The Road to Guantanamo

The Road to Guantanamo (Roadside Attractions), Michael Winterbottom and Mat Whitecross' half-feature film, half-documentary about three British youths who spent over two years in military prison for no justifiable reason, is exhausting, depressing, slightly nauseating, and unfortunately necessary. It turns an abstract debate about human rights and the Geneva Conventions into a visceral experience of lived injustice: What if you were rounded up with friends on the eve of your own wedding; shipped to an American airbase to be shackled, beaten, and interrogated; and then sent without trial to languish in a cage in Cuba?
________________________________________________________________
This is not easy to watch. I can't imagine how it must be for someone to live through it all. :'-(

Do we really know what pain is? Is hunger only a theoretical concept for us, the reality of which most of us don't know? Are our lives filled with petty concerns and a continum of self-satisfying ventures clouded by delusion? Do we really know what it means to pray?

May God ease the sufferings of the innocent people worldwide. May He cause humanity to serve Him in a way that He has taught us so that compassion would enter our hearts and actions and the world will be filled with peace, ameen.

[If it isn't working on this page, - as it's not working for me here - you can watch it here.]

Update: 2006-11-06

Read this article about a brother's Ramadhan experience while at Guantanamo Bay: The Best of Times

Update: 2006-12-21

Children in Guantanamo

Posted by at

2 comments:

Ify Okoye said...

Asalamu alaykum,

Ameen, even though I dislike the profuse profanity I would highly recommend this film.

November 05, 2006
Frazza said...

Assalamu'alaykum,

I just watched this. It was quite a stirring documentary, and frightening that this sort of thing is happening to Muslims as normal as you and I. May Allah protect them and us.

November 29, 2006

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)
"Do you think that you will enter the Paradise without such (trials) as came to those who passed away before you? They encountered suffering and adversity and were so shaken in spirit that even the Apostle and those of faith who were with him cried: 'When (will come) the help of God?' Ah! Verily the help of God is (always) near!" [2:214]

Archives

Subscribe

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Inspiration

"Be mindful of God, and God will protect you. Be mindful of God, and you will find Him in front of you. If you ask, ask of God. If you seek help, seek help of God. Know that if the whole world were to gather together to benefit you with anything, it would benefit you only with something that God had already prescribed for you. And if the whole world were to gather together to harm you, it would harm you only with something that God has already prescribed for you. The pens have been lifted and the ink has dried."
--Prophet Muhammad [peace be upon him]

Copyright 2009 - Reflective Dust...

Theme Design: RayThemz.