أَنَا: كَتَبْتُ أَنْتَ: كَتَبْتَ أَنْتِ: كَتَبْتِ هُوَ: كَتَبَ هِيَ: كَتَبَتْ نَحْنُ: كَتَبْنَا أَنْتُم: كَتَبْتُمْ أَنْتُنَّ: كَتَبْتُنَّ أَنْتُمَا: كَتَبْتُمَا هُم: كَتَبُوا هُنَّ: كَتَبْنَ هُمَا: كَتَبَا هُمَا: كَتَبَتَا
I: I wrote. You [masc. sing.]: You wrote [masc. sing.]. You [fem. sing.]: You wrote [fem. sing.]. He: He wrote. She: She wrote. We: We wrote. You [masc. pl.]: You wrote [masc. pl.]. You [fem. pl.]: You wrote [fem. pl.]. You [masc. and fem. du.]: You wrote [masc. and fem. du.]. They [masc. pl.]: They wrote [masc. pl.]. They [fem. pl.]: They wrote [fem. pl.]. They [masc. and fem. du.]: They wrote [masc. du.]. They [masc. and fem. du.]: They wrote [fem. du.].
تَمَّ إِعْلان أَوَّل حَالَةِ وَفَاةٍ بِمَرَض إِنْفلُوَنْزَا ٱلْخَنَازِير فِي ٱلسُّعُودِيَّة، وَيَقُول شَقِيق ٱلْمُتَوَفَّى لِقَنَاةِ اَلْعَرَبِيَّة إِنَّهُ تَمَّتْ مُرَاجَعَةُ أَحَد ٱلْمُسْتَشْفَيَات لِأَكْثَر مِن أُسْبُوعَيْن، وَكَانَ ٱلْمَرِيض يَشْكُو مِن اِرْتِفَاعٍ فِي دَرَجَةِ ٱلْحَرَارَة، وَسُعَال، وَوَجَعٍ فِي ٱلْحَلْق، وَضِيقٍ فِي ٱلتَّنَفُّس، وَفِي كُلّ مَرَّة كَانَ ٱلْمُسْتَشْفَى يَضَعَهُ عَلَى جِهَاز ٱلْأُكْسِجِين لِمُدَّةِ أَرْبَع سَاعَات قَبْلَ أَنْ يَنْصَرِف، وَتَدَهْوَرَتْ حَالَةُ ٱلْمَرِيض، فَأُدْخِلَ إِلَى قِسْم ٱلْعِنَايَةِ ٱلْمُرَكَّزَة، وَشُخِّصَتْ ٱلْحَالَةُ عَلَى أَنَّهَا اِلْتِهَابٌ رِئَوِيٌّ حَادّ، وَحِينَمَا تُوُفِّيَ أُرْجِعَتْ أَسْبَاب ٱلْوَفَاة إِلَى هُبُوطٍ فِي ٱلدَّوْرَةِ ٱلدَّمَوِيَّة. وَفَشَلٍ فِي ٱلرِّئَة. وَبَيْنَمَا كَانَتْ ٱلْأُسْرَة تَتَأَهَّبُ لِغُسْل ٱلْمُتَوَفَّى وَدَفْنِه تَلَقَّتْ اِتِّصَالًا يُشِيرُ إِلَى أَنَّ إِنْفلُوَنْزَا ٱلْخَنَازِير هِيَ ٱلسَّبَب فِي وَفَاةِ اِبْنِهَا، وَيُمْكِن ٱلْقَوْل إِنَّهُ تَعَدَّدَتْ أَسْبَاب ٱلْمَوْت لٰكِنّ عَدَم ٱلدِّقَّة فِي ٱلتَّشْخِيص ٱلْمُبَكِّر رُبَّمَا كَانَ ٱلسَّبَب ٱلْأَهَمّ اَلَّذِي أَوْدَى بِحَيَاةِ ٱلشَّابّ.
The first case of a death from swine flu in Saudi has been announced. The brother of the deceased said to the al-Arabiya [TV news] channel that consultations/return visits had been made to one of the hospitals for more than two weeks. And the patient had been complaining of a rise in temperature coughing a pain in the throat and shortness of breath. Each time the hospital would put him on oxygen [lit. the oxygen appliance] for a period of four hours before he left. The condition of the patient deteriorated so he was admitted to the intensive care unit and the condition was diagnosed as being severe pneumonia [lit. inflammation of the lungs]. But when he died the causes of death were attributed to a fall in the blood circulation and failure of the lung. But while the family were preparing to wash [=a ritual prior to burial] the deceased and bury him they received a call advising that swine flu was the cause of death of their son. It is possible to say that the causes of death are numerous [...but death is one (=a well-known line of poetry)] but the lack of precision in the early diagnosis was perhaps the most important cause which put an end to the life of the young man.
مُنْذُ أَوَاخِر حُزَيْرَان (يُونِيُو) ٱلْمَاضِي، تُمَارِسُ كَوْثَر طَقْسًا صَبَاحِيًّا غَيْر مُحَبَّبٍ إِلَيهَا، وَلٰكِنَّهَا تُؤَدِّيه، إِذْ لا خِيَار مُتَاحًا أَمَامَ ٱلْفَتَاة ذَات ٱلْعَشْرَةِ أَعْوَام لِقَضَاء بِدَايَةِ نَهَارِهَا فِي ٱلْعُطْلَةِ ٱلصَّيْفِيَّة سِوَى ٱلذَّهَاب إِلَى مَرْكَزٍ لِتَحْفِيظ ٱلْقُرْآن، بِرِفْقَةِ فَتَيَات ٱلْحَيّ اَللَّاتِي فِي سِنِّهَا. وَفِي فَتْرَةٍ مَا بَعْدَ ٱلظُّهْر، تَنْطَلِقُ ٱلْفَتَاةُ إِلَى ٱلسَّاحَةِ ٱلْمُحِيطَة بِمَنْزِلِهَا لِتَلْعَبَ مَعَ صَدِيقَاتِهَا، شَرْط أَلَّا يَتَجَاوَزْنَ حُدُود ٱلْحَارَة اَلَّتِي يَقْطُنَّهَا، وَتَقْتَصِرُ أَلْعَابُهُنَّ عَلَى ٱلتَّسَابُق، وَلُعْبَةِ «ٱلْاِسْتُغُمَّايَة»، وَغَيْرِهَا مِن ٱلْأَلْعَاب اَلَّتِي يَبْتَكِرنَهَا لِتَمْضِيَةِ ٱلْوَقْت، وَمَا إِنْ تَغِيبُ ٱلشَّمْس حَتَّى تَعُودُ كُلٌّ مِنهُنَّ إِلَى مَنْزِلِهَا. كَوْثَر، كَغَيْرِهَا مِن ٱلطُّلَّاب وَٱلطَّالِبَات، كَانَتْ تَنْتَظِر ٱلْعُطْلَةَ ٱلصَّيْفِيَّة بِشَوْق، وَلٰكِنَّهَا ٱلْيَوْم لا تُمَثِّلُ لَهَا سِوَى خَلاصٌ «جُزْئِيّ» مِن ٱلْوَاجِبَات ٱلْمَدْرَسِيَّةِ «ٱلْمُرْهِقَة»، ذٰلِكَ أَنَّ أُسْتَاذ تَحْفِيظ ٱلْقُرْآن يُلْزِمُهُنَّ بِكِتَابَةِ وَاجِبَات، وَحِفْظ ٱلسُّوَر اَلَّتِي يَدْرُسنَهَا،
Since the latter part of last Huzairan (June) Kawther has been practising a morning ritual which is not agreeable to her yet she performs it. As there is no choice granted to the girl of ten years of age [on how] to spend the start of her day in the summer holiday other than going to a Quran memorisation centre in the company of girls of the area who are of her age. And in a period in the afternoon the girl goes off to the square surrounding her house to play with her friends on condition that they dont go beyond the limits of the neighbourhood which they live in. Their games are confined to racing each other blind man;s buff and other games which they think up [lit. originate] to pass the time. And no sooner has the sun gone down [lit. vanished] than each of them returns to her house. Kawther like other boy students and girl students had been awaiting the summer holiday with longing. But today it only represents for her a partial liberation from the burdensome homework. And that is because the professor of Quran memorisation obliges them to write homework and memorise the suras [=chapters of the Qur;an] which they are studying.
