تَصَافَحَنَا بِحَرَارَة، غَلَبَهَا ٱلْاِنْفِعَال فَقَهْقَهَت ضَاحِكَة. كَنِسَاء اَلأَنْفُوشِيّ قَهْقَهَت. وَأَطَاحَت بِٱلْوَقَار بِضَرْبَةٍ وَاحِدَة. يَا خَبَر أَبْيَض، عَامِر بَك، أُسْتَاذ عَامِر، هَا.. هَا.. جَلَسنَا عَلَى كَنَبَةِ ٱلْأَبَنُوس تَحْتَ ٱلْعَذْرَاء وَشَبَحَانَا يَتَخَايَلَان فِي زُجَاج صُوَان ٱلْمَكْتَب اَلْقَائِم لِلزِّينَة. نَظَرتُ فِيمَا حَوْلِي وَقُلت: مَدْخَل ٱلْبَنْسِيُون هُوَ هُوَ لَمْ يَتَغَيَّر. فَقَالَت مُحْتَجَّة، مُلَوِّحَة بِيَدِهَا بِفَخَار: بَل تَجَدَّد وَطُلِيَ مَرَّات، وَعِنْدَكَ أَشْيَاء جَدِيدَة كَٱلنَّجَفَة وَٱلْبَارَفَان وَٱلرَّادِيُو.. إِنِّي سَعِيد يَا مَارِيَانَا، اَلشُّكْر لِلّٰه عَلَى أَنَّكِ فِي صِحَّة جَيِّدَة.. وَأَنْتَ أَيْضًا يَا مِسْيُو عَامِر، أَلْمِس ٱلْخَشَب.. عِنْدِي ٱلْمُصْرَان ٱلْغَلِيظ وَٱلْبرُوسْتَاتَا، نَحْمَدُهُ عَلَى أَيّ حَال.. أَتَجِيء بَعْدَ زَوَال ٱلصَّيْف؟ قُلتُ بِٱهْتِمَام: بَل جِئتُ لِلْإِقَامَة، مَتَى تَلاقَينَا آخِر مَرَّة؟ مُنْذُ.. مُنْذُ.. أَقُلتَ لِلْإِقَامَة؟ نَعَم يَا عَزِيزَتِي، رَأَيْتُكِ آخِر مَرَّة مُنْذُ حَوَالِي عِشْرِين عَامًا.. وَٱخْتَفَيتَ طِيلَةَ ذٰلِكَ ٱلْعُمْر!
We shook hands warmly. Emotion overcame her and she laughed out loud as the women of al-Anfoushi [an old quarter of Alexandria] laugh out loud sweeping away all formality [lit. gravity] with one stroke. How lovely! [lit. what white news] Amer Bey! Mr. [lit Professor] Amer! ha ha! We sat down on the ebony sofa under the Virgin [Mary] and our blurred shapes appeared dimly in the glass of the offices [book] case standing there for decoration. I looked at what was around me and said: The pensions entrance is the same [lit. he is he] it hasnt changed. She said in protest waving her hands proudly: But it has been redone and painted several times and youve got new things like the chandelier and the screen and the radio... Im happy Mariana. God be thanked that you are in good health. And you too Monsieur Amer touch wood. Ive got [problems with] the large intestines [=colon] and the prostate. We praise [God] in any case. You came after the end of the summer? [=high season] I said with concern: But Ive come to stay. When did we meet last? Since... Since... Did you say ;to stay? Yes my dear. I saw you last about twenty years ago. And you disappeared for all that time!
دَع ٱلْأَيَّامَ تَفْعَلُ مَا تَشَاءُ ـــ وَطِب نَفْسًا إِذَا حَكَمَ ٱلْقَضَاءُ وَلا تَجْزَع لِحَادِثَةِ ٱللَّيَالِي ـــ فَمَا لِحَوَادِثِ ٱلدُّنْيَا بَقَاءُ وَكُن رَجُلًا عَلَى ٱلْأَهْوَالِ جَلْدًا ـــ وَشِيمَتُكَ ٱلسَّمَاحَةُ وَٱلْوَفَاءُ وَإِنْ كَثُرَت عُيُوبُكَ فِي ٱلْبَرَايَا ـــ وَسَرَّكَ أَنْ يَكُونَ لَهَا غِطَاءُ تَسَتَّر بِٱلسَّخَاء فَكُلُّ عَيْبٍ ـــ يُغَطِّيهِ كَمَا قِيلَ ٱلسَّخَاءُ وَلا تُرِ لِلْأَعَادِي قَطُّ ذُلًا ـــ فَإِنَّ شَمَاتَةَ ٱلْأَعْدَا بَلاءُ وَلا تَرْجُ ٱلسَّمَاحَةَ مِن بَخِيلٍ ـــ فَمَا فِي ٱلنَّارِ لِلظَّمْآنِ مَاءُ وَرِزْقُكَ لَيْسَ يُنْقِصهُ ٱلتَّأَنِّي ـــ وَلَيْسَ يَزِيدُ فِي ٱلرِّزْقِ ٱلْعَنَاءُ وَلا حُزْنٌ يَدُومُ وَلا سُرُورٌ ـــ وَلا بُؤْسٌ عَلَيْكَ وَلا رَخَاءُ إِذَا مَا كُنتَ ذَا قَلْبٍ قَنُوعٍ ـــ فَأَنْتَ وَمَالِكُ ٱلدُّنْيَا سَوَاءُ وَمَنْ نَزَلت بِسَاحَتِهِ ٱلْمَنَايَا ـــ فَلا أَرْضٌ تَقِيهِ وَلا سَمَاءُ وَأَرْضُ ٱلله وَاسِعَةٌ وَلٰكِن ـــ إِذَا نَزَلَ ٱلْقَضَا ضَاقَ ٱلْفَضَاءُ دَع ٱلْأَيَّامَ تَغْدُرُ كُلَّ حِينٍ ـــ فَمَا يُغْنِي عَنِ ٱلْمَوْتِ ٱلدَّوَاءُ
Let the days do what they want - and be of good spirit if fate utters its decree. Do not be distressed by misfortune [lit. the event of the nights] - the events of this world have no permanence. Be a man in face of horrors steadfast - and [let] your nature [be] magnanimity and faithfulness. If your faults are many in [the eyes of] [fellow] creatures - and it would please you for there to be a cover for [these faults] then cover yourself up with generosity. Every fault - generosity as is said covers it. Do not show to enemies lowness ever - as the gloating of enemies is a trial. Do not hope for generosity from a miser - there is not in fire for the thirsty water. Your livelihood: Proceeding unhurriedly will not diminish it - toil will not [give an] increase in livelihood. No sadness lasts and no happiness - and no misery that you have nor [life of] ease. When you have a content heart - you and the rich man [lit. owner of the world] are equal. For whomsoever the fates of death come down to his field - there is no land which will protect him and no sky. Gods world is big [lit. wide] but - if fate descends [vast open] space becomes narrow. Let the days deceive whenever [they choose] - medicine is no help for death.
كَانَت دَقَّات ٱلصَّاجَات تَخْرُجُ صَاخِبَةً زَاعِقَةً وَعَلَى دُفَعَات كَهَدِير ٱلدِّيك ٱلرُّومِيّ، وَكُنتَ تَسْتَطِيع أَنْ تَسْمَعَهَا مِن بَعِيد حَتَّى إِذَا مَا وَصَلت إِلَى كُوبْرِي شُبْرَا ٱلْبَلَد عَثَرتُ عَلَى مَصْدَرِهَا، عَلَى بَائِع ٱلْعِرْقْسُوس. كَانَ رَجُلًا مُسِنًّا كَمُعْظَم بَائِعِيَّ ٱلْعِرْقْسُوس، وَيَرْتَدِي زِيَّهُم ٱلتَّقْلِيدِيّ.. فُوطَة حَمْرَاء قَدِيمَة نَظِيفَة لَفَّهَا حَوْلَ وَسَطِه، وَفَانِلَّة بَمْبَة بِأَكْمَام وَلا شَيْء غَيْر هٰذَا يَسْتُرُ ٱلْجَسَد خَلا ٱلسِّرْوَال ٱلطَّوِيل اَلَّذِي يَتْرُكُ ٱلسَّاقَيْن عَارِيَتَين. وَكَانَ لِلْبَائِع ذَقْنٌ طَوِيلَة، وَلٰكِنَّهُ لَمْ يَكُن سُنِّيًّا، كَانَ وَاضِحًا أَنَّهُ يُطْلِق لِحْيَتَهُ كَنَوْعٍ مِن عَيَاقَةِ ٱلْكِبَار، أَوْ لِإِحَاطَةِ نَفْسِهِ بِرَهْبَةٍ مُصْطَنَعَة، أَوْ عَلَى أَقَلّ تَقْدِير لِيُوَفِّرَ ثَمَن حِلاقَتِهَا كُلّ يَوْم. كَانَ وَاقِفًا فِي وَسَط ٱلْكُوبْرِي تَمَامًا. وَهُوَ وَإِبْرِيقُهُ يَكَادَان يَسُدَّان ٱلطَّرِيق، فَٱلْإِبْرِيق كَانَ ضَخْمًا قَدِيمًا، وَكَأَنَّهُ هُوَ ٱلْآخَر عَجُوزٌ مُقْعَد كُتِبَ عَلَى ٱلْبَائِع أَنْ يَحْمِلَهُ فَوْقَ صَدْرِهِ مَدَى ٱلْحَيَاة.
The beats of the cymbals were coming out noisily and clamourously and in bursts like the din [made by] a turkey and you could hear them from far away until when I arrived at Shubra el-Balad bridge I stumbled upon their source upon the `irqsūs [liquorice juice] seller. He was an elderly man like most `irqsūs sellers and he was wearing their traditional costume... a clean old red towel [which] he had wrapped around his waist a lilac T-shirt with sleeves and nothing apart from this covered the body except for the long pantaloons which left the lower legs bare. The seller had a long beard but he was not a Sunni [here seems to mean devout Muslim] it was clear that he let his beard grow as a kind of vanity of the old or to surround himself with artificial respectability or at least to save the cost of shaving it every day. He was standing right in the middle of the bridge. He and his jug almost blocked the way as the jug was huge and old as if it too was a crippled old man whom it had been written [=preordained] for the seller to carry on his chest all life long.
