1985

"Abu Muadh and I smelled the blood of Yahya the Martyr from a distance of 500 metres, while he was in the car which took him to his final dwelling; to the earth which rejoiced at the addition of his chaste body, and which we hope will be a garden from the Gardens of Paradise..."
 

"Think not of those who are killed in the Way of Allah as dead. Nay, they are alive, with their Lord, and they have provision." [Quran 3:169]

These were the last words by which you bade farewell to the world, in a letter which was found in your pocket by the companion of your journey. It was he upon whom you pronounced your last breaths while your head rested on his chest.

Muhammad Ameen, our spokesman, said to me, "Yahya wrote this letter on the last night he lived on this earth."

Everything in your soul used to speak that you were the next to be a Martyr. There were your brothers who partook with you in the pains of the path of sacrifice, sweat and blood, under the shower of bullets and the thunder of cannons, to awaken an Ummah whose depths was filled by weakness and would only slumber at the foothold of every tyrannical oppressor. If it awoke, then with the strides of subservience it submitted to his regulations. How long did I swear to these people, O Yahya, that you would be a Martyr? They would say to you, "O Yahya, don't try and purify yourself too much," to which you would reply, "God forbid I purify myself (Allah is the One who will purify me)." They said that to you, but I sensed in my depths that you would be a Shaheed.

It was the Night of Arafat, and the Russians had pounced on you from above and from below. Hearts had reached to the throats; you rose with your brothers for Suhoor to fast the Day of Arafat in the land of the battle, for if the fasting of Arafat expiates two years' sins, how great is fasting Arafat under lava sprinkled from the sky as if it was a shower of rain! This, no doubt, has a reward which is much greater, and in an authentic hadith, it is stated that whoever fasted a day for the sake of Allah, Allah will make the distance between him and the Fire the length of seventy trenches.

So your brothers said to you, "O Yahya, let us eat Suhoor."

You replied, "I am going to perform ablution." Then you clarified yourself, saying,

"By Allah, I am not in a state of Janaba (ritual impurity), rather I am bathing to meet the Hoor which I saw in my dream. I have never seen a woman in my dream, but tonight she came to me with her clothes, her flirtatiousness, her beauty, her purity, and the blackness of her eyes - she is the Hoor!"

The battle of Jaji ended, but you were not lucky, O Yahya, in attaining Martyrdom. Thus, your brothers began to joke with you, saying, "Where did the Hoor go, the one that you insisted would arrive?!"

One of the Arab brothers told me, "Yahya stood at the graves of the three Arab Martyrs which lay at the peak of Jaji, and he started to address them saying, 'Soon I will be joining you, with the permission of Allah'."

The 7th of Muharram 1405 (23 September 1985) arrived and on that day you had an appointment with Martyrdom, the Martyrdom which you had not refrained from asking for, day and night. It was at the hands of a group of Communist agents, who opened fire on you at the gates of Jaji, that you attained it and you sealed the sale (of your soul) - insha-Allah.

O Yahya! Your fragrant blood began to flow and not a single person remained that touched your body or perfumed themselves with drops of your blood without the smell of musk filling their noses, and even everyone who attended your funeral (more than 100 people) began to wonder to themselves: 'Why have we never witnessed, nor smelled a scent in the whole of our lives, better or more fragrant than this one?'

Abul Hassan Al-Maqdisi said to me, "Abu Muadh and I smelled the blood of Yahya the Martyr from a distance of 500 metres, while he was in the car which took him to his final dwelling; to the earth which rejoiced at the addition of his chaste body, and which we hope will be a garden from the Gardens of Paradise."

Dr Ahmad said to me, "I met many of the martyrs, but I did not smell a better or more fragrant smell than this one."

A drop of blood flowing from the body of Shaheed Yahya Senyor 24 hours after his martyrdom

And Dr. Abu Muhammad said to me, "I entered the room in which Yahya's body was shrouded in the hospital three days after he was killed. The smell of musk diffused from all its corners!"

And Abu Hamza said to me, "My wife approached me after my return from the funeral saying, 'Which perfume is this that I smell?'"

You attained a solace, such that time could not strike its magnanimity, nor could it split its bond, or decrease its strength. You did not relent for a moment. You refused to let the Muslims' honour be violated, their support reduced or their victory be trampled on. You did not sit by patiently while the Muslims were being humiliated, nor did you stand by it, rather you advanced to Allah, composed, steadfast, relentless and unyielding.

You used to favour Wardak (a province in Afghanistan) because you had toured it completely. There was not a camp where the Mujahideen resided, nor a gathering of theirs, that you did not enter and familiarize yourself with. You tried to fulfill their needs and desires, trying to remove from them the deficiencies of their lives, due to which you used to call yourself Abdur Rahman Abdul Kabeer Al-Wardaki [the one from Wardak].

And thus, with the twinkling of an eye, Yahya passed to his Lord, and we pray that Allah delights him with a Faithful Seat beside the Throne of the Powerful Sovereign.

Your days among us were not many, O twenty-year old! And your soul passed to its Lord, leaving behind deep-rooted glory, and an honourable mention. We ask Allah to increase you in happiness upon your entry into the World of the Angels.

And we ask Allah - the Mighty and Majestic - to resurrect us amongst the blessed ones, and to grant us death as Martyrs, and to gather us in the presence of the Prophets, may Allah's Peace and Blessings be upon them. And we ask Allah - the Mighty and Majestic - to make us a substitute for you in goodness, and to enable your mother and your father and your brothers to understand that you are with your Creator, and we invoke Him to make you an intercessor for them on the Day of Judgement.

In closing, we will repeat the verse from the Holy Qur'an:

"Think not of those who are killed in the Way of Allah as dead. Nay, they are alive, with their Lord, and they have provision. They rejoice in what Allah has bestowed upon them of His bounty, rejoicing for the sake of those who have not yet joined them, but are left behind (not yet martyred) that on them no fear shall come, nor shall they grieve." [Quran 3:169-170]

And Glory and Praise be to You. I bear witness that there is no God worthy of worship but You, I ask Your forgiveness, and I turn to You in repentance.

Your brother Abu Muhammad:

The Last Letter from Shaheed Yahya Senyor:

The Muslim Mujahid knows his aim very well, and for that reason you will see him moving with an insight about his manner, and with firm strides, which know not retreat…he pays no attention to trials and punishments, rather he finds in them the object of his repose because they are in the Way of Allah: - and whoever treads the path of the Prophets does not ask himself whether he is walking on thorns or blades.

The last letter which Shaheed Yahya wrote to his family is a bigger indication of the truth of what we have spoken about him; so listen to him when he says:

'I am here…despite the airplanes, the tanks, and the shelling which continues day and night, and despite the intense cold and the hunger, I am in the peak of happiness and have peace of mind, because I feel that I am doing the most beloved of acts to Allah, and Allah does not waste the rewards of those who act. This Jihad is the only way that man can present to Allah acts which please Him and to return to this Ummah its full honour.'

1989

Dr. Sheikh Abdullah Yusuf Azzam. Palestinian. Assassinated on 24 November 1989 in Peshawar, Pakistan, Aged 48. 1st Hand Accounts.

Time Magazine wrote about him that ' he was the reviver of Jihad in the 20th Century'. Abdullah Yusuf Azzam was born in the village of Ass-ba'ah Al-Hartiyeh, province of Jineen in the occupied sacred land of Palestine in 1941 CE. He was brought up in a humble house where he was taught Islam, and was fed with the love of Allah, His Messenger (SAW), those striving in the Way of Allah, the righteous people and the desire for the Hereafter.
 

Abdullah Azzam was a distinguished kid who started propagating Islam at an early age. His peers knew him as a pious child. He showed signs of excellence at an early age. His teachers recognized this while he was still at elementary school.
Sheikh Abdullah Azzam was known for his perseverance and serious nature ever since he was a small boy. He received his early elementary and secondary education in his village, and continued his education at the agricultural Khadorri College where he obtained a Diploma. Although he was the youngest of his colleagues, he was the cleverest and the smartest. After he graduated from Khadorri College, he worked as a teacher in a village called Adder in South Jordan. Later he joined Sharia College in Damascus University where he obtained a B.A. Degree in Shariah (Islamic Law) in 1966. After the Jews captured the West Bank in 1967, Sheikh Abdullah Azzam decided to migrate to Jordan, because he could not live under the Jews' occupation of Palestine. The sin of the Israeli tanks rolling into the West Bank without any resistance made him even more determined to migrate in order to learn the skills necessary to fight.

In the late 1960's he joined the Jihad against the Israeli occupation of Palestine from Jordan. Soon after that, he went to Egypt and graduated with a Masters Degree in Shariah from the University of Al-Azhar. In 1970 and after Jihad came to a halt by forcing PLO forces out of Jordan, he assumed the position of teaching in the Jordanian University in Amman. In 1971 he was awarded a scholarship to Al-Azhar University in Cairo from which he obtained a Ph.D Degree in Principles of Islamic Jurisprudence (Usool-ul-Fiqh) in 1973. During his stay in Egypt he came to know the family of Shaheed Sayyed Qutb.