أَثَارَ تِمْسَاح صَغِير اَلذُّعْر بَيْنَ رُكَّاب طَائِرَةٍ مُتَّجِهَةٍ مِن أَبُو ظَبْي إِلَى ٱلْقَاهِرَة، عِنْدَمَا رَاحَ يَتَنَقَّلُ بَيْنَ ٱلْمَقَاعِد. وَصَرَخَ ٱلْعَدِيد مِن ٱلرُّكَّاب لَدَى رُؤْيَتِهِم اَلتِّمْسَاح وَطُولَهُ ثَلاثِين سَنْتِيمِتْرًا، وَنَادَوا أَفْرَاد ٱلطَّاقِم اَلَّذِينَ حَاوَلُوا ٱلْإِمْسَاك بِه، وَسَلَّمُوه إِلَى ٱلْهَيْئَاتِ ٱلْمَعْنِيَّة فَوْرَ هُبُوطِ ٱلطَّائِرَة فِي مَطَار ٱلْقَاهِرَة. وَسَيُنْقَلُ ٱلتِّمْسَاح إِلَى حَدِيقَةِ ٱلْحَيَوَانَات فِي ٱلْجِيزَة. وَلَمْ تُعْرَف بَعْد كَيْفِيَّةَ وُصُولِه إِلَى ٱلطَّائِرَة، إِذْ نَفَى جَمِيع ٱلرُّكَّاب أَيّ عَلاقَةٍ لَهُم بِٱلْمَوْضُوع. وَعُثِرَ فِي آب (أَغُسْطُس) أَلْفَيْن وَسَبْعَة عَلَى أَكْثَر مِن مِئَتَيْن وَخَمْسِين مِن صِغَار ٱلتَّمَاسِيح، إِضَافَةً إِلَى أَفَاعٍ وَحَرَابِيّ بَيْنَ أَمْتِعَةِ سُعُودِيّ كَانَ مُسَافِرًا مِن مِصْر وَسُلِّمَتْ كُلُّهَا إِلَى حَدِيقَةِ ٱلْحَيَوَانَات.
A small crocodile caused alarm among the passengers of an aeroplane heading from Abu Dhabi to Cairo when it started moving around among the seats. Numerous passengers screamed on their seeing the crocodile whose length was thirty centimetres. They called the members of the crew who tried to catch it and they handed it over to the relevant authorities immediately after the landing of the aeroplane in Cairo airport. The crocodile will be taken/transported to the zoo [lit. animal garden] in Giza. It is not known yet how it got into the aeroplane as all the passengers denied any connection to them with the matter. There were discovered in Ab (August) 2007 more than two hundred and fifty young crocodiles in addition to vipers and chameleons among the luggage of a Saudi man who was travelling from Egypt. All of them were handed over to the zoo.
تَعْمَلُ ٱلصِّين وَفْقَ اِسْترَاتِيجِيَّةِ اَلسُّلَحْفَاة اَلَّتِي تَعْلَمُ بِأَنَّهَا قَادِرَةٌ عَلَى أَنْ تَسْبِقَ ٱلْأَرْنَب. وَإِذَا كَانَتْ أَمِيرِكَا تَقْفِز وَتَصْرُخ وَتَمْلَأ ٱلدُّنْيَا زَعِيقًا كُلَّمَا تَمَلْمَلَتْ، فَإِنَّ ٱلصِّينِيِّين يَتَحَرَّكُونَ كَٱلنَّمْل بِصَمْتٍ بَالِغ، وَصَبْرٍ لا يَنْفَد. وَٱلْقَنَاةُ ٱلتِّلِفِزْيُونِيَّة اَلصِّينِيَّة اَلنَّاطِقَة بِٱلْعَرَبِيَّة اَلَّتِي ٱفْتُتِحَتْ مُؤَخَّرًا لَيْسَتْ سِوَى إِشَارَة صَغِيرَة عَلَى تَحَرُّكَاتٍ كَبِيرَة لِبِلاد ٱلتِّنِّين اَلَّتِي تَتَمَدَّدُ بَيْنَ أَهْل ٱلضَّاد، كَأُخْطُبُوطٍ فِي كُلّ ٱتِّجَاه. يَتَجَاهَلُ ٱلْعَرَب أَوْ يَجْهَلُون أَنَّ ٱلصِّين تَلُفُّهُم مِن رَأْسِهِم حَتَّى أَخْمَص ٱلْأَقْدَام، وَأَنَّهَا غَزَتْهُم بِأَلْعَابِهَا وَمَلابِسِهَا وَصُحُونِهَا وَأَدَوَاتِهَا ٱلْكَهْرَبَائِيَّة وَحَتَّى ٱلْمَلاعِق وَٱلسَّكَاكِين، وَأَنَّهَا دَخَلَتْ ٱلْيَوْم بُيُوتَهُم بِلِسَانِهَا وَأَغَانِيهَا وَتَارِيخِهَا. فَٱلَّذِينَ اِلْتَفَتُوا لِلْمَحَطَّةِ ٱلتِّلِفِزْيُونِيَّة ٱلْوَلِيدَة، هُم قِلَّةٌ قَلِيلَة، لٰكِنَّ ٱلْبَثّ لا يَزَالُ فِي أَوَّلِهِ وَٱلْخُطَّةُ ٱلصِّينِيَّة مَاضِيَةٌ، حَتَّى تَحْقِيق ٱلْأَهْدَاف.
China is working according to the strategy of the tortoise which knows that it is able to beat the rabbit/hare. And if America jumps and screams and fills the world with shouting whenever it stirs/fidgets so the Chinese move like the ant with deep silence and unending patience. The Arabic speaking Chinese television channel which was started [lit. opened] recently is only a small indication of big movements for the country of the dragon which extends/stretches out among the Arabs [lit. people of the (Arabic letter) Daad] like an octopus in every direction. The Arabs ignore or are unaware that China wraps them from their head to their toes [lit. the hollow of the sole of the feet] and that it has invaded them/made incursions against them with its toys/games and its clothes and its plates and its electrical equipment and even spoons and knives and that it has entered today into their homes with its tongue [i.e. language] and its songs and its history. Those who have turned to the newborn television station are very few but the broadcast is still in its early stages. And the Chinese plan is progressing until the achievement of the goals.
اِسْتَقْبَلَ ٱلْمَوْطِن ٱلْبَحْرِيّ فِي ٱلْغُرَف ٱلْمَفْقُودَة أَحَد ٱلْكَائِنَات ٱلْأَكْثَر غَرَابَة، وَٱسْمُهُ كَاتُوسْتِيلُوس مُوزَايِكُوس أَوْ «قِنْدِيل ٱلْبَحْر ٱلْأَزْرَق» فِي أَتْلانْتِس اَلنَّخْلَة. وَعَلَى عَكْس قَنَادِيل ٱلْبَحْر ٱلْعَادِيَّة، يَسْبَحُ ٱلْقِنْدِيل ٱلْأَزْرَق فِي ٱلْبِحَار بِوَاسِطَةِ ثَمَانِي قَوَائِم فَمِيَّة عِوَضًا عَن ٱلْمِجَسَّات، وَيَأْكُلُ فِي ٱللَّيْل وَٱلنَّهَار. وَيَسْتَخْدِمُ هٰذَا ٱلْقِنْدِيل ٱلْجَرَسِيّ ٱلْمَظْهَر لَسْعَاتَهُ ٱلسَّامَّة لِيَلْتَهِمَ ٱلْحَيَوَانَات ٱلْمِجْهَرِيَّة فِي ٱلْأَعْمَاق عَبْرَ قَوَائِمِهِ اَلَّتِي يَنْتَهِي طَرَفُهَا بِفَمٍ صَغِير يَنْقُلُ ٱلطَّعَام مُبَاشَرَةً إِلَى مَعِدَتِه. وَفِي خِلالِ ٱلنَّهَار، يَسْبَحُ بِٱلْقُرْب مِن سَطْحِ ٱلْمَاء لِلتَّنَعُّم بِأَشِعَّةِ ٱلشَّمْس اَلَّتِي تُسَاعِد عَلَى نُمُوّ ٱلطَّحَالِب دَاخِلَ بَدَنِه، وَهٰذِهِ ٱلطَّحَالِب بِدَوْرِهَا تَعْمَلُ كَمَصْدَر طَعَامٍ صَبَاحِيّ لِأَنَّهَا تُحَوِّلُ ٱلنُّور إِلَى طَاقَة.