«مَاذَا سَتَقُولُ أُمُّكَ عِنْدَمَا تَرَانِي مَعَك؟». «سَتُزَغْرِد طَبْعًا». «اَلزَّغْرَدَة فِي ٱلْأَعْرَاس». «طَبْعًا سَيَكُون هُنَاكَ عُرْس». «عُرْس مَنْ؟». «عُرْس وَلَدٍ اِسْمُهُ فَوَّاز». «وَمَنْ ٱلْعَرُوس؟». «اَلْعَرُوس بِنْتٌ اِسْمُهَا إِلْهَام». ضَحِكَت إِلْهَام بِغِبْطَة وَحَيَاء. قَال فَوَّاز: «سَأَطْلُبُ مِنكِ طَلَبًا». «اُطْلُب». «أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَرَى وَجْهَكِ». قَالَت: «اُنْظُر إِلَيه. مَنْ يَمْنَعُك؟». قَال: «أُرِيد أَنْ أَرَاه دُونَ هٰذَا ٱلْحَائِط ٱلْأَسْوَد». وَأَشَارَ بِسَبَّابَتِهِ إِلَى ٱلْحِجَاب. قَالَت إِلْهَام: «لا». «أَنْتِ ٱلآن بَعِيدَة عَن ٱلْحَارَة وَلا أَحَد هُنَا يَعْرِفُنَا فَلِمَاذَا ٱلْخَوْف؟». فَرَفَعَت إِلْهَام ٱلْحِجَاب عَن وَجْهٍ أَبْيَض وَعَيْنَيْن سَوْدَاوَيْن. فَهَتَف بِإِعْجَابٍ وَنَشْوَة: «آه». فَقَالَت إِلْهَام مُتَسَائِلَة بِمَكْر: «هَلْ سَمِعت أُغْنِيَّة تُحِبُّهَا؟». «أُرِيدُ مِنكِ شَيْئًا آخَر». «أَنْتَ طَمَّاع». «أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَمْسِكَ يَدَكِ». «سَأَصْرُخ حَتَّى يَأْتِي رِجَال ٱلشُّرْطَة». «اُصْرُخِي». «سَيَأْتِي رِجَال ٱلشُّرْطَة». «فَلْيَأْتُوا.. سَأَقُولُ لَهُم: اَلْبِنْت خَطِيبَتِي وَلا يَحِقُّ لَكُم ٱلتَّدَخُّل».
What will your mother say when she sees me with you? Shell do the trilling [with tongue and voice that Arab women do] of course. Trilling [happens] at weddings. Of course therell be a wedding. Whose wedding? The wedding of a boy called Fawwaz. And whos the bride? The brides a girl called Ilham. Ilham laughed with delight and bashfulness. Fawwaz said: Ill ask you something. Ask then!. I want to see your face. She said: Look at it then! Whos stopping you? He said: I want to see it without this black wall and he pointed with his index finger to the veil. Ilham said: No! Youre now far from [our] part [of the city] and no-one here knows us so why the fear? So Ilham lifted the veil from a white face with dark eyes. He called out with admiration and euphoria: Ah! So Ilham said asking with artfulness: Have you heard a song you like? I want something else from you. Youre greedy. I want to hold your hand. Ill scream so the policemen come. Scream then! The policemen will come. Let them come.. Ill say to them: The girls my fiancée and you have no right to interfere.
يُعَانِي ٱلْمِصْرِيُّون وَمُنْذُ سَنَوَات تَلَوُّثًا بِيئِيًّا هَوَائِيًّا يَأْتِيهِم فِي فَصْل ٱلْخَرِيف، أَطْلَقُوا عَلَيْهِ ٱسْم «اَلسَّحَابَةُ ٱلسَّوْدَاء» إِذْ تُغَطِّي أَدْخِنَةٌ قَاتِمَةٌ سَمَاء ٱلْعَاصِمَةِ ٱلْمِصْرِيَّة وَبَعْضَ ٱلْمُدُن ٱلْأُخْرَى، وَيَجِدُ ٱلنَّاس صُعُوبَاتٍ بَالِغَةٍ فِي ٱلتَّنَفُّس، وَيُوَاجِه مَرْضَى ٱلْقَلْب وَٱلصَّدْر مَخَاطِر ٱلْوَفَاة، إِذْ لا يَجِدُونَ فَكَاكًا مِن اِسْتِنْشَاق هَوَاءٍ مُلَوَّثٍ يَخْنُقُهُم. اِحْتَار ٱلْمِصْرِيُّون عَلَى كُلّ ٱلْمُسْتَوَيَات فِي تَفْسِير أَسْبَاب «ٱلسَّحَابَةِ ٱلسَّوْدَاء»، وَٱتَّخَذَت أَجْهِزَةُ ٱلْحُكُومَة إِجْرَاءَاتٍ تِلْوَ أُخْرَى لِمُوَاجَهَتِهَا وَٱلسَّيْطَرَةِ عَلَيْهَا وَمُحَاوَلَةِ مَنْعِهَا، لٰكِن مِن دُون فَائِدَة، فَٱلسَّحَابَة تَهِلّ فِي بِدَايَةِ كُلّ خَرِيف وَلا تُبَدِّدُهَا إِلَّا رِيَاح ٱلشِّتَاء عِنْدَمَا تَحْمِلُهَا لِتُفَرِّقَهَا عَلَى أَنْحَاء ٱلْمَعْمُورَة، فَيَبْدَأُ ٱلنَّاس فِي مِصْر فِي ٱلتَّنَفُّس ٱلطَّبِيعِيّ وَهُم عَلَى يَقِين بِأَنَّ «ٱلسَّحَابَة» سَتَحُلّ عَلَيْهِم فِي ٱلْمَوْعِد ٱلْمُقَرَّر فِي ٱلْعَام ٱلتَّالِي.
For years Egyptians have been suffering from environmental air pollution which comes to them in the autumn season [and which] they have given the name The Black Cloud as dark fumes cover the sky of the Egyptian capital and some other cities and people find serious difficulties in breathing and heart and chest patients face risk of death as they find no release from inhaling the polluted air which chokes them. Egyptians on all levels have been at a loss to explain the reasons for The Black Cloud. Government apparatuses have taken one measure after another to confront it and control it and to try to prevent it but to no avail. As the cloud appears at the beginning of every autumn and nothing disperses it except the winter winds when they carry it and distribute it among [all] parts of the world [when] people in Egypt [can] start to breathe naturally while they are certain that The Cloud will descend on them at the appointed time the following year.
وَتَدُقُّ ٱلصَّاجَات عَالِيَّةً صَاخِبَةً هِسْتِيرِيَّة تُرِيد أَنْ تَتَحَدَّى وَتَتَوَقَّف ٱلْأَسْمَاع، وَٱلظَّلام يَتَكَاثَر، وَتُصْبِح لَهُ دُنْيَا كَبِيرَة، وَبَرْد ٱلسَّمَاء يُطْبِق عَلَى ٱلْأَرْض، وَٱلنَّاس يَصْفَرُّون وَيَصْفَرُّون، وَكُلّ شَيْء تَصْبُغُهُ رَمَادِيَّةٌ زَرْقَاء، وَيَبْرُد، وَيُصْبِح لا حَيَاة فِيه. وَتَزْأَرُ ٱلْحَنْجَرَة، يَا مْنَعْنِش، وَتَخْرُجُ حَادَّة تُكْمِل صَخَب ٱلدَّقَّات، وَبَيْنَ كُلّ آنٍ وَآنٍ يَقُول: يَا كَرِيم سِتْرَك. وَيَمُدُّ ٱلْكَاف وَكَأَنَّهُ يَصْنَعُ مِنهَا حَبْلًا رَفِيعًا، يَمُدُّهُ فَوْقَ ٱلْكُوبْرِي لِيُوقِف ٱلنَّاس، وَيَتْبَعُهَا بِسِتْرَك. مُقْتَضَبَة خَارِجَة مِن ٱلصَّدْر وَكَأَنَّمَا يَسْتَرْضِي ٱلنَّاس بَعْدَ هَدِيرِهِ وَيُصَالِحُهُم بِهَا. وَٱلنَّاس رَائِحَةٌ غَادِيَة، مَيْتَانَة، سَقْعَانَة، نَاشِفَة، وُجُوهُهُم شَاحِبَة فِيهَا غُضُون، وَعُيُونُهُم ذَابِلَة فِيهَا شِتَاء، وَلا يُرِيدُ أَحَد ـ رَغْمَ وُجُودِهِ فِي وَسَط ٱلْكُوبْرِي ـ أَنْ يُلْقِي عَلَيْهِ نَظْرَة. وَأَطْلَقَ ٱلرَّجُل يَا مْنَعْنِش وَٱتَّبَعَهَا بِيَا كَرِيم سِتْرَك، وَأَطْلَقَهُمَا عَالِيَّتَين صَاخِبَتَين مُدَوِّيَتَين كَٱسْتِغَاثَاتٍ أَخِيرَة لِسَفِينَةٍ تَغْرَق.
And the cymbals ring out loudly noisily hysterically wanting to challenge and stop the hearing/the ear [of passers by] and the darkness increases and the world becomes large for [the darkness] and the cold of the sky settles on the ground and the people become paler and paler. A blue greyness dyes everything and it grows cold and becomes lifeless. The voice box [of the liquorice juice seller] roars: How refreshing! [=cry of the street vendor] and it comes out sharply finishing off the clamour of the [cymbal] beats and every now and then he says: O Generous One [I seek] Your protection [from poverty and disgrace]!. He extends the [Arabic letter] ;kāf; as if making from it a fine rope which he extends above the bridge to stop the people and he follows it with Your protection! [which is] cut short and comes out from the chest as though he is seeking to appease the people after his noisiness and to make peace with them with it. The people are coming and going tired cold dried up their faces pale and in them are hardships their eyes dull/lustreless and in them is winter and no-one wants despite his presence in the [very] centre of the bridge to throw him a glance. The man called out How refreshing! and followed it with O Generous One Your protection! and he called out these two [utterances] loudly noisily reverberatingly like the last calls for help of a sinking ship.
