اَلْمَطَر يَنْهَمِر... تَرْفَعُ سَرَاب يَاقَةَ مِعْطَفِهَا... تُخْفِي يَدَيْهَا فِي ٱلْجُيُوب اَلْكَبِيرَة... تُسْرِعُ ٱلْخُطَى... وَلا تَشْعُرُ بِٱلْعُيُون ٱلْعَطْشَى اَلَّتِي تُحَدِّقُ إِلَى جَمَالِهَا. عَيْنَاهُ لَمْ يَسْتَهْوُِهُمَا جَمَالُهَا! رَجُلٌ بَيْنَ مَلايِين ٱلرِّجَال سَهِرَت مَعَهُ مَرَّة! رَجُلٌ لا تَعْرِفُ عَنهُ شَيْئًا إِطْلاقًا... اِكْتَفَت بِٱلتَّغَلْغُل فِي أَعْمَاقِه وَأَبَت أَنْ تَسْأَلَهُ عَن حَيَاتِه. لَمْ تَدْرِ مِن أَيْنَ جَاء... وَمَا سَأَلَتْهُ إِلَى أَيْنَ سَيَمْضِي... لٰكِنَّهُ وَعَدَهَا حِينَ ٱفْتَرَقَا عِنْدَ ٱلْفَجْر بِأَنْ يَعُود... فَتَمَسَّكَت بِٱلذِّكْرَى... وَأَغْرَقَت أَيَّام عَامٍ بِكَامِلِه فِي لَيْلَةٍ لا تُنْسَى! وَمَا زَالَت تَنْتَظِرُه!
The rain pours down... Sarab raises the collar of her coat... hides her hands in the big pockets... and walks quickly.... She does not sense the thirsty eyes which stare at her beauty. Her beauty did not charm his eyes! A man among millions of men who she stayed up with once! A man she does not know anything about at all... She was content with penetrating his depths and declined to ask him about his life. She did not know where he came from... and she did not ask him where he was going... but he promised her when they parted at dawn that he would return.... So she clung on to the memory... And drowned the days of a whole year in a night that could not be forgotten! She was still waiting for him.
عَدَلَ مَحْمُود، اَلضَّابِط فِي مُدِيرِيَّةِ ٱلْمُرُور، عَن نِيَّتِهِ تَحْرِير مُخَالَفَةٍ بِصَاحِب سَيَّارَةٍ أَوْقَفَهَا فِي مِنْطَقَةٍ مَمْنُوعَة، بَعْدَمَا شَاهَدَ صُورَةً بِٱلْحَجْم ٱلْكَبِير لِأَحَد رِجَال ٱلدِّين عَلَى ٱلزُّجَاج ٱلْأَمَامِيّ لِلسَّيَّارَة، خَوْفًا مِن اِنْتِقَام أَتْبَاع ٱلرَّجُل (صَاحِب ٱلصُّورَة). قَالَ مَحْمُود أَنّ «صُوَر بَعْض رِجَال ٱلدِّين أَقْوَى مِن ٱلْقَانُون وَمِن رَجُل ٱلشُّرْطَة، خُصُوصًا إِذَا كَانَت عَائِدَةً لِلزَّعِيم ٱلشِّيعِيّ اَلشَّابّ مُقْتَدَى ٱلصَّدْر»، وَأَوْضَحَ أَنّ «بَعْضَهُم يَسْتَغِلّ هٰذِهِ ٱلصُّوَر، لِمُخَالَفَةِ ٱلْقَانُون وَضَرْبِهِ عُرْض ٱلْحَائِط»، وَتَابَعَ: «لا أَحَد يَدْعَمُنِي مِن ٱلسُّلْطَةِ ٱلْمَرْكَزِيَّة عِنْدَ ٱلْاِعْتِرَاض عَلَى تَجَاوُزَات مَنْ يَرْفَعُون ٱلصُّوَر ٱلدِّينِيَّة». وَأَكَّدَ أَنّ «ٱلسُّلُطَات فِي ٱلنَّجَف تَهَابُهُم وَتَحْسُبُ لَهُم أَلْف حِسَاب».
Mahmoud an officer in the Traffic Police [lit. traffic directorate] deviated from his intention to write out a ticket [lit. violation] for the owner of a car he stopped in a prohibited area after he saw a large-sized picture of one of the men of religion on the windscreen of the car for fear of revenge by the followers of the man (of the picture). Mahmoud said that the pictures of some of the men of religion are more powerful than the law and than a policeman especially if they appertain to the Shiite leader young Muqtada al-Sadr And he explained that some of them exploit these pictures to violate the law and to [contemptuously] ignore it. [lit. hit it with the side of a wall]. He continued: No-one from Central Authority supports me upon [my] objecting to the contraventions [lit. oversteppings] of those who put up religious pictures. And he stressed that the authorities in Najaf fear them and attach great importance to them [lit. give them a thousand reckonings].
يَبْدُو أَنَّ هُنَاكَ طَرِيقَةٌ مُعَيَّنَةٌ لِشُرْب عَصِير ٱلْقَصَب، فَٱلزَّبَائِن يَقِفُونَ أَمَامَ أَشْهَر مَحَلٍّ لِعَصِير ٱلْقَصَب فِي ٱلْقَاهِرَة، يُمْسِكُونَ ٱلْكُوب ٱلزُّجَاجِيّ اَلطَّوِيل بَيْنَ ٱلْإِبْهَام وَٱلسَّبَّابَة، وَيَنْظُرُونَ لِلْعَصِير ٱللَّبَنِيّ، وَكَأَنَّهُم يَنْظُرُونَ إِلَى شَيْءٍ قَيِّم، ثُمَّ يَشْرَبُونَهُ مَرَّةً وَاحِدَة. وَهُنَاكَ دَائِمًا اِزْدِحَامٌ حَوْلَ مَحَلّ عَصِير ٱلْقَصَب فِي شَارِع صَلاح سَالِم فِي ٱلْقَاهِرَةِ ٱلْقَدِيمَة. لا يُوجَدُ طَابُور، بَل مَجْمُوعَةٌ مِن ٱلرِّجَال وَٱلنِّسَاء وَٱلْأَطْفَال، اَلْمُسْلِمِين وَٱلْمَسِيحِيِّين، اَلْمُحَجَّبَات وَغَيْر ٱلْمُحَجَّبَات، اَلْفُقَرَاء وَٱلْأَثْرِيَاء، طِوَالَ ٱلْيَوْم. وَيَقُول عَلِيّ مُحَمَّد اَلْبَالِغ مِن ٱلْعُمْر إِثْنَان وَخَمْسُون سَنَة، وَهُوَ يَمْسَحُ ٱلرَّغْوَةَ ٱلْبَيْضَاء مِن عَلَى شَفَتَيه، «لَقَد تَغَيَّرَ كُلّ شَيْءٍ فِي هٰذَا ٱلْحَيّ. وَلٰكِنَّ مَحَلّ ٱلْعَصِير، لا يَزَال كَمَا هُوَ».
It seems that there is a certain way of drinking sugar cane juice as the customers stand in front of the most famous shop for sugar cane juice in Cairo holding the long glass tumbler between thumb and forefinger and look at the milky juice as though they are looking at something valuable. Then they drink it in one go. There is always a crowd around the sugar cane juice shop in Salah Salem Street in Old Cairo. There is no queue but rather a group of men and women and children Muslims and Christians women with headscarves and women without headscarves poor and rich throughout the day. Ali Muhammad who is [lit. has reached the age of] fifty two years old says as he wipes the white froth from his lips: Everything has changed in this district but the juice shop is still as it was.