The sea home in the Lost Chambers has received/taken in one of the strangest creatures whose name is Catostylus mosaicus or the blue jellyfish [lit. sea lamp] in Atlantis The Palm. In contrast to common jellyfish the blue jellyfish swims in the seas by means of eight oral legs instead of tentacles/sensors. It eats at night and day. This jellyfish [which is] bell-shaped of appearance uses its poisonous stings to devour microscopic animals in the depths by way of its legs whose tips/extremities end with a small mouth which transports food directly to its stomach. During the day it swims near to the surface of the water to enjoy the rays of the sun which help the growth of algae inside its body. These algae in their turn work as a source of morning food because they turn light into energy.
بِٱلْقُرْب مِن مَدِينَةِ ٱلْكِفْل بَيْنَ مَدِينَتَي اَلنَّجَف وَبَابِل، تَقَعُ مَعَامِل إِنْتَاج ٱلطَّابُوق ٱلْأَهْلِيَّة وَٱلَّتِي تَعْتَمِدُ عَلَى ٱلنِّسَاء فِي شَكْلٍ أَسَاسِيّ فِي عَمَلِهَا. فَبَيْنَ ٱلْأَبْخِرَة ٱلسَّوْدَاء اَلْمُتَصَاعِدَة مِن ٱلْمَدَاخِن ٱلْعَالِيَة وَٱلْمُلَوَّثَة بِمَادَّةِ ٱلنَّفْط ٱلْأَسْوَد، تَنْتَشِرُ ٱلنِّسَاء ٱلْعَامِلَات هُنَاك مُوَشَّحَاتٌ بِمَلابِس سُود قَدِيمَة اِهْتَرَأَ بَعْضُهَا مِن شِدَّةِ ٱلْحَرّ وَقَسْوَةِ ٱلْعَمَل، إِذ تَحْمِلُ بَعْضُهُنَّ ٱلطَّابُوق ٱلْفَخَّارِيّ عَلَى ظُهُورِهِنّ مَدْفُوعَاتٍ بِقَحْط ٱلْعَيْش وَظُرُوفٍ اِجْتِمَاعِيَّة قَاسِيَّة. فَٱلظُّرُوف ٱلْمَعِيشِيَّة اَلَّتِي يَمُرُّ بِهَا أَهَالِي رِيف مَدِينَةِ بَابِل وَهِجْرَةُ ٱلْمُزَارِعِين مِن أَرَاضِيهِم بِسَبَب ٱلْجَفَاف أَدَّتْ إِلَى عَمَل مِئَات ٱلنِّسْوَة فِي مَجَالَاتٍ لا تَلِيقُ بِٱلنِّسَاء وَلا تَتَمَاشَى مَعَ طَبِيعَةِ أَجْسَادِهِنَّ ٱلنَّحِيلَة اَلَّتِي قَتَلَ ٱلْعَمَل ٱلشَّاقّ فِيهَا جَمِيع مَظَاهِر ٱلْأُنُوثَة. وَيَعْتَرِفُ أَصْحَاب ٱلْمَعَامِل بِتَفْضِيلِهِم اِسْتِخْدَام ٱلنِّسَاء ٱلرِّيفِيَّات بَدَلًا مِن ٱلرِّجَال لِقِلَّةِ ٱلْأُجُور اَلَّتِي يَتَقَاضَينَهَا مُقَارَنَةً بِٱلرِّجَال وَتَحَمُّلِهِنَّ ٱلْمَشَاقّ مِن دُون مَلَلٍ أَوْ كَلَل.
Near to the town of Kifl between the cities of Najaf and Babylon lie the private brick production plants/factories which depend principally/mainly on women for their [the factories] work. And amidst the black steam rising from the tall chimneys [which is] polluted with black oil [=a low grade fuel oil] the women workers are spread out there. They are clad in old black clothes some of which have become worn out from the intensity of the heat and the harshness of the work - as some of them [the women] carry the clay bricks on their backs impelled [to do so] by the drought/rainlessness of life and harsh social conditions. As the living conditions which the people of the countryside [surrounding] the city of Babel are going through and the migration of farmers from their lands because of drought has led to the working of hundreds of women in fields which are not suited to women and dont conform/go with the nature of their slight bodies which arduous work has killed all semblances/signs of femininity in. The owners of the factories admit to their preferring the use of rural/country women instead of men because of the lowness of the wages which they claim/demand in comparison to men and their bearing of hardships without boredom or fatigue.
كَانَتْ تِلْكَ ٱلْمَرَّةَ ٱلْأُولَى اَلَّتِي تُرَاجِعُ فِيهَا أُمّ فَوَّاز اَلْبَقَّال أَبُو غِيَاث فِي شَأْن مُنْتَجٍ اِشْتَرَتْهُ مِنه، وَهِيَ تَسْكُنُ فِي جِوَار مَحَلِّه، مُنْذُ سَنَوَات، وَٱعْتَادَتْ أَنْ تَشْتَرِيَ ٱلْمَوَادّ ٱلْغِذَائِيَّة مِن عِنْدِه. إِلَّا أَنَّهَا فُوجِئَتْ فِي ذٰلِك ٱلْيَوْم بِأَنَّ عُلْبَةَ ٱلْجُبْن وَٱلْعَجِينَةَ ٱلْجَاهِزَة اَلَّتِي بَاعَهَا إِيَّاهَا كَانَتْ فَاسِدَة! اِكْتَشَفَتْ ذٰلِك مِن رَائِحَةِ ٱلْحُمُوضَة اَلَّتِي اِنْبَعَثَتْ فَوْرَ فَتْح ٱلْعُلْبَة، عِنْدَمَا كَانَتْ تُعِدُّ طَعَام ٱلْعَشَاء، وَعَلَى رَغْم أَنَّ ٱلسَّاعَة كَانَتْ تُشِير إِلَى ٱلْحَادِيَةَ عَشْرَةَ لَيْلًا ـ وَهُوَ ٱلْوَقْت ٱلْمُعْتَاد لِإِغْلاق ٱلْمَحَالّ فِي ٱلْأَحْيَاء ٱلدِّمَشْقِيَّة فِي فَصْل ٱلصَّيْف ـ طَلَبَتْ مِن اِبْنِهَا أَنْ يَذْهَب عَلَى ٱلْفَوْر لِيُعِيدَ ٱلْعُلْبَة إِلَى ٱلْبَقَّال وَيُخْبِرَهُ بِأَنَّهَا غَيْر صَالِحَةٍ لِلْاِسْتِهْلاك، وَلَوْلا حَذَر ٱلْأُمّ لَكَانَتْ تِلْكَ ٱلْمُنْتَجَات تَسَبَّبَتْ بِمَشَاكِل صِحِّيَّة لِأَفْرَاد ٱلْعَائِلَة. فَقَد أَصْبَحَ شَائِعًا سَمَاع أَخْبَار حَالات ٱلتَّسَمُّم ٱلْغِذَائِيّ اَلَّتِي يَزِيدُهَا فَصْل ٱلصَّيْف اِنْتِشَارًا.
It was the first time that Umm Fawwaz had gone back to the grocer Abu Ghiyath regarding a product she had bought from him. She had lived near his shop for years and she customarily bought food from him. But she was surprised on that day by the fact that the packet of cheese and the ready-made dough which he had sold to her were spoiled/off! She discovered this from the smell of acidity which came out immediately on opening the packet when she was preparing the food for dinner. And although the clock was pointing to eleven at night - which is the usual time for the closing of shops in the Damascus districts in the season of summer - she asked her son to go immediately to take the packet back to the grocer and tell him that it was not fit for consumption. If it were not for the caution of the mother then those products would have caused health problems for the members of the family. For it has become common to hear news of cases of food poisoning which the summer season increases the spread of.
