يَتَذَكَّرُ ٱلْأَحْسَائِيُّون فِي رَمَضَان، أَحَد أَبْرَز ٱلْوُجُوه ٱلرَّمَضَانِيَّة اَلَّتِي كَانَتْ تُطَرِّز ٱلْمَشْهَد ٱلرَّمَضَانِيّ بِأَلْحَانِهَا ٱلْخَاصَّة، وَهِيَ شَخْصِيَةُ ٱلْمُسَحَّرَاتِيّ، بِصُورَتِهِ ٱلتُّرَاثِيَّة حَيْثُ كَانَ يَجُوب ٱلشَّوَارِع وَٱلْأَزِقَّةَ ٱلْقَدِيمَة يَضْرِبُ عَلَى طَبْلَةٍ يَحْمِلُهَا لِإِيْقَاظ ٱلنَّاس لِتَنَاوُل طَعَام ٱلسَّحُور.. حَيْثُ كَانَ ٱلنَّاس يَغُطُّون فِي ٱلنَّوْم قَبْل وَقْت ٱلسَّحُور. وَفِي ٱلْمَشْهَد ٱلتُّرَاثِيّ، اَلَّذِي يُعَادُ ٱلْيَوْم تَكْرَارُه بِصُورَةٍ رَمْزِيَّة يَهْرَعُ ٱلْأَطْفَال فِي ٱلْمَسَاء وَقَبْلَ ٱلسَّحُور لِلْاِلْتِحَاق خَلْفَ رَجُلٍ يَرْتَدِي ٱلْمَلابِس ٱلتَّقْلِيدِيَّة وَهُوَ يَضْرِب عَلَى ٱلطَّبْل، وَلِيَتَذَكَّرُوا مَشْهَدًا لَمْ يَعْلَق بِذَاكِرَتِهِم، وَلَمْ يُشَاهِدُوه إِلَّا فِي ٱلتَّصْوِيرَات ٱلتُّرَاثِيَّة اَلَّتِي يَتَدَاوَلُونَهَا.
In Ramadan the people of Ahsaa are remembering one of the more distinctive Ramadan personalities [lit. faces] who used to embellish the Ramadan scene with his special melodies and this is the character of the sahur-man with his traditional image when he used to roam the streets and the old alleys hitting a drum he carried to wake the people to have the sahur meal [last meal before daybreak in Ramadan] as the people would be deep in sleep before sahur time. And in the traditional scene which is being revived today in a symbolic manner the children (in the evening and before sahur) rush to join behind a man wearing traditional clothes and hitting a drum for them to remember a scene not in their memories and which they have never seen except in the traditional portrayals which people have circulated.
«عُمْرَةٌ فِي رَمَضَان تَعْدِلُ حِجَّة»، وَفِي لَفْظٍ آخَر «عُمْرَةٌ فِي رَمَضَان تَعْدِلُ حِجَّةً مَعِّي».. أَيْ مَعَ ٱلنَّبِيّ صَلَّى ٱللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم.. هٰذَا ٱلْحَضّ ٱلنَّبَوِيّ ٱلْكَرِيم لِزِيَارَةِ ٱلْبَيْت ٱلْحَرَام فِي شَهْر رَمَضَان ٱلْمُبَارَك، لِأَدَاء شَعِيرَةِ ٱلْعُمْرَة بِٱلطَّوَاف حَوْلَ ٱلْكَعْبَة وَٱلسَّعْي بَيْنَ ٱلصَّفَا وَٱلْمَرْوَة، يُتَرْجِمُهُ عَلَى ٱلْأَرْض إِقْبَالٌ كَبِير مِن قِبَلِ ٱلْمُسْلِمِين فِي مُخْتَلِف أَنْحَاء ٱلْعَالَم، خَاصَّةً اَلسُّعُودِيِّين، بِحُكْم وُجُود ٱلْحَرَمَيْن ٱلشَّرِيفَيْن فِي وَطَنِهِم عَلَى مَكَّة مِن أَجْل أَدَاء شَعَائِر ٱلْعُمْرَة، وَٱلْإِقَامَةِ لِبِضْعَةِ أَيَّام بِجِوَار ٱلْحَرَم. فِي هٰذَا ٱلصَّدَد، كَشَفَتْ لَجْنَةُ ٱلْحَجّ ٱلْمَرْكَزِيَّة بِإِمَارَةِ مِنْطَقَةِ مَكَّةَ ٱلْمُكَرَّمَة، أَنَّ عَدَد ٱلْمُعْتَمِرِين بَلَغَ إِثْنَان فَاصِلَة خَمْسَة مِلْيُون مُعْتَمِر، خِلال ٱلْفَتْرَةِ مِن وَاحِد مَارِس (آذَار) اَلْمَاضِي وَحَتَّى ثَمَانِيَة أُكْتُوبِر (تِشْرِين ٱلْأَوَّل).
Umrah [the lesser pilgrimage] in Ramadan is equal to Hajj [the greater pilgrimage] and in another pronouncement: Umrah in Ramadan is equal to [performing] Hajj with me that is with the Prophet [Muhammad] (God bless him and grant him salvation). This holy prophetic [i.e. pertaining to Muhammad] inducement to visit the holy house [i.e. the Kaaba] in the blessed month of Ramadan to perform the ceremony of Umrah with the circling around the Kaaba and the walking between As-Safa and Al-Marwa is translated on the ground by a large arrival (on the part of Muslims in different parts of the world especially the Saudis by virtue of the presence of the two exalted holy places in their country) into Mecca for the sake of performing the Umrah ceremonies and staying for a few days in the vicinity of the holy place. In this regard the Central Hajj Committee in the Principality of the area of Holy Mecca revealed that the number of Umrah pilgrims reached two point five million pilgrims during the period from the first of last March (Adar) to the eighth of October (Tishreen il-Awwal [lit. the first]).
تَطَوَّرَتْ فِي شَكْلٍ لافِت «مَعْرَكَةُ ٱلْحِجَاب» بَيْنَ ٱلْحُكُومَةِ ٱلتُّونُسِيَّة وَٱلْإِسْلامِيِّين، بَعْدَمَا شَدَّدَ ٱلرَّئِيس زَيْن اَلْعَابِدِين بِن عَلِيّ عَلَى ضَرُورَةِ مُكَافَحَةِ «ٱلزِّيّ ٱلطَّائِفِيّ»، وَهِيَ ٱلتَّسْمِيَةُ ٱلْمُتَدَاوَلَةُ لِلْحِجَاب فِي ٱلْإِعْلام ٱلرَّسْمِيّ. فَفِي وَقْتٍ وَقَعَتْ مُنَاوَشَاتٌ بَيْنَ قُوَّات ٱلْأَمْن وَإِسْلامِيِّين شَمَال ٱلْعَاصِمَة، شَكَتْ مُحَجَّبَاتٌ مِن مُحَاوَلاتٍ أَمْنِيَّة لِإِجْبَارِهِنَّ عَلَى تَوْقِيع تَعَهُّدَات خَطِّيَّة بِخَلْع ٱلْحِجَاب فِي مَخَافِر ٱلشُّرْطَة. وَكَانَ بِن عَلِيّ شَدَّدَ خِلالَ اِجْتِمَاعِهِ مَعَ وَزِير ٱلشُّؤُون ٱلدِّينِيَّة أَبُو بَكْر اَلأَخْزُورِيّ، أَوَّل مِن أَمْس، عَلَى ضَرُورَةِ «ٱلتَّفْرِيق بَيْنَ ٱلزِّيّ ٱلطَّائِفِيّ ٱلدَّخِيل وَٱللِّبَاس ٱلتُّونُسِيّ ٱلْأَصِيل عُنْوَان ٱلْهُوِيَة... تَفَادِيًا لِكُلّ تَذَمُّر»، رَدًّا عَلَى مُنْتَقِدِي تَجْدِيد ٱلْعَمَل بِمَرْسُومٍ وِزَارِيّ صَدَرَ فِي عَهْد ٱلرَّئِيس ٱلرَّاحِل ٱلْحَبِيب بُورْقِيبَة لِحَظْر دُخُول ٱلْمُحَجَّبَات ٱلْجَامِعَات وَٱلْأَمَاكِن ٱلْعَامَّة وَٱلدَّوَائِر ٱلْحُكُومِيَّة.
