#tawfiq al-hakim

[haveyoureadthisbook-poll]

[doctorcolubra]

Mahfouz, Palace Walk, and al-Hakim, Return of the Spirit

These were both translated from Arabic by William Maynard Hutchins. I read Palace Walk in 12/24 and really enjoyed it! This is a family saga (I haven't yet read the other two books in the trilogy, but they're in my TBR) set in Egypt just before the revolution of 1919. The mother, Amina, the two daughters, Khadija and Aisha, and the three sons, Yasin, Fahmy, and Kamal, all live in fear of the strict father, Ahmad, who demands rigid obedience from them all while secretly being a womanising alcoholic. In this respect I found it very similar to Irish-Catholic family stories! Every character here has something going on: Yasin discovers his father's secret life and tries to copy him; Fahmy is devoted to politics and resisting the English; sarcastic Khadija feels inferior because of her appearance; the more conciliatory Aisha is beautiful and schemes to get married ahead of her older sister; youngest child Kamal is sensitive to upheaval in the house and tries to prevent his sisters from marrying and leaving him; Amina suffers from her isolation in the house but nevertheless tries to impose it on her daughter-in-law. While the prose in translation was nothing special, it had a consistent sound that served the characters well and I became very invested in everybody's lives.

Return of the Spirit, on the other hand…

Read this one in 1/25 and I was looking forward to it because of its similarities to Palace Walk, as it covers the same period in Egyptian history and was an important influence on Naguib Mahfouz (Return was published in 1933 and Palace Walk in 1956). But I just. Didn't dig it. The female characters especially (all two of them) had little dimension. Return is comic, even cartoonish, throughout the first half, as young Muhsin and his three uncles all attempt to court the daughter of their next-door neighbour, Saniya, while the maiden aunt Zanuba spends the family's food budget on magic spells to get a husband of her own. Saniya and Zanuba both fall in love with other neighbour Mustafa, who does nothing for 75% of the book and then inexplicably becomes a viewpoint character who we're supposed to care about and like. Not happening! Develop your sympathetic characters before the midpoint or don't do it at all, pal!

Awkwardly attached to this comic romance (whose resolution is underwhelming) is some Romantic nationalism about Egypt, heavily influenced by Russian literature in the idealised picture of the peasants (Dostoyevsky gets a mention). This book was a favourite of Gamal Abdel Nasser and you can see why, with its thesis that the common people of Egypt are only capable of greatness when they have a strong leader to rally around. While it's not very original, this was the part of the book that I felt best justified its existence. The political writing is naive and chauvinistic, and significantly features a long monologue about the wonderful character of the Egyptian people…delivered by a French archaeologist. This monologue does contradict the orientalist idea that the modern Egypt was totally disconnected from its ancient roots and incapable of achieving its former state of grandeur, but it does so by amping up the colonial conception of the Bedouins as "animals." Didn't care for that!

(Return is also totally oblivious to the humanity of the black Nubian servants who appear, something Mahfouz is also guilty of, although such servants are less common in his book.)

A big part of the problem here was the translation. I don't know why Hutchins was able to do a better job with Palace Walk, maybe that's down to Mahfouz, but Return had numerous jarring choices, with characters saying "Aye, in truth…" alongside anachronisms like "poetry slam" or "pop music." It didn't feel cohesive, the jokes didn't land, and it didn't sound good.

I did love the cover of Return, by Egyptian illustrator Mahmoud Refaat—it's rare for a classic book to have a cover that actually depicts the characters rather than a tangentially-connected painting, let's bring that back! I liked the depictions of traditional Egyptian magic. I liked Muhsin as a character and was sympathetic to Zanuba, but they get nothing from this narrative in the end. I'm glad I pushed all the way to the end because I frequently regret DNFing, but I can't recommend this unless you're hyperfocused on Egypt in this period.

[famousborntoday]

Tawfiq al-Hakim or Tawfik el-Hakim was a prominent Egyptian writer and visionary. He is one of the pioneers of the Arabic novel and drama. The triumphs and fail...

Link: Tawfiq al-Hakim

[grandgallery-recordkeeping]

Egyptian Playwright and Novelist Tawfiq al-Hakim and his two cats, 1948.

[drsonnet]

How Tawfiq al-Hakim, prominent Egyptian pioneer of the Arabic novel and drama, chose to be photographed. From a 1948 issue of the Egyptian weekly magazine Akher Saa'a

[thesimplyone]

There is no value in our lives if we lose hope for a better life.