Sheikh Abdullah Azzam spent a long time participating in the Jihad in Palestine. However, matters there were not to his liking, for the people involved in the Jihad were far removed from Islam. He told of how these people used to spend the nights playing cards and listening to music, under the illusion that they were performing Jihad to liberate Palestine. Sheikh Abdullah Azzam mentioned that, out of the thousands in the camp he was in, the number of people who offered their Salah in congregation were so few that they could be counted on one hand. He tried to steer them towards Islam, but they resisted his attempts. One day he rhetorically asked one of the 'Mujahideen' what the religion behind the Palestinian revolution was, to which the man replied, quite clearly and bluntly,

"This revolution has no religion behind it."

This was the last straw. Sheikh Abdullah Azzam left Palestine, and went to Saudi Arabia to teach in the universities there.

When Sheikh Azzam realised that only by means of an organised force would the Ummah ever be able to gain victory, then Jihad and the Gun became his pre-occupation and recreation. "Jihad and the rifle alone: no negotiations, no conferences and no dialogues," he would say. By practising what he was preaching, Sheikh Abdullah Azzam was one of the first Arabs to join the Afghan Jihad against the communist USSR

In 1979, when he learned about the Afghan Jihad, he left his teaching position at King Abdul-Aziz University in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and went to Islamabad, Pakistan, in order to be able to participate in the Jihad. He moved to Pakistan to be close to the Afghan Jihad, and there he got to know the leaders of the Jihad. During the early time of his stay in Pakistan, he was appointed a lecturer in the International Islamic University in Islamabad. After a while he had to quit the University to devote his full time and energy to the Jihad in Afghanistan.

In the early 1980's, Sheikh Abdullah Azzam came to experience the Jihad in Afghanistan. In this Jihad he found satisfaction of his longing and untold love to fight in the Path of Allah, just as Allah's Messenger (SAW) once said, "One hour spent fighting in the Path of Allah is worth more than seventy years spent in praying at home." [Authentic, At-Tirmithi and Al-Hakem].

Inspired by this Hadith, Sheikh Abdullah Azzam immigrated with his family to Pakistan in order to be closer to the field of Jihad. Soon after, he then moved from Islamabad to Peshawar to be even closer to the field of Jihad and Martyrdom.

In Peshawar, Sheikh Abdullah Azzam founded the Bait-ul-Ansar (Mujahideen Services Bureau with the aim of offering all possible assistance to the Afghani Jihad and the Mujahideen through establishing and managing projects that supported the cause. The Bureau also received and trained volunteers pouring into Pakistan to participate in Jihad and allocating them to the front lines.

Unsurprisingly, this was not enough to satisfy Sheikh Azzam's burning desire for Jihad. That desire drove him finally to go to the front-line. On the battlefield, the Sheikh gracefully played his destined role in that generous epic of heroism.

In Afghanistan he hardly ever settled in one place. He travelled throughout the country, visiting most of its provinces and states such as Lujer, Qandahar, Hindukush Heights, the Valley of Binjistr, Kabul and Jalalabad. These travels allowed Sheikh Abdullah Azzam to witness first hand the heroic deeds of these ordinary people, who had sacrificed all that they possessed -including their own lives - for the Supremacy of the Deen of Islam.

In Peshawar, upon his return from these travels, Sheikh Azzam spoke about Jihad constantly. He prayed to restore the Unity among the divided Mujahideen commanders; called upon those who had not yet joined the fighting to take up arms and to follow him to the front before it would be too late.

Abdullah Azzam was greatly influenced by the Jihad in Afghanistan and the Jihad was greatly influenced by him since he devoted his full time to its cause. He became the most prominent figure in the Afghani Jihad aside from the Afghan leaders. He spared no effort to promote the Afghan cause to the whole world, especially through the Muslim Ummah. He travelled all over the world, calling on Muslims to rally to the defence of their religion and lands. He wrote a number of books on Jihad, such as Join the Caravan and Defence of Muslim Lands. Moreover, he himself participated bodily in the Afghan Jihad, despite the fact that he was in his forties. He traversed Afghanistan, from north to south, east to west, in snow, through the mountains, in heat and in cold, riding donkeys and on foot. Young men with him used to tire from such exertions, but not Sheikh Abdullah Azzam.
 

He changed the minds of Muslims about the Jihad in Afghanistan and presented the Jihad as an Islamic cause which concerned all Muslims around the world. Due to his efforts, the Afghani Jihad became universal in which Muslims from every part of the world participated. Soon, volunteer Islamic fighters began to travel to Afghanistan from the four corners of the Earth, to fulfil their obligation of Jihad and in defence of their oppressed Muslim brothers and sisters.

The Sheikh's life revolved around a single goal, namely the establishment of Allah's Rule on earth, this being the clear responsibility of each and every Muslim. So in order to accomplish his life's noble mission of restoring the Khilafah, the Sheikh focused on Jihad (the armed struggle to establish Islam). He believed Jihad must be carried out until the Khilafah (Islamic Rule) is established so the light of Islam may shine on the whole world.

Sheikh Abdullah Azzam made Jihad in every possible way, responding to the call of Allah:

"Go forth, light and heavy, and strive with your selves and your wealth in the path of Allah. That is better for you, if only you knew." [Quran, 9:41]

He reared his family also, in the same spirit, so that his wife, for example, engaged in orphan care and other humanitarian work in Afghanistan. He refused teaching positions at a number of universities, declaring that he would not quit Jihad until he was either martyred or assassinated. He used to reiterate that his ultimate goal was still to liberate Palestine. He was once quoted as saying,

" Never shall I leave the Land of Jihad, except in three circumstances. Either I shall be killed in Afghanistan. Either I shall be killed in Peshawar. Or either I shall be handcuffed and expelled from Pakistan."

Jihad in Afghanistan had made Abdullah Azzam the main pillar of the Jihad movement in the modern times. Through taking part in this Jihad, and through promoting and clarifying the obstacles which have been erected in the path of Jihad, he played a significant role in changing the minds of Muslims about Jihad and the need for it. He was a role model for the young generation that responded to the call of Jihad. He had a great appreciation for Jihad and the need for it. Once he said,

" I feel that I am nine years old: seven-and-a-half years in the Afghan Jihad, one-and-a-half years in the Jihad in Palestine, and the rest of the years have no value."

From his pulpit Sheikh Azzam was always reiterating his conviction that:

"Jihad must not be abandoned until Allah (SWT) Alone is worshipped. Jihad continues until Allah's Word is raised high. Jihad until all the oppressed peoples are freed. Jihad to protect our dignity and restore our occupied lands. Jihad is the way of everlasting glory."

History, as well as anyone who knew Sheikh Abdullah Azzam closely, all testify to his courage in speaking the truth, regardless of the consequences. He always bore in mind the command of Allah to: "Proclaim openly that which you were commanded, and turn away from the polytheists ( Mushrikeen)." [Quran, 15:94].

On every occasion Sheikh Abdullah Azzam reminded all Muslims that,

"Muslims cannot be defeated by others. We Muslims are not defeated by our enemies, but instead, we are defeated by our own selves."

He was a fine example of Islamic manners, in his piety, his devotion to Allah and his modesty in all things. He would never adulate in his relations with others. Sheikh Azzam always listened to the youth, he was dignified and did not allow fear to have access to his brave heart. He practised continual fasting especially the alternate daily fasting routine of Prophet Dawud (SAW). He strongly counselled others to practice fasting on Mondays and Thursdays. The Sheikh was a man of uprightness, honesty and virtue, and was never heard to slander others or to talk unpleaasently about an individual Muslim.

As the Jihad in Afghanistan went on, he was succeeding in uniting together all the various fighting groups in the Afghani Jihad. Naturally, such a pride to Islam caused great distress to the enemies of this religion, and they plotted to eliminate him. In 1989 CE, a lethal amount of TNT explosive was placed beneath the pulpit from which he delivered the sermon every Friday. It was such a formidable quantity that if it had exploded, it would have destroyed the mosque, together with everything and everybody in it. Hundreds of Muslims would have been killed, but Allah provided protection and the bomb did not explode.

The enemies, determined to accomplish their ugly task, tried another plot in Peshawar, shortly after this in the same year When Allah (SWT) willed that Sheikh Abdullah Azzam should leave this world to be in His closest company (we hope that it is so), the Sheikh departed in a glorious manner. The day was Friday, 24 November 1989.

The enemies of Allah planted three bombs on a road so narrow only a single car could travel on it. It was the road Sheikh Abdullah Azzam would use to drive to the Friday Prayer. That Friday, the Sheikh, together with two of his own sons, Ibrahim and Muhammad, and with one of the sons of the late Sheikh Tameem Adnani (another hero of the Afghan Jihad), drove along the road. The car stopped at the position of the first bomb, and the Sheikh alighted to walk the remainder of the way. The enemies, lying in wait, then exploded the bomb. A loud explosion and a great thundering were heard all over the city.

