Alaa has always been a great guy, a great friend, a great cousin, and a great brother.
He was always pleasant to be around, he never hurt anyone, never talked unless it was necessary, mashallah he was just so good... so good to loose.

Losing him is something I'll never forget and I'm confident saying on behalf of all who knew him, he will never be forgotten and the cause of his Murder, and understand what his death signifies. Oh yes, we will forever remember his legacy, as I said, he was a great man in his life - His Shahadda will be the reminder that will keep ringing in our lives to guide us all to the right way, to the way of ALLAH - and Alaa will be an even greater man in his Shahadda.

Indeed it was so hard to loose Alaa in my life, a life with a great future, ultimately, the best future with ALLAH; our loss is, Alhamdolellah, his gain, his entrance to Paradise.

With his Shahadda he gave us a reason to live, we must learn from him and be steadfast in our prayers to ALLAH, asking for mercy on his soul and to welcome him into paradise with all the Prophets, Messengers, Martyrs and Pious people to ALLAH.
 

My story with Alaa (may ALLAH bless his soul).

Three days before he left us on his way to paradise inshAllah, I called him on his cell phone. He happened to answer and was at home when we spoke for quite a while. I also talked to his sister who had recently got engaged a few days prior. I congratulated them both. I told him before I hung the phone up, "I'll see you inshAllah after a few weeks (since I was planning to be there), we ended the conversation looking forward to seeing each other when I got there in Palestine, but I guess the fate was waiting for us...

... exactly three days after this call, October 4th, 2000 I was on the phone with my brother, who is in Palestine. Suddenly my brother said, "It looks like I heard Alaa's name on the TV", unfortunately, the name was not accurate and we didn't know what was going on. So I immediately told him, "Let me try to call Alaa on his cell phone". So I hung up and called Alaa's number, the phone just rang, and rang. I was hoping and praying to ALLAH, asking him to let me hear Alaa's voice on the phone. All I got at that time was his voice mail. It really hit me; I wasn't sure what to think!! ... What to do!!

I tried calling my other cousin, Alaa's brother, but no one answered. I tried another phone number, hoping from ALLAH to find out that everything was fine, nothing happened to him. But all signs were unclear and confusing for me - until I called my brother back, after all these attempts to reach someone, anyone. My brother was the one I received the final word from. He told me what I didn't want to here, what I wasn't ready to hear - Bam! - It was a shock! I tried to hold myself together, in one piece. I tried to remember Allah’s words and to comprehend why this was happening.

Thank ALLAH for everything. We are all from ALLAH and we all shall return to him
(Enna Lellah Waenna Elayhe Raje3oon)