بَاتَ ٱلْأَطْفَال ٱلْمُتَسَوِّلُون مَظْهَرًا مَأْلُوفًا فِي شَوَارِع مَدِينَةِ ٱلنَّجَف حَيْثُ تَزْدَهِرُ ٱلسِّيَاحَةُ ٱلدِّينِيَّة. فَلا يَكَادُ شَخْص يَتَوَقَّف عِنْدَ إِشَارَةٍ مُرُورِيَّة أَوْ مَحَطَّةِ وَقُود حَتَّى يَتَجَمَّع حَوْلَ سَيَّارَتِهِ ٱلْأَطْفَال ٱلْمُتَسَوِّلُون، بَعْضُهُم يَمْسَحُ ٱلزُّجَاج ٱلْأَمَامِيّ لِلسَّيَّارَة وَآخَر يَقْرَأُ ٱلتَّعْوِيذَات وَثَالِث يَحْمِلُ «مِبْخَرَة» لِدَفْع ٱلْبَلاء وَٱلشَّرّ. أَغْلَب ٱلْمُتَسَوِّلِين وَٱلْمُتَسَوِّلَات مِن خَارِج مَدِينَةِ ٱلنَّجَف، وَهُم يَقْصُدُونَهَا بِسَبَب وَضْعِهَا ٱلدِّينِيّ عِنْدَ ٱلشِّيعَة وَكَثْرَةِ وُفُود ٱلزَّائِرِين إِلَيْهَا، فَلا يَتْرُكُون حَافِلَةَ نَقْل رُكَّابٍ إِلا وَيَقْصُدُونَهَا وَيَقِفُون أَمَامَ ٱلْفَنَادِق اَلَّتِي تَعِجُّ بِٱلزَّائِرِين ٱلْإِيْرَانِيِّين. نِسَاء وَأَطْفَال يَمْلَأُون ٱلشَّوَارِع وَٱلْأَزِقَّة وَيَنْتَشِرُون فِي أَمَاكِن ٱلزَّحْمَة وَعِنْدَ أَبْوَاب ٱلْمَطَاعِم، أَوْ يَجْلِسُون عَلَى أَرْصِفَةِ ٱلطُّرُقَات يَشْحَذُون، أَوْ يَتَجَمَّعُون لِبَيْع ٱلْمَنَادِيل أَوْ عُبُوَات ٱلْمَاء ٱلْبَارِد فِي نَهَار ٱلصَّيْف ٱللّاهِب وَهُم يَتَصَبَّبُون عَرَقًا. لٰكِنَّ حَرَارَةَ ٱلصَّيْف تَهُون أَمَامَ مُطَارَدَةِ رِجَال ٱلشُّرْطَة.
Child beggars have become a familiar phenomenon on the streets of the city of Najaf where religious tourism flourishes. For barely has a person stopped at a traffic light [lit. traffic signal] or a fuel station than child beggars gather around his car. Some of them wipe the windscreen of the car while another recites prayers [seeking Gods protection] and a third carries a censer to ward off misfortune [or God-sent trial] and evil. Most of the male and female beggars are from outside the city of Najaf and they head for it because of its religious position with the Shia and the many groups of visitors to it. They dont leave out [a single] passenger bus without heading for it and standing in front of the hotels which are packed with Iranian visitors. Women and children fill the streets and alleys and spread out in the crowded places and by the doors of restaurants or they sit on the pavements of the roads begging or they gather to sell tissues or bottles [lit. containers (with contents)] of cold water in the blazing summer day as they drip with sweat. But the heat of summer becomes of little importance in the face of the pursuit by the men of the police.
اَلصُّعُود مِن مَدِينَةِ ٱلرِّبَاط، مَشْيًا عَلَى ٱلْأَقْدَام، إِلَى حَيّ قَصْبَةِ اَلأُودَايَة اَلْأَثَرِيّ، هُوَ صُعُودٌ لِمُلاقَاة ٱلرُّوح، وَمُنَاجَاة ٱلنَّفْس، وَٱلْاِبْتِعَاد عَن صَخَب ٱلْمَدِينَة. فَهٰذَا ٱلْمَكَان ٱلْأَثَرِيّ اَلضَّارِب فِي عُمْق ٱلتَّارِيخ، يُعْتَبَر مِن أَجْمَل ٱلْأَمَاكِن اَلْغَارِقَة فِي ٱلسَّكِينَةِ وَٱلْهُدُوء. كَثِيرُون يَحُجُّون إِلَيَه لِلْجُلُوس مَعَ ذَوَاتِهِم، أَوْ مَعَ أَصْدِقَائِهِم، وَأَفْرَاد عَائِلاتِهِم، مُتَأَمِّلِين مَلَكُوت ٱلله، اَلْمُمْتَدّ أَمَامَ نَاظِرَيهِم. هُنَا، عِنْدَ ٱلْمَصَبّ، يَلْتَقِي ٱلْوَادِي وَٱلْبَحْر: نَهْر أَبِي رَقْرَاق وَٱلْمُحِيط ٱلْأَطْلَسِيّ، حَيْثُ يَتَلاشَى ٱلْمَوْج ٱلصَّغِير فِي جَوْف ٱلْمَوْج ٱلْكَبِير، بَعْدَ رِحْلَةٍ عَبْرَ ٱلْحُقُول وَٱلسُّهُول. ثَمَّة زَوَارِقٍ صَغِيرَة زَرْقَاء، تَبْدُو مَرْمِيَة فَوْقَ صَفْحَةِ ٱلْوَادِي، دُونَ حَرَاكٍ كَجُثَثٍ بِدُونِ أَرْوَاح، «فِي لَيْلَةٍ ضَاعَ فِيهَا ٱلْمِجْدَاف وَٱلْمَلَّاح»، حَسَبَ ٱلتَّعْبِير ٱلْغِنَائِيّ، بِصَوْت كَوْكَب ٱلشَّرْق، أُمّ كُلْثُوم فِي أُغْنِيَّةِ «هٰذِهِ لَيْلَتِّي».
The ascent from the city of Rabat walking on foot to the historic district of Kasbah Oudaya is an ascent to find the self and talk to the soul and to get away from the noise of the city. As this historic place struck in the depth of history is considered one of the most beautiful places sunk in tranquillity and calm. Many make the pilgrimage to it to sit by themselves or with their friends and members of their families and contemplate the kingdom of God stretching out before their eyes. Here at the [river] mouth wadi [=river] and sea meet; The Bou Regreg River and the Atlantic Ocean where the small waves vanish inside the big waves after a journey across fields and plains. There are small blue boats seemingly thrown down on the expanse of the wadi motionless like lifeless corpses in a night in which oar and sailor were lost in the words of the song voiced by the Star of the East Umm Kulthum in the song This is My Night.
وَصَلَ إِلَى بَيْرُوت قَبْلَ ظُهْر أَمْس، جُثْمَان ٱلْفَنَّانَة ٱللُّبْنَانِيَّة سُوزَان تَمِيم اَلَّتِي قُتِلَت فِي دُبَيّ اَلْأُسْبُوع ٱلْفَائِت. وَكَانَ فِي ٱسْتِقْبَالِهِ فِي مَطَار رَفِيق اَلْحَرِيرِيّ اَلدُّوَلِيّ جَمْعٌ مِن عَائِلَةِ ٱلْمَغْدُورَة وَأَصْدِقَائِهَا اَلَّذِينَ غَمَرَهُم اَلْحُزْن وَٱلدَّهْشَة، بِٱلْإِضَافَةِ إِلَى ٱلْكَثِير مِن ٱلْمُصَوِّرِين وَٱلْإِعْلامِيِّين اَلَّذِينَ تَوَزَّعُوا عَلَى ٱلطُّرُق ٱلْمُؤَدِّيَةِ إِلَى ٱلْمَطَار لِٱلْتِقَاط صُوَر ٱلْاِسْتِقْبَال ٱلْأَلِيم. وَنُقِل ٱلْجُثْمَان مِن ٱلطَّائِرَة إِلَى سَيَّارَةِ ٱلْإِسْعَاف اَلْمُكَلَّلَةِ بِٱلْوُرُود ٱلْبَيْضَاء. وَتَوَجَّهَ ٱلْمَوْكِب مِن ٱلْمَطَار مُبَاشَرَةً إِلَى مَنْزِل وَالِدَي تَمِيم فِي مِنْطَقَةِ اَلزَّيْدَانِيَّة فِي عَائِشَةِ بَكَّار، لِيُنْقَل بَعْدَ ذٰلِك إِلَى جَامِع اَلْخَاشَقْجِي فِي مِنْطَقَةِ اَلْحَرْش قَصْقَص حَيْثُ وُورِي ٱلثَّرَى. وَقَبْلَ مُغَادَرَةِ ٱلْجُثْمَان وَنَقْلِهِ إِلَى جَامِع اَلْخَاشَقْجِي، تَمّ إِخْرَاج ٱلنَّعْش مِن سَيَّارَةِ ٱلْإِسْعَاف وَحُمِلَ عَلَى ٱلْأَكْتَاف فِي وَسَط ٱلطَّرِيق فِيمَا زَفَّت فِرْقَةٌ لِلْأَنَاشِيد ٱلدِّينِيَّة زَفَّةَ ٱلْعَرُوس بِمُشَارَكَةِ عَدَدٍ كَبِيرٍ مِن ٱلْأَهْل وَٱلْأَصْدِقَاء وَٱلْفَنَّانِين.
