My
Experience Of Meeting Sheikh Usamah bin Ladin Part One And
Part Two
Writers Articles And Opinions
25 December 2009
By Al-Ikhwah Al-Mujahidun
This is the story
of an ikhwan who conducted jihad in the land of
Afghanistan and had the rare opportunity to personally
meet and see Sheikh Usamah bin Ladin. How was Sheikh
Usamah bin Ladin like in the land of jihad? How is his
akhlaq and manners? Here’s the narrative...!
Part One
In The Battle Arena
There were a number of jabhah (fronts) that I
had plunged into and there were also a number of
combat operations that I had participated in, but I
feel it is of no use to tell about all of them here,
especially for myself.
I am only here to recount a bit of my sweet
experience, while at the Front of Joji, Paktia,
Afghanistan, especially my meetings and
acquaintanceship with Ash-Sheikh Usamah bin Ladin (rhm)
around the middle of 1987.
Joji is a mountainous or hilly region located in the
Paktia Province, in the South of Afghanistan. The
borderline of Afghansitan-Pakistan is a very beautiful
place compared to other places I had visited as it is
filled with a type of fir or pine trees, whereas there
are only rocks in other places, it is also cool there
and during winter the snow could reach a height of two
meters or more.
This mountainous and hilly region is a very strategic
area for defense as well as for attacks for both
sides, whether it be the Mujahideen or the kafir
communist Russian forces.
It was strategic for the Mujahideen as it was the main
access for the transportation of logistics,
ammunitions, personnels, etc., and very strategic for
attacks as it is made up of high grounds, very
advantageous for the Mujahideen to attack the
surrounding areas which had not been taken over
whether with their infantry forces or artilleries.
As for the kafir communist Russian forces,
the area was very important to them, they were
prepared to buy the area for any price supposing that
it could be bought because by controlling Joji, they
would be able to block the movement of the Mujahideen
in this area, in other words the Mujahideen would not
be able to enter the Afghan territory, if they were to
enter it they would be easily prevented and smashed,
so the Mujahideen would be forced to position their
base in the Pakistani territory.
If the Mujahideen could not enter the territory of
Afghanistan, then they would not be able to launch
attacks, especially with the artilleries as it was not
possible to launch attacks from a neighboring country
because it was certainly very sensitive then, in
addition to the needs to take care of the neighborly
ties with fellow Muslims in Pakistan especially that
Pakistan was under the rule of the late Dhiya-Ul-Haq
as the President of Pakistan at that time and it could
be said that he was like a foster father for the
Mujahideen.
Due to such importance of Joji for both fighting
sides, the place had always become a battle field, be
it on the land or in the airspace, until it was taken
over completely by the Mujahideen and it became safe
from enemy attacks as its surrounding areas could also
be controlled in their entirity, if I am not mistaken
it was sometime around the end of 1987 or early 1988.
The ground of Joji was also famous for its bunkers for
almost every Mujahideen who were stationed in that
front, their camps were made underground, there was a
gigantic tunnel under the mountains built by the
Mujahideen where thousands of weapons could be brought
inside, in fact even dozens of heavy vehicles could
also be brought inside.
Meeting Sheikh Usamah bin Ladin
The Arab Mujahideen brothers were writing brilliant
records in the history of the Afghan war against the
Red Bear kafir forces, then in fighting the
bughot (rebellion in Islamic law) people and
the munafiqeen, and later fighting the
kafir Crusaders led by America today.
Indeed, their services were so significant in the
development of the jabhahs (battle fronts)
and defense of Joji. They built bunkers and trenches,
and worked together with the tandzhims of the
Afghan Mujahideen especially the Ittihad Al-Islamiyyah
which was led by Ash-Sheikh AbdurRabbi Rasul Sayyaf,
they were not only creditable in preparing the
facilities but also even in every attack launched from
that area, they were the ones who became “the head of
the spear”.
Almost every frontal defense of Joji which was close
to the enemies was occupied by the Arab brothers,
though there were one or two camps which were occupied
by the Afghan Mujahideen including those from the
tandzhim of Hizbul Islam led by Al-Muhandis
Ghulbuddin Hikmatyar, they managed to dig up trenches
and build bunkers in the most frontal area which
stretched into the enemies’ territory. They named this
area "Ma'sadah" (the meeting point of the
lions), which means the meeting points of the
Mujahideen who were always ready to pounce and devour
their enemies. It was in this area that Ash-Sheikh
Usamah bin Ladin (hfz) was stationed, he was the
general commander of all the Arab Mujahideen in that
area, he was the one leading the fight personally.
