All lost in one day....must read!!!!

[Amatullah_]

Assalaamu alaykum wa Rahmatullaahi wa Barakaatuh

This is a true story, a very sad true story, perhaps the sadest I've read. It hit me straight and deep into my heart....

Just thought of sharing it here with you all, inshaAllah.

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All lost in a day...

Shafts of light spread over the bedroom floor , slowly highlighting the
criss-cross pattern of the mat, as the run rose on yet another day in the war
torn village. The men had returned home the day before, after many weeks in the
battlefield. Worn out, they fell into the loving arms of anxious wives. Weeks
spent in fear, ended in a happy reunion of family life.

Soon after day break the baby cried. Aisha reached over to the basket and picked
him up. His brown curls shone in the early morning light. She put him into bed
next to her and fed him while she dozed peacefully off to sleep again.

The room was simply furnished. There was a rough wooden bed, a wardrobe and a
chest of drawers. On the chest of drawers stood a square mirror, a brush and
comb and a small jewelry box her husband had given her on her wedding day. Hand
woven mats were spread across the floor, keeping away the growing cold of
winter. The window was covered with dark green shutters. They were tightly
closed. The baby's cot stood next to their bed which was covered with handmade,
soft downy quilts. Squares of various colors, collected and sewn together.

Ahmad stirred and opened his eyes that were encased in dark circles. He turned
over and looked at the sleeping baby nestled snugly against his mother. He
smiled tenderly and stared at the ceiling, watching the growing formations of
light and shade and drifted off to sleep once more.

The familiar sound of guns in the distance made him wake up immediately.
Unconsciously he reached for his gun, kept just beneath the bed where he lay. It
was loaded. The sound died away and he relaxed, replacing the gun beneath the
bed. He stroked the tiny head of his son who lay between he and his wife. In
waking hours, there was the ever-present fear of invasion and death. His concern
for his family's safety and that of his village, urged him on into fields of
blood and death. Constantly searching for the enemies who dealt out rape,
torture and death.

He lay still in bed while his wife and son slept. After two days, he would have
to return to the battle field. His thoughts were disturbed by a rumbling sound
coming down the street, then the sound of running feet. His listened intently.
Then there was a very loud bang at the door and a group of soldiers burst into
the house. Within seconds they were in the bedroom just as Ahmad was reaching
for his gun. Aisha awoke startled, and the baby screamed. Three soldiers with
rough, hard hands pinned Ahmad to the bed while the officer in charge shouted
questions at him. The silence that Ahmad maintained frustrated the Officer who
kicked him hard and beat him across the back. Ahmad refused to speak. Aisha
covered herself with the blanket and stared at her husband lying face down on
the bed beside her. His dignity crushed by pinning hands. She couldn't move or
speak. She sat frozen in terror. The baby kept screaming.

Question after question, repeating the same words while Ahmad pursed his lips
and kept his eyes closed tight. He dreaded what might happen to his family but
he couldn't reveal the information that would spell disaster to the whole
district. He was being given the choice between betrayal or death. The choice
was easy - death would be a final release from the hardships of life. Nothing
could make him give in to these tyrants. After what seemed like hours, the
Officer simply ordered, "It's no use, get rid of him." The second officer in
charge had a face cut from granite. His square jaw never clinched and there was
no expression in his eyes as he took out his gun and shot the helpless man in
the temple at point blank range, sending Ahmad on to a peaceful place that he,
would never know.

Immediately the other soldiers let got their hold on him and started looking
around the room. Their eyes turned to Aisha who sat there screaming and
screaming and screaming. Her voice drowned out that of her baby son. The
soldiers looked her up and down carefully then looked at each other and smiled.
The Officer in charge called them. They left. "Don't worry, you dogs," he
smiled, "you can come back a bit later to finish off your work."

Aisha's screams gave way to a frozen state of shock. She sat in the bed staring
straight in front of her. The door opened quietly and footsteps were heard
approaching her bed, now red with blood. The baby whimpered, too tired to
scream. A hand touched Aisha's shoulder and she jumped in horror. She found the
face of her neighbour who pulled her hand and dragged her from the bed.

"Aisha! Aisha! Pull yourself together. There's no time. We have to go now." She
gave Aisha a drink and shook her.

"They will come back at any time and if you are here, well, you mustn't be
here." The older lady shook her head and looked at the floor, she didn't dare
look at the body on the bed.

"Come on Aisha, put on your warm clothes and boots. We have to run. My girls and
I are ready and all the women who are still alive are leaving now. Aisha,
listen! We have to leave now!"

Aisha blinked and looked around her. She saw the body of her husband and started
to cry.

"Aisha," said her neighbour more gently, "there's no time for tears now. Come
on, we have to go.." Aisha started to move.

"Good Aisha. Remember if they come back they will kill you and your baby, do you
understand."

"Yes, yes, I do. I'm coming now," said Aisha in a daze. She was breathing
heavily, concentrating on not looking at the bed. She gathered all her remaining
strength in an effort to escape imminent death.