The body of Lebanese singer [lit. artist] Suzanne Tamim who was killed in Dubai last week arrived in Beirut yesterday afternoon. There to receive it at Rafic Hariri International Airport was a gathering of the family of the treacherously murdered woman and her friends whom sadness and bewilderment had overwhelmed [lit. flooded] in addition to the many photographers and journalists who were distributed along the roads leading to the airport to take photographs of the painful reception. The body was transferred from the aeroplane to an ambulance wreathed with white flowers. The procession then headed from the airport directly to the house of the parents of Tamim in the district of al-Zaydaniyyah in Aisha Bakkar to be taken after that to the al-Khashoggi mosque in the district of al-Harsh Qasqas where it was interred [lit. covered with soil]. Before the bodys departure [from the parents house] and its being taken to the al-Khashoggi mosque the coffin was taken out of the ambulance and carried on shoulders in the middle of the road while a troupe for religious songs conducted the bridal procession [as is the tradition for young deaths] with the participation of a large number of family friends and [fellow] artists.
أَكَّدَت اَلْمُسْتَشَارَة ٱلسِّيَاسِيَّة وَٱلْإِعْلامِيَّة فِي ٱلْقَصْر ٱلرِّئَاسِيّ اَلسُّورِيّ اَلدُّكْتُورَة بُثَيْنَة شَعْبَان أَمْس أَنَّ ٱلْعَمِيد مُحَمَّد سُلَيْمَان اُغْتِيلَ لَيْلَةَ ٱلْجُمْعَة ـ اَلسَّبْت ٱلْمَاضِي، مُشِيرَةً إِلَى أَنَّ «ٱلتَّحْقِيقَات جَارِيَة لِمَعْرِفَةِ تَفَاصِيل ٱلْجَرِيمَةِ ٱلنَّكْرَاء» وَأَنَّ ٱلسُّلُطَات تَتَرَيَّث فِي تَوْجِيه ٱلْٱتِّهَام إِلَى حِينِ «تَوَافُر مُعْطَيَاتٍ مَلْمُوسَة» عَن ٱلْعَمَلِيَة. وَتَرَدَّدَ أَنَّ ٱلْعَمِيد سُلَيْمَان اُغْتِيلَ خِلالَ وُجُودِهِ فِي مُنْتَجَع «اَلرِّمَال ٱلذَّهَبِيَّة» فِي طَرْطُوس ٱلسَّاحِلِيَّة، بِٱلتَّزَامُن مَعَ ٱلْحَدِيث عَن سِينَارْيُوهَاتٍ عِدَّة مِن وَسَائِل إِعْلامٍ إِسْرَائِيلِيَّة وَٱلْمُعَارَضَةِ ٱلسُّورِيَّة اَلْمُقِيمَة فِي ٱلْخَارِج. وَلَمْ تَخُض شَعْبَان فِي ٱلتَّفَاصِيل، مُكْتَفِيَة بِتَأْكِيد نَبَأ تَعَرُّض «ٱلضَّابِط فِي ٱلْجَيْش ٱلْعَرَبِيّ ٱلسُّورِيّ إِلَى عَمَلِيَةِ ٱغْتِيَال». وَزَادَت: «اَلسُّلُطَات ٱلْمَعْنِيَّة تُحَقِّق بِٱلْمَوْضُوع وَتُدَقِّق فِي ٱلْمُعْطَيَات» لِمَعْرِفَةِ ٱلْجِهَةِ ٱلْمُنَفِّذَة وَٱلْمُخَطِّط لِهٰذِهِ «ٱلْجَرِيمَةِ ٱلنَّكْرَاء». وَهٰذَا هُوَ ٱلْمَوْقِف ٱلرَّسْمِيّ ٱلْأَوَّل مُنْذُ ٱغْتِيَال سُلَيْمَان وَتَشْيِيعِهِ فِي بَلْدَةِ دْرِيكِيش اَلسَّاحِلِيَّة.
The political and media advisor in the Syrian presidential palace Doctor Buthaina Shaaban confirmed yesterday that Brigadier General Muhammad Suleiman was assassinated last Friday - Saturday night and she advised that investigations were under way to determine the details of the reprehensible crime and that the authorities were delaying the directing of an accusation until the availability of concrete [lit. tangible] data about the operation. It is reported that Brigadier General Suleiman was assassinated while he was at the Golden Sands resort in the coastal [town of] Tartous coinciding with talk about several scenarios from the Israeli media and the Syrian opposition residing abroad. Shaaban did not go into details being content to confirm the news of the officer in the Syrian Arab Army having been subjected to an assassination operation. She added: The concerned authorities are investigating the matter and examining the data to discover the perpetrating party and the planner of this reprehensible crime. This is the first official position since the assassination of Suleiman and his funeral in the coastal town of Drikeesh.
يَتَدَاوَل سُكَّان ٱلْعَاصِمَةِ ٱلْجَزَائِرِيَّة هٰذَا ٱلصَّيْف، نِظَامًا مُتَمَيِّزًا تَسِيرُ عَلَيْه حَدِيقَةُ ٱلْأَلْعَاب وَٱلتَّسْلِيَة تَقَع بِٱلضَّاحِيَةِ ٱلشَّرْقِيَّة، حَيْثُ يَمْنَعُ صَاحِبُهَا اَلْمُتَدَيِّن غَيْرَ ٱلْمُتَزَوِّجِين مِن دُخُولِهَا، وَحَتَّى ٱلْمُتَزَوِّجِين يَحْظُرُ عَلَيْهِم اَلْاِبْتِعَاد عَن أَنْظَار ٱلنَّاس دَاخِلَ ٱلْحَدِيقَة، مِمَّا أَثَارَ ٱسْتِيَاء اَلْكَثِيرِين بَيْنَمَا أَبْدَى آخَرُون اِرْتِيَاحًا لِمَا وَصَفُوهُ بـِ«أَفْضَل مَكَانٍ تُصَانُ فِيهِ ٱلْأَخْلَاق». «دْرِيم بَارْك» فَضَاءٌ تَقْصُدُهُ عَائِلات «ٱلتَّيَّار ٱلْإِسْلامِيّ»، كَمَا يُسَمِّيه سُكَّان ٱلْعَاصِمَة قِيَاسًا إِلَى خُصُوصِيَّات ٱلْمَكَان اَلَّذِي يُؤَجِّرُهُ شَخْصٌ مُتَدَيِّن، وَظَّفَ حُرَّاسًا يَرْتَدُون بَدْلاتٍ أَمْنِيَّة وَمُكَلَّفِين مُرَاقَبَةِ أَيّ حَرَكَةٍ تَدُورُ فِي ٱلْحَدِيقَة، وَبِٱلتَّدَخُّل إِذَا قَدَّرُوا بِأَنَّهَا «تَخْدِشُ ٱلْحَيَاء». وَيَقِفُ ٱلْعَشَرَات مِن ٱلْحُرَّاس فِي مَسَاء كُلّ يَوْم، عِنْدَ مَدْخَل ٱلْحَدِيقَة لِلتَّمْحِيص فِي مَلامِح قَاصِدِّي اَلْمَكَان، خَاصَّةً اَلْأَزْوَاج إِذَا كَانُوا غَيْر مَرْفُوقِين بِأَوْلاد. وَلا يَتَرَدَّدُون فِي مَنْع كُلّ زَوْج لا تَبْدُو عَلَيْه «عَلامَات ٱلْقِرَان ٱلشَّرْعِيّ»، مِن ٱلدُّخُول.
This summer inhabitants of the Algerian capital are circulating [stories of] a distinctive system which an amusement park lying in the eastern suburb is following as its religious owner is preventing unmarried people from entering it and he even prohibits married people from going out of the sight of [other] people in the park something which has provoked the indignation of many while others have expressed pleasure towards what they describe as the best place for upholding morals. Dream Park is a space to where head families of the Islamic movement as the capitals inhabitants term it in reference to the particularities of the place which is rented by a religious person and he employs guards who wear security uniforms and are charged with observing any movement going on in the park and with intervening if they assess that it offends [lit. scratches] decency. In the evening of every day dozens [lit. tens] of guards stand by the park entrance to scrutinize the features of the people coming to the place especially couples if they are not accompanied by children. And they wont hesitate to prevent every couple not showing signs of being lawfully married from entering.
