"Cloves and thorns" - Yahya Sinvar (short story, part four)
We continue to publish the work "Cloves and Thorns" by the late commander, leader of the Palestinian Hamas liberation movement Yahya Sinwar. The fourth part. Translator - Ma'mur Mukhtar.
The roof of our mosque is covered with a tunic, it has several windows and a smaller minaret, and a larger room. The muezzin would climb the stone steps and call out the adhan in a loud voice. In front of the door of the mosque there would be a water tap and four or five ceramic bowls for ablution. As a gift, old rice is put. In the front part of the mosque there is a wooden pulpit with three or four steps.
My grandfather often took me to the mosque. My little hand would sink like a boat in the sea between my grandfather's big hands. Even though he was walking with a cane , he was still behind. It was as if it was being dragged by my hand. In the mosque, I would sit in silence like polite children, standing in front of the mosque until Ustaz Hamid took out his watch from his pocket and started calling the call to prayer. I used to cry when I heard the pleasant voice of the muezzin. I tried to repeat what my grandfather did in prayer. After performing the Sunnat prayer, we would perform the noon prayer with a congregation consisting of no more than ten elders and two children like me who came with their grandfather.
The next day, when my grandfather was finishing his prayer, he heard someone from outside announcing the extension of the quarantine period in Arabic. He emphasized that anyone who goes out is putting himself in danger. He repeated several times until he passed us. My mother ordered us not to go out , even my brothers were not allowed to go to school. He locked the doors. So we sat all day. Anyone who came near the door would be turned away . There is no way , we have to spend time in the room, we played, my brothers took their books and taught, and I also spent the day looking at their books. It was getting late, but the sound of shouting that it was forbidden to go out to the street did not go away.
In the morning, after my grandfather's prayer, a little time passed, the sound started again from the loudspeaker. This time it was announced that the quarantine was over. The reason for this quarantine is that someone threw a grenade at the Israeli military and wounded several soldiers.
The third season
A suitor came to my little aunt from my uncle's West Coast buyers. My uncle consulted with my mother and agreed. On Friday, my mother put on our new clothes from the charity fundraiser and set out with seven young children to congratulate my aunt on her upcoming engagement. We walked a long way. Gone are the tent lands. When we got to the main road, I saw military vehicles carrying armed soldiers. They fired at everyone who passed by. Their cars were moving very slowly. After walking a long distance, we finally arrived at my uncle 's yard. Their house was very different from ours. It was not built with a name like ours, but it was tastefully decorated and installed a device that warms the feet.
When we arrived, my brother Mahmoud rang the bell. Varda, my cousin's daughter, opened the door and said, " My aunt is here !" - he shouted with joy. Others who heard him also came out and welcomed us warmly. We congratulated my aunt one by one. Adults talked to each other. And we played chase until the evening. We returned home in the evening.
A few days later, my brothers returned from the office with a message from my sister . They agreed to arrange a wedding for next Friday. My mother prepared and took us again like she did in the past . After Friday time, three cars of people came from God's side . Young children would point to a young man with a wheatish complexion and sparse moustache , and say, " This bridegroom boy, this bridegroom will be married . " The women stayed in one room, and we played all day long. We were free from sweets .
After a month . The silence of the dark night covered the tents, only dogs howling in the distance and a kitten meowing in search of its mother could be heard.
Abu Hatim took the kitten out to comfort him, even though it was dangerous to go outside the tent area surrounded by thorns and it was quarantine time. Whenever he had to cross an obstacle, he would stop and look carefully around to see if there were any enemies moving or an ambush. After he was sure, he would continue to walk secretly again.
Abu Hatim was tall, handsome, muscular, and wrapped his head in a shumah (cloth worn by Arab men), leaving only his eyes visible. He was a prominent figure among the soldiers of "Palestine Liberation" when Egypt ruled Gaza. He fought heroically in the 1967 war. Even an entire army in a losing war could not do what heroes like him did.
Abu Hatim knew the way he was going as he continued to walk in secret. Stopping in front of one of the houses, he knocked on the window first three times, then once, then twice. From inside, Abdu Yusuf came closer to the door and said in a desperate voice, " Who is he?" " - he whispered. Abu Hatim also said in a low voice , " I am Abu Hatim " in a secret manner. - answered. "Now, now I will open the door," said Abu Yusuf, noticing his humanity. The two brothers hugged each other and thanked God for their health. Inside, Umm Yusuf also woke up and went out to the porch with her head wrapped around her head. He welcomed Abu Hatim saying that he was happy about his health.
- I am glad that you are safe, brother, come, come. Please enter.
- Thank you! Don't bother and make tea, don't hit anything, I'll be back soon , - said Abu Hatim. Umm Yusuf :
- Why now ? Are you a guest? - he said. Abu Hatim :
- Thank you, be healthy! But don't try, it's not necessary - said Umm Yusuf:
- At least I will bring bread and olives , - he entered. Abu Hatim said to Abu Yusuf :
"You won't let me out without doing something," he laughed and sat down on the porch. Abu Yusuf began to question Abu Hatim:
- Where were you? I thought you were a martyr or went to Egypt.
- I was wounded in the middle of the battlefield . After retreating, I got into a car. When I opened my eyes, I was in the tent of a Bedouin family. They gave me medicine and treated me.
At that time, Umm Yusuf entered with a tray containing some bread, some olives and a jug of water.
There is a translation by Ma'mur Mukhtar and a sequel.