:~:~: Tawfiq Al-Hakim

[arablit]

Newly Revealed Nobel Archives: Tawfiq al-Hakim Was Up for 1969 Prize

Newly Revealed Nobel Archives: Tawfiq al-Hakim Was Up for 1969 Prize

The Nobel Prize for Literature keeps their archives sealed for 50 years. The Complete Review reports that the 1969 archives are now in the public domain:

The 1969 Nobel — which was awarded to Samuel Beckett — was apparently a showdown between Beckett and André Malraux.

The complete list of 1969 nomineesis now available. There were 103 authors nominated, including 28 first-time nominees who are…

[domability]

“أملي أكبر من جهدي و جهدي أكبر من موهبتي و موهـبتي سجينـة طــبعي و لـكني أقاوم” 

― Tawfiq Al Hakim

[l-egypte]

December 31, 2021 | Pete the Cat Checks Out the Library

James Dean’s Pete the Cat goes to the library for the first time. At the library he gets a tour and reads some cool stories.

Pete opens up a book about the pyramids in Egypt. He reads it and pretends that he is an explorer riding a camel across the desert ... and climbing to the top of a giant pyramid.

What books based in Egypt or about Egypt, fiction or non-fiction and not necessarily for children, do you recommend others to check out from the library (or buy)?

Some Egyptian books/classics that were recommended but which I have not read include the following:

The Yacoubian Building, Alaa-Al-Aswany

Taxi, Khaled Al Khamissi

The Tent, Miral al-Tahawy

The Colors of Infamy, Albert Cossery 

Proud Beggars, Albert Cossery

The Jokers, Albert Cossery

Women of Karantina, Nael Eltoukhy

Beer in the Snooker Club, Waguih Ghali

Return of the Spirit, Tawfiq al-Hakim

The City Always Wins, Omar Robert Hamilton

Sufferers, Taha Hussein

Sinners, Yusuf Idris

The Harafish, Naguib Mahfouz

The Cairo Trilogy (Palace Walk, Palace of Desire, Sugar Street), Naguib Mahfouz

No One Sleeps in Alexandria, Ibrahium Abdel Meeguid (described as “an antidote to the mythical Alexandria of Lawrence Durrell”)

I Loved You for Your Voice, Sélim Nassib

Love in Exile, Bahaa Taher

Sunset Oasis, Bahaa Taher

Woman at Point Zero, Nawal El Saadawi

The Map of Love, Ahdaf Soueif

[Screenshot of pages from the eBook version of Pete the Cat Checks Out the Library (2018)]

[themusingmuslim]

“Allah is qarib [close]. We should not allow the difficulty of finding a traditional matrix, an institutional environment for our spiritual growth as an excuse for apathy and not making an effort.

A famous Turkish line of poetry: Do not say in the way of love, ‘who is going to guide me to the path? You yourself should set out on that path and Allah, is the wali al-tawfiq, the one who guarantees success.’

Take one step towards Him, the Hadith says, He will take ten steps towards you. Come towards him walking, He comes to you running and this is a reality because He wishes to be found. He longs to be known. He is al-Qarib; He is the reality of things, an infinitesimal distance behind the surface. He is with you wherever you may be. You may not be with Him because you're busy with your stuff but He is present, always, patiently awaiting you to open your eyes.”

— Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad, in The Correct Response

[doriaan-gray]

Tawfiq al-Hakim , Simone de Beauvoir , Jean-Paul Sartre

Cairo, 1967

[flowersofjannah]

Two very beautiful things which I wanted to share with others that I learned through listening to the Qalam Heartwork podcasts- Shaykh AbdelRahman Murphy pointed out: . 1). Instead of having the mindset of going to establish prayer, think to offer prayer. When you offer something, you put forward your best offer meanwhile knowing that it is not necessarily going to be accepted but there is chance for your offer to be rejected. So we must always have humility and humbleness within our hearts and pray each prayer wholeheartedly and be grateful that Allah gave us the guidance and Tawfiq to pray, not everyone got up to pray the prayer you just prayed and it is only by Allah’s Mercy and Favour that you prayed. . 2). There is an Arabic saying fi kulli takhiran khayr. fi: in kulli: every single takhir: delay khayr: goodness. In every delay there is goodness. . The beautiful thing about this statement is in Arabic the word Takhir تأخير already has the word Khayr خير in it. The word itself is consoling. In every delay there is goodness, weather the delay is in your job, marriage, children, wealth, whatever it may be. Allah is Al-Hakim (The Wise)..listen here if you’d like: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/qalam-institute-podcast/id424397634 . #islam #muslim #salah #takhir https://www.instagram.com/p/B3SW0CeAoA2/?igshid=hypbugu1td8z

[baabulilm]

Question:

What is meant by "Waswasa" and "Ilham"?

