By May Haddad 1
10 4 15 2
In loving memory of Hossein Shahidi Dedicated to Hossein’s Friends worldwide
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Introduction 10 4 15 marks one year for Hossein’s departure… In Arabic people say البقية بحياتكwhich implies that we become responsible to continue the journey of the one who departed us. Hossein Jaan is an expanded document of that of 31 5 14 that was developed for the Commeration of Hossein in Baabdat-Lebanon. The expanded document introduces Dr Hossein Shahidi facebook page, the readings of the Commeration, a section about Hossein and a Tribute section. Dr Hossein Shahidi’s page https://www.facebook.com/HosseinJaafarShahidi was launched 2 days after Hossein’s departure by friends who wanted to collect, document and share Hossein’s publications, teachings and related news. Thousands of people worldwide have visited the page. The page included 65 photo albums and 55 notes by 31 3 15 (p. 13-25). Selected readings from the Commeration of 31 5 14 are included in p. 26-51. To note that this selection of materials by Hossein, would have been different had the Commeration been conducted in Iran, Afghanistan, Palestine, England etc. pending on the interests of the participants. This section includes samples of Hossein poems/songs translations (from Persian or Arabic into English), samples of articles that he has written (in one language or two languages), samples of his photo-essays and book reviews. About Hossein: pages 52-87. Samples of materials that introduce Hossein as a teacher, writer, journalist, photographer, Middle East expert, peace activist, sincere friend etc. are shared in this section. Hossein’s resource books are introduced on p. 80-84, dozens of his articles and photo-essays that have been posted by Iranian.com are introduced on p. 85-86 and his You Tube link is on p. 87. Lulu (the pearl) and the translation of Persian poems and songs (p. 88- 95) are among the unfinished works of Hossein. Tributes to Hossein that have been gathered by the administrators of Dr Hossein Shahidi’s page are shared on p. 96-170. Among the institutions that paid tribute to Hossein: Jordan Media Institute, Birzeit University-Palestine, BBC-Persian section, Radio Farda, American University of Beirut and Lebanese American University-Lebanon. The section includes more than 50 tributes to Hossein by friends, family, collogues, students and fans. Selections from “London Days” poems are also included in the section. The program of the Commeration of 31 5 15 is listed on p. 156157. 5
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Contents Dedication
P. 3
Introduction
P. 5
Contents The page: Dr Hossein Shahidi o o o o o
P. 7-12 Page administrators
P. 13-25
Authors
P. 26-51
In our hearts & thoughts Introducing the page Cover pages 65 Photo albums 55 Notes and essays
Readings at the Commeration: 31 5 14 o Mawlana: Parvaneh Sho Poem translation
Hossein Shahidi & May Haddad
o Lessons for life from Lebanon Satiric bilingual article
Hossein Shahidi
o My neighborhood, My Beirut Photo-essay
Hossein Shahidi
o From Beirut to Jerusalem Book review
Hossein Shahidi
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o Fairuz: Singing of love and Palestine - Article
Hossein Shahidi
o We and the moon are neighbors Song translation o Come see me once a year Song translation
Hossein Shahidi
o إمام و نجم و طالب إيراني في بيروت- Article
About Hossein
Hossein Shahidi
Hossein Shahidi
Compiled by May Haddad
o My Name
o Essay
o Quotes
o Quotes and tributes
o The Blame Game
o Interview by Peyvand Khorsandi
o Afghanistan in Hossein’s heart
o Introduction
o Asheqan and Arefan
o Photo-essay
o Poem by Sajeda Milad
o Translation
o Hossein and Palestine
o Introduction
o Indeed a global teacher
o Photos
o Hossein the photographer
o Photos
o Surprising Jordan
o Photo-essay
o Hair Festival
o Photo-essay
P. 52-87
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o Oxford roses
o Photos
o Familiar flowers
o Photo-essay
o A tribute to Farhad Merhad
o Link to an article
o Standing by Jila and Bahman
o Links to articles
o The media in Hossein’s articles
o Samples and links to articles
o Women of the world unite!
o Link and photos
o Stop the war
o Links and photos
o Teaching materials: Collated by Diala Rajaie AlAzzeh
o Titles and links
o Introducing the books
o o o o o
o Articles and photo-essays
o Links at Iranian.com
o YouTube films
o Link
Among the Unfinished Works of Hossein
Journalism in Iran Iran in 21st Century The Persians Kabul Days Booklet: Seyyed Jafar Shahidi
o Translations of Poems and songs from Persian
P. 88-95
o Lulu - Musical Performance by the Rahbani brothers 9
Homage to Hossein
By
o Tribute to a great teacher
o Jila Baniyaghoob
o By Beirzeit University
o Beirzeit University
o By Jordan Media Institute
o Jordan Media
P. 96-147
Institute o Hossein Shahidi’s Legacy
o Sara Mohseni & Mehrad Safa
o نودعك بابتسامة
o Aref Hajjawi
Farewell, with a smile o Light as a feather,
o Shokoufeh Shahidi
heavy as a mountain o Poem to Hossein
o Dr Ali Mohammad Sajjadi
o Merfat Awad
o Merfat Awad
o Khitam Amer
o Khitam Amer
o Hossein’s message
o Hamza Sabouri
o We all loved him
o Haitham Sharif
o The Wind Will Carry Us
o Norbert Hirschhorn
o Sodade
o Hoda
o Hossein is a hero
o Swee Ang
o Energy, teamwork
o Diala Rajaie Al-Azzeh
and fun o Broadening our horizons
o Abdalla Mubaiydeen
o Exemplary
o Guissou Jahangiri
o Hossein became
o Pooran Golfam
a martyr o An anchor
o Dr Aziza Khalidi 10
o My friend
o Bilal Rahman
o A real journalist
o Farshid Faryaabi
o Obituary
o Homa Katouzian
o By Radio Farda
o Mohammad Dar’amee
o By BBC-Persian
o Leila Abu Husni
o Obituary
o Saeed Barzin
o 40 rules of love
o Ali Farhid
o SOAS Commeration
o Arshin A. Moghaddam
o Our little prince
o Madeleine Badaro
o Andean Salute
o Luz Floreciendo
o Love will last
o Nadia Dalloul
o Close and intimate
o Sabah Jabbour
o Tonttus
o Sirkku
o Friendship and time
o Jim Reilly
o Remembering Hossein
o Soroush Javadi
o The teacher
o Amir Ali Alameh Zadeh
ADDITIONAL TRIBUTES
o Fari khanom, o Ahmad-Shah Duranai, o Eman Khader Shanan, o Mohammadreza Jalaeipur, 11
o Fadia Hasna, o Sari Hanafi, o Lina Abyad, o Ahmad Dahwich, o Vicki Perkins, o Firas Abu Aloul, o Youmna Al-Khatam, o Cam Lecce, o Guissou Jahangiri, o Potkin Azarmehr, o Nadim Shehadi, o Lojain Al-Absi
o Extracts from London Days
May Haddad
P. 148-153
o Commeration in BaabdatLebanon: 31 5 14
May Haddad
154-158
o Our inspiration
159
o Fragrant flowers
160
o The Garden of Permanent Sleep
Photo-essay by
161-163
Hossein Shahidi
o Ashes of light
Poems by
o Light
May Haddad
164-170
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Dr Hossein Shahidi’s page The face book page was launched on 12 4 14 https://www.facebook.com/HosseinJaafarShahidi
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Readers of the page By the end of March, the page has more than 800 Likers. Our records confirm that thousands of people have visited the page. Here are examples
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Selections of Dr Hossein Shahidi cover pages
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65 Photo albums by 30 3 15
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55 Notes by 30 3 15
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پروانه شو Mawlana: Parvaneh sho A Moth You Should Become (translated and transcribed by Hossein ShahidehArabic by May Haddad)
Kindly Read the English from right to left و اندر دل آتش درآ پروانه شو پروانه شو
حيلت رها کن عاشقا ديوانه شو ديوانه شو
Vandar del-e atash dara, parvaneh sho, parvaneh sho
Hilat raha kon asheqa, divaneh sho, divaneh sho
And into the flames enter, a moth you should become, a moth you should become تصبح شرنقة، تصبح شرنقة،و ادخل اللهب
Stop all subterfuge, O lover, go mad, go mad ، دعك مما يلهي،أيها العاشق كن مجنونا،كن مجنونا
وآنگه بيا با عاشقان هم خانه شو هم خانه شو
ويرانه کن هم خويش را بيگانه کن هم خانه را
Vangah biya ba asheqan ham-khaneh sho, ham-khaneh sho
Virvaneh kon ham khish ra, biganeh kon ham khaneh ra
And then come and join the lovers in their home, join the lovers in their home ، تحرر و شارك العاشقين في منزلهم،و بعدها و شارك العاشقين في منزلهم
Destroy your very self, become a stranger in the shell that houses your self كن غريبا في الصدفة،حطم ذاتك التي تسكن ذاتك داخلها
وآنگه شراب عشق را پيمانه شو پيمانه شو
رو سينه را چون سينهها هفت آب شو ازکينهها
Vangah sharab-e eshq ra paymaneh sho, paymaneh sho
Ro sineh ra chon sineh ha, haft ab shoo az kineh ha
And then drink the wine of love, cup after cup, cup after cup ،و بعدها إشرب نبيذ العشق كوبا بعد كوب،كوبا بعد كوب
Go wash your chest seven times, as true believers would, to cleanse it of all hatred كما يفعل،إذهب و اغسل صدرك سبع مرات لينظف نفسه من كل األحقاد،المؤمن الحقيقي 27
گر سوی مستان میروی مستانه شو مستانه شو
بايد که جمله جان شوی تا اليق جانان شوی
Gar souy-e mastan miravi, mastaneh ro, mastaneh ro
Bayad keh jomleh jan shavi, ta layeq-e janan shavi
Towards the drunkards if you go, drunken steps you should take, drunken steps you should take إتبع خطوات،و إذا ذهبت إلى مكان السكر إتبع خطوات سكرانة،سكرانة
Your whole being should turn into life, before you can become worthy of the beloved تعانقْ الحياة،أترك كل ذرة فيك ْحتى تستحقْ لقب عاشق
آن گوش و عارض بايدت دردانه شو دردانه شو
آن گوشوار شاهدان هم صحبت عارض شده
Aan goush-o arez bayadat, dordaneh sho, dordaneh sho
Aan goushvar-e shahedan, ham-sohbat-e arez shodeh
That ear and that face if you desire, a pearl you should become, a pearl you should become ، تلك األذن،تتوق ذلك الوجه صر لؤلؤة اذا صر لؤلؤة
The beloved’s earring has nestled next to her face ترتاح حلقة المعشوق قرب وجهها
فانی شو و چون عاشقان افسانه شو افسانه شو
چون جان تو شد در هوا ز افسانه شيرين ما
Fani sho o chon asheqan afsaneh sho, afsaneh sho
Chon jan-e to shod dar hava zafsaneh-ye shirin-e ma
Mortal you should become and, as lovers would, a fable you should become, a fable you should become وحين تعشق تصير اسطورة،تكون بشرا
Now that , by hearing our sweet, your soul ethereal has become تصير أثيرا... حتى تشف...يكفيك ان تسمع
ور زلف بگشايد صنم رو شانه شو رو شانه شو
گر چهره بنمايد صنم پر شو از او چون آينه
Var zolf bogshayah sanam, ro shaneh sho, ro shaneh sho
Gar chehren benmayad sanam, por sho az u chon ayehen
And should the beloved let her hair down, a comb you should become, a comb you should become ،و عندما تسدل المعشوقة شعرها تحول إلى مشط، تحول إلى مشط
Should the beloved display her face, fill yourself of her, as if you were a mirror ،و عندما تسفرالمعشوقة عن وجهها و كأنك مرآة،إمأل ذاتك بها 28
Ma bi’asser: Lessons for life from Lebanon Satiric article- Hossein Shahidi August 23, 2010 http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2010/Aug-23/58870-ma-biasserlessons-for-life-from-lebanon.ashx#axzz32SrPao2k The great contemporary thinker, Homer Simpson, once gave his beloved son, Bart, three lessons to get him through life: “Number one: 'Cover for me.' Number two: 'Oh, good idea, boss.' Number three, 'It was like that when I got here.’” Ignorance of these basic lessons has led to the loss of many opportunities in my life. Or, it has led to others taking them, according to a billboard I have seen repeatedly on my way to Beirut airport which says, ‘An opportunity is never lost; it’s always seized by someone else.’ To comfort myself, I have tried to think of opportunities I have lost when no one else was around to seize them. My hope has been that perhaps I could go back and claim such opportunities, but the consolation has been minimal. (By the way, I cannot remember what the ad was about - a common problem with very clever copy writing.)
