Badr Ali Qambar
The lofty Gaza School still teaches us a lot about the stages of life and the course of this world, and those who believe that Gaza is just one of the issues that we have experienced before, and that it will pass as others have done, are mistaken. Gaza is a blessed part of the land of Palestine, which God has blessed in all its parts. It is one of the Muslim borders, and it remained so for a long time, as in the hadith of the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace (with a good chain of transmission): “And the best of your ties is Ashkelon,” which is occupied today, and Gaza was affiliated with Ashkelon.
As soon as Gaza rests from the burden of the devastating war that consumed everything green and dry, during which nearly seventy thousand martyrs were martyred, it will find itself in a new confrontation. Gaza’s battle today has not ended, and even if the war stops temporarily, it is an eternal battle against the occupier, and a battle of steadfastness, steadfastness and change in the face of the miserable conditions it is experiencing, and it may need a long period to recover and return to its normal life.
From the Gaza station, many personalities came to us who set the most wonderful examples of the values of life and steadfastness, and perhaps some of them became an influential story that resonated throughout the world. Among the lines emerged the personality of Saleh Al-Jaafrawi, the steadfast and patient journalist, who entered the hearts of all Muslims, and his courageous personality stood out before the entire world, to the point that some non-Muslim countries held memorial vigils for him.
Despite his young age, he won hearts, and he was present every day for the past two years, conveying the details of the brutal war on Gaza, documenting the extent of the suffering and pain that its people endured, and narrating the smallest details from the sites of killing and destruction, to the point that he escaped death many times.
Glory be to God… When we received the news of Saleh’s martyrdom, it was not ordinary news. Rather, we felt as if we were losing a relative whom we live with daily. His departure was very difficult, despite our certainty that all the people of Gaza, and indeed Palestine, had prepared themselves for those moments and prepared their commandments, expecting martyrdom at any moment, in light of the fierce, destructive attack that had not subsided for two years, or even for decades.
Many lessons have settled in our hearts and consciences. We learned them from Gaza and from Saleh al-Jaafrawi in particular, from those who dedicated their lives to God Almighty alone. We must renew its remembrance and impact from time to time, so that we live for God Almighty alone, and prepare ourselves for the moments of departure from this life, and even prepare our hearts for the afterlife.
The first of these lessons is to deepen faith in souls, renew it, and elevate it. Without the power of faith, we cannot confront the desires of this world and the temptations of the accursed Satan. Faith is what gave the people of Gaza strength, and the Noble Lord chose them to be in the arena of real scrutiny. Some of them died and some of them are waiting. Faith is what makes a person withstand many temptations. The Prophet, may God’s prayers and peace be upon him, said: “Trials are presented to hearts like mats, stick by stick. Any heart that embraces it will have a black spot on it, and any heart that denies it will have a white spot on it, until the hearts become two hearts: one is white like Safa, so no temptation will harm it as long as the heavens and the earth exist, and the other is black.”
As for steadfastness in principles and values, it is another message that Saleh wrote to us. He lived for the principles of Islam, believing in the promise of God Almighty and the message of man. He never compromised on his convictions, and remained steadfast in the truth even in the darkest circumstances. His entire life was for God Almighty; He memorized the Qur’an, was keen to teach people the supplications, and worked sincerely and diligently in the most dangerous situations. It is a message that teaches us sincerity of intention in action, and that it be sincere to God Almighty alone, so that it will see its beautiful impact on society with the grace of God Almighty alone. Thus, Saleh left his positive impact with his story that everyone talked about, becoming a curriculum taught to generations, and a shining imprint in all fields.
He left an eloquent message: good deeds are necessary until death, and a person must be a true giver in this life, never standing on the sidelines. He taught us patience and steadfastness in times of adversity. He refused to leave Gaza more than once, and even refused to accompany his mother for treatment outside it, so that he could continue his mission despite the imminent dangers he faced on the battlefield. It is a message that he presented to the whole world, with his steadfastness, care, and love for his land and homeland, and his fear that he would be deprived of the pleasure of reward if he left it!
Loyalty to the mission, patience, accountability, honesty, and strength of will are all values that Saleh was created with, and the honorable people of Gaza were created with. They believed in them and lived for them, until God gave them what they wished for, and those who remained of them, adhering to the principles of pride, became struggling to participate in the reconstruction of Gaza again, so that it would be a beacon of goodness.
A flash of hope: Some life stories come in the form of poignant messages, especially the stories of the people of Gaza. They are stations for renewing faith and life, and an opportunity to reconsider ourselves and evaluate the extent of our giving in the service of Islam and humanity. Saleh is one of the manifestations of true faith in God Almighty, which we must imbibe day and night, and be a motivation for building and doing good deeds. Oh God, accept Saleh and all the martyrs of Palestine among the righteous, and grant us success to be ambassadors for goodness in your vast land. We will meet you and you have been satisfied with us.
