Courage is not the complete absence of fear. Instead, courage is the ability to continue what you are doing despite the presence of fear.
By that measure, the late Anas al-Sharif was undoubtedly a courageous person. Last Sunday, Anas was tragically killed by an Israeli airstrike on a tent for journalists who were working near al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza.
The following statement was posthumously published on his social media accounts. I wish to preserve them here so that one day, if God asks me what I have done for the Palestinian people, I can at least point to something as proof that I have not remained totally oblivious to their suffering.
This is my will and my final message. If these words reach you, know that Israel has succeeded in killing me and silencing my voice.
First, peace be upon you and Allah’s mercy and blessings. Allah knows I gave every effort and all my strength to be a support and a voice for my people, ever since I opened my eyes to life in the alleys and streets of the Jabaliya refugee camp. My hope was that Allah would extend my life so I could return with my family and loved ones to our original town of occupied Asqalan (al-Majdal). But Allah’s will came first, and His decree is final.
I have lived through pain in all its details, tasted suffering and loss many times, yet I never once hesitated to convey the truth as it is, without distortion or falsification – so that Allah may bear witness against those who stayed silent, those who accepted our killing, those who choked our breath, and whose hearts were unmoved by the scattered remains of our children and women, doing nothing to stop the massacre that our people have faced for more than a year and a half.
I entrust you with Palestine – the jewel in the crown of the Muslim world, the heartbeat of every free person in this world. I entrust you with its people, with its wronged and innocent children who never had the time to dream or live in safety and peace. Their pure bodies were crushed under thousands of tons of Israeli bombs and missiles, torn apart and scattered across the walls. I urge you not to let chains silence you, nor borders restrain you. Be bridges toward the liberation of the land and its people, until the sun of dignity and freedom rises over our stolen homeland.
I entrust you to take care of my family. I entrust you with my beloved daughter, Sham, the light of my eyes, whom I never got the chance to watch grow up as I had dreamed. I entrust you with my dear son, Salah, whom I had wished to support and accompany through life until he grew strong enough to carry my burden and continue the mission. I entrust you with my beloved mother, whose blessed prayers brought me to where I am, whose supplications were my fortress and whose light guided my path. I pray that Allah grants her strength and rewards her on my behalf with the best of rewards.
I also entrust you with my lifelong companion, my beloved wife, Umm Salah (Bayan), from whom the war separated me for many long days and months. Yet she remained faithful to our bond, steadfast as the trunk of an olive tree that does not bend – patient, trusting in Allah, and carrying the responsibility in my absence with all her strength and faith. I urge you to stand by them, to be their support after Allah Almighty.
If I die, I die steadfast upon my principles. I testify before Allah that I am content with His decree, certain of meeting Him, and assured that what is with Allah is better and everlasting. O Allah, accept me among the martyrs, forgive my past and future sins, and make my blood a light that illuminates the path of freedom for my people and my family. Forgive me if I have fallen short, and pray for me with mercy, for I kept my promise and never changed or betrayed it.
Do not forget Gaza. And do not forget me in your sincere prayers for forgiveness and acceptance.
Reading these words, it is impossible even for one second to believe that they originate from the heart of a terrorist. What emerges instead are the poignant reflections of someone who deeply cared about his people, who was willing to give the ultimate sacrifice in order to tell the truth about the genocide being perpetrated by Israel.
At a time when the leaders of many Muslim countries remain hidden in their opulent palaces, Anas demonstrated to us what it meant to be at peace with the decree of Allah SWT. May God reward him with the highest rank in Jannah, together with the rest of the shuhada’ and salihin.
Be at peace, my brother. Innalillahi wa inna ilaihi raaji’uun.
Imran Idris 