Masjid Istiqamah Formal Official Opening November 23, 2018!
Formal Official Opening of The Masjid Istiqamah Mafia Island Tanzania on November 23rd 2018 –
Masjid Istiqamah Video 1
Video 3
Check Previous Postings on the same topics here at http://www.mymajid.blog and also here at http://www.majidall.com
Photographs
Do Not Fly Me – Oman Air!
September 8th 2018 – Muscat – Oman.
Passengers – CAASLD
AlSulaimani/MajidSaidNasser Mr
AlSulaimani/SafiyaKhalilSaid Mrs
Trip – MCT-ZNZ-MCT
Muscat – Zanzibar – Muscat
ORIGINAL – GOING
Oman Air WY 0705 – MCT Muscat to ZNZ Zanzibar – August 24 2018 – Friday
Departure 09.10 – Arrival 13.15 Local Times
ORIGINAL – RETURNING
Oman Air WY 0708 From Dar es Salaam via Zanzibar – October 23 2018 – Tuesday
Departure Dar es Salaam 04.30 am – Zanzibar 06.00 am
Arrive Muscat 12.30
Not Allowed to board – WY 708 – Oman Air – ZNZ-MCT – 4th September 2018.
Final Return – WY 708 – Oman Air – ZNZ-MCT – 6th September 2018.
7 – OSI WY DIAGNOSIS – OBESITY HYPOVERUTIAL.
15. OSI WY DOES THE PATIENT NEED OXYGEN – YES 4L/M
Remarks
My wife and I were booked on the above flights to Zanzibar from Muscat return with our National Airline – Oman Air! We were planning to stay in Tanzania till October 23 2018 as per the above details flight information!
I worked in PDO in Employee Services and at that time I controlled on a First Signature only an annual budget of 18 million US Dollars. I was In Charge of all travels of the Company including Business Travel, Training Staff Leave etc. At the time Oman Air was under Gulf Air during my period of work!
Unfortunately, due to my medical condition we had to curtail our trip – and return early to Muscat. We changed the flight to as above details and we got confirmation from Muscat and even Call Centre Oman Air that our changed plans were in order!
When we reached The Oman Air Counter in Zanzibar on 4th September WY 708 – we were told that we could NOT FLY (sic!) because we had not intimated Oman Air to travel earlier – and Zanzibar nor Dar es Salaam have Oxygen Cylinder – nor does The Flight carry one!
We had a Formal Medical Letter signed by The Royal Hospital in Bowsher. The Sultanate Highest Hospital! An Oman Air part of The Same Sultanate of Oman Apparatus and System – wanted us to bring ANOTHER CERTIFICATION FROM A DOCTOR IN ZANZIBAR – as if The Royal Hospital documents that we travelled with from Muscat to Zanzibar were sort of ‘forged documents’!
If a forgery was to be made the more likely sources would be from where they wanted that the Documents! Even The Zanzibari Doctor (with links to Oman) was amazed bt this request from Oman Air – and he commented – Don’t they trust their own people?? Anyway, it is money for me – so No Problem!
On top of us being humiliated for Not Allowed To Fly – They Oman Air – I do not if it is Oman or Zanzibar – or even both? Nothing will surprise me the way Oman Air Treat The Omani People – especially in routes going to Zanzibar etc. Special Treatment for such Passengers? Even if there is great businesses – and the planes to and fro GO FULL BASIS CAPACITY!
Another Point!
Are Airlines Not Required to carry on board Oxygen Cylinders and Other Contigencies as per International Flying Standards as due to cabin pressures even healthy travelling passengers may require Oxygen due to Cabin Pressures?
Still Yet Another Main Point Here!
Oman Air is taking advantages of Omanis preferring to travel direct to Zanzibar etc!
Why does Oman Air fly SMALLER BOEING CRAFTS to Africa? Even the Business Class seats need much to be desired! I have flown flights with Oman Air to Salalah with WIDER Seats even! Do not talk about the toilet! Fat people like us can HARDLY GO IN!
For a long time, I have been hearing complaints about Oman Air from BOTH Staff and Travellers – but I put it to our usual whining on Petty Things concerning our National Institutions – till I learnt it the Hard Way flying Oman Air!
Oman Air – I Will Not Fly You Again! This Was My LAST FLIGHT WITH YOU!
DO NOT FLY ME – OH OMAN AIR!!!!
END
,,,,,
Late Nasser Yahya Sultan Al Wadhahi PBUH!
