-/- A Red Line -/-


Never had I fathomed, not even in my remotest imagination, that a day will come when God's houses will be attacked and destroyed. The way they are today, in Iraq...Never.

This was and remains the most unthinkable, unacceptable act to me and to countless others...
This Red Line is now crossed...Crossed, transgressed, trespassed into blasphemy...

In fact, this Red Line was first crossed when the American brave boys started blowing up minarets...The first in Fallujah.

The Red Line was crossed when they desecrated the sacred places, ransacking them, setting them on fire, tearing, spitting and urinating on the Holy Book, painting crucifixes on the walls, stealing Mosques treasuries....And above all, killing people in them.

Worshipers in prayers...Prostrated, curved, curbed upon themselves, bent, rounded up, wrapped upon themselves like in a cocoon, like an infant in an embryo...
In instants of total surrender... Defenseless, vulnerable, fragile...at the Mercy...and killed...

Yes, that day, the Red Line was crossed...

The first act, the one who had cast the first stone, transgressed all red lines.
And since that day , we are witnessing more of the same, spreading like a wild satanic fire, embracing all God's houses, Muslim, Christian...temples, any sanctified corner...Anything remotely sacred.

The rape of the Sacred...The rape of The Sacred, touching the most intimate connection, the closest belief , the "One closer than your jugular vein" of a people... whatever their creed.

I am not even sure you realize what a serious, grave act this is...but then maybe you do. But, I guess your boys are absolved because they are, yet another breed of a chosen people. A bit like your president and your administration, above God - maybe!

And like God, they have their "angels", executing their orders...the new Pharisees of the 21st century.
The "clash of civilizations" you said...so you said...and "Be" and it was...and "Be" and it became...so it became - in Iraq.

Destroy the Temple within and destroy the Temple without...
Destroy the body, destroy the soul. Destroy the "sacred and the profane"...

Never, I would have never thought this to be possible. Iraq has never known anything like that and that despite Her being bloodily invaded before by barbarians...
But never that way, never like this... Never.

I am even too sad to write...What is there to say?
I find myself strangulated by grief, silenced beyond words, sliding into consternation and disbelief...
I find myself torn inside as if a thousand daggers have transpierced me...
I wonder what God feels...I want to tell Him, Her, It...

Dear One, I am so sorry. They have not only destroyed our homes, but they have destroyed Yours as well...
Where are we to go now Dear One? Which refuge? Which direction? Where do we turn? What are we to face?
The roofs have fallen and the skies are uncovered...
And we are like fugitives, running...Looking behind us, in front of us, above us with a sky wide open over our heads and an earth ready to swallow us any moment...

Is there anywhere at all where a Red Line has not been crossed?

We run and run and there are no lines we have not crossed. No borders, no frontiers...
We run and run and they follow us everywhere...Right into our temple within, our temple without, into our beds, into our sleep, into our dreams...into our prayers...

Not a minaret, not a dome, not a church door...Nothing has been left untouched...

We stand, raise our hands to the sky and we receive fire bombs falling into our arms, against our chests, crushing us...
We bow down and repeat the sacred name and arrows pierce our backs in a ritual ablution of blood...
We prostrate down and touch the earth with our foreheads and mines explode in our faces...

Is there anywhere Dear One, that is no Red Line - Anywhere at all?


Painting: Iraqi artist, Thameer Dawood.

Comments

Anonymous said…
wasn't it like this in the crusades?
Anonymous said…
an ancient egyptian proverb:
seketna luh daKHal be Humaru
Anonymous said…
also,

KHudoohum bel-soT la yeGHlebookum
Anonymous said…
layla, el 3abd fil-tafkir wel rab fil-tadbir
Anonymous said…
Dearest Layla, no words, but just for you to know that I've read your thoughts and share your feelings.

Jr, it's nice to see that you know Arabic, but I wish you could have shared it with the rest of us? Please translate the ancient Egyptian proverbs.
Anonymous said…
Layla, all innocents who died in the unjust, cruel, savage barbarians' war of terror are looking down from heaven upon you with pride. I too am proud of you. The terrorists of Iran, Israel and the Hitler Incarnate, will never subdue the fine people of Iraq. As a matter of fact, they sowed their own demise. They don't know it for thay are too wrapped up in their lust for innocent blood of children, women and elderly and peacefull worshippers. If that is all they got, to kill defensless children, defenseless women and defenseless elderly and blow up houses of God to turn one people against an other, they will never win, never. The fine people of Iraq dealt with this kind of savage assault many times before. And the fine people of Iraq always rose a bove it, built their country and became stronger. Like fine steel. Steel becomes strongest after it passes through the hottest furnace.
As long as Iraq has a person like you Layla, Iraq will never be destroyed. Iraq will always be like the fine steel.
Iraq gave birth to all civilisations. Iraq burried barbarianism many times before, and Iraq will do it again. I'm sure as of the sun will rise tomorrow. The East is the symbol of life, and Iraq is in the Middle of East. Iraq is life and always will be.
I'm still Optomistic.
Anonymous said…
Layla,
As
http://almashriq.hiof.no/egypt/800/808/proverbs/egyptian_proverbs.txt
is probably the source of jr said...'s asinine wisdom, there's really no (more) need to present us with the profundity and sagacity of his one by one choices.
BTW (acronyms like this you can look up at http://www.acronymfinder.com/) you're the only blogger I regularly read ... and find superb.
Keep it on and keep it up!
Anonymous said…
Fixed in some nightmare that is all day.