People emerged from the mosque, and beheld a terrible scene. Only a small fragment of the car remained. The young son Ibrahim flew 100 metres into the air; the other two youths were thrown a similar distance away, and their remains were scattered among the trees and power lines. As for Sheikh Abdullah Azzam himself, his body was found resting against a wall, totally intact and not at all disfigured, except that some blood was seen issuing from his mouth.

That fateful blast indeed ended the worldly journey of Sheikh Abdullah Azzam which had been spent well in struggling, striving and fighting in the Path of Allah (SWT). It also secured his more real and eternal life in the gardens of Paradise - we ask Allah that it is so -, that he will enjoy along with the illustrious company of "those on whom is the Grace of Allah, the Prophets, the Sincere ones, the Martyrs and the Righteous. The Best of company are they." [Quran, 4:69].

It was in this way that this great hero and reformer of Islam departed from the arena of Jihad and from this world, never to return. He was buried in the Pabi Graveyard of the Shuhadaa' in Peshawar, where he joined hundreds of other Shuhadaa'. May Allah accept him as a martyr, and grant him the highest station in Paradise. The struggle which he stood for continues, despite the enemies of Islam. There is not a Land of Jihad today in the world, nor a Mujahid fighting in Allah's Way, who is not inspired by the life, teachings and works of Sheikh Abdullah Azzam (May Allah have Mercy on him).

We ask Allah (SWT) to accept the deeds of Sheikh Abdullah Azzam and bring him to the Highest Part of Paradise. We ask Allah (SWT) to raise up for this Ummah more Sheikhs of this calibre, who take their knowledge to the battlefield rather than confining it in books.

With this article, we record the events of Islamic history which took place in the ten years from 1979 to 1989, and continue to happen. As Sheikh Abdullah Azzam himself once said,
 

" Indeed Islamic history is not written except with the blood of the Shuhadaa', except with the stories of the Shuhadaa' and except with the examples of the Shuhadaa'. "

"They seek to extinguish the light of Allah by their mouths. But Allah refuses save to perfect His light, even if the disbelievers are averse. It is He who has sent His messenger with the guidance and the true religion, in order that He may make it prevail over all religions, even if the pagans are averse." [Quran, 9:32-33].

"...I would have left you to be gathered by Allah from the stomachs of beasts and the throats of birds"

"Woe be to his mother, he would start a war if he had the men"

Thus the heroes of the battlefield were killed, one after another and the lands of Jalalabad swallowed one lion after another. The pain crushed Abu Abdullah Usama bin Ladin's heart. Whenever he bade farewell to another of his children, a new bomb fell on his heart, tearing another piece of it, and leaving him to writhe in agony. Before being able to tend his wounded heart, a new arrow would inflict more wounds, so he would scrape off the scabs of the previous wounds which had barely healed. With every traveller to Allah, his silent demeanour would seem to say,

"Are all the afflictions with me, every one of them?
Then how did you arrive from the crowd?
I was wounded deeply, so there does not remain
A place for the wounds of arrows or swords."

Abu Zhahab was killed, so Abu Abdullah Usama said to me: "I never mourned a soul as I mourned the soul of Abu Zhahab." Khalid followed Abu Zhahab, at which Abu Abdullah Usama said: "Nobody was as precious to me as Khalid, then Abdul-Mannan and Abdur-Rahman Al-Misri."

As for Jalalabad, there the hands of fate seized the body of Abu Tariq Al-Ma'ribi, then they seized the body of Abu Qutaybah, which provoked plentiful tears. Death then drew upon Shafeeq, and thus the separation of love was a test of the soul's patience. As for Shafeeq, say of him what you please - of courage, fearlessness, patience, and endurance - for he was one of the youngest men to come to the Jihad in Afghanistan.

His Arrival into Afghanistan

He came, the sixth of six students of a known scholar in Madinah Al-Munawarrah. Among these students were the Shuhadaa' (Martyrs) Abu Qutaybah and Khalid Al-Kurdi. They walked the thorny path of wearing shoes of insufferable thorns, and drinking the agonies of sorrow. I accompanied them on their journey for the first few days, and I would worry about them greatly, with the tenderness of their skin and the slenderness of their bodies. The matter at hand was above their captivity, and was a burden weighing heavily on their shoulders. All Praise be to Allah, the last thing one would imagine would be these men continuing their journey down this painful, bloody path, but they remained steadfast, and Allah granted them strength to persevere. These pillars of the towering building of Islam were lowered after a time, and we missed them dearly.

Everyone has their excuses for abandoning the Jihad, but will they stand as justifications in front of Allah Ar-Rahman on the Day of Judgement? This is somewhat doubtful.

At the Usama bin Zayd Training Camp

Asadullah, the commander of Usama bin Zayd Training Camp, was an eminent personality to many of the Arab brothers who came to the Jihad, both for his courage, and the running of his camp. Shafeeq went to him, along with some of his Arab brothers. A Communist invasion of the camp took place during their stay there, and the enemy entered into the very room which Shafeeq was in. It was a shear miracle that saved Shafeeq and Abu Hanifah from the enemy: Allah ordained for them to live. The following day, the Mujahideen wanted to reclaim the camp from the hands of Kufr. Shafeeq was one of these lions who attacked the enemy, along with Jal-ar-Rahman. The camp was reclaimed and Jal-ar-Rahman was martyred. Shafeeq travelled between the Jadoodiyah camps in Pakhtia and Kunar, then his father came to Afghanistan to take him back to Madinah, which he succeeded in doing.

I visited to Madinah, and there I saw Shafeeq, working in the Haram (Holy Mosque) of Madinah. He took me on a tour of the Haram, but he didn't stay long; he seemed restless. He would inevitably return to Afghanistan, by any means possible, and he did so after a little while. After a while, Abu Abdullah Usama finally went to the Jihad and began constructing his Lion's Den: a task which initially faced many problems and obstacles. He collaborated with two people, Shafeeq and one other. The Lion's Den began to grow, day by day, but the bitter cold of the winter frost was too much for the brothers who bore it during their first year in Afghanistan, so I would worry about them greatly.

The Battle of the Lion's Den, Jaji, 1987

Ramadhan 1987 CE (1407 AH), Allah decreed for this small Arab camp to face a vicious attack by both the Russians and Communists. Allah also decreed a victory for the Muslims, in which the Arab brothers played a major part - after that of Allahu (SWT).

It is on the shoulders of these men that nations are built. Abul-Shaheed Al-Arhabi said:

"I was in the battle. Everyone wanted to rest for a few moments because of the immense afflictions surrounding us, which were weighing down our souls. During this critical time, I saw Shafeeq with his slender body, carrying the mortars on his back to pitch in the direction of the enemy, so I said to myself: 'It is on the shoulders of these men that the Jihad is built,' after which I immediately corrected myself and said, 'Indeed, it is on the shoulders of these men that nations are built.'"

Shafeeq Continues the Journey

The journey continued, and the influx of Arab brothers increased, immediately after the Battle of the Lion's Den. Shafeeq continued to move from place to place, an anonymous soldier. Nobody spoke of him, and nobody knew him, except those who lived under the protection of Abu Abdullah. He worked in Khost, but when the volcanoes of Jalalabad erupted, he came to Jalalabad, and would only be seen in the foremost positions on which the hottest lines of fire fell. The men gradually began to fall, proudly, in this field of bravery, while Shafeeq continued his journey, awaiting his death. I did not find the verses of Abu Talib more befitting to an Arab martyr than Shafeeq:

"Less distressed in calamities than an arrow,
And quicker to advance than a dart
The most honourable of the world's children, a lion you appear.
Like a sword, slicing through disaster,
Upholding the fighting all around,
Every sword, handled like a member of the family."

I had written lines for another Arab brother Shaheed, but when word reached me of Shafeeq's martyrdom, I thought: "Shafeeq is more worthy of these verses."

The truth is that fear held no place in the lives of these youth who came to the Jihad as youngsters, grew up in the fire of hardship, and matured on the flames of its furnace. During his patrols, Shafeeq used to reach the positions close to the battlefield or a distance of 20m from Jalalabad so that he could listen to the speech of the soldiers. If poetry were spoken by one of their tongues, he would say:

"Glory be to He who created me, what delight
In what others regard as utmost pain
Time is surprised at how I carry her tribulations,
And at my body's patience with her shattering events."

