كَانَ يَوْمًا صَيْفِيًّا فِي عَام أَلْفَيْن وَثَلاثَة عِنْدَمَا كَانَ ٱلْعِرَاق مَا يَزَالُ مَلِيئًا بِأَنْصَاف ٱلْحَقَائِق عَن ٱلْاِحْتِلال وَٱلتَّحْرِير، قَبْلَ ٱنْحِدَارِهِ ٱلْعَدَمِيّ إِلَى ٱلْمَذْبَحَة. كَانَ مُحَمَّد حَيَّاوِي يَجْلِسُ فِي مَحَلِّه، مَكْتَبَةِ ٱلنَّهْضَة، اَلْوَاقِعَة فِي شَارِع اَلْمُتَنَبِّي بِبَغْدَاد. وَعَلَى ٱلرُّفُوف ذَات ٱلصُّفُوف ٱلثَّمَانِيَة كَانَت كُتُبٌ أَلَّفَهَا شُعَرَاء شُيُوعِيُّون وَرِجَال دِينٍ شُهَدَاء، وَتَرْجَمَاتٍ لِمَسْرَحِيَّات شِكِسْبِير، وَكُتُبٌ أَلَّفَهَا فَلَكِيُّون لُبْنَانِيُّون، وَأُخْرَى لِلْمُفَكِّر فِي ٱلْعُصُور ٱلْوُسْطَى اِبْن تَيْمِيَة. وَعَلَى ٱلْأَرْض كَانَت أَكْوَامٌ مِن ٱلْكُتُب بَيْنَهَا كُتُبٌ قَدِيمَة. وَفِي ذٰلِكَ ٱلْمَكَان كَانَ حَيَّاوِي يُحَاوِلُ ٱلتَّرْوِيح عَن نَفْسِه بِمِرْوَحَة. فِي ٱلْأُسْبُوع ٱلْمَاضِي تَفَجَّرَت سَيَّارَةٌ مُفَخَّخَة فِي شَارِع اَلْمُتَنَبِّي، تَارِكَةً مَشْهَدًا بَاتَ مَأْلُوفًا فِي بَغْدَاد. وَقُتِلَ مَا لا يَقِلُّ عَن سِتٌّ وَعِشْرُون شَخْصًا، كَانَ بَيْنَهُم حَيَّاوِي بَائِع ٱلْكُتُب.
It was a summer day in the year two thousand and three when Iraq was still full of half truths about the occupation and the liberation. Before its nihilistic descent into slaughter. Muhammad Hayawi was sitting in his shop the Nahda [lit. renaissance] Bookstore which lies on al-Mutanabbi Street in Baghdad. On the shelves comprising eight ranks were books [which] communist poets and martyred men of religion had written and translations of the plays of Shakespeare and books [which] Lebanese astrologers had written and others by the thinker in the Middle Ages Ibn Taymiya. And on the floor were piles of books among which were old books. In that place Hayawi was trying to refresh himself with a fan. Last week a car-bomb exploded in al-Mutanabbi Street leaving behind a scene which has become familiar in Baghdad. Not less than twenty six people were killed Among them was Hayawi the book-seller.
يَعْلَمُ أَعْضَاء ٱلْحُكُومَةِ ٱلْفِلَسْطِينِيَّةِ ٱلْجَدِيدَة اَلْآمَال ٱلْكَبِيرَة اَلَّتِي يُعَلِّقُهَا ٱلْمُوَاطِنُون عَلَيْهِم، لٰكِنَّهُم يَعْلَمُونَ أَيْضًا أَنَّ ٱلصُّعُوبَات وَٱلتَّحَدِّيَات اَلْوَاقِفَةِ لَهُم فِي ٱلطَّرِيق أَكْبَر وَأَكْثَر صُعُوبَة. وَيُشَكِّل رَفْع ٱلْحِصَار ٱلْمَالِيّ ٱلْمَفْرُوض عَلَى ٱلْحُكُومَة مُنْذُ فَوْز حَرَكَةِ «حَمَاس» فِي ٱلْاِنْتِخَابَات وَتَشْكِيلِهَا ٱلْحُكُومَة فِي آذَار (مَارِس) اَلْعَام ٱلْمَاضِي اَلتَّحَدِّي ٱلْأَكْبَر أَمَامَ هٰذِهِ ٱلْحُكُومَة. وَٱلتَّحَدِّي ٱلْآخَر اَلَّذِي لا يَقِلُّ أَهَمِّيَةً فِي نَظَر ٱلْفِلَسْطِينِيِّين هُوَ وَقْف حَالَةِ ٱلْاِنْفِلات ٱلْأَمْنِيّ اَلَّذِي تَقِفُ ٱلْحُكُومَةُ وَٱلْفَصَائِل عَاجِزَةً أَمَامَه. وَتَوَافَقَ ٱلْفَصِيلَان ٱلْكَبِيرَان («فَتْح» وَ «حَمَاس») فِي ٱلْحِوَار ٱلْوَطَنِيّ، فِي مَكَّةَ ٱلْمُكَرَّمَة، عَلَى ٱخْتِيَار وَزِير مَالٍ إِصْلاحِيّ (سَلام فَيَّاض) وَوَزِير خَارِجِيَّةٍ مُعْتَدِل (زِيَاد أَبُو عَمْرو) لِتَوْجِيه رِسَالَةٍ لِلْغَرْب، خُصُوصًا اَلْقُوَى اَلَّتِي فَرَضَت ٱلْحِصَار ٱلْمَالِيّ وَٱلسِّيَاسِيّ عَلَى ٱلْحُكُومَةِ ٱلسَّابِقَة.
The members of the new Palestinian government know the great hopes which the citizens are placing [lit. attaching] on them. But they also know that the difficulties and challenges standing in their way are greater and more difficult. The lifting of the financial embargo imposed on the government since the victory of the Hamas movement in the elections and its forming a government in ;Aadhaar (March) last year forms the greatest challenge facing this government. The other challenge which is no less important in the eyes of the Palestinians is the putting an end to the state of lawlessness [lit. the escape of security] which the government and the factions stand powerless in the face of. The two major factions (Fatah and Hamas) agreed together in the national dialogue in holy Mecca on the selecting of a reformist Minister of Finance (Salam Fayyad) and a moderate Minister of Foreign Affairs (Ziad Abu Amr) to send a message to the West in particular the forces which imposed the financial and political embargo on the previous government.
بِحَرَكَةٍ أَصْبَحَت رُوتِينًا بِفِعْل ٱلْمُمَارَسَةِ ٱلْيَوْمِيَّة، يَسْكُبُ عَزِيز سُوَير مِلْعَقَةً مَلِيئَةً بِمَسْحُوق ٱلْبُنّ دَاخِلَ بَرَّادٍ فِيهِ مَاءٍ مَغْلِي، ثُمَّ يُحَرِّكُهُ بِمِلْعَقَةٍ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُعِيدُهُ إِلَى ٱلْمَوْقِد مَرَّةً أُخْرَى، وَهِيَ حَرَكَةٌ فَعَلَهَا عَزِيز مَا لا يَقِلُّ عَن سِتُّمِئَةِ أَلْف مَرَّةٍ تَقْرِيبًا. خِلال عَمَل عَزِيز فِي إِعْدَاد ٱلْقَهْوَة لِزَبَائِنِه اِنْقَشَعَت أَخِيرًا سُحُب مَطَرٍ شِتْوِيَّة حَوَّلَت ٱلْمُنْحَدَرَات ٱلْجَافَّة عَلَى وَادِي ٱلْأُرْدُنّ إِلَى تِلالٍ خَضْرَاء. بَدَأَت ٱلشَّمْس فِي ٱلسُّطُوع مُجَدَّدًا حَوَالِي ٱلسَّاعَة ٱلْحَادِيَة عَشَر قَبْلَ ظُهْر يَوْم ٱلْجُمْعَة. إِلَّا أَنَّ عَزِيز كَانَ فِي ذٰلِكَ ٱلْوَقْت فِي بِدَايَةِ يَوْمٍ طَوِيل يَمْتَدُّ مِن ٱلْفَجْر حَتَّى مُنْتَصَف ٱلْلَيْل يُقَدِّمُ خِلالَه ٱلشَّاي وَٱلْقَهْوَة مِن مَحَلِّه اَلْأَقْرَب فِي شَكْلِهِ إِلَى ٱلْكُوخ عَلَى جَانِب ٱلطَّرِيق حَيْثُ يَتَوَقَّف سَائِقُو ٱلشَّاحِنَات اَلَّتِي تَنْقُلُ إِنْتَاج ٱلْمَزَارِع، وَحَافِلات ٱلرُّكَّاب وَسَيَّارَات ٱلشُّرْطَة وَسَيَّارَات ٱلْأُجْرَة.
