Ala Ayyad was born two weeks ago, on the 27th day of Ramadan, known as Lailat al-Kader, the night the Koran was revealed to Muhammad by God.
The timing of his birth was auspicious enough, but his parents were amazed to discover a large birthmark across his cheek, which spells out in clear Arabic letters the name of his uncle, Ala, a Hamas member who was killed by the IDF eight months ago.

Someone wrote about the uncle's killing at the time: Four people killed, one of whom is my classmate Mouafaq AbdelRazik Badawna 39 years from Aida camp. The other two, from Aida camp as well, who were in the car with him are Nader Jawarish and Ala' Ayyad.

More about Ala-the-baby:
Says the Jerusalem Post reporter, Kahled Abu Toameh: The family said they would raise the baby to follow in his uncle's footsteps and lead a new generation of terrorists to fight against Israel. (Says me: if someone in the family had said that in so many words, he would have used a direct quote, surely? The direct quotes I do read from the family lead me to believe that yes, on the one hand, they view islamic martyrdom as a good thing, and then on the other hand, they have some thought for the lives of others, even their enemies. I shudder to think what kind of pressure will be on Ala to be one thing or another as he grows up.)

Says the baby's uncle, Imad: "When someone is killed, God replaces him, so why carry on killing? We are against all killings, of Jews and Palestinians, but circumstances have forced us into this situation."
Says the grandmother: Inside the house, cradling the infant in her arms, the baby's grandmother, Aisheh, said the birthmark is a clear sign from God that her son's death was not in vain.

"For the past eight months, I prayed and cried every day for my son," she added, tears welling in her eyes as she stroked the baby's hair. "Now I am very happy, because my martyred son, Ala, has returned. This baby sends a message to Israel that those who kill us will be killed.

"We will raise him to be good and pious like his uncle. Just as Mary received a sign from God that Jesus would be born to her in this holy place, so we have received a sign from God. This miracle shows that the martyrs who fall fighting for God do not die. It shows they live on in Paradise and that God is generous."

ALso says the grandmother: Aysha Ayyad said the birthmark was a sign "the soldiers can kill our sons but not our spirit." She said her son, Ala, joined Hamas shortly after he was beaten by Israeli soldiers. "This supports the idea of becoming a martyr," she admits, "But we want peace. I hope Ala will have a good life."

Say the parents: it's just like the poem predicted.
When the uncle was killed together with two of his comrades, a local poet wrote a poem eulogizing him. The poem is written on a red placard hanging at the entrance to the family's home. It reads: "In the future, people will speak with pride about his life, and God shall bring another Ala in his place."

For the dead man's brother, Iyad, and his wife, Nisreen, the little baby with the miraculous sign is a fulfillment of the poet's words.

one picture of the little guy at yahoo

and another at IsraelInsider