بِحِبْر دُمُوعِّي ٱلْحَرَّى وَبِٱلنَّحْت فِي دَمِّي ٱلْمُتَجَمِّد عَلَى صِمَامَات قَلْبِّي، دَعنِي أَقُول لَيْسَ دَقِيقًا ٱلْقَوْل «رَحَلَ مَحْمُود دَرْوِيش». فَٱلْأَقْرَب أَنَّ مَحْمُود دَرْوِيش اَلْمُبْتَلَى بِعُضَال ٱلْأَمَل اَلْمَفْتُون بِرَفِيف ٱلْأَجْنِحَة اَلْمُتَمَرِّس فِي شَرَاسَةِ ٱلتَّرْحَال، قَد عَاشَ طِوَالَ حَيَاتِهِ ٱلْقَصِيرَة مُرْتَحِلًا. وَرُبَّمَا قَرَّرَ أَخِيرًا اَلْاِسْتِقْرَار عَلَى رَغْمِ أَنْف ٱلْاِحْتِلال. عَلَّهُ كَعَادَةِ شِعْرِهِ يَخْلُقُ بِإِبْدَاعِهِ مَا يُخِلُّ بِٱلْمُسْتَتِبّ وَٱلْمُسْتَبِدّ مِن خَلَل ٱلْجَمَال وَٱخْتِلال ٱلْعَدْل. لِيَضَعَ بِقَصِيدَةِ مَوْتِهِ ٱلْأَخِيرَة حَدًّا لِٱقْتِتَال ٱلْأُخْوَة. وَلِيَكْتُب بِخُلُودِهِ حَيَاةً جَدِيدَة لِرِيتَا وَلِفِلَسْطِين مَعًا.
With the ink of my hot tears and by engraving in my blood frozen on the valves of my heart let me say in imprecise words Mahmoud Darwish has departed/moved on. It is closer [to the truth to say] that Mahmoud Darwish afflicted with incurable hope enraptured with the flapping of wings well-practised in the viciousness of constantly moving on had lived all his short life on the move. Yet perhaps he finally decided to settle down against the wishes [lit. despite the nose] of the Occupation [=Israel]. That he might as is the custom of his poetry create with his originality something to upset the established [order] and the despot from out of the upsetting of beauty and the imbalance of justice. To put with the final poem of his death an end to the infighting of brothers [=brother Palestinians]. And to write with his immortality a new life for Rita [ref. his poem Rita and the Rifle] and for Palestine together.
اِرْتَفَعَت رَايَة تُونِس خَفَّاقَة أَمْس فِي دَوْرَةِ بِكِين اَلْأُولِمْبِيَّة، فِي ٱلْيَوْم ٱلْأَخِير مِن مُنَافَسَات ٱلسِّبَاحَة، عِنْدَمَا ٱعْتَلَى أُسَامَة اَلْمَلُولِيّ مِنَصَّةَ ٱلتَّتْوِيج إِثْرَ فَوْزِهِ فِي سِبَاق ٱلْأَلْف وَخَمْسُمِئَةِ مِتْر حُرَّة، قَاطِعًا ٱلطَّرِيق مَرَّة جَدِيدَة عَلَى حَامِل ٱلرَّقْم ٱلْقِيَاسِيّ اَلْعَالَمِيّ اَلْأُسْتُرَالِيّ غرَانْت هَاكِيت. وَهِيَ أَوَّل ذَهَبِيَّة عَرَبِيَّة فِي ٱلدَّوْرَة، وَٱلْأُولَى لِتُونِس مُنْذُ فَوْز ٱلْعَدَّاء مُحَمَّد اَلْقَمُودِيّ بِسِبَاق اَلْخَمْسَةِ آلاف مِتْر فِي دَوْرَةِ مِكْسِيكُو اَلْعَام أَلْف وَتِسْعُمِئَة وَثَمَانِيَة وَسِتِّين، وَٱلذَّهَبِيَّة ٱلثَّانِيَة مِن أَصْل سَبْع مِيدَالِيَات حَصَدَتْهَا فِي اِثْنَي عَشَر مُشَارَكَة أُولِمْبِيَّة. وَلَمْ يَسْبِق لِعَرَبِيّ أَنْ حَصَدَ مِيدَالِيَة فِي ٱلسِّبَاحَة خِلالَ ٱلدَّوْرَات ٱلْأُوِلمْبِيَّة، كَمَا أَنَّ اَلْمَلُولِيّ هُوَ حَالِيًّا سَبَّاح ٱلْعَرَب ٱلْوَحِيد عَلَى ٱلصَّعِيد ٱلدَّوْلِيّ، لا سِيَّمَا بَعْدَ تَرَاجُع مُسْتَوَى ٱلْجَزَائِرِيّ سَلِيم إِيْلاس.
The flag of Tunisia rose and fluttered yesterday at the Beijing Olympic games on the last day of the swimming competitions when Oussama al-Mellouli ascended the medal [lit. crowning] podium following his victory in the fifteen hundred metre freestyle race to stand in the way [lit. cutting off the road] once again of the world record holder Australian Grant Hackett. It was the first Arab gold [medal] in the games and the first for Tunisia since the victory of runner Muhammad al-Gammoudi in the five thousand metre race at the Mexico City games in the year 1968 and the second gold out of seven medals it has won [lit. reaped] in twelve Olympic competitions [lit. participations]. No Arab has previously won [lit. reaped] a medal in the swimming during the Olympic games just as al-Mellouli is currently the only Arab swimmer at an international level in particular after the deteriorating of the form [lit. level] of Algerian Salim Iles.
بَاتُوا يُطْلِقُون عَلَيْهَا وَصْف «دَرَّاجَات ٱلْمَوْت» مُنْذُ بَدَأَ ٱسْتِخْدَام ٱلدَّرَّاجَات ٱلنَّارِيَّةِ ٱلْمَائِيَّة يَتَزَايَدُ فِي مُخْتَلِف ٱلشَّوَاطِئ ٱلْمَغْرِبِيَّة، وَحَوَادِث ٱلْاِصْطِدَام ٱلْخَطِيرَة بِٱلْمُصْطَافِين تَتَكَرَّر، وَعَدَدُهَا يَتَصَاعَد صَيْفًا بَعْدَ آخَر. شَيْمَاء اَلْمُرَاهِقَة ذَات ٱلْأَرْبَعَةَ عَشَر رَبِيعًا كَانَت تَسْبَح فِي شَاطِئ طَنْجَة اَلْمُطِلَّة عَلَى ٱلْوَاجِهَتَيْن اَلْمُتَوَسِّطِيَّة وَٱلْأَطْلَسِيَّة (أَقْصَى ٱلشِّمَال) حَيْثُ تَشِيع مُمَارَسَةُ هٰذِهِ ٱلْهِوَايَة، عِنْدَمَا صَدَمَتْهَا دَرَّاجَة مَائِيَّة عَلَى مُسْتَوَى ٱلرَّأْس، وَقَلَبَت حَيَاتَهَا رَأْسًا عَلَى عَقِب، وَحَوَّلَت عُطْلَةَ أُسْرَتِهَا إِلَى جَحِيم. اِعْتَقَلَت ٱلسُّلُطَات ٱلْأَمْنِيَّة اَلشَّابّ مُبَاشَرَةً بَعْدَ ٱلْحَادِث، وَأُحِيلَ إِلَى قَضَاء ٱلْمَدِينَة بِتُهْمَةِ ٱلْإِيْذَاء غَيْر ٱلْمُتَعَمَّد، فِي ٱنْتِظَار تَطَوَّرَات ٱلْوَضْع ٱلصِّحِّيّ لِلضَّحِيَّة اَلَّتِي نُقِلَت إِلَى ٱلْمُسْتَشْفَى وَخَضَعَت لِعَمَلِيَّة جِرَاحِيَّة مُسْتَعْجَلَة. نَزِيفٌ حَادّ عَلَى مُسْتَوَى ٱلدِّمَاغ، وَجُرُوحٌ غَائِرَة فِي ٱلرَّأْس وَتَلَفٌ وَاسِع لِفَرْوَةِ رَأْس ٱلصَّبِيَة اَلَّتِي أَنْقَذَهَا مِن ٱلْغَرَق، وَهِيَ فِي غَيْبُوبَة، مُصْطَافُون وَرِجَالٌ مِن مَصَالِح ٱلْوِقَايَةِ ٱلْمَدَنِيَّة.