The Martyrdom: 3rd Dhul-Hijjah 1409 (5 July 1989)

The Communists wanted to approach the centre of the Arab brothers, so they seized the opportunity of Eid, when the Afghani brothers departed from the camp to spend Eid with their families. The disbeliveers took advantage of this and sent three armoured tanks on the main highway toward Khush Kanbad and Kryzkabar. The Mujahideen prepared their anti-tank rockets to attack the Russians, but were puzzled at the appearance of the Russian tanks in the hills. One of the brothers thus went forth with a 82mm gun, but it failed to fire, so Shafeeq took a 75mm rocket launcher and fired a round of missiles at the tanks, destroying some of them. The Russian vehicles were many in number, however, and were swiftly approaching. Shafeeq thus ushered to the other brothers to retreat whilst he held them off together with one other brother. Therefore, only these two remained fighting the tanks by themselves. A few moments later, one tank fired a round that landed on Shafeeq and scattered his limbs throughout the air. The Arab brothers retreated and Abu Ubaidah raided the magazines to attack the Russians once more. One other brother was injured. The Arabs tried to carry him to shelter, but the tanks by this time were very close, so the injured brother asked the others to leave him and try to save themselves. They retreated once more, and the enemy entered their station. However, during their stay, the Mujahideen did not allow them to sleep for three months - unable to rest, nor be settled.

Thus Shafeeq was torn, for Allah to gather him from the throats of birds and the stomachs of beasts. As the Prophet (SAWS) said upon the death of Hamzah bin Abdul-Mutallib:

"If it weren't for Saffiyah's sadness, I would have left you to be gathered by Allah from the stomachs of beasts and the throats of birds."

I met him at a conference in America in December 1988, and he began to follow me from place to place. Under the pretence of journalism, he was allowed to remain alone with me in the hotel, frequenting my room now and again. Thus, all Praise be to Allah, he clinged to me, not permitting my separation from him. When the end of the conference came within sight, he began to tempt me by offering me visits to his city of residence. He came to me with a group of youth from Arlington, who said to me: “Abu Tariq, the pilot, is in our city, and it is buzzing for Jihad like a beehive, and it is in our duty to visit it. It is close to Oklahoma, and you can travel there by car.” So I rode in the car of brother Mustafa Rajab, and I travelled with them to their city. The hours in which I met Abu Tariq after a long separation from him were passionate and emotional. He had participated in laying the foundations of the Service Bureau, and had taken the lead in the charitable journey, which the service bureau had embarked upon.

Abu Tayyib decided to divorce the land of America thrice, never to return. I returned to Peshawar, and after a while Abu Tayyib followed me. I took him to Sada, and at this point the sound of Islamic Callers at work was still a thought in people's minds, but I advised him to make it a reality, and he was thus the first to be engaged in this activity. He wanted dearly to serve this religion, and Allah (SWT) bestowed upon him knowledge of Islamic education and culture. The radiance was noticeable on his face, the radiance of the spirit which penetrated his limbs, and the purity of his soul which shone through his forehead. And what is more beautiful radiance than that of awakening determination?

Whenever the spirits of hawks awake,
And move within the heart and souls,
The youth see a resisting place for their determination in the orbits and the luminous horizon.
You are the hawk, so build your nest and live,
On the peaks of heights and on the mountain tops.

In Ramadan

In Ramadan, Dr. Hamzah returned from Kabul and told us of his need for Mujahid doctors, saying that he personally would be responsible for their schooling, and that they would be a group saved from the Hellfire. I spoke in the mosque about this precious need, and I hit a nerve in Abu Tayyib. Consequently, Dr. Hamzah was able to persuade him and send him to Kabul.

On Eid-ul-Fitr, Abul-Hasan Al-Madani returned from Kabul and informed me of the arrival of some Arab brothers. He said that he noticed from amongst them a particular youth, who appeared sincere, and had some traits of leadership. So he trained him to be the Commander of one group, without ever having known him prior to his arrival in Kabul

To Shokhdara

He landed in Shokdara with Abu Ali Al-Maaliki, and decided to remain there. The battlefield grew more intense, and the quiet lull became into the vehement roar of the Mujahideen and the enemy aeroplanes, whose roar resounded night and day close to Kabul. The Mujahideen withdrew from At-Tiba where Abu Ali resided, after which nobody remained there except Abu Ali and five of his Arab brothers, such that if they also left, Kryzmyr would fall into the hands of Allah’s enemies. So they promised themselves not to leave the place, until their bodies were ripped open. The situation here also pleased Abu Tayyib, and he found his soul in the flames of love, and it was here that he saw, on the extent of his hope, a peaceful resting-place.

His sense is apparent in many forms,
Among men, sometimes like water, or a mirage.
And his envier may call him a mad man,
If the swords were to meet, but some minds are lame.

The Account of Muhammad Al-Mushtaq, the best friend of Abu Tayyib

After the Isha prayer on the evening of 29 June 1989, his friend and life-long companion, Muhammad Al-Mushtaq Al-Maghribi, came to me and asked me in wonder: “Did Abu Tayyib pass away?” I answered perplexed, “Who sent you here?” He replied, “An Algerian brother coming from Peshawar heard Taqi-ud-Din Al-Jazai’ree, who was returning from Shokhdara, talking about it.” So I said to him, "Ask Abul-Hasan al-Madani, he is in the control room.” He went to the control room and there was Muhammad Al-Mushtaq, in the dark of the night, unable to find an expression of grief other than tears which smothered his face. Through the tears he called to the soul of his brother, Abu Tayyib, who had accompanied him on the journey from Morocco to America to Sada. May Allah (SWT) have Mercy on his soul and may he unite us with him amongst the pious.

And thus Abu Tayyib came to pass, and his peaceful death came only after he had proved himself as a falcon, an impassioned lion. With a flash he was gone, and we missed him being amongst us, after we achieved with his fighting what others didn’t achieve with their cries, shouting and speech.

Muhammad Al-Mushtaq, his beloved brother and life-long friend wrote about him:

Hasan Walafee - Abu Tayyib - was born in the city of Fez on 3 March 1964. He was a youth who was brought up from a very young age on the love and servitude of the Religion. He used to fast on Mondays and Thursdays, and he would stand between Allah’s (SWT) two Hands during the last third of the night. The Witr prayer would never bypass him, and Allah’s Book would never leave his side, whether or not he was travelling. He would always receive his daily guidance from the Quran, whatever the circumstance, and he was, may Allah have Mercy on him, constant in the recitation of the morning and evening remembrances. He would never sleep, except in a state of purification, nor would he sleep except after reading Surah Al-Mulk (Surah 67), however tired he was. Sometimes sleep would conquer him, so he would take a nap before completing the recitation, but he would always defeat his sleep by waking up and finishing the Surah.

He was a valiant youth who had no fear for the enemy. Islam and its Call were his life; they would never tire him or bore him.

We were together in high school, where he would always deliver lectures on Islam and answer the scepticism of the Communists and the apostates, be they students or teachers. After he went to University, he refused to enter into the discipline of Islamic Studies because he saw that most of the students were Muslim. Instead, he entered the disciplines of philosophy and psychology, because most of the students, if not less than 99% of them, were atheists. He was able to give them the message of Islam, and he became a thorn in their throats. He played an effective role in the department, from which some of his teachers began to harbour feelings of hatred towards him, and fail him in his exams. He used to lie in ambush for the Communists and atheists, so when he heard talk of one of their lectures, he followed them and stopped them delivering it.

He was, may Allah have Mercy on him, a possessor of extensive knowledge on Islamic and modern literary culture, and he was particularly fond of the books of Muhammad and Syed Qutb, especially “In the Shade of the Quran.” He also used to like the books of Fathi Yakan Al-Harakeeya, and loved the books of the pious predecessors, such as Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn-ul Qayyim.

He was, may Allah have Mercy upon him, an active member of the Islamic Movement, and it was unusual to find him in a situation other than service to the group, whether it was calling people to Islam or educating people’s hearts before their minds. He occupied a place in everybody’s hearts wherever he travelled or resided; everyone who met him loved him at first sight. He had early connections with the Moroccan “Al-Islah” magazine. He also wrote a long treatise on Afghanistan - past and present.

He wrote a moving, emotional letter to his mother revealing how close he was to Allah - Glory be to Him and how Exalted is He! We regard him thus and do not praise anyone above Allah. This applies to his high command of expression and his links with Islamic Culture - the revolutionary books. So we hope that Allah will shelter him with His Mercy and will make him an intercessor for us and for his mother and for his family on the Day of Judgement. He is the All-Hearing, All-Near and all-Responding
 
 

The Doctor of Hearts and Bodies, The Preacher of the Valley

"I think that the doctors will receive a heavy punishment on the Day of Judgement because of their absence from treating the wounded on the battlefield."

His life long friend, Taqiudeen, was with him during his last moments in which he bid farewell to the world. They lived together in the Valley of Jihad (the Valley of Soofa in Afghanistan), and in the forest of lions. He graduated from high school and studied to be a laboratory technician. He then graduated from the Institute with his brother Abu Bashir Al-Jazairi. He worked in the Valley's hospital, and became brilliant in his field of specialisation.

