Anas Abu Safiya, Gaza
Palestinian Royalty
Some days ago, Anas Abu Safiya, who "lives" in Northern Gaza, showed me his academic outcome for this semester.
I smiled when I saw it was the highest score. Anas is 21 years old and he is a software engineering student. They study online among constant communication outages.
How someone can feel so powerfully motivated in a genocide?
Anas is the nephew of
Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, the director of Kamal Adwan hospital in Gaza. We have met each other since a post I made of Dr. Hussam last Christmas.
In Wikipedia I have read the biography of Dr. Hussam, that says he was born in Jabalia within a prominent Arab family.
Thanks to the efforts of "Doctors for Gaza" in the Netherlands, Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of his extraordinary courage, unwavering dedication to his patients and commitment to humanitarian principles in the most extreme circumstances that all of us know.
All of us have seen Dr. Hussam devoted himself heart and soul to his patients putting their needs before his own needs. We have seen him asking for help to the international community while bombs fell down on the hospital and the siege reduced them. We have seen him speak with patience, humility, wisdom, and the dignity of an extraordinary human being.
Dr. Hussam embodies the best of human beings.
It surprised me to see the scores of Anas the other day. The last thing I expected was it. And it reminded me what a human being is able to do when he yearns to live and is aware that he has been born for the purpose of something greater. To contribute with his community and his country.
I have been thinking of Anas and Dr. Hussam and it has come to my mind the word "Futuwwah".
The "Futuwwah", the role model in Islam, are this sort of distinguished knights, a spiritual gentleman that shows bravery, honour, justice, and is ready to help the most vulnerable and those who cannot defend by themselves.
"Futuwwah" is the outward expression of an inward honor code. And those who have been educated in the path of the "Futuwwah" guide themselves for the principles of selflessness and altruism, the courage in the face of immorality, distaste to harm someone, disdain to rejoice the misfortunes of others, although they are enemies or opponents.
"Futuwwah" is the path of cultivating a strong youth in virtuous qualities. And they are who are the truthful ones in their speech, loyals in their oaths, and they fulfill the promises made, they don't lie, help the orphans, and are modest. Their best traits are courage and generosity.
The "Futuwwah" is characterised by the process of transferring the qualities from a master to his disciples. These virtues are not simply by an independent merit, but they are the result of the extension of this spiritual inheritance to the next generation, the youngest, the youth.
Some time ago I watched an interview with
Dr. Mads Gilbert, the Norwegian doctor leading a big movement in favour of Palestinians, and who has worked with Palestinian doctors in Gaza for decades.
Dr. Mads Gilbert talked about the refinement of Palestinian people, about how dedicated, devoted and committed they are, about their sense of excellence and perfectionism, they work with excellence, they stand out in all areas and fields giving their best, and they are very intelligent. And the best, they do it with a sense of service to the community, Humanity and general welfare.
I would never had known the virtuous qualities of Palestinian people if this genocide would ever happened.
The academic outcome of Anas in the middle of a genocide thrilled me and it is the reason to bring here these considerations about the best a human being can deliver in the worst circumstances.
Anas and his uncle Dr. Hussam are members of this elite of well-mannered and human. They are the aristocracy of truly humane. Anas, who belongs to this lineage, is already a centrepiece of youth and brotherhood in the foundational principles of the Palestinian Nation and State. Present and future.
Although Anas may think these circumstances could be a punishment, they are, nevertheless, the melting pot where forging someone unshakable.
Anas would love to come to Spain and know Barcelona. And I am looking forward to coming the day he can come to Castronuño.