A Glimpse Back At The Beginning Of The Bloody Ambon Tragedy  

Shaaban 12, 1432 A.H, Friday, July 15, 2011

In the year 1998, in Ambon, Indonesia, the Christian people attacked and burned down a Muslim village along with its masjid. The Muslim people were in shock and then complained it to the authorities. The government promised to solve the problem.

Two weeks later, the Red Forces (Christians) attacked and burned down another Muslim village along with its masjid. The Muslims throughout Ambon could still forbear it and did not retaliate. This is the noble character of the followers of the religion of Islam which obviously is very different from the non-Muslims. They continued to complain to the authorities and the authorities promised to arrest and bring to justice the culprits.

Two weeks after that, another Muslim village was again attacked and burned down. It was completely burnt. The followers of Christianity dared to behave extremely because they felt the Muslims were not sensitive at all. Indeed, this is the attitude of most of the Muslims today. For example in the case of murtad (leaving Islam). Everyone knows that so many people from the Muslims have become murtad but they don't want to do anything about it. They could at least make it as a subject of discussion among friends or give support to the parties who want to strive to eradicate this symptom.

Even though three villages had already been razed to the ground, the 'alim ulama's of the Muslims in Ambon could still afford to be patient and withhold from issuing instructions to strike back. The Christians were getting increasingly disdainful. They planned for something bigger, i.e. to wipe out all the lives and properties of the Muslims of Ambon.

Approaching the 'Eidul Fitr, in the evening of 27th Ramadhan 1999 (hence the name, the Bloody Tragedy of 'Eidul Fitr), the Christians from outside Ambon, especially Maluku, arrived their multitudes to Ambon. It was said among the Christians that Prophet Isa (Jesus Christ) would descend in Ambon on that night.

This was different from the Muslims, where a lot of them were leaving Ambon to go back to their respective villages to celebrate the 'Eid holiday with their relatives. The ratio between the Muslims and Christians at that time was 3 Muslims : 10 Christians. Other Muslims were doing i'tikaf in the masjids (qiamullail), the Christians made a plan to finish off the entire Islamic ummah once and for all while they were in the middle of performing the 'Eid Fitr prayer. This is because the Muslims would be performing the prayer in a field, i.e. an open space, so it would be easy to slay them in mobs.

By the wills of Allah SWT, The Mighty Planner of things, don't know why, the Christian terrorists somehow failed to attack on that specified time. This was a help from Allah. Otherwise, the entire Islamic ummah of Ambon would have long extinct.

Nevertheless, the terrorist attacks commenced at 3 PM, at a time when Muslims were resting after performing the Zuhr prayer. The attacks were carried out throughout Ambon. The terrorist attacks were so orderly and well planned. They were divided into four divisions. The first division was made up of a rank of archers. Their arrows were not empty, but contained poisons and there were also flaming arrows. With that, the fire spread fast.

The second division was made up of a rank of terrorists who were armed with lances and spears. While the third division was made up of Christian terrorists with swords and machetes. And in the fourth division were the terrorists who would wipe clean (loot) all valuables belonging to the Muslims and then burn whatever was left. The Muslims tried to retaliate armed with kitchen knives, stones and spiky bamboos, but their defense was so easily broken apart by the terrorists. Just imagine, at that time (according to ratio), 30 Islamic fighters had to confront 100 Christian terrorists. So the Muslims were defeated easily.

Such was the fate that will befall the Islamic ummah if they do no make preparation (i'dad). Have we already equipped ourselves with the combat skills? Is our time in the martial arts arena and majelis of spirituality (religion) more than our times at the football field or in front of the television? Is our relationship with Allah now closer than ever so that it would be easy for us to be given help in the time of hardships? Have we ever done da'wah to the non-Muslims? Have we ever done da'wah to the Muslims themselves?

As many of the Muslims were critically wounded, they had to be sent to the hospital. Unfortunately, the hospital was located in the village of the Christians and the workers were also Christians. As soon as reaching there, all the wounded Muslims were hit hard and killed more easily.