كُنتُ قَد كَتَبتُ عَن ٱللَّقَالِق، هٰذِهِ ٱلطُّيُور ٱلْعَجِيبَة اَلنَّاصِعَةَ ٱلْبَيَاض اَلطَّوِيلَةَ ٱلْأَرْجُل، اَلَّتِي اِعْتَدتُ عَلَى مُشَاهَدَتِهَا وَهِيَ تَحُطُّ وَتَبْنِي أَعْشَاشَهَا فَوْقَ مَنَائِر مَسَاجِد بَغْدَاد. وَتُطَقْطِق بِمَنَاقِيرِهَا ٱلطَّوِيلَة. دَأَبَت عَلَى ذٰلِك مُنْذُ عَرَفَ ٱلْعِرَاق ٱلْإِسْلام وَشُيِّدَت فِيهِ ٱلْجَوامِع وَٱرْتَفَعَت ٱلْمَنَائِر. بَيْدَ أَنَّ هٰذِهِ ٱلطُّيُور ٱلْعِمْلاقَة اِخْتَفَت فِي ٱلسَّنَوَات ٱلْأَخِيرَة وَتَحَيَّرَ ٱلْقَوْم فِي أَمْر اِخْتِفَائِهَا. لِمَاذَا لَمْ تَعُد تَأْتِي فِي ٱلشِّتَاء إِلَى مَنَائِر بَغْدَاد كَسَابِق عَهْدِهَا وَتُرَبِّي أَفْرَاخَهَا هُنَاك؟ قَالَ ٱلْبَعْض أَنَّهُ ٱلتَّغَيُّر ٱلْبِيئِيّ فِي ٱلْمَنَاخ. قَالَ آخَرُون إِنَّ ٱللَّقَالِق تَعِيش عَلَى فَضَلات ٱلْمَدِينَة وَمَا يَرْمِيهِ ٱلسُّكَّان مِن فَائِض ٱلطَّعَام فِي خَارِجِهَا. وَقَد تَغَيَّرَت نَوْعِيَّةُ هٰذِهِ ٱلْفَضَلات فِي ٱلْآوِنَةِ ٱلْأَخِيرَة. وَٱلظَّاهِر أَنَّ ٱللَّقَالِق لا تُحِبّ ٱلْوَجَبَات ٱلسَّرِيعَة وَهَمْبُرْغَرَات مَكْدُونَالد، فَعَافَت مَدِينَةَ بَغْدَاد وَرَحَلَت إِلَى حَيْثُ لا تُوجَد مَطَاعِم مَكْدُونَالد وَلا يَأْكُلُ ٱلنَّاس اَلْوَجَبَات ٱلسَّرِيعَة.
I have written [before] about storks. These wonderful birds [which are] brilliant white [and] long legged which I used to see as they would alight and build their nests on top of the minarets of the mosques of Baghdad. And they would make a clacking [toq toq] sound with their long beaks [by hitting their beaks together]. They have persisted in [doing] that ever since Iraq got to know Islam and mosques were built in [the city] and minarets went up. However these giant birds disappeared in recent years and people were baffled as to the reasons for their disappearance. Why did they no longer come in winter to the minarets of Baghdad as they did before and raise their chicks there? Some said that it was the environmental change in the climate. Others said that storks live on the leftovers of the city and what the residents throw away outside in terms of surplus food. The nature of these leftovers has changed in recent times. It seems that storks dont like fast food and McDonalds hamburgers. So they left the city of Baghdad and set off to a place where there are no McDonalds restaurants and the people dont eat fast food.
فَلَمَّا فَرِغَ ٱلسِّنْدِبَاد ٱلْحَمَّال مِن شِعْرِه وَنَظْمِه أَرَادَ أَنْ يَحْمِلَ حَمْلَتَهُ وَيَسِير إِذْ قَد طَلَعَ عَلَيْهِ مِن ذٰلِكَ ٱلْبَاب غُلامٌ صَغِير ٱلسِّنّ حَسَن ٱلْوَجْه فَاخِر ٱلْمَلابِس فَقَبَضَ عَلَى يَد ٱلْحَمَّال وَقَالَ لَه: «اُدْخُل كَلِّم سَيِّدِي فَإِنَّهُ يَدْعُوكَ». فَأَرَادَ ٱلْحَمَّال اَلْاِمْتِنَاع مِن ٱلدُّخُول مَعَ ٱلْغُلام فَلَمْ يَقْدِر عَلَى ذٰلِك. فَحَطَّ حَمْلَتَهُ عِنْدَ ٱلْبَوَّاب فِي دِهْلِيز ٱلْمَكَان وَدَخَلَ مَعَ ٱلْغُلام دَاخِل ٱلدَّار، فَوَجَدَ دَارًا مَلِيحَةً وَعَلَيْهَا أُنْسٌ وَوَقَار وَنَظَرَ إِلَى مَجْلِسٍ عَظِيم فَنَظَرَ فِيه مِن ٱلسَّادَات ٱلْكِرَام وَٱلْمَوَالِي ٱلْعِظَام وَفِيه مِن جَمِيع أَصْنَاف ٱلزَّهْر وَجَمِيع أَصْنَاف ٱلْمَشْمُوم وَمِن أَنْوَاع ٱلنُّقْل وَٱلْفَوَاكِه وَشَيْئًا كَثِيرًا مِن أَصْنَاف ٱلْأَطْعِمَةِ ٱلنَّفِيسَة وَفِيهِ مَشْرُوبٌ مِن خَوَاصّ دَوَالِي ٱلْكُرُوم وَفِيهِ آلات ٱلسَّمَاع وَٱلطَّرَب مِن أَصْنَاف ٱلْجَوَارِي ٱلْحِسَان.
When Sindbad the Porter had made an end of his poetry and his composition he wanted to bear up his burden and move on when there came out to him from that door a young slave boy fair of face and sumptuous of dress who took hold of the porters hand and said to him: Come in and speak to my lord [who is Sindbad the Sailor] as he calls for you. The porter wanted to refrain from entering with the slave boy but he was powerless to do so. So he set down his load with the doorkeeper in the hallway of the place and accompanied by the slave boy entered the interior of the house. He found a comely mansion with a genial and dignified air and he looked into a grand sitting-room wherein he saw noble gentlemen and great lords and wherein were all manner of flowers and all manner of sweet scents and varieties of nuts and dried fruits and fresh fruits and a great plenty of various precious foodstuffs and wherein was wine [lit. drink] of finest vintage [lit. the choice vine trellises] and wherein were instruments of music [lit. listening] and mirth from a variety of beautiful slave girls.
