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| | | STRUGGLE... when being innocent is not enough (Part - 12) |    |
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 |  Subject: STRUGGLE... when being innocent is not enough (Part - 12)  Sat Jun 20, 2009 3:15 pm | |
| STRUGGLE - (Part-12)
“I hope they stay off till the 3rd day of the week, inshaallah”
“I hope they stay off forever inshaAllah”, Abdul Kareem corrected Yasser
“Its so peaceful here without them” Nasir sighed.
“Yes ... peaceful also because we have let all distances between us fall, isn’t it, Ahmad?”
Ahmad groaned in reply.
“Are you feeling very bad?” Yasser asked.
“No...I‘ve sort a go..t used to ...zzz is t si....ing”.
“Don’t talk, take rest”.
“Yes he’s right”.
“You ...two’s ...story...’s very...int..restin...”
Yasser nodded.
“Ya, I just can’t figure out how you forgot everything concerning Omar. And he ...specifically...when you two were so close...?”
Nasir smiled, “Nor do I”
“I know everything”, Abdul Kareem declared.
‘I am taking off till the 3rd day of the week,’ ... Kim stretched in the front seat of the car that John was driving seriously.
No one responded. In the mid highway, close to a restaurant, John pressed the brake roughly, the car screeched to a halt.
Kim fell forward.
‘What’s the matter John? You want to kill us all!’
John pulled the key out of the engine and came out, banging the door.
After some hesitation, the four followed after John in silence. Ivan was very tensed and constantly looking down, unable to meet anyone’s looks.
At one point John stopped somewhere near the side of the building.
No questions were asked. The group halted. John turned suddenly and caught Ivan by the collar
‘What do you think yourself?’
Ivan caught his hand but did not pull away.
John slammed his back against the restaurant wall. Then from his collar pulled his hand down along his shirt opening... precisely... tearing all the buttons out.
He smiled cruelly, placing his revolver against Ivan’s bare chest.
‘Want it here against your loving heart... or (he placed the gun on Ivan’s head) here against your empty head
Ivan stood silently
John didn’t move waiting for reaction, when none came he hit Ivan across the face with the gun. Ivan almost lost balance but stood his ground to receive a severe blow in his stomach. He fell on his knees. With another blow John’s knee smashed straight into his mouth
He fell back a hand on his stomach and another on his bleeding mouth, shaking in pain.
‘If you don’t want me to become your nightmare, then stay away from her... because... because I don’t want to kill you!’
And John went back to the car. It wasn’t long before they heard the engine zoom away.
‘Careful!’ Victor sat close to Ivan placing a hand on his back. ‘John means what he says!’
‘You mustn’t have gone behind her when you knew John was after her’ Kim said throwing a kerchief at Ivan.
‘And now! We will have to go back on foot,’ Bill banged his leg against the ground.
Ivan felt Victor’s shoulder against his ear, his breath was coming out heavily.
‘My stomach...’ he gasped, blood still coming out of his mouth
‘Chill down boy, John was very kind to you’, Kim was looking down at Ivan, his lips still carrying the strange twist
‘The truth is that you never really cared for me the way you claim… and that after I went you were happy to get along with a new life!’
‘Om… Omar!’, Nasir said, hurt, and very shocked.
‘What happened?’ Yasser came and sat close to the bars
After a short silence, Abdul Kareem burst out laughing
‘I was simply joking!’
Yasser let out a huge sigh of relief.
‘I am angry! It wasn’t funny’, Nasir said seriously.
‘Sorry’, came the timid reply.
'Y…ou can pun..ish ..’m well Nas..ir’
‘What punish?’
Nasir laughed slightly.
‘Yes I can!’
‘Hey…’
‘I won’t return back your ball for 5 days!!!’
‘Come…on… huh! As if it matters…’ Abdul Kareem made a face.
His three friends continued to laugh at him.
It was the second day of the week. Kim and Billy hadn’t showed up for work yet. Ivan and Victor stood with guns at their shoulders watching the detainees pour out for their morning walks.
The last four to come out as usual were Abdul Kareem, Nasir, Yasser and Ahmad
Abdul Kareem came out stretching
‘SubhanaAllah!’ he said breathing in the fresh, humid air.
‘Aouch!’ He retorted immediately, catching his ribs and arm.
‘Don’t try to act healthy, you still have scars on your face and…’
‘Aaaah! I have got sick of being sick Yasser” Abdul Kareem complained.
Ahmad who was bending clutching his ribs and unable to walk properly supported by Nasir, said “So am I”.
