Book review: My life and the execution: A life span commitment to national issues
The second part of Muhammad Ibrahim al- Ali's book "Hayati Wal-Idam" (my life and the execution) was published recently in Damascus to highlight a life span commitment of a Syrian nationalist who devoted a life for serving national issues, and was sentenced to death for his nationalism, as a heavy price for such a commitment.
The book which falls in 528 pages is divided into 15 chapters starting with special focus on his early childhood in his village.
In his book al-Ali highlights the achievements gained in Syria in the thinking of the late President Hafez al-Assad, with the theory, the methods, the example and the experience with those who aid the revolutionary proletariat of the country following the March 8 revolution of 1963, in alliance with the other working people, accomplished in the greatest socio-economic change, the deepest turning point in the country's deeply rooted history.
Carried out on the principles of the Baath party, it transformed the backward Syria of the past into a developed industrial and agrarian state. He added that the revolution took Syria out of the position of a disregarded state and dependent, and made it a respected partner in Arab and international relations.
The book indicated that the turbulent years in Syria of President Hafez al-Assad in power, punctuated with sharp class clashes, with revolutionary and national victories and defeats, years during which the Syrian people passed through the struggle against the Ottomans, and the French, and the heroic revolutionary gains of several progressive movements, in order to reach the heights of armed of anti-backwardness resistance, are years of Syria's political maturing of the party, of its development as a party of new, progressive type, capable of rallying the revolutionary forces of the people and leading them to a victorious end. This is, in fact, the main prerequisite of the historic victory of the progressive revolution won by the Syrian people.
Among many aspects the author's focused on in his book, he emphasized the religious tolerance exercised in Syria under the leadership of the Late President Hafez al-Assad. He cited a vivid example on that, the Murshid Community in Syria, part of the Muslim sect components, who "were exposed to repression and acts of tyranny since the creation of their movement by the beginning of this century." The book said that both the Murshid community Imam, Salman al-Murshid, and his sons Saji, and his other brothers, and key Murshid figures, were jailed in Mezze prison in Damascus under false accusations and they were only released when they announced general hunger strike.
The book made it clear that following the launching of the March 8 revolution of 1963, members of the Murshid community were no longer vulnerable, especially when the defense minister of that time, the late President Hafez al-Assad, was able to abrogate instructions and laws for repressing the Murshid Community members. The decision to this effect at that time said that "certain security men arrest the Murshid group members under the pretext that articles 307 and 308 of the sanctions law in Syria are applicable on them. And since the two said articles only ban membership to a secret society, aiming at provoking sectarianism, and since also the Murshid community members are but part of the Muslim body, who themselves are but a sect whose views and ideas should be honored, therefore no citizen should be arrested under such a pretext."
Following the launching of October 16, 1970 events, conditions of the Murshid community members were improved in all walks of life, especially in educational subject matters. Among them are engineers, doctors and physicians. One of the Imam's children is Nour al-Mudi, who lived in Damascus and worked in civil construction and building projects. He was known for his objectivity in initiating constructive dialogues and exchange of ideas as a highly cultured public figure.
Moreover, the late President Hafez al-Assad honored the Murshid community members by giving them their due rights. The President's positive assessment to that community was based on article three of the Syrian constitution, which approves the freedom of religions and beliefs.
Since 1970 until the present time, Saji al-Murshid has been playing an active role in explaining and enhancing the Murshid teaching for the Murshid community people and others among his visitors, to highlight the free will and the call for openness and integration. Such a noble attitude and refined thinking was materialized and translated into actual reality in celebrations of social and national occasions, and exchanging visits with others, and contribution to social events and festivities including marriages and other social manifestations. There was a call to integrate and relate to others by ties of kinship and marriage with other sects at the consent of the two sides.
All these developments were the helping hand that brought the Murshid community forward to take their due role in the military and urban environments, alike on the Syrian scene. They have become active members in the army, either as volunteers or recruited soldiers and army officers.
The book indicates that in recent years, qualitatively new processes have been taking place in the country's socio-public development, process immediately conditioned by the fact that the country is entering upon the stage of mature development. The book also hinted at the level of material and spiritual potential which has been achieved, and which the nation has at its disposal, reveals prospects and possibilities for its future development which can be realized only through the united and purposeful efforts of the whole people.
The book is speeks of the regenerated potential power of the Syrian people which has changed the character and the nature of the conditions in which the economic, techno- scientific and cultural development of Syria is being accomplished.