يَشُنُّ أَطْفَال لُبْنَان هُجُومًا كَاسِحًا عَلَى ٱلْأَلْعَاب وَٱلثِّيَاب ٱلْعَسْكَرِيَّة. وَيَخَالُ مَنْ يَتَجَوَّل فِي شَوَارِع بَيْرُوت، لاسِيَّمَا ٱلشَّعْبِيَّةِ مِنهَا، أَنَّ مُقَاتِلِين صِغَارًا يُسَيْطِرُونَ عَلَيْهَا وَيَتَحَكَّمُونَ فِيهَا. وَتُبَيِّن ٱلْجَوْلَة ٱلْمَيْدَانِيَّة عَلَى عَدَدٍ مِن ٱلْمُؤَسَّسَات ٱلتِّجَارِيَةِ ٱلْكُبْرَى فِي بَيْرُوت أَنَّهَا تُفْرِدُ لِهٰذِهِ ٱلسِّلَع مِسَاحَةَ عَرْضٍ وَاسِعَة نَظَرًا لِكَثَافَةِ ٱلطَّلَب عَلَيْهَا، وَتَحْدِيدًا اَلْمَلابِس، مَعَ ٱلْعِلْم أَنَّ أَسْعَارَهَا تَفُوقُ أَسْعَار ٱلْأَلْعَاب. نَادِيَا، اَلْبَائِعَة فِي مُؤَسَّسَةٍ تِجَارِيَة، تَقُول: «مُنْذُ أَكْثَر مِن شَهْرَيْن وَلِغَايَةِ ٱلْيَوْم لا يَزَالُ ٱلطَّلَب كَبِيرًا عَلَى ٱلْمَلابِس ٱلْعَسْكَرِيَّة، وَٱلْمَبِيعَات تَتَرَكَّز عَلَى ٱلْبَدْلات ٱلْكَامِلَة، أَيْ كَمَا يُقَال بِٱللُّغَةِ ٱلدَّارِجَةِ ٱللُّبْنَانِيَّة مِن «ٱلْبَابُوج إِلَى ٱلطَّرْبُوش». وَٱلْفِئَات اَلَّتِي تَطْلُب هٰذِهِ ٱلْأَلْبِسَة تَتَرَاوَح أَعْمَارُهَا بَيْنَ ٱلْخَمْس سَنَوَات وَٱلْخَمْسَةَ عَشَر سَنَة، وَهِيَ لا تَقْتَصِر عَلَى ٱلْأَطْفَال بَل تَشْمَل اَلشُّبَّان وَٱلشَّابَّات حَتَّى سِنّ ٱلْعِشْرِين عَامًا».
The children of Lebanon have launched a sweeping attack on military games and clothes. Whoever wanders around in the streets of Beirut particularly the common [lit. peoples] ones will imagine that young fighters have gained control over them and rule over them. A field trip to a number of the larger commercial organisations in Beirut makes it clear that they set aside for these goods a large [lit. wide] display area in view of the intensity of demand for them in particular the clothes with the knowledge that their prices exceed the prices of games. Nadia the seller in a commercial organisation says: For more than two months and up to today the demand is still great for military clothes. Sales concentrate on complete outfits that is as is said in the Lebanese colloquial language from the slippers to the tarboosh/fez. The groups which request these clothes vary in age between five years old and fifteen years old and they arent restricted to children but include young men and young women up to the age of twenty.
فِي أَوَّل عَهْدٍ لَهَا بِٱلْاِنْقِطَاع ٱلنِّهَائِيّ عَن ٱلدِّرَاسَة، كَانَت ٱلْفَتَاة لا تَزَال تَهْتَمّ بِمُحْتَوَيَات حَقِيبَتِهَا ٱلْمَدْرَسِيَّة، تُقَلِّب صَفَحَات ٱلْكُتُب لِتَتَمَلّى ٱلرُّسُوم وَٱلْأَشْكَال. وَأَحْيَانًا تَأْخُذُ قَلَمًا تَرْسُمُ بِهِ أَشْيَاء لا تَفْهَمُهَا، وَتَظُنّ أَنَّهَا حُرُوفٌ وَكَلِمَات. رَمَت ٱلْفَتَاة بِمِحْفَظَتِهَا فِي رُكْنٍ مِن ٱلْمَنْزِل، وَعَبِثَت قِطَّتُهَا بِأَوْرَاق ٱلدَّفَاتِر وَٱلْكُتُب، وَلَفَّت وَالِدَتُهَا بَعْض ٱلْأَشْيَاء ٱلصَّغِيرَة فِي ٱلْأَوْرَاق ٱلْمُبَعْثَرَة، تَوَابِل وَبُذُور وَأَزْرَار قُمْصَان... عَلَى ٱلْأَقَلّ، عَادَت تِلْكَ ٱلْأَدَوَات بِبَعْض ٱلنَّفْع عَلَى أَفْرَاد ٱلْأُسْرَة. اَلْأَب اِحْتَفَظَ بِقَلَم ٱلرَّصَاص وَٱلْمِمْحَاة، يَرْسُمُ خُطُوطًا صَغِيرَة عَلَى قِطْعَةِ وَرَقٍ مِن ٱلْكَارْتُون ٱلصُّلْب، يَضْبُطُ عَلَيْهَا نَتَائِج لُعْبَةِ ٱلْوَرَق أَثْنَاءَ ٱلسَّمَر مَعَ ٱلْأَصْدِقَاء، وَٱلْاِبْن ٱلْأَكْبَر بَوَّأَ ٱلْقَلَم ٱلْأَحْمَر جَيْب قَمِيصِهِ ٱلْخَارِجِيّ، كَيْ يُذَكِّرَ جَمِيع مَنْ فِي ٱلْقَرْيَة أَنَّهُ «حَامِل قَلَم».
During her first experience of the final severance from studies the girl used to still attach importance to the contents of her school bag. She would turn the pages of the books to enjoy the drawings and shapes. And sometimes she would take a pen with which she drew things she did not understand thinking that they were letters and words. The girl threw her bag in a corner of the house. Her cat toyed with the leaves of the exercise books and [other] books and her mother wrapped some small things in the scattered papers; spices and seeds and shirt buttons... At least those materials returned some benefit to the family members. The father kept the pencil and the eraser. He would draw small lines on a sheet [lit. a piece of paper] of stiff card on which he would record the results of the card game during [pleasant] evenings with friends The oldest son provided accomodation for the red pen in the front [lit. outer] pocket of his shirt in order to remind everyone who is in the village that he is the holder of a pen.
أَنْ تَتَنَزَّهَ فِي أَحْضَان ٱلطَّبِيعَةِ لَيْسَ أَمْرًا جَدِيدًا، وَإِنْ كَانَ نَادِرًا هٰذِهِ ٱلْأَيَّام فِي لُبْنَان، وَلٰكِن أَنْ تَتَنَزَّهَ فِي طَبِيعَةٍ تَزْخَرُ بِأَكْثَر مِن ثَلاثَةِ مَلايِين أَرْزَةٍ لُبْنَانِيَّة، يَرْقَى بَعْضُهَا إِلَى ثَلاثَةِ آلاف عَام أَمْرٌ اِسْتِثْنَائِيّ. فَهٰذِهِ ٱلْأَشْجَار اَلَّتِي تَنْتَصِبُ شُمُوخًا وَعُنْفُوَانًا وَصَلابَةً، تُضْفِي جَوًّا مِن ٱلْهَيْبَةِ وَٱلْاِحْتِرَام عَلَى مُتَأَمِّلِيهَا لا بَل عَلَى ٱلْمُتَسَمِّرِين أَمَامَهَا. فَيُخَيَّلُ لِلْمَرْء أَنَّهَا تَكَادُ تُفْشِي أَسْرَارًا عَجَزَت أَبْحَاث ٱلْمُؤَرِّخِين وَٱلْجِيُولُوجِيِّين عَن كَشْفِهَا، لٰكِنَهَا فِي ٱلْوَاقِع تَبْقَى صَامِتَة وَكَأَنَّهَا مُؤْتَمَنَةٌ عَلَى حِفْظ تَارِيخ ذَاكَ ٱلْجَبَل. اَلسُّكُون ٱلتَّامّ تَخْرُقُهُ مِن وَقْتٍ إِلَى آخَر زَقْزَقَات ٱلْعَصَافِير، لِتَعُودَ أَغْصَان ٱلْأَرْز اَلْمُسْتَوِيَة بِعِنَايَةٍ دَقِيقَة وَتَفْرِضُ حُضُورَهَا مِن جَدِيد كَمَنْ يُحَافِظ عَلَى رَهْبَةِ ٱلْمَكَان.
That you go for a walk in the heart [lit. open arms] of nature is nothing new although it is rare these days in Lebanon but that you go for a walk in nature which abounds with more than three million Lebanese cedar [trees] some of which date back three thousand years is an exceptional matter. As these trees which rise up with loftiness/pride and vigour and solidity bestow an air of dignity and respect on [the people] contemplating them or rather on [the people] transfixed [lit. nailed down] in front of them. It seems to the person that [the trees] almost reveal secrets which the studies of historians and geologists were unable to uncover but in reality they remain silent as if they are entrusted with the safekeeping of the history of that mountain. Complete stillness/calm - the chirps of [small] birds break through it from time to time. The straight branches of the cedar then return with delicate care and impose their presence anew like [someone] who is preserving the awe of the place.
اِخْتَارَ زَاوِيَةً مُنْعَزِلَةً فِي ٱلْمَقْهَى. اِنْتَابَنِي شُعُور أَنَّ ٱلْأَمْر جَلَل. قُلت أَنَّ ٱلرَّجُل سَيَكْشِفُ لِي أَيْنَ يُقِيم شَاكِر اَلْعَبْسِيّ بَطَل مَذْبَحَةِ نَهْر اَلْبَارِد. أَوْ أَنَّهُ سَيَكْشِفُ لِي مَا تَعَذَّرَ عَلَى ٱلْقَاضِي بْرَامِيرْتْز اَلتَّوَصُّل إِلَيْه حَتَّى ٱلآن. بَعْدَ ٱلتَّحِيَّات وَٱلْجُمَل اَلَّتِي لا بُدَّ مِنهَا قَرَّرَ ٱلْخَوْض فِي صُلْب ٱلْمَوْضُوع. قَال أَنَّهُ لاحَظَ غِيَابًا كَامِلًا لِٱسْمِهِ عَن تَغْطِيَةِ «اَلْحَيَاة» لِلسِّبَاق ٱلرِّئَاسِيّ ٱلْمَفْتُوح فِي لُبْنَان. عَقَدَت ٱلدَّهْشَةُ لِسَانِي. سَأَلَنِي إِنْ كَانَ ٱلْأَمْر يَتَعَلَّقُ بِقَرَارٍ بِٱلتَّعْتِيم عَلَيْه. وَإِنْ كَانَت صَحِيفَتُنَا تَلَقَّت اِتِّصَالَاتٍ بِهٰذَا ٱلشَّأْن أَوْ تَعَرَّضَت لِضُغُوط. أَجَبْت أَنَّ ٱلصُّحُف تَنْقُلُ ٱلْأَخْبَار وَلا تَخْتَرِعُهَا. وَرَاوَدتَنِي رَغْبَةٌ فِي ٱلْمُزَاح فَقُلتُ لَه أَنَّ طَرْح ٱلْأَسْمَاء بَاكِرًا يُؤَدِّي إِلَى إِحْرَاقِهَا وَنَسْف حُظُوظِهَا. وَأَكَّدتُ لَه أَنَّ ٱلصَّحِيفَةَ غَيْرُ مَعْنِيَّة بِتَرْوِيجٍ أَوْ تَجَاهُلٍ وَلا تَرْضَخ لِضُغُوطٍ إِذَا وُجِدَت.