‘Very funny! You both get yourself in all sorts of troubles and then “I am tired of being sick”’ Yasser mimicked.
Abdul Kareem and Ahmad exchanged looks and smiles.
‘Alright brothers, lets go for prayer now’, Nasir announced.
Ivan stood watching them intently, not moving, as if a statue.
‘Hey! How did you get that?’
Abdul Kareem asked Ivan pointing to his cheek bone where it had turned black.
Ivan touched his cheek
‘Shut up! Mind your own business’, Victor came forward and pushed Abdul Kareem roughly.
Abdul Kareem frowned. Just then, Yasser came from behind and putting his arm around Abdul Kareem’s shoulder saying “It’s a beautiful day, lets not spoil it” with a thumbs up, he smiled.
Abdul Kareem grinned in reply and they walked away.
Ivan was still looking at them when they started praying.
‘What are you looking at so intently?’
Ivan turned to Victor, ‘Me? I was seeing these guys and how wonderful they are!’
‘What?’ Victor asked in disbelief.
‘Yes, we will hate to admit it…. In fact we will never accept it because we hate them … and all that they are… terrorists or their religion or whatever it is but Victor… that’s the truth! No one can be like them… I mean… they are still carrying on. In spite of all that we do to them, they are still strong. Like when they first came here… their spirits are high, in spite of the pain they feel every moment… we have been trying to curb them for 5 years now… how can they bear all this? How can they go on? When there is no hope, no future, nothing. I would never be able to be like them had I been in their place, never Victor!’
‘Shut up, you will never be in their place!’
Ivan shut-ed up.
Ahmad was sitting and praying, different from others. Yet there was something in their manner that made them so united… They were some twenty, thirty people from different lands… what was it that united them? Islam… or was it what the world today refers to as terrorism.
‘I want to listen it again!’
Abdul Kareem smiled on seeing Ahmed’s enthusiasm, Yasser sat with an eager face as well. Nasir nodded on meeting Abdul Kareem’s looks.
‘And I… love to narrate that as much!’
‘The heaviest thing on unbelievers is our Deen, our Kalimah. What scares them is our Imaan! We have thousands of examples from our Salaf as Saalih (righteous predecessors)… SubhanaAllah… the steadfastness of Bilaal (RadiaAllahu anh) burning under the rock yet saying with all his might ‘One One…’
13 years of persecution… 13 years of torture and humiliation… 13 years of patience… and then busted forth the Islamic empire.
Imam Shafi and he was a wonderful poet as well said
‘Indeed my paradise is in my heart, so what will my enemies do with me. If they imprison me then my imprisonment is seclusion with my Lord, and if they exile me, then my exile in the lands of Allah is tourism, and if they kill me then my death in the way of Allah is martyrdom, so what will my enemies do to me.’
He saw Yasir smile at Ahmed, obviously as a reply to the latter.
Nasir sat listening intently, smiling every now and then.
‘So steadfastness is in Imaan as much it’s deep and strong... that much is the pleasure and tranquillity... and no one turns back after having tasted the sweetness of faith... no matter what the situation... no matter what the enemies say...
‘Can you increase your volume please?!’ some other brothers demanded from the front cells.
‘I hope I don’t prolong on you!’ Abdul Kareem retarded.
‘Never!... sermons live in the heart!’
Abdul Kareem laughed.
‘I am not giving a sermon... I am just discussing on something’s that I know!’
‘Nothing wrong in sharing it aloud!’, came the pleasant reply.
‘No! Nothing wrong....’
And he continued.
‘.... I say with all confidence that if we do as the Prophet (peace be upon him)(a hum of “Allah’s blessing on the prophet” was heard), Allah will not extend upon us for more than 13 years... we will surely be granted one of the 2 victories....either martyrdom or....victory over these....