أَخْبَار ٱلصُّحُف ٱللُّبْنَانِيَّة اَلَّتِي بَاتَتْ أَشْبَه بِأَجْرَاس إِنْذَارٍ لا يَنْقَطِعُ رَنِينُهَا، تُؤَكِّدُ لِلْمُوَاطِنِين يَوْمِيًّا أَنَّ ٱلْمَخَاطِر تُحْدِق بِهِم مِن كُلّ جَانِب، حَتَّى لَيَبْدُو أَنَّ تَألِيف ٱلْحُكُومَة مِن عَدَمِه أَمْرٌ نَافِل، خَاصَّةً وَأَنَّ ٱلْحُكُومَات اَلْمُتَعَاقِبَة لَمْ تُفْلِح فِي أَكْثَر مِن ٱلتَّقَاتُل عَلَى تَقَاسُم ٱلْجَاتُو، وَ«تَنَاتُش» ٱلنُّفُوذ. وَفِي آخِر أَخْبَار «جَمْعِيَّةِ ٱلْعِنَايَة بِٱلصِّحَّةِ ٱلْغِذَائِيَّة» أَنَّ كَمِّيَّاتٍ مِن ٱلْبَيْض وَٱلدَّجَاج اَلَّتِي لا تَتَوَافَر فِيهَا ٱلْمُوَاصَفَات ٱلصِّحِّيَّة اَلسَّلِيمَة تَسَرَّبَتْ إِلَى ٱلْأَسْوَاق ٱللُّبْنَانِيَّة، وَأَنَّ ثَمَّةَ مُتَوَاطِئِين مِن دَاخِل وِزَارَةِ ٱلزِّرَاعَة، شَارَكُوا فِي هٰذِهِ ٱلْجَرِيمَة. وَقَبْلَ ٱلْبَيْض وَٱلدَّجَاج مَرَّتْ ٱللُّحُوم وَٱلْأَسْمَاك وَأَغْذِيَةٌ لا عَدّ لَهَا. وَطَالَعَتْنَا صَحِيفَةٌ مُنْذُ أَيَّامٍ بِعُنْوَان: «سَيَّارَاتُكُم قَنَابِلُ مَوْقُوتَة» لِنَكْتَشِفَ أَنَّ ٱلْبَنْزِين فِي بَعْض مَحَطَّات ٱلْوَقُود، يُخْلَطُ بِمَادَّةٍ أُخْرَى سَرِيعَةَ ٱلْاِشْتِعَال، مِمَّا يُعَرِّضُ ٱلسَّيَّارَة لِلتَّلَف أَوْ لِلْاِنْفِجَار، عِنْدَ أَصْغَر حَادِث سَيْر، وَرُبَّمَا مِن دُونِه.
The news stories in the Lebanese papers which have become like alarm bells which dont stop ringing stress to the citizens every day that dangers surround them from every side. Until it really seems that the formation of the government or not is a superfluous issue - particularly as successive governments have not been not successful in [anything] more than fighting each other over the sharing out of the cake and snatching influence [from each other]. And in the latest news from the Society for Nutritional Health quantities of eggs and chicken which dont fulfill the proper health specifications have infiltrated Lebanese markets and there are people colluding from inside the Ministry of Agriculture who are participating in this crime. Before the eggs and chicken meats and fish and countless [other] foodstuffs passed by [in the news]. And a few days ago a newspaper appeared before us with the headline: Your cars are time bombs and so we discovered that the petrol in some petrol stations is being mixed with another flammable substance something which exposes the car to [the risk of] damage or explosion at the smallest traffic accident and perhaps [even] without one.
فِي ٱلْمَفْهُوم ٱلرُّوحَانِيّ، أَنَّ شَهْر رَمَضَان هُوَ شَهْرٌ تَزْدَادُ فِيهِ أَعْمَال ٱلْخَيْر وَٱلْبِرّ وَٱلْعِبَادَات وَٱلتَّجَلِّيَات وَٱلصَّلَوَات وَٱلْخَلَوَات وَٱلْعَبَرَات وَٱلزَّكَوَات. لٰكِن فِي ٱلْمَفْهُوم ٱلرَّأْسُمَالِيّ ٱلْجَدِيد، فَإِنَّ رَمَضَان شَهْرٌ تَزْدَادُ فِيهِ ٱلْحَسَنَات مِن ٱلْعِبَادَات وَتَزْدَادُ ٱلسَّيِّئَات مِن ٱلْقَنَوَات. فِي رَمَضَان كُلّ شَيْء يَتَضَاعَف، اِرْتِيَاد ٱلْمَسَاجِد وَٱرْتِيَاد ٱلْقَنَوَات ٱلْفَضَائِيَّة، بُكَاء ٱلْمُصَلِّين وَكُومِيدِيَا ٱلْمُمَثِّلِين، اَلْجُوع وَٱلتُّخْمَة، اَلتَّصَدُّق عَلَى ٱلْفُقَرَاء وَٱلتَّبْذِير مَعَ ٱلشَّيَاطِين. تَزْدَادُ فِي رَمَضَان اَلْقُلُوب ٱلرَّهِيفَة اَلَّتِي تَتَصَدَّق، وَلٰكِن أَيْضًا اَلْقُلُوب ٱلْغَلِيظَة اَلَّتِي تُبَذِّر. لا نُرِيد أَنْ يَتَحَوَّل شَهْر رَمَضَان إِلَى شَهْر حُزْنٍ وَجُوع، لٰكِن أَيْضًا لا يَتَحَوَّل رَمَضَان إِلَى شَهْر تَبْذِيرٍ وَتَهْرِيج وَٱسْتِنْزَافٍ وَٱسْتِخْفَاف، وَمَعَاصٍ وَآثَامٍ لا تُرْتَكَب إِلَّا فِي رَمَضَان.. وَيَا لَلمُفَارَقَة! تَحَوَّلَتْ بَرَكَةُ رَمَضَان إِلَى «بِرْكَةٍ» طَافِحَة مِن ٱلْمَأْكُولَات وَٱلْمَشْرُوبَات وَٱلضَّحَكَات وَٱلْمُقَامَرَات. مَنْ يُعِيد لَنَا بَرَكَةَ رَمَضَان؟!
In the spiritual understanding [of it] the month of Ramadan is a month in which there increase acts of charity and kindness and acts of worship and manifestations [of devotion] and prayers and retreatings [for private spiritual communion] and tears [of emotion] and almsgiving [plural of zakat]. But in the new capitalist understanding [of it] Ramadan is a month in which good deeds increase due to acts of worship while bad deeds increase due to the [TV] channels. In Ramadan everything is multiplied - frequenting the mosques and frequenting the satellite channels; The crying of worshippers and the comedy of actors; The hunger and the overstuffing; The giving of charity to the poor and the squandering with the devils [ref. Quran 17.27]. There increase in Ramadan sympathetic/delicate hearts which give charity but also coarse/uncouth hearts which squander. We dont want the month of Ramadan to turn into a month of sadness and hunger but also Ramadan shouldnt change into a month of squandering clowning about and depleting [of resources] and making light [of everything] and of disobediences and sins which arent perpetrated except in Ramadan... paradoxically! The blessing [baraka] of Ramadan has changed into a pond [birka] overflowing with food and drink and laughter and acts of gambling. Who will bring back to us the blessing of Ramadan?