With a movement which has become routine because of daily practice Aziz Suwair pours a spoon filled with ground coffee inside a coffee pot in which is boiling water. Then he stirs it with a spoon before he returns it to the stove once again. Its a movement Aziz has made not less than six hundred thousand times approximately. During Azizs work in the preparing of coffee for his customers the wintry rain clouds have finally dispersed. They transformed the dry slopes above the Jordan Valley into green hills. The sun started shining anew at around eleven before noon on Friday However Aziz was at that time at the beginning of a long day which extends from dawn until midnight during which he serves tea and coffee from his shop closer in form to a hut on the side of the road where drivers of lorries which transport farm produce and passenger buses and police cars and taxis stop.
هٰذَا أَوَّل عِيد أُمٍّ بِلا أُمِّي اَلَّتِي أَسْلَمَت ٱلرُّوح بِكُلّ هُدُوءٍ وَإِيْمَانٍ وَعُذُوبَة، وَمَضَت إِلَى عَالَمٍ يَلِيقُ بِنُبْلِهَا وَطَهَارَتِهَا. لَنْ يُرْبِكَنِي فِي هٰذَا ٱلْعِيد اَلتَّفْكِير ٱلْمُضْنِي بِهَدِيَّةٍ مُتَوَاضِعَة مِثْلُهَا، هِيَ اَلَّتِي مَا عَرَفَت مِن هٰذِهِ ٱلْفَانِيَة سِوَى سَجَّادَةِ صَلاتِهَا. وَلَمْ يَكُن يُفَرِّحُهَا ذَهَبٌ وَلا فِضَّة. أَغْلَى مَا تَلَقَّتْهُ مِنِّي، فِي رَأْيِهَا، مَنْدِيل رَأْسٍ أَبْيَض حَمَلتُهُ إِلَيهَا مِن مَكَّةَ ٱلْمُكَرَّمَة، وَكَيْفَ أَنْسَى مَنَادِيلَهَا ٱلنَّاصِعَة اَلَّتِي لَفَّتْنِي بِهَا وَحَضَنَتْنِي وَغَطَّت رَأْسِي مِن حَرَارَةِ ٱلشَّمْس وَبَرْد ٱلشِّتَاء وَتَقَلُّبَات ٱلْأَحْوَال؟ سَأَلَتْنِي إِعْلامِيَّةٌ زَمِيلَة: لَعَلَّكَ مِن قِلَّةٍ بَيْنَ ٱلرِّجَال تُفْصِحُ عَن مَدَى تَعَلُّقِكَ بِٱلْأُمّ وَتَأَثُّرِكَ بِهَا؟ كَيْفَ لا، قُلتُ لَهَا، وَأَنَا صَنِيعَةُ تِلْكَ ٱلسَّيِّدَة ٱلْمُبَارَكَة مِنهَا تَعَلَّمتُ ٱلصَّبْر وَٱلْحِكْمَة وَٱلشَّجَاعَة وَٱلتَّسَامُح وَٱلْغُفْرَان، وَٱلْكَنْز اَلَّذِي لا يُفْنَى.
This is the first Mothers Day without my mother who handed over [her] spirit with all calmness and faith and sweetness and went away to a world which befits her nobleness and her purity. No more will nerve-wracking thinking of a gift humble like her confuse me on this occasion. She who did not know from this transitory world [anything] other than her prayer mat. Gold and silver did not use to make her happy. The most precious thing she received from me in her opinion was a white headscarf I brought [lit. carried] to her from Holy Mecca. And how [can] I forget her bright [white] kerchiefs which she wrapped me with and hugged me and covered my head from the heat of the sun and the coldness of winter and the changes in [weather] conditions? A [female] journalist colleague asked me: Perhaps you are of that small number among men who speak openly about the extent of your attachment to [your] mother and of your being influenced by her? How not? I said to her when I am the [good] product of that blessed lady. From her I learnt patience and wisdom and courage and tolerance and forgiveness and the treasure which is never exhausted [i.e. qanaa`a contentment].
لَوْ كَانَ ٱلرَّجُل مُؤْمِنًا حَقًّا بِٱلْأَفْرَقَة لَتَحَدَّث إِلَى تِلِفِزْيُون غُوَادُودُو، شُكْرًا لِتِلِفِزْيُون «اَلْجَزِيرَة»، فَقَد عَثَرَ عَلَيْه عَلَى هَامِش ٱلْقِمَّة. كَانَ ٱلرَّجُل كَمَا يَقُولُ ٱلْمِصْرِيُّون «عَرِيس ٱلْغَفْلَة، وَٱلْبَاب بِلا قَفْلَة»، لَمْ أَخُذ فِي حَيَاتِي ٱلصَّحَافِيَّة ٱلطَّوِيلَة اَلْقَذَّافِيّ عَلَى مَحْمَل ٱلْجِدّ. أَظُنُّ أَنَّ أَهْل ٱلْقِمَّة كَانُوا بِحَاجَةٍ إِلَى فَاصِل تَسْلِيَة يُرَوِّحُ عَن ٱلنَّفْس وَأَحْسِبُ أَنَّ ٱلرَّجُل أَدَّى دَوْرَه، فَقَد أَعَادَت مَسْرَحِيَّتُهُ ٱلْكَلامِيَّة اَلْاِبْتِسَامَةَ إِلَى ٱلْوُجُوه، اَلْقَذَّافِيّ كُومِيدِيَا جَادَّة، أَوْ مَا يُسَمِّيهِ نُقَّاد ٱلْفَنّ فِي ٱلْغَرْب «اَلْكُومِيدِيَا ٱلسَّوْدَاء». رَجُلٌ يَهْزِلُ فِي سَاعَةِ ٱلْجِدّ. قَال إِنَّهُ سَيَبْقَى تَحْت. لَنْ يَعْمِد إِلَى ٱلرِّيَاض لِأَنَّهُ تَعَرَّضَ إِلَى «اِعْتِدَاءٍ» فِي شَرْم اَلشَّيْخ. مَاذَا حَدَثَ لَهُ هُنَاك؟ عِنْدَمَا بَدَأَ دَوْرَهُ ٱلتَّقْلِيدِيّ فِي ٱلْمُزَايَدَة «اَلْقَوْمِيَّة»، عِنْدَمَا بَدَأَ يَتَطَاوَلُ عَلَى أَقْدَار ٱلرِّجَال، أَسْكَتَهُ ٱلْعَاهِل ٱلسُّعُودِيّ بِسُؤَال ٱلْعَارِف ٱلْبَسِيط: «وَأَنْت مَنْ أَتَى بِك؟».
If the man truly believed in Pan-Africanism he would have talked to Ouagadougou television thanks to Al-Jazeera television as they discovered him on the margin of the summit. The man was as the Egyptians say the unexpected bridegroom when the door has no lock. In my long journalistic life I have never taken Gaddafi seriously. I think that the people of the summit were in need of an entertainment break to refresh the spirit and I believe that the man performed his role as his verbal theatre returned a smile to faces. Gaddafi is serious comedy or what art critics in the West call black comedy. A man who jokes at a serious time. He said that he will stay down. He will not go to Riyadh because he was subjected to an attack in Sharm el-Sheikh. What happened to him there? When he started his traditional role of national overbidding when he started attacking the preordained fates of the [distinguished] men the Saudi ruler silenced him with the simple question of a wise man: And you - who brought you [to power]?