They have come to call them death bikes ever since the use of jet skis [lit. water motorbikes] started increasing at various Moroccan beaches and serious collisions with holidaymakers have happened repeatedly as the number of them has risen one summer after another. Shaymaa a teenage [lit. adolescent] girl of just fourteen years of age [lit. owner of fourteen springs] was swimming at Tangier beach which overlooks both the Mediterranean and Atlantic fronts (in the far north) where the pursuit of this hobby is widespread when a jet ski collided with her at head level and turned her life upside down [lit. head over heels] and transformed the holiday of her family into a hell. Security authorities detained the youth immediately after the accident and he was referred to the city judiciary with the charge of unintentional harm awaiting developments in the health status of the victim who was transferred to hospital and underwent emergency surgery. [There was] severe bleeding at brain level deep wounds on the head and extensive damage to the scalp of the girl whom holidaymakers and men from the civil defence authorities saved from drowning as she was in [a state of] unconsciousness.
عِنْدَمَا تَزُورُ مِصْر، لا بُدَّ أَنْ تَرَى ٱلْأَهْرَام وَتَشْرَب مِن مَاء ٱلنِّيل، وَتَسْهَرَ عَلَى شَاطِئِه، وَتَأْكُلَ ٱلْوَجَبَات ٱلْمِصْرِيَّة ٱلشَّعْبِيَّة، وَمِن أَهَمِّهَا اَلْكُشَرِيّ، تِلْكَ ٱلْوَجْبَة ٱلْمِصْرِيَّة اَلْمَشْهُورَة بِٱسْم «أَبُو دَقَّة»، اَلَّتِي تَتَكَوَّن مِن خَلِيطٍ مِن ٱلْعَدَس وَٱلْمَعْكَرُونَة وَٱلْأَرُزّ وَٱلْبَصَل وَصَلْصَةَ اَلطَّمَاطِم، وَٱلصَّلْصَة ٱلْحَارَّة (اَلشَّطَّة). وَرَغْمَ أَنَّ ٱلْكُشَرِيّ كَانَ مَشْهُورًا بِأَنَّهُ «طَبَق ٱلْغَلابَة» نَظَرًا لِأَنَّ سِعْر ٱلطَّبَق مِنهُ كَانَ لا يَتَجَاوَز اَلثَّلاثَة جُنَيْهَات، تَغَيَّرَت هٰذِهِ ٱلْفِكْرَة فِي ٱلْأَشْهُر ٱلْأَخِيرَة مَعَ ٱرْتِفَاع أَسْعَار مُكَوِّنَاتِه مِن عَدَس وَأَرُزّ وَمَعْكَرُونَة، لِيَرْتَفِع سِعْر طَبَق ٱلْكُشَرِيّ إِلَى خَمْسَة جُنَيْهَات. وَتَتَنَوَّع أَمَاكِن تَنَاوُل ٱلْكُشَرِيّ مِن بَيْنِ عَرَبَات ٱلْيَد فِي ٱلْمَنَاطِق ٱلشَّعْبِيَّة، أَوْ فِي ٱلْمَحَلَّات ٱلصَّغِيرَة أَوْ ٱلْكَبِيرَة، حَيْثُ يَحْرِص كُلّ بَائِع عَلَى إِضَافَةِ شَيْءٍ يُمَيِّزُهُ عَن مُنَافِسِيه، فَهٰذَا يُضِيفُ ٱللَّيْمُون وَثَانٍ يُضِيفٌ مَاء ٱلْوَرْد، وَثَالِثٌ يُضِيفُ ٱلْحُمُّص.
When you visit Egypt you have to see the pyramids drink from the water of the Nile spend an evening on its shore and eat the local [lit. popular] Egyptian meals among the most important of which is kushari that Egyptian meal famed with the name Abu Daqqa [refers to the sauce of crushed (madquuq) garlic] which is made up of a mixture of lentils macaroni rice onion tomato sauce and hot sauce (shatta). And although kushari used to be famous for being the dish of the poor in view of the fact that the price of a plate of it didnt exceed three pounds this idea has changed in recent months with the rise of the prices of its ingredients of lentils rice and macaroni so the price of a plate of kushari has risen to five pounds. The places for having kushari vary from between hand carts in poorer [lit. peoples] areas or in small shops or large where every vendor is keen to add something which distinguishes him from his competitors as this one adds lemon and a second adds rose water and a third adds hummus.
طُرُقَاتٌ مُتَعَرِّجَة تَشُقُّ أَوْدِيَةً سَحِيقَة تَبْعَثُ عَلَى ٱلصَّمْت وَٱلْخُشُوع تُفْضِي إِلَى حَاقِل فِي قَضَاء جُبَيْل (مُحَافَظَةُ جَبَل لُبْنَان) فَتَخْتَرِقُ ٱلسَّيَّارَة طَرِيقًا ضَيِّقًا تُزَنِّرُهُ مَعَارِض لِلْأَسْمَاك ٱلْمُتَحَجِّرَة تَنْهَضُ شَاهِدًا عَلَى تَارِيخ بَلْدَة ذَاعَ صِيتُهَا فِي اِكْتِشَاف ٱلْمُتَحَجِّرَات ٱلْمَائِيَّة عَلَى مَدَى ٱلْعُصُور. يَضُمُّ «مَتْحَف رِزْق ٱلله نُهْرَا لِلْأَسْمَاك ٱلْمُتَحَجِّرَة» مُتَحَجِّرَاتٍ يَعُودُ بَعْضُهَا إِلَى عَصْر «طُوفَان نُوح» مِمَّا جَعَلَهُ أَهَمّ ٱلْمَتَاحِف اَلَّتِي تَضُمّ أَحَافِير مَائِيَّة. بَرَاكِين وَزَلازِل ضَرَبَت لُبْنَان أَهَمُّهَا اَلزِّلْزَال ٱلْأَكْبَر مُنْذُ مِائَةِ مِلْيُون سَنَة، أَدَّت إِلَى صُعُود طَبَقَاتٍ مِن بَاطِن ٱلْبَحْر إِلَى أَعَالِي ٱلْجِبَال حَامِلَةً مَعَهَا مَلايِين ٱلْأَسْمَاك وَٱلْحَيَوَانَات ٱلْبَحْرِيَّة إِلَى ٱرْتِفَاع سَبْعُمِئَةِ مِتْر عَن سَطْح ٱلْبَحْر ٱلْيَوْم، فَٱنْطَبَعَت صُوَرُهَا بَيْنَ ثَنَايَا ٱلصُّخُور فِي شَكْلٍ وَاضِح... طِبْقَ ٱلْأَصْل عَن ٱلْأَسْمَاك ٱلْحَقِيقِيَّة، وَحُفِظَت عَبْرَ ٱلْعُصُور لِتُكَوِّن أَجْمَل لَوْحَاتٍ طَبِيعِيَّة تَمَيَّزَ بِهَا لُبْنَان عَن غَيْرِه.
Winding roads crossing bottomless valleys which induce silence and humbleness lead to Haqel in the district of Jbeil (governorate of Mount Lebanon). The car traverses a narrow road surrounded [lit. belted] by exhibitions of fossilized fish which stand witness to the history of a village whose reputation has spread for the discovery of water fossils over the ages. The Riskallah Nohra Museum of Fossilized Fish brings together fossils some of which go back to the age of Noahs Flood which makes it the most important museum which brings together water fossils. Volcanoes and earthquakes have struck Lebanon the most important being the great earthquake one hundred million years ago which have led to the rising of layers from the seabed to the tops of mountains carrying with them millions of fish and marine animals to a height of seven hundred metres from the sea level today and their likenesses were imprinted between the rocks in a clear manner... exact replicas of the real fish and were preserved across the ages to form the most beautiful of natural tableaux with which Lebanon has been distinguished from others.
