Hagar, The Mother Of Ishmael's First Letter To First Lady Laura Bush

I would like to take this opportunity to tell you the story of my life. It is definitely one that had its woes. I was born in Egypt and lived a very happy life until I was nine years old. Then slavers from the north raided our villages. My father and even my mother fought them valiantly. But there were too many of them, and all of our defenders were slain, and I was taken into captivity. Immediately the men used me for their pleasure. For three years myself and the others that had been captured wandered with those who had enslaved us. Then in a land called Chad they raided an encampment and took several captives. But the captives seemed unafraid. One spoke Egyptian, and I asked him why he was so untroubled. "We are servants of Abraham," he answered, "the just and good. He will not let these men hold us captive. He will come for us!" That evening as I slept with my master who always treated me brutally, there was a great commotion in the camp and my master rose, naked, grabbed up his weapon as another man came into his tent. And before me this man slew my master then told me not to be afraid, I would not be harmed and went out to join the battle. I rose, spit on my dead master, and dressed. When things seemed quiet I heard someone calling my name and answered them. The young man who had assured me his master would come entered the tent. "Come!" he said, "The master wants all to gather in the center of the camp." I followed him and saw the man who had slayed my master standing on a high place. "I am Abraham!" he announced, "Your masters have all been slain except for these three young ones who could not lift a sword. Their wives I have given out to my men. But you captives are not prizes of battle. I give you your leave to go your way. You will be given treasure to sustain you but any of you that wish to remain with me are welcome as my servants, receiving each year a share of my bounty as is good with God." "We are free?" I asked the young man beside me, "We can go or stay, it is our decision?" "It is so!" my compainion answered. "I am Haj, by the way, an Egyptian like yourself who has long served my master from childhood when my family was befriended by him."

We all decided to stay, and I became the maid of my new master's wife, for her old one was sickly and could no longer perform her duties. I expected that my new master would demand that I lie with him, but he treated me like a daughter and from time to time I would sneak off and be with Haj. Then one day after I had been with them for two years, my master's wife said "I have never had a child, and we long for a child in our tent. Would you become my husband's second wife and give us a child? I have asked him and he has said if it is your wish he would do so, for he is very fond of you. But if you desire it not, he would not." And I answered, "Nothing would give me greater joy! For I am sure you know that I have come to love him as much as you do." So Abraham took me as his second wife, and he came to me not with harshness and brutality, but with the greatest gentleness. And I was fulfilled and bore him a son, and we loved him greatly. Then four years later, by a miracle my husband's first wife bore a son, and by right he was heir, and I became jealous. And Ishmael often showed my anger towards his brother. Finally my husband came to me and said "This cannot continue! I love you and I love Ishmael. But the bitterness between him and Israel cannot continue. I give Ishmael half of everything I possess as his birthright. I put Haj in charge as the steward of his property. I know at times he has been your comforter and if you wish him to comfort you again that is your choice. But you must take what is Ishmael's and separate from us." So taking half the servants and half the herds and half the tents I departed and established myself in another place. And we prosperred.

At first I rejected Haj's desires, but in time our love rekindled and his tent was my tent. And Ishmael considered him a father. I had four more sons before the time of women ended for me. Ishmael became of age but he said "Why should I take control of my herds and my land when my steward does so well? I will engage myself in other things and leave the tendings of these things to him." Though we prospered I still missed my husband and was bitter towards his children. Unfortunately this bitterness was passed to my descendants and is now one of the greatest problems in the world. Ishmael had twelve sons and they had sons beyond number until our descendants filled the region. Now the bitterness that I created threatens to destroy the entire world, and I ask you to help me bring it to an end. Father Abraham gave both of his sons a great inheritance. He gave them God. He gave them the understanding of right and wrong, and he taught that it is far better to treat your neighbors with kindness than to oppress them. Our descendants have lost this understanding. Kin fights kin. There are those that wish to dominate with hate, and to enslave all around them, to make them do their will by the sword. This must not be allowed! The way of my husband, the way of his God must return! His two descendants must respect each other, must honor each other, and must protect each other.

I ask you to join God's Champion, I ask you to break the cycle of hate, of greed. Father Abraham tries to make a just and fair settlement of the problem, to give his children who are called The Palestinians a fair share of his inheritance, a place of their own outside of Israel, and he desires that they leave The People Of Israel in peace, respecting their territory. I ask you to help me win that peace, to bring the children of my son and the children of Israel together, to stop the endless shedding of blood so I may be at peace. I was treated fairly, I was treated justly. But I cried out wrongly, saying "Why have you banished me to this wilderness?" because I could not bear the separation from the one I loved.

All the world must be made to understand that I was not justified with my complaints, that I have been treated justly and honorably, and it was my own jealousy that drove me from those I loved. The world must be made to understand that, and not follow after me. I ask you, sister, to make the world understand that. Take the place that God asks you to take, and tell the world of my life. Tell how it ended surrounded by grandchildren who sang to me as I left this world. Tell the world that I desire always that my children sing songs of joy, not songs of hate. Do God's will, my sister! Take the place that God offers you, and save Our children, take them to the stars!