Message From The Children of Marehem Late Nasser Yahya Sultan Al Wadhahi!
Died and buried Friday August 3rd 2018 Muscat Oman.
In Swahili –
Asalaam Alaikum.
Kwa niaba ya watoto wa Marehemu mzee Nassor Yahya Sultan. Kwa heshima zote tunapenda kutoa shukran zetu kwa Wazee wetu na ndugu wote na marafiki na majirani kwa kuja kutufariji katika kipindi hiki kigumu cha msiba wa baba yetu kipenzi Nassor Yahya Sultan kilichotokea Royal Hospital tarehe 2/8/2018 saa 11 na nusu usiku. Pia tunatoa Shukran zetu kwa woote waliojaaliwa kutoa michango yao ya pesa na vyakula na shughuli zote za mazishi na matanga kutuwezesha kumaliza kwa salama. Asanteni sana sana na Mwenyezi Mungu atawapeni Rehma zake. Ameen.
Translation
Asalaam Aleikum! Peace Be Upon You!
We are the children of Our Father Late Nasser Yahya Sultan. It is with great respects and honour that we wish to express our thanks and gratitude to our Parents Elders Family Brothers Sisters Friends Relatives Neighbours – Royal Hospital Doctors Nurses and Staff and Others – for their help assistance participation contribution and condolences on our departed loved father Nasser Yahya Sultan who passed away on 2/8/2018 at 11.30 pm Intensive Care Unit Coma Royal Hospital Bowsher Muscat.
We thank you all for enabling the funeral and gathering to take place smoothly completely and successfully. Only Allah SWT Can Reward you for your help and Grant you Blessings Ameen.
May Allah Rest his soul in eternal peace in this world and the next – avoid for him the punishment of the grave – and open the doors for The Highest of Heavens Firdaus Ameen!************************************************************************************************
You Tube Video!
Goodbye; My Cousin Nasser Yahya Sultan Al Wadhahi
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DOD – August 3rd 2018
Muscat Oman
Death Announcement
Notification – In English
We are saddened to announce the death of our First Cousin Nasser Yahya Sultan Al Wadhahi at midnight Friday Royal Hospital in ICU.
Nasser had come for a visit to Oman a few months back and fell very ill. His Mother Allah Rahmah Bi. Latifah bint Nasser is our aunt and father Allah Rahmah Yahya Sultan Al Wadhahi is our Uncle.
Marhem Nasser body is still in Royal Hospital with today being Friday and he has Tanzanian Passport.
Attempts are at hand to bury Marhem in Oman and bulletin will follow from Brother Mohamed Said Nasser Al Suleimany Mawaleh +968 99417250 including Gathering Masjid Men and Home Ladies.
Innah Illaihi Wa Innah Illaihi Rajuun
Al Hamdu Lillah
Majid Said Nasser Al Suleimany
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Notification – In Swahili!
Tangazo La Kifo!
Tunasikitika kutangaza kifo cha Marhemu Nasser Yahya Sultan kilichotokeya Hospital ya Royal Hospital Muscat Oman munamo saa 6 usiku wa Ijumaa August 3 2018.Mpaka sasa maiti ya Marhem ipo Royal Hospital Muscat na haijulikaani kama atazikwa hapa Oman au maiti ya Marhem kusafirishwa kurudishwa Dar es Salaam Tanzania.
Itawezekana atazikwa hapa Oman ikiwa vyeti na rukhusa zitapatikana leo ikiwa Ijumaa.
Taarifa maelezo zaidi baadaye In Shaa Allah kwa Brother Mohamed Said Nasser Al Suleimany +968 99417250 Maawaleh
Kuna taratibu nyingi zinahitajika kwanza kumtoa Hospital kwa vyovyote vile ikikiwa kuzikwa Oman au kusafirishwa anyway!
Tangazo linatolewa na mimi ikiwa First Cousin upande wa Mama Shanghzi Marehemu Latifa bint Nasser na Marehemu Mjomba Yahya Sultan.
Innah Illaihi Wa Innah Illaihi Rajiuun
Mimi Majid Said Nasser Al Suleimany Muscat Oman. Samahani Kiswahili cha Ki Zamaani
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Building Masjid Jojo in Mafia Island!
Watch the Video!
Need for People to be Happy!
Face – Unhappy!
Why are people not happy despite all their possessions and social status?
The Offices!