It was in this Ma'sadah that I was introduced
by Allah SWT to him i.e. in an underground bunker
which was covered by very thick snow and in a dark
condition, only lighted by a small oil lamp.
I did not expect beforehand that he was Ash-Sheikh
Usamah bin Ladin, because I had not known him for
certain or from near, sure I had seen him in a glance
but only from a distance, besides that I did not hear
any of the Arab brothers calling him by his name at
that time, everybody called him by his Kuniyah
name i.e. Abu Abdullah, whereas there were a lot of
kuniyah name with the prefix Abu, including
Abu Abdullah.
But alhamdulillah, there was one Arab Mujahid
who slowly whispered to my ear, he said: "Ta'rif
Anta ya Akhi?" (Do you know who that is,
brother?), so I asked him back, "Maaza?"
(What?), the Akhi said, "Haaza...Huwa
Ash-Sheikh Usamah Ibnu Ladin." I was still a bit
doubtful, so he added "Uqsimu Billah" (I
swear by Allah), thus is the custom of the Arabs in
order to convince people of what they say.
With that information, I did not waste the precious
chance and opportunity, so I introduced my kuniah
name to him with the extra familiar greetings like:
"Kaifa Hallukum?", "Kaifa Shihatukum",
"Kaifa Akhbarukum?" (how’s your condition,
your health, your news), then he responded with a
smile and his distinctive look while also asking,
"Kaifa Hallukum?", "Kaifa Shihatukum",
"Kaifa Akhbarukum?"
My acquaintanceship with him was only limited to this,
thus was always the culture of getting to know each
other amongst the Mujahideen, each one is guarding
their own secrets mostly to the extent they did not
know from which country the other was originating
from, the most they could do would only be guesses,
only certain people know, therefore not even one
Mujahid would occupy themselves with asking, for
example, "Where are you from?", "With
whom?", "How did you come here?" and so
on.
Normally, those who occupied themselves with these
questions were the assigned intelligence, though not
all of them. There were also those who did it due to
habit or nature that was very difficult to change.
Normally, if it was evident that the person was an
assigned intelligence or munafiqeen, it could
be seen for sure that he would not stay long in the
Front. In fact, there were those who stayed for only a
day or two because the bombardments of the enemies had
made them cringed like a heated worm and they wanted
to go back to their country or to a more secure place.
There were even those who admitted that they were
actually an intelligence while leaving in full
humiliation.
From time to time, from moment to moment, from day to
day, I observed Sheikh Usamah’s personality in silence
because at that time, I had faith that Allah SWT had
blessed my life by allowing me to meet the personage
of a servant of Allah who has virtues and advantages
not given to others.
Looking at him, I was as if looking at one of the
companions of the Prophet SAW i.e. Utsman bin Affan
(RA) or Abdurrahman bin Auf (RA) because there were on
them (RA) similar characteristic i.e. plunging into
the battlefields with their wealth and lives.
Ash-Sheikh Usamah bin Ladin (hfz), as is
generally noted is not only a millionaire but a
billionaire or even more than that, but he did not use
his wealth like how the common wealthy people use
their wealth. Instead, he plunged into the battle
arena with his properties and life and was prepared to
live zuhd (renunciation of the world or
abstaining from the pleasures of this world) in the
battle arena like the other Mujahideen. So my instinct
told me that someone like him was a not just an
average person, it might be that in one million there
is not one like him and I, up to now, have not found
anyone who equals him.
There is one natural character in me, may that
character be good in the sight of Allah SWT i.e. I
have a high regard for a servant of Allah who has
virtues and excellence, especially in the matter of
dien, even though that person does not have
anything in the sight of others, in fact he could even
be seen as insignificant, because it is too difficult
to find someone who has advantages and then with those
advantages is having an important role in a program,
in accordance with his presence, to boost the progress
for Islam and the Muslims.
Rasulullah SAW said:
"People are just like camels, out of one hundred,
one can hardly find a single camel suitable to ride."
Therefore, if we observe mankind’s journey through
history, there are actually not many people who had
been given advantages by Allah SWT. The number of men
chosen to become His Messengers is only 25. The number
of As-Siddiqin, Ash-Shuhada' and
As-Solihin is also small compared to the total
number of the majority.
