بسم الله الرحمان الرحيم

For the victims of the kadhimiyah massacre, Iraq. 31st August 2005:

Amid the dust and chaos the innocent becomes the victim once more
The river a haven for death, you took our women, men and children,
You took their bodies but you can not take their souls
So many unknown heroes perished, so many sacrifices of humanity witnessed
So many needless deaths and many invaluable lives lost to deaths charms
The earth is calling for your body; your Lord is calling for your soul
Your loved ones letting go, for no choice has come to them whether you live or die.
Tonight the river sleeps silently, having had its share of human flesh.
Water mixed with blood of innocence

Rest now little one, your soul is free from the cage of oppression
For you do not have to witness life’s hardships anymore
Your life lived short, barely witnessed a glimpse
When God took your life a bud you were; He did you a favour
For you will not have to bear the wrinkles of sadness, nor the marks of oppression
Rise high and be free but do not forget your mother
When you are invited to Gods house; when you take that first glimpse of beauty, when you taste the divine spring
When you witness what heavens happiness is, when the overwhelming joy flourishes your heart,
Do not forget your mother; for she will be suffering your separation on earth
Her trial will carry on; more deaths and grievances will come to her before her time is nigh.
Oh son, I bore you up to die so soon without tasting the sweetness of life with you.
(Muhammed Tama’ Al-musawi aged 8, died with a dua book hidden in his chest, went to do ziyarat for his fathers, as that day also marked the anniversary of his fathers death. Dedicated also to all the children who perished.)

As the wave wraps round your feeble body; as it grabs you and takes you under
Your soul releases itself back unto its Lord
You witnessed all that life had to offer; saw good in very few and evil for what it had to give.
You wore the hardships of oppression; you tasted the staunchness of death of many of your companions; and now its time for you to drown in your own death.
You served your Lord throughout the decades
You taught the signs of your Creator
You dreamt the day you would die like a true martyr
Your day has come
Your face illumined
The body no more a barrier
You lived your life until old age came to you, you feared the way you wanted to die
But God has chosen you to die a grand death
Your forefathers are waiting for you; do not delay further
The end to your sequel has come.

(Dedicated to the Sheikh whos face captured the Iraqi media and became yet another symbol for another class of people who needlessly perished; the elderly)

A hero amongst your neighbours you became
You saved the lives of many but could not hold onto your own
As the wings of death were knocking on your door
You’ve become a symbol of Iraqi Unity
A symbol which none shall forget
When it came to doing humanity differences meant nothing
Your father now standing proud for you showed us how be
A legacy has been created from your departure.
A renewed love; a renewed hope.

(Dedicated to Othman al-Ubeydi, a sunni muslim who saved around seven lives before drowning trying to save another, may God bless your dear soul for we are indebted to your bravery, your act was truly an act of humanity and to other unknown heroes)

Tomorrow the innocent will lay to rest
Grave upon grave
Story upon story
Sadness upon sadness
From the beginning of time, blood has flowed from your land
Hussein called you the place of agony and ordeal*
And that surely you became.
tempest©

*The probably most famous event in history within Shia islam was when the Prophets grandson and his family were slaughtered in Karbala, Iraq. Karbala in Arabic means, ‘karb’ agony and ‘bala’ means ordeal.
From the beginning the Shias were severely oppressed, it shoudnt surprise anyone that they still are now.