لَمْ تَقِف مَوْجَات ٱلْحَرّ غَيْر ٱلْاِعْتِيَادِيَّة اَلَّتِي تَعِيشُهَا ٱلْمُدُن ٱلسُّورِيَّة حَائِلًا دُون اِسْتِمْرَار ٱلتَّقْنِين ٱلْكَهْرَبَائِيّ، وَٱلْحِرْمَان لِمُدَّةِ سَاعَتَيْن عَلَى ٱلْأَقَلّ يَوْمِيًّا مِن اِسْتِخْدَام مُكَيِّفَات ٱلتَّبْرِيد أَوْ ٱلْمَرَاوِح! لا ضَوْء وَلا تِلِفِزْيُون وَلا شَيْء مِن كُلّ تِلْكَ ٱلتِّكْنُولُوجِيَا ٱلْمُرِيحَة، لا شَيْء سِوَى ٱلْعَوْدَة إِلَى وَسَائِل ٱلتَّبْرِيد ٱلْبَدَائِيَّة مِن «رَشْرَشَةِ» ٱلْمَاء وَٱلْعَصَائِر ٱلْمُثَلَّجَة أَوْ حَتَّى اِفْتِرَاش فَيْء ٱلطُّرُقَات! «أَصْبَحَتْ سَاعَات اِنْقِطَاع ٱلْكَهْرَبَاء مَوْعِدًا ثَابِتًا لِٱجْتِمَاع ٱلنِّسَاء وَٱلصَّبَايَا اَللَّوَاتِي يَقْطُنَّ هُنَا، إِذْ سُرْعَانَ مَا يَسْتَبِحنَ ٱلْمَدْخَل ٱلدَّاخِلِيّ لِلْمَبْنَى»، تَضْحَكُ أُمّ فَوَّاز اَلَّتِي تَقْطُن أَحَد ٱلْأَحْيَاء ٱلشَّعْبِيَّة فِي ٱلْعَاصِمَة دِمَشْق، وَتُضِيف: «نَشْطُف ٱلْأَرْض بِٱلْمَاء ٱلْبَارِد ثُمَّ نَجْلِس فِي ٱلْفَيْء، نُثَرْثِر وَيُسَاعِد بَعْضُنَا بَعْضًا فِي إِعْدَاد ٱلْغَدَاء، هُنَا مَنْ تُقَطِّعُ ٱلْخُضَار وَهُنَاكَ مَنْ «تُقَمِّعُ» ٱلْبَامِيَة، وَهٰكَذَا لا نَشْعُرُ بِٱلْوَقْت اَلَّذِي يَمُرّ مِن دُون كَهْرَبَاء».
The abnormal heat waves which Syrian cities are experiencing havent stood as an obstacle to the continuation of electricity rationing and the depriving for a period of at least two hours every day of the use of air-conditioners or fans! No light no television and none of all that comforting/soothing technology. Nothing other than a return to primitive means of cooling such as sprinkling water around iced juices or even lying down in the shade in the roads! The hours of the power cut have become a fixed time/appointment for the gathering together of the women and [teenage] girls who live here and they soon take over/appropriate the internal entrance of the building laughs Umm Fawwaz who lives in one of the poor [lit. peoples] districts in the capital Damascus. She adds: We wash/rinse down the ground with cold water and then we sit in the shade. We natter/gossip and help each other prepare lunch - here someone cuts up the vegetables and there someone cuts the tips off the okra. In such a way we dont feel the time which passes without electricity.
تُوَاجِهُ ٱلْمُنْتَسِبَات إِلَى فَصِيل «بَنَات ٱلْعِرَاق» اَلَّذِي شُكِّلَ لِمُوَاجَهَةِ ٱلْاِنْتِحَارِيَّات فِي مُحَافَظَة دِيَالَى، عَقَبَاتٍ تَتَعَلَّقُ بِنَظْرَةِ ٱلْمُجْتَمَع إِلَيهِنّ بِٱعْتِبَارِهِنّ تَجَاوَزنَ ٱلْأَعْرَاف وَٱلتَّقَالِيد، وَأَكَّدَ بَعْضُهُنّ أَنَّهُنّ قَد يَبْقَيْنَ عَازِبَات مَدَى ٱلْحَيَاة. وَقَالَتْ ٱلْمُتَطَوِّعَة فَخْرِيَّة مُحَمَّد لـِ«اَلْحَيَاة» إِنَّ «أَهَالِي ٱلْمَدِينَة لا يَتَعَامَلُون بِجِدِّيَة مَعَ خَطَر ٱلْاِنْتِحَارِيَّات وَدَوْرِنَا فِي مُوَاجَهَتِهِنّ، فَهُم لا يَسْتَطِيعُون تَصَوُّر وُجُود نِسَاء يَعْمَلنَ عَلَى حِمَايَتِهِم». وَأَشَارَتْ إِلَى أَنَّ «بَعْضَهُم يَنْظُرُ بِٱزْدِرَاء إِلَى ٱلتَّعْلِيمَات ٱلْأَمْنِيَّة حِينَ نَطْلُبُ مِن زَوْجَتِهِ أَوْ شَقِيقَتِه اَلدُّخُول إِلَى غُرْفَةِ ٱلتَّفْتِيش أَوْ فَتْح حَقِيبَتِهَا، فِي وَقْتٍ نُؤَكِّد أَنَّ وُجُودَنَا هُوَ لِحِمَايَةِ نِسَائِهِم وَٱلْمُحَافَظَةِ عَلَى كَرَامَتِهِنّ خِلالَ ٱلْإِجْرَاءَات ٱلْأَمْنِيَّة».
Women belonging to the detachment Daughters of Iraq which was formed [by the US] to confront female suicide bombers in the governorate of Diyala are facing obstacles connected with the view of the community towards them which consider them to have left behind/overstepped customs and traditions. Some of them stress that they might remain single/unmarried all life long. The volunteer Fakhriyya Muhammad said to Al-Hayat that the people of the city dont deal seriously with the danger of female suicide bombers and our role in confronting them as they arent able to conceive the presence of women who are working to protect them. And she pointed out that some of them look contemptuously at [our] security instructions when we ask their wife or sister to enter into the inspection room or to open her bag [even] while we stress that our presence is to protect their women and preserve their dignity/honour during the security procedures.
«حِسَاب ٱلطَّاوِلَة ٱلرَّقْم أَرْبَعَة»، قَطَعَ صَوْتُهَا ٱلْعَذْب رَتَابَةَ أَحَادِيث ٱلْمَكَان مُنَبِّهًا ٱلْمُحَاسِب لِيُعِدَّ فَاتُورَةَ ٱلطَّاوِلَة، وَلافِتًا نَظَرَ رَجُلٍ مُسِنّ يَجْلِسُ إِلَى طَاوِلَةٍ مُجَاوِرَة بِرِفْقَةِ جَرِيدَة. «إِيييه»، تَنَهَّدَ ٱلْعَجُوز بِسَعَادَة وَأَوْمَأَ لِلنَّادِلَة بِيَدِهِ فَٱبْتَسَمَتْ وَبَادَرَتْ: «قَهْوَتُكَ ٱلْمُعْتَادَة سَتَكُون جَاهِزَة خِلال دَقَائِق سَيِّدِي»، بَادَلَ ٱلرَّجُل اَلنَّادِلَة بِٱبْتِسَامَةٍ أَوْسَع وَهَزَّ رَأْسَهُ مُوَافِقًا بِرِضًى. بَسْمَة فِي ٱلْعِشْرِينَات مِن عُمْرِهَا، تَرَكَتْ قَرْيَتَهَا ٱلصَّغِيرَة وَٱلْتَحَقَتْ بِكُلِّيَةِ ٱلْإِعْلام فِي جَامِعَةِ دِمَشْق. تَعْمَلُ نَادِلَة بِدَوَامٍ جُزْئِيّ فِي مَقْهَى فِي حَيّ أَبُو رُمَّانَة اَلرَّاقِي، وَذٰلِكَ كَيْ تَسْتَطِيع إِعَالَةَ نَفْسِهَا وَتَخْفِيف عِبْء مَصَارِيف إِقَامَتِهَا وَدِرَاسَتِهَا عَن أَهْلِهَا ٱلْمُتَوَسِّطِي اَلْحَال. حَال بَسْمَة كَحَال غَيْرِهَا مِن ٱلشَّابَّات ٱلسُّورِيَّات اَللَّوَاتِي لَمْ يَجِدنَ مَهْرَبًا مِن اِقْتِحَام سُوق ٱلْعَمَل فِي سِنٍّ مُبَكِّرَة لِيَسْتَطِعنَ ٱلتَّعَايُش مَعَ غَلاء ٱلْمَعِيشَة ٱلْمُتَزَايِد يَوْمًا بَعْدَ يَوْم.
