Translated Text: Hijackers' How-To
The following is a complete translation of the Arabic document found in Nawaf al-Hazmi's car at Dulles airport. He was on American Airlines Flight 77.
It is similar but not identical to the document found in Atta's luggage, and parts of a document found in the Pennsylvania wreckage.
The translation was done for CBS News by three Arabic scholars.
The translators have tried very hard to keep to the literal meaning of the text, and have therefore decided not to employ punctuation where none exists in the original document. Thus the text has been presented in its truest form. All words in [brackets] are those of the translators. All words in (parentheses) are those of the author of this letter. The translators have employed "quotations" where the author of the original document used (parentheses) when quoting text from the Koran or from other literature.
The translators' observations about the document:
1) We believe this text to have been dictated to the author. Almost every paragraph is one long sentence. There are few commas, periods; there are few clear beginnings and clear endings that makes the document quite incoherent. Indeed the ideas contained within this document seem to have been pulled from a variety of classical texts of various genres and intermingled without any clear purpose or agenda. The script looks rushed as if the writer was trying hard to keep up with whatever was being dictated to him.
2) The handwriting is that of a woman's hand and not a man's. We believe this to be the case due to the calligraphic differences between a woman's "s" for example and a man's. There are a few different calligraphic styles present within this document. The clearest example of this is that the first page translated below has a completely different script than the other three. But even within this first page, there are many scripts employed. Near the bottom of the page, in the last few paragraphs at least 4 different styles of writing the word "God" in Arabic are present.
3) We are agreed that due to the incoherent nature of this text, one can not be sure as to who is speaking, who is dictating this letter, for what purpose they are dictating this letter, and for whom this letter is intended. There is no signature in this letter. The content in this missive does not in any way sound like instructions to a hijacker or a terrorist. Nor does it speak at any level about missions of terrorism against any entity. In fact, according to our judgement it is not even a suicide note.
There is not evidence to point to any one nationality of the writer, however by the style of Arabic employed, it appears as though our author is not a native speaker of Arabic. And if he or she is a native speaker, said individual is uneducated.
The last night:
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2. To be perfect with the plan very well of all its aspects and expecting the reaction or resistance from the enemy
3. Reading and understanding well the chapters Al-Anfaal and At-Tawba [or chapters 8 and 9 of the Holy Koran] and understanding their meanings very well and what Allah has prepared for the believers or the permanent bliss for the martyrs
4. Reminding one's self of listening well and obeying that night for you are going to face critical situations, which require strict abiding and obeying (100 percent). So you should tame yourself and make it apprehend and convince it and incite it for that
The Most High says, "Obey Allah and His messenger and dispute not amongst yourselves, and be not divided amongst yourselves otherwise you will fail and your power will vanish, and be patient for Allah is with those who are patient.
5. Praying in the middle of the night and ask Allah many times for victory and to over power and a clear opening and ask for facilitating matters and covering us
6. Mention God many many times and be learned that the best of mentioning God is reciting or reading the Holy Koran, and this is what the scholars have agreed upon unanimously as much as I know and it is sufficient for us that it is the Word of the Lord of the skies and the earths who you are going to meet.
7. Clean your heart and purify it from mishaps and forget completely a thing which is called worldly-life for the time for playing has past and the true promise has come, how much did we waste from our years of time shouldn’t we utilize these hours to offer obedience and closeness.
8. You should be cheerful for the time between you and your marriage is only a few moments with which you begin the happy, satisfactory life and the eternal bliss with the Prophets and the true believers and the martyrs and the good people and what a great company to be among.
We ask God from His grace and be optimistic because the Prophet peace be upon him (used to like optimism in all his affairs)
9. Then remember very well that if you have been put into dilemma how to behave and how to be firm. And remember and know that what has befallen upon you should befall upon for sure. And what has not fallen upon you shouldn't fall upon you. And this dilemma from God, the most high and most exalted, to raise your status and forgive yur sins, then know that it's a matter of moments then it will be clear with the permission of God. Congratulations for he who won with the great reward from God, the all mighty, who says, "Do you expect to enter paradise without Allah knowing those who struggled from you and know the patient ones"
10. Then remember the saying of God, the Almighty, "And you were hoping for death before it comes to you that you have seen it while you are looking..." And after that remember, "Indeed many small group would defeat big one with the permission of God..."
And His saying, "If God makes you victorious no one else can conquer you. And
if God makes you fail, then who is he that can make you victorious beyond God?
And upon God, the believers depend"
11. Remind yourself with supplications and your brothers and comprehend their
meanings. (Supplications of the morning and the evening – supplications of the
country – supplications of the place – supplications of meeting the enemy, etc.)