Approaching the end of five years in Lebanon, my second long-term stay here since early 1970s, I would also like to share with you three other lessons I have learned in this wonderful country. Each of these can be interpreted in two ways, depending on one’s own motivations and attitudes in life: negative, irresponsible, and destructive; or positive, forward-looking and constructive.
The first lesson is derived from the title of this piece, ma bi’asser, literally meaning ‘it has no effect’, or ‘it makes no difference’, ‘it doesn’t matter’. The expression comes up in conversations all the time, resolving many a discussion or putting your mind at ease when you’re worried that things might not be going your way. Sometimes it means there is no point in worrying, because your worrying will ‘have no effect’. Ma bi’asser can mean you don’t have to think about the 29
consequences of your actions, because you has learned all along that no matter what you do, it will ‘have no effect’. Or it could be positive, protecting you against changes in the world outside, telling you that nothing should be allowed to change your course of action. Both interpretations could be seen at work in Lebanon.
You underpay the cashier at a supermarket, realize your mistake, pay the difference, and apologize. You are greeted with a smile and the words ma bi’asser. At another shop, or a restaurant, you keep changing your order, but the cheerful shop assistant or waiter does his/her job with a smile, assuring you that all the hassle ma bia’sser. You ask for directions to a place and are given information which contrasts with everything else you have heard. ‘Ma bi’asser’, you are told. The new route will also get you there, sooner or later. Or you may ask your Lebanese friend whether the new elections, or the various ‘plans’ and ‘initiatives’ announced weekly, if not daily, by local potentates or foreign powers will bring stability to the country. ‘Ma bi’asser’, your friend will almost certainly say - perhaps the only such occasion when you too might fully agree with your friend.
The positive interpretation of ma bi’asser is probably not far away from the concept of ‘Lebanese resilience’ that one hears so much outside the country and witnesses it inside. As an Iranian, I have found this interpretation quite refreshing. An Iranian journalist visiting Lebanon not long after the Israeli invasion of 2006 told me about meeting a family outside the ruins of their house in south Lebanon. ‘That was our house,’ the father had said, laughing and pointing to the heap of rubble nearby, rather than telling a tale of misery, inviting sympathy, or pity.
True, such destruction has happened in Lebanon so frequently that you could suggest people have gotten used to it. But still, there is a difference between being ‘accustomed’ to a calamity and shrugging it off, on the one hand, and laughing about it, on the other. After all, some of us Iranians are still angry with the Greeks because Alexander destroyed Persepolis more than 2,000 30
years ago. Being able to look back and laugh at a misery or calamity means one has conquered it and can say, ma bi’asser.
My second Lebanese lesson for life is based on a deeper meaning of the word bokra, or ‘tomorrow’. One Friday at work, a colleague who was walking down a corridor with me pointed to a poster on a wall and told me, in Arabic, that it showed a prominent person whom he would introduce to me bokra. ‘But bokra is Saturday,’ I said, puzzled. ‘Will you two be coming in?’ My colleague explained that he had used the word not to mean literally the day after, but ‘sometime in the future.’ A year-and-a-half later, I still have not been introduced to the prominent person in the poster. Obviously, that particular ‘sometime in the future’ has still not arrived.
Lebanese are not alone in sometimes preferring to ‘leave for tomorrow what does not have to be done today’. But the negative consequences of such an attitude are not difficult to see. Some, including many Lebanese, attribute the country’s ills – especially the political instability that has often caused turbulence and violence – to the lack of a clear vision about the future; the ease with which promises are made, but not delivered; and the ease with which those who made the promises can relieve themselves of any responsibility. After all, they meant they would do whatever it was that they had promised to do bokra - ‘sometime in the future’. That time has not yet come. Therefore, it would be unfair to judge them – yet.
The positive interpretation of the indefinite bokra could be seen in its contrast with the relentless push to get things done immediately which is on display in numerous American police, war, and espionage movies and TV series on various Arab satellite channels. In almost every episode, there are frequent uses of assertive expressions such as ‘come on’, ‘move’, ‘go, go, go’, and ‘let’s do it’. The premise, evidently, is that something has to be done ‘now’, and the lead character has to persuade, urge, or even coerce others into ‘doing it’. If such characters, and the real people on whom they may have been modeled, could realize that there is a bokra, they may not have 31
pushed others into the frenzy of killing and maiming on the screen and in real life that is called ‘action’.
My third lesson for life from Lebanon is inspired by the ads for the country’s leading brand of beer, Almaza, or diamond. The company has displayed some witty billboards which stand out among the ads covering both sides of the often jammed highway between Beirut and the northern resorts of Jounieh and Jbail (Byblos). During last year’s campaigns for Lebanon’s parliamentary elections, one Almaza billboard introduced a tall glass of beer, with froth on top, as ‘The Clear Winner’. Another promoted ‘The Current of 24’ – bottles, that is - as distinct from Lebanon’s rival political blocs, ‘The Current of 8th March’ and ‘The Current of 14th March'. My lesson is embedded not in the big captions, but in the smaller motto at the bottom of all Almaza billboards, on shop fronts, and elsewhere, which says rather quietly, heidi jawwna, heidi nahna, ‘this is our mood, this is us’.
While Almaza uses the motto to elevate its brand, the concept can also be abused, to explain away our misdeeds by saying ‘this is who I am, and this is how I behave’; ‘this is how God created me’; and so on. But to me, the expression has brought great relief, in Lebanon and elsewhere, especially in situations that might otherwise have led to frustration and anger. When basic facilities or resources are missing, promises are not kept, and simple tasks are not performed, or are performed badly, I remind myself that heidi jawwna, heidi nahna: this is what we human beings – including myself – are; this is who we are; and we cannot be changed immediately, by force.
Related to this reflection are also more positive ideas arising from my other two favourite Lebanese expressions. Firstly, there is always more than one option, and the result of each may not be fundamentally different from that of the other. So, do your thing and let others do theirs, because in the end, ma bi’asser very much. Secondly, while you must not lose sight of your goal, 32
it might not be a good idea to push to get everything done NOW, believing that otherwise the world will come to an end. ‘Bokra,’ as Scarlet O’Hara might have said, ‘is another day - or another year’.
All things considered, and in spite of everything they have been through, the Lebanese people as a whole share such a rare combination of patience, tolerance, and good humor, that one can only leave Lebanon with fond memories - eager to return as soon as possible.
Hossein Shahidi has lived in Lebanon as a student, 1972-8, and a teacher, 2005-2010.
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ما بيأثر" :دروس للحياة من لبنان حسين شهيدي المفكر العظيم المعاصر ،هومر سيمبسون ،قدم مرة إلبنه الحبيب ،بارت ،ثالثة دروس لتساعده في الحياة" .األول" :ال تخبر أحدا عندما ال أكون موجودا بالعمل"؛ الثاني " :إنها فكرة جيدة ،يا مديري"؛ و الثالث" :كان الوضع هكذا عندما وصلت إلى هنا" .عدم معرفتي بهذه الدروس األساسية أدى إلى ضياع فرص عديدة في حيات ي ،أو أدى إلى أخذها من قبل آخرين ،وفقا للوحة دعائية رأيتها مرارا في طريقي الى مطار بيروت و التي تقول' :الفرصة ال ُتفقد أبدا؛ بل تؤخذ دائما من قبل شخص آخر". ألريح نفسي ،حاولت عدة مرات التفكير في الفرص التي فقدتها ،عندما لم يكن أحد آخر بالقرب مني لالستيالء عليها ،آمل أنني ربما أتمكن من إعادة المطالبة بها .ولكنني لم أحصل على شيء من الراحة ( .بالمناسبة ،ال اتذكر ما كان موضوع تلك اللوحة الدعائية – وهي حالة عادية عندما تكون الدعايات ذكية للغاية). و لدى اقترابي من إنهاء السنة الخامسة في البقاء فترة طويلة في لبن ان ،و للمرة الثانية في حياتي منذ أوائل السبعينات ،أود التشارك أيضا مع القراء ثالثة دروس أخرى تعلمتها في هذا البلد الرائع .و يمكن تفسير كل من هذه الدروس بطريقتين ،حسب دوافع المرء ومواقفه في الحياة :سلبية ،غير مسؤولة ،ومدمرة؛ أو إيجابية ،تطلعية وبناءة. الدرس األول مذكور في عنوان هذا المقال" ،ما بيأثر" ،تعبير يأتي في المحادثات في كل وقت ،و يحل العديد من النقاش ،او يطمئنك عندما تشعر بالقلق عندما تتعثر االمور .أحيانا "ما بياثر" تعني عدم وجود اي سبب للقلق ،ألن القلق "ما بياثر" على سير األمور. ايضا ،يمكن ان تعني العبارة انه ال يجب عليك التفكير في العواقب الناجمة عن أفعالك ،ألنك قد تعلمت طول حياتك أنه بغض النظر عن كل ما تحاول القيام به ،لن تحصل على أي نتيجة "ما بياثر" .أو يمكن أن تعتبر "ما بياثر" بطريقة ايجابية ،لتحمي نفسك في وجه التغييرات في العالم الخارج عنك ،و لن تسمح ألي شيء أن يغير مسارك .و يمكننا ان نرى كال التفسيرين في لبنان. وقت شراء أغراضك في سوبرماركت ،تدفع ألمين الصندوق أقل من مبلغ الفاتورة؛ تكتشف خطأك؛ تدفع الفرق؛ و تعتذر .يبتسم أمين الصنىوق و يقول" :ما بياثر" .في محل آخر ،أو مطعم ،تغير طلبك عدة مرات ،ولكن مساعد المتجر أو المطعم يبقى مبتسما ،و يطمئنك ان كل هذا اإلزعاج "ما بياثر" .تسأل شخصا في الطريق عن اتجاه محل ما ،و تسمع معلومات متناقضه عن كل المعلومات التي سمعتها من قبل" .ما بياثر" ،يقول لك الشخص ،ألن الطريق الجديد يوصلك الى المقصد ،عاجال أو آجال.
