THE CAB RIDES I'LL NEVER FORGET

Picture - Gulf news

The last week has been extremely hectic for me. I had a hundred and one errands to run from sending all my belongings back to South Africa, to closing up banking accounts and of course doing last minute shopping. Naturally I was in and out of many cabs as I did not wish to inconvenience my friends from taking me from point A to point B. Whilst chatting to a taxi driver some time back, I recall him telling me that he has the best job in the world as he interacts with many weird and wonderful characters on a daily basis from all walks of life; each passenger having their own identity with their own fair share of problems, trials and tribulations. Over the past few years in the Kingdom I have come across my own fair share of colourful taxi drivers. Last week a friend of mine brought his sister to Riyadh for a course at the university. We had planned to meet up at the hotel around lunch time. They were residing at the Golden Tulip hotel. I called the limousine service and the Indian driver arrived promptly within a few minutes. I enquired if he knew where the hotel was located and he replied in the affirmative. During the long half and hour trip down town Riyadh in peak traffic, he did not speak a single word. Suddenly the car came to an abrupt screeching halt opposite an old delapidated building. " This is the hotel madam. You go now." he said. On top of the building there was a sign that read Golden Tulip Olaya house. I asked the driver to please wait until I find out if this is the hotel as the building looked old and run down. The entrance of the building was also closed with a chain and lock. As I got off the car the driver simply sped off without waiting for me. He basically left me in the middle of nowhere. After enquiring from a shop owner round the corner, it was established that the hotel was located there initially but has been closed down a few months ago. Eventually I had to take another cab and make my way in the opposite direction to the new Golden Tulip hotel located in the Nasriyya area of Riyadh. That same evening I headed off to Hayat mall to meet some friends for dinner. My taxi driver was a young gentleman from Pakistan who initially thought that I was a Saudi woman. He quoted me a rate that was exorbitantly high compared to the normal rate and only after conversing with him in urdu did his price come down. He was extremely shocked to discover that I was a South African woman and enquired about my roots. He wanted to know where did I learn urdu from. In Saudi Arabia your nationality determines your standard of living and governs all aspect of your life within the Kingdom. Within the taxi industry the nationality issue also rears its ugly head with Pakistani drivers complaining about their Saudi counterparts and vice versa. This driver told me not to ever travel with a Saudi taxi driver as they are not safe and a Saudi driver I met during one of my shopping trips told me that all Pakistani drivers are dogs and that they overcharge Saudi women. As you can see this is a definite case of the pot calling the kettle black. Any way, behind this Pakistani driver's bright smile lurked an inner sadness. Whilst waiting in the traffic he related a story to me about his brothers daughter who was born with a metabolic disorder. Under the auspices of the late King Fahad, the family were granted permission for the child to be treated at a hospital in Riyadh that specializes in genetic disorders. His nieces name was also Sumayya and apparently she also had beautiful eyes. When King Fahad passed away, Abdulla was sworn in as the King of Saudi Arabia and with Fahad's death, their royal decree was no more. They required a new approval. During this approval process, Sumayya became very ill and was admitted to hospital for 15 days. When she was discharged from hospital she was given a few months supply of medication. Due to red tape and bureaucracy their application requesting for treatment at the hospital was taking an eternity to process. When her medication supply was depleted her family were unable to obtain more medication from the hospital and getting the drugs from overseas would take time. Sumayya became worse with each passing day and eventually succumbed to her death. The driver had tears in his eyes and then took out a photo of his beloved niece from his wallet to show me. She was the apple of his eye. I felt sad and heart sore when I heard the driver's story. After having dinner with my friends I decided to make my way to Lulu hypermarket. Naturally I flagged down a cab from outside the mall. The driver happened to be a