عَاشَت ٱلْعَاصِمَةُ ٱلْعُمَانِيَّة مَسْقَط وَسُكَّانُهَا، وَٱلْقُرَى ٱلْمُحِيطَةُ بِهَا، يَوْمًا عَصِيبًا أَمْس، وَتَحَوَّلَت إِلَى «مَدِينَةِ أَشْبَاح» بَعْدَمَا غَمَرَتْهَا مِيَاه ٱلْأَمْطَار وَٱلْوُحُول وَٱلْمَدّ ٱلْبَحْرِيّ، اَلنَّاتِج عَن ٱلْإِعْصَار ٱلْمَدَارِيّ «غُونُو». وَبَثَّت ٱلْإِذَاعَةُ ٱلْعُمَانِيَّة نِدَاءَاتٍ مِن سُكَّانٍ لَجَأُوا إِلَى سُطُوح مَنَازِلِهِم فِي بَعْض أَحْيَاء ٱلْعَاصِمَة، كَانُوا يَسْتَغِيثُون لِإِنْقَاذِهِم مِن ٱلْمِيَاه اَلَّتِي اِرْتَفَعَت نَحْوَ أَرْبَعَةِ أَمْتَارٍ وَغَطَّت ٱلدُّور ٱلسُّفْلِيَّة. وَٱمْتَدَّ تَأْثِير ٱلْإِعْصَار، اَلَّذِي سَارَ فِي مُوَازَاة خَطّ «مَدَار ٱلسَّرَطَان»، أَيْضًا إِلَى إِمَارَةِ ٱلْفُجَيْرَة، فِي دَوْلَةِ ٱلْإِمَارَات ٱلْعَرَبِيَّةِ ٱلْمُتَّحِدَة، اَلَّتِي أَغْلَقَت مِينَاءَهَا ٱلْبَحْرِيّ فِي وَجْه ٱلْمِلاحَة، فِي وَقْتٍ اِسْتَعَدَّت إِيرَان، بِإِجْلاء عَشَرَات ٱلْآلاف مِن سُكَّان ٱلْمَنَاطِق ٱلْبَحْرِيَّة، لِٱسْتِقْبَال «غُونُو» اَلَّذِي تَرَاجَعَت قُوَّتُه إِلَى ٱلدَّرَجَةِ ٱلْأُولَى مِن ٱلدَّرَجَةِ ٱلْخَامِسَة وَيُنْتَظَر أَنْ يَضْرِبَ مَنَاطِقَهَا ٱلسَّاحِلِيَّة، مِن خَلِيج عُمَان حَتَّى مَضِيق هُرْمُز.
The Omani capital Muscat its population and the villages surrounding it experienced a difficult [lit. hot] day yesterday and it was transformed into a ghost town after water from rain and mud flows and the rising sea level resulting from tropical cyclone Gonu deluged it. Omani radio transmitted calls [for help] from residents who had taken refuge in the rooftops of their houses in some districts of the capital. They were appealing to be rescued from the waters which had risen around four metres and covered the lower floors. The effect of the cyclone which moved parallel to the line [of latitude] of the Tropic of Cancer also extended to the Emirate of Fujairah in the state of the United Arab Emirates which closed its sea port to all shipping at a time when Iran was preparing itself with the evacuation of tens of thousands of residents of maritime areas for receiving Gonu whose force diminished to Category One from Category Five. It is expected to hit [Irans] coastal areas from the Gulf of Oman to the Straits of Hormuz.
صَبَاح ٱلْخَيْر. صَبَاح ٱلنُّور. مَا اِسْمُكَ؟ اِسْمِي جُون. مَا بَلَدُك؟ بَلَدِي إِنْجِلْتَرَا. مَا جِنْسِيَّتُك؟ جِنْسِيَّتِي إِنْجْلِيزِيّ. شُكْرًا. شُكْرًا لَكِ. إِلَى ٱللِّقَاء. إِلَى ٱللِّقَاء.
Good morning. Good morning [response]. Whats your name? My names John. Whats your country? My country is England. Whats your nationality? My nationality is English. Thanks. Thanks to you. Bye [lit. to the (next) meeting]. Bye.
اِسْمِي نَاجِي اَلْعَلِيّ. وُلِدتُ حَيْثُ وُلِدَ ٱلْمَسِيح، بَيْنَ طَبَرِيَّة وَٱلنَّاصِرَة، فِي قَرْيَةِ ٱلشَّجَرَة بِٱلْجَلِيل ٱلشَّمَالِيّ، أَخْرَجُونِي مِن هُنَاك بَعْدَ عَشَر سَنَوَات، فِي أَلْفٍ وَتِسْعُمِئَةٍ وَثَمَانٍ وَأَرْبَعِين إِلَى مُخَيَّم عَيْن ٱلْحُلْوَة فِي لُبْنَان. أَذْكُرُ هٰذِهِ ٱلسَّنَوَات ٱلْعَشْر أَكْثَر مِمَّا أَذْكُرَهُ مِن بَقِيَّةِ عُمْرِي، أَعْرِفُ ٱلْعُشْب وَٱلْحَجَر وَٱلظِّلّ وَٱلنُّور، لا تَزَالُ ثَابِتَة فِي مَحْجَر ٱلْعَيْن كَأَنَّهَا حُفِرَت حَفْرًا. لَمْ يُخْرِجهَا كُلّ مَا رَأَيْتُهُ بَعْدَ ذٰلِك. وَصَلنَا زَائِغِي ٱلْأَعْيُن، حُفَاة ٱلْأَقْدَام، إِلَى عَيْن ٱلْحُلْوَة. كُنتُ صَبِيًّا وَسَمِعتُ ٱلْكِبَار يَتَحَدَّثُون اَلدُّوَل ٱلْعَرَبِيَّة.. اَلْإِنْكلِيز.. اَلْمُؤَامَرَة.. كَمَا سَمِعتُ فِي لَيَالِي ٱلْمُخَيَّم ٱلْمُظْلِمَة شَهَقَات بُكَاءٍ مَكْتُوم.. وَرَأَيْتُ مَنْ دَنَت لَحْظَتُهُ يَمُوت وَهُوَ يَنْطَلِقُ إِلَى ٱلْأُفُق فِي ٱتِّجَاه ٱلْوَطَن ٱلْمَسْرُوق، أَلْتَقِط ٱلْحُزْن بِعُيُون أَهْلِي، وَشَعَرتُ بِرَغْبَةٍ جَارِفَة فِي أَنْ أَرْسُمَهُ خُطُوطًا عَمِيقَة عَلَى جُدْرَان ٱلْمُخَيَّم.
My name is Naji al-Ali. I was born where [Jesus] the Messiah was born between Tiberias and Nazareth in the village of Shajara in northern Galilee. They expelled me from there after ten years in 1948 to the Ain al-Helwa camp in Lebanon. I remember these ten years more than anything I remember from the rest of my life; I know the grass and the stone and the shade and the light - they are still fixed in the eye sockets as if engraved deeply. All that I saw after that did not expel [these memories]. We arrived with eyes roaming barefoot to Ain al-Helwa. I was a boy and I heard the adults talking the Arab states.. the English.. conspiracy.. Just as I heard in the camps dark nights the gulps of stifled crying.. And I saw he whose time had come die as he turned [lit. set off] towards the horizon in the direction of the stolen homeland. I would pick up the sadness in the eyes of my family and felt a burning [lit. torrential] desire to draw [this sadness] as deep lines on the walls of the camp.