This seedling, which led a comfortable life in a sheltered environment, lived in the garden of Islamic dawah. It sprouted with the permission of its Lord, and ripened into the beautiful fruit with which Allah inspired the Islamic thinkers of this age. It touched the hands of youth and it guided them. And Sayyid Qutb - may Allah have Mercy on him - has a role in this which Allah prepared for him. His God-given talent flowed through his pen, fluently and eloquently. Allah granted Sayyid's expressions beauty and magnificence, and his words encouraged this seedling throughout its life. Allah decreed for Sayyid to die in a tall, dignified manner, which blew life and soul into his words, and which penetrated the hearts of the children of the nation. This was also the case regarding the later Islamic writers who followed in his footsteps.

Nasir was raised on the tables of these thinkers, and in the corner of his house there was a small library filled with their books. In the depths was a special place for the books on Seerah (Biography of the Prophet SAWS), and thus the Seerah was the subject of the lectures which he delivered in the mosque's study circles. He would comment on the events in the Seerah, and his explanation of them was such that his friends, such as Taqiudeen, would be full of admiration for him. Some brothers would display their admiration, to which Nasir would reply: "I seek Allah's Forgiveness."

To the Land of Jihad

Nasir left the Valley in 1985 and headed for the Land of Jihad, leaving behind him a big hollow. But who would be a more beautiful and suitable man to fill this hollow than his brother Ali? Upon Nasir's arrival at the Land of Jihad, he worked as an assistant in his field of specialisation by the side of Dr. Salih Al-Libi. Then Nasir returned to Algeria and began frequenting the house of Dr. Salih's family there, out of love and loyalty towards him.

Nasir returned to the Jihad for a second time, and he headed towards the Afghani valley of Soofa. There he began to devote himself to his work as a doctor, as there was a lack of doctors in Afghanistan at that time. After six months, Abul-Hassan Al-Madani assigned him to work in one of the hospitals, which pleased Nasir immensely. His joy increased upon the arrival of Taqiudeen and Jamaludeen, his beloved brothers. Jamaludeen was one of the youth whom Allah had guided through the efforts of Nasir. Nasir would say: "I don't know at which I should be more delighted: working in the hospital of the Mujahideen, or the arrival of Taqiudeen and Jamaludeen."

It was only for three days. The souls had not been quenched of thirst, nor did the reunion relieve their yearning to meet again:

" You returned to us, but our souls were not satisfied
Yearning for you. Nor did our eyes become dry."

It was only for three days in which the teacher met his student, before the spinning mill of death seized the soul of Jamaludeen. This was in the same week in which Waseel - the Commander of the unit in Shokhdara - was martyred, leaving a deep sorrow in everyone's souls. Nasir's tongue would constantly remember him, not knowing that they would meet again after only a day or two, if Allah granted them both admission to Paradise, and their souls flew in the hearts of green birds.

The Promised Day came

The government troops headed for Shokhdara, and on the fourth day, the brothers prayed the dawn Fajr Prayer. As was their habit, they read the morning supplications followed by a portion of the Quran. Then, at 08:30 hrs, they received news of the troops' arrival, so the Mujahideen rushed to the mountain peaks. As for Nasir, he headed for the Wudu (Ablution) area. Taqiudeen tried to hurry him, but Nasir insisted on completing his Wudu before climbing to the shelter of the mountains.

The mountains resounded with the cries of 'Allahu Akbar!' and 'La illaha illallah!', while the lions of Allah ensured that the enemy tasted the flames of the fire of this world before the flames of the Hellfire. The enemy began to retreat, defeated, taking with it its casualties of war. The shells of the Mujahideen had run out, so Nasir rushed with Taqiudeen to fetch some more. On the way to the ammunition store, while Taqiudeen was telling Nasir to move faster, a shell fell into the 1.5metre gap between the two of them. Taqiudeen turned his face away from the explosion and held his nose against the dust. After the dust settled, Taqiudeen turned back to look for Nasir. The shrapnel had penetrated his body, seriously wounding him. So Taqiudeen carried him to a cave and began to read Surah Yasin (Quran, Surah 36) over Nasir, while his veins gushed forth with pure, sinless blood.

Before Taqiudeen was able to finish reciting the Surah for the third time, Nasir's soul ascended to its creator. It was witnessed and protested in favour of he who remained behind, who was searching the field but could find in it neither a preacher or a doctor, so he said - "With what will the scholars, preachers and doctors answer their Lord on the Day of Judgement concerning their absence from the Jihad in the way of Allah?"

Nasir had sent me a message, asking me to send them a doctor or even some medicine, as he said: "A Christian woman came to attend to the wounded Mujahideen, but where are the Muslims?"

Indeed, I heard the words of Abul-Junaid after returning from Faryab, where he saw the urgent need of doctors on the battlefield. He showed us a video of the legs of the wounded being cut by a wood-saw, and said: "This sawing is happening while the Mujahid is awake and conscious. You can perceive 10-20 people who died of pain while the doctor tried to saw their legs or hands."

Abul-Junaid gave a message to the doctors about Jihad, while living through the crisis of their absence: "I think that the doctors will receive a heavy punishment on the Day of Judgement because of their absence from treating the wounded on the battlefield."

Are the calls of the wounded heard by the tens of thousands of doctors in the Islamic world? You will find that some of these men in the government hospitals will not even work in their own countries without getting paid for every minute.

"It is only those who listen (to the Message of the Prophet Muhammad(SAWS), will respond (benefit from it), but as for the dead (disbelievers), Allah will raise them up, then to Him will they be returned (for their recompense)." [Quran 6:36]

And we hope that Allah - Glory be to Him and most Exalted is He - will accept the martyrdom of our brother Nasir and will gather us with him in the highest Paradise

Jamaludeen Al-Jazairi, killed in Afghanistan in 1989 [PHOTO]

"I saw Rasheed in a dream eating out of the hands of the Hoor Al-Ain (Paradise Maidens)"

From the Valley of Jihad in Soofa, came our martyr, Rasheed, and within this Valley he flourished. He rose and marched forth with his contemporaries in the Islamic Movement. If the Jihad was not its first and foremost agenda, there would be no justification for the existence and Call of this movement. And what would the mighty preachers talk about other than swords, arrows and spears?

But where was Rasheed to get the plane ticket? He was convinced of the obligation of Jihad through the feats of the fighters in Afghanistan which he had heard, and through the stories of the Salaf's (Pious Muslim Predecessors) amazing bravery and character.

The only option open to Rasheed, whether he liked it or not, was to leave his education and work, so that he could save the fruits of his honest labour and the sweat on his brow to buy a ticket. The fulfilment of his duty would only be complete with the ticket, so obtaining the ticket, in effect, became a duty itself. And if the Jihad would only be complete with his advancement to Afghanistan, the struggle to buy a ticket was now a Fard (obligation).

He travelled from Algeria to Turkey to try again to attain a visa for Pakistan, but his request was rejected, so he lost hope in Turkey as a means of obtaining his visa. From Turkey, he travelled to Syria, and after much ado Allah ordained for him to obtain the visa there. Upon reaching Pakistan, he headed for the camp of Khalid bin Waleed, where he received military training, after which he travelled to Khost, then to Nangarhar and Jalalabad. There he was responsible for firing the heavy artillery. The Afghans loved him dearly, and the Afghani Commander entrusted him with tracking down fugitives. Thus, his repute spread like wildfire among Allah's enemies until there resided a fear of him in all their hearts

One day, the roar of the cannons reached Rasheed's room, causing two of its walls to cave on top of him. He was afflicted with light wounds, so he went to have them treated in Shokhdara, accompanied by Taqiudeen. There, Jamaludeen had a passionate reunion with his teacher, Dr. Nasir Al-Jazairi, after a long absence from one another. They spent three days together, which passed like the blink of an eye. On the third day, the enemy tankards came to storm the locality in which the Arab brothers resided. Jamaludeen drew his weapon, and aimed a rocket grenade in the direction of an approaching armoured vehicle, and the 'Allahu Akbar!' chanted by the Arabs echoed throughout the clouds in the sky. The disbeliveers were defeated, and the victory chants could be heard from all directions. As the disbeliveers began to retreat, leaving behind their wounded, Taqiudeen went to collect some more shells. Upon his return, in the beautiful fragrance of victory, Taqiudeen asked about Jamaludeen and Uthman Al-Yemeni. The Afgans replied that they had ascended to the refuge of the mountain peaks, so Taqiudeen followed, that he may see them. All of a sudden, he heard the yell of an Afghani brother: "Shaheed! Shaheed!"