يَرْكُنُ شُرْطِيّ ٱلْمُرُور دَرَّاجَتَهُ ٱلنَّارِيَّة فِي ٱلظَّلام. يَنْتَظِرُ «صَيْدًا» فِي أَحَد مَوَاقِف ٱلسَّيَّارَات اَلْمُلْحَقَة بِمَبْنًى سَكَنِيّ، فِي مِنْطَقَةِ «لامْسِي بلازَا» اَلْمُزْدَحِمَة بِٱلْمُتَسَوِّقِين اَلْهُنُود فِي دُبَي. اَلسَّيَّارَات تَفِدُ مُتَهَادِيَة كَمَا لَوْ أَنَّهَا تَفْتَرِضُ «حُسْن نِيَّةٍ» مُسَبَّقًا. مَدْخَل ٱلْمَوْقِف مُثَبَّتَةٌ عِنْدَهُ لافِتَةً مُثَلَّثَة. هٰذِهِ تَعْنِي: مَمْنُوع ٱلدُّخُول. اَلشُّرْطِيّ يَطْلُب مِن ٱلسَّيَّارَات ٱلْمُخَالِفَة اَلْاِصْطِفَاف إِلَى ٱلْيَمِين، وَمِن سَائِقِيهَا اَلرُّخَص وَٱلْمُلْكِيَّة. يَقُولُهَا بِحَزْم: «كَمْ سَنَةٍ لَكَ فِي دُبَي، أَلا تَعْرِفُ مَعْنَى إِشَارَات ٱلسَّيْر؟». تَرُدُّ مُوَاطِنَةٌ إِمَارَاتِيَّة: «قَلْبَك طَيِّب يَا أَخِي، اَللَّافِتَة ثَبَّتُوهَا مُنْذُ أَيَّامٍ فَقَط، وَلَمْ نَعْتَد بَعْد». فِي مَكَانٍ آخَر، «يَخْتَبِئ» ٱلشُّرْطِيّ عِنْدَ تَقَاطُع ٱلطَّرِيق. سَائِق ٱلسَّيَّارَةِ يُحَاذِيه. يَفْتَحُ ٱلنَّافِذَة رَاغِبًا فِي مُحَاوَرَتِه. قَد يُبَادِرُ: «ٱلسَّلام عَلَيْكُمْ». اَلشُّرْطِيّ صَارِم. لا يَنْظُرُ إِلَى ٱلسَّائِق حَتَّى، بَل إِلَى «نِمْرَةِ» ٱلسَّيَّارَة. يُسَجِّلُهَا. وَيَنْظُرُ إِلَى اَلَّتِي خَلْفَهَا، كَأَنَّهُ يَقُول: «نَكْست».
The traffic policeman parks his motorcycle in the darkness. He waits for prey in one of the car parks attached to a residential building in the Lamcy Plaza area which is crowded with Indian shoppers in Dubai. The cars come calmly as if they are assuming good intentions [of others] in advance. The entrance of the car park has fixed by it a triangular sign. This means: No Entry. The policeman asks the transgressing cars to line up to the right and [asks] the drivers for licences and registration document. He says it firmly: How many years have you been in Dubai dont you know the meaning of traffic signs?. A [female] Emirati citizen replies: Your heart is good O my brother. That sign - they put it up only a few days ago and we havent got used to it yet. In another place the policeman hides by a crossroads. The car driver draws parallel with him. He opens the window wanting to speak with him. He might venture [to say] Peace be upon you. The policeman is stern. He doesnt look at the driver even but at the car number. He records it. And he looks at [the car] which is behind as if to say next!.
لِكَوْن ٱلرِّيَاض وَغَيْرِهَا مِن مُدُن ٱلْمَمْلَكَة تَتَّبِعُ ٱلنَّهْج ٱلْإِسْلامِيّ يَجِبُ عَلَى كَافَّةِ ٱلنِّسَاء لُبْس ٱلْعَبَاءَةِ ٱلسَّوْدَاء وَٱلتَّقَيُّد بِٱلزِّيّ ٱلْإِسْلامِيّ. اَلْكَثِير مِن ٱلْأَمَاكِن تَمْنَعُ ٱلتَّصْوِير لِذٰلِك مِن ٱلْأَفْضَل اَلسُّؤَال وَٱلْاِسْتِئْذَان قَبْلَ أَنْ تَبْدَأَ بِٱلْتِقَاط ٱلصُّوَر. كَافَّةُ ٱلْمَحَلَّات تُغْلَق أَثْنَاءَ أَوْقَات ٱلصَّلاة، لِذٰلِك فَمِن ٱلْأَفْضَل اِخْتِيَار أَوْقَاتٍ مُنَاسِبَةٍ لِلتَّسَوُّق. مُعْظَم ٱلْمَحَلَّات تُفْتَح مِن ٱلسَّاعَةِ ٱلتَّاسِعَةِ وَنِصْف وَحَتَّى ٱلثَّانِيَةِ عَشَر ظُهْرًا لِتُفْتَح بَعْدَهَا فِي فَتْرَةِ ٱلْمَسَاء مِن ٱلرَّابِعَة وَحَتَّى ٱلْحَادِيَة عَشَر وَنِصْف لَيْلًا طِيلَةَ أَيَّام ٱلْأُسْبُوع وَلِغَايَةِ ٱلسَّاعَة ٱلثَّانِيَة عَشَر خِلالَ عُطْلَة نِهَايَةِ ٱلْأُسْبُوع. تُعَدُّ ٱلتَّاكْسِي «اَللِّيمُوزِين» مِن أَفْضَل وَأَرْخَص وَسَائِل ٱلْمُوَاصَلات وَلا تَتَجَاوَز مُعْظَم أَسْعَار مَشَاوِيرِهَا ثَلاثِين رِيَالًا (عَشَر دُولارَات) أَوْ أَقَلّ فِي أَحْيَانٍ كَثِيرَة بَعْدَ ٱلتَّفَاوُض. وَلٰكِن تَذَكَّر دَائِمًا أَنَّ ٱلتَّاكْسِي فِي ٱلسُّعُودِيَّة نَادِرًا جِدًّا مَا يَسْتَخْدِمُ ٱلْعَدَّاد.
Because Riyadh and other cities of the Kingdom [of Saudi Arabia] follow the Islamic way it is necessary for all women to wear the black abaaa [cloak] and to adhere to the Islamic dress code. Many places prohibit photography so it is better to enquire and ask permission before you start taking photographs. All shops are closed during prayer times so it is best to choose appropriate times to go shopping. Most shops are opened from half past nine until twelve noon and are then opened in the evening period from four until half past eleven at night during weekdays and until twelve during the weekend. The limousine taxi is considered the best and cheapest means of transport. Most of the prices of their journeys [lit. errands] do not exceed thirty riyals (ten dollars) or less in many cases [lit. times] after negotiation. But always remember that the taxis in Saudi very rarely use a meter.
عَيْن ٱلْحَسُود أَصَابَت حَارِس مَرْمَى ٱلزَّمَالِك وَمُنْتَخَب مِصْر لِكُرَةِ ٱلْقَدَم عَبْدُٱلْوَاحِد اَلسَّيِّد، بَعْدَ دَقَائِقٍ مِن تَأَلُّقِهِ ٱللّافِت فِي مُبَارَاة فَرِيقِهِ ضِدّ اَلْفَيْصَلِيّ ٱلْأُرْدُنِّي فِي عَمَّان مَسَاء ٱلثُّلاثَاء ٱلْمَاضِي، وَحَافَظَ عَبْدُٱلْوَاحِد عَلَى شِبَاكِهِ نَظِيفَة، وَأَنْقَذَ أَكْثَر مِن كُرَةٍ خَطِرَة مِن سِرَاج اَلتَّلّ، وَلٰكِنَّ ٱلْآلام ٱلْمُبَرِّحَة اَلَّتِي لَاحَقَتْهُ عَقِبَ ٱللِّقَاء بِسَبَب اِصْطِدَامِهِ بِٱلْمُهَاجِم ٱلْأُرْدُنِّي اَلتَّلّ فِي لُعْبَةٍ مُشْتَرَكَة اِسْتَوْجَبَت إِجْرَاء فُحُوصٍ طِبِّيَّةٍ سَرِيعَة. وَجَاءَت ٱلنَّتَائِج مُؤْلِمَة لِلاعِب وَفَرِيقِه، إِذْ كَشَفَت صُورَةُ ٱلْأَشِعَّة وُجُود قَطْعٍ فِي ٱلرِّبَاط ٱلصَّلِيبِيّ لِلرُّكْبَةِ ٱلْيُمْنَى، وَهُوَ ٱلْأَمْر اَلَّذِي يَسْتَوْجِب جِرَاحَةً عَاجِلَة خِلالَ يَوْمَيْن فِي ٱلْقَاهِرَة، وَتُبْعِدُهُ ٱلْجِرَاحَة وَمَا يَعْقُبُهَا مِن تَأْهِيلٍ عَن ٱلْمَلاعِب وَٱلْمُبَارَيَات لِأَكْثَر مِن أَرْبَعَةِ شُهُور، مَا يَعْنِي أَنَّ مَوْسِمَهُ ٱلْكُرَوِيّ اِنْتَهَى، وَلَنْ يَلْحَق اَلْحَارِس اَلْعَائِد أَخِيرًا إِلَى ٱلْمُنْتَخَب ٱلْوَطَنِيّ بِمُبَارَاتَي مِصْر ضِدّ مُورِيتَانِيَا وَبُورُونْدِي فِي تَصْفِيَات ٱلْأُمَم ٱلْأَفْرِيقِيَّة.