بِسُهُولَةٍ غَيْرُ مُحْتَمَلَةٍ يَقَعُ ٱلْإِعْلام ٱلْعَرَبِيّ فَرِيسَةَ أَيَّةِ دِعَايَةٍ إِسْرَائِيلِيَّة مَهْمَا كَانَت شَفَّافَة. فَبِمُجَرَّد أَنْ تَنْشُر «يَدِيعُوت أَحْرُونُوت» أَوْ «مَعَارِيف» أَوْ «هَآرِتْس» أَوْ غَيْرَهَا خَبَرًا، فَإِنَّ ذٰلِك يُعْتَبَرُ سَبَبًا كَافِيًا كَيْ يَنْتَشِر عَرَبِيًّا مِثْلَ ٱلنَّار فِي ٱلْهَشِيم. اَلْخَبَر ٱلْإِسْرَائِيلِيّ يَنْشُرُ ذَاتَه. فَوَسَائِل ٱلْإِعْلام ٱلْعَرَبِيَّة تُكَرِّرُ مِن دُونِ فَحْصٍ وَنَقْدٍ وَمِن دُونِ مُقَارَنَةٍ مَعَ مَا نُشِر مِن قَبْل، وَبَاتَت تَتَنَافَس فِي تَكْرَار مَا يُنْشَرُ إِسْرَائِيلِيًّا. فَٱلْاِعْتِقَاد رَائِج أَنَّهُ إِعْلامٌ دِيمُوقرَاطِيٌّ تَعَدُّدِيٌّ مُسْتَقِلّ، وَإِذَا أَخْطَأَ فَهُوَ يُخْطِئُ بِحُسْن نِيَّة! أَمَّا أَنَّ إِسْرَائِيل نَفْسَهَا قَد نَشَرَت أَنَّ لَدَيهَا وَحْدَةٌ فِي ٱلْاِسْتِخْبَارَات ٱلْعَسْكَرِيَّة هَدَفُهَا نَشْر ٱلْإِشَاعَات فِي ٱلْعَالَم ٱلْعَرَبِيّ، وَأَنَّهَا تَسْتَغْرِبُ سُهُولَةَ وَيُسْر تَحْقِيق هٰذَا ٱلنَّشْر بِحَامِلاتٍ عَرَبِيَّةٍ سَاذِجَة، فَهٰذَا مَا يَغْفُلُ ٱلْإِعْلام ٱلْعَرَبِيّ أَنْ يُكَرِّرُه.
With improbable ease the Arab media falls prey to any Israeli propaganda however transparent. Because as soon as Yedioth Ahronoth or Maariv or Haaretz or others announce some news then that is considered sufficient reason for it to spread in the Arab world like wildfire [lit. fire in straw]. Israeli news spreads itself. The Arab media repeats it without examination and criticism and without comparing with what was published before and they start competing with each other in repeating what is published in Israel. The belief is widespread that it is a democratic media pluralistic and independent and if it makes mistakes it [only] makes mistakes with good intentions! However Israel herself has made it known that it has a unit in the military secret service whose aim is to spread rumours in the Arab world and that it is surprised at the ease and easiness of achieving this spreading [of rumours] through naive Arab carriers. This is what the Arab media neglects to repeat.
عَكَسَت مُرَاسِلَةُ مَحَطَّةِ «إِن بِي إِن» «رَأْيَهَا ٱلشَّخْصِيّ» مِن خِلالِ خَطَأٍ غَيْرَ مَقْصُودٍ فِي بَثٍّ مُبَاشِر لَدَى تَغْطِيَتِهَا جَرِيمَةِ اِغْتِيَال ٱلنَّائِب وَلِيد عِيدُو. إِذ سَمِعَ ٱلْمُشَاهِدُون صَوْت ٱلْمُذِيعَةِ وَهِيَ تَقُول «أَعْطُونِي ٱلْهَوَاء»، وَقَبْلَ أَنْ تَعْلَمَ أَنَّ ٱلْهَوَاء قَد أَصْبَحَ تَحْتَ تَصَرُّفِهَا، قَالَت «مَرْحَبًا، اَلْعَوَض بِسَلامَتِكُمْ، لِيش تَعَوَّقُوا (أَيْ تَأَخَّرُوا) لَقَتَلُوه». وَرَدَّ صَوْتٌ آخَر عَلَيْهَا «نَحْنُ لا نَشْمَت» فَأَجَابَت «مِش شَمَاتَة بَسّ هَلَكُونَا. بَعْد فِي أَحْمَد فَتْفَت (اَلْوَزِير فِي فَرِيق ٱلْمُوَالاة). أَنَا عَم عِدُّن (أَيْ أَنَا أَحْصِيهِم)». وَأَوْرَدَت صَحِيفَةُ اَلنَّهَار ٱللُّبْنَانِيَّة «أَنَّ ٱلْوَزِير فَتْفَت أَجْرَى ٱتِّصَالًا بِمَرْجِعٍ سِيَاسِيٍّ كَبِير، وَقَد تَبَلَّغَ مِنه أَنَّ ٱلْمُذِيعَةَ طُرِدَت فَوْرًا مِن ٱلْمُؤَسَّسَة». وَٱلْمَعْرُوف أَنَّ اَلْـ«إِن بِي إِن» تَابِعَة لِرَئِيس مَجْلِس ٱلنُّوَّاب نَبِيه بَرِّيّ.
A correspondent of the [TV] station NBN reflected her personal opinion through an inadvertent error in a live broadcast during her coverage of the crime of the assassination of MP Walid Eido. As viewers heard the voice of the announcer as she was saying Put me on [lit. give me the] air and before she knew that the air was [indeed] at her disposal she said Hello. Your safety is compensation [expression said when someone dies]. Why were they [so] late [leb.] (i.e. were they late [fusha]) to kill him?. Another voice replied to her We dont gloat. She answered Its not [leb.] gloating - its just [leb.] we cant take any more [leb.] [lit. they exhausted us]. After this there is Ahmad Fatfat (the Minister in the group loyal [to the government]). Im counting them [leb.] (i.e. I count them [fusha]). The Lebanese newspaper An Nahar reported that Minister Fatfat has been in contact with a senior political authority and he was informed by [this authority] that the announcer was dismissed immediately from the institution. It is well known that NBN belongs to the Speaker [lit. leader] of Parliament [lit. council of representatives] Nabih Berri.
«لُوذَان» هُوَ ٱلْاِسْم اَلَّذِي اِخْتَارَتْهُ مَجْمُوعَةٌ مِن سَيِّدَات ٱلْأَعْمَال ٱلسُّعُودِيَّات لِإِطْلاقِهِ عَلَى فُنْدُقٍ أَنْشَأنَهُ فِي مَدِينَةِ ٱلرِّيَاض، هُوَ ٱلْأَوَّل مِن نَوْعِه عَلَى مُسْتَوَى ٱلْمَمْلَكَةِ وَٱلْعَالَم، إِذْ يَقْتَصِرُ دُخُولُهُ عَلَى ٱلنِّسَاء وَٱلْفَتَيَات، وَيَضُمُّ مُنْتَجَعًا صِحِّيًا وَمَسَابِح وَنَادِيًا رِيَاضِيًّا وَقَاعَاتٍ لِلْحَفَلات وَٱلْمُنَاسَبَات ٱلْخَاصَّة. وَٱخْتِيَار ٱلْاِسْم «لُوذَان»، اَلَّذِي يَعْنِي ٱلْهُرُوب بَحْثًا عَن مَلاذ، لَيْسَ وَلِيد صُدْفَة، بَل هُوَ يَخْتَصِرُ فِكْرَةَ ٱلْمَشْرُوع بِرُمَّتِهَا، وَٱلْهَدَف اَلَّذِي أُنْشِئَ لِأَجْلِه، كَمَا أَنَّهُ لَفْظٌ قَرِيبٌ مِن كَلِمَةٍ بِٱللَّهْجَةِ ٱلْمَحَلِّيَّة هِيَ «لُوذَة»، تَعْنِي «اَلْمَلْجَأ». وَهُوَ كَمَا تُعَرِّفُهُ مَسْؤُولَةُ ٱلْعَلاقَات ٱلْعَامَّة وَٱلْكُتَيِّبَات ٱلتَّفْسِيرِيَّة: مَكَانٌ «مِن ٱلْمَرْأَةِ إِلَى ٱلْمَرْأَة»، «صُمِّمَ خَصِيصًا لِيَكُونَ مَلاذًا وَمَلْجَأً لِجَسَدِهَا ٱلْمُتْعَب وَذِهْنِهَا ٱلْمُشَوَّش».