The battle of the hijab [headscarf] between the Tunisian government and the Islamists took a noticeable turn after president Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali stressed the necessity of combating the sectarian dress/clothing this being the name circulating for the hijab in the official media. And at a time when skirmishes have taken place between the security forces and Islamists north of the capital so veiled women have complained of attempts by the security forces to force them to sign handwritten pledges to take off the hijab in police stations. Ben Ali had stressed during his meeting with the minister of religious affairs Abu Bakr Al-Akhzouri the day before yesterday the necessity of differentiating between the alien sectarian dress and the indigenous Tunisian clothing a sign of identity... in order to avoid all grumbling in reply to critics of the reworking of a ministerial decree which was issued in the era of the late president Habib Bourguiba to ban the entry of veiled women into universities public places and government departments.
أَمَلٌ، اَلْأَمَلُ بَيْتٌ، اَلْبَيْتُ تَارِيخٌ، اَلتَّارِيخُ ثَرَوَاتٌ، اَلثَّرَوَاتُ جَيْشٌ، اَلْجَيْشُ حُكُومَةٌ، اَلْحُكُومَةُ خُبْزٌ، اَلْخُبْزُ دِينٌ، اَلدِّينُ ذِهْنٌ، اَلذِّهْنُ رَئِيسٌ، اَلرَّئِيسُ زِيَارَةٌ، اَلزِّيَارَةُ سَيَّارَةٌ، اَلسَّيَّارَةُ شَمْسٌ، اَلشَّمْسُ صَبَاحٌ، اَلصَّبَاحُ ضَابِطٌ، اَلضَّابِطُ طَالِبٌ، اَلطَّالِبُ ظُهْرٌ، اَلظُّهْرُ عَلَمٌ، اَلْعَلَمُ غُرْفَةٌ، اَلْغُرْفَةُ فُرْصَةٌ، اَلْفُرْصَةُ قَمَرٌ، اَلْقَمَرُ كَلِمَةٌ، اَلْكَلِمَةُ لَجْنَةٌ، اَللَّجْنَةُ مَجْلِسٌ، اَلْمَجْلِسُ نِظَامٌ، اَلنِّظَامُ هَدَفٌ، اَلْهَدَفُ وَلَدٌ، اَلْوَلَدُ يَدٌ، اَلْيَدُ
a hope the hope a house the house a date (e.g. 1st January) the date resources the resources an army the army a government the government bread the bread a religion the religion a mind the mind a leader the leader a visit the visit a car the car a sun the sun a morning the morning an officer the officer a student the student a noon the noon a flag the flag a room the room an opportunity the opportunity a moon the moon a word the word a committee the committee a council the council a regime the regime a goal the goal a boy the boy a hand the hand
قَدَّمَ عُضْو ٱلشَّرَف رَئِيس أُمَنَاء أَكَادِيمِيَةِ ٱلنَّادِي ٱلْأَهْلِيّ اَلْأَمِير خَالِد بِن عَبْدِ ٱلله اَلتَّهْنِئَةَ ٱلصَّادِقَة لِلْجَمَاهِير ٱلْأَهْلاوِيَّة، وَلِإِدَارَةِ ٱلنَّادِي بِقِيَادَةِ أَحْمَد اَلْمَرْزُوقِيّ وَٱلْلاعِبِين كَافَّة، نَظِيرَ تَفَوُّقِهِم وَتَحْقِيقَهُم اِنْتِصَارًا عَرِيضًا عَلَى حِسَاب مَصْلَحَةِ اِتِّحَاد ٱلْمُنَسْتِير اَلتُّونُسِيّ فِي ٱلْأَدْوَار ٱلتَّمْهِيدِيَّة لِدَوْرِيّ أَبْطَال ٱلْعَرَب، بَعْدَ أَنْ اِحْتَكَمَ ٱلْفَرِيقَان إِلَى رَكَلات ٱلتَّرْجِيح اَلَّتِي اِنْتَهَتْ بِتَسْدِيد أَحَد عَشَر رَكْلَةٍ تَرْجِيحِيَّة، نَجَحَ أَبْنَاء ٱلْقَلْعَةِ ٱلْخَضْرَاء فِي إِحْرَاز تِسْعٍ مِنهَا بَيْنَمَا أَحْرَزَ ٱلْمُسْتَضِيف ثَمَانٍ فَقَط. وَجَاءَتْ كَلِمَات ٱلْأَمِير خَالِد بَلْسَمًا شَافِيًّا عَلَى ٱلْبَعْثَة وَٱلْلاعِبِين اَلَّذِينَ ٱحْتَفِلُوا بِفَوْزِهِم فِي ٱلْعَاصِمَةِ ٱلتُّونُسِيَّة قَبْلَ أَنْ تَرْتَفِعَ أَعْلام ٱلنَّادِي وَتَصْدَحُ ٱلْأَبْوَاق فَرَحًا فِي شَارِع ٱلتَّحْلِيَّة.
The honorary member head of the trustees of the academy of [Jeddahs] Al-Ahli club Prince Khalid bin Abdullah extended sincere congratulations to the Ahli supporters and to the clubs management led by Ahmad Al-Marzouki and all the players for their excellent work and their achieving a great victory at the expense of the Tunisian [team] Union [Sportive] Monastir in the preliminary rounds of the Arab Champions League after the two sides went to penalty kicks which ended with the shooting of eleven penalty kicks which the Green Castle men succeeded in scoring nine of whereas the host scored eight only. The words of Prince Khalid came as a soothing balm to the delegation and the players who celebrated their victory in the Tunisian capital before the clubs flags were flown and horns were sounded with joy on Tahlia Street [in Jeddah].
لاحَظَ مُتَابِعُو بَرَامِج ٱلْفَتَاوَى وَٱلْبَرَامِج ٱلدِّينِيَّةِ ٱلْأُخْرَى أَنَّ ٱلزَّكَاة اَلَّتِي تُعَدُّ ٱلرُّكْن ٱلثَّالِث مِن أَرْكَان ٱلْإِسْلام لا تَجِدُ ذٰلِكَ ٱلْاِهْتِمَام مِن قِبَل ٱلسَّائِلِين أَوْ مِن قِبَل اَلَّذِينَ يَتَوَلَّونَ أَمْر ٱلْإِجَابَةِ عَلَى أَسْئِلَةِ ٱلْمُتَلَقِّين. وَبَدَا وَاضِحًا أَنَّ ٱلزَّكَاة شِبْه مُغَيَّبَة فِي ٱلْخُطَب وَٱلنَّصَائِح اَلَّتِي يَتَوَلَّى أَمْرَهَا ٱلدُّعَاة وَٱلْأَئِمَّة رَغْمَ أَنَّهَا تُعَدُّ رُكْنًا مُتَقَدِّمًا تَسْبُق رَمَضَان وَٱلْحَجّ، وَٱلْأَخِيرَيْن يَحْظِيَان بِٱهْتِمَامٍ لافِت مِن قِبَل ٱلسَّائِلِين وَٱلْمُفْتِين، بَل أَنَّ أَدْرَاج ٱلْمُفْتِين وَهَوَاتِفُهُم تَمْتَلِئُ بِأَسْئِلَةٍ مُكَرَّرَة عَن هٰذَينِ ٱلرُّكْنَيْن، خُصُوصًا رَمَضَان اَلَّذِي لا تَخْرُجُ أَسْئِلَتُهُ عَن ٱلْمُفْطِرَات فِي نَهَار رَمَضَان، وَهِيَ أُمُورٌ بَدِيهِيَّةٌ وَمُكَرَّرَة كُلّ عَام، مِثْلَ ٱسْتِخْدَام قَطْرَةِ ٱلْعَيْن وَإِبَر ٱلْإِنْسُولِين وَبَخَاخ ٱلرَّبْو وَٱلْكُحْل وَدُخُول ٱلذُّبَاب إِلَى ٱلْجَوْف أَوْ ٱلْأَنْف، وَهَلْ هٰذِهِ ٱلْأَشْيَاء مِن مُفْطِرَات ٱلصَّوْم.