A month before the attack was launched, the Christian workers had identified the religion of all the expectant mothers in their registers. At the time when the attack was launched, Muslim mothers were located in one dorm. Their stomachs were cut open with swords and the babies in the wombs were removed and chopped to pieces like meats.

After the abdomens of the Muslim mothers were slit open, their babies removed and chopped to pieces, the Christian terrorists stuffed their bellies with alive cats and then stitched them back. So the cats were twitching inside the bellies making those Muslim mothers suffer a very tormenting torture. Only Allah knows why all these adversities were sent down to the Islamic community in Ambon.

The Muslims made three defenses i.e. at Masjid An-Nur, at the junction of Masjid Al-Fatah and the last one was at Masjid Al-Fatah itself where the elderlies, women and children took shelter.

The rather massive and fully equipped waves of attacks by the Christian terrorists caused the defense at Masjid An-Nur collapsed. The Islamic fighters retreated to the street junction, while Masjid An-Nur was bombed by the terrorists. The defense at the intersecting street also did not last long, as a lot of Islamic fighters were shaheed and wounded. The remaining fighters were forced to defense their last bastion i.e. Masjid Al-Fatah. This time the Mujahideen fought while crying because they were very sad and too hoping for the help from Allah SWT, The All-Powerful.

Those who were weak inside the masjid prayed do'a together with all their hearts. They thought, this time the entire Muslims of Ambon would be finished. By the power of Allah, The Greatest, His help arrived in the critical moment. People saw a blue light falling on the dome of Masjid Al-Fatah.

Out of nowhere, thousands of little children in white robes came out of Masjid Al-Fatah and made defenses around the masjid. They were led by an old man. The old man cried takbeer and all the little children responded with similar cries of takbeer.

Hordes of Christian terrorists arrived. They stormed the defense of those little children but they failed by the wills of Allah SWT, The Almighty. It appeared that those children could not be penetrated by sharp weapons, they could not be stabbed, hacked or shot with arrows. The Christian terrorists were shocked and then retreated to their own base. The Muslims in the masjid performed sujud shukr for the help of Allah that came.

The next day, the Muslims and the Christians were busy talking about those little children. People thought that all those children were accommodated in Masjid Al-Fatah. But in actual fact, the Imam of the masjid himself did not know where they came from. No doubt… they were the forces of Allah, He Whose Has Great Dominion.

In another incident, a total of 70 Muslim youths in jubah (Muslim robes) from the villages moved towards Ambon. They had heard the rumour which said that Masjid Al-Fatah had been destroyed and its imam murdered. What good is to be alive if that was already the case. They walked tens of kilometers through the jungle and mountains so as not to stumble upon the Christian terrorists. It did not mean that they were afraid but they were reluctant to fight outside the city of Ambon. Their intention was to do a rampage in the city.

Nevertheless, Allah made them encounter the Christian terrorists from the villages. After being obstructed, they had no choice but to resort to jihad with weapons. By the permission of Allah SWT, The Ever-Living One, the entire villages along with the terrorists could be taken care of in the matter of half an hour only. Five churches were also burned.

The security apparatus (police) of Ambon, where 70% of them were Christian felt frightened by this forces of Allah, so they tried to obstruct them with firearms. Like what we have already known, members of the police who were Muslim were going back to their respective villages for the 'Eid holiday. It was easy for them (Christian police) to act arbitrarily.

The Islamic fighters had to hold out when fired at incessantly by the police, whereas they were armed with only traditional war equipments. The police shot at them until all their bullets ran out. The security forces could see the Islamic fighters still standing strong, so they tried to obstruct by other means.

They asked for the good service of a local Muslim ulama' to persuade the Mujahideen to cancel their plan. The ulama' was willing to cooperate so that a way to discussions could be opened and violence could be stopped. He met the fighters and gave assurance that Masjid Al-Fatah was still standing and its imam alive. The fighters agreed to return to their villages.

The Christian police examined the battleground but failed to find any corpse of the Islamic fighters. Not even a trace of their blood could be found. It seemed that all the 70 youths had survived and returned home in peace. They could only see felt banana trees. They were so amazed by the incident. Know that, all the impossible will become a reality by the will of Allah SWT.

