"In the Hands of the Taliban"
Attended a video talk in Uni yesterday, organised by the Muslim Association of Wollongong University. It was a speech by Yvonne Ridley, the British journalist who converted to Islam after 9/11. Hers was an interesting story in that she basically converted to Islam in the hands of the Taliban. Brief info of her speech/story: She was supposed to be on her way to the US to cover the Sept 11 attacks. She was stranded at the airport due to the US closing its airspace. Boss decided to send her to Afghanistan instead. Couldn't get a visa there (or sumthin like that), so through contacts, she smuggled herself in, by putting on the burkha and riding a pony from Pakistan into Afghanistan. It was a smooth entry into Afghanistan coz she wasn't noticed dressed like that. Unfortunately, her pony ran amok and she dropped her camera (which was hidden under her burkha) right in front of the eyes of a Taliban officer. Chaos ensued. Cameras are banned in Afghanistan. She was let off but not her guide. So she took off her burkha and exposed herself, thinking that would save her guides from the Taliban. She was caught and jailed, her cellmates were 6 staunch Christian ladies who were allowed to practice their religion freely in the jail. She said she was caught - between the calls for prayers and the Christian singing their hymns and reading their bibles. Basically she was highlighting several kind acts of the Taliban, like bringing her specially prepared meals and begging her to eat even though she refused to, and finally letting her go when the US and British bombs started falling. It was in the jail that she met a cleric. She made a promise to him that if she was released she would read the Quran, she kept her word and is now a Muslim advocate. This is just a brief summary of her speech. It was really good. You might want to check out her book "In the Hands of the Taliban"...
I live alone Dear Allah, stay by my side In all my daily needs, be thou my guide... Grant me good health, for that indeed I pray To carry on my work from day to day... Keep pure my mind, my thoughts, my every deed Let me be kind, unselfish in my neighbour's need... Spare me from fire, from flood, malicious tongues, From thieves, from fear and evil ones... If sickness or an accident befall, Then humbly Allah, I pray, hear thou my call... And when I am feeling low, Or in despair, Lift up my heart and help me in my prayer... I live alone, Dear Allah, yet have no fear, Because I feel your presence ever near...
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I've wed not whom I can live with. I did whom I can't live without.
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