The number of fuqaha' ulama, tafseer
experts (mufassirin) from the time of the
Sahabas (RA), to the tabi'ut-tabi'in
(followers of the tabiin) is also very small.
The number of transmitters of hadiths with the given
title of "mukhorrij" is only small, less than
one hundred of them.
Part Two
...back to my
story about meeting Sheikh Usamah bin Ladin as I had
delivered earlier. I began to observe his personality
and main characters, how he stands and sits, the way
he speaks, the way he walks, the way he eats, his
laughter, his smile, his mixing with others, how his
language is, the way he dresses, the way he teaches
his children, the advices he delivered and so on.
So my conclusion -Wallahu a'lam bis-sowwab-
is that he is a man whose thoughts, speeches and
actions, as well as movements did not produce anything
except that they contain hikmah (wisdom). I
am not saying that he is maksum, because the
maksum one is only Rasulullah SAW, however
thus was my assessment during my association with him
and I do not deify anyone except Allah.
I was only assessing from the outside, as for the
batin (inner side) Allah SWT is the Most
Knowledgeable, and no one can monitor him continuously
for 24 hours every day and night, it is something
impossible for me to do, but from the association I
had experienced, I could give some judgements and may
this judgement be not excessive and also not too
inadequate (not ifrath and tafrith).
The assessments are more or less as follows:
1. Aqeedah.
He follows the creed of the salaf, with the
aqeedah of Ahlussunnah wal Jamaah.
This is always expressed by him in his spoken words.
2. Fiqh Madzhab.
I don't have or have not obtained information about
the Fiqh madzhab that he follows, whether he
follows the Hanafi, Maliki, Syafi'i, Hambali
or Dzhahiri, but what's obvious is that the
way he performs ibaadah (acts of worship)
especially the characteristic of his solat,
follows the sunnah of the Prophet SAW.
3. Akhlaq (Morals) and Adab
(Manners).
Just like what I have explained earlier, he is one of
the people who maintains and observes the akhlaq
and adab greatly, whether it be the
fundamental akhlaqs or the akhlaq
that seems small. Examples of fundamental Akhlaq:
• Al-Wala wal Bara'
He loves the believers very much, where ever they are
from or which ever Harakah or Jama'ah
they belong to.
Hard on the kafirs. This is very prominent
particularly towards the Jewish America and its
allies, maybe this is why he is on the first ranking
in the history of mankind -wallahu a'lam- to
be the most feared and wanted human figure by the
enemies of Islam, be it in the East or the West, be it
the kafir or mushrik or munafiq
and this becomes the virtue that Allah SWT gives him,
his position makes the kafirs, who are under
this sky, angry.
Allah SWT said in surat At-Taubah (9): 120.
" …nor do they tread on any ground that enrages
the disbelievers, nor do they inflict upon an enemy
any infliction but that it is registered for them as a
righteous deed.."
Subhanallah – if he is ikhlas, how
much reward of good deeds he could bag every second
even by merely sleeping in his hiding place.
I also remember the virtues of the Ashabul Kahfi
who were put to sleep by Allah for 300 years i.e. if
we calculate by the AD year and 309 years if
calculated using the Hijriyah year. They were
feared even in their sleep.
See Allah’s verse in surat Al-Kahfi (18): 18.
"If you had looked at them, you would have turned
from them in flight and been filled by them with
terror."
As for us, even turning upside down would not make the
enemies fear us. What is the secret? Because our
Imans are weak and there is no ruhul Jihad
(spirit of Jihad).
He also takes care of the adab, such as:
• The Adab of Eating.
Most of the Arabs, as well as the Afghans and the
majority of people on this earth except those who are
blessed by Allah – are less attentive when it comes to
clearing or finishing food or minding the food that
falls while eating. Whereas, according to a hadith,
we are ordered to clear the food that has fallen by
eating them, we can’t leave food on its place because
who knows there could be barakah (blessings)
in them.
He, if he eats - Subhanallah – not even a
crumb would fall and be wasted in front of me. I found
this truly amazing as he can easily go against the
convention that has been entrenched.
• Daily Presentation.
He always carries a small mushaf (a copy of
the Qur’an), a weapon (rifle of the AK [Automatic
Kalashnikov] or Klashenkov type), as well as a stick
or staff which is a part of the Sunnah.
• The Adab of Speaking to Others.
He, if he speaks to others (not in a majelis)
normally faces his entire body to the person he speaks
to while giving a smile if required and sometimes
becoming very serious with an intent look.
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