Followers of fatwa [religious edict] programmes and of other religious programmes will have noticed that zakat [the alms tax] which is considered the third pillar [lit. corner] of the pillars of Islam does not hold [lit. find] that much interest on the part of the questioners or on the part of those who are responsible for responding to the questions of the instructees [lit. receivers]. It is clear that zakat is all but missing in the [Friday] sermons and in the advice which the preachers and the imams are responsible for despite the fact that it is considered a leading pillar preceding Ramadan and the Hajj and [yet] these last two have received considerable interest on the part of the questioners and the muftis [=deliverers of fatwas]. Indeed the drawers of the muftis and their phones are full of repeated questions about these two pillars especially Ramadan the questions on which dont stray beyond things that break the fast during the day in Ramadan these being self-evident matters repeated every year such as the use of eye drops and insulin needles and asthma inhalers [lit. squirters] and kohl [eye-shadow] and the entry of flies into the insides [of the body] or the nose and whether these things are among the things that break the fast.
مَاذَا فَعَلَ بِك «مَنْدُور أَبُو ٱلدَّهَب» كَمُمَثِّل؟ أَدْخَلَنِي ٱلْبَيْت ٱلْمِصْرِيّ بِطَرِيقَةٍ لَمْ أَتَوَقَّعهَا وَلَمْ أُدْرِك قِيمَتَهَا إِلَّا عِنْدَمَا حَدَثَتْ. بِمَعْنَى أَنَّنِي كُنتُ أُعْلِن أَنَّ هٰذَا ٱلْمُسَلْسَل سَيَكُونُ نَقْلَةً نَوْعِيَّةً فِي عَلاقَتِّي بِٱلْجُمْهُور ٱلْمِصْرِيّ، لٰكِن لَمْ أَتَوَقَّع أَنْ تَكُونَ ٱلْحَفَاوَةَ بِهٰذَا ٱلشَّكْل. وَكَإِنْسَان مَاذَا فَعَلَ بِك ٱلطَّاغِيَةُ ٱلشَّرْقِيّ؟ أَثَّرَ بِي فِي شَكْلٍ كَبِير. فَٱلْمُمَثِّل يَتَعَرَّفُ أَحْيَانًا إِلَى ٱلنَّفْس ٱلْبَشَرِيَّة وَيَغُوصُ دَاخِل ٱلْجَوَانِب ٱلْإِنْسَانِيَّةِ ٱلْمُخْتَلِفَة أَثْنَاءَ عَمَلِهِ عَلَى شَخْصِيَاتٍ مُخْتَلِفَةٍ. وَمَنْدُور أَبُو ٱلدَّهَب جَعَلَنِي أَعْرِف مَعْنَى أَنْ يَكُون ٱلْإِنْسَان طَيِّبًا وَشَرِيرًا فِي ٱلْوَقْت نَفْسِه... قَاسِيًّا وَرَحِيمًا، هَادِئًا وَبُرْكَانًا غَاضِبًا. إِنَّهُ رَجُل ٱلتَّنَاقُضَات. وَكُنتُ مُنْذُ فَتْرَةٍ طَوِيلَة أَقْرَأُ مَا يُسَمِّيهُ ٱلْمُفَكِّرُون ٱلطُّغْيَان ٱلشَّرْقِيّ، فَوَجَدتُ فِي شَخْصِيَةِ أَبُو ٱلدَّهَب فُرْصَتِّي لِأَعِيشَ فِكْرَةَ ٱلطَّاغِيَة.
What did [the role of] Mandour Abu ~d-Dahab do for you as an actor? It brought me into the Egyptian home in a manner I didnt expect and I didnt realise the value of until it happened. Meaning that I have been saying that this series would be a qualitative leap in my relationship with the Egyptian public but I didnt expect that there would be such a warm reception. And as a person what did [the role of] the Eastern tyrant do for you? It affected me in a big way. The actor sometimes gets to explore the human mind and he dives into the different human sides during his work on different characters. Mandour Abu ~d-Dahab made me know what it means for someone to be good and evil at the same time... Cruel and compassionate; Calm and [like] an angry volcano. He is a man of contradictions. For a long time I have been reading about what the intellectuals call Eastern Tyranny so I found in the character of Abu ~d-Dahab my chance to experience the concept of the tyrant.
قَرِيبًا سَيَكُونُ بِمَقْدُور زُوَّار ٱلْقُدْس أَنْ يَجُولُوا فِي ٱلشَّوَارِع ٱلْأُمَوِيَّة، وَأَنْ يَتَفَرَّجُوا عَلَى ٱلْقُصُور وَٱلْمَبَانِي، اَلَّتِي كَانَتْ تُدَار مِنهَا شُؤُون ٱلْمُوَاطِنِين فِي تِلْكَ ٱلْحِقْبَة، وَكَأَنُّهُم يَعِيشُون فِيهَا. مَشْرُوعٌ فَرِيدٌ مِن نَوْعِه فِي ٱلْعَالَم، وَغَرِيبٌ فِي تَوْقِيتِه، لٰكِن إِسْرَائِيل قَرَرَتْ أَنْ تَتَصَالَح مَعَ ٱلتَّارِيخ ٱلْعَرَبِيّ لِلْقُدْس أَخِيرًا، وَلٰكِن مِن دُونِ أَنْ تَنْسَى مَصَالِحَهَا ٱلْخَاصَّة. وَهِيَ تَشْرَع فِي إِنْجَازِ نَمُوذَجٍ تَفَاعُلِيّ ثُلاثِيّ ٱلْأَبْعَاد لِلْقُدْس ٱلْأُمَوِيَّة، مُسْتَفِيدَةً مِن ٱلْآثَار ٱلْبَدِيعَة ٱلْمُكْتَشَفَة فِي ٱلْمَدِينَة، وَمِن آخِر مُسْتَحْدَثَات ٱلتِّكْنُولُوجِيَا، لِتَجْعَل ٱلزَّائِر يَتَنَفَّس زَمَن بَنِي أُمَيَّة، وَيَرَى فِي ٱلْوَقْت نَفْسُه، نَمُوذَجًا لِجَبَل ٱلْهَيْكَل اَلَّذِي تَزْعُم أَنَّ ٱلْمَبَانِي ٱلْأُمَوِيَّة قَامَتْ عَلَى أَنْقَاضِه.