young 23 year old Saudi gentleman. I got the impression that he only reason he took up this profession part time was to get in touch with the female species of his nation...lol. As soon as I got into the car he was chatty wanting to know which part of Saudi Arabia I hailed from and what was my profession. He was also under the impression that I am a Saudi woman. The car weaved its way through peak traffic coming to a screeching halt on two occasions when two cars unexpectedly tried cutting in front of us. Halfway through my destination we came to a traffic signal and a young Saudi gentleman pulled up next to us in a beautiful white mercedez benz. The driver of the car rolled down his window and my driver was under the impression that the gentleman required assistance with directions. I was shocked to hear the man in the other car asking my driver to request for my mobile number. He also said that the driver should ask me to get off the car and leave me at the street corner. In that way I will find it difficult to find another cab and out of desperation I may just decide to hop a ride with him. I asked my driver to roll up his window. When the traffic signal turned green, my driver sped off down the road with the white mercedez benz chasing us until I reached the entrance of Lulu hypermarket. My cab driver seemed quite happy and excited to motor away down the road weaving his way through the traffic whilst the famous Iraqi singer Majed al Muhandis gave us company. My driver was a big fan of his and mind you he sang the songs ' ana hanyet' and 'atawassal beek" in a really melodious voice. I even suggested that he should take up a career in singing as he was very talented in my opinion. As a side note in 2010 the Iraqi public were quite disappointed to discover that their best singer Majed Al muhandis gave up his Iraqi nationality to take up Saudi nationality. Many of my Saudi friends were quite amazed at how the man got citizenship when there are thousands of people who have resided in the Kingdom for fifty years and more but have not acquired nationality. These individuals have been working in Saudi all their life. Their kids have been brought up like Saudi children with Arabic being their primary language. Newspaper reports at the time suggested that perhaps a member of the ruling family was smitten with the artists singing ability and that is why he was offered instant Saudi citizenship. The taxi driver that I will never ever forget was a Saudi gentleman in his late thirties. Mom and I encountered him a year ago during a shopping trip to Sahara mall. What really surprised me about him was the fact that he was immaculately dressed. I then discovered that he was an Arabic teacher at a well known school and because he had two wives residng in two different cities he worked as a cab driver after school to earn extra money. Whilst chatting to him he asked why doesn't my friend speak a word. He was under the impression that my mom was my friend. Mom does not know how to speak Arabic and hence she was silent during the entire trip. " Is your friend married? I have an elder brother who is not married so I can arrange for her to marry him. What about you, are you married?" he asked. I also played along in the conversation and when we finally reached the compound I informed him that I was not accompanied by my friend but rather I am with my mom. He was so embarrassed and shocked that his face turned tomato red. He got off the car and hurriedly opened mom's door. He complimented mom telling her that she looked extremely young for her age and then he apologized for asking too many personal questions. He also refused to take the money for his services rendered to us. I recall mom and I having a good laugh when he drove off. Oh and I forgot to mention my encounter with a cab driver who does matchmaking as well. He tried hooking me up with an American doctor that utilized his services on a daily basis. Whilst it feels good being able to drive a car in South Africa I do miss riding in a cab not having to worry about the stress of driving in peak traffic. South Africa needs to implement a better public transport system that is safe and efficient. According to writer Scott Murray, there is a small town in Saudi Arabia where young men aspire to become cab drivers in New York city. If they are able to fulfill their dream they then become the pride of their hometown. Whilst elite members of society may frown upon taxi drivers as being a part of a lower socio -economic group, it is the world's second oldest profession and without them the world's oldest profession may not have been able to operate.