He chose an isolated corner in the café. A feeling befell me that the matter [must be] important. I said [to myself] that the man would reveal to me where Shakir al-Absi hero of the slaughter of Nahr al-Bared resides or that he would reveal to me what was impossible for the judge Brammertz [investigating Rafik Hariris assassination] to achieve until now. After the greetings and the sentences which are necessary he decided to wade into the core of the subject [=the heart of the matter]. He said that he had noticed a complete absence of his name from Al-Hayats coverage of the open presidential race in Lebanon. Astonishment tied my tongue. He asked me if the matter was connected with a decision to obscure him and if our newspaper had received communications in this matter or had been subjected to pressures. I answered that newspapers transmit news and dont invent it. A [sudden] desire tried to tempt me to joke so I said to him that putting forward names early leads to the burning of them [i.e. spoiling them] and the torpedo-ing of their chances/fortunes. And I stressed to him that the newspaper is not concerned with promoting or ignoring and does not yield to pressures if they exist.
تَعِيشُ أَرْبِيل أَجْوَاء مِن ٱلْهُدُوء غَيْر آبِهَةٍ بِقَرْع طُبُول ٱلْحَرْب ٱلتُّرْكِيَّة اَلَّتِي يَرْتَفِعُ ضَجِيجُهَا يَوْمًا ثُمَّ يَخِفُّ أَيَّامًا. لا شَيْء يُوحِي بِأَنَّ ٱلْمِنْطَقَة مُقْبِلَةٌ عَلَى حَرْبٍ وَشِيكَة. لا مَظَاهِر مُسَلَّحَة وَلا إِجْرَاءَاتٍ اِسْتِثْنَائِيَّة. اَلشَّوَارِع مُزْدَحِمَةٌ بِٱلسَّيَّارَات، وَٱلْمَدَارِس تَفْتَحُ أَبْوَابَهَا كَٱلْمُعْتَاد، وَٱلْأَسْوَاق تَنْبِضُ بِٱلْحَرَكَة، وَٱلْمَحَلَّات وَٱلْمَقَاهِي وَٱلْمَطَاعِم وَٱلْفَنَادِق تَعِجُّ بِٱلزَّبَائِن حَتَّى وَقْتٍ مُتَأَخِّرٍ مِن ٱللَّيْل. رُبَّمَا يَعْتَقِدُ بَعْضُهُم أَنَّ بُعْد أَرْبِيل ٱلنِّسْبِيّ عَن ٱلْحُدُود ٱلتُّرْكِيَّة يُوحِي لِسُكَّانِهَا بِنَوْعٍ مِن ٱلطُّمَأْنِينَةِ لا يَتَوَفَّر لَدَى مُوَاطِنِيهِم فِي ٱلْمَنَاطِق ٱلْحُدُودِيَّة، مِثْل زَاخُو وَدُهُوك، عَلَى رَغْم أَنَّ ٱلْمَدِينَة عَاصِمَةُ إِقْلِيم كُردِستَان، وَمَصْدَر ٱلْقَرَار. لٰكِن جَوْلَة فِي ٱلْمُدُن ٱلْحُدُودِيَّة، خُصُوصًا زَاخُو اَلْمُحَاذِيَة تَمَامًا لِلْحُدُود ٱلتُّرْكِيَّة، تُؤَكِّد أَنَّ ٱلْأَوْضَاع هَادِئَة وَطَبِيعِيَّة وَلا أَثَر لِأَيّ إِجْرَاءَاتٍ اِسْتِثْنَائِيَّة.
Arbil is experiencing an atmosphere of calm not taking notice of the beating of Turkish war drums whose noise goes up one day then abates for days. Nothing gives the impression that the region is approaching an imminent war. No signs of arms [lit. armed manifestations] and no emergency [lit. exceptional] measures. The streets are crowded with cars and the schools open their doors as usual and the markets pulsate with movement and the shops and the cafés and the restaurants and the hotels teem/are crowded with customers until late at night. Perhaps some of them believe that Arbils relative distance from the Turkish border [lit. borders] imbues its population with a kind of tranquillity not available to their compatriots in the border regions such as Zakho and Dohuk even though the city is the capital of the Kurdistan region and is the decision centre. But a tour through the border towns especially Zakho which directly faces the Turkish border [lit. borders] confirms that conditions are calm and normal and there is no sign/trace of any emergency measures.
أَفَادَ مُدِير «شَرِكَةِ وَاسِط لِلصِّنَاعَات ٱلنَّسِيجِيَّة» فِي ٱلْكُوت (مِئَةٌ وَثَمَانُون كِيلُومِتْر جَنُوب بَغْدَاد) حَامِد اَلصَّافِيّ بِأَنَّ تَقَادُم خُطُوط ٱلْإِنْتَاج وَإِلْغَاء ٱلتَّمْوِيل ٱلْحُكُومِيّ وَتَقْلِيص سَاعَات ٱلْعَمَل وَإِغْرَاق ٱلسُّوق بِسِلَعٍ مُسْتَوْرَدَة، أَفْضَى إِلَى تَدَنِّي ٱلْإِنْتَاج فِي «ٱلشَّرِكَة» إِلَى عِشْرِين فِي ٱلْمِئَة مِن ٱلطَّاقَةِ ٱلتَّصْمِيمِيَّة. وَحَذَّرَ مِن أَنَّ ٱلْكَسَاد اَلَّذِي تُعَانِي مِنهُ ٱلشَّرِكَة قَد يَدْفَع إِلَى تَسْرِيح قُرَابَةِ خَمْسَةِ آلافٍ وَأَرْبَع مِئَةٍ وَثَلاثُون مِن ٱلْعَامِلِين فِيهَا. وَدَعَا اَلصَّافِيّ إِلَى سَنّ قَانُونٍ يَحْمِي ٱلْمُنْتِج ٱلْوَطَنِيّ وَوَضْع ضَوَابِطٍ عَلَى ٱسْتِيرَاد ٱلْأَلْبِسَةِ أَوْ ٱلْمَوَادّ ٱلنَّسِيجِيَّة، لافِتًا إِلَى أَنَّ مُنْتَجَات ٱلشَّرِكَة عُرِفَت بِٱلْجُودَة وَكَانَت تُضَاهِي ٱلْمُسْتَوْرَدَة، غَيْرَ أَنَّ مَعَامِلَهَا تُعْتَبَرُ حَالِيًا اَلْأَكْثَر تَخَلُّفًا فِي ٱلْمِنْطَقَة وَٱلْعَالَم لِعَدَم تَحْدِيثِهَا مُنْذُ ثَمَانِينَات ٱلْقَرْن ٱلْمَاضِي.
The manager of The Wasit Company for Textile Products in Kut (one hundred and eighty kilometres south of Baghdad) Hamid al-Safi has reported that the ageing of the production lines and the cancellation of government financing and the shrinking/reducing of working hours and the flooding of the market with imported goods has led to the sinking of production in The Company to twenty percent of the design capacity. He warned that the economic stagnation which the company is suffering from might force the laying off of approximately five thousand four hundred and thirty of the workers in [the company]. Al-Safi called for the enactment of a law which protects the national producer and the introduction [lit. laying down] of controls on the import of clothing or textiles drawing attention to the fact that the products of the company were known for [their] quality and used to be comparable to the imported ones. However its factories/mills are now considered to be the most backward/outdated in the region and the world due to their not being modernised since the eighties of the last century.
مَعَ ٱشْتِدَاد ٱلْحِصَار، نَفِدَت مِن قِطَاع غَزَّة اَلْمَوَادّ ٱلْخَام اَلدَّاخِلَة فِي صِنَاعَةِ ٱلْمَشْرُوبَات ٱلْغَازِيَّة اَلَّتِي يُنْتِجُهَا مَصْنَعَان. وَأَصْبَحَ ٱلْعُثُور عَلَى زُجَاجَة «كُوكَا كُولا» أَوْ «سَفَن أَبْ» أَوْ أَيّ مَشْرُوبٍ آخَر مَحَلِّيّ ٱلصُّنْع أَشْبَه بِرِحْلَةٍ لِلْبَحْث عَن «إِبْرَةٍ فِي كَوْمَةِ قَشّ»، حَتَّى أَنَّ ٱلْفِلَسْطِينِيِّين بَاتُوا يَتَنَدَرُون فِي مَا بَيْنَهُم بِأَنَّ «ٱلْكُوكَا كُولا» أَصْبَحَت لـِ«وِحَام» ٱلنِّسَاء ٱلْحَوَامِل. لَيْسَ هٰذَا فَحَسْب، بَل تَوَقَّفَ ٱلْفِلَسْطِينِيُّون عَن ٱلزَّوَاج فِي ٱلشُّهُور ٱلْأَخِيرَة بِسَبَب اِرْتِفَاع أَثْمَان ٱلذَّهَب اَلَّذِي يُقَدَّم لِلْعَرُوس «مَهْرًا» أَوْ «شَبْكَة» مِن نَاحِيَة، وَبِسَبَب نَفَاد ٱلْأَخْشَاب وَلَوَازِم أُخْرَى تَدْخُلُ فِي صِنَاعَةِ أَطْقُم غُرَف ٱلنَّوْم، وَمِنهَا فَرْشَات ٱلْإِسْفَنْج. وَإِذَا قُدِّرَ لِلْفِلَسْطِينِيّ أَنْ يَتَزَوَّج وَيُخَلِّف أَبْنَاء، فَلَنْ يَجِد لَهُم «حَفَّاظَات» بَعْدَمَا نَفِدَت مِن ٱلْأَسْوَاق وَأَصْبَحَت خَاضِعَةً لِلتَّهْرِيب بِطُرُقٍ شَتَّى وَكَمِّيَّاتُهَا لا تَكْفِي حَاجَةَ ٱلْأَطْفَال.
