Thoughts

Martyrs

By on Saturday, September 5, 2015
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There’s nothing more sacred than giving one’s life up to serve one’s country, to protect it and repel its enemies. Those are the courageous heroes. The few amongst the many. Who sacrifice their lives such.

My condolences to the families and friends of the martyred soldiers and to Bahrain.

I remember that I proposed the creation of a National Edifice during the first National Dialogue to commemorate and remember our martyrs. Wether they be from the police, military establishments or indeed those who have died under torture and brutality as has been identified by the BICI commission, those and the many others since the political movements started in the early 1900 and probably before that too.

I’m not sure what has happened with that proposal. My understanding is as it was not opposed (or was it? I can’t clearly remember) then His Majesty must have approved it when the outcome of the Dialogue was presented for his ratification. Regardless of the status of this particular case, some edifice need to be created nonetheless. I feel that it will bring the whole of Bahrain together to commemorate our fallen, lest they be forgotten. And worse, the cause that has claimed them repeat itself without us learning from the painful experiences.

May God rest those who have given their lives in the service of their country and its people, and may He place them in the highest echelons of Heaven.

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Comments

    1. Post
      Author
      mahmood

      I don’t have a considered reply for this Tariq as I’m not qualified to make a judgement. I do; however, accept that the word martyr has moved on from it’s traditional definition. Wikipedia for instance, defines martyrdom in Islam as:

      In Arabic, a martyr is termed Shahid. Shahid appears in the Quran in a variety of contexts, including witnessing to righteousness, witnessing a financial transaction and being killed, even in an accident as long as it doesn’t happen with the intention to commit a sin, when they are believed to remain alive making them witnesses over worldly events without taking part in them anymore (Quran 3:140). The word also appears with these various meanings in the hadith, the sayings of Muhammad. The Greek origin of the word also means ‘witness.’

      Islam views a martyr as a man or woman who dies while conducting jihad, whether on or off the battlefield (see greater jihad and lesser jihad).[22] However, opinions in the Muslim world vary widely on whether suicide bombers can count as martyrs. Few Muslims believe that suicide bombing can be justified.

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