12. Pray for your soul, the bag, the clothes, the knife, your stuff whatever that stuff is, your id, tith [the author does not complete this word, therefore the translators
decided to merely transliterate the Arabic here], your passport, and all of your papers
13. Check your weapons, before departure, and before before you leave and "Let every one of you sharpen his knife and kill his animal and bring about comfort and relief of his slaughter" before the journey
14. Tighten up your clothes and this is the medal of the righteous predecessors may God be content with them all They used to tighten up their clothes before the battle then tighten up your shoes well and put your feet in your socks and hold on in your shoes and do not slip out of it.
And these are all causes which we are ordered to undertake And God is our protector and He is the best Deputy,
15. Perform the morning prayers in congregation and think of its reward while you are [reciting] the supplications And don’t get out of your apartment except with [having performed the] ablutions.
For the angels are asking for happiness for you as long as you have ablutions. And they make supplication for you. And read God, the Almighty’s, sayings, "Do you think that We have created you in vein" (chapter of the believers) [chapter 23 in the Koran]
The text of the mentioned hadith is reported by An-Nawwawi in his book "The Chosen from the Supplicants."
[The following sentence is squeezed on the bottom of this page and continues at the top of the same page as indicated by an arrow] One of the companions said the Messenger of God ordered us to read it before the conquest. So we read it and we won and we were safe.
[The following two short sentences begin with an asterisk and are found at the very top of the page adjacent to sentence following number 1]
*Depleting the excess hair from the body and perfuming
*Taking a complete shower
Afer that the second stage:
When the taxi takes you to (M) then mention and remember God much in the car (supplication of riding – supplication of town – supplication of place [and] the other supplications
When you arrive and see (M) and get off the taxi then say the supplication of the place and every place you go to say in it the supplication of place and smile and be comforted for God is with the believers and the angels guard you and you do not feel them
Then say the supplication "God is more mightier than all His creation..." and say "Oh God suffice us them with what you willed" and say "Oh God we attack with you into their throats and we take you our shelter against their evil" and say "Oh God make a damn for us between their fronts and their backs and He made them blind that they could not see" and say "Our Protector is God and He is the best Deputy" remembering the Almighty's saying "Those whom the people said that the people gathered and prepared against you so fear them that increased their faith and said our Protector is God and He is the best deputy"
That after saying it you will find some matters and companions around you because God has promised His slaves who say this supplication as follows
1) Winning God's grace and bliss
2) No evil touches them
3) Following God's content
The Almighty said "They won God’s grace and bliss, no evil touched them and they followed God’s content and God is the Greatest Benevolent" for their devices and doors and technology all of it has no benefit in slaughter except with the permission of God.
And the believers do not get afraid of it but those who get afraid of it are the agents of the devil those in fact are afraid of the devil and have become of his agents. Fear is a great worship which should not be paid except to God alone the Almighty – and He is worthy of it. The Almighty said commenting on those verses "That is the devil makes his agents afraid" those who admire civilization of the West those who drink their love and their worship with cold water and were afraid of their equipment which are weak and trivial "That do not be afraid of them and be afraid of Me if you are true believers" that fear is a great worship, the angels of God and the believers do not perform it except for God alone, the only one who owns everything and are very sure that God will fail the tricks of the disbelievers that the Almighty said "That God is weakening the tricks of the disbelievers"
Then you must remember what I think the most important supplication and especially you must not be seen that you say the saying "There is no God except Allah" for if you repeat it a thousand times nobody could tell whether your silent of mentioning God and of its greatness his saying peace be upon him [the reference is to Muhammad here] "Whoever says there is no God except Allah believing in it with all his heart he enters paradise" or as [Muhammad] said peace be upon hiin that which means "If the seven earths and skies are placed on one scale and there is no God except Allah on the other scale, then the scale of there is no God except Allah weighs the other down" and you can smile while saying it and this is of the greatness of this word and that he who thinks deeply in it he finds that its letters have not dots on them and this is of its greatness that the dotted words or letters are less from it, and it is sufficient that it is the word of monotheism which you need most in the battlefield as the Messenger did peace be upon him and his companions and those who followed them as well until the Day of Judgment.
And also do not let perplexion and confusion and nervous tension appear upon you and be cheerful happy serene and comforted because you are doing a job which God loves and accepts hence it will be a day with God's permission you will spend it with the most beautiful women in paradise
Smile in the face of death, oh young man!
For you are on your way to the everlasting paradise!
Any place you go to or any action you do you should supplicate and God is with His slaves the believers with support and guard and facilitation and success and conquest and victory and everything.