كُنَّّا نَتَسَابَقُ صِغَارًا لِصَوْم رَمَضَان، رَغْم شَفَقَةِ ٱلْكِبَار بِنَا، وَكَانَ يَأْتِي ٱلشَّهْر خِلالَ فَصْل ٱلصَّيْف، وَنَحْنُ نَسْكُن بُيُوتًا لَمْ تَكُن بِهَا أَيَّةِ وَسَائِل حَدِيثَة لِمُغَالَبَةِ حَرَارَةِ ٱلطَّقْس، فَلا مُكَيِّفَات، وَلا مَرَاوِح، وَلا ثَلَّاجَات، وَلا كَهْرَبَاء، وَمَعَ هٰذَا فَكُلّ مَا حَوْلَنَا يُشَجِّع عَلَى ٱلصَّوْم: نِدَاءَات ٱلْبَاعَة فِي ٱلْأَسْوَاق، رَوَائِح ٱلْبَخُور اَلَّتِي تَفُوحُ مِن أَوَانِي ٱلشُّرْب فِي ٱلْمَنَازِل، صَوْت ٱلْمُسَحَّرَاتِيّ يَتَعَالَى فِي دُرُوب جُدَّة ٱلْعَتِيقَة: «اِصْحَ يَا نَائِم وَحِّد ٱلدَّائِم». وَأَهَازِيج ٱلصِّغَار تُهَدْهِدُ ٱلْمَدَى: «يَا فَاطِر رَمَضَان يَا خَاسِر دِينَك وَٱلْكَلْب ٱلْأَجْرَب يَجُرّ مَصَارِينَك». حَتَّى ٱلْأَطْفَال ٱلصِّغَار جِدًّا لا يَجْرُؤُون عَلَى ٱلْمُجَاهَرَة بِٱلْإِفْطَار خَشْيَة أَنْ تُلاحِقُهُم تِلْكَ ٱلْأَهَازِيج، أَوْ يُنْعَتُون بِأَنَّهُم صَائِمُون «مِن وَرَاء ٱلزِّير»، وَٱلزِّير هُوَ إِنَاء ٱلْمَاء اَلْفَخَّارِيّ، وَ«ٱلصَّائِم مِن وَرَاء ٱلزِّير» هُوَ ٱلطِّفْل اَلَّذِي يَشْرَبُ ٱلْمَاء خُلْسَة بَعِيدًا عَن عُيُون ٱلْأُسْرَة وَٱلْأَنْدَاد.
As small children we used to try to outdo one another in fasting for Ramadan despite the pity of the adults towards us. The month would come during the summer season and we lived in houses which did not have any modern means for combating the hot weather; No air-conditioners no fans no refrigerators and no electricity. Yet everything around us encouraged fasting: The calls of the sellers in the markets the smell of incense which would diffuse from the drinking vessels in the houses the voice of the musahharati [=man who wakes people for the sahur meal in Ramadan] ringing out in the old lanes of Jeddah: Wake up O sleeper and proclaim the oneness of [God] The Everlasting!. And the chants of the youngsters rocking the area [lit. distance]: O Ramadan fast-breaker! O loser of your faith! The mangy dog drags your guts! Even very young children did not dare to break the fast openly fearing that those chants would follow them or that they would be described as people who fast behind the ziir. The ziir is a clay water vessel and the faster behind the ziir is the child who drinks water surreptitiously far from the eyes of family and peers.
مِدْفَع ٱلْإِفْطَار.. اِضْرِب! وَيَنْطَلِقُ مِدْفَع ٱلْحَاجَّة فَاطِمَة اَلْأَشْهَر فِي مِصْر فِي تَمَام ٱلسَّادِسَة وَسَبْعَةَ عَشَر دَقِيقَة بِتَوْقِيت اَلْقَاهِرَة لِيُعْلِنَ اِنْتِهَاء صَوْم أَوَّل يَوْمٍ مِن أَيَّام ٱلشَّهْر ٱلْكَرِيم هٰذَا ٱلشَّهْر اَلَّذِي أَثْبَتَ بِٱلْحُجَّةِ وَٱلْبُرْهَان أَنَّ عَادَاتَهُ وَتَقَالِيدَه صَامِدَة فِي وَجْه رِيَاح ٱلتَّغْيِير وَٱلتَّحْدِيث وَحَتَّى ٱلتَّغْرِيب، وَإِنْ بَدَت مَلامِح «نيُولُوك» تَظْهَرُ عَلَيْهِ هٰذِهِ ٱلسَّنَة، لٰكِن مِن دُونِ ٱلنَّيْل مِن جَوْهَرِهِ. بَائِعُو اَلْمُخَلَّلَات ٱلرَّمَضَانِيَّة اِتَّخَذُوا مَوَاقِعَهُم ٱلْمُعْتَادَة فِي ٱلْأَحْيَاء ٱلشَّعْبِيَّة، وَوَاجِهَات مَحَلَّات ٱلْبِقَالَة اِكْتَسَت بِكَمٍّ هَائِلٍ مِن ٱلْفَوَانِيس، وَقُدُور ٱلْفُول ٱلْمُدَمِّس تَبَوَّأَت مَكَانَهَا ٱلْكِلاسِيكِيّ عَلَى مَتْن ٱلْعَرَبَات ٱلْخَشَبِيَّة اَلْجَوَّالَة، وَمَحَلَّات ٱلْحَلْوَيَات أَخَذَت عُدَّتَهَا كَامِلَة لِمُوَاجَهَةِ ٱلزَّحْف ٱلرَّمَضَانِيّ اَلْمُتَوَقَّع عَلَيْهَا، حَتَّى «شَحَّاذُو» رَمَضَان اَلْمَوْسِمِيُّون أَعْلَنُوا سَيْطَرَتَهُم عَلَى نَوَاصِي ٱلشَّوَارِع اَلْاِسْترَاتِيجِيَّة وَإِشَارَات ٱلْمُرُور اَلْمُكْتَظَّة اِسْتِعْدَادًا لِمَوْسِم ٱلْاِنْتِفَاع ٱلسَّنَوِيّ مِن إِقْبَال ٱلصَّائِمِين عَلَى تَعْظِيم ٱلثَّوَاب مِن بَوَّابَةِ ٱلصَّدَقَة.
Iftar [=first meal after sunset in Ramadan] cannon... Fire! The Hajjah Fatimah cannon - the most famous [cannon] in Egypt - goes off at exactly seventeen minutes past six Cairo time to announce the end of the fast for the first day of the days of the holy [lit. generous] month. This month which has established with evidence and proof that its customs and traditions are resistant in the face of the winds of change and modernisation and even westernisation and even if new look features can be seen appearing on it this year this still doesnt harm/get hold of its essence. Sellers of Ramadan pickles have taken up their usual positions in the popular areas the fronts of grocery stores have been dressed with a huge number of lanterns [large] pots of fuul medames [fava beans in oil] occupy their classic place on board wooden carts doing the rounds and sweet shops have made full preparations to confront the expected Ramadan march. Even the seasonal Ramadan beggars have announced their gaining control over strategic street corners and crowded traffic lights in preparation for the annual season of profit resulting from the fasting peoples concern to magnify the reward via [the giving of] alms
فِي ٱلْعُقُود ٱلْأَخِيرَة، وَبِسَبَب ٱلصَّيْد ٱلْجَائِر وَٱلْمُتَغَيَّرَات ٱلْبِيئِيَّة اَلسَّلْبِيَّة، لُوحِظَ تَدَنٍّ كَبِير فِي أَعْدَاد ٱلْأَسْمَاك مِن أَنْوَاع عِدَّة. وَلاحَظَ صَيَّادُو ٱلْخَلِيج ٱلْعَرَبِيّ اِنْخِفَاضًا فِي أَنْوَاعٍ بَحْرِيَّة كَانَت تَمْلَأُ ٱلْمِيَاه، وَلَعَلَّ أَبْرَزَهَا اَلنَّوْع ٱلْمَعْرُوف بِٱسْم «أَبُو مِنْشَار». وَتُعْتَبَر تِلْكَ ٱلْأَسْمَاك مِن ٱلْأَنْوَاع اَلَّتِي يَسْهُل ٱلتَّعَرُّف إِلَيهَا وَذٰلِك لِٱمْتِلاكِهَا تَرْكِيبًا مِنْشَارِيًّا طَوِيلًا يَحْتَوِي عَلَى مَجْمُوعَةٍ كَبِيرَة مِن ٱلْأَسْنَان فِي مُقَدَّم رَأْسِهَا. وَيُمَاثِل جِسْمُهَا إِلَى دَرَجَةٍ كَبِيرَة أَسْمَاك ٱلْقِرْش اَلْاِعْتِيَادِيَّة وَٱلَّتِي تَمُتُّ لَهَا بِدَرَجَةٍ كَبِيرَةٍ مِن ٱلْقَرَابَة. يَصِلُ طُول بَعْض أَفْرَاد «أَبُو مِنْشَار» إِلَى أَكْثَر مِن خَمْسَةِ أَمْتَار. وَتَتَغَذَّى عَلَى ٱلْأَسْمَاك ٱلْأَصْغَر مِنهَا حَجْمًا وَٱلَّتِي تَمُوت أَوْ تُصَاب بِجُرُوح بِسَبَب ضَرَبَات ٱلتَّرْكِيب ٱلْمِنْشَارِيّ. وَلَطَالَمَا تَجَنَّبَ صَيَّادُو ٱللُّؤلُؤ فِي مِنْطَقَةِ ٱلْخَلِيج ٱلْعَرَبِيّ فِي رِحَلات ٱلْغَوْص هٰذِهِ ٱلْأَسْمَاك إِذْ اِعْتَقَدُوا أَنَّ فِي إِمْكَانِهَا قَطْع جِسْم ٱلْغَوَّاص إِلَى جُزْئَيْن.