Sophia - a novel by Shafinaaz Hassim

Shafinaaz Hassim is an artist who dabbles in words and colours. She lectures in Sociology. Being an avid fan of Rumi, it is not surprising that she is an accomplished poet as well as a women's rights activist. She is also the author of Daughters are Diamonds (2007), Memoirs For Kimya (2009) and Belly of Fire (ed 2011). Her latest book Sophia- a novel has received critical acclaim all over South Africa to the point that during the premiere night of the movie Race II, at Avalon Suncoast South Africa, the group director, AB Moosa made special mention about the book in lieu of his links to the Real Men Campaign against gender-based violence, and presented a copy to the Indian Consul-General. Having received full coverage with regards to the launch of her latest book in the Sunday Times, The Post and various other national publications, I am truly honoured to be able to interview a charismatic and dynamic woman who has chosen to highlight pertinent and hard hitting social issues that undoubtedly affects all societies across the globe through her books. Read on to find out more in her own words.

Nationality: South African

Education Background: I studied undergrad Bachelor of Architectural Studies at Wits, and then changed course and undertook an Arts degree instead. I completed a Masters in Social Science at the University of the Witwatersrand in 2003

Pet Peeve: People who don't have basic social ettiquette and respect, and who display racism, sexism, superiority etc.

Drink that you would order at a coffee shop: Cappuccino or Chai Latte

1. Firstly, thank you for agreeing to be interviewed despite your very hectic lifestyle.So tell me who is Shafinaaz Hassim? Tell me a little bit about your background. Where were you born? Basically a brief synopsis of your life from a child up until university.
I grew up in a small city called Polokwane and went to a local school in an area that was under apartheid times, reserved for children who came from Indian families. Growing up in a close-knit community meant that everyone knew everyone else, and im grateful for the nurturing environment that familiarity provided. I moved to Johannesburg when I was 18 in order to study Architecture at Wits, before I found my delight in the Arts faculty. I had always enjoyed writing, but only once I had the choices of psychology, sociology, african literature, philosophy and political science, did I realise that I'd found my place. My Masters thesis provided the inspiration for my first book which was published in 2007, dealing with women's biography and aspects of how women are objectified and the stigma of perceived deviance that they face in traditionalist societies.

2. Focusing on your latest book Sophia, the main theme of the book highlights domestic violence within a typical South African Indian family. What inspired you to write a book about a pretty much taboo subject within the Indian community? Have you been a victim of abuse or have you come across family members or friends that are a part of an abusive relationship?
As a trained sociologist, with a specific interest in women's narrative my first book, Daughters are Diamonds, really documented the begins of my research into womens lives, and the various themes that came about as a result of being subjected to the honour code. And from the courses taught based on the book, and writings that developed afterwards, I realised that the issue of domestic violence needed more debate and in order to do so from within the Indian Muslim community, I started writing it using fiction instead of analysis. I wanted to reach an even larger audience with this topic, taking debates beyond the realm of academia. The characters in the book are constructed of various interview data from stories of abuse.

3. Was writing always your passion? When did the realization set in that you wanted to pursue a career in writing?
I've kept a journal since the age of about 12, and delighted in making regular notes of my thoughts and experiences. these written journals soon became yearly cd's with documents copied off my computer, and then i began a blog called http://memoirs4kimya.blogspot.com in 2005. When the writings began to collect an audience (something I hadnt anticipated) the writing changed from personal reflections to poetry and prose that reflected the work that i was doing. In 2009 i published a blog to book collection of poetry and prose, called Memoirs for Kimya. It is a tribute to the spiritual reflections of Rumi's adopted daughter, Kimya.

4. Your books have received international recognition.I am sure that the journey though was not all smooth sailing. What were some of the hardships you faced in terms of following your dream and wanting your books to be recognized on a national as well as an international level?
Well, when my first book was launched, I could never have anticipated that it would turn national bestseller of its own accord. The intention was merely to take research that may have stood on a library shelve and put it out onto the public domain so to speak in order to allow people to read and comment on its findings. A year later I was invited to present a course based on the book at UKZN, and while presenting courses, seminars even at Humboldt in Berlin and at the University of the Witwatersrand, I began to write up the stories in fiction, either short stories, a collection of which was published as part of a collaborative work in 'Belly of Fire' in 2011 and this novel, 'SoPhia' in 2012. The response and demand for stories has taken a snowball effect, and has been able to penetrate even commercial spaces in a rather small reading market as is South Africa. Internationally, books and ebooks are sold online via the various Amazon portals as well as in the bookchains in the Emirates, and in India.

5. What topics and subjects are you the most passionate about?
Women's issues, the cultural laws that administer womens lives, and issues that pertain to how Muslim women are perceived and portrayed by media, are topics of great interest to me. I also take a great interest in ways to improve literacy in general.

6. If someone could grant you one wish and you could choose to have any skill or talent in the world, what would it be?
  I wish that I could heal pain. We're a world so filled with trauma, that I wish I could help to dissolve and erase some of it.