The third stage:
When you ride (T) the moment you put in your leg and before you enter it make supplications and remember it is an expedition for the way and as upon him is peace and praying has said [referring to Muhammad] "that a coming or a going for the way of God is better than the worldly life and of all in it" or as upon him is peace and praying has said.
And when you put your leg into (T) and sit on your seat say the supplications and remember the well-known supplications which we mentioned earlier then be busy with mentioning God and be industrious in that God the Almighty said "Oh you believers! If you met a group then be firm and serene and mention God much so as to be successful" then when (T) moves slowly and heads to (K) say the supplication of travel for you are travelling to God the Almighty "Enjoy the travel."
You will find it stopping then going forth and that is the hour of meeting the attributes then ask God the Almighty as the Almighty mentioned in His Book "Oh God pour patience upon us and make our feet firm and make us victorious over the disbelieving people" and His Almighty’s saying "And what was their saying except that they said Oh our God forgive our sins and our extravagance in our affair and make our feet firm and make us victorious over the disbelieving people" and His prophet's saying peace be upon him "Oh God, you who has revealed your Book and moved the clouds and defeated the parties defeat them and make us victorious over them oh God defeat them and earthquake them" pray for yourself and for all your companions for conquer and victory and hitting the target and weakening the enemy and ask God to grant you martyrdom going forward not backward being patient and expecting a rewrd in the hereafter.
Then each one of you should be ready to do his job on the manner which pleases God the Almighty and that you press your teeth together as the predecessors used to do – may God have mercy on them – before getting into a fight in the battlefield.
In combat hit firmly and strongly as the heroes do who do not wish to come back to the worldly life and say aloud God is Great for saying that [causes] horror and terror to enter in the hearts of the disbelievers. That God the Almighty said "hit over the necks and hit every finger of them"
And know that the paradises have been decorated for you with the best of its decorations and ornaments and the most beautiful women are calling upon you come oh you the commander with the order of God and they have dressed in the best of their attire.
And if God gave anyone of you a sacrifice of an animal he should intend it for his father and his mother for they have a right over you and do not dispute among yourselves and listen and obey
And if you slaughter then you take the booty of whom you killed for this is a tradition of the selected (chosen Prophet) peace be upon him but on the condition that you do not be occupied with taking booties and leaves (neglects) what is more important of paying attention to the enemy and his trickery or attack for this is more harmful and if it was so
That giving priority of work and community interest over doing these because work is an individual duty and this is a tradition and the duty is given priority over the tradition and do not revenge for yourself but make you hit everything for God the Almighty that this is Ali ibn Abi Talib may God be pleased with him fought with one of the disbelievers and that the disbelievers stood up (and spat) upon Ali may God be pleased with him who put down his sword and he did not hit him then he hit him and after the battle had finished one of the companions asked him about his doing so and why he did not hit that disbeliever when he hit him then Ali may God be pleased with him has said "when he spat upon me I thought I would hit him in revenge for myself I raised my sword / or as he said then when I remembered the intent he stood up and he killed him and this all means in a short time one should settle down his soul before all his actions and doings are for God.
Then apply the tradition of captivity and capture among them and kill them as God the Almighty said "no Prophet must have prisoners of war until he weakens (the enemy) on the land. Do you want to have the best of the worldly life and God wants the hereafter and God is the most Mighty and the most Wise"
If everything is done perfectly then everyone of you pats his brother on the shoulder at the apartment and at (M) and at (T) and at (K) reminding him that this work is for the sake of God the Almighty and the Exalted and he does not perplex his brothers (companions) even if with any time thing but he makes them hopeful and comforts tem and reminds them and encourages them. What a beauty if one repeats verses from the Koran such as God's saying "That he fights for the way of God those who buy the worldly life for the hereafter …….."
And God's saying "Do not count those who were killed for the way of God dead…….."
Etc., or sings to them as did the predecessors during the battles.
He should comfort his companions and make them serene and cheerful.
And do not forget to take some of the booty even a cup or a glass of water to gratify yourself and your companions if it was possible then if the true promise approached and the zero hour came open up your jacket and open up your chest welcoming death for the way of God and always be remembering and if you can end with praying if it is possible start it before the target in a few seconds or the last of your speech is
There is no God except Allah and Muhammad is His Messenger.
And after that God-willing will be the meeting in the highest rank of paradise with God's mercy.
*If you see the gatherings of disbelief remember the parties whose numbers were close to 10,000 fighters and how God make his slaves the believers victorious over them
God the Almighty says "and when the believers saw the parties they said that that which God promised us and God and His Messenger are true and that increased their belief and faith and submission to God"
God, Pray upon our Prophet Muhammad
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