The bill for table number four her sweet/mellifluous voice cut through the monotony of the conversations in the place alerting the accountant to prepare the tables bill and catching the attention of an elderly man sitting at a nearby table accompanied by a newspaper. Eeeh the old man sighed happily and gestured to the waitress with his hand. She smiled and quickly said Your usual coffee will be ready in [a few] minutes Sir. The man exchanged a wider smile with the waitress and nodded his head agreeing contentedly. Basma is in her twenties. She left her small village and joined/entered the Faculty of Media at Damascus University. She works as a part-time waitress in a café in the upmarket district of Abu Rummaneh. And that is so that she is able to support herself and lighten/ease the burden of the expenses of her stay and her studies from her family [who are] of average means. The situation of Basma is like the situation of other young Syrian women who have had to [lit found no escape from] plunge/boldly enter the labour market at an early age so that they can cope [lit. live together] with the high cost of living [which is] steadily increasing day after day.
أَشَاحَتْ فَاطِمَة بِوَجْهِهَا يَمِينًا عِنْدَمَا تَفَوَّهَ ٱلشَّابّ ٱلْوَاقِف عَلَى يَسَارِهَا فِي مَحَطَّةِ ٱلْمِتْرُو ٱلرَّئِيسِيَّة فِي ٱلْعَاصِمَةِ ٱلتُّونِسِيَّة، بِكَلامٍ نَابٍ يَخْدِشُ ٱلْحَيَاء. وَعِنْدَمَا كَرَّرَ ٱلشَّابّ كَلامَه مُوحِيًا بِأَنَّهُ يُخَاطِب صَدِيقَهُ بِتِلْكَ ٱلْعِبَارَات ذَات ٱلْمَدْلُول ٱلْجِنْسِيّ، رَمَقَتْهُ ٱلْمُوَظَّفَةُ بِنَظْرَةٍ صَارِمَة وَهِيَ تُمَنِّي ٱلنَّفْس بِوَضْع حَدٍّ لِسُلُوكِه، لٰكِنَّهَا لَمْ تَتَوَقَّع ٱلْبَتَّةَ رَدَّةَ فِعْلِهِ ٱلْعَنِيفَة. سَيْلٌ جَارِف مِن ٱلسِّبَاب ٱلسَّاخِط قَذَفَهَا بِهِ ٱلشَّابّ لـِ«تَجَرُّئِهَا» عَلَى إِطَالَةِ ٱلنَّظَر إِلَيه مَا دَفَعَهَا إِلَى تَوْقِيف أَوَّل سَيَّارَةِ أُجْرَة تَمُرّ عِوَضًا عَن ٱلْحَرَج وَنَظَرَاتِ ٱلشَّفَقَة اَلَّتِي رَمَقَهَا بِهَا ٱلْمُسَافِرُون مِن دُون أَنْ يَنْبُسَ أَيٌّ مِنهُم بِبِنْت شَفَة وَكَأَنَّ مَا جَرَى أَكْثَر مِن عَادِيّ.
Fatima turned her face away to the right when the young man standing on her left in the main metro station in the Tunisian capital uttered the repugnant words which offended [lit. scratched] decency/modesty. And when the young man repeated his words making out/giving the impression that he was addressing his friend with those phrases which had a sexual connotation the office worker [Fatima] regarded him with a severe look in the hope of putting an end to his behaviour. But she did not anticipate his violent reaction at all; A torrential stream of indignant abuse [which] the young man hurled out for her daring to prolong [her] looking at him which drove her to stop/flag down the first taxi which passed instead of [facing] the embarrassment and looks of pity which the travellers regarded her with without any of them uttering a word [lit. daughter of a lip] as if what had happened was very normal [lit. more than normal].
فَرَضَتْ مَحْكَمَةٌ فِي ٱلْخُرْطُوم أَمْس غَرَامَةً قَدْرُهَا مِئَتَان وَتِسْعَة دُولارَات عَلَى ٱلصِّحَافِيَّة لُبْنَى أَحْمَد حُسَيْن بَعْدَمَا دَانَتْهَا بِٱرْتِدَاء زِيّ «غَيْر مُحْتَشِم» (بَنْطَال)، وَتَجَنَّبَتْ عُقُوبَةَ ٱلْجَلْد اَلَّتِي عُوقِبَتْ بِهِ نِسْوَةٌ أُخْرَيَات أُوْقِفنَ مَعَهَا فِي تَمُّوز (يُولِيُو) ٱلْمَاضِي فِي ٱلْخُرْطُوم. لٰكِنَّ لُبْنَى رَفَضَتْ دَفْع ٱلْغَرَامَة وَفَضَّلَتْ ٱلسَّجْن شَهْرًا، فَٱقْتِيدَتْ إِلَى ٱلسِّجْن لِتَمْضِيَةِ فَتْرَةِ عُقُوبَتِهَا. وَٱنْتَشَرَتْ ٱلشُّرْطَة أَمَامَ مَقَرّ ٱلْمَحْكَمَة، وَمَنَعَ رِجَال ٱلْأَمْن مُصَوِّرِي اَلصِّحَافَة وَٱلتِّلِفِزْيُون مِن اِلْتِقَاط صُوَرٍ لِتَظَاهُرَةِ تَضَامُن مَعَ لُبْنَى ضَمَّتْ مُؤَيِّدِين وَمُؤَيِّدَات لِقَضِيَتِهَا. كَمَا لَمْ يُسْمَح لِلصِّحَافِيِّين بِحُضُور جَلْسَةِ ٱلْمُحَاكَمَة. وَفَرَّقَتْ شُرْطَةُ مُكَافَحَةِ ٱلشَّغَب نَحْوَ مِئَةٍ وَعِشْرِين مِن ٱلنَّاشِطَات ٱلْمُدَافِعَات عَن حُقُوق ٱلْمَرْأَة، اِرْتَدَتْ بَعْضُهُنَّ سَرَاوِيل (بَنَاطِيل) وَكُنَّ يُلَوِّحنَ بِلافِتَاتٍ خَارِجَ ٱلْمَحْكَمَة وَيَهْتِفنَ «اَلْحُرِّيَّة... ٱلْحُرِّيَّة» وَ«لا... لا لِكَبْت ٱلْمَرْأَة». كَمَا رُفِعَتْ لافِتَاتٌ كُتِبَ عَلَيْهَا «لا لِلْجَلْد... نَعَم لِلْحُرِّيَّة».
A court in Khartoum yesterday imposed a fine of two hundred and nine dollars on the journalist Lubna Ahmad Hussein after convicting her of wearing indecent clothing (trousers). She avoided the punishment of flogging which other women arrested with her last Tammuz (July) in Khartoum were punished with. But Lubna refused to pay the fine preferring imprisonment for a month and so was led away to the prison to serve her sentence [lit. the period of her punishment]. Police were deployed [lit. spread out] in front of the court and security men prevented press and television photographers from taking photographs of the [public] demonstration of solidarity with Lubna which brought together male supporters and female supporters of her cause. And journalists were not allowed to attend the trial [lit. prosecuting session]. Riot police dispersed around one hundred and twenty activists [who were] defending womens rights and some of whom were wearing pants (trousers) and were waving banners outside the court shouting: Freedom... Freedom and: No... No to the repression of women. And banners were raised on which was written: No to flogging... Yes to freedom.