It was found out later that when the Christian police fired at the 70 youths, they saw Islamic fighters in their thousands led by an old man mounted on a white horse. Due to that, the police went to the hometown of those youths in order to arrest the old man riding the white horse. The result? They were even more amazed as there was no old man there and no one kept any horse. So, who was that old man riding the white horse?

The Christian terrorists were still running amok in the city of Ambon. All the settlements of the Muslims in Ambon were burned down in just half an hour. When the flame was already drawing near Masjid Al-Fatah. They thought that the masjid would be finished this time.

By the will of Allah, The Almighty, the wind suddenly changed direction and it blew so ferociously. The flame reversed direction and then burned a church. When the church was on fire, two fire engine trucks were already on standby to put the fire out, but when the houses, market and shops belonging to the Muslims were on fire, the firefighters acted as if nothing happened. That's how tormented the Muslims were under the authority of the kafir, whereas the non-Muslims lived peacefully under the rule of the Muslims.

At one time, the electricity supply for the whole area of Ambon was cut off, it could also be deliberately disconnected by the Christian terrorists. It was during this time that the terrorists tied up white cloth around their heads exactly like what Muslims did, whereas before this, the terrorists only tied up red cloth around their heads. When they met the Islamic fighters, the terrorists also cried takbeer. It was at this time that many Islamic fighters fell shaheed for being deceived by the trick of the Christian terrorists.

The Imam of Masjid Al-Fatah suggested that the Muslims say Arabic alphabet when coming across with unknown groups. If the Muslims said 'alif', the other group would say 'ba'. If the group failed to respond, it means they were enemies. With this, the strength of the terrorists could be weakened.

Our brothers in Ambon, Maluku, Poso and the surrounding areas ate only once a day, sometimes they did not even eat at all, whereas we over here are highly luxurious in our eating and drinking. They did not sleep because of fear, even if they slept it would only be an hour per day, whereas we over here sleep more than six hours. Even in the state comfort such as this, we still do not want to cultivate Islamic life in our families. Where have our patriotic attitude towards Islam gone?

The Christians actually wants to make East Timor, Irian Jaya and Ambon as their new countries in this part of the globe to counter the rise of Islam in the end times like what had been stated by Rasulullah SAW. The Australian Military plays an important role here. How could the terrorists obtain AK-47automatic machine guns in big quantities if not supplied by Christians from foreign countries?

21st December 1999- The Christian terrorists attacked the Togolihua Village, Maluku. The children and women took shelter inside Masjid Al-Ikhlas. The masjid was surrounded and then bombed, they threw big stones and shot arrows, which had been smeared with pig blood. After holding out for an hour, the Muslims surrendered and then they were killed indiscriminately. How very uncivilized to kill people who already surrendered! Around 600 corpses of the Muslims laid on the ground from this slaughter.

Many women were stripped down naked and raped on the streets, in fact even in the compounds of the masjids. Then they were transported with trucks along with small children to be Christianized. Those women who refused would be chopped up alive. When someone was doing the chopping, others would rush to join chopping up as well, as if they were chopping up a snake. There was this Muslimah who was hanged and then burned alive. This was related by Mufli M. Yusuf, aged 15 years, who was able to escape, although his body suffered many scalds.

A woman who survived named Musriah (40 years) told that she herself witnessed how 50 Muslim men including her own husband were hacked to death. Her own head was bloodied after being struck by a machete, while the palm of her hand was pierced by an arrow. Don't we feel sympathy with her suffering?

Another survivor, Syahnaim (20 years) told how her two children aged 6 and 7 years old were taken away by the terrorists to be Christianized. While her two-year-old little boy was chopped up to death. A man named Bahrul was killed by means of crucifixion. His genital was cut off and stuffed into his mouth. A 5 year old child was hanged and then sliced from top to bottom like splitting a fish. An 80 year old grandmother was hanged with her own hair on a tree and then her body was chopped up.

