The Many Faces of Ahmad Rasikh
Less than two weeks after the Syrians’ visit, I was, much to my surprise, called upon by another man who identified himself as Ahmad Rasikh, and as a security agent. He asked me about the content of my conversation with the Syrians. I explained that I was well aware that those men were spies sent by the security forces. I made it a point to tell him that this kind of behaviour was childish, for what else did the security forces want from me after confiscating our Group’s Headquarters and banning our magazine?
He responded with the most bizarre questions, asking me what I had meant by Jamalov and Jamalovs7 in my conversation with the Syrians.
‘Those are atheists, who are proud of belonging to falsehood and its high-priests.’
He quickly changed the subject: ‘Hajjah, we are Muslims!’
‘Muslims are different (They say: Our hearts are concealed from that which you invite us to, and in our ears is a deafness and between us and you is a screen: so you do what you will).’8
‘You will be Minister of Social Affairs from tomorrow if you agree to our demands.’
I made no attempt to conceal my sarcasm: ‘True Muslims are not tempted by mere position, and do not participate in atheist, secular governments. As for the position of the Muslim lady, it will be decided by the Islamic State whenever it is established. Now what do you want from me?’
‘We want an agreement with you.’
‘This is impossible! An agreement cannot be struck between people who call for disbelief and raise the banner of falsehood, and people who call for the Tawhid of Allah and belief in Him alone. Repent to Allah and ask for His forgiveness. I would like to bring this meeting to an end please!’
The man calling himself Ahmad Rasikh had in any case already finished drinking his coffee and now stood up to leave, saying: ‘By Allah, we only want to reach an agreement with you. And when we do, it will be you who issues the decree lifting the ban on the Muslim Ladies Group and its magazine.’
‘Thank you, but Islam can do without groups and organizations which agree to be agents of Allah’s enemies. May Allah guide you and forgive you.’
Two days later, as I was sitting on the balcony, a car stopped in front of my door, and a man wearing dark clothes got out.
‘Assalamu alaikum Hajjah Zainab!’
I returned his greeting and asked him to come inside the house. He came through to the guest-room and introduced himself as Ahmad Rasikh from the security forces. I could not help gazing at him, as if I was measuring his length and width, for not only had I once been to the Secret Police’s offices to meet a person called Ahmad Rasikh but when I went to see this man, there was a pad on his desk which had the same name, Ahmad Rasikh, written on it. What was more this new Ahmad Rasikh talked with me about the person who had visited me only two days earlier. As you will recall, dear reader, this man also happened to be called Ahmad Rasikh. One name for three men and all wishing to talk with me!
My astonishment was impossible to conceal and as I explored the man’s features he asked: ‘Are you surprised that I have come to visit you, Hajjah Zainab?’
My response deliberately aimed to mock: ‘I am surprised for something quite different. This house always welcomes, with magnanimity, both expected and unexpected guests. However I will relate to you a story that I read in al-Ahram,9 if I can remember it correctly: Two hundred years ago, the King and Queen of Holland went to England following an invitation from the monarchs of that country. The King of England’s attention was drawn to the interest which the Queen of Holland showed in a dog running around the reception hall. For the Queen of Holland had rushed to this dog and grabbed it, holding and kissing it passionately and fervently, as if she had lost her mind. She, then, handed it over to her husband, while whispering something into his ear and pointing to the dog’s eyes. The King of Holland, in turn, began kissing the dog. Naturally, their hosts were curious but nevertheless said nothing. Then, the Queen of Holland took the dog from her husband, while wiping away her tears, and held it against her chest as if it were her own dear child. When the Royal couple were taken for dinner, the Queen took the dog with her and fed it herself. The Queen of England mentioned in passing that the dog belonged to her daughter but the King, wanting to know the secret behind his guests’ attachment to this dog concluded, as if by apology: ‘Had my daughter not been so attached to this dog, I would gladly give it to you.’ Then, the Queen of Holland, who believed in reincarnation, informed her hosts that she had a deceased son whose spirit was incarnated in this dog, and that the dog’s eyes matched exactly those of her son’s. The King of England, thereafter, persuaded his daughter, who was also present, to make a gift of the dog to his guests.
‘Mr. Rasikh, people who believe in incarnation claim some resemblance between the deceased person and the form in which it is incarnated. However, now, within a relatively short span of time, I have met with three men, each calling themselves Ahmad Rasikh, but none of you look alike, neither in height and skin-colour nor in looks. Has your President then decided to profess a new school of incarnation and asked you to follow it?’
The man looked at me in bewilderment: ‘I am truly Ahmad Rasikh, we are good people Hajjah Zainab, and we want to reach an agreement with you.’
‘This has no importance’, I retorted. ‘What do you want?’
‘The government is very keen to reach an agreement with you. We know that the Ikhwan deceived you and convinced you to follow their principles. It was thanks to the Ikhwan that your group was banned and your Headquarters confiscated. The Ikhwan are trouble-makers. We would like you to agree with us, for what we want to know is very simple: the names of all the active members of the Ikhwan. By Allah, Hajjah, the President will be grateful for this service, and you will see the evidence of this gratefulness in the next few days. You are a good lady, may Allah prolong your life, and do not have anything to do with the Ikhwan’s troubles. It is enough what they have already caused for you with the state.’
The man went on to say that Imam al-Hudaibi and Imam Sayyid Qutb were doing their best to reach an agreement with the President, but that the President refused to collaborate with them because he did not trust them.
‘If you knew’, the man said, ‘what the Ikhwan say about you, you would agree with us and leave these people who are the cause of all the persecution which has happened to you and the Muslim Ladies Group.’
I laughed: ‘I will speak with you as a man from the Security Forces, and I care neither about your name nor your shape. First, I believe that even ordinary Muslims know and believe that you are far from Islam. Instead you are doing your best to fight it. Do you want to reach an agreement with truth while you are following falsehood? You import ideologies from both the East and the West. Sometimes you raise the banner of Communism, and at other times you revere the capitalist goddess, lost between the two. It is from within this loss that you derive your legislations and laws. I hope I am frank with you and that my words do not need further interpretation. Islam is other than that which you want.’
‘I swear by Allah, Hajjah, that I pray the Friday prayer.’
‘What about the rest of your obligations?’
‘I am used to praying on Friday because my father used to do so and took me with him to the Mosque to perform it.’
‘Did you not ask your
