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Thank you - always glad to be of help.

Without turning this into a grammar lesson (cause I'd get over my head VERY quickly) I'll try and explain.

In English, we only have three gender pronouns he, she and it. Arabic, like French, has masculine and feminine forms of "it". In French you have "il" and "elle"; in Arabic you have "Howa" and "Heya". They are used depending on the gender of the noun or pronoun that the verb is modifying. (That's why it's a real pain to translate English to Arabic - the genders get me every time!)

I learned enough Arabic where I got to where I can read the language - I don't have to translate to understand, if that makes sense. It's a bad habit of mine, when I translate quickly, or I'm really tired, that I will use the gender specific he and she for howa and heya rather than the gender neutral it. My goof in translation.

They have different words for death and martyrdom. Death is considered a disgrace - in this case I think they are referring to members of Al Qaeda who were killed by US and coalition forces, and who died "without honor", to borrow a Klingon phrase. They goofed - there was no honor in their death, according to their belief system.

"I don't have to translate to understand, if that makes sense."

Yes! That makes sense, as do your explanations. Thank you.
Knowing absolutely nothing about Arabic, I was curious if there was more intended than met the eye.

Now, if we can figure a way to make them all 'dead' instead of 'martyred'.