Luthan is the name which a group of Saudi businesswomen chose to apply to a hotel they set up in the city of Riyadh which is the first of its kind on a Kingdom and world level in that entry to it is restricted to women and girls. It includes a health spa swimming pools a sports club and halls for parties and special occasions. The choosing of the name Luthan which means escaping in search of a refuge is not the product of chance. Rather it epitomizes the concept of the project in its entirety and the aim which it was set up for. It is also an expression which is close to a word in the local dialect which is lutha which means refuge. And it is as a public relations official and the explanatory booklets explain: A place from women to women it was designed specifically to be a refuge and haven for her tired body and her muddled mind.
اَلرَّئِيس عَبَّاس قَد شَنَّ أَوَّل مِن أَمْس هُجُومًا عَنِيفًا عَلَى حَمَاس، وَاصِفًا أَعْضَاء هٰذِهِ ٱلْحَرَكَة بـِ«ٱلْخَوَنَة»، وَمُؤَكِّدًا أَنَّ سَيْطَرَتَهَا عَلَى قِطَاع غَزَّة جَاءَت تَنْفِيذًا لِمُخَطَّطٍ أُعِدَّ مَعَ «أَطْرَافٍ إِقْلِيمِيَّة». وَنَظَّمَت حَمَاس بَعْدَ هٰذَا ٱلْخِطَاب مَسِيرَاتٍ حَاشِدَة لِمُنَاصِرِيهَا وَأَعْضَائِهَا فِي غَزَّة حَيْثُ قَامَ عَدَدٌ مِن ٱلْمُتَظَاهِرِين بِحَرْق دُمًى وَمُجَسَّمٍ لِعَبَّاس وَصُوَرٍ لَهُ مَعَ وَزِيرَةِ ٱلْخَارِجِيَّةِ ٱلْأَمِيرِكِيَّة كُونْدُولِيزَا رَايْس. فِي ٱلْمُقَابِل، قَالَ عَدْنَان اَلْخَرُوبِيّ (خَمْسٌ وَأَرْبَعُون عَامًا) وَهُوَ طَبِيبٌ فِي غَزَّة «خِطَاب عَبَّاس كَانَ مُتَوَازِنًا». وَأَضَاف «قَد يَكُون أَبُو مَازِن فَقَدَ سَيْطَرَتَهُ ٱلْعَسْكَرِيَّة عَلَى ٱلْقِطَاع وَلٰكِنَّهُ هُوَ اَلَّذِي يُسَيْطِر سِيَاسِيًّا وَمَالِيًّا وَإِدَارِيًّا عَلَيْه، لِذٰلِك نَحْنُ اَلآن بَيْنَ ٱلْمِطْرَقَةِ وَٱلسِّنْدَان. عَبَّاس يَتَحَدَّث مِن رَام ٱلله وَنَحْنُ نُعَانِي فِي غَزَّة». وَتَابَعَ «إِذَا فُتِحَت ٱلْمَعَابِر فَسَيُغَادِرُ ٱلْقِطَاع اَلْآلاف لِأَنَّ ٱلْوَضْع أَصْعَب مِمَّا نَتَصَوَّر».
President Abbas launched a fierce attack on Hamas the day before yesterday describing the members of this movement as traitors and asserting that [Hamass] control over the Gaza Strip came through the carrying out of a scheme prepared with regional parties. After this speech Hamas organised large [lit. crowded] marches for its supporters and its members in Gaza where a number of demonstrators carried out the burning of effigies and a model of Abbas and pictures of him with the American Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. In contrast Adnan al-Kharubi (45 years old) who is a doctor in Gaza said The speech of Abbas was balanced. And he added: Maybe Abu Mazen has lost his military control over the Strip but it is he who controls it politically financially and administratively. So we are now between a rock and a hard place [lit. between the hammer and the anvil]. Abbas talks from Ramallah and we suffer in Gaza. He continued: If the crossing points are opened thousands will leave the Strip because the situation is more difficult than we could imagine.
بَيَانَاتٌ عِدَّة نُشِرَت مُؤَخَّرًا، عَلَى ٱلْإِنْتَرْنَت تَحُثُّ «أَبْنَاء أُمَّةِ ٱلتَّوْحِيد وَٱلْجِهَاد» عَلَى ٱلْاِسْتِنْفَار لِمُسَاعَدَةِ إِخْوَانِهِم مِن «مُجَاهِدِي فَتْح ٱلْإِسْلام» فِي مُخَيَّم «نَهْر اَلْبَارِد» اَلَّذِينَ يَتَعَرَّضُونَ لِلْقَصْف مِن قِبَل «جَيْش لُبْنَان... جَيْش ٱلْعَمَالَةِ وَٱلْخِيَانَة». وَقَالَ أَحَد ٱلْبَيَانَات أَنَّ «ٱلْجِنَان فُتِحَت وَٱلْحُور قَد تَزَيَّنَت، فَإِيَّاكُمْ ثُمَّ إِيَّاكُمْ أَنْ يَفُوتَكُم هٰذَا ٱلْأَجْر وَٱلْمَقَام... فَٱنْصُرُوا إِخْوَانَكُم بِكُلّ مَا تَسْتَطِيعُون»... وَمَا يَسْتَطِيعُهُ هٰؤُلاء كَثِير. فَبِمَقْدُور «ٱلْمُجَاهِد» وَهُوَ جَالِسٌ أَمَامَ جِهَازِهِ أَنْ يَتَعَلَّمَ مِن خِلالِ أَشْرِطَةِ فِيدِيُو خَاصَّة: اَلرِّمَايَة بِٱلْبُنْدُقِيَّة، صُنْع ٱلْحِزَام ٱلنَّاسِف، صِنَاعَةَ ٱلْمُتَفَجِّرَات، دَوْرَهُ فِي ٱلسُّمُوم وَٱلْغَازَات ٱلسَّامَّة، إِعْدَاد ٱلسِّلاح ٱلْبِيُولُوجِيّ وَكَذٰلِك اَلْكِيمِيَائِيّ. وَفِي ٱلْمَوَاقِع اَلَّتِي بَاتَت بِٱلْمِئَات ثَمَّةَ وَصَفَاتٍ لِأَسْلِحَةٍ سُمِّيَت بـِ«ٱلشَّعْبِيَّة» بِمَقْدُورِكَ أَنْ تَتَدَبَّرَ أَمْرَكَ بِصِنَاعَتِهَا بِبَعْض ٱلْمَوَادّ اَلَّتِي قَد تَشْتَرِيهَا مِن قُرْب مَنْزِلِك، أَوْ مِن حَوَاضِر مَا عِنْدَكَ، لَوْ أَحْبَبت.
Numerous statements have been published recently on the internet urging people of the nation of tawhid and jihad to mobilise to help their brothers from among the mujahideen of Fatah al-Islam in the Nahr al-Bared camp who are being subjected to bombardment by the army of Lebanon... an army of agency and treason. One of the statements said that the gardens [of paradise] have been opened and the houris have been made beautiful so take great care you do not let this reward and place slip from you.... So help your brothers with all that you can. And what these people can do is a lot. As the mujahid is able as he sits in front of his equipment to learn via special video tapes: Rifle shooting making an explosive belt the manufacture of explosives his role in poisons and poisonous gasses the preparation of biological weapons as well as chemical. And on the sites which there are now hundreds of there are descriptions of weapons called peoples [weapons]. You can proceed in an organised manner with their manufacture from some materials which you might buy near your house or from things you have with you if you so desired.
