‘To threaten the brave with death is like promising water to a duck,” says an old Arabian proverb.
We grew up with terms like courage, upholding values such as truth and kindness, and memorised poetry and songs about sacrifices for love and peace.
Sitting back, I am in awe over the numerous heroes I have come across in my career. Almost 10 years ago I was in a busy Baghdad street when a shooting erupted and made almost everyone who was there bolt for their lives. There were two exceptions: a woman who first grabbed two children before she ran and a news-stand vendor who picked up an elderly man before he ran. They were not her children and the old man was not his relative. Even in the midst of danger, these two paused and looked around and saved complete strangers. They were heroes.
Remembering heroes is an important tradition in all cultures and nations, and one of the few ways of thanking them for their sacrifices. Yesterday, the UAE honoured its heroes on Commemoration Day, a day picked for its historic significance as it was 45 years ago that the country’s first hero made the ultimate sacrifice, even before the UAE officially existed.
Salim Suhail bin Khamis, 20, was one of six police officers stationed on the island of Greater Tunb when it, and Lesser Tunb, were invaded by Iran before the UAE was founded on December 2, 1971. Iran also occupied the island of Abu Musa.
Salim became the country’s first martyr when he refused to lower the Ras Al Khaimah flag from the police station he was guarding. At the time, Greater Tunb and Lesser Tunb belonged to Ras Al Khaimah and Abu Musa to Sharjah. Only one photo of Salim exists – an official photo in a police uniform as he joined the force at the age of 18. His story and the story of all of the UAE heroes inspire us all. Their narratives will never be forgotten and their names will be immortalised on the monument erected this year.
Heroes make sacrifices for the rest of us; they do it for a whole country and for the present and future generations.
Some nations in constant turmoil have their own heroes, but who is recording their names?
In Syria, there was the 82-year-old Syrian archaeologist Khaled Al Asaad, who even after being tortured, refused to tell the terrorist group ISIL where the hidden artefacts were. He was beheaded and his decapitated body put on display. He is known among archaeology and history circles as the “Martyr of Palmyra”. In Iraq, ISIL tortured and killed outspoken educated women like Sameera Salih Ali Al Nuaimy, a lawyer known for working to advance women’s rights.
She paid with her life for criticising their reign as “barbaric”. These are just two examples of heroes who dared to stand up to terrorists.
Courage comes in many forms. Earlier this month, Lebanon lost one of its outspoken heroes, Ghazi Aad, founder of Support of Lebanese in Detention and Exile, who has been working for almost three decades to reveal the fates and whereabouts of thousands of persons who went missing in Lebanon during and after its civil war. Wheelchair-bound, Aad died at the age of 59, having spent his life helping others.
“This topic was taboo, and I have received death threats from so many different sides that wanted this story dead and buried,” he told me a few years ago. I would see how he would hold the hand of a grieving mother whose child went missing in the 1980s, a child who had just stepped out to get some chocolate from a nearby store and never came home. He would listen, and listen, and try and try again to push the authorities to help these families find answers and peace.
May all the heroes rest in peace, and we wish their family and friends peace, love and patience. History is made by those who have the courage to stand out.
rghazal@thenational.ae
On Twitter:@arabianmau
UAE SQUAD FOR ASIAN JIU-JITSU CHAMPIONSHIP
Men’s squad: Faisal Al Ketbi, Omar Al Fadhli, Zayed Al Kathiri, Thiab Al Nuaimi, Khaled Al Shehhi, Mohamed Ali Al Suwaidi, Farraj Khaled Al Awlaqi, Muhammad Al Ameri, Mahdi Al Awlaqi, Saeed Al Qubaisi, Abdullah Al Qubaisi and Hazaa Farhan
Women's squad: Hamda Al Shekheili, Shouq Al Dhanhani, Balqis Abdullah, Sharifa Al Namani, Asma Al Hosani, Maitha Sultan, Bashayer Al Matrooshi, Maha Al Hanaei, Shamma Al Kalbani, Haya Al Jahuri, Mahra Mahfouz, Marwa Al Hosani, Tasneem Al Jahoori and Maryam Al Amri
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Jigra
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
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The Specs
Price, base Dh379,000
Engine 2.9-litre, twin-turbo V6
Gearbox eight-speed automatic
Power 503bhp
Torque 443Nm
On sale now
The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Ain Dubai in numbers
126: The length in metres of the legs supporting the structure
1 football pitch: The length of each permanent spoke is longer than a professional soccer pitch
16 A380 Airbuses: The equivalent weight of the wheel rim.
9,000 tonnes: The amount of steel used to construct the project.
5 tonnes: The weight of each permanent spoke that is holding the wheel rim in place
192: The amount of cable wires used to create the wheel. They measure a distance of 2,4000km in total, the equivalent of the distance between Dubai and Cairo.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Developer: Treyarch, Raven Software
Publisher: Activision
Console: PlayStation 4 & 5, Windows, Xbox One & Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
Company%20Profile
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MATCH INFO
Serie A
Juventus v Fiorentina, Saturday, 8pm (UAE)
Match is on BeIN Sports
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Joker: Folie a Deux
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson
Director: Todd Phillips
Rating: 2/5
england euro squad
Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Man Utd), Sam Johnstone (West Brom), Jordan Pickford (Everton)
Defenders: John Stones (Man City), Luke Shaw (Man Utd), Harry Maguire (Man Utd), Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Kyle Walker (Man City), Tyrone Mings (Aston Villa), Reece James (Chelsea), Conor Coady (Wolves), Ben Chilwell (Chelsea), Kieran Trippier (Atletico Madrid)
Midfielders: Mason Mount (Chelsea), Declan Rice (West Ham), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund), Kalvin Phillips (Leeds)
Forwards: Harry Kane (Tottenham), Marcus Rashford (Man Utd), Raheem Sterling (Man City), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Everton), Phil Foden (Man City), Jack Grealish (Aston Villa), Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)
UAE Tour 2020
Stage 1: The Pointe Palm Jumeirah - Dubai Silicon Oasis, 148km
Stage 2: Hatta - Hatta Dam, 168km
Stage 3: Al Qudra Cycle Track - Jebel Hafeet, 184km
Stage 4: Zabeel Park - Dubai City Walk, 173km
Stage 5: Al Ain - Jebel Hafeet, 162km
Stage 6: Al Ruwais - Al Mirfa, 158km
Stage 7: Al Maryah Island - Abu Dhabi Breakwater, 127km
Sri Lanka-India Test series schedule
- 1st Test India won by 304 runs at Galle
- 2nd Test India won by innings and 53 runs at Colombo
- 3rd Test August 12-16 at Pallekele
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
EA Sports FC 25
Developer: EA Vancouver, EA Romania
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4&5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
What went into the film
25 visual effects (VFX) studios
2,150 VFX shots in a film with 2,500 shots
1,000 VFX artists
3,000 technicians
10 Concept artists, 25 3D designers
New sound technology, named 4D SRL
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
MATCH INFO
World Cup qualifier
Thailand 2 (Dangda 26', Panya 51')
UAE 1 (Mabkhout 45 2')
The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now