Strong patriotic feeling inspired his poetry
Sheikh Fahad’s verses had originality, wit
This is the 11th in a series of articles on Sheikh Fahad Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Mubarak Al-Sabah (1945-1990), a legendary figure and pioneer of the African-Asian sport movement, a poet, writer and man of action.
Special to the Arab Times ncidentally the only material Sheikh Fahad was proud to put his name on was poetry inspired by strong patriotic feeling.
In it his implicit statement of his love for his country was marked by an easy air that had the merit of originality and wit.
In those verses one feels the utterance of his soul and the rapture of the poet coming forth with sentiments looming big, through phrases that stir our sympathy, while arousing an uncanny association of feeling.
Through metaphors simple or sublime Sheikh Fahad was revealing his intensity of feeling, his conceptive mind and a heart that readily responded to humanity with the refined and intuitive sensibility of the poet.
It is through this kind of poetry, (the patriotic type) that one may grasp the reason why, after having fought in two short but bloody wars, and becoming disappointed with the result of the struggle, he set his mind to achieve through a wise handling of sport, what the Arab cause could not gain through brutal force.
It was this objective that kept him working, estimating every chance of success or failure with cool deliberation, and having once decided to act he was persistent in achieving his objective.
Sheikh Fahad’s deep knowledge of the historical and psychological import of sport made him aware of the greater unifying power of sport among the divergences of social life when refined by higher culture. He believed that while the physical excitement of sport invigorates and rejuvenates the spirit, in itself it becomes an ennobling experience when associated with the transcending power of the fine arts. Hence he sought to include them in every sport festival he sponsored, the last of which was “Friendship and Peace” held on the 20th of May 1990.
The festival was held soon after the Iraq-Iran war finally ended and the Amir, Sheikh Jaber Al Ahmad Al Sabah, suggested to have a special sport event on the occasion of the
I— Editor
By Lidia Qattan
armistice. Happy to comply Sheikh Fahad Al Ahmad set to organize it.
Taking the opportunity of the conference held by the International Olympic Council at Portorico in March (1990), attended by all the world sport leaders, he presented the idea of the championship scheduled for the end of May, under the name “The Friendship and Peace Games “, consisting of five tournaments — football, basketball, volleyball, gymnastics and handball.
Approval
Having gained unanimous approval Sheikh Fahad set to work, sparing no effort or fund to meet the schedule. After two months of assiduous preparations everything was ready. He even wrote the lyrics for the operetta to be sang by children at the opening of the games.
Each word, each line of lyrics was expressive of the poet ardent patriotic feelings, as he incited all the Arab countries to unite in love, peace and good will for the common good.
At the grandiose opening all the IOC leaders, attended!
Forty five countries took part in the tournament, among them were the Iraqi and the Iranian teams.
As the games were about to start, Sheikh Fahad Al Ahmad went down to the stadium to unite the former adversaries in peace and good will.
As he spoke of fraternity and peace he could never have imagined that a sinister plot against his own country was being machinated by the Iraqi Regime.
Less than three months later Iraq invaded Kuwait, that single act of treachery destroyed what Sheikh Fahad Al Ahmad strove to build through years of struggling in uniting the Arab world!
On the 30th of July (1990) Sheikh Fahad Al Ahmad was due to travel to London to spend few days with his wife and daughter before going to a training camp near Paris to be with the Kuwait National team.
His plans changed when the Amir, Sheikh Jaber Al Ahmad called all Kuwaiti sport leaders next morning (Wednesday the first of August) to a conference.
At the meeting Sheikh Fahad
Lidia Qattan
absorbed in speculations concerning the Iraqi movement on the frontier and watching a documentary on Nostradamus to give much attention to the game. When he lost everyone was surprised, especially when in losing the game he exclaimed “My end is near!”
Was this a premonition, an uncanny feeling unexplainable by any logic reasoning?
When close to death such premonitions are not rare especially among highly sensitive individuals who may sense their end before it actually happens.
For some uncanny reasons Sheikh Fahad always felt he would not die lying on his bed; it was his wish to end his life on the battlefield defending his land.
At past midnight he received a call from the commanding officer of the land forces, Colonel Abdul Aziz Al Bargas, telling him that the Iraqis were beginning to move, probably with the intention of crossing the frontier.
That enhanced his uncanny feeling that something out of the ordinary was happening, but in front of his friends he remained calm, even joined them in singing.
Destiny
In the early hours of the morning while some of his friends went home others remained with him, waiting with growing tension news from the frontier.
When Sheikh Fahad received a call from Sheikh Rashed Hamood Al Sabah telling him that the Iraqi army was closing on to the Juan headquarter, he sprang to his feet; told him to come at once, then briskly washing his face and changing his clothing he said to Hamad Al Saeed: “Let’s go! It is happening!:”
Sitting in his car he was nervously waiting for Sheikh Rashed Al Hamood to arrive. When he appeared with a bag full of ammunition and a machine gun, he took off speeding through the deserted streets heading the Dasman Palace trying to reach the Amir before the Iraqis did.
Sheikh Fahad was in such a nervous state that he forgot all the precautions he usually took when leaving home, such as strapping his revolver behind his right ankle, as he usually did. He also forgot that on the day before he gave to his cousin the Kalashnikov he always kept handy in his car.
Clearly the hand of destiny was playing the last move!
To be continued