كَيْفَ يُمْكِنُ لِرَجُلٍ كَانَ وَلا يَزَال مِن أَصْدِقَاء وَأَعْوَان إِسْرَائِيل أَنْ يَكُونَ مَبْعُوث سَلامٍ لِلشَّرْق ٱلْأَوْسَط وَأَنْ يَتَعَامَلَ بِحِيَادِيَّةٍ وَنَزَاهَةٍ لِحَلّ هٰذِهِ ٱلْقَضِيَة بِجَانِبِ دَوْرِهِ ٱلْأَسَاسِيّ فِي غَزْو ٱلْعِرَاق اَلَّذِي كَانَ سَبَبًا رَئِيسِيًّا فِي تَعْقِيد ٱلْمَشَاكِل فِي ٱلشَّرْق ٱلْأَوْسَط؟ اَلسَّيِّد بلَيْر لا يَصْلُح لِأَنُّهُ يُؤْمِنُ بِٱلْعُنْف وَٱلْحَرْب فَهُوَ مَرْفُوضٌ بِٱلْمِنْطَقَة وَعَالَمِيًّا بَيْنَمَا ٱلسَّيِّد كَارْتَر يَصْلُح لِهٰذِهِ ٱلْمُهِمَّة لِأَنَّهُ بَطَلٌ مِن أَبْطَال ٱلسَّلام. لا شَكّ أَنّ ٱلسَّيِّد بلَيْر برَاغْمَاتِيّ وَيَعْرِف مَا لَهُ وَمَا عَلَيْه وَقَد نَجَحَ فِي مَوْضُوع إِيْرلَنْدَا ٱلشَّمَالِيَّة، رُبَّمَا يَنْجَح فِي مَوْضُوع فِلَسْطِين أَيْضًا! لا بُدَّ مِن إِعْطَائِهِ ٱلْفُرْصَة. هَلْ يَسْتَطِيع ٱلسَّيِّد بلَيْر تَحْقِيق مَا لَمْ يُحَقِّقُهُ وَهُوَ فِي مَرْكَزِيَّةِ ٱلْقَرَار؟ لَوْ كَانَ بلَيْر قَادِرًا عَلَى شَيْئ لَفَعَلَهٌ وَدَخَلَ ٱلتَّارِيخ مِن بَابِهِ ٱلْوَاسِع.
How is it possible for a man who was and still is from among the friends and helpers of Israel to be a peace envoy for the Middle East and to work with others with neutrality and impartiality to solve this issue alongside his principal role in the invasion of Iraq which was a major reason in the complicating of the problems in the Middle East? Mr. Blair is not suitable because he believes in violence and war and so he is rejected in the area and globally whereas Mr. Carter is suitable for this task because he is a champion of peace. There is no doubt that Mr. Blair is a pragmatist and knows his right and duty. He succeeded on the issue of Northern Ireland. Perhaps he will succeed on the issue of Palestine too! He must be given the chance. Is Mr. Blair capable of achieving what he did not achieve when he was in the decision centre? If Blair had been capable of anything he would have done it and entered history through its wide door.
اَلْأُمَم ٱلْمَغْلُوبَة تُقَلِّدُ ٱلْأُمَم ٱلْغَالِبَة، هٰذَا مَا قَرَّرَهُ رَائِد عِلْم ٱلْاِجْتِمَاع اِبْن خَلْدُون، وَهِيَ نَظَرِيَّةٌ مُعْتَبَرَة وَقَد تَحَقَّقَت فِي أُمَّتِنَا ٱلْإِسْلامِيَّة فِي هٰذَا ٱلْعَصْر، وَهِيَ تَعِيش اَلْهَامِشِيَّة فِي كَثِيرٍ مِن نَوَاحِي ٱلْحَيَاة، وَلَيْتَ بَعْض شَبَابِنَا اَلَّذِينَ قَلَّدُوا ٱلْغَرْب كَانُوا قَلَّدُوهُم فِي ٱلصِّنَاعَةِ وَٱلْإِنْتَاج وَٱلْإِبْدَاع، وَلٰكِنَّهُم لِلْأَسَف قَلَّدُوهُم فِي بَعْض ٱلصُّوَر ٱلْبَاهِتَة اَلْبَائِسَة، كَقَصَّةِ ٱلشَّعْر عِنْدَ مَايْكَل جَاكْسُون وَٱلْعَزْف عَلَى ٱلنَّاي وَفَنّ أَكْل ٱلْهَامْبُرْجَر وَٱلشَّرَه فِي تَنَاوُل ٱلْبِيتْزَا، وَكَمَا قُلت فِي أُرْجُوزَةِ أَمْرِيكَا: * مِنهُم أَخَذنَا ٱلْعُود وَٱلسِّجَارَه ـ وَمَا عَرَفنَا نَصْنَع ٱلسَّيَّارَه * اِسْتَيْقَظُوا بِٱلْجِدّ يَوْم نُمنَا ـ وَبَلَغُوا ٱلْفَضَاء يَوْم قُمنَا. وَلَيْتَ عَدْوَى ٱلْعَمَل وَٱلْإِنْتَاج وَٱلتَّقَدُّم ٱلْمَادِّيّ اِنْتَقَلَ إِلَينَا، نَحْنُ مَعْشَر ٱلْعَرَب، مِن ٱلْغَرْب وَلٰكِنَّهُ قَفَزَ إِلَى ٱلشَّرْق وَتَرَكَنَا فِي ٱلْوَسَط وَذَهَبَ إِلَى ٱلصِّين وَسِنْغَافُورَا وَمَالَيْزِيَا وَبَقِينَا فِي ٱلْوَسَط ٱلْعَرَبِيّ نُحَافِظ عَلَى ٱلتُّرَاث ٱلشَّعْبِيّ.
The dominated nations imitate the dominant nations. This is what the pioneer of sociology Ibn Khaldun [d. 1406 AD] established and it is a respected theory which turned out to be true in this age in our Islamic nation which lives on the margin in many areas of life. If only some of our youth who imitated the West had imitated them in [terms of] manufacturing production and creativity. But unfortunately they imitated them in some lacklustre miserable ways such as a hairstyle like Michael Jackson and playing the nay [bamboo flute] and the art of hamburger eating and greediness in the having of pizza. As I said in the poem [urjuza: a poem in the rajaz metre] [entitled] America: * From them we got the [match] stick and the cigarette - but we did not discover how to make the motor car. * They woke with earnestness the day we slept - and they reached space the day we got up. If only the infection of work and production and material progress had been carried to us we the community of Arabs from the West. But [the infection] jumped to the East and left us in the middle and went to China and Singapore and Malaysia and we remained in an Arabic medium preserving a folkloric heritage.