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أو قد تسأل صديقك اللبناني اذا االنتخابات الجديدة ،أو ال"خطط" و ال"مبادرات" التي تعلن اسبوعيا ،إن لم يكن يوميا ،بواسطة زعماء محليين أو قوى اجنبية ،ستؤدي الى االستقرار في البلد ،و من شبه المؤكد سيقول صديقك "ما بياثر" --ولعل هذه المناسبة الوحيدة عندما أنت أيضا قد تتفق تماما مع صديقك. قد ال يكون التفسير اإليجابي ل"ما بياثر" بعيدا عن مفهوم "المرونة اللبنانية" التي يسمع المرء كثيرعنها خارج البلد ،و يشهدها في الداخل. كوني ايرانيا ،وجدت هذا التفسير منعشا جدا .وقال لي صحافي ايراني كان يزور لبنان بعد فترة قليلة من االجتياح االسرائيلي عام ،6002عن لقائه مع عائلة خارج أنقاض منزلها في جنوب لبنان" :وهذا هو بيتنا" ،قال رب العائلة ،وهو يضحك ويشير إلى كومة من االنقاض في مكان مجاور ،بدال من ذكر حكاية من البؤس ،تدعو للتعاطف أو الشفقة. صحيح ،لقد حدث التدمير في لبنان كثيرا حتى يمكنك الظن بأن الناس قد اعتادوا على ذلك .لكن ال يزال هناك فرق بين أن يكون المرء قد "اعتاد" على الكوارث و لم يشتك منها ،من ناحية ،والضحك عليها ،من ناحية اخرى .البعض منا االيرانيون ال يزالون غاضبين على اإلغريق ألن "اإلسكندر األكبر" دمر قصر الملك األيراني ،تخت جمشيد ،قبل أكثر من 6000سنة .قدرتك على النظر إلى الوراء والضحك على البؤس أو مصيبة ما ،تعني انك قد انتصرت عليها و يمكن القول "ما بياثر". ويستند درسي الثاني عن الحياة التي تعلمتها في لبنان على معنى أعمق لكلمة "بكرة" .يوم جمعة كنت ماشيا في ممر مع زميل في العمل. أشار زميلي إلى ملصق على الحائط لشخص بارز و مشهور ،و قال لي "سأعرفك عليه بكرة" .استغربت و سألت زميلي اذا هو والشخص المشهور سيحضران العمل "بكرة" ،أي يوم السبت ،عطلة آخر األسبوع .أوضح زميلي انه استخدم كلمة "بكرة" ليس بمعنى "يوم الغد" ،بل بمعنى وقت ما في المستقبل .بعد عام ونصف العام من هذا الجمعة ،ما زلت لم ألتق مع الشخصية البارزة .من الواضح، أن هذا ال"وقت في المستقبل" ما زال لم يحصل. اللبنانيون ليسوا وحدهم الذين يفضلون ان ال يعملوا اليوم اي شئء يمكن تأجيله للغد .لكن ،ليس من الصعب رؤية اآلثار السلبية لهذا الموقف في لبنان .البعض ،بما في ذلك العديد من اللبنانيين ،يسندون العلل في البالد -وخاصة عدم االستقرار السياسي الذي غالبا ما يسبب االضطرابات وأعمال العنف -إلى غياب رؤية مستقبلية واضحة ؛ سهولة تقديم الوعود ،بدون تحقيقها؛ وسهولة التخلي عن المسؤولية من قبل الذين قدموا الوعود .ألن الوعود قد قدمت لتتحقق "بكرة" – يعني "وقت ما في المستقبل" وهذا الوقت لم يصل بعد .لذلك ،سيكون من الظلم الحكم عليهم -حتى اآلن. ويمكن أن نرى التفسير اإليجابي للمعنى غيرالمحدد ل"بكرة" في تناقضه مع الضغط المستمر الجل تحقيق األمور على الفور و الذي نشاهده في كثير من المسلسالت و األفالم األميركيه البوليسية ،الحربية ،و الجاسوسية على قنوات الفضائيات العربية المتنوعة .في كل حلقة تقريبا يتم إستخدام متكرر لعبارات حازمة مثل "هيا بنا"" ،تحرك"" ،أذهب ،اذهب ،أذهب" ،و "دعونا نعمل هذا الشيء" .و من الوضح أن الفرضية لهذه المواقف هي وجود شيئ ما ينبغي القيام به "اآلن" ،و يجب أن ترغب الشخصية الرئيسية في القصة ،تحث ،أو حتى ترغم اآلخرين على القيام بهذا الشيء .و لكن اذا أدركت هذه الشخصيات الدراماتيغية ،و الناس الحقيقيون الذين صيغت عليهم هذه الشخصيات وجود "بكرة" ،ما كانوا إرتكبوا موجات القتل و التشويه التي تمأل شاشات القنوات و المسماة بال"أكشن". 35
استلهمت درسي الثالث للحياة في لبنان من إعالنات البيرة الرائدة في لبنان ،ألمازة .و تعرض الشركة عدد من اإلعالنات الطريفة التي تلفت النظر في غابة اإلعالنات التي تغطي كال الجانبين من الطريق الرئيسي بين بيروت وجبيل .خالل الحمالت اإلنتخابية البرلمانية في العام الماضي ،قدم أحد اعالنات ألمازة صورة كأس طويل مليئة ،تحت عبارة "فائز بالتزكية" و التي كتبت بحروف كبيرة .حمل اعالن آخر عنوان "تيار ،"62ايضا بحروف كبيرة ،فوق صورة 62قنينة بيرة -تمييزا عن الكتل السياسية المتنافسة في لبنان" ،تيار 8 آذار" و "تيار 42أذار" .لكن الدرس الذي تعلمته ورد في شعار أصغر يوجد في الجزء السفلي من لوحات ألمازة اإلعالنية ،وعلى جبهات المتاجر وغيرها ،التي تقول بهدوء "هيدي جونا ،هيدي نحنا". بينما بيرة ألمازة تستخدم شعار "هيدي جونا ،هيدي نحنا" كرمز لثقة الشركة في منتجاتها ،يمكن أيضا إستخدام المفهوم سلبا ،لتبرير اعمالك السيئة ،فتقول "هذا أنا ،و هذا اسلوبي و تصرفي" ،أو "هللا خلقني كهذا" و هكذا. لكن بالنسبة لي ،فقد أعطاني التعبير ارتياحا كبيرا في لبنان وأماكن أخرى ،ال سيما في الحاالت التي قد تؤدي إلى اإلحباط والغضب .عندما لم تتوافر المعدات األساسية ،عدم تحقيق الوعود ،و عدم تنفيذ مهمات بسيطة أو سوء اجرائها ،أذكر نفسي بأن "هيدي جونا ،هيدي نحنا" :هذا هو ما نحن عليه نحن بني آدم ،وأنا منهم؛ هذا نحن و ال يمكن تغييرنا على الفور ،أو بالقوة. و ترتبط بهذا التأمل أفكار أكثر إيجابية تبني على العبارتين اللبنانيتين المفضلتين لدي .أوال ،هناك دائما أكثر من خيار واحد ،ونتيجة كل منها ال تختلف اختالفا جوهريا عن األخرى .لذا ،قم بما تريد ،و دع اآلخرين يقومون بما يريدون ،ألن األمور في نهاية المطاف "ما بياثر" .ثانيا ،في حين يجب أال يغيب هدفك عن بالك ،قد ال تكون فكرة جيدة أن تحث العمل على أمر ما اآلن ،معتبرا أن العالم سيأتي الى نهايته بدون هذا الدفع ،ألن من الممكن ان تنفذ خطتك "بكرة" ،او في "وقت ما في المستقبل". و اذا أخذنا كل األمور بعين اإلعتبار ،نالحظ أن اللبنانيين ككل ،على الرغم من كل تجاربهم المرة ،مازالوا يمتلكون مزيجا نادرا من الصبر والتسامح ،وروح الدعابة ،و الذي يعطي لمن يزور هذا البلد ذكريات جميلة ،و يدفعه الى العودة في أقرب وقت ممكن.
درس الدكتور حسين شهيدي في بيروت ،4798-4796 ،و عمل استاذا جامعيا .6040-6002 ،نشر هذا المقال اوال باالنجليزي في صحيفة ديلي استار 62 ،تموز .6040
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=1&article_id=118485#axzz0ym39L66o
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My Neighborhood, My Beirut Photo essay: Most interesting place I have lived by Hossein Shahidi 30-Dec-2011 http://iranian.com/main/albums/my-neighborhood-my-beirut.html
[This photo essay is a tribute to my friends in Ras Beirut.]
Ras Beirut, or the ‘head’ or ‘tip’ of Beirut, is the north-western corner of Beirut that sticks out into the Mediterranean (see Google map of neighborhood). A square, roughly three kilometers long and one kilometer wide, Ras Beirut is host to three of Lebanon’s oldest universities – the American University of Beirut (AUB, founded in 1866), the Lebanese American University (LAU, founded in 1924), and the Haigazian University (1955). 37
It has also been a center of fashion, entertainment, art, and literature, with some of the best restaurants offering Lebanon’s diverse cuisine. In the 1960s and 70s, Ras Beirut had a large number of cinemas, screening the best films from around the world, and cafes frequented by the widest possible range of intellectuals and political celebrities.
In 1972, when I left a grey, dusty and hardly pretty Tehran and arrived in Beirut for the first time, I found a city with few buildings taller than a few stories, and most surrounded by gardens. The entire city was covered in plants and flowers, the names of which, like many an Iranian proud of our gardening history, I do not know even today.
But even I could recognize citrus trees, bearing fruits which until then I had only seen in shops, and bougainvilleas, gol-e kaghazi (or paper flower in Persian), as tall as multi-storey buildings, in contrast to the short plants my father had been tending lovingly in our little garden in Tehran.
Forty years on, the old universities are still there, along with several new ones some of which look life office blocks; Chinese and Japanese restaurants compete well with Lebanese ones; and fashion is still on display, in shop windows and on sidewalks. But almost all the cinemas are gone; as are the old, French-style cafes, some of which have been replaced with franchises of Western coffee shops.
Beirut has lost almost all its green space, AUB’s lush campus being one of the few exceptions. Beautiful old buildings have been replaced with concrete, steel and glass towers, blocking one’s view of the sky, not to mention the sea. Continuous construction or maintenance, the sound of generators that cover the daily power cuts, pumps that fill up rooftop reservoirs, and the constant honking of cars create an ocean of noise from which there is no escape, day or night (see my video: The Sounds of Ras Beirut).
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Had my fascination with Ras Beirut been confined to its natural or urban beauty, today I would have had little but an obituary to write about the most interesting neighborhood in which I have lived. However, more than anything else, it is people who give character to their habitat. Ras Beirut is still unique, not only thanks to the writers, scholars and community leaders some of whom appear in an excellent documentary, ‘Memories of Ras Beirut, Wish You Were Here’, by my friend Mahmoud Hojeij, But also thanks to the staff of shops and offices, who would always receive you with a smile and go out of their way to help you.
Ras Beirut is the only place where a bank clerk has apologized to me because she had run out of crisp new banknotes and had to give me some old ones; where going to the telephone company to pay my bill was like going to meet a friend; where my travel agent would always insist that I paid for my ticket ‘not now, but later, because something might come up and you might change your mind’; where I could discuss current affairs with florists; where I would be stopped on the street and offered pastry by the cashier at a sweets shop; and the only place where, upon asking at a restaurant if there was room for me, the waiter replied first, pointing to several tables, ‘there, there, and there’, and then, pointing to his heart, ‘and here’.
My photo essay is a tribute to some of my friends in Ras Beirut. There are a few whom I did not photograph, and a few whose pictures are slightly fuzzy, because they were taken on the go. I think my friends will forgive me, and I hope so will you. Happy New Year.
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Book review by Dr Hossein Shahidi From Beirut to Jerusalem – A Woman Surgeon with the Palestinians By Dr Swee Chai Ang This book was first published in 1989, and its second edition in 2009. A few weeks ago in Beirut, I came across a well-thumbed copy of the older edition and could not put it down until I had read it to the end. The author is an orthopaedic surgeon, with a ‘surgical’ writing style: the book is full of carefully observed details, linked to each other mostly through a clear chain of cause and effect relationships, and sometimes explained through circumstantial evidence. Dr Swee Chai Ang is a Christian of Chinese ethnicity, born in Malaysia and educated in Singapore and Britain. In 1976, she and her lawyer husband, Francis Khoo, were forced to leave their home country of Singapore because of their political activities. They settled in Britain. Following the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982, Dr Swee volunteered to go to Lebanon to help the Palestinians refugees. The Doktora (or lady doctor, in Arabic), as she was called in Lebanon, soon found herself working round the clock for three days at a hospital in the Shatila refugee camp, treating dozens of wounded, all the time hearing the sound of gunfire outside. Only later did she learn that more than two thousand and four hundred Palestinians had been killed in what became known as the Sabra and Shatila massacres. Dr Swee and two other foreign medical aid workers who had been at the camps at the time - the Jewish American nurse, Ellen Siegel, and the British doctor, Paul Morris – travelled from Beirut to Jerusalem to testify before an Israeli commission of inquiry into the massacres. The commission placed the ultimate responsibility on the country’s then Defence Minister, Ariel Sharon. Back in Britain, Dr Swee and her husband founded the charity, Medical Aid for Palestine, or MAP-UK, which has been active ever since.