So the blood of the Muslims and Muslimahs flowed abundantly in Ambon at the hands of the Christians. If we can let out the tears and pray for them, it's already quite good enough…

Nurain (20 years) told that her husband was martyred by the Christian terrorists while she herself was struck by an arrow on her left buttock. She pleaded so as not to be killed and then she was put onto a truck along with her child (3 years) and six other Muslimahs. Their heads were tied with red cloth (a symbol of the Christian terrorists) and then taken away. His son was surrendered to the house of a Christian priest to be raised in Christian ways, while she somehow survived. Nurain witnessed how a Muslim girl was burned alive for refusing to entertain the lusts of the Christian terrorists inside a masjid.

An almost similar fate was experienced by Yani Latif (17 years). Her husband was killed while her 13 months old baby was taken away, to be raised as a Christian. By the will of Allah, she managed to escape.

Hamida (18 years) who took refuge in Masjid An-Nasr was seized from her father who had been martyred. She was to be forcefully married by the Christian terrorists to the son of a priest. By the help of Allah, The Most Merciful, she managed to be rescued. She then recounted her experience when taking shelter at Masjid An-Nasr. A man named Munir (25 years) was burned alive and his mouth was stuffed with human filths. The head of Haji Man (70 years) was cut off and stabbed with arrows and made as a plaything by the terrorists inside the masjid. Malang (50 years) was killed sadistically. His body was sliced open and then his heart was drawn out and exhibited. The Christian terrorists said, “This is the gift for the 'Eidul Fitr.”

26th December 1999- more than 7000 Christian terrorists attacked Lamo Village. Lamo Village was defended by just 200 people, the warriors of Allah. The ratio was 1 Muslim: 35 Christian terrorists. Yet, the war became balanced because a majority of the Islamic fighters possessed a high skill of silat (martial arts of Indonesia). The Muslim fighters were led by the Imam of Masjid Nurul Huda named Haji Djailani whose knowledge and skill in the martial arts was very potent and effective.

The Christian terrorists thus changed tactics, they daubed their weapons with pig's blood. Dozens of pigs were slaughtered all over the village. While groups of Christian women stripped naked while dancing and showing their bodies to the Islamic fighters. This tactics apparently managed to weaken some of the effectiveness of the silat skill of the Islamic fighters and eventually they dwindled and had to retreat. How despicable were the actions of the Christian women, no difference from animals and the pigs that they had sacrificed.

Imam Djailani remained unmoved until he was destined to fall a martyr and successfully able to place himself in the Paradise of Allah. His body was crucified and exhibited at the roadside. It was only at night that the Muslims managed to retrieve his body and then buried as a warrior. But there is something we need to ponder… with just 200 skilled martial arts combatants, we can already be comparable to 7000 terrorists, imagine if the entire adherents of Islam acquire themselves the knowledge and skill of martial arts and spirituality!!!

28th July 1999- The Christian terrorists attacked the Hatta village, 12 km from Ambon. The houses of the Muslims were destroyed. The terrorists managed to capture two Muslim girls and then they gang-raped them. It was believed that 50 people had raped those two girls. And then both of them were brutally hit and trampled down and their bodies were chopped up to pieces. This is a proof showing that the Christian religion of the attackers is a wrong and misguided religion because their Christianity allowed their soldiers to rape, mutilate corpses, kill children and their womenfolk to go naked in order to win in a war. Is this the nature of religion which is said to be holy?

Stories like this is actually a repeat of history. It had happened in the efforts of the Christian Europe to seize Baitul Maqdis from the Islamic rules during the renown Crusades in 1095.

Patriach Ermite was a priest who had become the instigator and was responsible for the first Crusade. Originally, he was a soldier of ruthless and violent character. In his efforts to attract the sympathy of the society of the Christian Europe, he was willing to ride a donkey around Europe while carrying a big cross. He wore no shoes and only wore ragged clothes. He gave speeches everywhere he went to raise the anger of the Christian people.

He lied by saying that the Islamic government was very cruel for oppressing the Christian people in Jerusalem. Even the grave of Prophet Isa (Jesus) had also been intruded, he said. Besides that, he also managed to ask Pope Urbanus 11 (Chief Vicar of the world) to declare total forgiveness to anyone who wanted to become the soldiers of the Crusade, even though they had been thieves, murderers and renown criminals before. Meaning, whoever participated in the campaign, all their sins would be erased.

