http://www.arabnews.com/?page=13§ion=0&article=119014&d=10&m=2&y=2009&pix=kingdom.jpg&category=Local%20Press
Monday 9 February 2009 (14 Safar 1430)
Martyrs they are, if God wills
Abdul Aziz Al-Suwaigh | Al-Madinah, [email protected]
At their heavenly abode before their Creator, it makes no difference to
the victims of the Israeli murders in Gaza what epithets we use to describe
them - "the martyrs" or "those killed in battle."
Of course I do not want to initiate a discussion on who is entitled to be
called "a martyr" in the strict religious sense. On the other hand, I believe
that the selectiveness in the use of the word "martyr" is a matter to be
discussed.
In my view, not using the word, whatever may be the justification, to
refer to those killed by the Israeli attacks betrays a lack of patriotic spirit
besides carrying some political dimensions that those who are selective in the
use of the word may or may not realize.
Ghazi Al-Gosaibi was ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Britain a few years
ago. Despite the sensitivity of his diplomatic position, Al-Gosaibi was
unequivocal in expressing his Arab patriotic sentiments by publishing a poem,
"The Martyr," which glorified the message carried by a suicide bomber
Palestinian girl in an operation against Israelis. He did not conceal his view
that the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip was worse than
anything that Europe had witnessed, even under the Nazis. Nor did he stop
there. He would not be cowed into silence by either British or Jewish
criticisms. He wrote an open letter challenging British-Jewish politicians to
show the required moral courage to call murderers such as Begin, Sharon and
Shamir terrorists.
Those who raise the slogan of objectivity these days in judging the
Palestinian and Israeli actions might describe Al-Gosaibi's sentiments as
emotional. But they are sincere human sentiments that should be put in the
category of freedom of expression. This freedom is a key human activity and a
strong weapon in the hands of poets and artists.
"God is witness that you are martyrs,
Prophets and saints also witness the same.
You sacrificed your lives in order that My Lord's words remain exalted in
the land that was sanctified by the Night Journey.
Seemingly, you have committed suicide. In truth, we have been committing
suicide with our death-like existence."
