely put an end to the pain InshaAllah, but, for now the pain persists in my side!But brother Abd elAzeez why are you in pain? you might ask me; and I am quick in quoting the Hadith (i.e. teaching of Prophet Muhammed Peace Be Upon Him) when he (PBUH) said "The Muslim Ummah is like one body. If the eye is in pain then the whole body is in pain and if the head is in pain then the whole body is in pain". That, stands as one of the finest examples of proclaiming unity and brotherhood amongst people yet many of us do not know!
Today, my dear brothers and sisters, is the 15th of May 2008; today is the yawm al-nakba (an Arabic word meaning 'the day of the catastrophe'). Events around this day in 1948, –in simple human terms– saw the mass deportation of a million Palestinians from their cities and villages, massacres of civilians, and the razing to the ground of hundreds of Palestinian villages! In stark contrast to this, war is looked upon by Israelis as the "fulfillment of a historic ideal of the Jewish people to establish a homeland for the Jewish people." Here's what happened over the course of a few days surrounding 15th of May 1948.
- May 14: State of Israel proclaimed in Tel Aviv at 4pm.
- Haganah launches Operation Schfifon for capture of Old City of Jerusalem.
- May 15:
- British Mandate ends.
- Declaration of State of Israel comes into effect.
- President Truman recognizes State of Israel. First Egyptian troops cross border into Palestine and attack colonies of Kfar Darom and Nirim in Negev.
- Three Transjordanian Arab Legion brigades cross Jordan River into Palestine.
- Lebanese troops retake Lebanese villages of Malkiya and Qadas (on Lebanese border), attacked and captured earlier by Haganah.
- May 17:
- Haganah captures Acre
Plan Dalet, or Plan D was a plan that the Haganah had out during autumn 1947 to spring 1948; according to some sources it was conceived with the purpose of conquering as much of Palestine as possible and to expel as many Palestinians as possible. All events mentioned above (and sourced from here) are only executions of the infamous Plan D.
Today, is the 15th of May 2008; exactly sixty years ago, was laid one of the (most-fruitful, as I call it) seed of injustice, oppression, division, man-slaughter, rapes, genocides, carpet-bombings, invasions and the so-called war-on-terror in Israel!
Imagine, if tomorrow morning you were made to leave your homes, your property, your lands everything and leave your country under the the orders of a tyrant ruler who had laid foot on your soil just yesterday! Imagine what it would have been like had the British given the control of our beloved country India into the hands of say the Chinese, the Americans, or some other people who didn't even belong here... people whose sole intentions were to kick us out of our cozy little homes into a life of destitution and wandering... a life of trying to fight back against heavily armored tanks, thousands of fully armed soldiers, tyrant governments, unfair UN resolutions, automatic guns, powerful bombs, missiles, grenades, with only stones and swearing women on our sides! A life with absolutely no security... a life with no freedom as we feel it right now!
Imagine, if tomorrow morning you were made to leave your homes, your property, your lands everything and leave your country under the the orders of a tyrant ruler who had laid foot on your soil just yesterday! Imagine what it would have been like had the British given the control of our beloved country India into the hands of say the Chinese, the Americans, or some other people who didn't even belong here... people whose sole intentions were to kick us out of our cozy little homes into a life of destitution and wandering... a life of trying to fight back against heavily armored tanks, thousands of fully armed soldiers, tyrant governments, unfair UN resolutions, automatic guns, powerful bombs, missiles, grenades, with only stones and swearing women on our sides! A life with absolutely no security... a life with no freedom as we feel it right now!
Today, on 15th of May 2008, I, Abd elAzeez Shaikh, say a silent prayer for the millions of innocent Palestinians driven out of their homes, the thousands killed, raped, tortured and put behind bars in their very own country as part of the execution of this notorious Plan D which continues its operations under various different names still.
I pray that Almighty Allah bless all those affected, and give them peace. I pray that Allah the most Merciful grant paradise to those martyred in trying to re-gain their own lands. I pray that Allah, the Creator, Cherisher and Sustainer of everything that we know of and everything that we do not, give these people the patience to withstand this great trial without losing their faith in HIS Divine Decree and in HIS justice to be served on everyone the Day of Judgement. I pray that we all realize the truth and I pray that we all see the blatant reality which is the very basis of the conflict in Palestine, just like these one hundred and six prominent British Jews who have proclaimed that they will not be celebrating the 60th Anniversary of Israel in this letter titled We're not celebrating Israel's anniversary. —Ameen
All that, is what brings the incessant pain in my side and the tears that drown my heart each time I see the word Israel on TV or in the papers...But then, all is still not lost, hope lies beneath the rubble of broken homes and dead bodies too. For we Muslims have been taught to have faith in Allah the Most Kind and the Most Loving, and to put our complete trust in HIM and whatever HE decrees. The verse 40 from chapter 16 of the Glorious Quran which I've quoted above, is succeeded by the following verses:-
Today is the 15th of May 2008, and I only say Alhamdulillah.
—Abd elAzeez
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On 15 May 2011, the world is invited to express its understanding, solidarity and support to a people that has resisted... and continues to do so, for Justice in Palestine.
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