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The book ends with Dr Swee’s sixth visit to Lebanon in 1988, when Palestinian camps had been attacked once again, this time both by the Israeli troops and by Lebanese anti-PLO forces. Shatila was destroyed, but by now the intifada or uprising had taken over the occupied Palestinian territories, inspired by the resistance of the Palestinians in refugee camps in Lebanon. It is this transfer of experience that provides the book with its title, From Beirut to Jerusalem. Reflecting on the resistance of the people of Shatila during the previous six years and the uprising of the Palestinians in the occupied territories, Dr Swee reaches total identification with the Palestinians, saying: ‘After laying the foundation for the uprising, Shatila was demolished. But the physical survival of Shatila is not the point. Shatila lives in the hearts of every one of us. One day, we will rebuild it on the soil of the Palestinian homeland. Till that day, we shall honour the martyrs of Shatila with our continued support for the people in the uprising’ (p 301). During her visits, Dr Swee had treated the wounded with minimum facilities, sometimes operating without mask, gloves, anaesthetic or electricity, at other times using ‘vocal anaesthetics’: talking or shouting by everyone around the patient to distract attention from the pain. In 1987, while Palestinian refugee camps were encircled by the Lebanese faction, Amal, Dr Swee’s direct appeal to Syria’s President Hafez Al-Assad was followed by the Syrian army lifting the siege to allow medical help go through. Later, the Doktora ended up driving a battered ambulance to bring in supplies to the refugees, her small built sometimes preventing her from being seen by the Syrian soldiers guarding the camps, who would think the vehicle was being driven by itself. Back in Europe, at a conference in Geneva, Dr Swee met the Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, who awarded her the Star of Palestine, making her, in her own words, an ‘honorary Palestinian'. In addition to a record of the experiences of the Palestinians, the book provides the reader with insights into Dr Swee’s own personality. These include the sense of fairness which helped her transcend political and religious barriers in Lebanon, and the professional modesty with which she describes surgery as ‘the application of technology to deal with certain problems’, just as there are other ‘technicians’ who ‘fix broken down cars, or unblock sinks’ (p. 7). The same humbleness, born of self-confidence, allows Dr Swee to recount in detail how she took ‘a stupid risk’ with an operation, leading to complications and the need for a second operation to save the patient. The experience, says Dr Swee, reminded her of the words of her first teacher of surgery: ‘The thing to do is to anticipate trouble and avoid it. Do not deliberately get into trouble and then try to get out of it’ (pp. 254-6) – a lesson many would do well to remember. Although I have not had the privilege of meeting Dr Swee, the book helped me feel I had known her as a friend. Soon after reading it, I met another friend of the Palestinian people, Sirkku 41
Kivistö of Finland, who sadly informed me of the passing away of Dr Swee’s husband, Fracis Khoo. Having supported Swee for nearly thirty years while she was working in the Palestinian refugee camps, and helped her set up MAP-UK, Francis visited Lebanon two years ago for the first and only time, on the anniversary of the Sabra and Shatila massacres. He travelled even though he was suffering from kidney failure and needed to dialyze several times a day. Sirkku told me and other friends of how Francis had gone to the mountain top Mleeta Resistance Museum in south Lebanon, happily carrying his dialysis equipment with him, as he did everywhere. And Ellen recalls how much he added to the trip to Lebanon by his singing, his knowledge, and his personality. His memory will inspire those who seek justice across the world. Hossein Shahidi 5 December 2011 *** A quick search on the internet will lead to much more about Dr Swee, Francis and MAP-UK. Here are a few suggested sites:
MAP-UK: http://www.map-uk.org/about/ Dr Swee’s tribute to Francis: http://www.sgpolitics.net/?p=7227 Dr Ang Swee Chai: Surgeon With a Mission: http://www.sma.org.sg/sma_news/3810/Feature.pdf Dr Swee Chai Ang: The children of Sabra and Shatila - extracts and photographs from the book: http://joti2gaza.org/2011/02/18/dr-swee-chai-ang-the-children-of-sabra-and-shatila/ Other extracts and photographs from the book: http://www.inminds.com/from-beirut-tojerusalem.html Another review of the book: http://www.mei.nus.edu.sg/blog/dr-ang-swee-chais-frombeirut-to-jerusalem
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Fairuz in Paris Singing of love and Palestine By Hossein Shahidi July 22, 2002 The Iranian http://iranian.com/Music/2002/July/Fairuz/index.html
"The sound of longing for the Lebanese mountains" and "the voice of the human condition" are only two of the descriptions used by the Lebanese singer Fairuz's millions of fans in the Arab world - and beyond. For me, her voice is a reminder some of the best years of my life, spent in beautiful Beirut. It is the sound of sunshine over the deep Mediterranean blue, and of the warm, moist, slightly salty, almost sensual, air that rises from the sea and fills the Lebanese coastline.
I was lucky to be in Beirut in the early 1970s, when the city was at a cultural peak, enjoying the best of what the east and the west had to offer. And Fairuz was singing one charming song after another, mostly cheerful melodies about youthful love, and the odd sad tune about lovers torn apart by the hands of fate.
Her name, meaning turquoise, was a perfect symbol of her delicate figure, cascading hair and finely sculpted face.
Then came the civil war, ending tens of thousands of lives, not to mention the disruption it caused to much of Lebanon's artistic and intellectual activity. But Fairuz remained unscathed. Throughout the war, her voice could be heard loud and clear from rival warring factions' radio stations, or many a neighbourhood loudspeaker, praising the glory and beauty of Lebanon, or 43
stirring passions about Palestine, recalling Jerusalem and all it holds dear to people of many faiths.
Her performances, though, stopped until after the war, when she sang in Beirut's city centre, which had been part of the front line and the scene of the most intense fighting.
So it was natural that on hearing - from some Parisian friends on a visit to London - that Fairuz would be performing in Paris at the end of June, I should want to cross the channel, for the first time in 15 years, to hear her. Only a few days before the concert, my partner and I learned that because of high demand, our friends had been able to buy only two tickets - for the two of us.
In their apartment in Paris, we discovered that we were being given the tickets - $150 each - as gifts. And these were not the most expensive. It is a sign of Fairuz's popularity that, in spite of the high prices, a second night had been added to her performance.
Much to our surprise, the prestigious concert hall, Salle Pleyel, was not packed by people in luxury clothes arriving in limousines. Most members of the audience were dressed casually, many of them young couples holding hands. Some were older, no doubt with memories of their youth coloured by the romantic songs of Fairuz, herself now in her mid-sixties, having recorded hundreds of songs and appeared in more than 20 musicals, and three movies.
From my seat, high up in the back of the gallery, it was difficult to see Fairuz's face clearly, but the contours suggested she was as beautiful as ever. She first appeared in a maroon outfit that rather blended in with the background. But then she put on a beige, bridal, gown that did more justice to her, especially in contrast with the red carpet on which she would glide onto the stage.
The concert opened with her most famous song about Jerusalem "Zahrat al Madaaen" - The Flower of the Cities - shortened, and slower in rhythm. A few other songs had also been rearranged by Fairuz's son, Ziad Rahbani, who for many years has been writing much of her music, and conducted the 30-strong orchestra and chorus. But what was missing in tempo was more than made up for by the warmth of Fairuz's voice, and her emotional engagement. 44
The audience response became stronger as time went by. Towards the end, many were weeping as she sang of the Palestinians, greeting them as "Oh you, the people of the Occupied Land". One of the two phrases she sang most powerfully, as fresh as it was some thirty years ago, was about returning to Palestine immediately.
She sounded equally passionate about personal love, especially in a song about love not having gone away, in spite of the years gone by. The refrain, which she sang at the top of her voice, said: "I've been missing you".
Responding to four calls for encores, she returned to the theme of Palestine three times, once with the challenging opening line, "A sword shall be drawn; and horns shall be blown; and the bells of return shall ring: now, now - not tomorrow."
Finally, there was a song about youth, love, friendship, and everything else about life having changed and grown old, except for one's homeland, which "will always be there, as sweet as a little child".
The only disappointment, for me, came after the concert when I tried to get Fairuz's autograph on a biography of hers that I had bought in Cairo last March, when I met another artistic idol of my Beirut years - the revolutionary Egyptian poet, Ahmad Fouad Negm. I had read Fairuz's biography overnight, on the bus journey from London, and somehow felt a lot closer to her than I ever had.
Maybe if I had just shown the book to her security guards and explained that I had travelled all the way from London only to see and hear Fairuz ... maybe then they would have allowed me to meet her; or at least they might have taken the book and had it autographed by her. Instead, I showed my BBC card and asked if I could go in. They said firmly that Fairuz would not see any journalists.
I asked if I could just have her autograph on the book. One of the guards went in to find out. A minute later he came out and, calling me "Monsieur Le BBC", announced that the only way I 45
could get an autograph would be to wait for Fairuz outside the concert hall. On the pavement, there were many others waiting for exactly the same purpose.
The idea of having to fight my way through the crowd to reach Fairuz was not quite in keeping with the beauty of her voice and the tenderness of her songs. The possibility of not being able to get close to her at all made the prospect much less appealing. It was time to go.
Having been to a Fairuz performance after nearly thirty years was in itself a dream come true. Maybe someday I will also get a chance to meet her - hopefully in Lebanon itself.