Taqiudeen asked for an explanation of this strange cry, so the brother replied: "Two of the Arabs have been martyred." Taqiudeen proceeded to the location of the martyrdom, and there lay Jamaludeen, enshrouded. He had reached his Lord, and there he rested, leaving behind him sorrow in the depths of the hearts of those who loved him. The martyrs were carried to the Graveyard of the Martyrs, and Rasheed was buried by the side of Ahmad Al-Jazairi and the Commander, Waseel. These graves remain as permanent witness to the battle of Afghanistan being a Battle of Faith, and to the Arabs being a part of the history of modern Islamic Afghanistan. That the Arab brothers are righteous bricks who reserved their place in the castle of the Islamic Empire, which will be built in Kabul insha-Allah.

Glad tidings from the tongue of Abu Muhammad al-Jazairi

Abu Muhammad was injured with Rasheed by the same shell. He received shrapnel injuries to his head, and was thus moved to the hospital in Peshawar. He lost consciousness temporarily, due to the severity of his pains. After regaining conciousness he said: "I saw Rasheed in a dream eating out of the hands of the Hoor Al-Ain (Paradise Maidens)."
 
 

The one who fled from marriage in this Life, to marriage in the Next

He came from the Valley of Soofa, and what a beautiful valley it was, throwing out of its jaws many of its children to be lions in the Jihad. He remained in the Jihad for a longer time than any of the other Algerian brothers. The martyr, Fawzi bin Ali, alone would suffice us from the Valley.

An Islamic Family

He was raised with his eyes opened to the blossoms of the Islamic Revival, whose fragrance spread to all sides of the world, and whose light comprised all the Islamic countries. He graduated from high school, and then worked in administration. His parents got him engaged to a girl, because they desired to gratify their eyes with the sight of a grandchild. The engagement took place and the preparations for the wedding began. A short while before the wedding Yaseen was flicking through a magazine on Jihad in the Land of Courage and Sacrifice - what could there be after this? The scholars rule that the fulfilment of a Fard Ain (Islamic Obligation upon every Muslim) does not require the permission of one's parents, so O soul! What excuse do you have inront of Allah after knowing this? Does marriage count as an excuse to abstain from the Jihad? Did not the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (SAWS) marry, or desire to marry? Did this prevent them from presenting their souls to support this Religion? These questions were continuous and recurring; Yaseen's mind could not discard or abandon them. He became occupied with these thoughts, and could not forsake discovering the answer to these questions.

He finally decided absolutely that he must buy a ticket to take him to the Jihad with the money he had saved for his wedding. As for marriage, perhaps it might be in Paradise with the Wide-Eyed Paradise Maidens. Did not Allah (SWT) say:

"Say: If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your kindred, the wealth that you have gained, the commerce in which you fear a decline, and the dwellings in which you delight, are dearer to you than Allah and His Messenger, and striving hard and fighting in His Cause, then wait until Allah brings about His Decision (torment). And Allah guides not the people who are Al-Fasiqoon (the rebellious, disobedient) to Allah." [Quran 9:24]

The Pakistani Visa

Yaseen left Algeria, and began to search for a means of attaining an entry visa for Pakistan, so he travelled to Turkey. But he found that there were many difficulties in being granted a Pakistani Visa, due to world pressures - directed by the Jews - on Pakistan. The world would tremble with the fear of only defenceless Muslims. How would they feel if these people bore weapons, if Mujahideen launched an attack to destroy the enemies of Allah in their sleep. Then, the disbelievers would never sleep.

Yaseen moved from Turkey to an Arab state. After a lot of effort, and when the hearts had reached to the throats, Allah facilitated the attainment of the visa for Yaseen. So Yaseen travelled to Pakistan and received his share of military training, but where to now? To the Afghan Valley of Soofa (the Valley of Shokhdara). Allah facilitated their stay there through one of the residents of the valley, Abu Ali Al-Maliki, and the brothers found a friendly atmosphere there. Abu Ali became a trustee for all of the leaders. It was as though the Afghans were guests and Abu Ali was the landlord.

In Shokhdara

Yaseen received a tank from the booty of one battle. He had previous knowledge of Russian tanks, and he began driving it and using it as a means of transport in the area. He would rush into battles, driving this tank and carrying a video camera to record the bomb blasts, other moving tanks and blazing buildings. After one full year in the Valley of Shokhdara, Yaseen found peace and joy in this valley, and now had relatives and friends there.

In Kryzmyeer

The number of Mujahideen in Kryzmeer (a province of Shokhdara) decreased due to the severity of killing. This was followed by thunder in the sky and the rumble of cannons, and the Russian minds were working overtime in devising ways to destroy and annihilate the Muslims.

The Arab brothers refused to call the local residents to face their inevitable fate -surrender to the state- in case they struggled along and preferred death on the second line of defence for Kabul. Their slaughter intensified. The State knew the location of the Arabs, and that the distance between them could be measured in metres. Thus, the shells rarely missed their targets or strayed from their path.

Taqiudeen said: "Yaseen and I witnessed the last battle. He filmed its flames and returned to the house to leave the camera there. As soon as he reached the house, a shell landed on it and claimed his leg. Abdul-Haq Al-Jaza'iri came and dressed the wounds from which blood was gushing forth. We brought the horse on which we wished to transport Yaseen to Jarieez, a journey which would last two nights. An hour after leaving Shokhdara, Yaseen's soul ascended to its Creator."

Yaseen thus passed to the Lord of the Worlds. We hope that Allah - Glory be to Him and Most Exalted be He - will accept Yaseen among the righteous, and will marry him to the Wide-Eyed Paradise Maidens. And thus you left, O' Yaseen, after you had taught us a lot. You taught us that:

"I will carry my soul in my hand
And I will throw it into the depths of death.
Either it will be Life, which pleases the friend,
Or Death, which angers the enemy."

In one of the districts of Mar'ib in North Yemen, Saalim was born in a house of knowledge, religion and manners. His father was one of the distinguished Islamic Preachers in his area, but the hand of death seized him leaving behind 15 people in a family looking for someone to support them and give them a mouthful of food. They could only find Saalim, so he had to support them, take matters firmly into his own hands, and take the concerns of his brothers and his family on his shoulders.

Saalim began, with his brother Abu Saalim, to work hard in raising these lives, whatever the stamp of hardship or the manner of severity. Saalim and his brother heard about the Jihad, so Abu Saalim came to Afghanistan. I became acquainted with him in Sada, and Allah decreed for him to take part in the Lion's Den Operation of Ramadan in the year 1987 (1407 AH). And Allah killed the leader of the militia in the area through the hands of Abu Saalim - so the Mujahideen thought when they saw his body.

As for Saalim, Allah honoured him in the Jihad for the fist time in the year 1987, then he returned to Yemen. However, after his return his soul remained dependent on this healing balm which it had tasted. He and his brothers used to take turns in going for the Jihad, and this family had gained the despatch of four of its lions to this cause.

In Sha'baan of the year 1989 (1409 AH), Saalim returned to the Jihad, where the spinning mill of the war in Jalalabad was grinding the nerves and the spirits of the brothers, where the superior spears would ensnare the swords. Abu Saalim came and threw himself between the jaws of death, and he used to say:

"I will carry my soul in my hand
And I will throw it into the depths of death.
Either it will be Life, which pleases the friend,
Or Death, which angers the enemy."

He participated in the conquests of Farkand, the State of Zay, Qarnoosar and Sheenjar. Saalim sat in Qarnoosar behind the trigger of the DShK Heavy Machinegun, overlooking the 81st Division, which defended Jalalabad. The sky was ablaze with the heads of the nation, while the tankards of the enemy, and the bombs of their mortars, fired precipitatingly at the Arab brothers, showering on them a rain of missiles. All the while the Arabs repeated:

"As though the skulls of heroes are in them,
Their heads fall like pebbles in a place where pebbles are plenty,
We rip upon the heads of the enemy,
And we scythe their necks like blades of wet grass."

The Dream

Abu Salih Muthanna Al-Mar'ibi reported: On 22nd Shawwal, Saalim awoke from his sleep in laughter and with joy on apparent on his face. Then he seized me by the collar and said: "Rejoice, for I will be a martyr insha-Allah." I replied:

"Insha-Allah, in Palestine." He said:

"No, here in Afghanistan." I saw my father wrestling me in jest, and he was happy for me.

The bomb arrived which allowed the Angel of Death to take with it the souls of Saalim and Abu Qutayba As-Sooree (the apprentice carpenter). So Saalim departed to Allah - All Praise be to Him and how Exalted be He - after leaving a deep sorrow in the hearts of his brothers, because he had been granted martyrdom - according to what they believed - before them. Everyone had prayed that he would pass away in this manner, and we hope that Allah will gather us with him in the highest Paradise.
 
 

SHAMSUDEEN AL-AFGHANI
 

Shamsudeen Al-Afghani, from Afghanistan. Killed defending against a Communist offensive near Jalalabad, Afghanistan, on 5 July 1989. Aged 19. Written by Shaheed Sheikh Abdullah Azzam.