Soon visitors to Jerusalem will be able to wander in the Umayyad streets and to look at the palaces and buildings which the affairs of the citizens used to be run from in that age as though they are living in it. A project unique of its kind in the world and strange in its timing but Israel has decided to become reconciled with the Arabic history of Jerusalem at last but without forgetting its [Israels] special interests. It [Israel] is starting the implementation of a three dimensional interactive model of Umayyad Jerusalem taking advantage of the magnificent antiquities discovered in the city and of the latest technological innovations to make the visitor breathe the time of the children of Umayyah and see at the same time a model of Temple Mount which it [Israel] claims the Umayyad buildings were built on the rubble of.
عَسِير هِيَ مِنْطَقَةٌ تَسْتَرْخِي فَوْقَ ذَرَّات ٱلسَّحَاب، وَلٰكِنَّهَا مُنْذُ مَا يَقْرُبُ ٱلْخَمْس سَنَوَات بَاتَتْ تَتَكَيَّف مَعَ وَضْعِهَا ٱلْجَدِيد تَحْتَ ٱلْمِجْهَر ٱلْإِعْلامِيّ مُنْذُ أَحْدَاث إِحْدَى عَشَر سِبْتَمْبِر ٱلشَّهِيرَة، وَتِبْيَان أَنَّ غَالِبِيَةَ مُنَفِّذِي ٱلْعَمَلِيَة هُم مِمَّن يَتَحَدَّر مَسْقَط رَأْسِهِم مِن ٱلْمِنْطَقَةِ ٱلْجَنُوبِيَّة. وَلٰكِن لَيْسَ هٰذَا هُوَ ٱلدَّافِع ٱلْوَحِيد خَلْفَ ٱلْاِهْتِمَام بِهٰذِهِ ٱلْمِنْطَقَةِ ٱلْخَضْرَاء مِن جُغْرَافِيَةِ ٱلْمَمْلَكَةِ ٱلسُّعُودِيَّة، فَذَاتَ ٱلْأَرْض كَانَتْ مَنْبَعًا لِوَاحِدَةٍ مِن أَشْهَر ٱلرِّوَايَات ٱلسُّعُودِيَّة وَأَوَّل رِوَايَةٍ خَلِيجِيَّة يَتِمُّ تَرْجَمَتُهَا لِلْفَرَنْسِيَّة لِصَاحِبِهَا أَحْمَد أَبُو دَهْمَان، اَلَّتِي حَمَلَتْ اِسْم «اَلْحِزَام»، وَٱلَّتِي أَشَارَ فِيهَا إِلَى قَرْيَتِهِ «نَحْنُ عَلَى حَدّ عِلْمِّي ٱلْقَبِيلَةُ ٱلْوَحِيدَة اَلَّتِي تَهْبِط مِن ٱلسَّمَاء، نَعِيشُ فِي مِنْطَقَةٍ جَبَلِيَّة وَٱلسَّمَاء جُزْءٌ مِن ٱلْجِبَال.. فِي قَرْيَتِّي لا يَسْقُطُ ٱلْمَطَر كَعَادَتِه بَل يَصْعَد».
Asir is an area which relaxes above the atoms of cloud but for around five years it has become accustomed to its new position under the media microscope ever since the infamous events of the eleventh of September and the discovery that the majority of the perpetrators of the operation were from among those whose birthplace stems back to the southern area. But this is not the only reason [lit. motive] behind the interest in this green area of the Saudi Kingdoms geography because this same land was the source [of inspiration] of one of the most famous Saudi novels and the first Gulf novel to be translated into French for its author [lit. owner] Ahmad Abu Dahman which bore the name The Belt and in which he called attention to his village: We are as far as I know the only tribe which came down from the sky. We live in a mountainous area and the sky is part of the mountains... In my village the rain doesnt fall as it usually does. Rather it rises.
فِي حَفْلَةٍ أُقِيمَتْ تَرْحِيبًا بِٱلْمَلِك عَبْد ٱلله، أَلْقَى أَمِير مِنْطَقَةِ عَسِير اَلْأَمِير خَالِد اَلْفَيْصَل بِن عَبْد ٱلعَزِيز، كَلِمَةً خَاطَبَ فِيهَا خَادِم ٱلْحَرَمَيْن قَائِلَّا: «أَيُّهَا ٱلْمَلِك ٱلصَّالِح أَنْ تَتَسَلَّمَ ٱلْأَمْر فِي هٰذِهِ ٱلظُّرُوف، لِتَسْتَرِدَّ ٱلْإِسْلام مِن خَاطِفِيه وَتُنْقِذُ ٱلْوَطَن مِن مُخَرِّبِيه وَتَفْرِضُ ٱلْأَمْن عَلَى مَنْ يُعَادِيه». وَأَضَاف «إِنَّهُ قَدَرَك أَنْ تَنْبَرِي لِلتَّحَدِّي لِتَنْهَضَ بِبِلادِكَ مِن ٱلْعَالَم ٱلثَّالِث إِلَى ٱلْأَوَّل فِي زَمَنٍ كُلّ شَيْءٍ فِيهِ يَتَغَيَّر وَيَتَحَوَّل وَفِي عَالَمٍ لا يَرْحَم مَنْ يَقْعُد عَلَى رَصِيف ٱلْجَهْل يَتَسَوَّل... عِنْدَمَا تَخْتَلِطُ ٱلْأَوْرَاق وَتَتَمَايَل بِرُؤُوس ٱلْأَعْنَاق وَتَتَّسِع بِٱلْعُيُون ٱلْأَحْدَاق تَتَّقِدُ صُفُوف ٱلْقِيَادَةِ بِٱلْحِكْمَة وَٱلْعَقْل وَٱلرِّيَادَة فَتَكُون لِمَلِيكِنَا ٱلسِّيَادَة».
In a ceremony held to welcome King Abdullah the prince of the region of Asir Prince Khalid Al-Faisal bin Abdul-Aziz delivered a speech in which he addressed the custodian of the two holy places [i.e. King Abdullah] saying: O good king. May you take command in these conditions so that you may reclaim Islam from its hijackers and save the nation from its destroyers and impose security [measures] on those who are hostile towards it. And he added It is your destiny to be ready [lit. sharpened] for the challenge and to raise you country from the third world to the first at a time in which everything is changing and being transformed and in a world which has no mercy for he who sits on the pavement of ignorance begging... when the cards [lit. papers] are mixed up and necks waver under heads and the pupils of the eyes dilate the ranks of command burn [brightly] with wisdom and reason and leadership so may our king have sovereignty.
ثُمَّ إِنَّهُ رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ إِلَى ٱلسَّمَاء وَقَال: اَللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ تَعْلَم أَنِّي لَمْ أَرْمِ شَبَكَتِي غَيْرَ أَرْبَع مَرَّات وَقَد رَمَيتُ ثَلاثًا، ثُمَّ إِنَّهُ سَمَّى ٱلله وَرَمَى ٱلشَّبَكَةَ فِي ٱلْبَحْر وَصَبَر إِلَى أَنْ اِسْتَقَرَّتْ وَجَذَبَهَا فَلَمْ يُطِق جَذْبَهَا، وَإِذَا بِهَا اِشْتَبَكَتْ فِي ٱلْأَرْض فَقَال لا حَوْلَ وَلا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِٱلله، فَتَعَرَّى وَغَطَسَ عَلَيْهَا وَصَارَ يُعَالِجُ فِيهَا إِلَى أَنْ طَلَعَتْ إِلَى ٱلْبَرّ وَفَتَحَهَا، فَوَجَدَ فِيهَا قُمْقُمًا مِن نُحَاسٍ أَصْفَر مَلآن وَفَمُهُ مَخْتُومٌ بِرَصَاص عَلَيْهِ طَبْع خَاتِم سَيِّدِنَا سُلَيْمَان. ثُمَّ إِنَّهُ أَخْرَجَ سِكِّينًا وَعَالَجَ ٱلرَّصَاص إِلَى أَنْ فَكَّهُ مِن ٱلْقُمْقُم وَحَطَّهُ عَلَى ٱلْأَرْض، وَخَرَجَ مِن ذٰلِكَ ٱلْقُمْقُم دُخَانٌ صَعِدَ إِلَى عَنَان ٱلسَّمَاء، وَمَشَى عَلَى وَجْه ٱلْأَرْض فَتَعَجَّبَ غَايَةَ ٱلْعَجَب. وَبَعْدَ ذٰلِك تَكَامَلَ ٱلدُّخَان وَٱجْتَمَع ثُمَّ ٱنْتَفَضَ فَصَارَ عِفْرِيتًا رَأْسُهُ فِي ٱلسَّحَاب وَرِجْلَاهُ فِي ٱلتُّرَاب.