Fairuz songs mentioned in this review
On love -- Ishta'etllak (I've been missing you) -- Habbaytak fe-sayf, habbaytak fe-sheti (I loved you in the summer, I loved you in the winter); -- Sabah o massa (In the morning and in the evening) -- Endi sika feek (I have faith in you)
On Lebanon -- Bihebbak ya Lebnan (I Love you, O Lebanon)
On Jeursalem -- Zahrat al Madaaen (Flower of the cities) -- El Kods el Atika (Old Jerusalem) -Sanarjao' yoman (We Shall return some day) -- Sayfon fal-yoshhar (A Sword shall be drawn)
On homeland -- Fee a'hweh a'l-mafra' (At a coffee shop on the cross road)
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We and the moon are neighbors نحنا و القمر جيران Translated and transcribed by Hossein Shahidi
نحنا و القمر جيران
we and the moon are neighbours
nahna wel-amar jeeran
its house is behind our hills
bayto khalf tlaalna
it comes out from in front of us
beyetlaa' men e'balna
and listens to the melodies
byesmaa' el-alhan
we and the moon are neighbours
nahna wel-amar jeeran
it knows our times
a'eref mwaa'eedna
عارف مواعيدنا
and leaves on our roof bricks
w tarek be armeedna
و تارك بقرميدنا
the most beautiful colours
ajmal el-alwan
many times we've stayed all night with it
yama sherna maa'o
in the nights of joy
be layl el-hana
with the moans
maa'a en-nahdaat
many times on its rising
yama a'ala matlaa'o
we've explained the love
sharahna el-hawa
with songs and tales
wa hkayat
we and the moon are neighbours
nahna wel-amar jeeran
when it stopped by and visited us
lamma tal w zarna
ل و زارنا ّ لما ط
on the arches of our house
a'a 'anater darna
ع قناطر دارنا
the corals were spread
rashrash el-merjan
بيته خلف تاللنا بيطلع من قبالنا بيسمع االلحان نحنا و القمر جيران
اجمل االلوان ياما سهرنا معه بليل الهنا مع النهدات ياما على مطلعه شرحنا الهوى و حكايات نحنا و القمر جيران
رشرش المرجان
http://www.shawshara.com/wiki/Nihna_wel_Kamar 47
Come See Me Once a Year Words, music and song by Sayed Darwish (1892-1923) Translation into English: Hossein Shahidi
Come see me once a year It would be a shame If you were to forget me forever
What did I do to you That would make you Complain of me and me Complain of you 48
All my life I’ve cared for you It would be a shame If you were to forget me forever
It would be a shame If you were to forget me forever
Pray tell, who cast a spell To make you so cold Hearted and forgetful
Could I have done anything? To make you feel better
It would be a shame If you were to forget me forever
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My Name My name is Hossein — an Islamic name which you probably know as Hussein -- for instance King Hussein of Jordan, and -- of course -- President Saddam Hussein of Iraq. Hussein is the Turkish version of the name, one of many Arabic words which entered western languages when the Moslem Turks took over large parts of Europe. In Arabic, it is pronounced with a deep H, which could be displayed as a double H, and an upward inflection on the last syllable, perhaps as HHossain. I’m called Hossein because I come from Iran, where the main language -- Persian -- has neither the deep Arabic HHs, nor the twisting Turkish OOs Iran is also home to most of the Shia Moslems -- for whom Prophet Mohammad’s grand-son, Hossein, is one the holiest religious figures. According to the Shias, Prophet Mohammad had nominated his cousin and son-in-law, Ali, to be the Caliph, or his successor, as the leader of the Moslem community. The Shias also believe that the Caliphate should have remained in Ali’s family, starting with his two sons Hassan -- or "the good one" -- and Hossein -- or "the little or junior good one." After the Prophet’s death, a group of powerful Moslem politicians formed a council and chose an old tribal chieftain. Abu Bakr, as the Caliph, arguing that the Prophet had always settled the affairs of the Moslem community through such meetings. Those who agreed to this came to be known as Sonnis, or the followers of the Prophet’s Sonnat, or Tradition. Those who disagreed became known as Shia or the followers of Ali. Ali was eventually chosen by the Moslem people as their fourth Caliph, but he soon faced opposition from tribal leaders who did not like his policy of strict social justice and equality. In his fifth year in office, Ali was assassinated in 661 AD, at the age of 63. Another tribal chieftain, Moawiyah, took over and established the Ommayyad regime, which expanded Arab rule to north Africa, Central Asia and India -- but which also gained a reputation for widespread corruption and violent suppression of dissidents. Hossein rose up against the Ommayyad rule, but was killed -- along with 72 of his followers -after a short battle in the plain of Karbala, in the south of what is now Iraq, in October, 680. He was 55. To this day, Shia Moslems commemorate Hossein’s martyrdom as the greatest example of struggle against injustice -- even at the cost of one’s life. The commemorations, on the 9th and 10th days of the Lunar Islamic month of Moharaam, take the shape of mourning services, processions, and dramatic reconstructions of the battle of Karbala. Sometimes, there are also men who flagellate themselves with metal chains, or scar 52
their scalps with knives, in order to feel the pain that was inflicted on the victims of that battle although this practice is nowadays denounced by many Shia clergymen. With such a model to look up to, life can be pretty tough for a Shia Moslem -- especially for one who is called Hossein. In cases such as mine the demands can be even greater. My surname is Shahidi -- which means “belonging to the martyr” -- and my first name is preceded by the title “seyyed”. Literally, the word means “lord”, “master” or plain “mister”. But in Shia Islam, the title “seyyed” in front of your name, it means that you’re not just one of Ali’s followers, but also a direct descendent of his and -- naturally -of his cousin and father-in-law the Prophet Mohammd himself. Hossein Shahidi 11 March1997
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For the article: http://iranian.com/PeyvandKhorsandi/2006/July/Shahidi/index.html http://soulbean.wordpress.com/2006/07/19/the-voice-of-reason/ http://soulbean.wordpress.com/2006/07/page/2/
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Afghanistan in Hossein’s heart Hossein loved the people of Afghanistan and was at home with them. Kindly review Dr Hossein Shahidi face book page where we have posted several of Hossein’s photo essay about Afghanistan included were: “Women of the World, Unite!”, "Afghan Women Journalist", “Ashegan and Arefan” , "Familiar Flowers" and "Welcome to Herat". Restoring Reason” is among the articles posted. We also referred to Hossein’s 38 chapters titled “Kabul Days”. Hossein had also translated Afghani poems into English. We had also posted images from Hossein’s latest trip to Kabul in the photo album "At Armanshahr Foundation OPEN ASIA" 62
Asheqan and Arefan Photo essay: Kabul days- by Hossein Shahidi- 01-Jun-2012 http://iranian.com/main/albums/asheqan-and-arefan.html Hossein wrote: The pictures are those of a small shrine in Kabul, known as the resting place of two brothers, Asheqan (Lover) and Arefan (Mystic), grandsons of the 11th century pir or sage of Herat, Khajah Abdollah Ansari. The shrine was peaceful, bright, pleasantly decorated and well maintained - all the more impressive, considering that Kabul is still scarred by many years of destruction and bloodshed.
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Hossein and Palestine Hossein learnt about Palestine during his university years as a student in Beirut in the seventies. Since then, Hossein embraced Palestine. He had written several articles and conducted many training sessions in journalism. Related posts of Dr Hossein Shahidi’s page as follows: Calm amid the storm- Interview with Hossein about Israel and Hamas Book review by Hossein Shahidi: From Beirut to Jerusalem Photo-essays about ralleys in London to end the Israeli aggression Photos: Ramallah by Hossein The Sounds of Ramallah- You Tube film by Hossein At Burj Shmali camp in South Lebanon At Nahr bared camp in Lebanon… 65
Indeed a global teacher Hossein had taught in many countries: England, Iran, India, Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan, Egypt, Morrocco, Algiers, Afghanistan etc.
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Hossein the photographer
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Photos: Surprising Jordan http://iranian.com/main/albums/surprising-jordan.html
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Hair Festival Photo essay- by Hossein Shahidi- 23-Jan-2012 گزارش 2012 لبنان سال. تصویری حسین شهیدی از جشنواره مو Billboards promoting hair products and services in Lebanon اعالن های خدمات و تبلیغ کاالهای مربوط به مو در لبنان http://iranian.com/main/albums/hair-festival.html
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Oxford Roses-photos by Hossein
Familiar Flowers (Afghanistan)-photos by Hossein http://iranian.com/main/albums/familiar-flowers.html
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A tribute to Farhad Mehrad- By Hossein Shahidi: http://iranian.com/Arts/2002/August/Farhad1/index.html
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Standing by Jila and Bahman https://www.facebook.com/notes/dr-hossein-shahidi/supporting-jila-and-bahmantranslations-of-jila-baniyaghoobs-articles-by-hossein/401024043368413
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The media in Hossein’s articles (samples) و جنبش ملى2311-2331 بخش فارسى راديو بى بى سى شدن نفت ايران* حسين شهيدى http://www.mghaed.com/lawh/articles/bcc1.htm
Hasan Movaqar Balyuzi, Mojtaba Minovi, Vicotr Glendenning
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2008/May-14/51319-in-praise-of-lebanesetelevision.ashx#axzz34X3ugqcZ
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Afghan Women Journalists – By Hossein Shahidi http://iranian.com/main/albums/afghan-women-journalists.html
Women of the World, Unite! By Hossein Shahidi http://iranian.com/main/albums/women-world-unite.html
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Follow the note on Dr Hossein Shahidi page for the links of selections of 20 of Hossein’s teaching materials and references that have been compiled by his student Diala Rajaie Al-Azzeh (included are PPP, articles, references‌): https://www.facebook.com/notes/dr-hossein-shahidi/teaching-materials-hossein-shahidicollated-by-diala-rajaie-al-azzeh-eap/400561246748026
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A note about Hossein’s resource books: Journalism in Iran, Iran in the 21st Century, The Persians (translation) and Kabul Days
Journalism in Iran- From mission to profession- By Hossein Shahidi از رسالت تا حرفه،روزنامه نگاری درایران نوشته حسين شهيدی About: A book resource that focus on newspapers, radio and television, this book provides the first systematic investigation of the development of journalism in Iran following the 1979 Revolution and the establishment of the Islamic Revolution http://books.google.com.lb/books/about/Journalism_in_Iran.html?id=LnZuSyJP2zUC&redir_esc=y
این کتاب نخستین بررسی روشمند را درباره گسترش روزنامه،با تمرکز بر روزنامه و رادیو تلویزیون . و برپایی انقالب اسالمی به دست می دهد1357 از زمان شکل گیری انقالب،نگاری در ایران
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Review by Will Ward http://www.arabmediasociety.com/articles/downloads/20080524121253_AMS5_Will_Ward_Re view.pdf Extract from Sara Mohseni article: Hossein Shahidi’s legacy for Iranian, foreign journalists http://khabarnegaran.info/article.php3?id_article=3286 In the preface to Hossein's book, written by himself, which was later translated into Persian, he writes: “The motive of this research was my aspiration to practice journalism in Iran, of course without the omnipresent fear that have been always gripping Iranian journalists. This could only come true if journalism was regarded as an independent profession in our country; that a journalist could make a living – just like any other line of work such as a chef, carpenter, taxi driver, pilot, brain surgeon – unaffected by its personal opinion in his professional work, or as it is perceived by the others.” Pourostad: “I was stunned by his book” Vahid Pourostad, a journalist with a long time experience in Iran who now lives in Prague, is a person acknowledged in the preface to the book. In an interview with Khabarnegaran.info, Pourostad tells the story of how he got to know Shahidi: “It was through my books on the [infamous] trials of journalists [during the late 1990s].” “In the early 2000s, Shahidi was busy writing his doctoral dissertation on Iranian journalism in London. My books on the trials of Iranian journalists served as one of the sources of his dissertation. This passing acquaintance became deeper each time until his doctoral degree was published in English, when he started thinking about translating it into Persian. However, more work, changes and additions were deemed necessary before getting published. Although I told him it was unlikely to get a publishing license for this book – and it was so and he couldn’t get a permission – his efforts to publish a proper and informing book was admirable.” The scrupulousness and meticulousness of Shahidi, in Pourstad’s opinion, may be seen best in the way of annotation and citation. “I have seen many books that hesitate to insert or poorly insert references and quotations, as if the less they cite, the more intellectual and literate they are! But not only Dr. Hossein Shahidi was very precise at citing references. However, he did another great job that really stunned me and was one of the great lessons I’ve learnt as an investigative journalist.” “During all the years he was busy writing this book, he was interviewing me, other fellow journalists and professors on the phone, in person or via email. The interesting bit was that in every answer cited in the book, it was clarified when, where, from whom, and through which medium exactly the answer had been received.” 81
Iran in the 21st Century By Hossein Shahidi and Homa Katouzian This book examines Iran and its position in the contemporary world. It contains chapters on social developments in the country including gender relations, contemporary politics, international relations, relations with the US and Israel, nuclear weapons and energy programmes, oil and the development of the economy. Iran is an ancient country, an oil-exporting economy and an Islamic Republic. It experienced two fullscale revolutions in the twentieth century, the latter of which had large and important regional and international consequences, including an eight-year war with Saddam Hussein's Iraq. And now in the twenty-first century, it confronts issues and experiences problems which have important implications for its future development and external relations. Featuring outstanding contributions from leading sociologists, social anthropologists, political scientists and economists in the field of Iranian studies, this book is the first to examine Iran and its position in the contemporary world. The book is 320 pages
The PersiansTranslated by Hossein Shahidi into Persian Hossein translated from English into Persian, Homa Katouzian’s book “The Persians: Ancient, Mediaeval and Modern Iran� making it accessible to Persian speakers. Several thousand copies have been made in Persian. Introducing the book: The Persians: Ancient, Mediaeval and Modern Iran by Homa Katouzian Persian translation: by Hossein Shahidi 82
In recent years, Iran has gained attention mostly for negative reasons—its authoritarian religious government, disputed nuclear program, and controversial role in the Middle East—but there is much more to the story of this ancient land than can be gleaned from the news. This authoritative and comprehensive history of Iran, written by Homa Katouzian, an acclaimed expert, covers the entire history of the area from the ancient Persian Empire to today’s Iranian state. http://www.amazon.com/The-Persians-AncientMediaeval-Modern/dp/0300169329 http://yalepress.yale.edu/yupbooks/book.asp?isbn=97 80300121186
Kabul Days by Dr Hossein Shahidi Parts 1-38 Posted on Iranian.com http://iranian.com/main/member/hosseinshahidi.html
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The Booklet: Commeration of Seyyed Jafar Shahidi-By Hossein Shahidi Booklet prepared by Hossein for the Commeration of his father the legendary Iranian Historian Seyyed Jafar Shahidi in Jan. 2008. This was a very moving and special time for you Hossein, your sister, brothers and family. It was also a time to honor at a national level and globally the outstanding and distinguished scholar of the Persian language and literature and the prominent historian of Islam. Among the awards of Seyyed Jafar Shahidi: • Honorary professorship from the University of Peking • Honorary president of International Society of Persian Language and Literature Professors • Distinguished professor of The University of Tehran. • The first class science insignia from the president of Iran • First Rank Medal - Eminent Researcher of Tehran University. • Member of Chehrehaye Mandegar etc.