Answer:

The thoughts that stir one's desire are of two kinds:

Praiseworthy, and that is called "inspiration" (ilham), and

Blameworthy, and that is called "whispering" (waswasa).

The heart is owned mutually by a shaytan and an angel. The Opposing forces are  Waswasa against ilham, shaytan against angel, success (tawfiq) against disappointment (khidhlan).The angel stands for a creature which Allah has created for the overflowing of benefit, the bestowal of knowledge, the unveiling of truth, the promise of reward, and the ordering of the good.The shaytan stands for a creature whose business is to be against all this.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "There are two impulses in the soul, one from an angel which calls towards good and confirms truth; whoever finds this let him know it is from God and praise Him. Another impulse comes from the enemy which leads to doubt and denies truth and forbids good; whoever finds this, let him seek refuge in God from the accursed devil." 

Then he recited the verse: "The devil shows you fear of poverty and enjoins evil upon you" (2:268) ► [Tirmidhi: hasan; Nisa'i; `Iraqi did not weaken it].

Hasan al-Basri(RA) said: "Two thoughts roam over the soul, one from God, one from the enemy. God shows mercy on a servant who settles at the thought that comes from Him. He embraces the thought that comes from God, while he fights against the one from his enemy. To illustrate the heart's mutual attraction between these two powers the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "The heart of a believer lies between two fingers of the Merciful" ► [Muslim, Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah].

The fingers stand for upheaval and hesitation in the heart. If man follows the dictates of anger and appetite, the dominion of shaytan appears in him through idle passions [HAWA] and his heart becomes the resting-place and container of shaytan, who feeds on HAWA. If he does battle with his passions and does not let them dominate his nafs, imitating in this the character of the angels, at that time his heart becomes the resting-place of angels and they alight upon it.

The mutual repelling of the soldiers of the angels and the devils is constant in the battle over the heart, until the heart is conquered by one of the two sides which sets up its nation and settles there. And most hearts have been seized by the soldiers of shaytan, who fill them with the whispers that call one to love this passing world and disregard the next.The Prophet  (peace be upon him) said: al-mujahidu man jahada nafsahu fi ta`at Allah `azza wa jall [The fighter against unbelief is he who fights against his ego in obeying God;►{Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, Ibn Hibban, Tabarani, Hakim, etc.]

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "There is none among you in whom there is not a devil"

They said: "Even in you, O Messenger of God?!"

He said: "Even in me, but God helped me to overcome him and he has submitted to me, so he doesn't order anything except good" ► [Muslim]

 Complete lecture on this by Shaykh ul Islam Dr. Tahir ul Qadri : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3ntRKzCSQI&feature=endscreen&NR=1

[nagatime]

AUC Theater 1989 play "lovestruck" "رصاصة في القلب" AUC TV report RIP DR Mahmoud El Lozy from Kal Naga (aka: Khaled Abol Naga) on Vimeo.

blast from the past 1989 AUC TV news report on LOVESTRUCK رصاصة في القلب by Tawfiq al-Hakim RIP #DrMahmoudElLozy

[ayojalanterus]

MEE: Perdana Menteri Tunisia Dipukuli di Istana Presiden, Dipaksa Setuju Mengundurkan Diri Sebelum Kudeta