...Then he raised his head to the sky and said: O God! You know that I only cast my net four times and I have already cast it three times. Then he pronounced the name of God and cast the net into the sea and waited [lit. was patient] until it settled and then he pulled it - but he was unable to pull it as it had become entangled with the ground. So he said There is no power and no strength save in God then he stripped and dived down to it and got to work on it until it came out onto the land and then he opened it. He found in it a bottle [qumqum: a long-necked bottle] made of brass [lit. yellow copper] filled with something and its mouth was sealed with lead on which was the impression of the seal [lit. signet ring] of our Lord Sulayman [Solomon]. Then he took out a knife and worked the lead until he broke it from the bottle and he put it on the ground. Smoke came out of that bottle and rose to the highest heavens and spread [lit. walked] on the face of the earth. He was absolutely amazed. After that the smoke unified and gathered then it shook and became an ifreet [demon] with its head in the clouds and its feet on the ground...
قَالَ رَئِيس ٱلْوُزَرَاء ٱلْعِرَاقِيّ نُورِي اَلْمَالِكِيّ، أَمْس، أَنَّهُ يَتَوَقَّع تَنْفِيذ حُكْم ٱلْإِعْدَام شَنْقًا بِٱلرَّئِيس ٱلْمَخْلُوع صَدَّام حُسَيْن قَبْلَ نِهَايَةِ ٱلْعَام ٱلْحَالِي، عَلَى ٱلرَّغْم مِن عَمَلِيَةِ اِسْتِئْنَافٍ قَالَ خُبَرَاءٌ قَانُونِيُّون أَنَّهَا قَد تَسْتَمِرُّ لِمُدَّةِ شُهُور. أَكَّدَ اَلْمَالِكِيّ أَنَّ ٱلْحُكُومَةَ «لَنْ تَتَرَاجَع» عَن إِعْدَام ٱلرَّئِيس ٱلْمَخْلُوع صَدَّام حُسَيْن، مُؤَكِّدًا أَنَّ ٱلْبَعْثِيِّين «لَنْ يَأْخُذُوا أَيّ مَوْقِعٍ فِي ٱلدَّوْلَة رَغْم تَبَاكِيهِم فِي ٱلدُّوَل ٱلْمُجَاوِرَة». وَأَوْضَح اَلْمَالِكِيّ خِلال اِسْتِقْبَالِهِ عَائِلات «ٱلشُّهَدَاء» بِٱلْقَوْل: «لَنْ نَتَرَاجَع شَعْرَةً وَاحِدَة عَن تَنْفِيذ قَرَار ٱلْإِعْدَام بِحَقّ ٱلطَّاغِيَةِ صَدَّام عَلَى ٱلرَّغْم مِن ٱلتَّهْدِيدَات بِأَنَّ إِعْدَامَهُ سَيُثِيرُ حَرْبًا أَهْلِيَّة، كَمَا أَنَّنَا لَنْ نَتَرَاجَع عَن مُوَاجَهَةِ ٱلْبَعْثِيِّين وَٱلْإِرْهَابِيِّين اَلَّذِينَ يُحَاوِلُون إِثَارَةَ ٱلْفِتْنَةِ ٱلطَّائِفِيَّة».
The Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki said yesterday that he expects the carrying out of the death sentence by hanging of the deposed president Saddam Hussein before the end of the current year despite the appeal process which legal experts have said might last for a period of months. Al-Maliki confirmed that the government will not back away from the execution of the deposed president Saddam Hussein stressing that the Baathists will not take any position in the state despite their lamentations in neighbouring countries. And Al-Maliki made it clear during his reception of the families of martyrs with the words: We will not backtrack one hair from the implementation of the decision of the execution concerning the tyrant Saddam despite the threats that his execution will cause a civil [lit. domestic] war just as we will not back away from the confrontation of the Baathists and the terrorists who are trying to stir up sectarian discord.
اِرْتَعَدَتْ فَرَائِصُه وَتَشَبَّكَتْ أَسْنَانُه وَنَشِفَ رِيقُه وَعُمِيَ عَن طَرِيقِه، فَلَمَّا رَآهُ ٱلْعِفْرِيت قَال: لا إِلَهَ إِلَّا ٱلله سُلَيْمَان نَبِيُّ ٱلله. فَقَالَ ٱلصَّيَّاد، أَيُّهَا ٱلْمَارِد أَتَقُولُ سُلَيْمَان نَبِيُّ ٱلله وَسُلَيْمَان مَات مُنْذُ مُدَّةِ أَلْفٍ وَثَمَانِمِئَةِ سَنَة وَنَحْنُ فِي آخِر ٱلزَّمَان، فَمَا قِصَّتُك وَمَا حَدِيثُك وَمَا سَبَب دُخُولِك فِي هٰذَا ٱلْقُمْقُم، فَلَمَّا سَمِعَ ٱلْمَارِد كَلام ٱلصَّيَّاد قَال: لا إِلَهَ إِلَّا ٱلله أَبْشِر يَا صَيَّاد، فَقَالَ ٱلصَّيَّاد فَبِمَاذَا تُبَشِّرُنِي، فَقَال بِقَتْلِكَ هٰذِهِ ٱلسَّاعَة شَرّ ٱلْقَتْلَات، قَالَ ٱلصَّيَّاد مَا ذَنْبِي حَتَّى يَكُون هٰذَا جَزَائِي مِنك؟ قَالَ ٱلْعِفْرِيت اِسْمَع حِكَايَتِي يَا صَيَّاد. قَالَ ٱلصَّيَّاد: قُل وَأَوْجِز فِي ٱلْكَلام فَإِنَّ رُوحِي وَصَلَتْ إِلَى قَدَمِي.
His whole body [lit. his flanks] trembled and his teeth clamped [lit. joined] together and his mouth [lit. saliva] went dry and he lost [lit. was blinded from] his way And when the ifreet saw him he [the ifreet] said: There is no god except God. Sulayman [Solomon] is the prophet of God. So the fisherman said O Demon do you say Sulayman is the prophet of God. Sulayman has been dead for one thousand eight hundred years and we are at the end of time. So what is your story and what do you have to say and what is the reason for your being inside [lit. your entering] this bottle? When the demon heard the words [lit. talk] of the fisherman he said: There is no god except God. Rejoice at good news O fisherman. So the fisherman said And what good news do you bring me? He said that youll be killed now [lit. this hour] in the most horrible way [lit. the more evil of killings]. The fisherman said What is my sin that this is my reward from you? The ifreet said Hear my story O fisherman. The fisherman said Speak and be brief in words [lit. talk] as my spirit has gone [lit. arrived] to my feet [lit. my foot].