In one of the Companies I worked in Oman in Human Resources, my American CEO told me this – Many of our Staff are literally unhappy lots – there may be some pretenses here and there of them being happy in their jobs – but the reality is many are not! Your first task is to find out why the Staff are not happy and find ways and means to rectify the situation as much as you can. If you need any support and or help – The Board is here to support you!
I do not want our Staff to feel that they are coming to work only because they have a family to feed and bills to pay! I need our Staff to feel happy that they are coming to work here – and looking forward happy to come again tomorrow – not scared and worried they will need to come back again to work!
The Homes!
Some months back, a family member had visited us from Tanzania! In one of his observances, he told me in confidence that he had noticed that many of the houses he had visited and had been invited to ‘were material, artificial and not real happy people’! There was a lot of acting and pretensions – but he could see through it!
He observed that back home they were less privileged and had less material things with them – but they went on with life more happy and contented. He said back home few possessed cars and other material things – but in comparisons back home people were happier and contented lots – even though they possessed far lesser material and other things! People were genuinely and naturally far happier!
He was not the only one! There were others who had come and said the same things! I noticed that too when I myself had last visited! Our family members were genuinely happy – with husband teasing and joking with the wife – and vice versa! There were no pretenses to act or show off their care, love and understanding to one another!
Here in Oman there are many houses with one or more cars parked outside – even if mine cannot move for them refusing to renew the Vehicle Mulkiya Registration! There very few had any car parked outside – maybe a motorbike or bicycle instead!
The house was full of gadgets, equipment and material things! There were 2 to 3 Televisions in the house – in some places there only one or no television instead! People lived hand to mouth – but were happy, satisfied and contented – even if they needed or wanted more in life – in the comparisons between the two!
I had also visited ‘quite well off’ and richer families – and even if some of them could be classified as that rich and endowed – but even there people were much happier and contented in comparisons!
I asked both an Indian and a Pakistani friend if these things were also true pertaining them – and they were affirmative! Even those families who did not know where their next meal would be coming from – they were still happier lots!
I saw a film once where this European was lamenting about a Chinese family living in the street – he commented – how can these people be full of cheers and laughter – and are yet still they are living in the streets? Where do they get their happiness from? How can they be happy?
One day my son was lamenting to me – When I am at home here as a kid – you shout at me! My wife now shouts at me! My boss shouts at me! When I am on the road other drivers shout at me (road rage!) I am afraid I may be fined for a traffic offence when actual it is the other car that committed the offence! Tell me Dad – How can I be happy?
We have also heard of The Country and Town Mouse story! The Country Mouse said – You may have luxuries and dainties that I have not,” she said as she hurried away, “but I prefer my plain food and simple life in the country with the peace, happiness and security that go with it.”
Poverty with security and happiness are better than the plenty in the midst of fear, unhappiness and uncertainty! – The Country Mouse said!
The UAE has indeed set a Ministry of Happiness and led by a young Emirati girl! I guess they have identified the problem – and doing something about it!
There are also issues in Broken Homes, Drug Abuse, Alcoholism, Family Relationships, Respect for Elders – and so on!
Related Articles!
https://myshorttakes.com/2016/05/24/still-burning-homes/
https://majidall.com/2011/07/28/between-us-only-still-burning-homes/
https://majidall.com/2012/03/02/cinder-fires-burning-between-us-only/
https://majidall.com/2016/08/27/the-need-for-kindness-consideration-and-compassion/
Images For Demonstration Purposes Only!
Writing to The Leaders!
Interfacing with The Leaders!
May 7, 2017
Late Ex President Gamal Abdul Nasser of UAR.
Long decades back, Late President Gamal Abdul Nasser of UAR (Egypt) visited Tanzania. As the Student Prefect, my role was to coordinate the activities for the School in lining up in the street across our School – and in waving Tanzanian and Egyptian flags! We were told that he might stop the motorcade and stepping out to greet us! Full of hope and anticipation, this, however, did not happen! We had just to accept the strong security around him – and the fast movement of the motorcade – despite his waving at the crowds!
However, I know where I was standing the motorcade had actually come down to a stop – before taking off again. For the first time I locked eyes with the Great Man – he smiled and waved at me! I was so dumb struck – and to this day I am not that sure if I had smiled and waved back or not?
Anyway, after his departure my Uncle got his first boy after a string of girls! He named the boy Gamal (Jamal) after the Egyptian Leader! He was a very happy person – and he wanted the Real Gamal to know about his son Gamal – and why he liked the name for his son! So he asked me – knowing my English was good – to write him the letter!