Would it be that they hear me now, talking to you...speaking of a morning...they will probably laugh... and laugh until their stomachs will ache... for they see only what is visible of today... they will laugh like the Kuffar would have done when our Prophet (peace be upon him) (chorus of Allah’s blessing on the prophet”) talked of the Islamic empire of a coming generation....for them, it maybe a joke...for them, it maybe a dream that is seen by those who are too desperate of their present state....but for us it is a promise....that we know will come true , whether our eyes be open to see it or not. They think that without our families and loved ones...we are broken...we have no one to look after us...but they are wrong...we have Allah...who sends coolness to our hearts every time they burn our bodies....who gives us peace when they have ignited violence all around us... who holds our hands when they have shackled it below us... whose pleasure we only seek... after all pleasures have betrayed us...’ Abdul Kareem’s voice quivered as tears came into his eyes. Yasser was weeping silently already ‘...and your Lord is ever Merciful... Ya Allah, we are your slaves...and no one else...Ya Allah, if you are pleased with us, then nothing else matters... Ya Allah, if you have forgiven us...then nothing else matters...Ya Allah, we have been transgressed... and You are the avenger... Ya Allah, they have captured our lands...killed our children...stolen the honours of our houses, and You are the All-Knower...destroy them.....and You are all powerful....You....are....Alll....Powerful’, the whole row of cells was in tears.
‘In lam Yakun bika ghadabun Alai’a fa la ubali.....’
Abdul Kareem could not steady his voice...he went on repeating the line endlessly in his broken voice and the crying continued with voices raising a while... the choking back into cries of plea to the Almighty.
Yasser was remembering the scene during Hajj when the Witr dua’a was read...the scene was very similar....
Nasir didn’t move....tears slowly ran down his cheeks, he put his head back and closed his eyes, letting the tears flow freely....it was a night he would never forget....
Ahmed through his tears-filled eyes looked about the prison and his cell...he could imagine a sort of bright light... some sort of fear and uneasiness had left his heart...
At that moment, guards came in clapping their hands together....
‘Go to bed! Come on! Why are you still there...?’
Abdul Kareem grinned on hearing the disgusted sighs of the prisoners. Nasir, Yaser and Abdul Kareem got up and went to their beds. Ahmed was still stumbling to his feet, because he couldn’t move easily because of his wounds; when an MP came and hit him on the back, Ahmed fell to the ground
‘Stop moving so lazily, didn’t you hear what I said?!’(and some horrible words were uttered).
Yasser turned and was about to say something, but seeing Ahmed’s hand raise in a stop, he became quiet.
Ahmed crawled to his bed.
He said “Jazakumullah!”
‘Shut up!’, came the reply and the guard walked away.
‘You didn’t have to say that!’ Yasser said angrily.
Ahmed laughed, ‘I used to have a friend in... Well! That’s not important... so that friend, whenever anyone annoyed him, he would say ‘Jazakallah’ in reply. I asked him Why?, you know what he said... he said I am not praying for him... I am just asking Allah to reward him what he deserves. (for his evil deed). Simple!’
Nasir and Yasser (and some other brothers who heard the joke) laughed.
After sometime Abdul Kareem laughed aloud.
‘Sorry!’ he said, ‘I understood the joke now’.....and another wave of laughter ran through the prison.
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Number of posts: 170
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| | Subject: Re: STRUGGLE... when being innocent is not enough (Part - 12) Sat Jun 20, 2009 3:16 pm | |
| ‘It almost turned out to be a sermon, didn’t it?!’ Abdul Kareem laughed.
‘Yeah! You didn’t really tell us what we asked for!’ Ahmed complained.
They had sat down in their respective places after the Fajr prayer. Nasir was smiling.
‘What happened?’ Ahmed asked.
‘I love the chirruping of the birds and they are always such early risers.....!’
Yasser laughed. ‘We are talking about something else, Nasir!’
‘Sorry!’
‘Those were the beginning days. I knew English well, "just as I do now" but didn’t let them know of it... Obviously they faced more difficulty dealing with prisoners using a translator. Brothers who didn’t know English of course dealt with greater problems like brother Omar Deghayas, when I was in their block, told me about a brother there who had been kneed in the stomach by 3 soldiers just because he protested by keeping a paper plate, suffering permanent injury from that. He would cry in pain every time he used the toilet and the MP’s simply refused to help him by saying there was no translator!’
Nasir’s face changed, Yasser could feel his eyes moisten.......Ahmed was murmuring under his breath...
‘That happened later but.......in Camp X-ray, amongst the first incidents was that a soldier kicked the Quran of a brother after having dropped it on the floor. Goodness! The brother had screamed out at the soldier and asked brother Adil Kamil to warn him. He didn’t know English himself, that’s why! Later when repeated events occurred, the brothers started getting angry. Once they had burst out screaming ‘Allah u Akbar’ banging their cages, the guards at duty ran off and called the seniors they had got scarred by the strength of the words. The senior officers talked over and calmed them down with promises.