بِرَأْيِك هَلْ يُعَدُّ ٱلنِّقَاب فِي ٱلْإِسْلام فَرْضًا أَوْ عَادَة؟ فَإِنْ كَانَ فَرْضًا مَاذَا يَجِبُ عَلَى ٱلْمُسْلِمَات اَللَّاتِي يُقِمنَ فِي أُورُوبَّا وَغَيْرِهَا أَنْ يَفْعَلنَ وَإِنْ كَانَ لَيْسَ بِفَرْض فَبِمَاذَا تَنْصَحُهُنّ؟ اَلنِّقَاب لَيْسَ فَرِيضَة وَلا سُنَّة، وَإِنَّمَا هُوَ فَضِيلَة تَتَّخِذُهَا ٱلْمَرْأَة عِنْدَمَا تَتَوَقَّع أَنَّهَا قَد تَتَعَرَّض لِفِتْنَة، بِمَعْنَى أَنْ تَكُونَ اِمْرَأَةً جَمِيلَة جِدًّا لِدَرَجَةٍ أَنَّهُ قَد يُفْتَتَن بِجَمَالِهَا ٱلرِّجَال، أَوْ قَد تَكُونُ ٱلْمَرْأَة تُعَانِي مِن عَيْبٍ فِي وَجْهِهَا قَد يَنْفُر مِنهَا ٱلنَّاس، وَلِذٰلِك فَهِيَ تُقْدِم عَلَى اِرْتِدَاء ٱلنِّقَاب كَنَوْعٍ مِن ٱلسِّتْر. وَبِٱلتَّالِي فَلا حَرَج عَلَى ٱلْمُسْلِمَة أَنْ تَخْلَعَ ٱلنِّقَاب، لأَنّ مِن ٱلْمُؤَكَّد فِي ٱلْإِسْلام لَيْسَ ٱلْوَجْه وَٱلْكَفَّان بِعَوْرَة، وَٱلْإِسْلام فَرَضَ عَلَى ٱلْمَرْأَة اَلْحِجَاب فَقَط وَهٰذَا لا خِلاف عَلَيْه.
In your opinion is the niqab [full veil] considered in Islam a [religious] duty or a custom? And if it is a duty what does this require Muslim women who live in Europe and elsewhere to do? And if it is not a duty then what do you advise them? The niqab is not a duty nor sunnah [custom based on the Prophets sayings and doings]. Rather it is a virtuous behaviour the woman adopts when she anticipates that she might be exposed to temptation; Meaning that she is a very beautiful woman to the extent that men might be tempted by her beauty. Or maybe the woman suffers from a defect in her face and people might turn away from her and so she sets about wearing the niqab as a kind of cover. Consequently there is no objection to the Muslim woman taking off the niqab because it is certain in Islam [that] the face and the hands are not awrah [i.e. parts of the body which should be covered] and Islam imposes on the woman only the hijab [headscarf] and there is no dispute about this.
قَال: اِعْلَم أَنِّي مِن ٱلْجِنّ ٱلْمَارِقِين وَقَد عَصَيتُ سُلَيْمَان بِن دَاوُد فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَيّ وَزِيرَهُ آصِف بِن بَرْخِيَا وَقَادَنِي إِلَيه وَأَنَا ذَلِيلٌ عَلَى رَغْم أَنْفِّي وَأَوْقَفَنِي بَيْنَ يَدَيه، فَلَمَّا رَآنِي سُلَيْمَان اِسْتَعَاذَ مِنِّي وَعَرَضَ عَلَيَّ ٱلْإِيْمَان وَٱلدُّخُول تَحْتَ طَاعَتِه فَأَبَيْت، فَطَلَبَ هٰذَا ٱلْقُمْقُم وَحَبَسَنِي فِيه وَخَتَمَ عَلَيَّ بِٱلرَّصَاص وَطَبَعَهُ بِٱلْاِسْم ٱلْأَعْظَم وَأَمَرَ ٱلْجِنّ فَٱحْتَمَلُونِي وَأَلْقُونِي فِي وَسَط ٱلْبَحْر، فَأَقَمتُ مِائَةَ عَام، وَقُلتُ فِي قَلْبِّي كُلّ مَنْ خَلَّصَنِي أَغْنَيتُهُ إِلَى ٱلْأَبَد، فَمَرَّتْ ٱلْمِائَةُ عَام وَلَمْ يُخَلِّصنِي أَحَد، وَدَخَلت عَلَيَّ مِائَةٌ أُخْرَى فَقُلت: مَنْ خَلَّصَنِي لَهُ كُنُوز ٱلْأَرْض فَلَمْ يُخَلِّصنِي أَحَد، فَمَرَّتْ عَلَيَّ أَرْبَعُمِائَةُ عَامٍ أُخْرَى، فَقُلت: مَنْ خَلَّصَنِي أَقْضِي لَهُ ثَلاث حَاجَات، فَلَمْ يُخَلِّصنِي أَحَد، فَغَضِبتُ غَضَبًا شَدِيدًا وَقُلتُ فِي نَفْسِي: كُلّ مَنْ خَلَّصَنِي فِي هٰذِهِ ٱلسَّاعَة قَتَلتُه وَمَنَّيتُهُ كَيْفَ يَمُوت وَهَا أَنْت قَد خَلَّصتَنِي.
He said: Know that I am [one] of the Jinn who renounced [faith] and I had disobeyed Sulayman bin Daawud so he sent his minister Asif bin Barkhia to me and he led me to him and I was submissive despite myself [lit. despite my nose]. And he stood me before him [lit. between his hands] and when Sulayman saw me he asked for Gods protection from me and offered me faith and the [opportunity of] entering under his obedience but I refused. So he called for this bottle and imprisoned me in it and sealed me up with lead and stamped it with the secret [lit. greater] name and commanded the jinn and they carried me and threw me into the middle of the sea. So I stayed a hundred years and I said to myself [lit. in my heart] whoever freed me I would make him rich forever. But the hundred years passed and no-one freed me. Another hundred came [lit. entered onto me] so I said: Whoever freed me to him are the treasures of the earth. But no-one freed me. Another four hundred years passed me by so I said: Whoever freed me I would provide to him [any] three things he needed. But no-one freed me. So I became very angry and I said to myself: Whoever freed me now [lit. in this hour] I would kill him and I would let him choose how he dies. And here you are - You have freed me!
حَوْلَ ٱلْبَيْت ٱلْمَرْكَزِيّ لِحِزْب «ٱلْكَتَائِب» كَانَ ٱلْمَشْهَد حَزِينًا وَمَشْحُونًا بِٱلدُّمُوع وَٱلْغَضَب، بِٱنْتِظَار وُصُول نَعْشَي ٱلْوَزِير اَلْجُمَيْل وَمُرَافِقِهِ اَلَّذِي قَضَى مَعهُ سَمِير اَلشَّرْتُونِيّ. مِن إِحْدَى ٱلنَّوَافِذ أَطَلَّ ٱلْكَتَائِبِيّ ٱلْعَتِيق اَلْكَاتِب جُوزِيف أَبِي خَلِيل بَاكِيَّا وَمُتَرَقِبَّا ٱلْمَوْكِب اَلَّذِي يَتَقَدَّم بِصُعُوبَة لِكَثَافَةِ ٱلْحُشُود اَلَّتِي حَاوَلَتْ ٱلْاِقْتِرَاب وَٱلْمُشَارَكَة فِي حَمْل ٱلنَّعْشَيْن. هَتَفَ شَابّ: «اِرْفَعُوا أَصْوَاتَكُم لِيَسْمَعكُمْ»، فَرَدّت ٱلْحُشُود «پِيَار حَيٌّ فِينَا» وَ «وَصَلَ ٱلْبَطَل عَ بَيْت ٱلْكَتَائِب» وَ «وَصَلَ ٱلْعَرِيس». اَلْأَغَانِي ٱلْوَطَنِيَّة كَانَتْ تُصْدَح فِي ٱلْمَكَان مَع إِيْقَاعٍ قَوِيّ. سَأَلَتْنِي صِحَافِيَّة فَرَنْسِيَّة: «هَلْ هٰذَا مَأْتَم أَمْ فَرَح؟». فَأَوْضَحت لَهَا أَنَّ ٱلتَّقَالِيد ٱللُّبْنَانِيَّة تُوَدِّع ٱلشَّبَاب ٱلْمَوْتَى بِزَفَّةٍ تَشْبِهُ مَا يَحْصُلُ فِي ٱلْأَفْرَاح.