 KONTENISLAM.COM - Perdana Menteri Tunisia diserang di istana sebelum kudeta.   Sumber memberi tahu Middle East Eye (MEE) bahwa Perdana Menteri Hichem Mechichi diserang secara fisik sebelum dia setuju untuk mengundurkan diri dari jabatannya. Perdana Menteri Tunisia Hichem Mechichi diserang secara fisik di istana presiden pada Minggu malam (25/7/2021) sebelum dia setuju untuk mengundurkan diri dari jabatannya, sumber yang dekat dengan perdana menteri mengatakan kepada Middle East Eye. Kondisi luka-lukanya tidak dapat diverifikasi karena Mechichi sendiri belum terlihat di depan umum. MEE mengetahui bahwa cedera yang diderita pria berusia 47 tahun itu "signifikan", menurut sumber yang mengetahui masalah tersebut. "Dia mengalami luka di wajah, itulah sebabnya dia tidak muncul [di depan umum]," kata salah satu sumber. Mechichi dipanggil ke istana kepresidenan pada hari Minggu di mana Presiden Kais Saeid memecatnya dari jabatannya, mengumumkan pembubaran parlemen dan mengambil alih otoritas eksekutif setelah hari protes anti-pemerintah yang tegang.   Sumber yang dekat dengan perdana menteri menjelaskan kepada MEE bahwa kepala keamanan yang menemaninya ke istana bukan bagian dari rencana kudeta. Rached Ghannouchi, ketua parlemen dan pemimpin partai Islam moderat Tunisia Ennahda, menghindari panggilan karena dia baru saja keluar dari rumah sakit tempat dia dirawat karena Covid-19. Menurut sumber tersebut, Mechichi, yang merupakan pilihan Saied sebagai perdana menteri, diminta sekali lagi pada hari Minggu untuk mundur. Dia sampai saat itu berulang kali menolak untuk mengundurkan diri dalam pertikaian yang meletus atas pengangkatan empat menteri dalam pemerintahannya. Sumber mengatakan bahwa ketika Mechichi menolak, dia dipukuli. MEE lebih lanjut mendapat informasi bahwa ada "non-Tunisia" di istana pada saat itu. MEE melaporkan orang-orang yang hadir adalah pejabat keamanan Mesir yang telah memberi nasihat kepada Saied sebelum kudeta dan mengarahkan operasi yang sedang berlangsung. Tidak jelas peran apa yang mereka mainkan dalam interogasi Mechichi. "[Presiden Mesir Abdel Fattah el-] Sisi menawarkan untuk memberi Saied semua dukungan yang dia butuhkan untuk kudeta dan Saied menerimanya," kata salah satu sumber. "Anggota militer dan keamanan Mesir dikirim ke Tunisia dengan dukungan penuh dari MbZ [Mohammed bin Zayed, Putra Mahkota Abu Dhabi]," tambah sumber itu. Mechichi kemudian dilaporkan telah mengangkat tangannya dan setuju untuk mengundurkan diri. Pada saat itu, kepala keamanannya juga menyetujui pernyataan presiden. Mechichi kemudian kembali ke rumah di mana dia membantah laporan ke media lokal bahwa dia berada di bawah tahanan rumah.   MEE menghubungi kepresidenan Tunisia dan Mechichi untuk memberikan tanggapan tetapi tidak memberi tanggapan hingga artikel dipublikasi. Kudeta Sudah Dirancang Berbulan-bulan Langkah-langkah kudeta yang dilakukan pada hari Minggu mengikuti rencana tindakan yang digariskan oleh penasihat dekat Saied pada bulan Mei dan diterbitkan oleh MEE pada saat itu. Rencana tersebut menguraikan pembersihan atau gelombang penangkapan massal yang akan terjadi setelah pengumuman apa yang disebut sebagai "kudeta konstitusional". Dokumen itu mengatakan Saied akan mendeklarasikan "kediktatoran konstitusional" yang menurut penulis dokumen itu adalah alat untuk "mengkonsentrasikan semua kekuasaan di tangan Presiden Republik". Ini kemudian menguraikan target untuk pembersihan lawan politik. Dokumen itu mengatakan orang-orang kunci akan ditempatkan di bawah tahanan rumah. “Dari Partai Ennahda… Nur Al-Din Al-Bahiri, Rafiq Abd Al-Salam, Karim Al-Haruni, Sayyid Al-Ferjani, Deputi Blok Al-Karama, Ghazi Al-Qarawi, Sufian Tubal, pengusaha, penasehat di Pengadilan Perdana Menteri, dll." Pihak kepresidenan awalnya membantah keberadaan dokumen tersebut, sebelum Saied sendiri mengaku telah membacanya. Dia kemudian mengklaim dalam sambutannya di televisi bahwa dia tidak dapat dimintai pertanggungjawaban atas saran yang dia terima.   Namun, sumber kepresidenan mengatakan kepada MEE bahwa Saied menginstruksikan para pejabatnya untuk menyusun daftar target orang-orang yang dapat ditangkap. Untuk membuka jalan bagi hal ini, Saied mengambil alih kendali pengadilan sipil dan militer dan menyatakan dirinya sebagai jaksa agung. Dalam sebuah dekrit yang dikeluarkan Selasa malam (27/7/2021), Saied memecat Brigadir Jenderal Hakim Tawfiq al-Ayouni, yang mengepalai pengadilan militer. Presiden juga memberhentikan sejumlah pejabat senior pemerintah, termasuk sekretaris jenderal pemerintah, direktur kantor perdana menteri dan sejumlah penasihat. Namun, langkah tersebut menghadapi perlawanan institusional, dengan Dewan Kehakiman Tertinggi menolak keputusan Saied untuk menempatkan dirinya sebagai pejabat hukum senior pemerintah yang efektif. Dewan mengatakan dalam sebuah pernyataan setelah bertemu dengan Saied bahwa mereka menekankan independensi peradilan dan "kebutuhan untuk menjauhkannya dari semua perselisihan politik, dan bahwa hakim independen, dan tidak ada otoritas atas mereka dalam peradilan mereka kecuali hukum, dan mereka menjalankan tugasnya dalam ruang lingkup konstitusi". Komentar dewan itu muncul ketika pasukan keamanan Tunisia dilaporkan telah menggerebek rumah Rached Khiari, seorang anggota parlemen yang sebelumnya berselisih dengan Saied. Menurut laporan lokal, anggota parlemen itu tidak di rumah pada saat penggerebekan. Pada bulan April, Khiari menerbitkan sebuah video di halaman Facebook-nya yang menuduh Saied menerima dukungan dan dana asing untuk meningkatkan peluangnya memenangkan pemilihan presiden 2019. Khiari mengklaim bahwa dia memiliki dokumen dan video yang menunjukkan Saied telah menerima $5 juta melalui manajer kampanyenya, Fawzi al-Daas, dari seorang perwira intelijen yang bekerja di kedutaan AS di Paris. Kedutaan AS di Tunisia membantah klaim Khiari, sementara Daas mengajukan tuntutan hukum terhadapnya. (Sumber: middleeasteye)