Truly when I woke this morning I said I didn't want to, but I told my protectors that I would continue with this as long as I thought I was doing some good, that the effort was worthy.

I don't know if I am doing some good, that the effort is worthy, if we are doing some good, but I think we, it, is — I think we, are.

Some sanity in the back of my mind tells me that any action brings forth a response.

That applies to our actions also.

And as we grow in number, so....
Anonymous said…
ok just for you little deer since u were polite,

seketna luh daKHal be Humaru:

Literal translation: We let him in, he brought his donkey along.

Hidden meaning: Sometimes one has to be careful with abusers, otherwise they will take advantage of you..

--

KHudoohum bel-soT la yeGHlebookum

Literal translation: Raise your voice otherwise their arguments will beat you!

Hidden meaning: When ideas fail, words (and loud voice) come in very handy.

--

el 3abd fil-tafkir wel rab fil-tadbir

Literal translation: Man thinks, God takes care of things
Anonymous said…
“dear one: why are you troubled? You worry about a house of dirt and stone when I have made the sun, stars and all that is within, a canopy for you."
"Are you ashamed to worship under ‘my’ house? the one I gifted to you? I created all that is and all that will be and you are sad over of something made by man? What shall it take to make you understand?"

"I am tired of my people. I give you sun and you cover your eyes to block out the brightness.
I give you rain, and you cover your head so the hair doesn’t get messed.
I give you clouds and you wish for the sun.
I give you heat and you wish for the cool.
I give you cold and you wish for the hot.
Dear one: what shall I make of you? Why do you continue to want the opposite? You want the world on your terms, not mine.
There is one thing I wish you to know and it is this…
Let not your heart be troubled, for I am with you always."

god
Anonymous said…
Layla your essay sounds like a belated reaction. Were you not blogging when 'they' bombed the mosque in Samarra'a about two years ago? I think that's what started the tit-for-tat.

JR I like your Arabic sayings but I do not see the relevance.

How about ones about Jeha? My favorite is 'Jeha Deg Bissmar'.
Angel said…
Hello Layla,

I was truly horrified to see this most awful news. That mosque was so beautiful, as most are.

Even if you are not a believer in God, the workmanship, so fine, obviously built with love and dedication to the faith, the beauty, the historical value.

Another of Iraq's great treasures, gone in the blink of an eye.

Layla, know there are others who feel your pain and loathing against the invaders who have caused this most awful destruction of body and soul.
Anonymous said…
Thanks, Jr., for your kind translation. The second translation is so fitting: 1) Iraqis took all the abuse that the US/UK piled upon them for all these years (sanctions and now, occupation). But, today, the Resistance (loud voice in your translation) is making this garbage go round in circles... 2) That mad man in the Black House thought he could threaten Russia, and expected Russia to meekly succumb...but President Putin retaliated admirably (loud voice, again!), and the mad man has not only lost face but does not know what to do...so the saying is wise.

As for the third one, yes, God will take care of things - of Iraq, even though everything is wrong right now. Like the Phoenix, it will rise from the ashes, as it has at all turbulent times in its history.

Dearest Layla, take heart - I know it's easy for us on the outside to say many things, but I realise how difficult it must be for you and for all Iraqis. Those who are responsible for all this, particularly the disrespect for places of worship, will pay a big price. Already, they have no friends and any occupier casualties in Iraq are cause for celebration. Long live Iraqi Resistance.

Jr., thank you....
Layla Anwar said…
Iraqi Jew,

I must have the patience of Job and it is getting stretched...
This essay was not about Samarra's bombing per se..but about the chains of Mosqques bombed in the past 2 weeks, at least 7 of them...
Samarra has been under siege by the americans, iraqi forces, and the shias...The siege is so tight that patients have been dying in Samarra main hospital...
The ones who bombed Samarra mosque again...are none but the mossad, americans and iranians...
They are bent on creating and mantaining a state of civil war....
And next time, when and if I am in the mood, I will give you a JEHA joke...
Layla Anwar said…
LoL,
God has visited my blog...He sounds a little american though...Please tell me you are not from Texas...
Thanks.
Anonymous said…
Ala ElRahib Wa ElSaa little deer
Anonymous said…
Muslims destroy their own temples rather than those of the kaffir?

It's a change for the better.
Anonymous said…
hi layla, im back¡¡¡

yes in www.rebelion.org i can read in spanish always your blogs, keep them, keep your voice up¡¡¡¡¡

i hope this world dont go down as its now, because if we're on this way-i mean, in latin america still we have assholes on the government-we're damned, i really hope the war ends and iraq can finally be in peace, because in the world now we're fucked by the mass media and even sometimes here we dont have news, so at least check your blogs give me a idea of that still there's hope in iraq.
keep on sharing your feelings, dont let nobody stop you¡¡¡¡¡¡¡

if ernesto'che'guavara was alive he will be tryting to change this, or at least showing to all what al cant see.
the best wishes from latin america.
i wish this war finally ends, make me sad always know that every day die more people, there's more crimes against humanity...and nobody can stop this.
the best from latin america
Anonymous said…
Quote:For instance in the Iraqi brothel, you have whores likes Sistani, Muqtada al Sadr, Al Maliki, Hakeem and Co - These are the whores for Iran.
Then you have Talabani, Barazani, Zebari etc... These are the whores for Israel
And both categories pimp for America
-----------------
Layla , You are amazing i must congratulate you for the above quote A million times Bravo .

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