With the intensification of the [Israeli] embargo raw materials going into the manufacture of carbonated drinks which two factories produce have been depleted from the Gaza Strip. Finding a bottle of Coca Cola or Seven Up or any other drink of local manufacture has become like a trip to look for a needle in a haystack so that Palestinians have got to the point where they joke amongst themselves that Coca Cola has become [only] for the craving of pregnant women [i.e. for use only when absolutely necessary]. Not only this but Palestinians have stopped getting married in recent months because of the rise of the prices of gold which is presented to the bride as a dowry or engagement present on one hand and because of the depletion of the wood and other necessities which go into the manufacture of bedroom suites including sponge mattresses. And if it is destined for a Palestinian that he gets married and has children then he wont find nappies for them after [the nappies] have become depleted from the markets and have become subject to smuggling in various ways [but] their quantity is not enough for the need of the children.
أَقْدَمَ طِفْلٌ سُورِيّ لَمْ يَتَجَاوَز عُمْرُهُ أَرْبَع سَنَوَات عَلَى رَمْي نَحْو ثَمَانِين أَلْف دُولارٍ أَمِيرِكِيّ عَائِدَةً لِوَالِدِهِ فِي حَاوِيَةٍ لِلْقُمَامَةِ عَن طَرِيق ٱلْخَطَأ فِي مُحَافَظَةِ إِدْلِب (شِمَال ٱلْبِلاد). وَٱسْتَطَاعَت ٱلسُّلُطَات ٱلْأَمْنِيَّة اَلْعُثُور عَلَى ٱلْمَبْلَغ ٱلْمَذْكُور بَعْدَ شَهْرَيْن مِن فُقْدَانِهِ لَدَى شَخْصٍ يَعْمَلُ فِي جَمْع ٱلْخُرْدَة مِن ٱلْحَاوِيَات عِنْدَمَا بَدَأَت تَظْهَرُ عَلَيْه عَلامَات ٱلثَّرَاء فَجْأَة. وَلَدَى ٱلتَّحْقِيق مَعَه اِعْتَرَفَ بِعُثُورِهِ عَلَى كِيس نَايْلُون وَفِي دَاخِلِهِ سَبْعُون أَلْف دُولارٍ أَمِيرِكِيّ وَأَرْبَعَةَ عَشَر أَلْف رِيَالٍ سُعُودِيّ وَمِئَتَا أَلْف لِيرَةٍ سُورِيَّة أَثْنَاءَ قِيَامِهِ بِجَمْع ٱلْخُرْدَة فِي أَحَد أَحْيَاء ٱلْمَدِينَة. وَقَالَ لِلْمُحَقِّقِين بِأَنَّهُ ٱشْتَرَى مَنْزِلَيْن وَمَصَاغًا ذَهَبِيًّا لِزَوْجَتِه وَخَبَّأَ بَقِيَّةَ ٱلْمَبْلَغ فِي مَنْزِلِهِ.
A Syrian child whose age was just [lit. did not exceed] four years old embarked upon the throwing away of around eighty thousand American dollars belonging to his father into the [communal] refuse container by mistake in the Governorate of Idlib (in the north of the country). Security authorities were able to find the aforementioned amount two months after its loss in the possession of a person who works in the collection of scrap metal from the containers when signs of wealth started to appear on him suddenly. And during the investigation with him he confessed to his finding a plastic bag inside of which was seventy thousand American dollars and fourteen thousand Saudi riyals and two hundred thousand Syrian lira in the course of his carrying out of the collection of scrap metal in one of the districts of the city. He said to investigators that he had bought two houses and gold jewellery for his wife and had hid the rest of the amount in his house.
تَنْقُلُكَ ٱلطَّبِيعَةُ ٱلسَّاحِرَة وَٱلْأَجْوَاء ٱلْخَلَّابَة اَلَّتِي تُوَفِّرُهَا لَك غَابَات مَحْمِيَةِ عَجْلُون اَلطَّبِيعِيَّة إِلَى حِقَبٍ زَمَنِيَّةٍ سَالِفَة لِتَمْنَحَكَ فُرْصَةَ عَيْش ٱلْحَيَاة ٱلْقَرَوِيَّة اَلْقَدِيمَة بِكُلّ تَفَاصِيلِهَا وَبَسَاطَتِهَا، حَيْثُ تَنَام بَيْنَ أَحْضَان ٱلطَّبِيعَة فِي أَكْوَاخٍ خَشَبِيَّة لا أَبْوَاب أَوْ نَوَافِذ لَهَا وَلا كَهْرُبَاء، تُذَكِّركَ بِأَجْوَاء ٱلْاِلْتِفَاف حَوْلَ ٱلْمَصَابِيح وَضَوْء ٱلْقَمَر فِي لَيَالِي ٱلسَّمَر. وَتُمَكِّنُك مَمَرَّاتُهَا ٱلطَّبِيعِيَّةُ ٱلسِّتَّة مِن ٱلسَّيْر فِي غَابَات ٱلسِّنْدِيَان وَٱلْبَلُّوط اَلدَّائِم ٱلْخُضْرَة وَٱلنَّبَاتَات وَٱلْأَعْشَاب وَٱلْأَزْهَار ٱلْبَرِّيَّة. وَمَا إِنْ تَصِل إِلَى نِهَايَةِ ٱلْمَمَرّ اَلَّذِي يَرْبِطُ ٱلْمَحْمِيَة بِأَهَمّ ٱلْأَمَاكِن ٱلْأَثَرِيَّة مِثْل قَلْعَةِ عَجْلُون وَكَنِيسَةِ مَار إِلْيَاس حَتَّى يَطُلُّ عَلَيْكَ رَجُلٌ مِن أَبْنَاء ٱلْمُجْتَمَع ٱلْمَحَلِّيّ رَاكِبًا حِمَارًا مُحَمَّلًا بِٱلطَّعَام وَخَيْرَات ٱلْمِنْطَقَة مِن «زَيْت ٱلزَّيْتُون وَٱلزَّعْتَر وَٱلسُّمَّاق وَٱللَّبَن وَٱللِّبْنَة وَٱلْجُبْنَةِ ٱلْبَلَدِيَّة وَٱلْعِنَب وَٱلتِّين وَٱلرُّمَّان وَٱلتُّفَّاح» وَيَفْرُشُ لَكَ ٱلْأَرْض بِطَيِّبَات ٱلطَّبِيعَة لِتَتَنَاوَلَ إِفْطَارَكَ بَيْنَ أَحْضَان ٱلطَّبِيعَة.
The magical nature and the enchanting atmosphere which the forests of the Ajloun Nature Reserve give in abundance to you transport you to bygone times to give you the opportunity of living the old village life with all its details and its simplicity where you sleep in the arms of nature in wooden huts - no doors or windows have they and no electricity reminding you of the atmosphere of gathering around lamps and moonlight in nights of pleasant evening conversation. Its six natural paths enable you to walk in forests of holm oak and evergreen oak and plants and herbs and wild flowers. No sooner do you reach the end of the path which connects the reserve to the most important archaeological places like Ajloun Castle and the Church of Mar Elias than a man from among the members [lit. sons] of the local community appears to you riding a donkey which is laden with food and bounties of the region including olive oil thyme sumac yoghurt libna [a soft cheese] local [lit. native] cheese grapes figs pomegranates and apples and he paves the ground for you with the delights of nature for you to have your breakfast in the arms of nature.
عَلَى أَنْغَام أُغْنِيَّةِ «ٱلسِّتّ» أُمّ كُلْثُوم... بَعِيد عَنَك حَيَاتِي عَذَاب... تَتَعَالَى أَصْوَات وَقَفَشَات ٱلنَّوَادِل وَهُم يَمْخَرُون عُبَاب ٱلدُّخَان ٱلْكَثِيف اَلْمُتَصَاعِد مِن أَفْوَاه مُدَخِّنِي اَلشِّيشَة وَٱحْتِرَاق ٱلْمُعَسَّل، وَبَيْنَ ضَرَبَات قِطَع حَبَّات لُعْبَةِ ٱلطَّاوِلَة، تَطُلُّ مِن أَحْيَاء مَدِينَة جُدَّة اَلسُّعُودِيَّة أَجْوَاء مُسْتَنْسَخَة مِن ٱلْبِيئَةِ ٱلْمِصْرِيَّة يَحْرِصُ عَلَى نَقْلِهَا أَعْدَاد مِن ٱلْمُقِيمِين ٱلْمِصْرِيِّين فِي جُدَّة. هٰذِهِ ٱلْأَجْوَاء اَلَّتِي تَنْقُلُ ٱلْحَيَاة مِن ٱلْأَحْيَاء ٱلْمِصْرِيَّة اَلْعَرِيقَة فِي ٱلْحُسَين وَٱلسَّيِّدَة زَيْنَب وَٱلْعَتَبَة ٱلْخَضْرَاء، اِسْتَقْطَبَت كَثِيرًا مِن ٱلسُّعُودِيِّين وَٱلْعَرَب كَوْنَهَا تَحْمِلُ نَكْهَةَ مِصْر اَلْمُتَفَرِّدَة، فَنَافَسُوا ٱلْمِصْرِيِّين فِي مَقَاعِد تِلْكَ ٱلْمَقَاهِي ٱلْمُسْتَنْسَخَة. وَلَمْ يَكْتَفِ أَصْحَاب ٱلْمَقَاهِي بِٱلشَّكْل فَقَط بَل عَمَدُوا إِلَى نَقْل أَسْمَاء أَشْهَر تِلْكَ ٱلْمَقَاهِي إِلَى جُدَّة، «اَلْحُسَيْن»، «اَلْعُمْدَة»، «اَلْفِيشَاوِيّ»، وَغَيْرُهَا مِن ٱلْمَقَاهِي ٱلشَّهِيرَة اِنْتَقَلَت بِجَوِّهَا وَطَابِعِهَا ٱلْعَامّ إِلَى أَحْيَاء وَشَوَارِع مَدِينَة جُدَّة.