from Konten Islam https://ift.tt/3ib93gV via IFTTT source https://www.ayojalanterus.com/2021/07/mee-perdana-menteri-tunisia-dipukuli-di.html

[ikmalfahmirasmi]

[ MAHASISWA MALAYSIA BANGKIT : #ISRAELKOYAK ] Saban hari kita diberitakan mengenai pembantaian saudara kita di Palestin oleh pihak Israel Zionis laknatullah. Maka adakah kita hanya berpeluk tubuh, melihat kekejaman dan kezaliman yang dilakukan keatas saudara kita? Seharusnya kita mengambil maklum dan cakna tentang situasi mereka serta berjihad dengan kemampuan yang ada. Meskipun dalam fasa PKP yang menghadkan aktiviti fizikal, namun ia tidak menjadi satu kekangan untuk berdemonstrasi solidariti kepada Palestin dan menyatakan pendirian kita yang jelas menentang puak zionis laknatullah dengan melaksanakan secara atas talian. Butiran demonstrasi adalah seperti berikut: 📆17 MEI 2021 🕰️ 8.30 Malam 🎥 Live Facebook Gabungan Mahasiswa Islam Se-Malaysia (GAMIS) Menampilkan tetamu hebat : 1. YB Ustaz Muhammad Khalil Abdul Hadi Pengerusi, Sekretariat #Aid4Palestine 2. Muhammad Arif Hakimi bin Maludin Pesiden, Gabungan Mahasiswa Islam Se-Malaysia (GAMIS) 3. Mr Rayyan Abdallah Head of public relations department, Palestinian Progressive Association Malaysia PPAM 4. Mr Muslim Imran Chairman, Palestinian Cultural Organization Malaysia PCOM 5. Nur Amirah bt Mohd Yahya Pengerusi, Sinergi Gerakan Mahasiswi (SIGMA) 6. Muhammad Darwisy Bin Roslan Presiden, Kesatuan Pelajar UIAM 7. Muhamad Hannan Mohd Haniff Yang Dipertua, Majlis Perwakilan Pelajar USIM 8. Muhammad Iqbal Hakim Bin Nadhri Yang Dipertua, Majlis Perwakilan Pelajar KUIS 9. Nurul Ashikin Binti Mustapha Timbalan Presiden, Ma'ruf Club UIAM 10. Muhammad Faiz Bin Mohamad Zawawi Presiden, Persatuan Ikatan Studi Islam UKM 11. Andi Muhamad Zulzharif bin Muhamad Presiden, Sekretariat Pendakwah Muda Malaysia USIM (SPMM) 12. Muhammad Waqiyuddin Najid bin Ab Hadi Presiden, Al-Azhar Members Club (ALAM) 13. Muhammad Tawfiq bin Norzamri Presiden, Persatuan Mahasiswa Hadhari UiTM Shah Alam 14. Badrul Amin B Johari Presiden, Persatuan Rakan Masjid UiTM Puncak Alam 15. Mohamad Rashdan Bin Ahmad Yusof Presiden, Persatuan Mahasiswa Islam UPM Ayuh hadirkan diri anda sebagai tanda bangkangan terhadap tindakan Zionis Laknatullah dan menyatakan kesediaan kita bersama Rakyat Palestin ! Reposted from @gamisoffic (at Gamis) https://www.instagram.com/p/CO94P4ShdXV/?igshid=1crub1k55k17c