Around the central office [lit. house] of the Phalange party the scene was sad and charged with tears and anger in anticipation of the arrival of the [two] coffins of minister Gemayel and his escort who died with him Samir Al-Shartouni. From one of the windows the veteran Phalangist writer Joseph Abu Khalil looked out crying and closely watching the procession which was moving forward with difficulty due to the thickness of the crowds which tried to get near and participate in carrying the [two] coffins. A young man shouted Raise your voices so he [Gemayel] can hear you and the crowds responded: Pierre is alive amongst us and the hero has arrived to the house of the Phalange and the bridegroom has arrived. Patriotic songs were playing in the place with a strong rhythm. A [female] French journalist asked me: Is this a funeral or a wedding?. I explained to her that Lebanese tradition bids farewell to the young dead with a procession which is similar to what happens in weddings.
زَارَ بَابَا ٱلْفَاتِيكَان بَنَدِيكْتُوس ٱلسَّادِس عَشَر، أَمْس، جَامِع ٱلسُّلْطَان أَحْمَد، فِي إِسْطَنْبُول، وَأَدَّى فِيهِ صَلاةً، وَاضِعًا يَدَيهِ عَلَى صَدْرِه كَمَا يَفْعَلُ ٱلْمُسْلِمُون. وَٱتَّجَهَ نَحْوَ ٱلْكَعْبَة فِي مَكَّةِ ٱلْمُكَرَّمَة. وَأَدَّى ٱلْبَابَا ٱلصَّلاة، بَعْدَ أَنْ دَعَاهُ مُفْتِيّ إِسْطَنْبُول، مُصْطَفَى كَاكْرَاجِيّ، لِذٰلِك، وَشَرَحَ لَهُ قَوَاعِد ٱلصَّلاة عِنْدَ ٱلْمُسْلِمِين. وَٱنْتَهَتْ ٱلزِّيَارَة اَلَّتِي كَانَتْ بِمَثَابَةِ رِسَالَةً إِلَى ٱلْعَالَم ٱلْإِسْلامِيّ وَٱسْتَمَرَّتْ أَكْثَر مِن نِصْف سَاعَة، بِتَبَادُل ٱلْهَدَايَا، إِذ أَهْدَى ٱلْمُفْتِيّ ٱلْحَبْر ٱلْأَعْظَم آيَةً قُرْآنِيَّةً خُطَّتْ مِن خِلالِهَا ٱلْبَسْمَلَة فِي صُورَةِ يَمَامَةٍ تَرْمُزُ لِلسَّلام، وَفِي ٱلْمُقَابِل أَهْدَى ٱلْبَابَا ٱلْمُفْتِيّ فُسَيْفِسَاء تُمَثِّلُ أَيْضًا يَمَامَات. وَعَلَّقَ ٱلْمُفْتِيّ بِقَوْلِه «أَنَّهَا لَمُصَادَفَةً قَدَرِيَّةً سَعِيدَة». وَأَضَافَ ٱلْبَابَا أَنَّ ٱلْهَدِيَّة «تُمَثِّل رِسَالَةَ أُخُوَّة وَذِكْرَى لِهٰذِهِ ٱلزِّيَارَة اَلَّتِي لَنْ أَنْسَاهَا بِكُلّ تَأْكِيد».
The Pope of the Vatican Benedict the Sixteenth yesterday visited the [great] mosque of Sultan Ahmet in Istanbul and he performed in it a prayer placing his hands on his chest as Muslims do and he turned towards the Kaaba in Holy Mecca. The Pope performed the prayer after the [Grand] Mufti of Istanbul Mustafa Cagrici invited him to do so and he explained to him the rules of prayer according to Muslims. The visit which served as a message to the Islamic world and lasted for more than half an hour ended with the exchanging of gifts when the Mufti presented to the Pope a Quranic verse in which was written the basmallah in the shape of a dove symbolizing peace. In return the Pope presented to the Mufti a mosaic which also depicted doves. The Mufti commented with the remark: It is truly a happy fateful coincidence. The Pope added that the gift represents the message of brotherhood and a reminder of this visit which I will certainly never forget.
بَثَّ تِلِفِزْيُون «اَلْمَنَار» اَلتَّابِع لِ «حِزْب ٱلله» ظُهْرَ أَمْس رِسَالَةً مُسَجَّلَة لِلْأَمِين ٱلْعَامّ لِلْحِزْب اَلسَّيِّد حَسَن نَصْر ٱلله تَوَجَّهَ فِيهَا إِلَى ٱللُّبْنَانِيِّين بِٱلدَّعْوَةِ إِلَى ٱلتَّجَمُّع فِي وَسَطِ بَيْرُوت اَلْيَوْم لِإِسْقَاط «حُكُومَةِ ٱلْفَرِيق ٱلْوَاحِد»، وَبَدَتْ نَبْرَتُهُ هَادِئَة. وَسَبَقَ ٱلرِّسَالَة بَثّ ٱلنَّشِيد ٱلْوَطَنِيّ ٱللُّبْنَانِيّ مَرَّاتٍ عِدَّة وَبُثَّ أَيْضًا بَعْدَهَا. وَقَالَ نَصْر ٱلله: «أَيُّهَا ٱلْلُبْنَانِيُّون، مَضَى عَامٌ وَبِضْعَةُ أَشْهُر عَلَى تَشْكِيل ٱلْحُكُومَةِ ٱللُّبْنَانِيَّة ٱلْحَالِيَة، هٰذِهِ ٱلْحُكُومَة تَقَدَّمَتْ بِبَيَانٍ وِزَارِيٍّ كَبِير وَمُهِمّ وَوَاضِح وَمُحَدَّد وَتَقَدَّمَتْ أَيْضًا بِوُعُودٍ مُهِمَّةٍ وَحَسَّاسَة، إِلا أَنَّهَا بَعْدَ مُضِي كُلّ هٰذَا ٱلزَّمَن، ثَبَتَ أَنَّهَا عَاجِزَةٌ وَفَاشِلَة وَغَيْر قَادِرَة عَلَى ٱلْوَفَاء بِوُعُودِهَا وَعَلَى تَحْقِيق أَيّ إِنْجَازٍ يُذْكَر، بَل نَجِدُ أَنَّ ٱلْأَزَمَات بَدَأَتْ تَتَفَاقَم عَلَى كُلّ صَعِيد، عَلَى ٱلصَّعِيد ٱلسِّيَاسِيّ، عَلَى ٱلصَّعِيد ٱلْاِجْتِمَاعِيّ وَٱلْاِقْتِصَادِيّ، عَلَى ٱلصَّعِيد ٱلْأَمْنِيّ وَٱلْمَالِيّ وَعَلَى ٱلصُّعُد ٱلْمُخْتَلِفَة».