The army of the first Crusade was so huge in number, i.e. around 300,000 men and women. Along their journey, everybody was allowed to seize properties, fornicate among themselves, rape others, feast on boozes and so on, which obviously are immoral acts in the Christian religion itself. Apparently, it has been since such a long time in the past that the religion of Christian justifies immoralities and cruelties as long as their goals are achieved. This situation continues until today and will go on forever. When will the adherents of Christian religion be aware of this reality?

Nevertheless, the plan of Almighty Allah is the Most Perfectly Arranged. While passing through the countries of Hungary and Bulgaria, the reception of the people for these Crusader forces was very cold even though they were equally Christian. It appeared that the population of Hungary and Bulgaria were the followers of the genuine Christianity because they could still differentiate between the good and bad deeds. In silence, they hated the behaviors of the Crusader forces which were similar to beasts.

In the end, a war between themselves erupted. The bloodshed that broke out could not be imagined anymore. From the initial 300,000 Crusader soldiers, now only 7,000 remained and successfully reached the Thracians Peninsula under the leadership of the vicar.

As soon as they landed in Asia Minor, the Crusader forces were greeted with the swinging of the swords of the Islamic forces under the leadership of Sultan Kalij Arselan until their forces were entirely annihilated . We hope a similar occurrence would also happen to the Christian terrorists in Ambon, Maluku, Poso and the surrounding areas, sooner or later. Therefore, let's all together do munajat to Allah SWT. Indeed, the do'a is the weapon of the believers.

Back to the case of Indonesia, even though the Christians acted malignantly and inhumanely, this did not mean that the Muslims would retaliate in kind. Here is where the truth and greatness of the religion of Islam can be seen. In one incident, the Christian terrorists had attacked the Muslim residents in Seram Island. The dead bodies of the Muslims were lying in the streets. The Muslims counter attacked causing divisions among the Christian terrorists. Around 1000 Christian people from the villages of Werinama, Tehoru, Bula and others were forced to flee as they were chased by the Muslim residents who wanted to defend their slaughtered brothers and sisters. Now they know the meaning of fear which came from themselves.

By the will of Allah, they were saved by the occupants of the Pondok (traditional religious school) Al-Khairat, Wahai, Central Maluku. The headmaster of the pondok happily accommodated them around his pondok. They were treated well and provided with what foods and drinks they had. The Majelis Ulama' of Indonesia (MUI) of Maluku distinguished this action as having shown the genuine attribute and akhlaq of Islam. To this day, there have been thousands of Christian people from Ambon and Maluku who embraced the religion of Islam because they had personally witnessed the truth of the religion of Islam through the behaviors of the fighters and also through miraculous incidents i.e. the helps of Allah.

In Masjid Dufa-dufa, Gamsungi Village, Tobelo, North Maluku, a total 250 people, made up of women, children and the elderlies were burnt alive, along with the masjid, all at once even though they had already raised the white flag indicating surrender. The Imam of the masjid himself had his body chopped to pieces and then thrown into the fire.

Why did this all happen? According to the Muslim community there, it is not impossible that this was a form of hard knocks sent down by Allah to them as a result of their own actions (or inaction). Long time ago, Islam was so flourishing and made to flourish in Ambon and the Maluku Islands. But today Islam only remained as some kind of traditions, not ibaadah.

The Muslim community there equally participated in celebrating the Christmas and New Year festivities in a grand scale, whereas Christmas is the Christian celebration in commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ, while the New Year is the new year's day of the Christians, a continuation of the Christmas celebration. We are increasingly worried because there are so many people from among the Muslim community who are influenced by the practice of celebrating those festivals of the Christian religion.

(*Main source – religious lecture tape by the Imam of Masjid Al-Fattah, Ambon)

(Credit To http://alexanderwathern.blogspot.com/)

Massacres Of Muslims By Christian Terrorists In Ambon, Indonesia