هُنَاكَ جَدَلٌ فِي ٱلسُّعُودِيَّة بَعْدَ إِنْشَاد مُحَمَّد عَبْدُه قَصِيدَةَ ٱلشَّيْخ عَائِض اَلْقَرْنِيّ «لا إِلٰه إِلَّا ٱلله»، وَٱلْغَرِيب فِي ذَاك ٱلْجَدَل أَنَّهُ جَاءَ مِن طَرَفَي نَقِيض، فَهُنَاك اِعْتِرَاض مِمَّن يَرَون حُرْمَةَ ٱلْغِنَاء، وَبِٱلتَّالِي اِسْتَكْثَرُوا عَلَى ٱلشَّيْخ عَائِض أَنْ يُقَدِّمَ قَصِيدَة إِنْشَادِيَّة بِصَوْت مُحَمَّد عَبْدُه. وَهُنَاك فَرِيقٌ آخَر، بِٱلطَّبْع مِمَّن لا يَرَون حُرْمَةَ ٱلْغِنَاء، وَلٰكِنَّهُم يَقُولُون بِضَعْفِ ٱلنَّصّ. وَمِمَّا زَادَ ٱلْأَمْر تَعْقِيدًا هُوَ رَدّ ٱلشَّيْخ عَائِض عَلَى مَنْ نَقَدُوا قَصِيدَتَه، وَقَوْلُهُ إِنَّ نُقَّادَهُ لا يَفْهَمُون ٱلشِّعْر مِثْلَ بَائِعَةِ ٱلْفَصْفَص، فَتَحَوَّلَ ٱلْجِدَال إِلَى ٱلسُّخْرِيَّة مِن بَائِعَةِ ٱلْفَصْفَص، وَلَيْسَ ٱلْغِنَاء مِن عَدَمِه، أَوْ جُودَةَ ٱلْقَصِيدَة. إِلَّا أَنَّ ٱلشَّيْخ عَائِض حَسَمَ ٱلْجَدَل، وَكَتَبَ قَصِيدَة جَمِيلَة مُعَبِّرَة يَعْتَذِرُ فِيهَا لِبَائِعَةِ ٱلْفَصْفَص.
There is controversy in Saudi after the recitation [in song] by Mohamed Abdu [a pop singer] of the poem by Sheikh Aaidh al-Qarni [an Islamic scholar and author] [entitled] There is no god but Allah. What is strange about that controversy is that it came from two opposing sides; For there was the objection of those who believe that [pop] singing is Haram [i.e. prohibited in Islamic law] and so they regarded it as too much that Sheikh Aaidh should present a poem recited [in song] with the voice of Mohamed Abdu. And there is another group of course from those who dont believe singing is Haram but who say the piece [lit. text] is weak. What complicated the matter further was the response of Sheikh Aaidh to those who criticized his poem and his saying that his critics dont understand poetry just like a woman sunflower seed seller. So the controversy became about [lit. turned into] the mockery of a sunflower seed seller and not about singing or not [singing] or the quality of the poem. However Sheikh Aaidh settled the controversy by writing a beautiful explanatory poem in which he apologised to the sunflower seed seller.
مَا هُوَ ٱلْقَاسِم ٱلْمُشْتَرَك اَلَّذِي جَمَعَ بَيْنَ ٱلْعَبَاقِرَة، عَالِم ٱلرِّياضِيَّات فِيثَاغُورَث، وَٱلْفَيْلَسُوف أَبُولُونِيُوس، وَأَبُو ٱلطِّبّ أَبُقْرَاط، وَٱلشَّاعِر أَنَاكْرِيُون؟ جَمِيعُهُم عَمَرُوا طَوِيلًا وَكَانُوا يَنْهَلُون مِن ٱلْعَسَل يَوْمِيًّا. وَكَلِمَةُ اَلْعَسَل فِي ٱللُّغَةِ ٱلْعَرَبِيَّة تَعْنِي اَلصَّافِي اَلَّذِي يُخْرِجُهُ ٱلنَّحْل مِن بُطُونِه. وَهُنَاك مُسَمَّيَاتٌ عِدَّة تَتَعَلَّق بِٱلْعَسَل، فَكَلِمَةُ اَلشَّهْد تَدُلُّ عَلَى ٱلْعَسَل ٱلْمُخَتَلِط اَلَّذِي لَمْ يُعْصَر مِن شَمْعِه. وَهُنَاك كَلِمَةُ ٱلضَّرَب اَلَّتِي تُطْلَق عَلَى ٱلْعَسَل ٱلْأَبْيَض اَلْغَلِيظ، وَكَلِمَةُ اَلذَّوْب اَلَّتِي تَعْنِي ٱلْعَسَل ٱلْخَالِص مِن أَيَّةِ شَائِبَة. كَمَا يُطْلَق عَلَى ٱلْعَسَل تَعْبِير رَحِيق ٱلنَّحْل. وَٱلْمَعْرُوف عَن ٱلْعَسَل أَنَّهُ لا يَفْسُد. وَٱلْعَسَل هُوَ اَلَّذِي مَكَّنَ مِن نَقْل رُفَات ٱلْقَائِد ٱلْمَقْدُونِيّ اَلْإِسْكَنْدَر ٱلْأَكْبَر بَعِيدًا عَن ٱلتَّلَف وَٱلتَّفَسُّخ بِفَضْل غَمْرِهَا بِٱلْعَسَل كُلِّيًّا. وَفِي ٱلْحَرْب ٱلْعَالَمِيَّةِ ٱلْأُولَى كَانَ يُخْلَط ٱلْعَسَل مَعَ زَيْت ٱلسَّمَك مِن أَجْلِ عِلَاج جُرُوح ٱلْجُنُود.
What is the common denominator which links the geniuses: The mathematician Pythagoras the philosopher Apollonius the father of medicine Hippocrates and the poet Anacreon? All of them lived long lives and used to drink/imbibe some honey every day. The word honey in the Arabic language means the pure [substance] which bees expel from their abdomens. There are several meanings [of words] connected with honey; The word šahd denotes mixed honey which has not been pressed out of its wax And there is the word ḍarab which is given to coarse white honey and the word ḏawb which means honey free of any impurity. Just as the expression nectar [=exquisite drink] of the bees has [also] been applied to honey. What is well known about honey is that it does not spoil. Honey is what enabled the transportation of the remains of the Macedonian leader Alexander the Great far from harm/spoiling and decomposition by virtue of their being submerged completely in honey. And in the First World War honey was mixed with fish oil for the treatment of the wounds of soldiers.
رَفَضَ عُلَمَاء أَزْهَرِيُّون فَتْوَى أَطْلَقَهَا ٱلْكَاتِب ٱلْإِسْلامِيّ جَمَال اَلْبَنَّا تُجِيز وُقُوف ٱلنِّسَاء بِجِوَار ٱلرِّجَال خِلالَ صَلاةِ ٱلْعِيد بِحُجَّةِ حَالَةِ ٱلضَّرُورَة وَٱخْتِلاف ٱلْعُرْف. وَأَكَّدَ ٱلْعُلَمَاء أَنَّ ٱلْأَعْرَاف وَٱلْعَادَات وَٱلتَّقَالِيد ٱلْإِسْلامِيَّة لا تَتَغَيَّرُ بِتَغَيُّر ٱلزَّمَان وَلا ٱلْمَكَان، وَأَنَّ ٱلْعُرْف قَد جَرَى مُنْذُ عَهْد ٱلرَّسُول صَلَّى ٱللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم إِلَى يَوْمِنَا هٰذَا بِأَنْ تَقِفَ ٱلنِّسَاء خَلْفَ صُفُوف ٱلرِّجَال، وَأَنَّهُ لا تُوجَد ضَرُورَة فِي صَلاةِ ٱلْعِيد لِلتَّزَاحُم، خَاصَّةً أَنَّ هٰذِهِ ٱلصَّلاة تُقَام فِي أَمَاكِن تَتَّسِعُ لِٱسْتِيعَاب أَعْدَادٍ كَبِيرَة مِن ٱلنَّاس مِثْلَ ٱلْمَيَادِين وَٱلشَّوَارِع، وَلَيْسَتْ قَاصِرَة عَلَى ٱلْمَسَاجِد. وَقَالُوا إِنَّهُ «لا يَجُوز أَنْ نُغَيِّر أَحْكَام ٱلْإِسْلام اَلَّذِي تَمَيَّزَ عَن سَائِر ٱلْأَدْيَان ٱلسَّمَاوِيَّة بِأَنَّهُ جَاءَ خَاتِمًا لَهَا. وَتَمَيَّزَتْ شَرِيعَتُهُ بِصَلاحِيَّتِهَا لِكُلِّ زَمَانٍ وَمَكَان بِحُجَّةِ مُوَاكَبَةِ ٱلْعَصْر أَوْ «ٱلْعَصْرَنَة».