7. What are your favourite websites?
Twitter of course :) I get all my headlines, updates, news and interaction at Twitter.

8. What are your thoughts on polygamous relationships?
  I think that transparency is important. In many instances, women are unaware of their rights and men are not mindful of their responsibilities and so then, instead of working towards strengthening our social structure, as is the case with numerous examples in SA society, women and children end up being put to a disadvantage in terms of inheritance, issues of care, etc. if men claim that their right to remarry is a sign of Righteousness they need to also be made conscious of their responsibilities, the implications of equal treatment and fairness and not use it to exploit the women.

9. If you were not a poet/lecturer/author what would you be doing?
 I would be living on an island or at the coast, painting, of course...

10.What is your opinion about interfaith marriages?
 People make decisions on how to live together based on mutual understanding, and interfaith marriage is largely dependent on the intention of each partner and the responsibility to each other as well as their belief system. If how you felt about something as defining as a life philosophy or belief was greatly opposed to how your partner felt, the long term status of that relationship might not be guaranteed. But I believe that early on, they would need to communicate what their marriage would mean in bringing up children, etc. If they're able to define and agree on the parameters, it can work.

11. Define success...What does success mean to you?
  I may figure this out when I arrive there someday...for now, there's still much work to do

12. Where do you see yourself five years from now? What are your future plans?
I continue writing, without a timeline, as long as a shift in thinking can happen with every project, the future will take care of itself

13. As you do know that Saudi Arabia is a country where limited women's rights exist. Women are not allowed to drive and can only pursue a career path within specific sectors mainly teaching and healthcare. Only recently the King has afforded women the right to vote and be a part of the Shuraa Council. What advise would you give to Saudi women who are trying to make their voices heard within a dominant patriarchal society?
Saudi women should be writing more, making their voices heard in online and print media, and speaking in forums of engagement where womens issues can be raised and discussed, as well as where women are able to learn and be empowered around their rights.

14. What advice would you give to a young student who wants to pursue a career in writing?
Best advice if you want to be able to write, is to read! Read in every genre that you enjoy, and keep a creative journal to write in. But first, read.

15. Through your books you have given the public an opportunity to change their mindset with regards to domestic violence and abuse. What other methods could we as a society adopt in order to bring about effective change?
I think that as a society, we need to stop thinking that crime affects someone else, and that domestic violence is a private issue. another problem we encounter is victim blaming. we need to take responsibility as a society, and instead of standing back, we need to get involved wherever we can in order to find solutions.

16. I assume that you follow the Islamic faith. Do you think that our Imaams in the masjid can play a bigger role in terms of highlighting social issues such as violence against women, drug addiction and abuse against the elderly?
I definitely think that raising the issue in the mosques will do much to create a greater awareness of social ills and more than that, the lobbying of our Imaams around community issues, and their ability to bring the community together with the intention to put proactive programmes together to eradicate the problems can be a progressive and effective method. It can already be seen that faith based organisations garner much support for various forms of activism around political and societal issues.

Once again, thank you Shafinaaz for taking the time to answer these questions. Desert Moon wishes you all the best in your future endeavours!!!
If you wish to get in touch with Shafinaaz you may contact her through her twitter and facebook pages.
Twitter: www.twitter.com/shafinaaz or @shafinaaz

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ShafinaazHassim

You may also interact with her through her blog. I highly recommend you to visit her blog. Her writings are filled with inspiration and her poetry is simply thought provoking.
Blog Address: www.memoirs4kimya.blogspot.com


A brief review of the book Sophia - a novel in the authors own words.

The book's main characters, Zarreen and Akram, are a 30-something married couple, with three children, living in Johannesburg. Their marriage is an extremely violent one, but Zarreen believes it is her social duty to keep silent for the sake of her children. Her parents think she's happy. Akram is a successful businessman who likes to win. As a foil to the main couple, Zarreen's brother and his wife experience the typical ups and downs of married life, but misunderstandings never turn violent. We are made to see the impact that events have on each of the children. Zarreen relies on her sister for advice, and mostly she confides in her housekeeper, Selma, with whom she shares a friendship, but she in turn dispenses advice to Selma to leave an abusive boyfriend - advice she doesn't take in her own marriage.

