More greats from Faiza

Faiza Jarrar, the wise and talented author of A family in Baghdad, had another great English-language post up yesterday. It looked like she wrote it last Friday–which was SUCH a tense and momentous day in Iraq. I can only imagine how she felt as she wrote.
Anyway, if you don’t have time to read the whole thing, here are two of the parts I found most interesting.
First, her writing about what Najaf and its extensive cemeteries mean to her:

Najaf city became a sacred symbol to Muslims, especially Shi’aa, where they bury their dead.Graveyards in Najaf are vast, endless cities, as if without boundaries…as if they are real cities, but its residents are in another world, having different customs…differing from the cities of ordinary people. On its walls there are writings: Peace be upon you, people of – NO GOD BUT THE ONE GOD, you are the former, we are the latter…When I read it I feel spiritually calm, shy from the dead, and feel sad for the fate of all humanity. Every year we go, my sisters and I, to visit my parent’s graves…we take fruits and pastries to distribute among the poor, asking them to read Al-Fatihaa Verse (The first verse in Quran) for the souls of our dead…we sit by the graves, lighting candles, reading the Holy Quran, remembering our loved ones, and we cry for their separation from us… and when we get back to Baghdad…I keep thinking all the way: How petty life is, how a human should live in all honesty and truthfulness, because he will surly die, so die an honest, well-remembered person, better than dying a villain who harmed people and stole their rights, or spilled their blood without justification… And I remember the words of Imam Ali (Peace be upon him): Death is the best preacher…meaning- that remembering death schools the soul, and purifies it from greed and follies.And also his words: Work for your life as if you will live forever, and work for your after-life as if you will die tomorrow…

*****
We used to perform these rituals at the end of Rajab, the Arabic month, every year before the war…Last year we didn’t go…And these days are in the month of Rajab, and there is violence, fighting, and blood in the streets of Najaf and Kufa…So we will not go…I saw pictures of the American soldiers barricading behind the walls of graveyards, carrying their automatic weapons, and shooting at Al-Mahdi Army…I kept staring at the picture, putting my hand on my cheek, and a voice inside me asking: Oh my God, even the dead weren’t spared by the occupation forces? They followed them to the graves, and disturbed their peacefulness…What should I say? I always said- thank GOD my father and mother are dead, and didn’t see the occupying army, they would probably have burst in grief to see Iraq an occupied, destroyed country… But the occupation forces want all Iraqis, dead or living to know it is here, want to step upon them all, dead or living, by their consent, or without it …That is how things seem to be…

And this:

There are some Non-Iraqi societies working here, who have very good funding from abroad…they are researching in defending women’s rights, enlarging the political contribution, and democracy building. I attended a lecture today…by the title: Violence against Women.The Doctor spoke about cases of violence against women, its damaging effects upon their personalities, and upon society… then the girl responsible for that Society Branch said she would show some slides next week, pictures of women who were violently treated by their families. She said she is preparing for a symposium about the discrimination by mothers against children, and some other painful, realistic stories… and a family whose crippled daughter burned herself, because she couldn’t face their sarcasm…Most of the attendants left…I approached the remaining ladies and the Doctor who gave the speech, and said: I have some comments, if you please…She said: Be our guest…I said: Who decides the program of the lectures? And who steers them in this direction??They said: We do, what’s wrong with it…I said: These programs are suitable for a society living in normal conditions, and in peace, like the societies of America or Europe… like an Operah show, and her weird stories. But our society is torn apart, just out of war…the lectures are supposed to be aimed at keeping the Iraqi family bound, not to show painful, provoking cases. Displaying the pictures of violence is a provocation to violence… They said: We want to make the women more aware.I said: A woman should not leave here feeling provoked against her husband and family, she should be made aware by another way…without altering priorities… and I took the pen and wrote on the board: ( The Most important thing is to keep the family’s unity). They shouted to my face: How? Give us your ideas; we do not want some general speech… I said, All right, in the next lecture I will give you ideas.
****************************
On my way home I kept thinking about the answer…Yes, I found it…Lecturing women about things like-How to raise your children affectionately, without violence…How to treat your retarded or crippled child…and How to raise your children without discriminating between them…These are slogans of loving tenderness to unite the family…not aggressive slogans which make enemies out of family members… I will present them in next week’s meeting…by the will of GOD.

She is so right in her view of effective pedagogy on these matters! Go, Faiza!!!
Actually, I urge you to read her entire post–especially what she says about seeing no difference for Iraqis between Bush and Kerry, and them behaving like small children…
Also, this:

Where is Democracy? What have we seen of it??We saw deeds very much like those of Saddam Hussein, more cruelty, and more repression against opponents. And the man didn’t even speak about democracy; he was a clear, pure dictator…But America wears all masks and faces…and takes them off at will…Violence and blood mingles everyday with words like democracy and freedom…Some fiasco is being played here everyday…it makes humanity ashamed.

She also writes:

I wish to visit America, and meet the American people in open symposiums and free-spoken discussions. I want them to know the truth of what is happening here since Baghdad fell…I want them to know the truth from lies… I do not want to take part in election campaigns against Bush, or with Kerry… I have nothing to do with these tricks…I do not like it. But I want to help the American people open their eyes from their slumber…exactly as I want to help the Iraqi people to get up, and rebuild their lives all over again…Long live the people, down with governments…

Somebody should take her up on that and invite her to the US. She has great values, is excellent at expressing herself–and of course, has a very well-informed point of view.
(I think I’m going to replace Riverbend in my Links section with Faiza. I’m sorry to do it–and I’m still worried about River. Where is she??? But Faiza is so feisty, so wise…and right now, so prolific…)