Women Without Fear

Friday 3 November 2006 is a day which will remain etched in the memories of the world for decades to come, a day when the true brutality of the Israeli army was clear for all to see, and a day when the women of Palestine showed that their courage and fortitude was every bit as admirable as their male counterparts. Last Friday, in a mini-version of Tiananmen Square, the women of Beit Hanoune rose to challenge the aggressive military occupation imposed upon them. In response to a radio appeal for assistance, hundreds of unarmed women, including teenage girls, marched towards the local mosque to protest against the Israeli military which had surrounded the building in an attempt to capture suspected Palestinian gunmen. The siege had already resulted in the killing of 20 Palestinians.

The Israeli response to the peaceful protest was to open fire on these unarmed ladies in a show of callous disregard for any standards of humanity or civilization. International law did not even enter the equation. As several of these women fell dead and wounded as the bullets pierced their flesh, the remainder marched forward undeterred by the relentless gunfire. Despite the fear and terror so evident in their trembling voices as they cried out “Allahu Akbar”, these courageous women of Beit Hanoune advanced forward until they reached the mosque to assist their brothers inside. Forming human shields around them, these women escorted their brothers away from the mosque, putting the watching world to shame. In all, two women were killed, another 10 wounded.

The women of Beit Hanoune were following in the footsteps of great female Muslim warriors such as Khawla bin al Azwar, who, covered from head to toe with only her eyes, spear and sword showing, repeatedly rushed the Roman army at Beit Lihya in order to rescue her captured brother Dhiraar. Like Khawla, these women had one aim, one objective, one mission – to rescue their brothers. Facing death in the face, they marched towards their destiny. On the day of Beit Lihya, the valour of Khawla was unmatched. Last Friday, the courage of the women of Beit Hanoune was unparalleled.

It is actions such as these which have proven inspirational to oppressed people around the world, the majority of whom are too afraid to stand up to their oppressors. The assassinated president of Egypt, Anwar Sadat, described fear as being “a most effective tool in destroying the soul of an individual--and the soul of a people.” For as long as people are unable to overcome their fear, they become enslaved to it and obey it without question, thereby allowing their plight to continue. Bravery such as that exemplified by the women of Beit Hanoun is sufficient proof of the power within every soul to control and to conquer this fear. Once you conquer your fear, you automatically deprive your enemy of the ability to hurt you. Last Friday, the world witnessed a hundred women and children who had conquered their fears.

Even more impressive was the attitude of these women in the aftermath of the massacre. "The Israeli war machine is not strong enough to be able to break the determination of grand daughters of Ahmed Yassin and Ezziddin Al-Qassam,” were the words on the lips of Umm Mohammed Al-Rantisi, widow of the late Hamas senior political leader Dr. Abdul Al-Aziz Al-Rantisi . Her comments reflected the fortitude of a woman who understood both the nature of the challenge faced by the Palestinians and the method needed to overcome it. They represented the spirit of a woman who understood the belief of the Companions of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) who when they saw the army of the Confederates surrounding them, overcame their initial feeling of severe terror and said, “this is what Allah and His Messenger promised us, and Allah and His Messenger spoke the truth”. Allah tells us in surah al-Ahzab that the uttering of these words in the face of the threat of annihilation only increased the faith and obedience of the Companions rather than their fear. The women of Beit Hanoun understood that the oppression they faced was the promise of Allah and His Messenger coming true and thus, through remembering Allah, they conquered their fear.

The Israeli army could only watch helplessly as these heroines of the Ummah, armed with nothing but their eemaan, braved the flying bullets to rescue their brothers and escort them to safety. Their amazing courage and sacrifice, broadcast to the world, will have inspired many others to strive to emulate their actions in the future. In a world in which victory is often attributed to arms and money, the women of Beit Hanoun reminded us that all that is needed is strong eemaan.