Feelings of panic overtook her. She rushed around the room thinking of what she
should take. Her neighbour had already left and she could hear the sound of the
other women and children leaving the village on foot. She didn't want to be left
behind so she hurried even more. She packed a few necessities into a small bag,
turned to where the baby lay and grabbed at him and the quilt and raced out the
door.

All day and the next night they traveled without stopping. Aisha was exhausted.
She continually saw stars in front of her eyes. Her mind was still in shock
after witnessing the brutal death of her loving husband. There was no time or
space to sort out everything that had happened. Her hand clung tightly to the
precious bundle she carried and on she ran. Often blinded by tears, she walked,
then ran, then walked again. Sometimes she would look back over her shoulder and
see the flames of fire reaching up from her village; her home, and tiny feelings
of gratitude, deep down in her soul made her glad she was not there. Her feet
surged forward, lengthening the distance between herself and destruction.

Finally, they arrived at the border. Warm, caring eyes surveyed the scene and
offered the poor, tired women and children warm drinks, bread and blankets. Only
after safely crossing the border and finally sitting down to rest did Aisha open
the bundle she had been carrying over all those miles. An explosion in the
distance, rocked them from rest and Aisha's eyes looked up sharply as whatever
remained of her village was wiped off the face of the earth.

With trembling hands she continued to unwrap her precious bundle.

Her screams alerted the guards and women surrounded her in pity and fear. Her
thin, shaking hands had uncovered a pillow within her bundle. Previously,
somewhere in her tumult and desire to escape death, her hands had reached for
her baby but had mistakenly grabbed the pillow and quilt which in a blind race
of fear, had been bundled up and carried with her these long, hard miles.

All lost - in a day
by Velma Cook
http://www.islamicgarden.com/lostinaday.html

This is the true story of a woman who escaped certain death. It all
happened just a few years ago. I pray that we will never forget the atrocities
that are daily perpetrated against the Muslims all over the world. May this
story serve as a reminder of the unexpected nature of life and the importance of
our reliance on Allah the Lord of the Worlds, as the only source of strength,
help and peace.

It also shows us how lucky we are that Allah has not tested us like the women in
the story. In one day she lost everything, her husband her body, her child, her
home.

We should pray and be so thankfull and beg Allah to help us thru any trail which
we'll face.

May Allah forgive our sins and shortcomings and bless us with the strength to
bear the difficulties of this world.
Ameen!!!!!



Taken from Young Muslims of North America Forums

[S_87]

thats so sad :'(
La Hawla Wa La Quwwata illah billah.. i dread to think what happened to the child but one thing...she walked day and night without looking at her bundle-which means the baby didnt cry,...?

[Amatullah_]

assalamu alaykum

I dont know, maybe she was in too much shock to even realise her baby wasnt crying. Her husband was shot and killed in front of her, she was raped and her village was being destroyed...how can anyone ever think straight after all this????

Wa Allahu alam.

[- Qatada -]

astaghfirullah ina lillahi wa ina ilayhi raaji un

[junna1]

Sis, that was such a sad story. Jazakallahu Khayran for posting in.

[Pinkrose]

:'( :'(

Sis that was sooooo sad!!! subhanallah!!
I think that maybe when she was packing she was in too much shock to even realize that she had left her baby and instead grabbed the pillow!! :confused:

Allah Knows Best!!

Jazaakalah for sharing sis!!

[Protected_Diamond]

asalamualykum warhmatulahi wabarakthu

astaghfirullah!!! soo upsetting and true beacuse that's what happans in reality astaghfirullah! :enough!:

walakumasalaam warhmatulahi wabarakthu

[Batoota]

La hawla wa la quowata illah billah.


*Tears*

that was verrrrrrrrrrry sad.

May Allah forgive our sins and shortcomings and bless us with the strength to
bear the difficulties of this world.
Ameen!!!!!

Ameeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeen!!

[Zuko]

Inna lillahi wa Inna ilayhi raji'oon....

May Allaah grant her the highest place in Paradise for her pain... Subhanallah, she may have lost everything in the duniya, but insh'allah, all will be replaced by things a million times better in the akhirah...

[j50yab]

thats so sad :'(
La Hawla Wa La Quwwata illah billah.. i dread to think what happened to the child but one thing...she walked day and night without looking at her bundle-which means the baby didnt cry,...?

A very sad story indeed. Although I agree with Sr Amani, for a whole day and night she didn't hear the baby or stop to feed it? I'm sure this story is true but has been slighty exagerated in its attemot to make it more reader sympathetic.

Also Sr Amatullah seems to think she was raped, but the passage does not mention it.

I know war crimes happen all over the world, we hear stories of muslim sisters being raped and brothers being murdered. We should all pray to Allah SWT that Allah make it easy for them. Ameen

[Sanobar]

salam!
jazakAllah for sharing that with us sis! mann......that was such a sad story...
!
ma'salama