In recent decades due to overfishing [lit. unjust fishing] and negative environmental changes a large decline in the numbers of fish of many types has been noted. Fishermen of the Arabian Gulf have noticed a reduction in marine species which used to fill the waters. Perhaps the most prominent of them is the species known as the sawfish. These fish are considered one of the species which is most easily recognised and that is due to their having a long saw-like structure which comprises a large array of teeth at the front of their head. Their body resembles to a large degree normal sharks to which they are related with a large degree of kinship. The length of some individual sawfish can reach to more than five metres. They feed on fish which are smaller than them in size and which die or are injured as a result of strikes by the saw-like structure. Many times in the Arabian Gulf region pearl hunters on diving trips have avoided these fish as they believed that it is within their capability to cut the body of the diver in two.
بَعْدَ زَحْمَةِ ٱلْمَهْرَجَانَات ٱلْفَنِّيَة اَلَّتِي ٱسْتَضَافَهَا لُبْنَان، يَنْفَرِدُ «مَسْرَح بَابِل» (بَيْرُوت) بِٱحْتِضَان أُمْسِيَّاتٍ رَمَضَانِيَّة لِفِرَقٍ مُوسِيقِيَّة مِن ٱلْعِرَاق وَسُورِيَّة وَلُبْنَان وَمِصْر، وَمَا يُمَيِّز بَرْنَامَجَهُ تَقْدِيم ٱلتُّرَاث وَٱلْفُولكلُور عَبْرَ أَصْوَاتٍ دَافِئَة وَرَصِينَة. «سَهْرَةٌ مَعَ ٱلْمَقَام ٱلْعِرَاقِيّ» اِحْتَضَنَهَا ٱلْمَسْرَح أَمْس وَقَدَّمَهَا ٱلْمُنْشِد وَٱلْبَاحِث وَٱلْكَاتِب فِي فَنّ ٱلْمَقَام ٱلْعِرَاقِيّ حُسَيْن اَلْأَعْظَمِيّ. وَٱلْمَقَام ٱلْعِرَاقِيّ مِن ٱلْفُنُون ٱلْمُوسِيقِيَّة اَلْعَرَبِيَّة ٱلْقَدِيمَة (مُنْذُ أَرْبَعُمِئَةِ سَنَة)، وَيُعْتَبَر مِن أَرْقَى أَشْكَال ٱلْمَقَام، وَأَدَوَاتُهُ، إِضَافَةً إِلَى ٱلْمُنْشِد، ثَلاثَة عَازِفِين عَلَى آلَةِ ٱلسَّنْطُور وَٱلْجُوزَة وَٱلطَّبْلَة أَوْ اَلدُّنْبُك وَأَحْيَانًا اَلرِّقّ. بَدَا ٱلْمَسْرَح قِطْعَةٌ مِن بَغْدَاد، بِلُكْنَةِ جُمْهُورِهِ اَلَّذِي رَاحَ يَتَأَلَّمُ مَعَ كُلّ جُرْحٍ تَنْزِفُهُ آلَةُ ٱلْجُوزَة اَلْمَعْرُوفَة بِأَنْغَامِهَا ٱلْحَزِينَة. وَفِي أَجْوَاء ٱلْمُوسِيقَى ٱلْحَالِمَة وَٱلْعَابِقَة بِرُوح ٱلْعِرَاق، يُخَيَّلُ لِلْمُسْتَمِع أَنَّ نَهْرَي دِجْلَةَ وَٱلْفُرَات يُلامِسَان أَقْدَامَه، وَٱلنَّخِيل يُظَلِّلُ رَأْسَهُ مِن حَرَارَةِ ٱلشَّمْس.
After the crowd of the arts festivals which Lebanon hosted Babel Theatre (Beirut) is unique in embracing Ramadan evenings for musical troupes from Iraq Syria Lebanon and Egypt. What distinguishes its programme is the presenting of heritage and folklore through voices [which are] warm and solemn/composed. The theatre yesterday embraced An Evening With The Iraqi Maqaam presented by the singer/reciter scholar and writer in the art of the Iraqi maqaam Hussein al-A;dhami. The Iraqi maqaam is one of the old Arabic musical art forms (since four hundred years ago) and is considered one of the finest forms of maqaam. Its instruments in addition to the singer/reciter are three players on the santur [=hammered dulcimer] juzah [=upright fiddle] and the tabla [=small drum] or doumbek [=goblet drum (Iraqi)] and sometimes the riqq [=tambourine (Egyptian)]. The theatre appeared as a piece of Baghdad with the [foreign] accent of its crowd which went and felt the pain with every wound made to bleed by the juzah [=upright fiddle] [which is] known for its sad tones. And in an atmosphere of music [which was] dreamlike and redolent with the spirit of Iraq it seemed to the listener that the rivers of the Tigris and the Euphrates were touching his feet and the palm trees were shading his head from the heat of the sun.
بِحُلُول ٱلشَّهْر ٱلْكَرِيم تَنْشَطُ ٱلْحَرَكَة ٱلتِّجَارِيَّة وَتَنْقَلِبُ عَادَات ٱلْمَغَارِبَة رَأْسًا عَلَى عَقِب. فَمَحَلَّات بَيْع ٱلْأَزْيَاء ٱلتَّقْلِيدِيَّة، تَعْرِفُ إِقْبَالًا عَلَيْهَا، اَلشَّيْء اَلَّذِي يَجْعَلُهَا تَنْتَقِم لِنَفْسِهَا مِن سَرَاوِيل ٱلْجِينْز وَمُخْتَلِف ٱلْمَلْبُوسَات «ٱلْحَدَاثِيَّة جِدًّا»، حَيْثُ يُفَضِّلُ ٱلْمَغَارِبَة وَٱلْمَغْرِبِيَّات اِرْتِدَاء ٱلْجِلْبَاب وَٱلْقُفْطَان خِلالَ شَهْر رَمَضَان. وَمِن جِهَتِهَا، تَعْرِضُ مَحَلَّات بَيْع ٱلْمَوَادّ ٱلْغِذَائِيَّة اَلْفَوَاكِه ٱلْجَافَّة، وَخَاصَّةً مِنهَا اَلتُّمُور وَٱلتِّين ٱلْمُجَفَّف، عِلاوَة عَلَى ٱلْمَوَادّ اَلَّتِي تَدْخُل فِي صُنْع ٱلْحَلْوَيَات ٱلرَّمَضَانِيَّة، حَتَّى أَنَّ بَعْض ٱلْمَتَاجِر تَتَخَلَّى عَن عَادَاتِهَا اَلْقَدِيمَة عَلَى مُسْتَوَى مَا ٱعْتَادَت عَرْضَهُ لِلْبَيْع، فَتَتَخَصَّص فِي إِعْدَاد وَبَيْع ٱلْفَطَائِر وَٱلْحَلْوَيَات، مِثْل «اَلْبَغْرِير» وَ«ٱلشَّبَّاكِيَّة» وَ«ٱلْبْرِيوَات»، فِيمَا يَشْتَدُّ ٱلْإِقْبَال عَلَى ٱلْمَخْبَزَات وَٱلْمَحْلَبَات لِشِرَاء ٱلْخُبْز وَٱلْعَصَائِر وَٱلْحَلْوَيَات وَٱلْفَطَائِر.
With the arrival of the holy/generous month commercial activity is brisk and the habits of Moroccans have been turned upside down as shops selling traditional clothes have perceived [more people] coming to them - something which has made them retaliate against jeans and various very modern clothes because Moroccan men and Moroccan women prefer to wear the jilbab [=a long flowing outer garment] and the caftan [=a long-sleeved outer garment] during the month of Ramadan. And for their part shops selling foodstuffs are displaying dry fruit in particular [dry] dates and dried figs in addition to the materials which go into making Ramadan sweet pastries. Some shops have even abandoned their old habits as regards what they were accustomed to displaying for sale and have specialized in preparing and selling pastries and sweet pastries such as baghrir [=semolina crêpe (Mor.)] shebbakia [=fried sesame cake (Mor.)] and briwat [=meat parcel (Mor.)] while attendance has increased in bakeries and mahlabas [=dairy product shops (Mor.)] for the buying of bread juices sweet pastries and pastries.
