IN THE NAME OF ALLAH,
THE MERCIFUL,
THE MERCY-GIVING
Do you suppose that you will enter Paradise untouched by the suffering endured by the men of faith who passed away before you? They were afflicted by misery and hardship and so convulsed that the Messenger and the believers with him cried out: ‘When will Allah’s help arrive?’ They were assured that Allah’s help was close by.
(Surah al-Baqarah, 214)
Return of the Pharaoh
Memoir in Nasir’s Prison
ZAINAB AL-GHAZALI
Translated by
Mokrane Guezzou
The Islamic Foundation
© The Islamic Foundation 2006/1427 AH
eISBN 9780860376514
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner.
Published by The Islamic Foundation, Markfield Dawah Centre, Ratby Lane, Markfield, Leicester LE67 9RN, United Kingdom
Quran House,
PO Box 30611,
Nairobi,
Kenya
PMB 3193,
Kano,
Nigeria
Contents
1 Jamal ‘Abd al-Nasir: Hatred and Vengeance
Dealings with the Socialist Union
The Many Faces of Ahmad Rasikh
The Veil Drops
Screams Calling Me to Duty!
‘Abd al-Fattah Isma’il
Permission to Work
A Righteous Husband
Contact with Shahid Sayyid Qutb
3 Conspiracy
My Turn!
The Way to Room 24
Inside Room 24
Cell No. 3
The Vision
But Allah Has United Them
Back to the Vortex
The President’s Envoy
Dear Faces Enter My Cell
The Death of Mustafa al-Nahhas
Taking Food - A Form of Worship
Nights of Torture and Bargaining
Now Hamzah al-Basyuni’s Turn
Back to the Cell
Another Night Falls
A Short Break
The Deadly Night!
A Letter from Nasir
4 In the Company of Shams Badran
The Cell of Water
The Crime
Back to the Cell of Water
Death to the Beast!
From Mice to Water and Vice Versa
From Water to the Prosecuting Attorney
The Price of Meagre Sustenance!
To Hospital
In the Company of Shams!
Games for the Media
Room
Betrayal Replaced by Loftiness
Continuous Onslaught
Extracts
5 Facing Up to Nasir
It All Started as a Joke!
Muhammad Qutb
The Case for the Prosecution
More Torture
Minced Meat
Salah’s Repentance
The Day of the Trial Draws Near
Glad Tidings
Judgement Day
6 In Court
Greater Jahiliyyah
Judgement is Pronounced
Moments in Allah’s Pleasure
The Last Bargain
The Executions
Last Days in the Military Prison
My Husband’s Death
New Neighbours
Nasir Must Stand Trial!
7 In al-Qanatir