After that we started praying together in congregation in our cells, we would give Azan, recite the Quran, talk to each other. The realisation had come to the brothers, that as long as we have Islam, we have everything... many of the brothers didn’t go out for walks, where specifically more tortures were inflicted on them than exercise... yet others would simply endure that to say salaam to the other brothers....such was the (belief) Imaan of some brothers, it really touched me to see their determination when we would be out, not few, more than a few, as to what I recall, brother Adil Kamil used to stay behind most of the time!, and brother... well... that isn’t a matter of concern now’
Nasir turned slightly and looked at Ahmed who was grinning at him. This meant that Abdul Kareem used to go out regularly!...’
‘What about you?!’ Yasser asked suddenly.
‘Me?!...me?! It would depend....!’
Yasser giggled, Abdul Kareem hadn’t given up his habit of lying.
‘They served us expired food, many brothers fell sick, medicines might also have been expired because some brothers felt worse after coming back from the clinic....’
Abdul Kareem sighed.
‘......things got more worse after they built this....Camp Delta....we all got scattered and they tried to cut down our spirits pretty bad...the younger brothers were specially becoming restless already... and they always extracted confessions on force... which... under every law is unacceptable. Things changed so much that I suddenly found myself amongst entirely new mates... orange suit ones only but different... You two have been lucky to be together since the very beginning!’ he said to Yasser.
‘Yes! Even when we wore orange suits we were together........it was always a console having Ahmed by,’
‘I have been sick... not talking much, even before being put in solitary confinement’. Nasir spoke calmly. ‘It was sort of, like being at home!’
Abdul Kareem stood up, hasty to change the topic.
‘Let’s all of us show any specific skill that we know, to each other!’
Yasser lifted his hand.
‘First me! Foremost and the best skill... recitation’.
Abdul Kareem sat in his place, very pleased with the idea.
Yasser started reciting........................
Cindy walked slowly into the prison crossing the checkpoints evidently in no hurry, lost in deep thought.
‘Mam, please have a seat’. She was shown into an empty room that would have been an office but was not, ‘Do you want something, Madam?’
‘No! Please inform me when the prisoners are over with their walk’
‘Sure Mam’
‘Is Mr Brown available?’
‘No Mam, he hasn’t arrived yet’
‘Thanks’
The guard left her and went.
The door was left open. Cindy again fell back into thought-land.
‘Cindy?’ A familiar voice called her.
She looked up.
Ivan, she exclaimed getting up.
‘Hi’ he said coming in.
‘Hi, how are you doing? Anything special?
‘No! Nothings very special here!’ Ivan looked disgustedly about him , ‘What about you?’
‘Same here’, she sighed, sinking into the chair.
‘Are you free?… I mean... I was just getting bored’.
‘Why have you come? Is it Nasir?
‘Yeah! I have come to inform him about his appearance in the court perhaps by the month end’.
‘So why are you sitting- here?’
‘I don’t want to confront John, so I came early but the prisoners are taking their walk and I don’t want to disturb Nasir’
‘May I ask why?’
‘Yes?’
‘Why don’t you want to confront John?’
‘Well… he asked me a question that I am not ready to answer yet’
‘O I see. Why don’t you take something, cold drink, tea, coffee, anything?’
‘Thanks! I am just fine’.
Both of them then, sat quietly. Suddenly Cindy looked at him and smiled. Ivan a little embarrassed tried to smile back.
‘I was watching the video of the party yesterday… sorry … I jut forgot to tell you that you were looking so wondrous!’
Ivan adjusted his cap ‘It’s okay, please don’t exaggerate… I don’t like it’
‘I am not really’
Ivan laughed slowly. Then looking at his watch got up. It was almost time for John to come.
‘I will leave now, I am on duty, please, and you must excuse me’
Cindy annoyed a bit, grinned.
‘Sure’
‘Bye then’
‘Hope we meet again, Ivan!’
Ivan smiled and walked out but stopped at the door.
John was standing at a distance, hands in his pockets, glowering. Ivan held the stare for several seconds.
‘Morning sir!’ He said looking away and walked off.
‘Mo... rning… Ivan!’, came the threatening tone.
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Active Murabit
Number of posts: 233
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Registration date: 2008-07-29
| | Subject: Re: STRUGGLE... when being innocent is not enough (Part - 12) Sun Jun 21, 2009 8:51 am | |
| Geee! That was a long wait Nothing consequential happened here, i suppose.... You people think, Ivan will rebel on John for Cindy??? I think Cindy likes Ivan too.... May be |
| | | | | | STRUGGLE... when being innocent is not enough (Part - 12) | |
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