أَحْبَطَت قُوَّات ٱلْأَمْن ٱلْيَمَنِيَّة اَلْمُولَجَة حِرَاسَةِ ٱلسِّفَارَة ٱلْأَمِيرِكِيَّة فِي صَنْعَاء، أَمْس، هُجُومًا اِنْتِحَارِيًّا اِسْتَهْدَفَهَا بِسَيَّارَتَيْن مُفَخَّخَتَين، أَعْلَنَت «مُنَظَّمَةُ ٱلْجِهَاد ٱلْإِسْلامِيّ فِي ٱلْيَمَن» اَلَّتِي يُعْتَقَدُ بِأَنَّهَا مُرْتَبِطَة بِتَنْظِيم «اَلْقَاعِدَة» مَسْؤُولِيَّتَهَا عَنه. وَنَجَحَ ٱلْجُنُود فِي ٱلتَّصَدِّي لِلْمُهَاجِمِين اَلَّذِينَ كَانُوا يَرْتَدُون زِيّ رِجَال ٱلشُّرْطَة عَلَى مَتْن سَيَّارَتَيْن مَطْلِيَتَين بِأَلْوَان آلِيَّاتِهَا أَيْضًا، وَأَجْبَرُوهُم عَلَى تَغْيِير خُطَّتِهِم وَتَفْجِير ٱلسَّيَّارَتَيْن خَارِج حَرَم ٱلسِّفَارَة. وَبِحَسَب مَصَادِر أَمْنِيَّة مُتَعَدِّدَة، حَاوَلَت سَيَّارَة عَلَى مَتْنِهَا أَرْبَعَة مُسَلَّحِين يَلْبَسُ أَحَدُهُم حِزَامًا نَاسِفًا اِقْتِحَام ٱلْبَوَّابَة اَلْخَارِجِيَّة لِحَرَم ٱلسِّفَارَة عِنْدَ ٱلتَّاسِعَة وَٱلرُّبْع صَبَاحًا، بَعْدَمَا تَجَاوَزَت ٱلْحَوَاجِز ٱلْأَسْمَنْتِيَّة. وَٱسْتَخْدَمَ ٱلْمُسَلَّحُون أَسْلِحَةً رَشَّاشَة وَقَاذِفَاتٍ صَارُوخِيَّة وَٱشْتَبَكُوا مَعَ ٱلْجُنُود زُهَاءَ نِصْف سَاعَة، لٰكِنَّهُم فَشِلُوا فِي ٱقْتِحَام ٱلْبَوَّابَة وَتَسْهِيل دُخُول ٱلسَّيَّارَة ٱلْمُفَخَّخَة اَلثَّانِيَة اَلَّتِي كَانَت تَنْتَظِرُ عَلَى بُعْد نَحْوَ خَمْسِين مِتْرًا، وَفِي دَاخِلِهَا مُسَلَّحَان، لِلدُّخُول إِلَى ٱلْمَبْنَى ٱلدَّاخِلِيّ لِلسِّفَارَة لِتَفْجِيرِهَا.
Yemeni security forces assigned to guard the American embassy in Sanaa yesterday foiled a suicide attack which targeted [the embassy] with two car bombs. The Organisation of Islamic Jihad in Yemen which is believed to be connected to the al-Qaeda organisation announced its responsibility for it. Soldiers succeeded in resisting the attackers who were wearing police uniforms on board two cars painted in the colours of [the soldiers] machinery [lit. mechanisms] as well. and forced [the attackers] to change their plan and to detonate the two cars outside the embassy compound [lit. sanctum]. According to multiple security sources a car on board of which were four gunmen one of whom was wearing an explosive belt tried to storm the outer gate of the embassy compound at a quarter past nine in the morning after it had crossed the cement barriers. The gunmen used machine guns and [RPG] rocket launchers and clashed with the soldiers for about half an hour but they failed to storm the gate and to facilitate the entry of the second car bomb which was waiting at a distance of around fifty metres and had two gunmen inside in order to enter the inner building of the embassy and to blow it up.
فِي وَقْتٍ يَتَرَنَّحُ ٱلْاِقْتِصَاد ٱلْعَالَمِيّ تَحْتَ وَطْأَةِ أَزْمَةٍ مَالِيَّةٍ خَانِقَة، تُوَاصِلُ دُبَيّ إِطْلاق مَشَارِيعٍ «أُسْطُورِيَّة»، مُصِرَّةً عَلَى أَنْ تَحْمِلَ مُوَاصَفَات اَلْأَكْبَر وَٱلْأَطْوَل وَٱلْأَضْخَم فِي ٱلْعَالَم. وَتُدَشِّنُ ٱلْإِمَارَة مُنْتَجَعًا «ضَخْمًا» تَصِلُ كُلْفَتُهُ إِلَى وَاحِد فَاصِلَة خَمْسَة بِلْيُون دُولار، يُجَسِّدُ أُسْطُورَة «أَتْلانْتِس» اَلْغَارِقَة مُنْذُ آلاف ٱلسِّنِين، فِي مُحَاوَلَةٍ لِمَزِيدٍ مِن ٱلْجَذْب ٱلسِّيَاحِيّ. وَأَكَّدَ ٱلْقَيِّمُون عَلَى ٱلْمَشْرُوع اَلَّذِي يَحْمِلُ اِسْم «مُنْتَجَع أَتْلانْتِس» أَنَّهُ سَيُدَشَّنُ فِي مَوْعِدِهِ غَدًا اَلْأَرْبِعَاء، بِٱحْتِفَالَاتٍ ضَخْمَة وَأَلْعَابٍ نَارِيَّة مِن تَصْمِيم وَتَنْفِيذ شَرِكَة «غرُوسِي» اَلْعَالَمِيَّة. وَسَتُغَطِّي ٱلْأَلْعَاب ٱلنَّارِيَّة مِسَاحَةَ ثَلاثٍ وَأَرْبَعِين كِيلُومِتْرًا عَلَى اِمْتِدَاد ٱلسَّاحِل، وَسَتُنِير ٱلْجَزِيرَة مِن أَقْصَاهَا إِلَى أَقْصَاهَا. كَمَا سَتُحْيِي مُغَنِّيَّةُ ٱلْبُوب اَلْأُسْتُرَالِيَّة اَلْعَالَمِيَّة ٱلشَّهِيرَة كَايْلِي مِينُوغ اَلسَّهْرَة.
At a time when the global economy is reeling under the pressure/oppression of a choking financial crisis Dubai continues to launch legendary projects and insists that they bear the specifications of the largest and the tallest and the most massive in the world. The Emirate is inaugurating a huge resort whose cost has reached 1.5 billion dollars which gives concrete form to the legend of Atlantis sunk for thousands of years in an attempt to be more attractive to tourists. People in charge of the project which bears the name Atlantis (Resort) confirmed that it will be inaugurated on schedule tomorrow Wednesday with huge celebrations and fireworks designed and implemented by the world renowned Grucci company. The fireworks will cover an area of forty three kilometres along the coast and will light up the island from end to end and the world famous Australian pop singer Kylie Minogue will stage [lit. give life to] the evening performance.
أَكَّدَ ٱلشَّيْخ يُوسُف اَلْقَرَضَاوِيّ عَدَم تَنَازُلِهِ عَن مَوْقِفِهِ اَلَّذِي حَذَّرَ فِيه مِن «ٱلْمَدّ ٱلشِّيعِيّ» فِي ٱلْمُجْتَمَعَات ٱلسُّنِّيَّة، قَائِلًا فِي حِوَارٍ أَجْرَتْهُ مَعَهُ «اَلشَّرْق ٱلأَوْسَط»: «إِنَّ بِلادًا كَثِيرَة كَانَت سُنِّيَّة خَالِصَة أَصْبَحَ فِيهَا شِيعَة»، وَمُشِيرًا بِٱلْقَوْل «مِصْر اَلَّتِي أَعْرِفُهَا جَيِّدًا وَأَعْرِفُ أَنَّهَا قَبْلَ عِشْرِين سَنَة لَمْ يَكُن فِيهَا شِيعِيٌّ وَاحِد مُنْذُ عَهْد صَلاح ٱلدِّين اَلْأَيُّوبِيّ اِسْتَطَاعُوا أَنْ يَخْتَرِقُوهَا، وَأَصْبَحَ لَهُم أُنَاسٌ يَكْتُبُون فِي ٱلصُّحُف وَيُؤَلِّفُون كُتُبًا وَلَهُم صَوْتٌ مَسْمُوع فِي مِصْر، وَكَذٰلِك فِي ٱلسُّودَان وَتُونِس وَٱلْجَزَائِر وَٱلْمَغْرِب فَضْلًا عَن ٱلْبِلاد غَيْر ٱلْعَرَبِيَّة مِثْل مَالَيْزِيَا وَإِنْدُونِيسِيَا وَنِيجِيرِيَا وَٱلسِّنْغَال». وَقَال أَنَّهُ نَاصَرَ دَعَوَات ٱلتَّقْرِيب وَحَضَرَ مُؤْتَمَرَات ٱلتَّقْرِيب فِي كُلّ بَلَد لٰكِنَّهُ كَانَ يُحَذِّرُ مِن عِدَّةِ أُمُور أَهَمُّهَا عَدَم سَبّ ٱلصَّحَابَة، مُعْتَبِرًا هٰذَا خَطًّا أَحْمَر، وَعَدَم نَشْر ٱلْمَذْهَب فِي ٱلْبِلاد ٱلْخَالِصَة لِمَذْهَبٍ آخَر.
Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi confirmed he would not relinquish his position in which he warned of the [rising] Shiite tide in Sunni societies saying in an interview Asharq Alawsat held with him: that many countries which used to be exclusively Sunni have come to have Shia in them pointing out that Egypt which I know well... I know that twenty years ago there was not in it one [single] Shiite ever since the era of Salah ad-Din al-Ayyubi [but now] they have been able to penetrate it and they have come to have people who write in the newspapers and write books and their voice is heard in Egypt and likewise in Sudan and Tunisia and Algeria and Morocco quite apart from non Arabic countries like Malaysia and Indonesia and Nigeria and Senegal. And he said that he had supported calls for taqrib [lit. the bringing closer (of the Sunni and Shia doctrines)] and had attended taqrib conferences in every country but he was warning against many matters the most important of which was that there should be no insulting [by the Shia] of the Companions [of the Prophet pbuh] considering this [to be] a red line [which cannot be crossed] and that there should be no promulgation of a doctrine/school of thought [i.e. Shiism] in countries [which] exclusively [adhere] to another doctrine [i.e. Sunnism].
بَاتَ مَوْسِم ٱلصَّيْف ٱلطَّوِيل مِن أَصْعَب فُصُول ٱلسَّنَة وَأَكْثَرَهَا شَقَاءً لَدَى ٱلْعِرَاقِيِّين، لَيْسَ لِشِدَّةِ ٱلْحَرّ وَنَقْص ٱلْخِدْمَات وَفِي مُقَدِّمَتِهَا اَلْكَهْرَبَاء وَٱلْمَاء وَحَسْب، بَل لِأَنَّهُ أَصْبَحَ مَوْسِم اِنْتِشَار وَبَاء ٱلْكُولِيرَا أَيْضًا بَعْدَ أَنْ شَهِدَت اَلسَّنَوَات ٱلثَّلاث ٱلْمَاضِيَة تَصَاعُدًا فِي وَتِيرَةِ ٱلْاِنْتِشَار ٱلْوَبَائِيّ لِهٰذَا ٱلْمَرَض خِلال مَوْسِم ٱلصَّيْف. وَيُلاحَظُ أَنَّ أَهَالِي بَغْدَاد يُقْبِلُون عَلَى شِرَاء ٱلْمَوَادّ ٱلْمُعَقِّمَة وَٱلتَّهَافُت عَلَى ٱلصَّيْدَلِيَّات وَٱلْمُسْتَشْفَيَات بَعْدَ سَمَاع ٱلْأَخْبَار ٱلْمُرْعِبَة عَن اِنْتِشَار مَرَض ٱلْكُولِيرَا فِي ٱلْمُحَافَظَات ٱلْمُجَاوِرَة وَتَسْجِيل عِدَّةِ إِصَابَات فِي بَغْدَاد. وَيُؤَكِّد صَاحِب إِحْدَى ٱلصَّيْدَلِيَّات فِي بَغْدَاد اَلدُّكْتُور أُسَامَة قَاسِم لـِ«اَلْحَيَاة» نَفَاد أَقْرَاص تَنْقِيَّةِ ٱلْمِيَاه وَٱلْمَوَادّ ٱلْمُعَقِّمَة وَٱلْأَمْلاح ٱلْمَعْدِنِيَّة بِشَكْلٍ يَوْمِيّ مِن صَيْدَلِيَّتِهِ نَتِيجَةَ إِقْبَال ٱلْمُوَاطِنِين اَلشَّدِيد عَلَيْهَا.
The long summer season has come to be one of the most difficult seasons of the year and the most miserable among Iraqis not only for the intensity of heat and the lack of services at the forefront of which are electricity and water but because it has become the season for the spread of the cholera epidemic as well after the last three years have witnessed an increase in the trend of epidemic spreading of this disease during the summer season. It has been noticed that the people of Baghdad have turned to buying sterilizing materials and descending in large numbers onto pharmacies and hospitals after hearing the terrible news about the spread of the cholera disease in the neighbouring provinces and the recording of numerous cases [lit. inflictions] in Baghdad. The owner of one of the pharmacies in Baghdad Dr. Osama Qasim has confirmed to Al-Hayat the depletion of water purification tablets sterilizing materials and mineral salts on a daily basis from his pharmacy as a result of the strong demand of the citizens for them.
اَلْاِخْتِلاف بَيْنَ ٱلطَّائِفَتَيْن، اَلشِّيعَة وَٱلسُّنَّة، فِي ٱلْعِرَاق فِي تَحْدِيد أَوَّل أَيَّامِه، جَعَلَ مَظَاهِر ٱلْعِيد تَنْتَشِرُ بِشَكْلٍ تَدْرِيجِيّ بَيْنَ أَحْيَاء ٱلْعَاصِمَة، فَٱلسُّنَّة بَدَأُوا ٱلْاِحْتِفَال اَلثُّلاثَاء وَٱنْقَسَمَ ٱلشِّيعَة بَيْنَ ٱلْأَرْبِعَاء وَٱلْخَمِيس، فِيمَا أَعْلَنَت ٱلسُّلُطَات ٱلْعِرَاقِيَّة عُطْلَة مُدَّتَهَا سِتَّةَ أَيَّام. وَعَلَى رَغْم ذٰلِك، تَتَشَابَهُ نَشَاطَات ٱلْعَائِلات ٱلْبَغْدَادِيَّة فِي ٱلْعِيد. اَلْآبَاء وَٱلْأُمَّهَات وَكِبَار ٱلسِّنّ يَتَوَجَّهُون إِلَى ٱلْمَقَابِر، كَمَقْبَرَتَي اَلْكَرْخ وَأَبُوغرَيْب اَللَّتَيْن تَكْتَظَّان بِٱلزُّوَّار اَلسُّنَّة، فِيمَا تَسْتَقْبِلُ ٱلنَّجَف اَلْعَائِلات ٱلشِّيعِيَّة اَلَّتِي يَزُورُ مُعْظَمُهُم مَقْبَرَةَ اَلسَّلام. أَبُو يَزَن (تِسْعٌ وَأَرْبَعُون عَامًا) قَضَى أَوَّل أَيَّام ٱلْعِيد مَعَ عَائِلَتِهِ فِي مَقْبَرَةِ أَبُوغرَيْب، حَيْثُ عَدَدٌ مِن ذَوِيه، بَيْنَهُم أَحَد أَوْلادِه اَلَّذِي قُتِلَ فِي حَادِث اِنْفِجَارٍ قَبْلَ عَام. وَيَقُول: «اَلْعِيد بِٱلنِّسْبَةِ إِلَينَا هُوَ مُعَايَدَةُ مَوْتَانَا وَزِيَارَتُهُم، فَقَد فَقَدنَا ٱلْفَرْحَة مُنْذُ سَنَوَات وَأَصْبَحَت زِيَارَةُ ٱلْقُبُور اَلنَّشَاط ٱلْوَحِيد اَلَّذِي نَقُومُ بِهِ فِي هٰذِهِ ٱلْمُنَاسَبَة».
The difference between the Shiite and Sunni sects in Iraq in determining the first day of it has made manifestations of Eid [=festival] spread out in a gradual manner among the districts of the capital. As the Sunnis started the celebration on Tuesday and the Shiites were split between Wednesday and Thursday while Iraqi authorities announced a holiday of a period of six days. Despite this the activities of [all] Baghdadi families are similar to each other at Eid. Fathers and mothers and the elderly head to the cemeteries such as the cemeteries of al-Karkh and Abu Ghraib which are crammed full with Sunni visitors while Najaf receives Shiite families most of whom visit the al-Salaam cemetery. Abu Yazan (49) spent the first of the days of Eid with his family in the Abu Ghraib cemetery where [there are] a number of his relatives among whom is one of his children who was killed in an explosion a year ago. He says: Eid for us is greeting [e.g. with the words Eid mubarak] our dead and visiting them. We lost the joy years ago. Visiting graves has become the sole activity which we undertake on this occasion.