SoPhia was written not only to tell a story, but to move beyond the assumptions we make about abusive relationships and to reveal avenues for healing both victims and perpetrators. It is about what we expose young children to, and how we treat each other, and ourselves.

'Sophia' is published by WordFlute, and is retailing at R180. The book is available at selected stores in South Africa but can be purchased online as well.

124-year-old Muslim woman refused to sell her religion for money and fame

 

The head scarf was the only hindrance in the way for the oldest woman in the world to enter the so-called Guinness World Records.

124-year-old Palestinian Maryam Hamdan Ammash, her sons and grandsons refused to meet the condition of the Guinness team for the aged woman to take off her head scarf and appear on TV.

Maryam's family members said that their grandmother who has performed the Haj (Pilgrimage) five times in her life and performed Umrah ten times refused to commit a sinful act even for getting eternal with entering the Guinness World Records.

"There have been serious discussions about Maryam entering the Guinness World Records breaking the record of the French Jeanne Louise Calment who lived 122 and a half years. A team of the Guinness team visited Maryam and her family last March to this end", said Mahdi Helmi Ammash, a grandson of Maryam in an interview with Gulf News.

"Armed with official documents including her birth certificate, identity card and other documents, we will not give up our grandmother's right to enter the Guinness World Records for the longest human lifespan even after her death," he said.

Maryam died last Saturday after she lived for 124 years and scores of people from around the world are attending her ongoing condolence session held in her home village of Jisr Al Zarqa'a, near Haifa of the 1948 areas.

Maryam who held a Turkish birth certificate and an identity card which clearly stated that the woman was born in 1888, became undoubtedly the oldest woman in the world.

"This fact is beyond doubt and that all officials who paid visits to my grandmother have confirmed it and this is documented with the family", said Mahdi.

Maryam had ten children, the youngest of whom died a long while ago. With four sons and five daughters who survived, she had hundreds of descendants, estimated at 600.

"Maryam's grandsons were grandfathers when she died as the grandmother of four generations," he said.

"Maryam's relationship with her children, grandchildren and their children and grandchildren was astonishing, knowing them one by one and following their lives in details," he said.

"The wise Maryam, despite her old age, was the spiritual leader to all her family members who trusted her views and followed them almost blindly," he stressed.

The woman was known in her village to be totally focused and balanced and she acted as a paediatrician who provided medical treatment for the newly born and infants.

"We keep instruments which Maryam carefully kept since the Turkish rule in Palestine to treat the little ones", he said, adding that visitors from around the 1948 areas visited Maryam seeking treatment which she provided for free.

The aged Maryam was an active woman despite her years and known to be a social entity who visited people on all their occasions.

When a representative of the Guinness told her that they can make her a well-known personality, she answered with a question - "And will that make me happy?"

Representative, with a little hesitation, replied that probably it would make happy her and her family.
She asked a second question:
"How old are you?" To which he replied - 43.
She smiled and said - "And most of all, you are not a Muslim ...?"
Surprised man asked why these issues may be of any importance and what she wanted to say?

To which Maryam replied.
- "You are old enough to distinguish between what is right and what is not. But you are not a Muslim. That means either you are too small to distinguish truth from delusion, or you are an imbecile. Because only a child or imbecile would believe that it will make him/her happy to be glorified among the same mortals like himself. When he risks being thrown into shame in the eyes of the Creator.
So what should I choose - the woman said - to be glorious amongst those themselves are inglorious or to be glorious amongst the lucky owners of the Contentment of the Creator, me, you, him and all those whom you represent"?

Guinness representative did not know what to say.
Maryam said:
- "Go away and grow up to start thinking if you do not have the answer. And I promise not to die until you get back - she joked at the end".

The most surprising fact was that the man embraced Islam in 7 months afterwards. And after another 4 months Maryam Hamdan Ammash died.

It is quite a mystery - why Guinness Book needed the old Muslim woman to remove her scarf ...?

Source:
http://www.kavkazcenter.com/eng/content/2013/02/03/17338.shtml

My farewell ma3assalama party 2013 ..:((((((((((((((