The evil [lit. envious] eye struck the goalkeeper of Zamalek and the Egyptian [national] football team Abdul Wahid as-Sayyid minutes after his eye-catching brilliance in his teams match against Jordanian al-Faisaly in Amman last Tuesday evening when Abdul Wahid kept a clean sheet [lit. net] and saved more than one dangerous ball from Siraj at-Tell. But the excruciating pains which caught up with him subsequent to the meeting as a result of his collision with the Jordanian attacker at-Tell in a joint piece of play necessitated the carrying out of speedy medical examinations. The results were painful for the player and his team as the X-ray picture revealed the existence of a rupture in the cruciate ligament of the right knee and this is something which necessitates urgent surgery within two days in Cairo. The surgery and what follows it in the way of training will keep him away from the grounds and matches for more than four months which means that his football season is over. The keeper who recently returned to the national team will also not be able to make Egypts two matches against Mauritania and Burundi in the African Nations qualifiers.
أَمْس هَاتَفَتْنِي ٱلْمُنَاضِلَةُ ٱلْفَاضِلَة فَدْوَى اَلْبَرْغُوثِي. وَصَلَ صَوْتُهَا عَبْرَ ٱلتَّلِفُون دَافِئًا «أَتَّصِل لِأَطْمَئِنَّ عَلَيْكُمْ» قَالَت لِي. يَا اَلله، مَا أَنْبَل هٰذِهِ ٱلسَّيِّدَة تَتَّصِل مِن خَلْف ٱلْأَسْلاك ٱلشَّائِكَة وَمِن جَوْف ٱلنَّار وَٱلْبَارُود وَمِن رَام اَلله ٱلْمُحْتَلَّة، وَمِن فِلَسْطِين اَلَّتِي ٱبْتَلاهَا ٱلزَّمَان بِأَقْذَر أَنْوَاع ٱلْاِحْتِلال، كَيْ تَطْمَئِنَّ عَلَيْنَا، كَأَنَّهَا لا تَكْتَفِي بِهُمُومِهَا وَهُمُوم أُسْرَتِهَا وَمَدِينَتِهَا وَوَطَنِهَا لِتَزِيدَ طِين يَوْمِيَّاتِهَا بِلَّة. كَانَ ٱلْاِتِّصَال فُرْصَة لِلسُّؤَال عَن زَوْجِهَا ٱلْمُنَاضِل مَرْوَان اَلْبَرْغُوثِي، اَلْمُعْتَقَل مُنْذُ سَنَوَاتٍ فِي زَنَازِين ٱلْاِحْتِلال ٱلْإِسْرَائِيلِيّ، وَفُرْصَةً أَيْضًا لِقَوْل: مَبْرُوك إِطْلاق قَسَّام، نَجْلُهَا ٱلْأَكْبَر اَلَّذِي بَقِيَ فِي ٱلْمُعْتَقَل ذَاتُه أَكْثَر مِن سَنَة، وَجَاءَنِي صَوْتُه عَبْرَ ٱلْمَسَافَات وَاثِقًا طَيِّبًا نَضِرًا مِثْلَ غُصْن زَيْتُون مِن تِلْكَ ٱلزَّيْتُونَات ٱلْمُبَارَكَة فِي تُرْبَةِ فِلَسْطِين، لَمْ تَنَل مِنهُ سِيَاط ٱلْجَلَّادِين، فَصَحَّ فِيهِ ٱلْمَثَل: هٰذَا ٱلشِّبْل مِن ذَاكَ ٱلْأَسَد.
Yesterday the distinguished fighter [fig.] Fadwa Al-Barghouti telephoned me. Her voice arrived over the telephone with warmth: Im calling to make sure youre OK she said to me. My God how noble this lady is! She makes contact from behind the barbed wire and from amid [lit. the hollow of] the fire and gunpowder and from occupied Ramallah and from Palestine which time has tested with the dirtiest kind of occupation in order to make sure that we are OK. As though she is not content with her woes and the woes of her family and her city and her homeland so she increases in terms of wetness the clay of her daily tasks [i.e. she makes things worse for herself]. The contact was an opportunity to ask about her husband the fighter [fig.] Marwan Al-Barghouti a [political] prisoner for years in the cells of the Israeli occupation and an opportunity also to say congratulations on the freeing of Qassam her oldest son who stayed in the same detention camp for more than a year. His voice came to me across the distance confident pleasant and fresh like the olive branch of those blessed olive trees in the soil of Palestine. The whips of the executioners had not damaged him so in him the proverb is true: This lion cub is from that lion [i.e. like father like son].
يَحُوزُ تَدْرِيب ٱلْمَكْفُوف عَلَى ٱسْتِعْمَال جِهَاز ٱلْكُومْبيُوتَر وَخَوْضُه مَجَال ٱلْمَعْلُومَاتِيَّة وَٱلْإِنْتَرْنَت، اِهْتِمَام قِطَاعَاتٍ وَاسِعَة مِن ٱلْمُجْتَمَع ٱلْمِصْرِيّ. وَأَمْسَكَت وِزَارَةُ ٱلْاِتِّصَالَات ٱلْمِصْرِيَّة بِهٰذَا ٱلْخَيْط، فَتَعَاوَنَت مَع جَامِعَةِ «عَيْن شَمْس» اَلْعَرِيقَة، وَعَدَد مِن ٱلْجَمْعِيَّات ٱلْخَيْرِيَّة، لِنَشْر مَرَاكِز تَعْلِيم ٱلْمَكْفُوفِين لُغَةِ ٱلْحَاسُوب وَٱلشَّبَكَة ٱلْعَنْكَبُوتِيَّة. وَيَتَحَدَّى هٰذَا ٱلْأَمْر اَلْاِعْتِقَاد ٱلشَّائِع، حَتَّى فِي صُفُوف ٱلْمَكْفُوفِين، بِعَدَم قُدْرَةِ مَنْ فَقَدَ نِعْمَةَ ٱلْبَصَر عَلَى ٱلتَّمَكُّن مِن ٱلتِّقْنِيَّة ٱلْاَلَكْترُونِيَّة وَتَعْقِيدَاتِهَا. وَٱلْتَقَطَ بَعْضُ ٱلْمَكْفُوفِين قُفَّاز ٱلتَّحَدِّي، وَقَرَرَ خَوْض غِمَار مَعْرَكَةِ ٱلتَّطْوِير وَٱلْحَدَاثَة. وَجَاءَت ٱلْبِدَايَة مَع قَرَار جَمْعِيَّةِ «اَلْكَرْمَة لِلْمَكْفُوفِين» تَنْظِيم دَوْرَاتٍ تَدْرِيبِيَّة عَلَى ٱسْتِخْدَام ٱلْكُومْبيُوتَر، شَمَلَت ٱلتَّطْبِيقَات ٱلشَّائِعَة، وَخُصُوصًا تَطْبِيقَات «مَايْكرُوسُوفْت أُوفِيس»، مِثْل مُعَالِج ٱلنُّصُوص «وُورْد برُوسَسَر» وَبَرْنَامَج ٱلْمُحَاسَبَة «إِكْسَل» وَٱلْبَرِيد ٱلْاِلِكْترُونِيّ، إِضَافَةً إِلَى ٱلتَّعَامُل مَع «غُرَف ٱلدَّرْدَشَة» وَغَيْرِهَا.