The Martyred Engineer Shamsudeen Al-Afghani, killed in Afghanistan in 1989 [PHOTO]

I write about him here, even though I haven't written about the Afghan martyrs (due to the sheer number of them, and because my time does not allow for it). I wanted to write about the Afghani commanders because their history is a glimmer of hope for the Islamic nation, and because there is an example to be followed by all who want to break the chains of slavery and discard the shackles of humiliation.

When writing about the martyrs, I was hoping to include the stories of only the Arab brothers, but I wrote about Safiullah Afdali because of my close relationship to him. I also wrote about Abdul-Fath, and now I find myself pushed to write about this martyr, as I heard plentiful praise and commendation of him from the mouths of the other brothers.

Our martyr Shamsudeen was born in Darzab. His main concern was that of searching for an active frontline on which to fight, to end his life, and to meet his Lord. He left his family five years earlier, and he travelled around the various states in Afghanistan. He fell in love with the city of Shoolkar, the city in which resided the founder of the Jihad of Balath, Dhabeeh-ullah. There he became a shooter of heavy weaponry. He then left Shoolkar, searching for death once more. He arrived at Badakhshan, then headed for Takhar, ending up finally in Peshawar.

In Peshawar, he was met by the group of Hamza bin Abdul-Muttalib, under the leadership of Abul-Junaid. He knew that Shamsudeen was a weapons engineer, and that he was able to fix the majority of weapons, so Abul-Junaid held on to this precious Mujahid. He asked Shamsudeen if he would like to accompany him to Faryab, where there existed an Islamic Institute (for military and Islamic education), so he joined the caravan. (He taught a complete class in Almar on military sciences and Islamic education.)

He spoke the truth, whatever the circumstance, and he finally settled down into the Institute of Meymaneh, the most active front in Faryab, with Sayyid 'Alaaudeen. He had known of 'Alaaudeen's bravery and boldness, and his prejudice towards the enemies of Allah, and people sang of his gallantry and honour often. Thus, when Shamsudeen saw him, he fell in love with his character, and their souls met one another, as the Prophet (SAWS) said: "Souls are like armed soldiers; those that know one another, love one each other, and those who do not know one another will differ." The love only increased between these two brothers. 'Alaaudeen wanted to secure his brother Meymanah, so he offered him the chance of marriage, and he pestered him (with the help of another leader, Sayyid Nooran Akbar) continuously about it. Allah finally decreed the marriage of Shamsudeen to a local woman. Allah instilled in him a profound love of Jihad, which gripped his heart and soul. He loved the times when he would sit to his nightly companion (his weaponry), and mend it, or clean it, or try it out. He was an expert in mending all weapons.

An Arab brother once said to him: "You have married the Jihad." Shams-ud-Deen replied: "They married me to a woman to spite me."

The Farewell Journey

They met the enemy in the Battle of Karwan Bashi. War broke out and the fighting was fierce, and the lurking lions emerged from their lair. It pleased the poet that he should sing their praises, saying:-

The people of Almunyah began to insert their fingernails and withdraw the souls of Shamsudeen and Ridwan (the Saudi) in this battle, and they passed on their way to Allah. We hope that He makes us, and them, attain the positions of those who preceded us.

Shams-ud-Deen ascended to Allah when he was 19 years old
 
 

DR SALIH AL-LEEBEE

Dr Salih Muhammad Al-Leebee, from Libya. Killed during battles against the Communist Forces in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, in 1989. Written by Shaheed Sheikh Abdullah Azzam.
 

Dr Salih Muhammad Al-Libee, killed in Afghanistan in 1989 [PHOTO]

"...The treatment is prayer, then food, then medicine."

I only met a few people who had such nobility and honour. He arrived from Britain, prompted by his vast hope for attaining martyrdom by which to enter Paradise whose width is that of the heavens and earth. He was studying paediatrics (children's medicine), but the longing for Paradise pulled him to the land of Glory and Jihad. He could no longer bear to see the traffic of the busy London streets nor the smoke of its factories. His ears could no longer bear to hear the surge of the Thames, or the ticking of Big Ben. He found a new love, that of Afghanistan, which seized his heart, so he tried to join it.

He was born in 1951 in Benghazi, Libya. He attained a MBBS degree from the University of Qaaryounis in Benghazi.

In Ghaznee

He reached the land of Jihad and searched its field but did not find a single Arab doctor on the frontline. So he carried his gun in one hand, and his knife and first-aid kit in another. After enquiring further, Allah guided him to travel with the Mujahideen to Ghaznee, where he stayed for eight months, eating, drinking and sleeping with the Mujahideen, not thinking of wages nor searching for luxuries of the worldly life in London compared to the life of a Mujahid, where a meal consisted of bread and tea. As for dinner, it was Afghani broth, which had a thick layer of fat and none of the non-Afghans were safe from the possibility of severe diahorrea, which could sometimes be fatal.

The Arriving Arabs

The arrival of the first group of Arab Mujahideen to North Afghanistan - Abdullah Anas, Abu Asad and Muhammad Ameen - was a blessing amongst blessings. It took them 46 days to reach Balakh (Mazaar Shareef) after which Muhammad Ameen was on the brink of death, and the youth of Abdullah Anas had fallen. And Balakh was filled with the people wanting to see the Arabs they used to read about in books. How many old people whose hair had turned white, walked on snow for days, leaning on his walking stick with his right hand, while taking, by his left hand, his young or grandson, for this child to get the blessings of an Arab hand on his head.

The Return from Ghaznee

I met Dr. Saalih on his return from Ghaznee. Abdullah Anas had already returned from Mazar Shareef after he was appalled at the presence of French westerners in a hospital equipped with modern instruments. Abdullah Anas flew into a rage with the leader of the area, Muhammad Alam, and the judge of the area, Abdullah. Their answer was: "Until now, we have not seen an Arab before you, and those French people had arrived a few years ago. Why don't you bring an Arab Muslim doctor, or a non-Arab, so we can dispense with these people?"

Abdullah Anas persisted in search for an Arab doctor, so Allah ordained to lead him to Dr. Saalih, another Egyptian doctor, so they headed for Balakh - the city of knowledge and scholars, famous in its history.

The Arrival of Dr. Saalih

Dr. Saalih arrived in Balakh and the French had reached into the depths of people's hearts. Not only did they treat them for their illnesses, but they also took presents and sweets to the patients, visited them at home, and gave them money.

Upon the arrival of Dr. Saalih in Balakh, the French were alienated from the land. After the hearts used to open to allow these foreign doctors to enter into their depths, suddenly they were immediately discarded following a ruling by the judge Abdullah, which stated: "Treatment by the French is forbidden, as is mixing with them and sitting with them." Thus, in space of one day, Balakh had become hostile towards them. treatment by them was previously a necessity, and necessity are considered as such by their need, but there was no longer a need. The French felt this hostility and isolation, so they said to the leader of the province, "It appears you have no need for us."

The reply was "Yes," so the French asked to take their instruments, to which the Mujahideen did not object, and said to the French: "Whatever you want to take, take it and leave the area." The French did so.

The Miracle of Dr. Saalih

A short time before Dr. Saalih's arrival, one of the Mujahideen had been affected with the shrapnel in his spine, which reached his spinal cord and paralysed him. He was shown to the French who said, "It is impossible for any doctor to cure this." But they uttered the word of disbelief, they said "Allah is unable to cure him." Glorified be He from the (great falsehood) that they say!

Then this Mujahid was shown to Dr. Saalih, who said to me, "I found him to be broken, physically and emotionally. He became unable to leave the bed. He would urinate and empty his bowels on himself. So I said to him, 'It is simple, it is simple, if Allah wills. Our Lord will cure you.'" Dr. Saalih said, "I told him to uplift his broken spirit."

Dr. Saalih began to treat him with medicine and prayer. It was only a short period of time before the Mujahid was restored to health, and rushed to the front line to continue his struggle on the path of goodness facing the enemies of Allah.

The people of Balakh began to repeat:

"A righteous (Saalih) friend has arrived. His name is Dr. Saalih."

Two Years in Balakh

Dr. Saalih has spent two years in Balakh. He was a very good father and educator to the Arab brothers. Sometimes, he could be found teaching them Quran, other times you would find him sheltering them around him like the hen does to its chicks. Thus the Arabs became very attached to the hospital and were unable to part from it. Their military work became focused on the area surrounding the hospital. It was there, on a hill top, that Marwaan Hadeed, the Syrian that we love, the Mujahid, passed away.

His Arab brothers called him 'Abu Haatim' because of his generosity. He never saved any of his wages, he spent his money either buying things for his Arab brothers or things for the hospital. due to the shortage of medicine, he was forced to send us to Peshawar to ask for an advance on his salary for the next six months, so he could buy medicine for the hospital.

Abbaas said: "I lived with him for six months and used to advise him to decrease some of his spending. To this he would reply, 'It is my trade between myself and my Lord.'"