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Articles and photo-essays published at iranian.com http://iranian.com/shahidi.html
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http://iranian.com/main/member/hossein-shahidi.html
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Hossein’s 17 You Tube films https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCip1t6hE4oobU1moXw-GldA
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Among the unfinished Works of Hossein-1 Persian Poems and Songs
Hossein was passionate about translating and transcribing Persian poems and songs into English- The following is the beginning of a collection compiled by May Haddad
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Insane I was not
مجنون نبودم Poem translated and transcribed by Hossein Shahidi
Insane I was not, you made me one And then you drove me out of my town Which flower covered highland has a scent like yours, my darling? The face of which moon can display such beauty as yours? The same moon that rises from Mecca’s direction, my darling With a crescent that reminds me of the arch of your eyebrows Insane I was not, you made me one And then you drove me out of my town From high in the sty, the star has descended on the earth, my darling To become the jewel, with me holding her as tight as a ring O God, keep the jewel safe 89
For she is my first and my last darling Insane I was not, you made me one And then you drove me out of my town O girl with blonde hair, on your way out to the bath Be careful as you take that long path Once you do take your bath, come back in haste For my heart will burn as a furnace if you’re late Insane I was not, you made me one And then you drove me out of my town There are three river crossings from here to Birjand By the first one, images of my darling appear on my mind By the second one, I shall put on my velvet clothing By the third one, I shall see my darling Insane I was not, you made me one And then you drove me out of my town
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ljwb25CUzlI
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Majnoon Naboodom
مجنون نبودم
Majnoon naboodom, مجنونم کردی،مجنون نبودم majnoonom kerdi
از شهر خودم بیرونم کردی
Az shahr-e khodom biroonom kerdi
یار،کدوم کوه و کمر بوی تو داره Kodoom kooh-o kamar کدم مه جلوه ی روی تو داره boo-ye to daareh, yaar? همون ماهی که از قبله زند سریار Kodoom mah jelveh-ye
خبر از طاق ابروی تو داره
roo-ye to daareh? Hamoon maahi keh az
ن qebleh zanad sar yaar مجنونم کردی،مجنو نبودم Khabar az taaq-e abroo-ye از شهر خودم بیرون کردی to daareh Majnoon naboodom,
یار،ستاره ی آسمون روی زمینه
majnoonom kerdi Az shahr-e khodom biroonom kerdi
یارم نگینه،خودم انگشترو
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Setaareh-ye asemoon naqsh- خداوندا نگهدار نگین باش ی e zamineh, yaar
که یار اول و آخر همینه
Khodom angoshataro yaarom negineh Khodavandaa,
مجنونم کردی،مجنون نبودم
negahdaar negin baashi از شهر خودم بیرون کردی Key yaar-e avalo aakhar hamineh
یار،الا دختر که موهای تو بوره
Majnoon naboodom, majnoonom kerdi
راه تو دوره،به حموم میروی
Az shahr-e khodom زودی بیائی یار،به حموم میروی biroonom kerdi که آتش بر دلم مثل تنوره Alaa dokhtar hek nooha-ye to booreh, yaar
مجنونم کردی،مجنون نبودم
Beh hamoom miravi, raah-e to dooreh
از شهر خودم بیرون کردی
Beh hamoom mivai, یار،از اینجا تا به بیرجند سه گداره zoodi biyai, yaar گدار اولیش نقش و نگاره Keh atash bar delom,
یار، مخمل بپوشم،گدار دومیش
mesl-e tanooreh 92
دیدار یاره،گدار سومیش Majnoon naboodom, majnoonom kerdi
مجنونم کردی،مجنون نبودم
Az shahr-e khodom biroonom kerdi
از شهر خودم بیرون کردی
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Among the unfinished Works of Hossein-2 Lulu (The Pearl): The Musical Play by the Rahbani Brothers
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Extracts from part one
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The verse is from Anvari - a Persian poet 1126-1189 Extracted from London Days-By May Haddad 96
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https://www.facebook.com/BirzeitUniversity/photos/a.130657530302756.11394.12 9221627113013/660188154016355/?type=1&theater
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http://www.jmi.edu.jo/en/details/3086/JMI-Mourns-Dr-Hossein-Shahidi
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http://khabarnegaran.info/article.php3?id_article=3134
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عك بابتسامة ُ ّ نو ِّد:عارف حجاوي Aref Hajjawi: Farewell, with a smile Translated into English by May Haddad
عارف حجاوي من رواد األشخاص المعنین بجودة...يقدم عارف حجاوي نفسه بتواضع كصحافي قام بتدريب مئات، ومن مؤسسي مركز التطوير اإلعالمي في جامعة بیرزيت،اإلعالم بفلسطین . و تألیف العديد من المطبوعات و المواد البصرية السمعیة الخ،الصحفیین و اإلعالمیین يعمل عارف حالیا كمدير برامج في الجزيرة Although Aref Hajjawi humbly presents himself as a journalist, he is the pioneer in Media and Journalism in Palestine, establishing the Media Development Center at Beirzeit University, training hundreds of journalists, authoring several audio-visual materials etc. Currently, Aref is the Program Director at Al Jazeera
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عك بابتسامة نو ِّدّ ُ عارف حجاوي تخلص حسین شهیدي من أوجاعه ،وتخلص من سفاالت هذا العالم .ومات. هذا رجل عرفته ربع قرن ،وكان مثالیا .هو إيراني يتقن العربیة ويحاضر بها ،وباإلنجلیزية أخذ شهادة دكتوراه من أكسفورد ،ولغته األم الفارسیة .وكان يقرأ الحال ،ويناقشني فیما أكتب ويكتب غیري. هو حفید ابن عربي الذي لم ي كن يفرق بین دين ودين وال بین مذهب ومذهب ،وحفید أنبیاء الرحمة من ماني إلى يسوع إلى محمد .وفي الواقع فهو من أسرة تنتمي بنسبها إلى علي بن أبي طالب، هكذا قال لي مرة عندما سألته عن األعراق المختلفة الموجودة في إيران ،وكانت مضت على معرفتي به سنوات كثیرة لم يذكر لي فیها هذه الحقیقة ،ألنه لیس من أصحاب التباهي باألنساب. إذا حدث أن أثنى أحدهم على دورة إعالمیة قمت بها سارعت إلى القول :أعرف من هو خیر مني.. حسین شهیدي. حب األردن التي عمل بها ،وأحب لبنان التي تعلم فیها كانت فلسطین تشغله مثلما تشغله إيران .وأ َ العربیة .وبريطانیا أحبها أيضا .لم يكن ش َّتاما وال ناقما ،وغاية أمره إذا صادف موقفا رديئا فیه نذالة أنه كان يمسكني من عضدي ويقول :يا خیي ،ويمدها على الطريقة اللبنانیة مطلقا ضحكة مجلجلة ،ثم ال يعلق بأي كلمة مسیئة. الصديق القديم ذاكرتك وتاريخك ،وخاليا دماغك التي ال تتجدد .وفي العاشر من نیسان أبريل الماضي فقدت بضعة مني .نحزن على أنفسنا بموت صديق حقیقي ،ونبتهج له أن قطع صحراء الحیاة ولديه في قربته بعض الماء فلم يعطش. حسین شهیدي لم يكن يكتفي باإلشفاق على الضعیف ،بل كان يحترمه أيضا ويتعب وهو يبحث عن مكمن القوة لديه ،لذلك كان معلِّما كبیرا. دعاه مركز تطوير اإلعالم إلجراء دورات تدريبیة ،فرأى المتدربون شخصا يحبهم ،فتعلقوا به .وألننا – نحن المدربین اآلخرين -أحببنا حسین شهیدي لم نستطع أن نحسده ،بل ازددنا له حبا .وصارت تدعوه مؤسسات إعالمیة أخرى لما حقق من سمعة طیبة .وعندما طلبته إحدى المؤسسات للمرة الثالثة أو الرابعة ،اعتذر قائال :أعطیت ما أستطیع .قد كان التعلیم بالنسبة إلیه رسالة ال مورد رزق. هنا الفرق ،كل الفرق. هذا رجل لم ألقه يوما إال وهو متفائل .كیف استطاع أن يموت؟
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Farewell, with a smile By Aref Hajjawi Hossein no longer has his pains, no longer lives the absurdities of this world. This is a man I have known for a quarter of a century… when I think of a word to describe him, “idealistic” comes to mind...He is Iranian, with excellent knowledge of Arabic to the extent that he lectured in it, as well as English. He had a doctorate degree from Oxford, and Persian is his mother tongue. He used to read the “Hal” newspaper and start discussions about what I or other writers have said in the newsletter. He is the grandson of Ibn Al-Arabi who did not differentiate between religions or sects; he is the grandson of the prophets of mercy from Mani to Jesus to Mohammed. Actually, he comes from a family that is related to Ali Ben Abi Taleb, that was what he informed me, and only because I asked him about the different groups in Iran - all these years I have known him, he never mentioned this fact…. Another word to describe him is “humble”. If anyone praises a media training that I have done, I immediately say: I know one person who is better than me…Hossein Shahidi. Hossein was concerned about Palestine, as much as he was about Iran. He liked Jordan where we worked, and Lebanon where he improved his Arabic. He also liked Great Britain. He never insulted anyone, and never seeked revenge, and when faced with a bad situation, he would hold me by the arm and say: O brother and he extended it the Lebanese way, and would laugh…. A word to describe him “compassionate”. Memory and history are the old friends, as well as brain cells that don’t renew itself. On April the 10th , as we lost him, I lost part of myself. We get sad about ourselves when a true friend dies, and are delighted as he has passed the desert of life with some water in his bag, and never was thirsty. Hossein Shahidi had empathy to the weak person, whom he also respected as he investigated his innate strength , as such he was a great teacher. The Media Development Center at BirZeit University has invited Hossein on several occasions to conduct training sessions. The trainees found out that they were with a man who loved them, so they got attached to him. And we, the other trainers, who also loved Hossein, could never envy him and loved him more. Other media institutes in Palestine invited Hossein because of his excellent reputation. And when one institute asked him for the third or fourth time to teach with them, he apologized saying: I have given what I can. Education to Hossein was a mission and not a source of income. And this made all the difference. This is a man I have seen him always optimistic. How could he just leave? Translated into English by May Haddad
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،عيناك مرآتان ال تعرفان الكذب Your eyes are two mirrors Stranger to lies حسيني أغايي إي ناز )(اللطيف المحبوب أخي الحبيب صديقي مغني الغفران رسول الحب سأترك الشباك مفتوحا ...ربما My Hossein "Aghay e naaz”
(the cute beloved one) My beloved brother My friend Singer of forgiveness Messenger of love I’m leaving the window open Maybe…
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Poem by: Shokoufeh Shahidi Photos by: Hoda and Sahar Fadaian Translated into English by: Guita Garakani Translated into Arabic by: May Haddad 109
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تقف الكلمات عاجزة أمام صخب وقارك وتواضعك وعلمك الغزير الذي أمطرته علينا فجنينا ثماره حتى اليوم أتذكر كلماتك ونصائحك في كل شيء في اإلذاعة والتلفزيون وحتى التصوير ..فعندما أصور في "موبايلي" ورغم اإلمكانيات المتواضعة أجد نصائحك في زاويا التصوير وأهميتها وأسأل نفسي ما الذي أريد إبرازه وكيف أركز على جزئية دون أخرى وما هدفها وأهميتها؟!! أسئلة كثيرة ال أنفك عنها ..ومنها رحيلك عنا؟!مازالت الصدمة ال تبارح تفكيري !! ستبقى خالدا في ذاكرتنا ..ومستقرا في قلوبنا ..معلما نبجّ له ونحترمه ونق ّدر علمه الذي ال يق ّدر فعال بكنوز الدنيا ..يرحمك هللا أستاذي ومعلمي (حسين شهيدي) ويحسن إليك كما أحسنت إلينا يا أيها اإلنسان الراقي والرائع. وهللا إنه لشرف عظیم بالنسبة لي بأن علمني قامة مثل د .حسین شهیدي. الحمدهلل كنت محظوظة بذلك.
