An Interview with the Mother of a Suicide Bomber

The London-based Arabic-language daily Al-Sharq Al-Awsat published an 
interview with Umm Nidal, the mother of the shahid [martyr] Muhammad 
Farhat. During the first Intifada, Umm Nidal had hidden 'Imad 'Aql, the 
commander of Hamas's military wing "Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam Brigades," in 
the family's home for over a year. The following are excerpts from the 
interview:

Q: "How did the idea of carrying out a Fidaai [martyrdom] operation 
develop in [your son] Muhammad's soul?" 

Umm Nidal: "Jihad is a [religious] commandment imposed upon us. We must 
instill this idea in our sons' souls, all the time... What we see every 
day – massacres, destruction, bombing [of] homes – strengthened, in the 
souls of my sons, especially Muhammad, the love of Jihad and 
martyrdom."

Q: "Did you have a role in the planting of this spirit in Muhammad?" 

Umm Nidal: "Allah be praised, I am a Muslim and I believe in Jihad. 
Jihad is one of the elements of the faith and this is what encouraged me 
to sacrifice Muhammad in Jihad for the sake of Allah. My son was not 
destroyed, he is not dead; he is living a happier life than I. Had my 
thoughts been limited to this world, I would not sacrifice Muhammad." 

"I am a compassionate mother to my children, and they are compassionate 
towards me and take care of me. Because I love my son, I encouraged him 
to die a martyr's death for the sake of Allah... Jihad is a religious 
obligation incumbent upon us, and we must carry it out. I sacrificed 
Muhammad as part of my obligation."

"This is an easy thing. There is no disagreement [among scholars] on 
such matters. The happiness in this world is an incomplete happiness; 
eternal happiness is life in the world to come, through martyrdom. Allah 
be praised, my son has attained this happiness." 

Q: "'Imad 'Aql lived with you, and was killed in your home. Did his 
personality influence Muhammad?" 

Umm Nidal: "Muhammad was seven when the martyr 'Imad 'Aql lived with us 
at home… Muhammad joined the [Izz Al-Din] Al-Qassam Brigades at age 
seven. Despite his young age, he was [an] assistant to 'Imad 'Aql, the 
Al-Qassam commander in the Gaza Strip. While his brothers were absent, he 
would watch the road, and take messages from 'Aql to the mujahideen. 
The martyr Muhammad was 'Imad's pupil. Muhammad would listen to 'Imad 
and watch him plan operations."

"'Imad lived with us for 14 months, and he had a room in our house from 
which he would plan the operations. The mujahideen would come to him 
and plan and sketch everything out, and little Muhammad would be with 
them, thinking and planning. This was the source of Muhammad's love of 
martyrdom." 

"This is the atmosphere in which the love of martyrdom developed in 
Muhammad's soul. I, as a mother, naturally encouraged the love of Jihad 
in the soul of Muhammad and in the souls of all my sons, all of whom 
belong to the Al-Qassam Brigades. My eldest son, Nidal (31), is wanted now 
by the Israelis. My second son set out on a martyrdom operation, but 
was discovered, arrested, and sentenced to 11 years' imprisonment. I have 
another son, [Mu'min Farhat] who is the escort of Sheikh Ahmd Yassin." 

"The atmosphere to which Muhammad was exposed was full of faith and 
love of martyrdom. I maintain that a man's faith does not reach perfection 
unless it attains self-sacrifice..."

Q: "How did Muhammad say goodbye before he carried out the operation?" 

Umm Nidal: "Muhammad was willing to carry out any martyrdom 
operation... He swore to me that the only reason he loved life was Jihad. He 
would say to me that if his turn for Jihad did not come he would quit the 
military arm of the movement, take his weapon, and go to the 
battlefield to fight on his own." 

"He tried several times. He would go out to the Al-Muntar road, taking 
his gun and bombs, but an opportunity did not present itself. He would 
return with his blood boiling because he hadn't managed to carry out an 
operation. He would brandish his weapon and tell me: 'Mom, this is my 
bride.' He loved his gun so much." 

"He would tell me, 'I am going out now [to an attack]. I cannot control 
myself.' I would answer him, 'You will yet have a great opportunity. 
Be patient, plan well, so that you don't sacrifice yourself in vain. 
Act with your mind, not your emotions...'"

"On the day of the operation, he came to me and told me: 'Now, mother, 
I am setting out for my operation.' He prepared for the operation two 
days in advance, when the video was filmed. He asked me to be 
photographed with him, and during the filming he brandished his gun. I 
personally asked to make the film so as to remember."

"He set out to carry out the operation, and when he got to the area he 
spent the night with his friends there. I was in contact with him and 
I asked him about his morale. He told me he was very happy. Indeed, I 
saw his face happier than I had ever seen it."

"He set out for his operation with cold nerves, completely calm and 
confident, as if convinced that the operation would succeed." 

"But I worried and feared greatly that the operation would not succeed, 
and that he would be arrested. I prayed for him when he left the house 
and asked Allah to make his operation a success and give him martyrdom. 
When he entered the settlement, his brothers in the military wing [of 
Hamas] informed me that he had managed to infiltrate it. Then I began 
to pray to Allah for him." 

"I prayed from the depths of my heart that Allah would cause the 
success of his operation. I asked Allah to give me 10 [Israelis] for 
Muhammad, and Allah granted my request and Muhammad made his dream come true, 
killing 10 Israeli settlers and soldiers. Our God honored him even more, 
in that there were many Israelis wounded."

"When the operation was over, the media broadcast the news. Then 
Muhammad's brother came to me and informed me of his martyrdom. I began to 
cry, 'Allah is the greatest,' and prayed and thanked Allah for the 
success of the operation. I began to utter cries of joy and we declared 
that we were happy. The young people began to fire into the air out of joy 
over the success of the operation, as this is what we had hoped for 
him."

"After the martyrdom [operation], my heart was peaceful about Muhammad. 
I encouraged all my sons to die a martyr's death, and I wish this even 
for myself. After all this, I prepared myself to receive the body of my 
son, the pure shahid, in order to look upon him one last time and 
accept the well-wishers who [came] to us in large numbers and participated 
in our joy over Muhammad's martyrdom..."(1)

Endnote:

(1) Al-Sharq Al-Awsat (London), June 5, 2002.

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