شَكَت زَوْجَة لِزَوْجِهَا مِن أَنَّهُ لا يُعِيرُهَا ٱهْتِمَامًا فِي مَوْسِم كُرَةِ ٱلْقَدَم، وَقَال: صَحِيحٌ أَنَّنِي أَهْتَمُّ بِكُرَةِ ٱلْقَدَم أَكْثَر مِنكِ، إِلَّا أَنَّنِي أُفَضِّلُكِ عَلَى رَفْع ٱلْأَثْقَال وَٱلْقَفْز بِٱلْعَصَا وَرَمْي ٱلْجُلَّة وَسِبَاق ٱلْمِئَتَي مِتْر. إِنْ لَمْ تَكُن ٱلْكُرَة فَهُنَاكَ غَيْرُهَا، وَٱلْحَسْنَاء قَالَت لِطَالِب ٱلْوِدّ بِدَلال: إِذَا تَزَوَّجنَا وَبَقِينَا مَعَ بَعْضِنَا بَعْضًا سَنَوَات سَيَأْتِي يَوْم تَتَعَرَّفُ فِيه عَلَى شَابَّةٍ صَغِيرَةٍ حُلْوَةٍ مِثْلِي اَلآن وَتَنْسَانِي. وَرَدّ: أَبَدًا. أَعِدُكِ بِأَنْ أَتَّصِلَ بِكِ مَرَّةً فِي ٱلشَّهْر عَلَى ٱلْأَقَلّ. هِيَ سَأَلَتْهُ عَن ٱلْفَارِق بَيْنَ ٱلْحُبّ وَٱلزَّوَاج، وَهُوَ قَال: اَلْحُبّ مِثْلَ ٱلنُّجُوم اَلَّتِي تَتَلَألَأ فِي ٱلسَّمَاء، وَٱلزَّوَاج هُوَ ٱلْحُفْرَة اَلَّتِي نَقَعُ فِيهَا وَنَحْنُ نَنْظُرُ إِلَى ٱلنُّجُوم.
A wife complained to her husband that he didnt pay her any attention in the football season so he said Its true that I am interested in football more than [Im interested in] you but I prefer you to weightlifting the pole vault the shot put and the two hundred metres. If it isnt football there are other things... The beauty said to the suitor [lit. seeker of love] coyly If we get married and we stay with each other for years a day will come when youll meet a pretty young girl like me now and youll forget me. He replied: Never! I promise Ill call you once a month at least. She asked him about the difference between love and marriage and he said Love is like the stars which sparkle in the sky and marriage is the hole that we fall into when were looking at the stars.
مِن ٱلْمُتَّفَق عَلَيْه أَنَّ ٱلصِّحَافَةَ ٱلسُّعُودِيَّةِ ٱلْمَحَلِّيَّة، وَٱلطَّبَعَات ٱلْمَحَلِّيَّةِ مِن صُحُفٍ يَتِمُّ نَشْرُهَا خَارِج ٱلسُّعُودِيَّة كَهٰذِهِ ٱلصَّحِيفَة، لَهَا حَيِّزٌ كَبِير مِن ٱلْحُرِّيَّة فِي تَنَاوُل مَا تُرِيد تَنَاوُلَهُ، سَوَاء أَكَانَ مُتَعَلِّقًا بِٱلْعَمَل ٱلْيَوْمِيّ لِلْوِزَارَات وَبَقِيَّةِ مَصَالِح ٱلْخِدَمَات ٱلْحُكُومِيَّة، أَوْ مَا كَانَ يَتَعَلَّق بِدُوَلٍ أُخْرَى بِمَا فِيهَا أَصْدِقَاء ٱلسُّعُودِيَّة مِن عَرَبٍ وَغَيْرِ عَرَب. وَلَيْسَ صَحِيحًا أَنَّ مَا تَنْشُرُهُ ٱلصُّحُف ٱلسُّعُودِيَّة يُمَثِّلُ رَأْي ٱلْحُكُومَةِ ٱلسُّعُودِيَّة. فَمِن ٱلْوَاضِح أَنَّ هُنَاكَ مَقَالاتٍ تَنْشُرُهَا ٱلصُّحُف ٱلسُّعُودِيَّةِ ٱلْمَحَلِّيَّة وَأَحْيَانًا حَتَّى ٱلدَّوْلِيَّة، لِكُتَّابٍ مَحْسُوبِين عَلَى تَيَّار «ٱلْإِخْوَان ٱلْمُسْلِمِين» أَوْ مِن ٱلْمُتَعَاطِفِين مَعَ أَفْكَار ٱلثَّوْرَةِ ٱلْإِسْلامِيَّة فِي إِيرَان، وَكُلُّهُم يُسَطِّرُون ٱلْمَقَالات، وَأَحْيَانًا اَلْقَصَائِد، اَلَّتِي تَتَغَنَّى جَمِيعُهَا بِأَمْجَاد أَحْزَابٍ سِيَاسِيَّةٍ دُنْيَوِيَّة، تَرْفَعُ ٱلْإِسْلام شِعَارًا وَوَسِيلَةً لِلْوُصُول إِلَى ٱلسُّلْطَة.
It is agreed upon that the local Saudi press and the local editions of newspapers published outside Saudi such as this newspaper have a great deal of freedom to discuss what they want to discuss no matter whether it is related to the daily work of ministries and the rest of the governmental services departments or [whether] it is what relates to other countries including the friends of Saudi from among Arabs and non-Arabs. It is not true that what the Saudi newspapers publish represents the opinion of the Saudi government. As it is obvious that there are articles [which] the local Saudi newspapers and sometimes even the international [editions] publish by writers considered to belong to the Muslim Brotherhood movement or from among sympathisers with the ideas of the Islamic revolution in Iran. All of them pen articles and sometimes poems which all extol the glories of earthly political parties which raise Islam [simply] as a slogan and as a means of getting into power.
يَبْدَأُ ٱسْم ٱلطَّائِف يَتَرَدَّدُ عَلَى أَلْسِنَةِ ٱلْأُسَر فِي ٱلسُّعُودِيَّة وَدُوَل ٱلْخَلِيج ٱلْأُخْرَى فِي هٰذَا ٱلْوَقْت مِن كُلّ عَام، فَٱلطَّائِف هِيَ «عَرُوس ٱلْمَصَايِف»، وَتُعَدُّ مَصِيف ٱلْخَلِيج ٱلْأَوَّل، فَمِئَات ٱلْأُسَر تَجْعَلُ وِجْهَتَهَا إِلَى مَدِينَةِ ٱلْوُرُود، اَلَّتِي تَتَزَيَّن ـ كَمَا فِي كُلّ صَيْف ـ بِحُلَل ٱلْوَرْد، وَتَكْتَسِي اَلْجَمَال بِهَوَائِهَا ٱلشَّامِيّ، وَمَائِهَا ٱلْبَارِد، مُتَوَسِّد جِبَال غَزْوَان بِمَوْقِعٍ اِسْترَاتِيجِيّ يَتَّصِلُ بِجِبَالٍ مُمْتَدَّةٍ فِي ٱلسَّرَاوَات وَمُتَّصِلَةٍ بِهَضْبَةِ نَجْد، تَتَهَيَّأ عَرُوس ٱلْمَصَائِف اَلآن لِٱسْتِقْبَال ٱلْمُصْطَافِين مِن كُلّ حَدَبٍ وَصَوْب. وَتَعُودُ قِصَّة تَسْمِيَةِ هٰذِهِ ٱلْمَدِينَة بِٱلطَّائِف إِلَى عِدَّةِ رِوَايَاتٍ تَارِيخِيَّة، إِذْ تُعِيد إِحْدَى ٱلرِّوَايَات اَلتَّسْمِيَة إِلَى أَنَّ ٱلْمَدِينَة طَفَت عَلَى ٱلْمَاء أَثْنَاءَ ٱلطُّوفَان اَلَّذِي ضَرَبَ ٱلْأَرْض فِي عُهُودٍ سَحِيقَة.