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بقلم حمزة السبوري صحفي كبیر ،ومدرب عظیم ،يحمل الجنسیة البريطانیة ،من أصل إيراني ،دربني في جامعة بیر زيت ،وطلبت منه أن يزور الخلیل ،وقتها كانت االنتفاضة الثانیة على أشدها ،حیث اإلغالقات .المتتالیة ،وفعال زار الخلیل ،وخالل دقائق بسیطة استنتج أشیاء كثیرة فحین دخل الخلیل من مدخلها الشمالي قرأ عبارة كبیرة على مسجد هناك( :أهال بكم في مدينة حماس) .فبدأ ينظر يمین ويسارا نظر المترقب المتوجس ،،ثم ذهب لیستريح عند أحد األصدقاء لساعات والتقینا لیال في منطقة رأس الجورة ،ومشینا إلى نادي أضواء المدينة لنحتسي مشروبا بادرا ،،فقال: هل نحن في مركز المدينة؟؟ قلت :ال ،،نحن في أطرافها ،ولكن لماذا السؤال ؟ فقال :هذه مدينة فیها الكثیر من األموال! فقلت :وكیف عرفت؟ فقال :تقول إننا في أطراف المدينة ،وأنا أرى محالت تبیع الكهربائیات والنثريات والكمالیات ،والوقت متأخر لیال ،وكلها ملیئة بالزبائن ،فلو كانت المدينة فقیرة لما كان إقبال الناس على الكمالیات في !أحد أطراف المدينة بهذا الكم فقلت :تحلیلك منطقي ،وماذا بعد؟ .فقال :أنت شعب قوي جدا ،وال يمكن كسر إرادتكم فقلت له وكیف عرفت؟ فقال :رغم كل هذه اإلغالقات واإلجراءات اإلسرائیلیة المشددة ،أرى الناس لیال يتمشون في 115
الشوارع ،يسهرون ويضحكون ،وهذا الضحك داللة القوة ،بینما العبوس يكون لمن يعجز عن التغلب !!! على مشكلته ،أنتم شعب قوي فعال فقلت :وماذا بعد؟ فقال :كنت أظن المرأة عندكم مظلومة ،ولكني أرى شیئا آخر ،إذ إنني أرى الكثیر من الفتیات والنساء في الشوارع ،بمالبس مختلفة ،تنم عن مساحة من الحرية ،أراهن يبتسمن ويشترين ويتناوالن المرطبات والبوظة في الشارع ،بینما حین دخلت المدينة وقرأت عبارة الترحیب( :أهال بكم في مدينة حماس) ،كنت أحسب أنني سأرى في الشوارع ملثمین وأكیاس رمل وبنادق ورشاشات ،كنت أظنها ساحة حرب ،ولكنكم شعب يريد أن يعیش ،ويصر على هذا الحق ثم ذهبنا إلى نادي أضواء المدينة ،وفتشنا عن طاولة قرب البركة فالنادي جمیل وأنیق ويحتوي على مسبح ،كان ملیئا بالشباب ،وأصوات ضحكاتهم تعلو لدرجة أننا كنا نضطر لرفع أصواتنا حتى يسمع أحدنا اآلخر ،،بحثنا عن طاولة لنجلس ،ولكن لم أجد طاولة نظیفة ،وكلها كانت مبللة بالمیاه ،وكان المكان ملیئا بالذباب ،وهو مشهد لم أره في ذلك النادي إال تلك المرة ،يا للحظ العار! شعرت بالحرج ،وطلبت منه أن نذهب إلى مكان آخر ،ولكنه أصر أن نبقى في المكان ،رغم أنه لم يكن أمامنا مكان يمكننا أن نجلي فیه وقال :أشعر بالسعادة الحقیقیة حینما أرى هذه االبتسامات من تلك الوجوه الشابة النابضة في الحیاة ،يأتون لیسبحوا رغم إجراءات االحتالل ،أي إصرار هذا على التمتع بالحیاة! يا لقوتكم! وفي الیوم التالي رأيت في عینیه حزنا لم أره إال ذلك الیوم ،حیث زار المسجد اإلبراهیمي الشريف في الخلیل ،وقال لي :اآلن فهمت تماما مدى وقاحة هذا االحتالل ،وعرفت كم هي مظلومة مدينة الخلیل! وطلب مني أن أصطحبه إلى مكان يستحق أن يزوره في المدينة قبل أن يغادرها لیشري شیئا تذكاريا ،فأخذته إلى مصنع النتشة للزجاج والخزف ،ورأى الصناعة الیدوية الجمیلة العريقة للزجاج في الخلیل ،وبدأ يفتش عن شيء ممیز له وأشیاء يهديها لبعض أصدقائه البريطانیین المسلمین والمسیحیین والیهود ،فاخترت له صحونا مرسوما علیها الحرم اإلبراهیمي الشريف ،وقبة الصخرة المشرفة ،فأعجب بها كثیرا ،ولكنه تركها ووضعها جانبا ،واختار صحونا من الخزف مكتوب علیها باللغات الثالث( :سالم -شلوم -بیس) بالعربیة والعبرية واإلنجلیزية ،فاستغربت من ذوقه وسألته عن سبب اختیاره لها دون غیرها ،وكنت أظنه سیشتري صحونا علیها رسوم لمقدسات ،فقال: صديقي حمزة :المقسات غالیة ،ولكن السالم أغلى من المقدسات! فرسالتي هي المحافظة على اإلنسان!
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From Haitham Al-Sharif:
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THE WIND WILL CARRY US باد ما را با خود خواهد برد I chose a much beloved modern Iranian poet, whose works that Hossein surely knew by heart, and whose theme of love seemed just right. I couldn't have matched it. The movie director Abbas Kiarostami made a film, also called 'The Wind Will Carry Us' using the poem as its theme Norbert Hirschhorn MD http://bertzpoet.com/?page_id=16
THE WIND WILL CARRY US in my small night, what mounting regret! wind has a rendezvous with the trees’ leaves in my small night, there is terror of desolation listen! do you hear the wind of darkness howling? I watch breathlessly and wondrously this alien happiness I am addicted to my own hopelessness listen! listen well! can you hear the darkness howling – the dark hellwind scything its way towards us? in the night now, there is something passing the moon is red restless and uneasy and on this roof – which fears any moment -- it may cave in – clouds like crowds of mourners await to break in rain ruin a moment and then after that, nothing. behind this window, night shivers and the earth stands still 118
behind this window an unknown something fears for me and you you who are green from head to toe! put your hands -- like a burning memory into my loving hands lover’s hands! entrust your lips – your lips like a warm sense of being! – entrust! – your lips to the caresses of my -- loving lips – lover’s lips! the wind will carry us the wind will carry us
Forough Farrokhzad, (1935-1967) (translated by David Martin) http://www.jonathanrosenbaum.net/2000/12/the-universe-in-a-cellar/
Bert in Hossein’s camera (London, 6 22 21) 119
Sodade (Saudade) Hoda remembered Hossein with Sodade on the World Music Day (June 21), with Cesaria Evora’s song posted at you:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNVrdYGiULM
...Saudade was once described as "the love that remains" after someone is gone. Saudade is the recollection of feelings, experiences, places or events that once brought excitement, pleasure, well-being, which now triggers the senses and makes one live again. It can be described as an emptiness, like someone (e.g., one's children, parents, sibling, grandparents, friends, pets) or something (e.g., places, things one used to do in childhood, or other activities performed in the past) that should be there in a particular moment is missing, and the individual feels this absence. It brings sad and happy feelings all together, sadness for missing and happiness for having experienced the feeling.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saudade 120
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يقول عبدهللا مبيضين احد موظفي معهد االعالم االردني وخريج الدفعة االولى فيه عن الدكتور شهيدي " :تعلمت منه الدقة ،ليس من خالل ما يقوله عنها ،وإنما من خالل تمثله بها .وأضاف مبيضين ،انه كان مرجعا مهنيا ً في كثير من مفاصل العمل المهني" . ويستذكر المبيضين حادثة حصلت معه عندما سافر الى الصومال عام 2011لتغطية المجاعة هناك ،حيث أنه اتصل به الستشارته في بعض األمور هناك ،حيث شجعه كثيرا ً وسعيدا ً بتلك التجربة الميدانية في تغطية االخبار في مناطق الصراع والكوارث. وبين المبيضين ،أن قلة من اولئك الذين يفتحون لك النوافذ ،ويرشدوك الى تتبع المدى والدكتور شهيدي كان واحدا ً من هؤالء الذين ال يعبرون في حياة االخرين دون ذكرى. http//:www.jmijournalists.com/Articles/1595 . 123
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Link (Radio Farda) http://www.radiofarda.com/content/f35_shahidi_torfeh_intv/25329041.html
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For the article: http://www.bbc.co.uk/persian/blogs/2014/04/140411_l44_blog_editors_shahidi_hosein.shtml
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A note from Bolivia: By Luz Floreciendo
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Nadia Dalloul ’s card Sadly, grief must be the price we pay for loving someone dear, But unlike sorrow, LOVE WILL LAST and shine forever, bright and clear… So may every sweet REMINDER bring its’ comfort, day by day. And the glow of happy memories help to light the future way.