Above the notes of the song of the Lady Umm Kulthum Far From You My Life Is Torture the voices and quips/wisecracks of the waiters rise as they plough through the billows [lit. waves] of dense smoke rising from the mouths of the smokers of the sheesha [=water pipe] and the burning of [mild sweetened] tobacco and between the strikes of the stones/pieces of backgammon. Appearing from among the districts of the Saudi city of Jeddah is an atmosphere copied from the Egyptian environment which a number [lit. numbers] of Egyptian residents in Jeddah are keen to transport over. This atmosphere which transports the life from the old Egyptian quarters in al-Hussein and as-Sayyida Zeinab and al-Ataba al-Khadra draws in many Saudis and Arabs being that it carries the unique flavour of Egypt and they compete with the Egyptians for the seats of those copied cafés. The owners of the cafés have not been content with outward appearance alone but have [also] set about transporting the names of the more well known of those cafés to Jeddah al-Hussein al-Umda al-Fishawi and others from among the famous cafés have been transported with their atmosphere and their general character to the districts and streets of the city of Jeddah.
تَنَوَّعَت ٱلْمِهْرَجَانَات ٱلْمُتَخَصِّصَة فِي مُحَافَظَات تُونِس بِحَسَبِ تَنَوُّع مَنْتُوجَات ٱلْمَنَاطِق، فَمِن مِهْرَجَان ٱلصُّوف إِلَى مِهْرَجَان ٱلْعِنَب إِلَى مِهْرَجَان ٱلْأُخْطُبُوط وَمِهْرَجَان صَيْد ٱلْمَرْجَان. لٰكِنَّ جَدِيد هٰذِهِ ٱلسَّنَة هُوَ ٱنْطِلاق مِهْرَجَان «خُبْز ٱلطَّابُونَة وَزَيْت ٱلزَّيْتُونَة» فِي قَرْيَةِ بُومَرْدَاس (وَسَط). وَمَشْهَد ٱلْأَطْفَال وَٱلصَّبَايَا اَلَّذِينَ يَعْرُضُون عَلَى سَائِقِي اَلسَّيَّارَات فِي ٱلْمُفْتَرَقَات أَرْغِفَةَ ٱلْخُبْز اَلْمَصْنُوعَة فِي ٱلْأَفْرَان ٱلتَّقْلِيدِيَّة وَٱلَّتِي تُسَمَّى «خُبْز ٱلطَّابُونَة» (اِسْم ٱلْفُرْن اَلتَّقْلِيدِيّ)، غَدَا ظَاهِرَة مَأْلُوفَة عَلَى ٱلطُّرُقَات ٱلتُّونِسِيَّة. وَيُقْبِل ٱلسَّائِقُون عَلَى هٰذِهِ ٱلْأَرْغِفَة اَلسُّخْنَة بِشَرَاهَةٍ كَبِيرَة، خُصُوصًا عِنْدَمَا يَتَنَاوَلُونَهَا مَعَ زَيْت ٱلزَّيْتُون. غَيْرَ أَنَّ أَهَالِي بُومَرْدَاس حَوَّلُوا هٰذِهِ ٱلْعَادَة إِلَى مِهْرَجَان مُنَظَّم بِمُشَارَكَةِ مُمَثِّلِين مِن جَمْعِيَّاتٍ وَمُنَظَّمَاتٍ أَوْفَدَت مُشَارِكِين يَتَنَافَسُون عَلَى تَصْنِيع ٱلْأَرْغِفَة فِي مُسَابَقَةٍ تُتَوَّج بِٱخْتِيَار أَلَذّ رَغِيف.
The specialised festivals in the districts of Tunisia have been diverse in accordance with the diversity of the products of the regions from the wool festival to the grape festival to the octopus festival and the coral fishing festival. But new this year is the start of the festival of bread from the ṭābūna and oil from the olive in the village of Boumerdes (in the centre [of Tunisia]). The sight of children and young girls who offer to drivers of cars at junctions [flat] loaves of bread made in traditional ovens and which [loaves] are called bread from the ṭābūna (the name of the traditional oven) has become a familiar phenomenon on Tunisian roads. The drivers approach these hot loaves with great voracity especially when they have them with olive oil. However the inhabitants of Boumerdes have transformed this custom into an organised festival with the participation of representatives from associations and organisations who have sent participants who compete in the manufacturing of loaves in a competition which is crowned with the choosing of the most delicious loaf.
فَبَيْنَمَا هُوَ جَالِسٌ يَبْكِي عَلَى مَا يَحْصُلُ لَه وَإِذَا، بِشَيْخٍ كَبِير قَد أَقْبَلَ عَلَيْه وَمَعَهُ غَزَالَةٌ مُسَلْسَلَة، فَسَلَّمَ عَلَى هٰذَا ٱلتَّاجِر وَحَيَّاه وَقَالَ لَه: مَا سَبَب جُلُوسِكَ فِي هٰذَا ٱلْمَكَان وَأَنْتَ مُنْفَرِدٌ وَهُوَ مَأْوَى ٱلْجِنّ؟ فَأَخْبَرَهُ ٱلتَّاجِر بِمَا جَرَى لَه مَعَ ذٰلِكَ ٱلْعِفْرِيت وَبِسَبَب قُعُودِهِ فِي هٰذَا ٱلْمَكَان فَتَعَجَّبَ ٱلشَّيْخ صَاحِب ٱلْغَزَالَة وَقَال: وَٱلله يَا أَخِي مَا دَيْنُكَ إِلَّا دَيْنٌ عَظِيم وَحِكَايَتُكَ حِكَايَةٌ عَجِيبَة لَوْ كُتِبَت بِٱلْإِبَر عَلَى آفَاق ٱلْبَصَر لَكَانَت عِبْرَةً لِمَنْ اِعْتَبَر، ثُمَّ أَنَّهُ جَلَسَ بِجَانِبِه وَقَال وَٱلله يَا أَخِي لا أَبْرَحُ مِن عِنْدِك حَتَّى أَنْظُرُ مَا يَجْرِي لَك مَع ذٰلِكَ ٱلْعِفْرِيت. ثُمَّ أَنَّهُ جَلَسَ عِنْدَه يَتَحَدَّثُ مَعَه، فَغُشِي عَلَى ذٰلِكَ ٱلتَّاجِر، وَحَصَلَ لَهُ ٱلْخَوْف وَٱلْفَزَع وَٱلْغَمّ ٱلشَّدِيد وَٱلْفِكْر ٱلْمَزِيد وَصَاحِب ٱلْغَزَالَةِ بِجَانِبِه.
While he was sitting crying over what had happened to him all of a sudden an old sheikh approached him and with [the sheikh] was a chained [female] gazelle. He greeted [by saying assalaamu `alaykum] this merchant and wished him a long life [by saying Hayyaak allaah] and said to him: What is the reason for your sitting in this place when you are alone and it is the refuge of the jinn? So the merchant told him of what had happened to him with that ifreet [demon] and the reason for his sitting in this place. The sheikh the owner of the gazelle was amazed and said: By God O my brother your debt is nothing but a great debt and your story is a remarkable story. [Even] if it were written with needles on the horizons of vision it would [still] be a warning/lesson for whoever would listen [lit. take heed]. Then he sat beside him and said: By God O my brother I wont move away from you until I see what happens to you with that ifreet. Then he sat by him talking with him. That merchant then fainted as he was overtaken by fear and alarm and deep sorrow and excessive thinking with the owner of the gazelle by his side.
فَإِذَا بِشَيْخٍ ثَان قَد أَقْبَلَ عَلَيْهِمَا وَمَعَهُ كَلْبَتَان سَلاقِيَّتَان مِن ٱلْكِلاب ٱلسُّود. فَسَأَلَهُمَا بَعْدَ ٱلسَّلام عَلَيْهِمَا عَن سَبَب جُلُوسِهِمَا فِي هٰذَا ٱلْمَكَان وَهُوَ مَأْوَى ٱلْجَانّ، فَأَخْبَرَاهُ بِٱلْقِصَّة مِن أَوَّلِهَا إِلَى آخِرِهَا، فَلَمْ يَسْتَقِرّ بِهِ ٱلْجُلُوس حَتَّى أَقْبَلَ عَلَيْهِم شَيْخٌ ثَالِث وَمَعَهُ بَغْلَة زُرْزُورِيَّة، فَسَلَّمَ عَلَيْهِم وَسَأَلَهُم عَن سَبَب جُلُوسِهِم فِي هٰذَا ٱلْمَكَان، فَأَخْبَرُوهُ بِٱلْقِصَّة مِن أَوَّلِهَا إِلَى آخِرِهَا. وَبَيْنَمَا كَذٰلِك إِذَا بِغَبَرَةٍ هَاجَت وَزَوْبَعَةٍ عَظِيمَةٍ قَد أَقْبَلَت مِن وَسَط تِلْكَ ٱلْبَرِّيَّة، فَٱنْكَشَفَت ٱلْغَبَرَة، وَإِذَا بِذٰلِكَ ٱلْجِنِّيّ وَبِيَدِهِ سَيْف مَسْلُول، وَعُيُونُهُ تَرْمِي بِٱلشَّرَر فَأَتَاهُم وَجَذَبَ ذٰلِك ٱلتَّاجِر مِن بَيْنِهِم وَقَالَ لَه: قُم أَقْتُلُك مِثْلَ مَا قَتَلتَ وَلَدِي وَحُشَاشَةَ كَبِدِي. فَٱنْتَحَبَ ذٰلِك ٱلتَّاجِر وَبَكَى وَأَعْلَن ٱلثَّلاثَةُ شُيُوخ بِٱلْبُكَاء وَٱلْعَوِيل وَٱلنَّحِيب.
Then all of a sudden a second sheikh approached them with two saluki dogs which were black [lit. from the black dogs]. He asked them after wishing them peace about the reason for their sitting in this place when it is the refuge of the jinn. So they told him the story from beginning to end. He had hardly sat down [lit. his sitting had not settled] when up to them came a third sheikh with a dapple grey she-mule. He wished them peace and asked them about the reason for their sitting in this place. So they told him the story from beginning to end. And while this was going on all of a sudden the dust stirred up and a great storm approached from the middle of that desert. Then the dust lifted and suddenly there was that genie and in his hand was a drawn sword and his eyes were throwing sparks [of rage]. He came to them and pulled that merchant from amongst them and said to him: Stand up that I may kill you just as you killed my son the light of my life [lit. the last spark of life of my liver]. That merchant wept bitterly and cried and the three sheikhs filled the air [lit. manifested/made public] with crying and wailing and bitter weeping.
