Who is this driver?

There was a container at the headquarters. We went there for the last briefings, where Shaheed Ahmed Kazimi at the time was the commander of the Najaf Ashraf Brigade.

As we were sitting, listening to Kazimi’s briefing, a Toyota pulled over right outside the entrance. I went to ask the driver to switch off the car, as the meeting was going on. The driver asked me if I could help remove the ropes lying in the back of the jeep, which were to be used in clearing up the land mines. In an abrupt response, I exclaimed, “It is your duty to unload the car (sarcastic/disgusted tone)! Maybe you should eat a bit less and hire someone to help you unload the stuff (reprimanding tone)”

So the driver silently continued unloading the ropes from the car, and I went back to the meeting. After a while, I saw the same person join in.

The operation began.. We were fighting against enemy tanks. I was on the line with Kazimi and was briefing him on the situation. At that point, I heard a voice , “O the soldiers of Imam Mahdi! Wait! I am coming”. I looked to see who it was, and there I saw… the driver. Kazimi introduced him to me, and that is when I realized whom I had previously been rude to. Ahmed Kazimi said, “This… is Agha Mehdi Bakri.. the brigade’s second in command”.

This was a story from the life of Shahid… Mahdi Bakeri. A young leader who served the people for Allah’s sake, and finally gave his life away, for Allah’s sake.