Author: Zümra KAPAN (12 Years Old)
Translator: Mehmet Akif ACAR (14 Years Old)
I was sitting on my balcony while sipping my tea. Suddenly a sound came from the garden. I looked at the garden straight away. A balloon was popped, and there was a paper inside. I went out right away with my jacket saying, “Nothing is wrong inshallah?”. I went to the garden and picked up the paper. This was a letter; there was a text at the back of the letter saying, “The country of Muslims, Turkey,” as an address. I opened with excitement; it was noticeable that it was written in a hurry and in a fast way. I sit down on the bench and begin to read.
As-salamu alaykum
I am Ahmed. Palestinian Ahmed. I want to be shaheed when I grow up. Because prophet Muhammadﷺ kiss on the forehead of shaheeds. My mother said that he already kissed my big brother’s and my father's forehead. Allah showed hospitality to them. O Allah, grant me the grace to kiss my 3-month-old brother again. Because I was only able to kiss him for three months. Because something tiny coming out of a huge thing killed him. My mother's cry, the way she hugs me, filling the void in her heart with me... and saying “It is going to over Ahmed, it is going to over my praised. Allah is going to take us.” ... The sound of the bombs that hurt me inside is still in my ears. Whoever is reading this letter is Muslim inshallah. My grandfather said that when Turks were here everyone was peaceful. Turks were so fair and one day Turks are going to return with torches.
The friend awaits that day, Ahmed…
Address: Gaza / Palestine
Note: O Allah, deliver this balloon without popping to Turkey. Amin!
My eyes filled with tears. Yes, there was a genocide in Palestine. Most probably this letter was the child’s last hope. That evening I went to my desk to write Ahmed back. I put it inside a red balloon-like Ahmed left it in the sky. I knew that Allah was going to protect that balloon.