Training the blind on the use of the computer and their entering [lit. wading into] the field of informatics and the internet has gained the interest of wide sections of Egyptian society. The Egyptian Ministry of Communications took hold of this idea [lit. thread] and worked together with the ancient Ain Shams university and a number of charitable organisations to propagate centres teaching blind people the language of computers and the web. This matter challenges the widespread belief even within the ranks of blind people in the inability of those who do not have the gift of sight to master electronic technology and its complexities. Some blind people picked up the gauntlet [lit. glove of challenge] and decided to enter [lit. wade into] the danger of the battle of development and newness. It started with the decision of the organisation Karma [lit. grapevine] for the Blind to arrange training courses on the use of the computer which included well known applications in particular the applications of Microsoft Office like the word processor Word and the accounting programme Excel and electronic mail in addition to dealing with chat rooms and other things.
عِنْدَمَا تَأَسَّسَت اَلْمَمْلَكَةُ ٱلْعِرَاقِيَّة لَمْ يَكُن هُنَاكَ فِي ٱلْعِرَاق أَيّ زِيٍّ مُعْتَرَفٌ بِه أَوْ سَائِدٍ بَيْنَ ٱلنَّاس. لَبِسَ ٱلْأَكْرَاد فِي ٱلشَّمَال اَلسَّرَاوِيل ٱلْفَضْفَاضَة وَفِي ٱلْجَنُوب لَبِسُوا ٱلدِّشْدَاشَةَ ٱلْخَام، وَفِي بَغْدَاد وَٱلْمُدُن ٱلرَّئِيسِيَّة لَبِسَ رِجَال ٱلدِّين وَٱلْمُتَعَلِّمُون اَلْجُبَّة وَٱلْعِمَامَة. وَمَنْ خَدَمَ فِي ٱلْجَيْش ٱلْعُثْمَانِيّ وَٱلْإِدَارَةِ ٱلْعُثْمَانِيَّة لَبِسُوا ٱلسِّتْرَة وَٱلْبَنْطَلُون. يُقَال مِثْلَ ذٰلِك عَن شِعَار ٱلرَّأْس فِي تَنَوُّعِهِ. لَمْ يَكُن ٱلْمُوَاطِنُون يُعْطُون صُورَةً مَقْبُولَة لِوَحْدَةِ ٱلْوَطَن. وَلِهٰذَا بَادَرَ ٱلْمَلِك فَيْصَل ٱلْأَوَّل إِلَى ٱلْإِيْعَاز بِتَوْحِيد ٱلْأَزْيَاء. وَلٰكِنَّ ٱلْحُكُومَة لَمْ تَجِد مِن ٱلْمُنَاسِب أَوْ ٱلْمُمْكِن فَرْض ذٰلِك عَلَى أَحَد. لَمْ يَكُن ٱلْعِرَاق قَد عَرَف ٱلدِّكْتَاتُورِيَّةَ بَعْد. فَكَّرُوا فَقَط بِٱلنَّشْء ٱلْجَدِيد. أَوْلاد ٱلْمَدَارِس. أَصْدَرَت وِزَارَةُ ٱلْمَعَارِف تَعْمِيمًا لِكُلّ ٱلْمَدَارِس ٱلْعِرَاقِيَّة بِمُطَالَبَةِ ٱلطَّلَبَةِ جَمِيعًا بِلَبْس ٱلْبَنْطَلُون وَٱلثَّوْب وَٱلسِّتْرَة. لا يَجُوز دُخُول ٱلْمَدْرَسَة بِٱلدِّشْدَاشَةِ وَٱلطَّاقِيَّة (اَلْعَرَقْچِين).
When the Iraqi kingdom was established [in 1921] there was not in Iraq any way of dress [which was] [universally] recognised or prevalent among the people. The Kurds in the north wore wide flowing trousers and in the south [people] wore an [unbleached] cotton dishdasha [ankle-length robe] and in Baghdad and the major cities the men of religion and the educated wore a jubbah [collarless jacket] and turban. And those who served in the Ottoman army and the Ottoman administration wore a [western style] jacket and trousers. A similar thing can be said about the distinctive headwear in all its varieties. The citizens didnt use to present an acceptable picture of the unity of the nation. So King Faisal the First embarked upon recommending standardizing the ways of dress. But the government did not find it appropriate or possible to impose that on anyone. Iraq had not got to know dictatorship yet. They thought only about the younger generation - schoolboys. The Ministry of Education [lit. knowledge (old name)] issued an edict to all Iraqi schools with the request that all students wear trousers shirt [ir.] and jacket. It wasnt permitted to enter the school in a dishdasha and skullcap [al-`araqchiin [ir.]].
غَالِبًا مَا تَمْضِي صَفَاء، وَهِيَ مُدَرِّسَةٌ وَأُمٌّ لِثَلاثَةِ أَطْفَال، أَوْقَاتَهَا مَع أَطْفَالِهَا فِي ٱلْحَدِيقَةِ ٱلْعَامَّةِ ٱلْمُجَاوِرَة لِسَكَنِهَا فِي ٱلْعَاصِمَةِ ٱلسُّورِيَّة دِمَشْق، كَمَا تَفْعَلُ ٱلْأُمَّهَات عَادَةً فِي أَيّ بَلَدٍ فِي ٱلْعَالَم. لٰكِنَّ ٱلْحَدِيقَة اَلَّتِي تَقْصُدُهَا صَفَاء يَوْمِيًّا لَيْسَت عَادِيَّة، إِذْ أَنَّهَا مُخَصَّصَةٌ «لِلسَّيِّدَات فَقَط». وَعَلَى رَغْم أَنَّ عَدَد هٰذِهِ ٱلْحَدَائِق اَلَّتِي بَدَأَ بَعْض أَحْيَاء دِمَشْق يَعْرِفُهَا أَخِيرًا، لا يَتَجَاوَز عَدَد أَصَابِع ٱلْيَد ٱلْوَاحِدَة وَتَتَمَرْكَز فِي مَنَاطِق وَسَط «عَاصِمَةِ ٱلْأُمَوِيِّين»، فَإِنَّ شِعَار «لِلسَّيِّدَات فَقَط وَأَطْفَالِهِنّ مَنْ هُم دُون سِنّ ٱلْعَاشِرَة» اَلْمَرْفُوع عَلَى مَدَاخِلِهَا، أَثَارَ حِشْرِيَّةَ كَثِيرِين مِن ٱلسُّورِيِّين ذُكُورًا وَإِنَاثًا. تَدْخُلُ إِحْدَى هٰذِهِ ٱلْحَدَائِق فَتَجِدُ نِسْوَةً يَجْلِسنَ عَلَى شَكْل حَلَقَاتٍ عَلَى ٱلْعُشْب ٱلْأَخْضَر، وَيَتَبَادَلنَ ٱلْأَحَادِيث، حَتَّى أَنَّهُنَّ يَتَبَادَلنَ أَنْوَاع ٱلسَّجَائِر، لٰكِن يُلاحَظ أَنّ غَالِبِيَةَ هٰؤُلاءِ ٱلنِّسْوَة مُحَجَّبَات.
Mostly Safaa who is a teacher and mother to three children spends her times with her children in the park [lit. public garden] next to her home in the Syrian capital Damascus as mothers usually do in any country in the world. But the park which Safaa heads for every day is not usual as it is designated for ladies only. And although the number of these parks which some districts of Damascus have started to become acquainted with recently does not exceed the number of fingers of one hand and are concentrated in areas in the centre of the capital of the Umayyads nevertheless the slogan for ladies only and their children who are under the age of ten raised over their entrances has stirred up the nosiness of many Syrians [both] male and female. Enter one of these parks and you will find women sitting in circles on the green grass exchanging conversation and even exchanging different types of cigarettes. But it is noticeable that the majority of these women are wearing headscarves.