The name Taif starts being frequently discussed in families [lit. being repeated on the tongues of families] in Saudi and the other Gulf states at this time of every year as Taif is the bride [i.e. the most beautiful] of summer resorts and is considered the Gulfs topmost summer resort. Hundreds of families make their way to the city of roses which has been dressed up - as in every summer - in clothes of roses. [The city] is beautiful [lit. wears beauty] with its Sham-like air [Sham: old name for Syria] and its cool water. [Taif] lies cushioned on the Ghazwan mountains in a strategic position linking mountains extending into the Sarawat [Mountains] and continuing to the Najd plateau. The bride of summer resorts is getting ready now to receive summer visitors from all directions. The story of the naming of this city Taif can be traced back to several historical tales. One of these tales attributes the name to [the notion] that the city floated [=Tafat] on the water during the Flood which struck the earth in distant times.
فِي سَيَّارَةِ ٱلْأُجْرَة اَلَّتِي رَاحَت تَعْبُرُ بِنَا أَحَد أَحْيَاء ٱلضَّاحِيَة ٱلْجَنُوبِيَّة، جَلَسَت فِي ٱلْمَقْعَد ٱلْخَلْفِيّ مُتَّشِحَةً بِٱلسَّوَاد تُرَاقِبُ ٱلْمَارَّةَ بِصَمْت وَتُتَمْتِم بِآيَاتٍ مِن ٱلْقُرْآن وَٱلدُّعَاء. اِلْتَفَتُّ إِلَيْهَا مِن مَقْعَدِي وَقُلتُ لَهَا «مَبْرُوك اِسْتِشْهَاد اِبْنِك يَا حَاجَّة». نَظَرَت إِلَيّ ثُمَّ اِنْفَجَرَت بِٱلْبُكَاء وَرَاحَت تُرَدِّد «تَقُولُون لِي مَبْرُوك، أَنَا خَسَارَتِي كَبِيرَة، لا شَيْء يُعَوِّضُنِي». تَدَخَّلَ ٱلسَّائِق لِيَقُولَ لِلسَّيِّدَةِ ٱلطَّاعِنَةِ فِي ٱلسِّنّ اَلَّتِي رَاحَت تُكَفْكِف دُمُوعَهَا بِمَنْدِيلِهَا «وَلَو يَا حَاجَّة، يَجِب أَنْ تَكُونِي سَعِيدَة، أَنْتِ أُمّ ٱلشَّهِيد، اِبْنُكِ شَهِيدٌ فِي ٱلْجَنَّة». تَرَاجَعَت لَهْجَةَ ٱلْاِسْتِيَاء لَدَى هٰذِهِ ٱلْأُمّ اَلَّتِي فَقَدَت اِبْنَهَا فِي مَعَارِك إِحْدَى ٱلْقُرَى ٱلْحُدُودِيَة فِي حَرْب ٱلصَّيْف ٱلْمَاضِي لِتَحُلَّ مَحَلَّهَا لُغَةُ ٱلْأَمْر ٱلْوَاقِع «طَبْعًا أَنَا فَخُورَة بِه وَلٰكِنَّنِي أَشْتَاقُ إِلَيْهِ كَثِيرًا، لَوْ اِسْتَطَعت لَنَزَعتُ لُقْمَةَ ٱلطَّعَام مِن فَمِي وَقَدَّمتُهَا لَه» قَالَت وَعَادَت إِلَى بُكَائِهَا ٱلصَّامِت.
In the taxi which had started carrying us across one of the districts of the southern suburb [of Beirut] she sat in the rear seat clad in black watching the passers-by in silence and quietly reciting verses from the Quran and prayers. I turned to her from my seat and said to her Congratulations on the martyrdom of your son O Hajjeh [honorific title for older women]. She looked at me then burst into tears and started repeating You [all] say to me ;congratulations. My loss is [so] big nothing can compensate me. The driver intervened to say to the aged lady who started wiping away her tears with her handkerchief Come come O Hajjeh you should be happy youre the mother of the martyr. Your son is a martyr in paradise. The tone of resentment of this mother who lost her son in the battles of one of the border villages in the war of last summer diminished and a matter-of-fact language took its place. Naturally I am proud of him but I long for him very much. If I were able I would pull out the [last] morsel of food from my mouth and would give it to him she said and returned to her silent crying.
حِينَمَا اِصْطَفَفنَا لِتَأْدِيَةِ صَلاةِ ٱلْمَغْرِب، مَعَ مَجْمُوعَةٍ مِن ٱلْعَائِدِين ٱلْجُدُد مِن غوَانْتَانَامُو، حَرَصَ ٱلشَّيْخ أَحْمَد جِيلان، مُنَسِّق بَرَامَج ٱلرِّعَايَة اَلْمَدْعُوم مِن وِزَارَةِ ٱلدَّاخِلِيَّةِ ٱلسُّعُودِيَّة، وَٱلَّذِي كَانَ يَؤُمُنَا، أَنْ يَتْلُو ٱلْآيَة ٱلسَّابِعَة مِن سُورَةِ آلِ عِمْرَان، وَالَّتِي تَتَحَدَّث عَمَّن يَتَّبِعُونَ مَا تَشَابَهَ مِن ٱلْقُرْآن ٱلْكَرِيم، وَيَتْرُكُونَ ٱلْمُحْكَم مِنه، وَهُم اَلَّذِينَ وَصَفَتْهُم ٱلْآيَة بِأَنَّ فِي قُلُوبِهِم «زَيْغ». وَفِي ٱلرَّكْعَة ٱلْأُولَى مِن ٱلصَّلاة تَلا جِيلان ٱلْآيَة ٱلْقُرْآنِيَّة اَلَّتِي جَاءَ فِيهَا بِسْمِ ٱلله ٱلرَّحْمٰن ٱلرَّحِيم «هُوَ اَلَّذِي أَنْزَلَ عَلَيْكَ ٱلْكِتَابَ مِنهُ آيَاتٌ مُحْكَمَاتٌ هُنَّ أُمُّ ٱلْكِتَابِ وَأُخَرُ مُتَشَابِهَاتٌ، فَأَمَّا اَلَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِم زَيْغٌ فَيَتَّبِعُونَ مَا تَشَابَهَ مِنهُ ٱبْتِغَاءَ ٱلْفِتْنَةِ وَٱبْتِغَاءَ تَأْوِيلِهِ وَمَا يَعْلَمُ تَأْوِيلَهُ إِلَّا ٱللهُ وَٱلرَّاسِخُونَ فِي ٱلْعِلْمِ يَقُولُونَ آمَنَّا بِهِ كُلٌّ مِن عِنْدِ رَبِّنَا وَمَا يَذَّكَرُ إِلَّا أُولُو ٱلْأَلْبَابِ». صَدَقَ ٱللهُ ٱلْعَظِيم.
As we lined up to perform the sunset prayer with a group of new returnees from Guantanamo Sheikh Ahmad Jilan the coordinator of the care projects supported by the Saudi Ministry of Interior and who was leading us in prayer was keen to recite the seventh verse of the sura Aal-i-`Imraan which talks about those who follow what is ambiguous in the Holy Quran and leave aside the parts with established meaning in it. They are those who the verse describes as: In their hearts is perversity. In the first rak`a [=bow] of the prayer Jilan recited the Quranic verse which says: In the name of God The Merciful The Compassionate. He it is who sent down to you the Book. In it are verses of established meaning. They are the foundation [lit. mother] of the Book. Others are ambiguous. But those in whose hearts is perversity follow what is ambiguous in [the Book] seeking discord and seeking to interpret it. But no-one knows its interpretation except God. Those who are firmly grounded in knowledge say: We believe in [the Book]. All of it is from our Lord. None will understand/take heed except the wise [lit. owners of (pure) minds]. God Almighty has spoken the truth.