I got up on stage and said “To oppose Ahmad Shah Massoud is to oppose the national unity of Afghanistan,” and walked off the stage!
Author: Dr. Farid Younes, former professor of Near Eastern cultural anthropology and Islamic philosophy at California State University (USA), member of the Sangar Advisory Board.
September 9 is an unforgettable day in the history of Afghanistan and the world. On this day, a truly Mujahid and a man who fought for his country and its freedom was martyred due to the collaboration of Islamic and ethnic extremists and possibly an international conspiracy. Since the status of martyr is very high and not everyone gets it, it is not right to express condolences and I congratulate the free and noble people of Afghanistan for this great martyrdom, unprecedented in the history of Afghanistan.
Ahmad Shah Massoud, the Iron Mujahid, was an unsurpassed military strategist and a legendary man rarely seen in the history of the world.
Although I did not participate in the jihad, I followed and studied the conditions of the Afghan jihad from time to time, and every passing day I was proud of the existence of this historical person. Many tried to discredit him because, among other ethnic groups in Afghanistan, there was no national figure like him. Martyr Massoud was a citizen in every sense and issues of ethnicity, religion, race, and even men and women did not matter to him, he didn't separate them and we all learned a lot from him.
During the Afghan jihad, I had a sticker on the back of my car that showed a mujahid praying, and underneath it was written: “Freedom.” I filled up at a gas station in Virginia. The American, judging by his appearance, was an ordinary person, not a businessman or a scientist, came up to me and asked: “Are you from Afghanistan?” I said yes! He said: “I am proud of you and the leader of your jihad, Massoud.” Then I realized that Ahmad Shah Massoud is not only a national figure in Afghanistan but also has an international reputation.
In the city of Paris, France, one alley of one famous park was named after Massoud. Henderson Alexander, a famous Scottish writer and journalist, born in Malaysia and known as Sandy Gull, wrote a book about Shahid (martyr) Massoud and called him Napoleon.
The book “Panjshir Valley 1980-1986: The Lion Tames the Bear in Afghanistan” was written by Mark Galeotti, a famous English writer and historian. He called Massoud a legendary man.
Eastern and Western writers have written a lot about this unique person. I have listed a few examples for you.
The main reason for Massoud's martyrdom is unknown, as is the assassination of John Kennedy. Who had a hand in this conspiracy? Whoever was involved in the murder of Shahid Massoud will undoubtedly be held accountable for the conspiracy he committed.
Massoud was a Muslim and wanted a moderate Islamic system in Afghanistan, but today I know some of his followers who are tearing their throats in events, but they are against Islam and the moderate Islamic system, and they do not even offer one rak'at of namaz.
At one event a few years ago, when I was not given the opportunity to give a speech because there were Massoud fans who were afraid of me, I asked permission to give an address. With difficulty, I was allowed to speak for one minute, and I got up on stage and said “To speak against Ahmad Shah Massoud is to speak against the national unity of Afghanistan!”, and walked off the stage!
According to the Holy Quran, a martyr does not die. The opponents of the Koran thought that people would believe their stupid arguments and forget the martyr Masud, but not only did they not forget him, but on the contrary, his fame became worldwide.
September 9 is an unforgettable day for me because on that day I lost my sister. My mother and father had one daughter, or for us brothers, there was only one sister, who died on this very day, September 9th, from cancer. Five years after my sister's death, I lost my classmate Ahmad Shah Massoud. Yes, Shahid Massoud was my classmate at the Istiqlal Lyceum. May his soul be happy and go to heaven.