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Dedicated to Hossein Sabah Jabbour shared with us a poem by Franﾃｧois CHENG 窶電edicated to Hossein:
Each presence is lost in the immensity, At the same time , it is a pole where the universe turns around it , Becoming close and intimate 140
Tonttus-Shared by Sirkku (Finnish and English) Many of us felt like the twin brother or sister to Hossein, just like tonttus, creatures that Hossein liked…
TONTTUJEN ELÄMÄNKAARI Tontut syntyvät hyvin pieninä perheeseen, johon kuuluu aina isätonttu, äititonttu sekä yksi kaksoisveli/sisko, sillä tontut synnyttävät aina kaksoset. Noin sadan vuoden ikäisinä tontut etsivät itselleen puolison, jonka kanssa menevät naimisiin morsiamen syntymäpäiväpuun alla keskiyöllä, aina täysikuun aikaan. Tonttujen keskimääräinen elinikä on 400 vuotta, sillä niiden geenit ovat pysyneet hyvin puhtaina. Lisäksi heillä on terveet elämäntavat: paljon liikuntaa, ei liikaa syömistä eikä suuria sydäntä särkeviä murheita. Jonain kauniina tonttumies lähtee sitten vaimonsa kanssa valetamaan kuoleman vuoristoon, jonne ne sitten menehtyvät onnellisina, elleivät petoeläimet niitä syö tällä viimeisellä matkalla. *** THE LIFE CYCLE OF THE TONTTUS (tonttujen) The tonttus are born in the family of father, mother and one twin brother or sister, because tonttus always have a twin sister or brother. In about 100 years of age the tonttus seek a spouse, they marry under the birthday tree of the bride. The marriage is always in the midnight during the full moon. The mean lifetime of tonttus is 400 years, because their genes are very pure. In addition, they live a healthy life; much exercise, not too much eating, no big worries to break your heart. Some beautiful day male tonttu heads out with his wife to the mountains of death, where they die happily, if the predatory animals have not eaten them during the last voyage. TONTTU = ELF, singular, TONTUT = plural, TONTUN genitive, singular, TONTTUJEN, genitive, plural. 141
Friendship and time The two photos of Hossein with his friend Jim Reilly in 1979 and 2007, demonstrate a friendship of more than 28 years. This fact is also demonstrated in several of friends tributes to Hossein and that are posted in Dr Hossein Shahidi face book page. Jim said: Hossein and I had known each other since our student days in the 1970s. He lived the virtues of clear thinking, compassion, critical detachment when needed, and commitment to making a positive difference in whatever he was doing. As it happens, he and I both ended up in the teaching profession. When I reconnected with Hossein again later in our lives, he was living the virtues I’ve described. I guess we already are who we are when we reach our 20s, and after that it’s all elaboration and deepening. Hossein and I were old friends, not only because of shared values and experiences, but also (and this is important!) because we found many of the same things funny. I’ll miss his laugh and his wry observations (remarks about things, events, places, relationships that are both knowledgeable and humorous) most of all.
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درباره حسين شهيدي جاي خالي همان معلمي كه نداشتيم
اميرعلي عالمهزاده من هرگز «حسین شهیدي» را نديده بودم .حتي نميدانستم او فرزند «سیدجعفر شهیدي» مجتهد ،اديب و استاد بنام زبان و ادبیات فارسي دانشگاه تهران است .هرگز در باره نسبت و نسب او چیزي نميدانستم .نميدانم چرا ،اما هرگز جستوجو هم نكرده بودم .فقط ميدانستم ايران نیست و درست همان چیزي كه من دوستداشتم؛ يعني خواندن دكترا در دانشگاه آكسفورد ،او همان كرده است .آن هم در همان رشته كه من ميخوانم و دوستش دارم؛ روزنامهنگاري .تازه روزگار دكترا را با « محمدعلي همايون كاتوزيان» سپري كرده است .باز همان همه اينها به كنار ،او ِّ كه من دوستش داشتم .خیلي بیشتر نميدانستم .منتهي به خاطرم نميآيد مطلبي از او در رسانههاي ايران و رسانه هاي فارسي زبان آمده باشد كه نخوانده باشم .اگر نخواندهام ،بيشك بايد نديده باشم كه نخواندهام .حتي اصال نميپنداشتم كه ممكن است او بیمار باشد .فقط ميدانستم يك دههاي ميشود كه در بي.بي.سي نیست و خوانده بودم كه لندن را به مقصد بیروت ترك گفته است .آنجا در دانشگاه تدريس ميكند .اين را از يكي از دوستانم شنیدم كه از خبرنگاران بینالمللي است .االن كه فكر ميكنم نميدانم چرا هرگز جستوجو نكردم كه نامي يا نشاني از او بیابم و باب مكاتبهاي دستكم گشوده شود .گر چه حاال كه بیشتر فكر ميكنم، درمييابم كه به دست آوردنش هم خیلي سخت نبود .اگر ميخواستم ،ميشد .البته من تنبليهايي از اين دست كم نداشتهام .به هر حال از گزارشهاي دقیق و انساني او از دورههايي كه در افغانستان بوده است را خواندهام .جداي از آن كه بر سر افغانستان و عالقه و نگاه به آن هم سلیقه به نظر ميرسیديم از نگاه او به افغانستان وافغانان خوشم ميآمد .چنان ساده و روان بود گزارش كه مي پنداشتم اگر من به همان مسیر بروم ،ميدانم در كدام خیابان ،زمین گلآلود است. در كنار همه حسرتهايي كه در اين روزگار ميخورم ،مثل آن كه تا كنون نشده است كه در آكسفورد دكتراي روزنامه نگاري بخوانم ،يا تز دكترا را با هما كاتوزيان بگذرانم ،اين حسرت هم در دلم مانده است كه چرا با او دوست نبودم ،چنان كه صدايش را بشنوم يا نامهاش را دريافت كنم. من از مطالعه تزِّ دكتراي او ،با عنوان «روزنامهنگاري در ايران؛ از حرفه تا وظیفه» بهره بردهام .چنان كه جدال قلمي دو نويسنده و روزنامهنگار در مطبوعات تهران را بر سر مسايل مربوط به انتشار آن دنبال كردهام .با اين حال هنوز نميدانم چرا من بايد درباره حسین شهیدي مطلبي بنويسم .میان من و او هیچ رابطهاي از نزديك نبوده است .از دور هم رابطهاي يكسويه بوده است كه آن سو ،از آن بيخبر بوده است .امیدوارم فقط اين نوشته ،پاسخي باشد كه سركار خانم «»May Haddad آن را خواسته و دريافت كرده است ،و بديهي است كه برايم زجرآور است اگر و فقط اگر ،دستكم يك نفر ،از كساني كه اين نوشته را ميخواند ،چنین برداشت كند كه اين متن نوشته شده است تا نويسنده از آمدن نام خود ،در كنار نام «حسین شهیدي» ،خودي نشان دهد و به چشم آيد ،كه مدتهاست نیك ميدانم «شهرت» يكي از ارزشهاي خبري است و نه يكي از ارزشهاي «خبرنگار»
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ADDITIONAL TRIBUTES Fari Khanom, Paris: Malgré la méchanceté du bas monde, Hossein est toujours présent et observe le monde. Avec son sourire, il est dans la lignée de Mozart et se fout des bêtises humaines بإبتسامته كأنه مرتبط..ومراقبا دائما لهذا العالم ُ ف حسین كان حاضرا،على الرغم من دناءة الدنیا ..بموزارت حیث أنه ال يهتم بسخافات البشر من حوله Ahmad-Shah Duranai, Ontario: I just read in BBC Online Persian that he passed away yesterday. He was a great guy and a real professional. His diaries on Afghanistan when he spent time there as Journalist are excellent. He was a great AUBite and like me, also changed his profession. He changed his career from an Electrical Engineer to a Journalist and Teacher. We will always remember you fondly. RIP Hossein. Eman Khader Shanan, Gaza: الدكتور حسین شهیدي ترجل الفارس من عالمنا ولم يترجل من قلوبنا عاش كحلم جمیل مناسب كرقته ومهنیته الراقیة ومضي وبقي ظله محیطا بكل من أحبهم Diala Rajaie Al-Azzeh, Australia: I truly wish if I could read Persian, just for one week. I need to read everything written by Dr.Shahidi-يرحمه هللا- in his own language, in his words and description. May your soul rest in peace Hossein Shahidi. Mohammadreza Jalaeipour, Oxford فروتن،حسین شهیدی مانند پدرش (زندهیاد سیدجعفر شهیدی) از نازنینان روزگار بود! شریف درستکار و کاردرست! از آنها که بودشان بهتر از نمودشان است! یاد و خاطرهاش زنده و روحش !شاد و آرام Dr Fadia Fasna- Gotenberg, Sweden "A mentor ....he touched the lives of all his students and friends ..." Sari Hanafi, American University of Beirut He was a great friend in my department at AUB. he was always smiling ... we used to have a coffee weekly .. we have often talked and argued about politics but above all about his nostalgia to Iran... allah yerhamou Lina Abyad, Lebanese American University Hossein was so gentle! i have a very sweet memory of him! I only hope he did not suffer much! what a loss. what a loss! 145
Ahmad Dahwich , Burj Shmali Camp, S Lebanon Volunteers and activists at Borj Shmali Camp for Palestinian refugees in S Lebanon are ever grateful to Dr Hossein givings, helping them in research and community work skills Vicki Perkins, Calgary He was full of life and humour. Thanks for creating this tribute page. Firas Abu Aloul, Palestine Lebanon What your fingers wrote, lives after them. rest in peace Dr.Hossein Youmna- Al-Khattam, Egypt Hossein was a man of huge influence and lively Cam Lecce, Italy Uomo gentile e pieno di umanità ! Guissou Jahangiri, Afghanistan It is with a heavy heart that I express my condolences to Hossein's family, his good friends and acquaintances who had the honour of knowing Hossein from around the world. I first met Hossein in 1992 in the middle of the civil war in Tajikistan that he was covering for the BBC, we peeped out of the window as tanks marched the central Rudaki road in Dushanbe. A decade later I was a guest at his residence in Kabul when he was collaborating with UNIFEM and supporting women in Afghanistan. Not so long ago he joined me in Kabul again to support, exchange and train a group of human rights activists and journalists working with my organisation. We both wondered about what decades of war had done to this country and to our friends. We had planned together to publish his Afghanistan memoirs. It is man of great, diverse and in-depth knowledge, deep intellectual engagement and a golden heart, a man with wide shoulders that we have so unjustly lost. May we all cherish what we have learnt from this exemplary man and act upon them With sadness‌
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Selections from London Days (92 pages)By May Haddad-April 2005
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An exhibition was organized then. The materials included books, articles, photo essays authored by Hossein, or materials compiled by his friends- Baabdat 31 5 14
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Fragrant flowers bloomed in my house for the first time in 15 years
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Islington & St Pancras cemeteries
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The Garden of Permanent Sleep باغ های خواب ابدی Hossein now rests in the same cemetery that he visited in April 2012. He published then his photo essay “The Garden of Permanent Sleep”. گزارش تصويری آن را منتشر کرد، از آن ديدار و سپس2012 حسين در همان گورستانی آرميده که در ماه آوريل،امروز April 2012 In the photo essay Hossein says: A nation’s wealth and happiness are best displayed in its cemeteries; its hygiene and health, in its public conveniences. These pictures were taken in and around the 160-year-old Islington and Camden Cemetery in North London on Saturday, 14 April 2012 http://iranian.com/main/albums/garden-permanent-sleep.html 2012 آوريل سالمت و آسايش همگانی، بهداشت، بهترين نشان دهنده ميزان ثروت و خوشبختی، گورستان ها:درباره اين گزارش نوشت 14 ،شنبه. گرفته شده، سالة " ايزلِنگتَن و َکم ِدن" در شمال لندن160 اين عکس ها از دور و درون گورستان.يک ملت اند 2012 آوريل
Feb. 2014 I was showing the map of the area to Hossein when he was at the critical care unit at Whittington hospital last Feb 2014. To my surprise, he was only interested in the High gate cemetery that was nearby. And then he explained that this was where Karl Marx was buried. The next day, I went to the cemetery, saw Karl Marx statue, took photos to show Hossein and prepared this Flipagram that I shared with him http://flipagram.com/f/Nj7GxQEivn 2014 فوريه بستری بود وقتی داشتم نقشه اطراف را نشانش می،فوريه گذشته که حسين در بخش مراقبت های ويژة بيمارستان وي ِتنگتُن گورستان دروازه بلند، ( دادم با تعجب دريافتم تنهاHigh Gate) برايم. برايش جالب است، در همان نزديکی بيمارستان، روز بعد به تماشای گورستان و مجسمه مارکس رفتم و چندتا.گفت که کارل مارکس در اين گورستان به خاک سپرده شده عکس ها را پشت هم چيدم و در بيمارستان نشانش دادم.عکس برايش گرفتم: http://flipagram.com/f/Nj7GxQEivn
Reported by May Haddad Translated into Persian by Shokoufeh Shahidi گزارش می ح ّداد ِ برگردان فارسی از شکوفه شهيدی
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Photo essay: Islington and Camden Cemetery, North London By Hossein Shahidi-April 2012 http://iranian.com/main/albums/garden-permanent-sleeppage4.html
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