تَغَرَّب عَنِ ٱلْأَوْطَانِ فِي طَلَبِ ٱلْعُلا ـــ وَسَافِر فَفِي ٱلْأَسْفَارِ خَمْسُ فَوَائِدِ تَفَرُّجُ هَمٍّ وَٱكْتِسَابُ مَعِيشَةٍ ـــ وَعِلْمٌ وَآدَابٌ وَصُحْبَةُ مَاجِدِ وَإِنْ قِيلَ فِي ٱلْأَسْفَارِ غَمٌّ وَكُرْبَةٌ ـــ وَتَشْتِيتُ شَمْلٍ وَٱرْتِكَابُ ٱلشَّدَائِدِ فَمَوْتُ ٱلْفَتَى خَيْرٌ لَهُ مِن حَيَاتِهِ ـــ بِدَارِ هَوَانٍ بَيْنَ وَاشٍ وَحَاسِدِ
Go away from [your] homelands in search of highness - And travel! For in travels there are five benefits; Dispelling anxiety and earning a living - and knowledge and refinement and illustrious companionship. And if it is said that in travels there is sorrow and anguish - and the breaking up of gatherings and the perpetrating of hardships then the death of the young man is better for him than his life - in a home of contempt amongst slanderer and envier.
حَامِلُ ٱلْهَوَى تَعِبُ ـــ يَسْتَخِفُّهُ ٱلطَّرَبُ إِنْ بَكَى يَحِقُّ لَهُ ـــ لَيْس مَا بِهِ لَعِبُ كُلَّمَا ٱنْقَضَى سَبَبٌ ـــ مِنكِ عَادَ لِي سَبَبُ تَضْحَكِينَ لاهِيَةً ـــ وَٱلْمُحِبُّ يَنْتَحِبُ تَعْجَبِينَ مِن سَقَمِي ـــ صِحَّتِي هِيَ ٱلْعَجَبُ
The one burdened with passion is weary - joy carries him away [lit. makes light of him]. If he cries it is right for him [to do so] - what he has is no game. Whenever one cause [of pain] comes to an end - from you [another] cause returns to me. You laugh obliviously - as the lover weeps. You marvel at my sickness - my health is the marvel.
فَٱنْتَبَهَ مِنهُم ٱلشَّيْخ ٱلْأَوَّل وَهُوَ صَاحِب ٱلْغَزَالَة وَقَبَّلَ يَد ذٰلِكَ ٱلْعِفْرِيت وَقَالَ لَه: يَا أَيُّهَا ٱلْجِنِّيّ وَتَاج مُلُوك ٱلْجَانّ إِذَا حَكَيتُ لَكَ حِكَايَتِي مَعَ هٰذِهِ ٱلْغَزَالَة وَرَأَيْتَهَا عَجِيبَة، أَتَهِبُ لِي ثُلْث دَم هٰذَا ٱلتَّاجِر؟ قَال: نَعَم يَا أَيُّهَا ٱلشَّيْخ إِذَا أَنْتَ حَكَيتَ لِي ٱلْحِكَايَة وَرَأَيْتُهَا عَجِيبَة وَهَبتُ لَكَ ثُلْث دَمِه فَقَالَ ذٰلِكَ ٱلشَّيْخ ٱلْأَوَّل: اِعْلَم يَا أَيُّهَا ٱلْعِفْرِيت أَنَّ هٰذِهِ ٱلْغَزَالَة هِيَ بِنْت عَمِّي وَمِن لَحْمِي وَدَمِي وَكُنتُ تَزَوَّجتُ بِهَا وَهِيَ صَغِيرَةُ ٱلسِّنّ وَأَقَمتُ مَعَهَا نَحْوَ ثَلاثِين سَنَة فَلَمْ أُرْزَقُ مِنهَا بِوَلَد فَأَخَذتُ لِي سُرِّيَّة، فَرُزِقتُ مِنهَا بِوَلَدٍ ذَكَر كَأَنَّهُ ٱلْبَدْر إِذَا بَدَا بِعَيْنَيْن مَلِيحَتَين وَحَاجِبَيْن مُزَجَّجَيْن وَأَعْضَاء كَامِلَة، فَكَبُرَ شَيْئًا فَشَيْئًا إِلَى أَنْ صَار اِبْن خَمْس عَشَرَة سَنَة، فَطَرَأَت لِي سَفْرَة إِلَى بَعْض ٱلْمَدَائِن، فَسَافَرتُ بِمَتْجَرٍ عَظِيم،
The first sheikh and he was the owner of the gazelle then stood out from among them and kissed the hand of that ifreet and said to him: O genie crown of the kings of the jinn if I relate to you my story with this gazelle and you deem [lit. see] it wonderful will you give to me one third of the blood of this merchant? He said: Yes O Sheikh if you relate to me the story and I deem it wonderful I will give to you one third of his blood. So that first sheikh said: Know O Ifreet that this gazelle is my cousin and of my own flesh and blood and I married her when she was young of age and I stayed with her for around thirty years but I was not blessed with a child from her so I took for myself a concubine [or female slave] and I was blessed from her with a male child [beautiful] like the full moon appearing there with handsome eyes and finely arched eyebrows and perfect limbs. Bit by bit he grew until he became a boy of fifteen years when there came up for me a trip to some cities so I travelled with a great store [of merchandise]...
مَنْ يَلْتَقِي فَاطِمَة فِي مَقَرّ نِقَابَةِ ٱلصَّحَافِيِّين اَلْيَمَنِيِّين، قَد لا يَخْطُر عَلَى بَالِهِ أَنَّ هٰذِهِ ٱلْفَتَاة اَلْبَشُوشَة ٱلْجَمِيلَة وَٱلْوَاثِقَة يُمْكِنُ أَنْ تَرْتَدِي ٱلْبُرْقُع. قَلِيلُون يَعْرِفُونَ أَنَّ مُوَظَّفَةَ ٱلسِّكْرِتَارِيَا تَحْمِلُ حِجَابًا فِي حَقِيبَتِهَا، تَسْحَبُهُ مَا إِنْ يَنْتَهِي ٱلدَّوَام، لِتَرْتَدِيه. يَمَنِيَّات كَثِيرَات بِتنَ يُبْدِينَ سُلُوكًا «مُزْدَوَّجًا» حِيَالَ ٱلْحِجَاب. فَفِي مَقَارّ عَمَلِهِنّ يَبْقَيْنَ حَاسِرَات ٱلرَّأْس، يَتَعَاطَيْنَ بِتِلْقَائِيَّة وَطَلاقَة مَعَ زُمَلائِهِنّ، وَمِن بَيْنِهِنّ مَنْ تَتَّصِفُ بِٱلْجُرْأَةِ وَٱلْحَزْم. مِثَالُهُنّ زَهْرَة اَلَّتِي لا تَكْتَفِي بِمُمَازَحَةِ زَمِيلَاتِهَا وَزُمَلائِهَا، بَل أَنَّهَا لا تَشْعُرُ بِٱلْحَرَج مِن أَنْ تُدَخِّنَ فِي حُضُورِهِم. وَهٰذَا أَمْرٌ نَادِر بَيْنَ ٱلْيَمَنِيَّات ٱلْمُدَخِّنَات. لٰكِن أَيًّا مِن زُمَلاء زَهْرَة قَد لا يَتَعَرَّفُ عَلَيْهَا إِذَا صَادَفَهَا، عَلَى بُعْد أَمْتَارٍ مِن مَكَان ٱلْعَمَل، وَذٰلِكَ بِسَبَب «ٱلْبَالْطُو» اَلَّذِي يَحْجُبُهَا عَن عُيُون زُمَلائِهَا وَزَمِيلَاتِهَا.
Whoever meets Fatima in the [work-] place of the Yemeni Journalists Syndicate - it might not occur to him [lit. come to his mind] that this young woman [who is] smiling/cheerful beautiful and confident could wear the burqa. Few know that the employee of the secretariat carries a veil in her bag which she takes out no sooner than work time finishes to wear it. Many Yemeni women have come to exhibit dual behaviour regarding the veil. As in their workplaces they remain bare headed dealing with their colleagues with spontaneity and ease/fluency. Among them are those who possess [lit. are described with] courage/daring and firmness/steadfastness. An example of these is Zahra who is not content only with joking with her female and male colleagues but indeed does not feel any embarrassment [lit. constraint] to smoke in their presence and this is something rare among Yemeni women smokers. But no matter who it is [lit. any] from among the colleagues of Zahra - they might not recognise her if they come across her at a distance of [just] metres from the place of work and that is because of the coat [Fr. paletot] which veils her from the eyes of her male and female colleagues.
وَكَانَت بِنْت عَمِّي هٰذِهِ ٱلْغَزَالَة تَعَلَّمَت ٱلسِّحْر وَٱلْكِهَانَة مِن صِغَرِهَا، فَسَحَرَت ذٰلِك ٱلْوَلَد عِجْلًا، وَسَحَرَت ٱلْجَارِيَة أُمَّهُ بَقَرَة، سَلَّمَتْهَا إِلَى ٱلرَّاعِي ثُمَّ جِئتُ أَنَا بَعْدَ مُدَّةٍ طَوِيلَةٍ مِن ٱلسَّفَر فَسَأَلتُ عَن وَلَدِي وَعَن أُمِّه، فَقَالَت لِي: جَارِيَتُكَ مَاتَت وَٱبْنُكَ هَرَب وَلَمْ أَعْلَم أَيْن رَاح، فَجَلَستُ مُدَّةَ سَنَةٍ وَأَنَا حَزِين ٱلْقَلْب بَاكِي ٱلْعَيْن إِلَى أَنْ جَاءَ عِيد ٱلضَّحِيَّة، فَأَرْسَلتُ إِلَى ٱلرَّاعِي أَنْ يَخُصَّنِي بِبَقَرَةٍ سَمِينَة وَهِيَ سُرِّيَّتِي اَلَّتِي سَحَرَتْهَا تِلْكَ ٱلْغَزَالَة، فَشَمَّرتُ ثِيَابِي وَأَخَذتُ ٱلسِّكِّين بِيَدِي وَتَهَيَّأتُ لِذَبْحِهَا فَصَاحَت وَبَكَت بُكَاءً شَدِيدًا فَقُمتُ عَنهَا وَأَمَرتُ ذٰلِك ٱلرَّاعِي فَذَبَحَهَا وَسَلَخَهَا فَلَمْ يَجِد فِيهَا شَحْمًا وَلا لَحْمًا غَيْرَ جِلْدٍ وَعَظْم فَنَدِمتُ عَلَى ذَبْحِهَا حَيْثُ لا يَنْفَعُنِي ٱلنَّدَم، وَأَعْطَيتُهَا لِلرَّاعِي وَقُلتُ لَه: اِئْتِنِي بِعِجْلٍ سَمِين...
