Translator: Bi’ Dünya Haber
O, Quds!.. O, my city!
O, Quds!.. O, my love!
Tomorrow, tomorrow the lemons will bloom
And the green spikes and olive shall gladden
And eyes will laugh
And migrant doves shall return
To the virtuous ceilings
And the children will play
And fathers and sons shall reunite
On your flourishing hills
O, my homeland
O, land of peace and olives
The lines above belong to Nizar Qabbani’s poem Jerusalem. As evident from the poem, in this news article, we are heading to Palestine. We will be hosting a man who was held captive by Israeli occupation forces for 20 years. In this news, we will learn to be hopeful and remember the verse, Do not despair of the mercy of Allah (Quran 39:53). This verse is one that I constantly remind myself of during my most difficult moments. We have prepared a news story that demonstrates how with every difficulty, there is ease. Let’s proceed to the story that leads from captivity to freedom.
Yusri Atiyye al-Masri, who was arrested by Israel 20 years ago and was sick while in prison, was recently released at the age of 40. After his release, Yusri Atiyye went to the city of Deir al-Balah in the Gaza Strip to visit his father’s grave, who had passed away while he was in prison.
After performing his father’s absent funeral prayer in the city, Yusri addressed those around him, saying,
“I pray that Allah accommodates him in His vast gardens and rewards his goodness on the scales. He raised us with worship to Allah and love for our homeland.”
Reunited with his family, Yusri addressed the people in their embrace:
We have returned to Deir al-Balah in the arms of our people. We are resilient people, and they cannot break this nation.
The happiness of Yusri and his family reunited after 20 years, is evident on their faces.
Do not despair of the mercy of Allah, says verse 87 of Surah Yusuf. This verse reminds us to keep our hope alive. Even if we fall, let us continue walking, knowing that our Lord is there and His mercy is present. Like hundreds of life stories where hardships turn into ease over the years, Yusri Atiyye reminds us to think in such a way.
