A Land of Permanent Goodbyes

Musa drives the boys to the shop. The car ride is an opportunity to provide a closer look at how Daesh control has changed Raqqa, and for Musa and Tareq to catch up on all that has happened in Syria. They pass abandoned homes and closed shops. Some families have fled the country, and when they go, Daesh spray paints their homes, claiming that the deserters were American spies. A “free-for-all” results, and others seize the homes. If the family comes back, they are killed.

Tareq notes that many of the Daesh men they pass don’t appear to be Syrians. Musa explains that, while there are some Syrians among them, many of the Daesh come from all over the world—France, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, America, Kuwait, Britain, Libya, Iraq. He says the Iraqis are the worst and call the locals “kafers,” Arabic for non-believers. According to Musa, the Iraqis are mostly in charge because Daesh began in Iraq.

Musa notes that Daesh has little to do with Islam. Some of the foreigners from England even relied on Quran for Dummies instead of the actual Quran. Musa refers to the “Salafi cancer” (56). The term Salafi is often used to describe fundamentalist Islamic thought. Tareq is not familiar with this ideology. He has been taught that there are two main sects in Islam, Shia and Sunni. He is aware that there are conflicts between these two, but his parents shielded him from the details, and his mother referred to the differences as a political feud having nothing to do with religion.

Finally, the boys arrive at the shop. The boxes of hair dye—Nada asked Musa to get her some—have the female model’s faces blacked out with marker. The women’s faces being shown goes against the principles of Daesh. Musa jokes to the shop-owner whether the boxes of hair dye will get “lashes” if they don’t wear their niqabs. A niqab is a garment of clothing worn by some Muslim women to cover the face. The “lashes” refers to the lash of a whip or cane, a popular form of punishment inflicted by Daesh. The shop-owner warns Musa that he shouldn’t make such jokes; Daesh has spies everywhere.

As Musa and Tareq leave the shop, men of Daesh accost them. Tareq feels a rifle in his back, and a voice shouts, “Yallah!” (move on, go) in accented Arabic.

Tareq and Musa are terrified, worried they are going to be punished or executed. Instead, they are forced towards Naim Square. The Daesh are holding a public execution and want to make an example of their victim. Musa warns Tareq he must not cry, flinch, or show any emotion because spies of Daesh will be watching the crowd for anyone who may sympathize with the man being executed.

A young man is brought forward and his supposed offenses (for example, “insulting divinity” (63)) are read aloud. A member of Daesh holds up a black flag of Daesh, on which is written the shahada, the declaration of faith: “There is no God but God, and Muhammad is the Messenger of God” (64). The Daesh shoot, then decapitate the man. Both of his parents, forced to watch, fall to the ground, presumably in a faint or in grief. The crowd dissipates, and Tareq and Musa head back to the car. 

Tareq and Musa drive back to Waleed’s home. Musa notices a pickup truck is following them; men from Naim Square are inside, undoubtedly Daesh. Musa tells Tareq that when they get out at Waleed’s, they should go straight to the door and not make eye contact with the men. Inside, they tell the adults what has occurred. The doorbell rings, and Waleed says he will handle it. He instructs Tareq, Musa, and Fayed to wait inside.

As they wait, Fayed wonders what the men outside might want. Musa responds: “All I can think, Uncle, is the cubs of Daesh…I mean, I think we’re too old for it. But you never know with these guys” (70). Musa explains that Daesh has training camps for children, indoctrinating them—essentially brainwashing them—and teaching them how to use weapons. He’s heard of kids coming out and executing their own parents for not following the rules of Daesh.

Waleed returns. Everything is fine for now, he says, but Fayed, Tareq, and Susan must leave sooner than planned. The money Waleed took out earlier that day will be enough to get to them to Turkey, at least. He tells Musa that he will go with them. Musa says he doesn’t want to go without his parents, but Waleed insists and reassures Musa, saying they will reunite. Destiny points out that they will not. 

Chapter 10 is a monologue-style reflection from Destiny, similar to that seen in the “prologue.” Destiny reflects on the ways humans divide themselves through the creation of borders: “The invisible lines in your world hold so much power” (73). Destiny notes that borders are manmade and artificial, as no animal would pay attention to them. Setting up the story to come—Tareq’s leaving his homeland—Destiny concludes, “the journey beyond those invisible lines can become just as heinous as living inside the fire” (75).