"A Mujahid's Wish From His Mother"

And here we have a poem written by a young Talib, translated and provided by our friends Alex Strick Van Linschoten and Felix Kuehn, who will publish a book of Taliban poetry next year.

Mother! Pray for me, I am going into battle tomorrow;
I am going for Allah’s satisfaction, without delay;
Battle has many rewards;
Allah will grant me paradise;
If I am martyred, I’ll go to my leader with a white face;
If I head to my trench
To fight against the invader,
I like pride, and will head into the afterlife with pride.
If I don’t make it back home,
This is my will to my father and mother:
Don’t be impatient; I head towards doomsday with a red shroud
Until the homeland becomes free
When all the betrayers are suppressed.
I go to the punishing plains of war with great courage;
You became Allah’s blessing for us;
Now, we all accept you, Abu Fazl;
I’ll ascend to the sky in great honour.

-- Abu Fazl

(AM: One could probably title this one "Dulce et decorum est pro patria et religione mori." One similarly wonders whether Abu Fazl will feel about this war, at its conclusion, as Wilfred Owen felt about his at his death.)