Al-Azhar scholars [=`ulamā] have rejected the fatwa [=formal legal opinion (Isl. Law)] [which] the Islamic writer Gamal al-Banna released which permits the standing of women beside men during Eid prayer on the pretext of there being a necessity and differences in custom. The scholars stressed that Islamic customs habits and traditions do not change with the changing of time or place and that the custom has been [lit. run] since the time of the Prophet [lit. Messenger] peace be upon him until this day that women stand behind the rows of men and that there is no necessity at Eid prayer for crowding together particularly as this prayer is held in places which are large enough to accommodate/take in large numbers of people such as squares and streets and it is not confined to mosques. And they said that We are not permitted to change the ordinances of Islam (which was distinguished from the other heaven [revealed] religions [=Judaism and Christianity] in that it came as the last [lit. seal] of them. And its law [=Sharia] was distinguished by its suitability/applicability for every time and place) on the pretext of keeping up with [lit. accompanying] the times or modernity.
فِي وَاقِعَتَيْن مُنْفَصِلَتَين شَهِدَتْهُمَا مُحَافَظَةُ ٱلْجِيزَة، بِٱلضَّوَاحِي ٱلْغَرْبِيَّة لِلْعَاصِمَةِ ٱلْمِصْرِيَّة اَلْقَاهِرَة، أَوَّل مِن أَمْس، فُوجِئَ شُرْطِيَّان يَتَوَلَّيَان حِرَاسَةَ بَنْكَيْن مُخْتَلِفَيْن بِٱلْجِيزَة بِأَنَّ مَاكِينَةَ ٱلصَّرَّاف ٱلْآلِيّ اَلْمُعَلَّقَة عَلَى ٱلْجِدَار ٱلْخَارِجِيّ لِكِلا ٱلْبَنْكَيْن تُمْطِرُ أَوْرَاقًا مَالِيَّة مِن مُخْتَلِف ٱلْفِئَات. وَلَقَد دُهِشَ ٱلشُّرْطِيَّان أَمَامَ هٰذَا ٱلْمَشْهَد اَلْغَرِيب اَلَّذِي عَجَزَا عَن تَفْسِيرِه، إِلَّا أَنَّهُمَا بَادَرَا بِإِخْطَار أَجْهِزَةِ ٱلْأَمْن فِي ٱلْجِيزَة، اَلَّتِي كَلَّفَتْ فَرِيقَيْن أَمْنِيَّيْن بِٱلْاِنْتِقَال إِلَى مَكَان ٱلْوَاقِعَتَيْن. غَيْر أَنَّ أَفْرَاد ٱلْفَرِيقَيْن، بِدَوْرِهِم، لَمْ يَجِدُوا تَفْسِيرًا لِمَا حَدَث، فَاِكْتَفَوا بِتَحْرِيز ٱلْمَبْلَغ وَتَحْرِير مَحْضَرٍ بِٱلْوَاقِعَة وَتَوَلَّتْ ٱلنِّيَابَة اَلتَّحْقِيق. وَصَبَاح أَمْس قَرَّرَ ٱللِّوَاء مُحْسِن حِفْظِيّ، مُدِير أَمْن ٱلْجِيزَة، صَرْف مُكَافَأَةٍ مَالِيَّة لِلشُّرْطِيَّيْن تَقْدِيرًا لِأَمَانَتِهِمَا.
In two separate incidents which the governorate of Giza in the western suburbs of the Egyptian capital Cairo witnessed the day before yesterday two policemen in charge of guarding two different banks in Giza were surprised by the fact that the Automated Teller Machine attached to the outer wall of both banks was pouring out/raining banknotes of various denominations/values. The policemen were amazed at this strange scene which they were unable to explain. However they promptly notified the security services in Giza who assigned two security teams to relocate/move to the place of the two incidents. But the members of the two teams in their turn could not find an explanation for what had happened and were content with impounding/confiscating the amount [of money] and writing out a report of the incident. The office of the Prosecutor [then] took over the investigation. And yesterday morning Major General Mohsen Hifzi Director of the Security [Department] of Giza decided to give [lit. pay] a financial reward to the two policemen in appreciation of their honesty.
تَبْعُدُ قَرْيَةُ ٱلْغَجَر اَلْعِرَاقِيَّة نَحْوَ خَمْسِين كِيلُومِتْرًا عَن مَدِينَةِ ٱلدِّيوَانِيَّة اَلْجَنُوبِيَّة، وَتَقَع دَاخِلَ صَحْرَاء مُحَاطَة بِتِلالٍ تُرَابِيَّة وَضَعَهَا ٱلْأَهَالِي لِسَدّ هَجَمَات ٱلْمُسَلَّحِين مِن ٱلْمِلِيشِيَّات اَلَّذِينَ يَتَعَرَّضُون لِعَائِلاتِهَا ٱلْمَغْلُوب عَلَى أَمْرِهَا وَٱلَّتِي تَقُول أَنَّ حَمْلَهَا ٱلْجِنْسِيَّة ٱلْعِرَاقِيَّة بِقَرَارَاتٍ مِن صَدَّام حُسَيْن لَمْ يُنَجِّهَا مِن اَلتَّمْيِيز وَٱلْاِضْطِهَاد. يَقُول شَيْخ قَرْيَةِ ٱلْغَجَر نَاظِم نَاهِي فَرْحَان لـِ«اَلْحَيَاة»: «لَوْلا فَقْرُنَا ٱلْمُدْقِع لَهَجَرنَا ٱلْمِنْطَقَة وَرَحَلنَا لِأَنَّ حَيَاتَنَا صَارَتْ مُهَدَّدَة بِٱلْخَطَر إِلَى جَانِب ٱلْفَقْر وَٱلْأَمْرَاض وَٱلْأَوْبِئَة ٱلْمُنْتَشِرَة بَيْنَ ٱلْأَهَالِي». وَٱلْغَجَرـ اَلدِّيوَانِيَّة تَبْدُو كَأَنَّهَا مِنْطَقَة أَثَرِيَّة مَهْجُورَة لا يُوجَد فِيهَا سِوَى ٱلْقَلِيل مِن ٱلسُّكَّان، عَائِلَة هُنَا وَعَائِلَة هُنَاك، وَبُيُوتٌ جُدْرَانُهَا مِن طِين وَسَقْفُهَا مِن قَصَب ٱلْبَرْدِيّ وَأَطْفَالٌ عُرَاة بِلا مَدَارِس وَلا مَرْكَزٌ صِحِّيّ وَلا مِيَاه صَالِحَة لِلشُّرْب. وَلا يُسْمَح بِدُخُول ٱلصِّحَافِيِّين إِلَيْهَا مِن دُون تَصْرِيحٍ رَسْمِيّ مِن قِيَادَةِ شُرْطَةِ ٱلدِّيوَانِيَّة.
The Iraqi village of al-Ghajar [=gypsies] lies a distance of around fifty kilometres from the southern city of Diwaniyah and lies in a desert surrounded by hills of earth which the inhabitants put [there] to block the attacks of gunmen from the militias who confronted the helpless families [of the village] who say that their carrying Iraqi nationality through decisions by Saddam Hussein has not saved them from discrimination and persecution. The sheikh/elder of the village of al-Ghajar Nazim Nahi Farhan said to Al-Hayat: If it werent for our extreme [lit. debasing] poverty we would have abandoned/left the area and moved away because our life has become threatened with danger besides the poverty and illnesses and contagious diseases which are rife/widespread among the inhabitants. Al-Ghajar - Diwaniyah seems as if it is a deserted archaeological area. Nothing is found here other than a few residents. A family here and a family there. And houses whose walls are of clay and roof of papyrus cane. And naked children with no schools and no health centre and no water fit for drinking. And it is not allowed for journalists to enter [the village] without an official permit from the Diwaniyah police command [centre].