لَوْلا ٱلْاِسْتِهْتَار وَٱلتَّرَاخِي وَٱلْاِكْتِفَاء بِٱلْفَوْز اَلْمَحْدُود وَٱلْحِفَاظ عَلَى سَلامَةِ ٱلْأَقْدَام، لَحَقَّقَ بَرْشِلُونَة ٱلْاِسْبَانِيّ عَدَدًا قِيَاسِيًّا مِن ٱلْأَهْدَاف فِي مَرْمَى مُضِيفِه اَلْأَهْلِيّ ٱلْمِصْرِيّ، فِي لِقَائِهِمَا ٱلْوِدِّي لِكُرَةِ ٱلْقَدَم أَوَّل مِن أَمْس. بَطَل اِسْبَانِيَا حَامِل لَقَب دَوْرِيّ أَبْطَال أُورُوبَّا بَرْشِلُونَة لَقَّنَ بَطَل مِصْر وَأَفْرِيقِيَا دَرْسًا قَاسِيًّا فِي فُنُون كُرَةِ ٱلْقَدَم، وَهَزَمَهُ أَرْبَع ـ صِفْر مَع ٱلرَّأْفَة، وَلَوْ زَادَ لاعِبُو «اَلْبَارْسَا» مِن جِدِّيَتِهِم أَوْ حَمَاسَتِهِم أَوْ جَهْدِهِم لَمُنِيَ ٱلْأَهْلِيّ بِأَقْسَى هَزِيمَةٍ فِي تَارِيخِه، وَكَشَفَت ٱلْمُبَارَاة (اَلْفَاجِعَةُ لِجَمَاهِير ٱلْأَهْلِيّ) حَجْم ٱلْفَارِق ٱلشَّاسِع بَيْنَ ٱلْكُرَةِ ٱلْأُورُوبِّيَةِ ٱلْمُتَقَدِّمَة وَٱلْكُرَة ٱلْمِصْرِيَّة ٱلْبَطِيئَة اَلْغَارِقَةِ فِي ٱلْمَحَلِّيَّة. مَلْعَب ٱلْقَاهِرَة ٱلدَّوْلِيّ كَانَ أَشْبَه بِٱلْمَسْرَح فِي أَجْمَل زِينَة، وَٱمْتَلَأ بِأَكْثَر مِن تِسْعِين أَلْف مُتَفَرِّج، بِأَعْلامِهِم ٱلْحُمْر وَأَلْوَانِهِم ٱلزَّاهِيَة عَلَى ٱلْوُجُوه، مَع حُضُورٍ نِسَائِيٍّ تَخَطَّى نِسْبَةَ أَرْبَعِين فِي ٱلْمِئَة لِلْمَرَّةِ ٱلْأُولَى فِي تَارِيخ ٱلْكُرَةِ ٱلْمِصْرِيَّة.
If it were not for acting frivolously and easing off and being content with a limited victory and preserving the well-being of feet the Spanish [team] Barcelona would have achieved a record number of goals in the goal of their host the Egyptian [team] Ahli in their friendly football encounter the day before yesterday. The champion of Spain holder of the European Champions League title Barcelona taught the champion of Egypt and Africa a harsh lesson in the art of football and beat it four - nil with mercy. And if the Barça players had increased their seriousness or their enthusiasm or their effort Ahli would have been afflicted with the harshest defeat in its history. The match (the tragedy for the Ahli fans) revealed the size of the vast difference between the advanced European football and the slow Egyptian football sunk in parochialism. The Cairo International Stadium was like the most beautifully decorated theatre and was filled with more than ninety thousand spectators with their red flags and their brightly coloured faces with a female attendance which went over forty percent for the first time in the history of Egyptian football.
يَنْبَغِي لِلرَّجُل أَنْ يَكُونَ وَاقِعيًّا فِي ٱخْتِيَارِهِ لِزَوْجَتِه، فَلا يَذْهَبُ وَرَاء ٱلْخَيَال وَٱلْمِثَالِيَّات فِي ٱلْبَحْث عَن ٱلزَّوْجَةِ اَلَّتِي تُسْعِدُه، فَإِنَّ بَعْض ٱلنَّاس يَشْتَرِطُ فِي ٱلزَّوْجَةِ شُرُوطًا كَشُرُوط ٱلْمُجْتَهِد ٱلْمُطْلَق عِنْد ٱلْأَحْنَاف، فَيُرِيدُ زَوْجَةً فِي حُسْن يُوسُف وَعَفَاف مَرْيَم وَصَوْت دَاوُد، وَتَكُونُ عَلَى حَدّ قَوْل اَلأَعْشَى: غَرَّاءُ فَرْعَاءُ مَصْقُولٌ عَوَارِضُهَا ـ تَمْشِي ٱلْهُوَيْنَا كَمَا يَمْشِي ٱلْوَجِي ٱلْوَحِلُ كَأَنَّ مِشْيَتَهَا مِن بَيْتِ جَارَتِهَا ـ مَرُّ ٱلسَّحَابَةِ لا رَيْثٌ وَلا عَجَلُ. أَمَّا وَجْهُهَا وَشَعْرُهَا فَعَلَى حَدّ قَوْل أَبِي ٱلطَّيِّب: كَشَفَت ثَلاثَ ذَوَائِبٍ مِن شَعْرِهَا ـ فِي لَيْلَةٍ فَأَرَت لَيَالِيَ أَرْبَعَا وَٱسْتَقْبَلَت قَمَرَ ٱلسَّمَاءِ بِوَجْهِهَا ـ فَأَرَتْنِيَ ٱلْقَمَرَيْنِ فِي وَقْتٍ مَعَا. وَهٰذِهِ ٱلْأَوْصَاف لا تَنْطَبِقُ إِلَّا عَلَى إِحْدَى ٱلْحُور ٱلْعِين فِي جَنَّات ٱلنَّعِيم، بَيْنَمَا هُوَ قَد يَكُونُ أَحْمَق مِن هَبَنَّقَة وَأَبْخَل مِن مَادِر.
It is desirable for a man to be realistic in his choosing of his wife and not to go after imagination and idealisations in the search for a wife who will make him happy. Some people stipulate in a wife conditions like the conditions of the absolute mujtahid [Islamic legist expert in ijtihaad] among the Hanafis And want a wife with the beauty of Joseph and the virtuousness of Mary and the voice of David and that she is as al-A`shaa [d. 629 AD] says: Fair skinned long haired white are her teeth - she walks unhurriedly as a person in mud gently walks. As though her walking from the house of her neighbour - is the passing of the clouds no hesitating and no hurrying. As for he face and hair then according to Abu ~T-Tayyib [al-Mutanabbi d. 965 AD]: She revealed three strands of hair - one night and showed nights four She turned to the moon of the sky with her face - and showed me two moons at one time. These characteristics are only applicable to one of the beautiful-eyed houris in paradise [lit. gardens of comfort] while he might be more stupid than Habannaqa and more miserly than Maadir.
سَنَالِي وَإِلْيَان وَرِيم، ثَلاث صَدِيقَاتٍ صَغِيرَات لَمْ يَتَجَاوَزنَ ٱلْعَاشِرَةِ مِن ٱلْعُمْر، جَلَسنَ يَتَحَدَّثنَ بِشَغَفٍ عَن ٱلْمُوسِيقَى وَأَغَانِيّهِنّ ٱلْمُفَضَّلَة. بَدَا عَلَيْهِنّ بَعْض ٱلْاِرْتِبَاك فِي أَوَّل حَدِيثٍ صَحَافِيٍّ لَهُنّ، وَسُرِرنَ لَمَّا عَلِمنَ أَنّ أَسْمَاءَهُنّ سَوْفَ تَظْهَرُ فِي ٱلْجَرِيدَة. «مِن دُون صُوَرِنَا؟»، سَأَلَت سَنَالِي. اَلْجَوَاب: «لَلأَسَف يَا صَغِيرَة». رِيم أَصْغَرُهُنّ (تِسْع سَنَوَات)، جَمَّدَت اِبْتِسَامَةً عَرِيضَة عَلَى خَدَّيْهَا. وَطِوَالَ ٱلْحَدِيث، لَمْ تَنْبُس بِبِنْت شَفَة، مَعَ أَنَّهَا هِيَ اَلَّتِي تَزُفّ إِلَى صَدِيقَتَيْهَا اَلْأَغَانِيّ ٱلْجَدِيدَة وَ«أَخْبَار ٱلْمُغَنِّين... وَٱلْمُوضَة»، كَمَا كَشَفَت إِلْيَان اَلشَّقْرَاء. تَعَثَّرنَ قَلِيلًا فِي ٱلْإِجَابَةِ عَن أَسْئِلَةٍ لَمْ يُفَكِّرنَ فِيهَا قَطّ. سَنَالِي، صَاحِبَةُ ٱلْعَيْنَيْن ٱلْجَرِيئَتَين، أَخَذَت تَتَكَلَّم بِحَمَاسَة: «أُحِبُّ ٱلْمُوسِيقَى وَٱلْأَغَانِيّ ٱلْأَجْنَبِيَّة... وَٱلْعَرَبِيَّةُ أَيْضًا. وَٱلْمُغَنِّيّ ٱلْمُفَضَّل لَدَيّ، حَالِيًا، هُوَ مَسَارِيّ. عِنْدَمَا يَظْهَر فِي ٱلتِّلِفِزْيُون، أَجْلِس أَمَام ٱلشَّاشَة وَ«أُسَطِّل».
