hubulhusayn lol sorry bro. I even thought of not putting you there bc I had already met you haha

deenasthussain I miss you too, I wish I said a proper goodbye :(

I love love your answer! I've mostly talked about this with non-Muslims and although they can give very honest answers, there's certain things I feel only Muslims can really get, ya know? So thanks on your reply, and trust me this is like one of my favorite topics too haha. I'm sure we'll disagree on some stuff since I think he's guilty and you don't but I want you to know there's no judgement or anything coming from me, especially because i only started thinking he was guilty very very recently. So be free to say whatever you like, I would love to hear more of what you have to say. Also, I never knew that story of Firoun. Subhan'Allah.

I agree completely on how Allah could be testing him and that insha'Allah he is passing but it just seems so difficult. His family seems like they're not cooperating at all with his lawyers, the prosecution seems to be going in as hard as possible as to send a message to future terrorists (which is ironic. They want to use an individual's life as a political message, which is basically what terrorists do...), the people of Boston are hard as rock (which is understandable, of course, after what they went through), etc.

It's just insane to think about how people (all around America/the world) are so willing to give him death. They want revenge, not justice. And there's a significant difference between the two.

Like I said, I believe he is guilty because even his lawyers are not defending his innocence. They are saying he was heavily influenced by his brother and may have had depression or something like that (which you can kinda tell by his Twitter. He was struggling with drugs, his grades, sleep, etc. His family is more dysfunctional that most and his friends seem too high/absent-minded to notice anything.)

What always kills me is to know he was tortured in the hospital. They toyed with his mind telling him that his brother was alive, then dead, then alive again. They interrogated him for hours, interrupting the few minutes of sleep he was getting in between surgeries. He was tripping off of drugs (hearing voices, passing out while being questioned, saying he was too hurt and exhausted to talk and that he wanted to vomit). He also asked for a lawyer 10 times and they ignored him (I gotta give it to him - even under such circumstances he had the knowledge to not speak w/o a lawyer.) After being shot multiple times in the legs, hands and head, having his jaw sewn shut, and losing (I think) most hearing in one of his ears - I am kind of in awe that he made it. To be honest, with the injuries that he had if he waited any longer in the boat he probably would have died. They had to do an emergency tracheostomy and other surgeries as well. The media really down plays his injuries but you can clearly see how severe it was in those pictures of him getting out of the boat. And to know that they completely man-handled him when he got out (they threw him down, jumped on his chest, and laid him on his back so all of his weight was on his broken handcuffed hands)

Actually just the whole boat thing makes me so sad. He was surrendering when they shot him b/c he used like a pole or something that was in the boat to help move the tarp and they thought it was a weapon so they shot multiple rounds (due to nerves they said... bullshit imo!) and he then had to surrender a second time. wounded, unarmed, with a sniper on his head, and idiots cheering U-S-A in the streets. as if he was not an American citizen just like them. my heart broke when those pictures got released of him surrendering. i know a lot of people are like 'well he did it to himself' and i can see that point completely, but it still is sad to see a kid my age in a condition like that.. i don't think anyone should apologize for having sympathy for him (making excuses or justifying/defending his actions is different, and i'm not trying to do that at all).

Obviously, Allahu Alem, but doesn't Allah not inflict pain on someone as to expiate their sins? I wonder if him being so close to death and then getting a second chance at life was Allah saving him, loving him, giving him time to do right. Granted, nothing he can say or do can change what happened that week in April but I know it would do my heart some good to know that the person who hurt me/my loved ones genuinely regrets it. Just today I saw that thing about that kid who shot three high school students and then flipped off their families at his trial. He had so much pride and joy at the evil he did it made me sick. I pray with all my heart that Jahar realizes the opportunity/time Allah has given him. Most people in his case (like his brother) do not live to tell the tale, to see their wrongdoings, or apologize. Again, what good is an apology when four people died at his and his brother's hands and hundreds of others lost their legs/arms, but it still means something... i think in the boat note he even said 'i didn't like killing anyone' which shows he was not evil. he did an evil thing (i think the most evil thing) but he was not proud or even happy to do so. i know that that might not mean anything to most people but to me it shows that there was something in him that was still pulling at his heartstrings towards the light (wow that is some john green crap lol) i just hope he's listening to that part of himself. and i hope we get to hear him speak at his trial (just 7/8 weeks away which is crazy!) and i hope he says something to put ease in people's hearts, particularly the victims whose pain I cannot even imagine. (although technically most people will never hear him b/c they don't allow cameras in federal cases >:( so aggravating)

But, you are so right in saying that his love for his background should not be held against him. And I'm incredibly saddened to not see more Muslims caring. My own sisters are like 'who cares? he did something horrible that made our lives worse and he deserves any punishment he gets.' i somewhat agree because yes, when u do something bad you should get punished. terrorism is not islam. it's stupid, ignorant, and inhumane... all things islam is against. but the blatant apathy people have is so bizarre and unsettling to me. for sure, he and his brother's actions have ruined many people's lives, including their own loved one, and that is not okay. ever. but like i was saying i think muslims should be the first ones to believe he can change/ask for forgiveness. we should be praying for not just him but all muslims to be guided on the right path, to not just be knowledgeable on islam but to truly believe in it and practice it with courage and humility. starting with our own selves. you're right, if we don't stand up for each other, we have nothing. and i dont mean we should support each other's idiotic decisions, but we should protect one another from doing bad things, and if we fail at that then we should help each other come back to the right path. what good is it to have muslim brothers and sisters when we give up on each other w/o even trying? why do we not have hope in each other? or hope that Allah will listen to our prayers? no muslim is a lost cause until they are six feet under and even then prophet muhammad (pbuh) said to leave the dead be, they're destiny is now between them and Allah. subhan'Allah.

sorry this was so long but i was on a roll once i started lol. and thank you :)