A Marriage Proposal

It is known that Afghans are strict in letting their daughters marry non-Afghans, but with Dr. Saalih, it was they who offered their daughters to him in hope, for what they thought of his goodness and loyalty.

The Return from Mazaar Shareef

Dr. Saalih returned to Peshawar and stayed there for a while. The Battle of the Lion's Den took place in Ramadan 1407AH (1987), he participated in it and was wounded. You never hoped to see him in a place which was blazing with fire, but you always saw him there. The doctor's wounds were not serious. He was on the frontline of fire where the earth erupts with volcanoes and the sky showers the earth with burning lava.

Neither the stallion, roaring on the day of the attack,
Nor the angry tiger, nor the lion, nor the leopard,
Are keener than him when he rushes to a battle which breeds heroes or kills them.
How many did his hands kill?
If death was delayed from its appointed time,
He would love it, and would not be late for it.

The Caravan of Takhaar

We then chose him to accompany the caravan of Abu Ibraaheem to Takhaar. The caravan was the biggest one to have entered Afghanistan, and carried with it whatever one could imagine of appliances, medicine, and boots. It also contained twenty-one Arabs whom Abu Ibrahim had selected from various camps. The caravan also had another two doctors, Dr. Abu-Dardaa' Al-Misri and Dr. Muhammad Umar Al-Iraqi. Upon their arrival to Takhaar, they had a medical course for a group of Afghans and trained them as nurses. He only used to treat patients after taking from them their packet of cigarettes and made it a condition of his care.

Dr. Saalih stayed in the hospital for 16 months, but he was searching for the fighting. He wanted death wherever he could find it.

The Song of Dr. Saalih

He always used to repeat the lines:

"What do you want?
I want a single people on the Qur'an,
Who do not fear threats or promises,
Who take the example of Usaama bin Zaid and Khalid bin Al-Waleed.
It's only hope is to die as a martyr in the Way of Allah."
 
 

The Return from Takhaar

Dr. Saalih returned from Takhaar in Ramadhan 1409 Hijri, but did not rest or settle. The Battle of Jalalabad was fierce, and at its most intense period. He entered into it, both exercising his skill and satisfying his appetite, his love for fighting.

He stayed in Jalalabad amongst his brothers who had been swallowed by the land one after the other, till the number of martyrs equalled ninety, including many of the best soldiers in the Land of Tanjarhaar. Indeed, they were the cream of the nation, the best of its children - we consider them thus and we do not elevate anyone above Allah.

Dr. Saalih's treatment

He used to tell the patients that the treatment is prayer, then medicine, then food

Martyrdom on 20 October 1989 (20 Safar 1410AH)

Thus came the bomb which Allah decreed to mark the end of the journey. So it seized him along with another honourable brother, Ahmad Al-Mubarak As-Somali, and the life journey of the Arab Muslim doctor ended; the doctor who led the race to Afghanistan, since he was the first doctor to enter Afghanistan. The body which was dyed with blood reached Peshawar and the funeral walked in a dignified procession to Pabi where the graveyard of the martyrs lay. There, Dr. Saalih was buried between his martyred brothers, both Arab and Afghani.

MARTYRS OF BOSNIA

ABUL-MUNDHIR AL-YEMENI

Abul-Mundhir from Yemen. Killed during Operation Miracle, Bosnia, on 21 July 1995. 1st hand account. Present on In the Hearts of Green Birds. 

"...the next minute I saw my self looking around in the Paradise."
 
 

Abul-Mundhir was participating in one of the attack groups and he was killed by a shot to the head. A day after he was killed one brother saw him in a dream and asked him, "What happened to you?"

Abul-Mundhir replied, "We were in a forest and there was a lot of firing coming at us and all our heads were down. I put my head up to see where the firing was coming from and to see where the bunker was, and then as I was looking around, the next minute I saw my self looking around in the Paradise." 

ABUL-HARITH AL-BAHRAINI

Abul-Harith Al-Bahraini, from Bahrain. Killed during an offensive operation against Serb Forces besieging Sarajevo, Bosnia, near the town of Visoko, on 29 December, 1992. Aged 23. 

How many are the people that seek fame and wealth today, and what of someone who has left all that in pursuit of Allah's Pleasure. Abul-Haarith was a famous football player in Bahrain. A lot of the youth today yearn to attain this level of fame. He left his football career behind him and went to Afghanistan to take part in the Jihad , seeking to die in the Path of Allah. 

He then went to participate in the Jihad in Bosnia. He had devoted his heart and his soul to the worship of Allah and he set a good example with his manners and manhood. He was always seen reading the Qur'an, serving his brothers or guarding the front lines. 

He was characterized by a smile that never left his face and a level of patience such that he never became angry at his brothers. He personified the saying of the Prophet, "A smile to your brother is a form of charity". He used to laugh much and make all his brothers laugh and enjoy themselves. A very popular brother, loved by both the Arabs and the Bosians, he used to sing jokingly with his brothers, "My beloved brother." He was always happy and jolly in the daytime, having a nice time with his brothers. However, in the night, his brothers used to hear him cry while he was praying. He used to put Kohl in his eyes. 
 

A few days before the operation, Abul-Haarith was seen to take great care of himself and he wore his best clothes as if he knew he had an appointment with the beautiful Women of Paradise. Before the Second Operation of Visoko against the Serbs, he put Kohl in his eyes and asked his brothers to do the same. 

When the battle had reached its most intense stage and the souls of the martyrs had been raised, Abul-Haarith found Abu Maryam spread on the ground, his soul having been raised. He kissed his forehead and said, "Oh Allah! Join us with him". He advanced towards the enemy from an area providing little cover and whilst he was crawling on the ground, Allah heard his prayer and he was hit by a sniper bullet thereby surrendering his soul to his Lord. 

The Mujahideen could not bury him due to the severity of the fighting and the widespread presence of snow. so they put his body in the trunk of a tree.

ABU SAHAR AL-HAILEE

Abu Sahar Al-Hailee, from Hail, Arabian Peninsula. Killed by Croatian Forces at a roadblock in Travnik, North Bosnia in 1993. 

A very brave and patient brother, he was once travelling through Travnik, North Bosnia, with a group of Mujahideen. They were stopped by Croatian Forces at a roadblock. Abu Sahar told his brothers to fight and not to give up. His brothers suggested that they should give up now as maybe they would be released later. While they were being held, the Croats saw that the Kalashnikov of Abu Sahar was on and ready to fire. They shot him five times while he was shouting "There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah" We ask ALLAH (SWT) to accept him from amongst the Shuhadaa. 

ABU MUSLIM AL-IMARAATI

Abu Muslim Al-Imaraati, from the United Arab Emirates. Field Commander of the Foreign Mujahideen Forces in Bosnia. Killed during Operation Miracle, North Bosnia, on 21 July 1995. 

"He did not see his son in this world, but insha-Allah, Allah will reunite him with his family in Paradise..."

Abu Muslim was a very soft and gentle brother. But one summer, suddenly he changed. He became extremely fierce in his fighting and his courage. He became extremely brave and began going on reconnaissance missions by himself. He would bring back plastic bags full of mines that he had searched for and pulled out. When Abu Muslim heard about the Jihad in Bosnia his wife had just become pregnant. However, he chose to respond to the plight of the Bosnian Muslims and left for the Jihad in the obedience of Allah, taking with him only fond memories of his family and the hope to return when he could.

"Your wealth and your children are only a trial whereas Allah with him is a great reward," [Quran 64:15] 

While he was in Bosnia, his son was born. After a few months he had still not seen his son and so Abu Muslim said to himself that after this operation he would go back and see his family. In the Operation, he and his group, Alhamdulillah, managed to capture a tank from the Serbs. After taking the tank they continued forward and Allah (SWT) took him as Shaheed. 

He did not see his son in this world, but insha-Allah, Allah will reunite him with his family in Paradise.

ABU THABIT AL-MUHAJIR

Abu Thabit Al Muhajir, from Egypt. Military commander and Ameer of the front line. Killed during Operation Badr Of Bosnia on 10th September 1995. Aged early thirties.  Present on In the Hearts of Green Birds. 

Abu Thabit was very experienced soldier in the Egyptian army. He spent six years in Afghanistan, training the brothers and fighting. He was a very experienced fighter. He came to Bosnia early in the war in 1992 and he was made the Ameer of the Front-Line, This brother was so tough and so brave that when he fought, he would not even duck from the bullets, that is how fearless he was. Even though he was the commander, he had such a strong character that everyone loved him as if he was their favourite friend. He used to make everybody feel as if  he was their favourite friend and his character was such that when one looked at him, one would think that one is looking at a Companion of the Prophet (SAWS). In the first few minutes of Operation Badr, he was shot twice but he did not make a single noise in pain. He carried on fighting, until he was shot by a third bullet in his heart. Without making any expressions of pain, he turned around to the brothers behind him, smiled, and said: 'My brothers, I have been hit." then he closed his eyes, to be followed by his soul.