Sanali Eliane and Reem three young [female] friends no more than ten years of age sat talking passionately about music and their favourite songs. They looked somewhat bewildered in their first press interview but were delighted when they learnt that their names would appear in the newspaper. Without our photographs? asked Sanali. The answer: Unfortunately O little one. Reem the youngest of them (nine years old) froze a broad smile across her face [lit. on her cheeks]. Throughout the interview she didnt utter a word [lit. daughter of lip] even though it is she who tells her two friends of the new songs and news of singers... and fashion as the blonde Eliane revealed. They had a few problems [lit. they stumbled a bit] in the answering of questions they had never thought about before. Sanali who has piercing [lit. daring] eyes started speaking with enthusiasm: I love music and foreign songs... and Arabic [songs] too. My favourite singer at the moment is Massari. When he appears on television I sit in front of the screen and get high.
سِوَار ٱلذَّهَب رَجُلٌ عَظِيم لَهُ ٱلتَّحِيَّة. وَقَد كَانَ لِي قِصَّةٌ عَن تَوَاضُعِهِ ٱلْجَمّ أُرِيدُ أَنْ أُطْلِعَ قَارِئ «اَلشَّرْق ٱلأَوْسَط» عَلَيْهَا رَغْم أَنَّهَا شَخْصِيَّة. فَقَد رَأَيْتُهُ فِي أَحَد ٱلْأَيَّام فِي مَطَار ٱلْمَلِك خَالِد ٱلدَّوْلِيّ بِٱلرِّيَاض وَهُوَ مُغَادِرٌ لِلسُّودَان، وَيَقِف فِي صَفّ وَزْن ٱلْعَفْش مَع ٱلْمُوَاطِنِين. فَجَاءَ نَقِيبٌ مِن ٱلْجَوَازَات يَسْأَلُنِي: هَلْ هٰذَا هُوَ ٱلرَّئِيس سِوَار ٱلذَّهَب؟ فَقُلت لَهُ: نَعَم. فَذَهَب وَأَخَذَ حَقِيبَتَهُ بَعْدَ إِلْحَاحٍ مِنه وَرَفْضٍ مِن سِوَار ٱلذَّهَب. وَأَخِيرًا أَقْنَعَهُ ٱلنَّقِيب بِتَرْك ٱلصَّفّ بَعْدَ أَنْ ِاسْتَأْذَن سِوَار ٱلذَّهَب مِن أَمَامِه وَخَلْفِه فِي ٱلصَّفّ. فَلَهُ ٱلتَّحِيَّة عَلَى هٰذَا ٱلتَّوَاضُع ٱلْجَمّ. اَلشَّيْء ٱلثَّانِي أَتَمَنَّى أَنْ يَطَّلِعَ كَاتِب «اَلشَّرْق ٱلأَوْسَط» اَلصَّادِق ٱلْمَهْدِيّ عَلَى مَوْضُوعِكُمْ هٰذَا لِيَعْرِف أَنَّ سِوَار ٱلذَّهَب هُوَ أَوَّل مَنْ سَلَّمَ ٱلسُّلْطَة لِلْمَدَنِيِّين وَلَيْسَ ٱلْعَقِيد وِلْد فَال فِي مُورِيتَانِيَا.
Suwar al-Dahab [President of Sudan 1985-1986] is a great man. Salutations to him. And I had a story about his abundant humility I want to acquaint the reader of Asharq Alawsat with even though it is personal. I saw him one day in the King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh when he was leaving for Sudan. He was standing in the baggage weigh-in queue along with fellow citizens. A Captain of Passports then came and asks me: Is this President Suwar al-Dahab? So I said to him: Yes. So he went and took his suitcase after insistence from him and refusal from Suwar al-Dahab. Eventually the Captain convinced him to leave the queue after Suwar al-Dahab asked permission from [those] in front of him and behind him in the queue. So salutations to him for this abundant humility. The second thing I wish that the Asharq Alawsat writer Sadeq al-Mahdi [Prime Minister of Sudan 1986-1989] may be acquainted with this subject of yours so that he comes to know that Suwar al-Dahab was who first handed over power to civilians and not Colonel Ould Vall [Military Leader of Mauritania 2005 -2007] in Mauritania.
أَعْتَقِدُ بِأَنَّ نِصْف سُكَّان مِصْر اَلآن لا يَعْرِفُونَ مَنْ هِيَ «ٱلسِّتّ سَنِيَّه». فَمُنْذُ أَرْبَعِين سَنَة كَانَ ٱلتِّلِفِزْيُون ٱلْمِصْرِيّ يُذِيع إِعْلانًا إِرْشَادِيًّا ضَاحِكًا اَلْهَدَف مِنه أَسَاسًا تَرْشِيد اِسْتِهْلاك ٱلْمِيَاه وَإِكْسَاب ٱلْمُوَاطِنِين هٰذَا ٱلْأُسْلُوب ٱلْحَضَارِيّ. لٰكِن كَٱلْعَادَة فَإِنَّ عَبَاقِرَةَ ٱلْإِعْلان عِنْدَنَا يَذْهَبُونَ بَعِيدًا بِأَفْكَارِهِم حَيْثُ كَانَت «اَلسِّتّ سَنِيَّه» مِن أَصْحَاب ٱلْوَزْن ٱلثَّقِيل وَحَرَكَاتُهَا مَع كَلِمَاتٍ وَأَلْحَان ٱلْأُغْنِيَة أَوْحَت لِلنَّاس بِأَنُّهُم أَمَامَ إِعْلانٍ عَن ٱلتَّخْسِيس أَوْ ٱلدَّعْوَة إِلَى ٱلرَّشَاقَة، لِذٰلِك اِبْتَعَدنَا عَن ٱلْهَدَف وَٱنْتَفَى ٱلْغَرَض مِن هٰذَا ٱلْإِعْلان وَظَلَّت ٱلْمِيَاه تَنْسَابُ مِن ٱلْحَنَفِيَّة حَتَّى يُقَال أَنَّ أَرْبَعِين إِلَى خَمْسِين فِي ٱلْمِئَة مِن اِسْتِهْلاك ٱلْمِيَاه ٱلنَّظِيفَة وَٱلصَّالِحَة لِلشُّرْب تَذْهَبُ هَدْرًا فِي ٱلْبَالُوعَات، وَلَسَوْفَ نَنْدَم يَوْمًا عَلَى هٰذَا ٱلْإِسْفَاف فِي ٱلْاِسْتِخْدَام ٱلسَّيِّئ لِلْمَوَارِد ٱلطَّبِيعِيَّة.
I believe that half the population of Egypt now does not know who Sitt [approx. Mrs.] Saniya is. Forty years ago Egyptian television was broadcasting a comical instructional advertisement the aim of which was mainly the rationing [lit. guiding the consumption] of water and making the citizens acquire this civilized manner. But as usual our advertising geniuses took their ideas [too] far as Sitt Saniya was overweight [lit. of the owners of heavy weight] and her movements along with the words and tunes of the song gave the impression to people that they were in front of an advertisement about weight reduction or a call for slenderness. So we moved away from the aim and the purpose of this advertisement was defeated [lit. negated]. The water continued flowing from the tap until it is said that forty to fifty percent of the consumption of clean water suitable for drinking goes uselessly into the drains. We will surely one day regret this trivialisation of the misuse of natural resources.
