Edward, unlike your homeland, you are free now
"The ink of a Scholar is more holy than the blood of the martyr"
--Muhammad, peace be upon him, Messenger of Allah
Only God's calling would have stopped this most beautiful man from his life's mission and passion, the physical and intellectual freedom for his people and the promotion of justice for humanity.
Edward lived his life without roots, a citizen stranger in the very nation that unconditionally supports his uprooting from his homeland along with millions of his countrymen. Palestinian men, women and children denied their very humanity, dispossessed of their land, homes, and dignity by a transported stranger from far away lands to soothe the historical guilt and conscience of Christian Europe. The "Jewish Problem" became the "Palestinian Problem".
Truth is treated like a commodity bought and sold to justify:
- The crusades against the "barbarian" in Europe or the "Infidel" in the Holy Land
- The colonialism of the "dark" peoples of the southern hemisphere under the guise of the "White Man's Burden"
- The capitalist "Robin Hoods" who rob from the poor to enrich the rich
- The invading of the "Fertile Crescent" for its oil under the guise of fabricated threats and lies
All of this occurring in a "civilization of images" that moves the masses and troops by utilizing today's most powerful weapon---the Media and Hollywood.
In the streets of Washington DC truth is traded when we use hundreds of millions of tax dollars to build and maintain a Jewish Holocaust Museum while denying monetary support for the very American veterans of WW II who died liberating Jews from Nazism and Fascism.
Edward Said, the "Happy (Said) Warrior" dedicated his entire life to ensuring the world does not forget that it's conscience and humanity will be wounded for ever until the Palestinians have a soil of their own. Edward, our teacher, you died too soon.
It was the supremacy of Zionist words, lies, and myths that stole Palestine; but rest assured, Edward, that it will be your unforgettable words of truth that will reclaim Palestine for your people, a people whose cause will be carried on by every man and woman in this world who loves truth, justice, and peace. We will carry your banner of truth and justice until we plant an olive tree in your name in Jerusalem. We will make you proud, I promise you.
You were most brilliant when you shined your pen upon the western intellect immersed in their ignorance of the eastern culture. You dimmed their "Enlightenment" with truthful and painful words that exposed a Teflon conscience, self-absorbed in the logic of Machiavellian expediency. You played the game of "Truth or Dare" with the strategic brilliance of Socrates and the military genius of the Macedonian Alexander. For your gift to our humanity you suffered the slings and arrows of outrageous lies perpetrated by the supporters of Israel's occupation. Yet you persisted and persevered until they ran out of arrows. In 2000, when you threw a small stone toward an Israeli guardhouse on the Lebanese border, it landed like an asteroid carrying with it all the crimes of humanity against the Palestinian people.
Edward, the void you have left for your family, I and the rest of the world pray for their patience and comfort for their loss. Upon the countless students you've touched through your long and distinguished academic career and your millions of readers around the world, your words will continue to soak their minds and hearts. Above all every Palestinian child will never forget the path of truth and justice you have shown. They will never give up and never surrender to suffering, until they have their own homeland in Palestine (Inshallah, God Willing).
Edward, you have not left me, for your books surround and inspire me to continue the fight of "truth, justice, and hope", not just for the victimized Palestinians but for the Jews, Christians, Muslims and people of all faiths around the world who honor justice and truth and who are joining the "right path" of peace for all people.
Edward, you battled your illness with the courage, integrity, grace, and strength you exhibited in battling the Zionists. While death defeated you, in death your legacy shall defeat the Zionists.
May you rest in peace and may the Zionists never know peace until Palestinians breathe the free air of Palestine and eat from the freed olive tree.
May God take you into His everlasting love and mercy and may He comfort your immediate family and your worldwide family who've loved and respected you for your selfless life of a "Happy (Said) Warrior".
With my Love and Respect.
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A real intellectual!
A real Arab!
We pray that Allah in His majestic might will make his dream and wish a reality. Inshallah.
May his soul rest in perfect peace.
Dr Said writings reflected a balanced, rational mindset.His heroic intellectual struggle for the cause of the Palestinians against Israeli oppression often led many to believe Dr Said was a Muslim when he was actually a Christain.
May Allah keep his family in peace and give them the strength to overcome his demise.
A fairly transparent deception aimed at the ignorent and delusional. You didnt cite the verses which chronicle the expulsion and exile Jews got for their disobidience. Thats a new one, Israelis trying to justify their artificial state on the Quran...laughable indeed. Almost as laughable as the fact that the Torah forbids Zionism. Palestine belongs to the Palestinian people, not to non-semetic Khazarite European rejects like yourself. The late and great Edward Said is a true son of Palestine, one who will be sorely missed, but never forgotten.
regardless of their personal religious beliefs, had much to
learn from him. He was by far the most eloquent examiner
of the evils of colonialism and the terrible toll that it has
taken on societies all over the world.
