There is so much disturbing evil shit going on, as it always has through time. I suppose I’m naive to assume history doesn’t have to repeat itself. But it’s so grim to live through this. As a species we are so advanced, the technology we’ve created is so impressive, the resources we have are staggering. But to see this power used to protect those who are actively committing genocide and who’ve perpetrated the rape of countless children. It’s so inhuman. It’s so dark. It’s so devoid of any of the beautiful qualities that so many human being do possess. I have never understood this and i never will.
🇮🇶 Iraqi prisoner of war comforting his 4-year-old son in Najaf, Iraq, March 31, 2003. The photo won the Pulitzer Prize.....
The photograph captures an Iraqi prisoner of war sitting on the ground, his head covered by a black hood, gently placing his hand over his child’s eyes. The boy, barefoot and frightened, sits against his father’s lap amid coils of barbed wire. Taken in Najaf during the early days of the Iraq War, it distills the human cost of conflict more powerfully than any statistic could.
In March 2003, U.S. forces advanced into Iraq under the premise of dismantling weapons of mass destruction. Towns like Najaf became battle zones as both sides endured heavy casualties. For civilians, these confrontations meant chaos, separation, and loss. In this image, the father’s protective gesture, shielding his son from seeing his captivity, transcends politics and ideology. It is a moment of love and helplessness in a place defined by violence.
The hood was a standard procedure for captured combatants, used to disorient and dehumanize. Yet the presence of the child breaks through that anonymity, reminding the viewer that behind every war prisoner lies a family.
The photo was taken by Jean-Marc Bouju for the Associated Press and went on to win the Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography in 2004 for its raw depiction of human emotion during war.
Sometimes I feel guilty that I’ve outgrown people. I appreciate all the times we had and don’t equate longevity with value. Like I hope people get that.
This is my will and my final message. If these words reach you, know that Israel has succeeded in killing me and silencing my voice. First, peace be upon you and Allah’s mercy and blessings.
Allah knows I gave every effort and all my strength to be a support and a voice for my people, ever since I opened my eyes to life in the alleys and streets of the Jabalia refugee camp. My hope was that Allah would extend my life so I could return with my family and loved ones to our original town of occupied Asqalan (Al-Majdal). But Allah’s will came first, and His decree is final. I have lived through pain in all its details, tasted suffering and loss many times, yet I never once hesitated to convey the truth as it is, without distortion or falsification—so that Allah may bear witness against those who stayed silent, those who accepted our killing, those who choked our breath, and whose hearts were unmoved by the scattered remains of our children and women, doing nothing to stop the massacre that our people have faced for more than a year and a half.
I entrust you with Palestine—the jewel in the crown of the Muslim world, the heartbeat of every free person in this world. I entrust you with its people, with its wronged and innocent children who never had the time to dream or live in safety and peace. Their pure bodies were crushed under thousands of tons of Israeli bombs and missiles, torn apart and scattered across the walls.
I urge you not to let chains silence you, nor borders restrain you. Be bridges toward the liberation of the land and its people, until the sun of dignity and freedom rises over our stolen homeland. I entrust you to take care of my family. I entrust you with my beloved daughter Sham, the light of my eyes, whom I never got the chance to watch grow up as I had dreamed.
I entrust you with my dear son Salah, whom I had wished to support and accompany through life until he grew strong enough to carry my burden and continue the mission.
I entrust you with my beloved mother, whose blessed prayers brought me to where I am, whose supplications were my fortress and whose light guided my path. I pray that Allah grants her strength and rewards her on my behalf with the best of rewards.
I also entrust you with my lifelong companion, my beloved wife, Umm Salah (Bayan), from whom the war separated me for many long days and months. Yet she remained faithful to our bond, steadfast as the trunk of an olive tree that does not bend—patient, trusting in Allah, and carrying the responsibility in my absence with all her strength and faith.
I urge you to stand by them, to be their support after Allah Almighty. If I die, I die steadfast upon my principles. I testify before Allah that I am content with His decree, certain of meeting Him, and assured that what is with Allah is better and everlasting.
O Allah, accept me among the martyrs, forgive my past and future sins, and make my blood a light that illuminates the path of freedom for my people and my family. Forgive me if I have fallen short, and pray for me with mercy, for I kept my promise and never changed or betrayed it.
Do not forget Gaza… And do not forget me in your sincere prayers for forgiveness and acceptance.
Anas Jamal Al-Sharif
06.04.2025
This is what our beloved Anas requested to be published upon his martyrdom.
LADY GAGA IN SINGAPORE ATTENDEES 🚨
These are the best of the fan chants you submitted for the shows!
Let’s give Gaga a great surprise for the upcoming shows
Help spread the word through reposts, group chats and teaching fellow attendees at the show!!