مَا هٰذِهِ ٱلْفِتْنَةُ ٱلْعَمْيَاء، وَٱلدَّاهِيَة ٱلدَّهْيَاء، اَلَّتِي ضَرَبَت فِي صَمِيم مُجْتَمَعَاتِنَا، وَٱجْتَاحَت فِئَاتٍ مِن شَبَابِنَا، وَحَوَّلَت سِهَامَهُم إِلَى صُدُور أَهْلِيهِم، فَخَرَّبُوا بُيُوتَهُم بِأَيْدِيهِم، فَخَرَّ عَلَيْهِم ٱلسَّقْف مِن فَوْقِهِم، وَأَتَاهُم اَلله مِن حَيْثُ لَمْ يَحْتَسِبُوا فَكُشِفَت أَوْرَاقَهُم، فَيَا لَلفَجِيعَةُ ٱلْفَظِيعَة. إِنَّ ٱلْمَشْرُوع ٱلْمُحَمَّدِيّ كَانَ عُنْوَانُهُ (رَحْمَةً لِلْعَالَمِين) كُلّ ٱلْعَالَمِين، اِسْتَظَلَّ بِفَيْئِهِ ٱلْوَارِف اَلْقَرِيب وَٱلْبَعِيد، وَٱلْمُوَافِق وَٱلْمُخَالِف، وَٱلْبَرّ وَٱلْفَاجِر، وَكَانَت ٱلرَّحْمَةُ شِعَارَهُ وَدِثَارَهُ، حَتَّى قَالَ لِأَعْدَائِهِ حِينَ ظَفَرَ بِهِم: اِذْهَبُوا فَأَنْتُم ٱلطُّلَقَاء، وَلَمْ يُحَاكِمهُم عَلَى جَرَائِمِهِم، وَلا كَشَفَ أَوْرَاق مَنْ خَطَّطُوا لِٱغْتِيَالِهِ فِي ٱلْعَقَبَةِ يَوْم تَبُوك، وَأَبَى قَتْل ٱلْمُنَافِقِين، وَفَتَحَ مَكَّة بَعْدَمَا اِمْتَنَعَت عَلَيْه، فَمَا نَصَبَ ٱلْمَشَانِق وَلا أَقَامَ ٱلْمَجَازِر، وَمَا قَتَلَ أَعْمِدَةَ ٱلْحَرْب وَأَرْكَانَهَا، كَان قَتْلَى ٱلْفَتْح دُونَ أَصَابِع ٱلْيَد ٱلْوَاحِدَة، فَصَحَّ أَنَّهُ رَحْمَة، وَأَنَّ دِينَهُ رَحْمَة، وَأَنَّ شَرِيعَتَهُ قَامَت عَلَى ٱلرَّحْمَة.
What is this blind discord the catastrophe which has hit the very heart of our societies? It has swept away groups of our youths and turned their arrows towards the chests of their own family members so they destroyed their homes with their own hands [ref. Quran 59:2] the roof fell down onto them from above [ref. Quran 16:26] and God came to them from where they had not reckoned [ref. Quran 59:2] so their plans [lit. papers] were revealed. Oh what a truly horrible disaster. The Muhammadan projects model [lit. title] was mercy for the inhabitants of the world. All the inhabitants of the world; The near and the far the conformist and the transgressor the righteous and the profligate [all] sought the [cool] shade of its extending shadow. Mercy was its slogan and its clothing [lit. blanket] He even said to his enemies when he triumphed over them: Go! You are free men. And he did not prosecute them for their crimes nor reveal the plans [lit. papers] of those who had plotted to assassinate him in Aqaba [in Saudi Arabia] on the day of Tabouk [i.e. the Battle of Tabouk 630 AD]. He declined to kill the hypocrites and he conquered Mecca after it had refused to have anything to do with him. He did not erect gallows nor set up massacres and he did not kill the war leaders [lit. war columns and corners]. The [number of] people killed in the Conquest was below the [number of] fingers of one hand. So it is true that he is merciful and that his faith is merciful and that his [Sharia] law was built on mercy.
عِنْدَمَا مَرَّت بِقُرْبِي تِلْكَ ٱلسَّيَّارَة وَلَمْ يَكُن فِيهَا سِوَى ٱلسَّائِق، اِجْتَذَبَنِي بُطْؤُهَا لِكَيْ أَهْرَعَ بِتَلَهُّف وَأَفْتَح ٱلْبَابُ ٱلْخَلْفِيّ وَأَرْمِي بِنَفْسِي عَلَى ٱلْمَقْعَد. وَكَأَنَّ ذٰلِكَ ٱلْأَمْر مَأْلُوفٌ لَدَى ٱلسَّائِق فَلَمْ يَقُل كَلِمَة. بَعْدَ قَلِيل قُلتُ لَه: خُذ ٱلطَّرِيق ٱلْمُسْتَقِيم مِن فَضْلِك. بَعْدَ لَحَظَات تَابَعَت: وَلٰكِن بِسُرْعَة إِذَا سَمَحت. وَظَلَّت ٱلسُّرْعَة ثَابِتَة تَخْتَرِقُ بِنَا ٱلْمَدِينَة. يَبْدُو أَنَّ ٱلسَّائِق يُحِبُّ سُرْعَةً خَاصَّةً بِه، لِذَا فَقَد قَرَّرتُ أَنْ أَعْقِدَ صَدَاقَةً مُؤَقَّتَةً مَعَهُ فَأُقْنِعُهُ بِسُرْعَةٍ أَكْبَر. اَلزَّمَن كَانَ يُلاحِقُنِي وَعَلَيَّ أَنْ أَصِلَ إِلَى ٱلْمَكَان. قُلتُ لِلسَّائِق مُتَزَلِّفًا: سَيَّارَتُكَ جَدِيدَة، مِن شَرّ حَاسِدٍ إِذَا حَسَد. كَمَا ظَهَرَ لِي. فَإِنَّ ٱلرَّجُل يُحِبُّ ٱلصَّمْت.
When that car passed close by me and there was no-one in it apart from the driver its slowness enticed me so I rushed [over] eagerly opened the rear door and threw myself on the seat. As if that sort of thing was familiar to the driver he didnt say a word. After a while I said to him: Go straight on [lit. take the straight road] please. After a few moments I continued: But quickly if you would. The speed remained constant taking us through the city. It seemed that the driver liked a certain speed. So I decided upon striking up [lit. contracting] a temporary friendship with him to persuade him to go faster. Time was catching up with me and I had to reach the place. I said to the driver fawningly: Your car is new ([I seek refuge] from the evil of the envious when he envies [Quran 113:5]) it seems to me. But the man loved silence.
تَرْمِي نَظْرَة إِلَى سَاعَةِ يَدِهَا ٱلصَّغِيرَة. اَلسَّاعَة ٱلْعِشْرُون! حِينَ اِلْتَقَت بِهِ فِي ٱلسَّنَةِ ٱلْمَاضِيَة كَانَت ٱلسَّاعَة ٱلْعِشْرِين. كَانَت ضَائِعَةً تَتَحَاشَى ٱلنَّظَر إِلَى ٱلْمُسْتَقْبَل ٱلْعَاتِم. كَانَ هُوَ إِنْسَانًا هَارِبًا مِن كَابُوس ٱلْمَاضِي. جَمَعَتْهُمَا ٱلصُّدْفَة فِي لَيْلَةِ رَأْس ٱلسَّنَة. تَلاقَت نَظَرَاتُهُمَا... فَٱنْهَارَ فِي تَلاقِيهِمَا اَلضَّيَاع وَنَبَتَ أَمَلٌ فِي بَرِيقِهِمَا. وَٱبْتَسَمَت... فَتَكَلَّم! مَا زَالَت تَذْكُر رَنَّةَ صَوْتِهِ ٱلْعَرِيض: «لِنَقْتُل ٱلْأَسْئِلَة... وَلِنَدْفِن ٱلذِّكْرَيَات... نَحْنُ ٱلْإِثْنَيْن أَضَعنَا ٱلْمَاضِي فَلْنَبْحَث مَعًا عَن ٱلْمُسْتَقْبَل».
She throws a glance towards her small wristwatch. Eight Oclock! When she met him last year the time was eight Oclock. She was lost avoiding looking towards the bleak [lit. dull] future. He was a person escaping from the nightmare of the past. Chance brought them together on New Years Eve. Their gazes met... in that meeting [of gazes] loss collapsed and hope grew in the lustre [of their eyes]. She smiled... and he spoke! She could still remember the sound of his rich [lit. wide] voice: Let us kill the questions and bury the memories... We both have lost the past. Let us search together for the future.