Al-Manar television which belongs to Hizbullah [lit. Party of God] broadcasted midday yesterday a recorded message by the Secretary General of the party Mr. Hassan Nasrallah in which he turned to the Lebanese with the call to rally in the centre of Beirut today to overthrow the one team government. His tone was [lit. showed] calm. The transmission of the Lebanese national anthem several times preceded the message and it was also broadcasted after it. Nasrallah said: O people of Lebanon! A year and a few months have passed since the formation of the current Lebanese government. This government [originally] presented a large and important and clear and well-defined ministerial manifesto and it also made important and sensitive promises. However after the passing of all this time it has been shown that it is impotent and worthless [lit. failing] and unable to keep its promises and to accomplish any achievement worth mentioning. Rather we find that the crises are reaching alarming proportions on every level; on the political level on the social and economic level on the security and financial level and on [all] different levels.
«سَاحَةُ جَامِع اَلْفَنَاء»... قَد يَخَالُهَا ٱلْمَرْء بِدَايَةً أَشْبَه بِبَهْو قَصْرٍ أَنْدَلُسِيٍّ فَسِيح. لٰكِنَّ «اَلْفَنَاء» اِسْمٌ اُخْتِيرَ لَهَا لِيَرْمُزَ إِلَى ٱلزَّوَال إِلَى ٱلنِّهَايَة. وَإِلَى ٱلْمَوْت.. فَهُنَا كَانَتْ تُنَفَّذ، أَيَّام ٱلْحَضَارَات ٱلْبَائِدَة اَلَّتِي تَوَالَتْ عَلَى هٰذِهِ ٱلرُّقْعَةِ مِن ٱلْأَرْض، أَحْكَام ٱلْإِعْدَام فَتُفْصَلُ ٱلْأَعْنَاق عَن ٱلْأَجْسَاد وَتُفْنَى جَمِيع ٱلْأَصْوَات اَلْمُعَاكِسَة لِلتَّيَّار ٱلسَّائِد. وَتَتَمَرْكَزُ هُنَا ٱلْيَوْم مَعَالِم ٱلْمَدِينَةِ ٱلْمَغْرِبِيَّةِ ٱلْحَمْرَاء. أَصْوَاتٌ تَعْلُو وَتَخْبُو عَلَى مَدَار ٱلسَّاعَةِ وَٱمْتِدَاد ٱلْبَصَر. عَصَب ٱلْحَيَاة فِي مَرَّاكِش يَنْبِض مِن هُنَا بِلا تَوَقُّف. فِي هٰذِهِ ٱلسَّاحَة يَمْتَزِجُ ٱلْحَابِل بِٱلنَّابِل وَتَخْتَلِط ٱلْأَصْوَات بِٱلرَّوَائِح مُشَكِّلَةً مَشْهَدًا سِرْيَالِيًّا فَرِيدًا مِن نَوْعِه، مَشْهَدًا قَلَّمَا تَجِدُ لَهُ نَظِيرًا فِي أَيّ مَكَانٍ آخَر، وَصُورَةٌ حَيَّة تَمْنَحُك إِحْسَاسًا مُتَفَرِّدًا يَصْعُبُ تَفْسِيرُه إِذْ يُشْعِرُكَ بِٱلْأَمَان وَٱلرَّاحَةِ تَارَة وَيُرْهِبُك وَيُخِيفُكَ تَارَةً أُخْرَى.
Djemaa El-Fna Square a person might think at first [if he interprets Fna as courtyard] would be like a spacious Andalusian palace hall. But El-Fna [here meaning destruction] is a name which was chosen for it [the square] to symbolize passing away ending and death... Because here in the days of the bygone civilizations which followed in succession on this patch of land death sentences used to be carried out necks were severed from bodies and all voices opposing the prevailing power [lit. prevailing current] were destroyed. Today the sights of the red Moroccan city are concentrated here. Voices ring out and die away around the clock and as far as the eye can see. The life blood [lit. nerve of life] of Marrakesh beats from here without stopping. In this square everything is confused. Voices mix with smells forming a surreal scene unique of its kind - a scene you will rarely find the likes of in any other place and a living image which gives you a unique feeling that is difficult to explain as it makes you feel safe and relaxed at one time and it intimidates and scares you at other times.
بَوَّابَةٌ حَدِيدِيَّة مُصَفَّحَةٌ وَمُصْمَتَة، مُلَوَّنَةٌ بِٱلْأَحْمَر وَٱلْأَبْيَض وَٱلْأَزْرَق، عَلَيْكَ أَنْ تَقِفَ أَمَامَهَا وَتَنْتَظِر بِضْع دَقَائِق حَتَّى يَطُلُّ ٱلْحَارِس مِن خَلْفِهَا لِيَدْعُوك إِلَى ٱلدُّخُول، لِتَجِدَ نَفْسَك فِي غُرْفَةٍ صَغِيرَة أَشْبَهُ بِزِنْزَانَةٍ مُنْفَرِدَة، يَتَوَسَّطُهَا قَوْسٌ اَلَكْترُونِيّ. يَطْلُبُ مِنكَ ٱلْمُوَظَّف بِكُلّ تَهْذِيب اَلْخُضُوع لِلتَّفْتِيش بِٱلْمُرُور تَحْتَ ٱلْقَوْس، وَأَنْ تَضَعَ حَقِيبَةَ يَدِك عَلَى ٱلسّكَانَر، أَمَّا ٱلْمُوبَايْل فَسَيَبْقَى لَدَيهِم، ثُمَّ وَبِكُلّ تَهْذِيب يَفْتَحُ لَكَ ٱلْبَاب ٱلثَّانِي، تَتَوَجَّه بَعْدَهَا إِلَى ٱلْمُوَظَّف أَوْ ٱلْمَكْتَب ٱلْمَقْصُود بِٱلزِّيَارَة فِي ٱلْمَرْكَز ٱلثَّقَافِيّ ٱلْأَمِيرِكِيّ بِدِمَشْق. وَلَنْ يَطُول ٱلْوَقْت عِنْدَمَا سَتَكْتَشِف أَنَّ هٰذَا ٱلْبِنَاء يَعْكِسُ حَقِيقَةَ ٱلْعَلاقَات ٱلثَّقَافِيَّة ٱلسُّورِيَّة ـ ٱلْأَمِيرِكِيَّة، عَلاقَةٌ تَنْطَوِي عَلَى حَوَاجِز وَتَفْتِيش وَٱحْتِيَاطَات مَعَ ٱلْكَثِير مِن ٱلْحَذَر ٱلْمَبْنِيّ عَلَى تَارِيخٍ مُتَرَاكِمٍ مِن عَدَم ٱلثِّقَة.
A solid armoured iron gate coloured red white and blue. You have to stand in front of it and wait a few minutes until the guard appears from behind it to invite you to enter. Then you will find yourself in a small room which resembles a solitary confinement prison cell in the middle of which is an electronic arch [i.e. metal detector]. The employee asks you very politely to submit to an inspection by passing under the arch and to put your bag [lit. handbag] on the scanner. As for the mobile [phone] this stays with them. Then with all politeness he opens the second door for you. After this you head for the employee or office you came to visit [lit. the intended with the visit] in the American Cultural Center in Damascus. It wont be long when you will discover that this building reflects the reality of Syrian - American cultural relations. A relationship which comprises barriers and inspection and precautions with much caution built on an accumulated history of lack of trust.