JAZAN – Jabara Al-Hakami was sentenced to death 14 years ago after she killed a little child in a village in Jazan province. She was saved shortly before being beheaded last week, thanks to the good offices of Jazan Emir Prince Muhammad Bin Nasser who intervened at the last minute. The woman was convicted of letting her stepson die after burying him alive. Her execution was postponed because some of her victim's heirs were minors and she was put in jail until they reached adulthood to make their own decision whether to demand qisas (retribution) or to pardon her after accepting blood money. Al-Hakami said she had always kept the hope that she would get out of the prison some day and go back to her family. She said she never gave up. "I lived through very difficult times. I was scared to death whenever I heard my cell's door open. The victim's mother refused to pardon me. She told me that the only power that could save me from execution was Allah's mercy. I never gave up hope and had always remembered her words. I feel really sorry and regretful for what I did. I have learned great lessons during the 14 long years I spent in prison. One of the blessings was I got to memorize the Holy Qur'an," Al-Hakami said. When asked how she felt before the death sentence was about to be carried out, Al-Hakami said an indescribable feeling had overwhelmed her. She said, "I saw death in front of my eyes. Seconds turned into minutes, minutes turned into hours and the pain was getting more and more severe. I was always praying to Allah Almighty to forgive me and save me from certain death." When she heard the death sentence pronounced by the judge 14 years ago, she collapsed and broke down. A few days later, she refused to eat anything and had to take medication to soothe her. She was trying to forget the bitter reality. In the first seven years, she did not see her children and was only talking to them over the phone. "They only visited me after they grew up. As for my brothers, they did not come to see me for years, except one of them who visited me regularly," she said. When she saw her children, she felt as if she was dreaming and born again. The visit gave her strength and hope that one day she would be reunited with them. She learned a lot during her time in prison. She became more religious and got to memorize the Holy Qur'an. Patience and hope were two important lessons she had learned during her incarceration. When her family members and friends heard that she would not be executed, they were overjoyed. She said they were the ones who supported her throughout her imprisonment. "I will always be grateful for their support. Above all, I will always be indebted to everyone who helped save me from the gallows. I also want to thank the lady who has bought a house for me and my children to live in."