You are right, in one instance after another, the Quran "reminds" the Children of Israel how God gave them the land to live and worship him as he ordered them, he reminds them of his favors upon them.
Look at Israel now: 16,000 abortions per year, pornography galore, atheists live happily in it, not to speak of murder of innocent people including children...I don't want to go on, but you get the gist, Is this what God wanted of the COI? I absolutely do not believe so.
Just because they're allowed to go on like this means not He's ignoring them. There will the same kind of reckoning as the one you find in the very chapter you quote from. Read on to verses 7 and up.
Let us ensure that the efforts of the courageous and talented Mr. Said are not in vain, and his struggle for justice continues in the words and actions of those who survive him. Ending the occupation of Palestine is a difficult but not impossible task. Who could have envisaged 30 years ago that the mighty Soviet Union would not survive into the 21st century?
Let us resolve to do our utmost to help the struggle of our fellow Palestinians in regaining their land, by supporting those organizations, such as the International Solidarity Movement, that are pursuing a peaceful campaign for their rights.
The pen is indeed mightier than the sword, and, I.S.A., justice will prevail, knowledge will ultimately triumph over ignorance.
identified in these very personal words.
Thanks.
"The ink of a Scholar is more holy than the blood of the martyr"
--Muhammad, peace be upon him, Messenger of Allah
I wish for Muslims to (READ)and follow the guidence of the Quran surly Allahs Victory is with
the ines on the right path
Time for a total Islamic Revelution.
courage and fervor to end Israel's crimes against
humanity. Mr. Said will be foreever remebered for his
beautiful intellect and passion to help humanity
progess forward. May Allah help us all and may He aid
the Palestinian people wherever they are to acheive
justice and peace.
Wonderful article. Words are not enough to desribe the
grief we feel, but they are helpful to let us cope and
help us to never forget our struggle.
Edward Said's pen left a permanent stamp on palestinian issues. I wish he would have seen resolution of the problems of his homeland in his life time. Palestine remains under seize by THE WORLD BODY(because of its inaction for fear of the only super power.) led by Israel and backed by USA.
No end in sight. USA may become humble with experience in Iraq.
God bless Edward Said!
All we can say now is "Innal lil laahi wa innal ilayhi raaji'oon." May Allah (swt) forgive his sins and provide him with peace, Insha'Allah.
Shuja Syed
First, to Brother Mohamed Khodr, the author, jazaka Allahu khairan for your kind and considerate extention of respect towards Edward Said, his family, and all those whom loved him and his writing, even though the majority of us never knew him.
I pray that the next Edward Said(s) are given media attention during their life and not shunned and ignored until after they are no longer with us.
The temporary Zionist entity and apartheid occupiers feared the intellectual much more than any military force.
However, they never would've imagined that on such a day as today, there are 'Jews for Palestine' whom are now demanding that ALL Palestinians be allowed to return to Palestine, and just yesterday, Jewish pilots have decided to stop bombing innocent civilians in Palestine.
Therefore, I pray to Allah that he grants victory and that we witness Allah's promise, "....and Allah will complete this light, even if it's hated by the rejecters".
One day insha'Allah, when Allah decrees, truthood and its supporters will prevail and falsehood and its supporters will perish.
With respect and gratitude to Mr. Edward Said, I say 'Thank you', and to your family, may Allah comfort your hearts and surround you with love constantly.
wa salamu alaikum wa rahmatullahe wa barakatu.
Abu Akram Alomari
Edward W Said saw a need and met the challenge. I never met him but I loved him. He gave the West an opportunity to reconsider its view on Palestine. But sadly to say too many see Palestine as one of those gloomy, cloudy days that depresses and it much better to preoccupy ones self with self-indulgence than to speak out and fight for a cause--- the way of Professor Edward Said.
May God be please with his work.
Allah (swt) gives life and He takes it and to Him we are all returning. The world has indeed lost a scholar par-excellence. Dr. Edward Said was an articulate spokeman for cause of freedom and justice for humanity in general and for the Palestinians in particular.
I have always enjoyed reading his insightful articles and when I saw them I would print and save them for future reference.
I pray to Allah (swt) that He will accept the work of Dr. Said and admit him to His paradise and bring mercy and relief to his family.
May Allah grant eternal peace to Edward Said. Ameen.
Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji'un.
Assalamu alaikum.
--Yahya Bergum