Malik Yousef Sharaf

"And that He may take from you martyrs." Praise be to God who has graced us with the greatest honor, and granted us, by His grace, the highest ranks and decorations in this world and the next, by making us not just one martyr, but martyrs. And so my family, whom I bid farewell with a patient and accepting heart, carries the name "Sharaf" [honor] in name, word, and deed. With a grief-stricken and bereaved heart, but one that is patient and accepts God's will, I announce the martyrdom of my family, the most precious thing I owned in my life, the dearest of people, and my strongest support. My wife, the light of my eyes, my life partner and companion on the path, Islam Ba'lousha. My children, the pieces of my heart, for whom I worked tirelessly my whole life, and would have worked longer still for their success. They always maintained the best grades and reached the highest achievements. (Malak, in the sixth grade; Malik, my crown prince, in the fifth grade; Yasmin, in the first grade; and Nour, who was three years old). And my message to the enemy: you will not weaken us. We cry because we are human and we love our families, but we will not be broken. By God, we will not be broken. And oh Lord, take from our blood until you are satisfied. Malik... Son of my heart, my soul, my successor, and my crown prince. He lived among us like a breeze, flying with joy and spreading love, just like his features in this picture, and in all the pictures! Malik... my Lord is my witness that you possessed a pure love. You were the support whose strength was beginning to grow beside me. You were the dream for whom I had planned a different life path, but God granted you a plan and a martyrdom that is the highest and most sublime. For your radiant heart and your beautiful soul... I miss you, and I always will.