My cousin this gazelle had learnt witchcraft and augury in her childhood and she bewitched that child into a calf and she bewitched the slave girl his mother into a cow and handed them over to the herdsman. Then I came after a long period of travelling and asked about my child and about his mother and she said to me: Your slave girl died and your son ran away and I didnt know where he went. So I sat for a period of a year and I was sad of heart and tearful of eye until the Festival of the Sacrifice came when I sent [word] out to the herdsman to allot me a fat cow and it was my concubine [or slave girl] who that gazelle had bewitched. Then I lifted up my clothes and took the knife in my hand and got ready to slaughter it but it bellowed/screamed and cried bitterly [lit. a strong crying] so I stood up from it and commanded that herdsman and he slaughtered it and skinned it but he didnt find in it fat or flesh other than hide and bone. So I regretted slaughtering it where regret was of no use to me and I gave it to the herdsman and said to him: bring me a fat calf...
تَقُولُ ٱلْفَتْوَى إِنَّ لِلْمُغْتَصَبَة اَلْحَقّ ٱلشَّرْعِيّ فِي أَنْ تُجْهِضَ نَفْسَهَا فِي أَيّ وَقْتٍ عِنْدَمَا يَتَبَيَّنُ أَنَّهَا أَصْبَحَت حَامِلًا نَتِيجَةَ تَعَرُّضِهَا لِلْاِغْتِصَاب، وَأَنَّهَا لا تَتَحَمَّل أَيّ وِزْرٍ إِزَاءَ تَخَلُّصِهَا مِن ثَمَرَةِ هٰذِهِ ٱلْجَرِيمَةِ ٱلْوَحْشِيَّة، وَلا تُعْتَبَر بِأَيّ حَالٍ مِن ٱلْأَحْوَال قَاتِلَة لِلنَّفْس اَلَّتِي حَرَّمَ ٱلله تَعَالَى قَتْلَهَا إِلَّا بِٱلْحَقّ، وَذٰلِكَ ٱسْتِنَادًا لِإِقْرَار قَوَاعِد ٱلشَّرِيعَةِ ٱلْإِسْلامِيَّة بِمَبْدَأ ٱلْأَعْذَار ٱلشَّرْعِيَّة. وَأَكَّدَت ٱلْفَتْوَى أَنَّ هٰذَا ٱلْحُكْم ٱلشَّرْعِيّ يَسْتَلْزِمُ لِتَحَقُّقِهِ أَنْ تَكُونَ ضَحِيَّةَ ٱلْاِغْتِصَاب قَد بَذَلَت مَا تَسْتَطِيع لِلدِّفَاع عَن نَفْسِهَا، وَٱلْحَيْلُولَةِ دُونَ أَنْ يَنَالَ مِنهَا ٱلْجَانِي. وَقَالَ ٱلدُّكْتُور طَنْطَاوِيّ إِنَّ ٱلْإِجْهَاض هُنَا يَنْدَرِج تَحْتَ مَبْدَأ «ٱلْحَقّ» اَلَّذِي يُجِيز قَتْل ٱلنَّفْس ٱلْبَشَرِيَّة، وَهُوَ اِسْتِثْنَاء لا يَتَجَاوَز حَالَةَ ٱلْمُغْتَصَبَة إِلَى غَيْرِهَا مِمَّن تَرْتَكِبُ جَرِيمَةَ ٱلزِّنَا وَتَحْمِلُ سِفَاحًا.
The fatwa [=formal legal opinion (Isl. Law)] says that the raped woman has the [Islamic] legal right to induce an abortion at any time when it becomes clear that she became pregnant as a result of her being subjected to rape and that she does not bear any burden/responsibility in the face of her getting rid of the fruit of this brutal crime and she is not considered to be in any circumstance of the circumstances a killer of human life which God the Sublime forbade the killing of except with just cause [see Quran 17.33 and 25.68]. And that is based on the rules of Islamic law [Sharia] establishing the principal of legal/legitimate excuses. The fatwa stresses that this legal judgement requires for its coming into effect that the victim of the rape had done all [lit. expended] that she can to defend herself and prevent/stand in the way of the offender harming her. Dr. Tantawi [the Grand Sheikh of al-Azhar] said that abortion here is classified under the principle of just cause which permits the killing of human life and it is an exception which does not go beyond the case of the raped woman to other [cases] of those who commit the crime of adultery and become pregnant through fornication.
فَأَتَانِي بِوَلَدِي ٱلْمَسْحُور عِجْلًا، فَلَمَّا رَآنِي ذٰلِك ٱلْعِجْل قَطَعَ حَبْلَهُ وَجَاءَنِي وَتَمَرَّغَ عَلَيَّ وَوَلْوَلَ وَبَكَى فَأَخَذَتْنِي ٱلرَّأْفَةُ عَلَيْه وَقُلتُ لِلرَّاعِي: اِئْتِنِي بِبَقَرَةٍ وَدَع هٰذَا. وَأَدْرَكَ شَهْرَزَاد ٱلصَّبَاح فَسَكَتَت عَن ٱلْكَلام ٱلْمُبَاح. فَقَالَت لَهَا أُخْتُهَا: مَا أَطْيَب حَدِيثُكِ وَأَلْطَفَهُ وَأَلَذَّهُ وَأَعْذَبَهُ فَقَالَت: وَأَيْن هٰذَا مِمَّا أُحَدِّثُكُم بِهِ ٱللَّيْلَةَ ٱلْقَابِلَة إِنْ عِشتُ وَأَبْقَانِي ٱلْمَلِك، فَقَالَ ٱلْمَلِك فِي نَفْسِه: وَٱلله مَا أَقْتُلُهَا حَتَّى أَسْمَعَ بَقِيَّةَ حَدِيثِهَا. ثُمَّ إِنَّهُم بَاتُوا تِلْكَ ٱللَّيْلَةَ إِلَى ٱلصَّبَاح مُتَعَانِقَيْن فَخَرَجَ ٱلْمَلِك إِلَى مَحَلّ حُكْمِه وَطَلَعَ ٱلْوَزِير بِٱلْكَفَن تَحْتَ إِبْطِه ثُمَّ حَكَمَ ٱلْمَلِك إِلَى آخِر ٱلنَّهَار، وَلَمْ يُخْبِر ٱلْوَزِير بِشَيْءٍ مِن ذٰلِك، فَتَعَجَّبَ ٱلْوَزِير غَايَةَ ٱلْعَجَب ثُمَّ ٱنْفَضَّ ٱلدِّيوَان وَدَخَلَ ٱلْمَلِك شَهْرِيَار قَصْرَه.
So he brought me my son [who had been] bewitched into a calf and when that calf saw me it broke its rope and came to me and rolled itself [fawningly] against me and wailed and cried. Pity for it then took hold of me and I said to the herdsman: Bring me a cow and leave this one. The morning came upon Shahrazad and she fell silent from the talk permitted [by the king]. Her sister then said to her: How pleasant is your tale and [how] fine and delicious and agreeable [lit. sweet]. So she said: And where is this among what I will tell you [all] of in the coming night if I live and the king spares me. The king said to himself: By God I wont kill her until I hear the rest of her tale. Then they spent that night until the morning in mutual embrace. The king then went out to the place of his rule and the wazir [and father of Shahrazad] came out with the funeral shroud under his arm. Then the king ruled until the end of the day and he did not tell the wazir anything of that. So the wazir marvelled greatly [lit. the limit of marvelling] and then the court broke up and King Shahriar entered his palace.
وَفِي ٱللَّيْلَةِ ٱلثَّانِيَة، قَالَت دُنْيَازَاد لِأُخْتِهَا شَهْرَزَاد: يَا أُخْتِي أَتْمِمِي لَنَا حَدِيثَكِ اَلَّذِي هُوَ حَدِيث ٱلتَّاجِر وَٱلْجِنِّيّ. قَالَت حُبًّا وَكَرَامَة إِنْ أَذِنَ لِي ٱلْمَلِك فِي ذٰلِك. فَقَالَ لَهَا ٱلْمَلِك: اِحْكِي. فَقَالَت: بَلَغَنِي أَيُّهَا ٱلْمَلِك ٱلسَّعِيد ذُو ٱلرَّأْي ٱلرَّشِيد أَنَّهُ لَمَّا رَأَى بُكَاء ٱلْعِجْل حَنَّ قَلْبُهُ إِلَيه وَقَالَ لِلرَّاعِي: أَبْقِ هٰذَا ٱلْعِجْل بَيْنَ ٱلْبَهَائِم. كُلّ ذٰلِكَ وَٱلْجِنِّيّ يَتَعَجَّبُ مِن ذٰلِكَ ٱلْكَلام ٱلْعَجِيب، ثُمَّ قَالَ صَاحِب ٱلْغَزَالَة: يَا سَيِّد مُلُوك ٱلْجَانّ كُلّ ذٰلِكَ جَرَى وَٱبْنَةُ عَمِّي هٰذِهِ ٱلْغَزَالَة تَنْظُرُ وَتَرَى وَتَقُول: اِذْبَح هٰذَا ٱلْعِجْل فَإِنَّهُ سَمِين، فَلَمْ يَهُن عَلَيَّ أَنْ أَذْبَحَهُ وَأَمَرَتُ ٱلرَّاعِي أَنْ يَأْخُذَهُ وَتَوَجَّهَ بِهِ فَفِي ثَانِي يَوْمٍ وَأَنَا جَالِسٌ وَإِذَا بِٱلرَّاعِي أَقْبَلَ عَلَيَّ وَقَال: يَا سَيِّدِي إِنِّي أَقُولُ شَيْئًا تُسَرُّ بِه وَلِي ٱلْبُشَارَة، فَقُلت: نَعَم.
And on the second night Dunyazad said to her sister Shahrazad: O my sister finish for us your tale which is the tale of the merchant and the genie. She said: Gladly [lit. with love and honour] if the king would allow me that. So the king said to her: Relate [your tale]! So she said: It reached me O happy/auspicious king possessor of rightly guided opinion that when he saw the crying of the calf his heart felt compassion towards it and he said to the herdsman: Leave this calf among the livestock. All that and the genie was marvelling at that marvellous talk. Then the owner of the gazelle said: O lord of the kings of the jinn all that happened and my cousin this gazelle was looking on and seeing [everything] and she said: Slaughter this calf as he certainly is fat. But it was not easy for me to slaughter it and I commanded the herdsman to take him and he headed off with it. Then the next day as I was sitting all of a sudden the herdsman came up to me and said: O my lord I will say something which you will be gladdened by [then] Ill get [from you] the bushara [=gift to a bringer of good tidings]. So I said: Very well...