Frankly, I was convinced that he was just wasting his time as nobody would be interested whatever he named his son after – and wasted time and efforts! First, how do you write the letter and how do you send it? But my Uncle was determined – he wanted to write the letter – and to send it to President Gamal Abdul Nasser!
I told him it would be better for him to find someone who could write the letter in Arabic – and was indeed overall better – but he insisted English was just okay. After all Tanzania was not an Arab country (at least the Mainland!), and please write to him to say – because of your visit, I named my first son after you!
It must have touched some nerves there – because he got an acknowledgement letter and appreciating of his writing to him directly to The President. The letter was in English – and signed at the bottom by the Great Man himself! This was confirmed by The Egyptian Embassy – who were so emotionalised that they took a copy and put it on Board for Display. There was an address too where my Uncle could write directly in the future! His first letter was via The Embassy – who nice of them had actually forwarded the letter in the first instance!
The Embassy did not just ignore and shred the letter – as I thought they might do! And there was open communication upwards and downwards from The President too for that matter!
Far decades later, my brother Nasser also named his son Gamal (Jamal)! My brother also used to work in the Egyptian Embassy in Tanzania before coming to Oman! He keeps boasting that The President had asked about him at the Reception of the President (in Arabic!)
In the 1970s, there was a meeting at The Diamond Jubilee Hall of the President of Tanzania (Julius Nyerere) then with us students in his introduction of the famous Arusha Declaration (Socialism Policies!). I was sitting in the front row just opposite him! So in a wild manner chat he asked me to introduce myself to him – he was looking intently at fidgeting me! So I did! But the Headmaster asked me to repeat in a louder voice than the meeker one coming from me! After the meeting had ended, he said goodbye to me – and mentioning my name as he bid farewell!
President Nasser of UAR Egypt & Nyerere of Tanzania.
The Tanzanian (African) Housemaids Syndromes!
May 5, 2017
The Tanzania Woman Image!
I was planning to write this article in Swahili but half way I got stuck – because the Swahili I know and speak out is outdated model 2003 when I left Tanzania to return to Oman! There are a lot of new words now being used in Swahili – so sometimes you have to listen carefully to get the gist of the meaning – or ask the Speaker what the new words mean?
One of the topics that I had covered intensively in the start of my columns Between Us Only! in The Oman Daily Observer from January 2003 on wards to 12 years later was the topic of Housemaids! My first articles also in my first book Between Us Only! was also The Happy Housemaid! See image!
I do not consider myself as an Expert or Consultant on the topic! All I know is that we have a Filipino housemaid who has stayed with us for the past 22 years – and we consider her as family more than housemaid – even if she is Christian – but is more Islamic to many people that I know off! We in the Family have also recently like the trend have also started to take in Tanzanian Housemaids from both Mainland and also from Zanzibar! Years have passed – but still yet have not faced any issues! There are also from both Kenya and Uganda in East Africa for that matter!
There was a case, however, when one of them had forgotten her place ‘as Familiarity Breeds Contempt Scenario’ when she mistook the friendliness – and speaking to her in Swahili ‘that there was no boss formal role between us – but that was soon taken care of very soon afterwards! That is also how human nature is always!
Anyway, there is this audio that is going viral in The Social Media where purportedly this Tanzanian housemaid residing in Oman has gone on the air using very nasty foul filthy language insulting her bosses – especially The Omani Ladies without exception – and cursing Oman and Omanis. I would not like to repeat what she says – but you can get hold of it and listen to it if you know Swahili! If you do not know frankly I feel there would be very few willing to translate it to you by the very bad filthy foul language used!
Frankly, I would advise The Authorities to trace the audio and let her prove the allegation that a Tanzanian housemaid ‘was indeed murdered’ by her Omani lady boss – because the maid was very sick but the bosses refused her to go for medical treatment – and still forcing her to work despite her being very sick as it is! How she died is a bit vague – but this is what prompted this person to use foul filthy language against her Omani bosses!
The concept that if one apple (fish) is bad does not mean that the whole bag contents are bad seems to have deluded and missed her! Of course in each basket there are bad apples (eggs/fish) – that one cannot either deny – and it works on both sides of the equation (side!) for that matter!
Use of foul filthy language does not solve anything – it just portrays what type of a person you are whatever and however angry you maybe! It only makes a bad situation even to get more worse – it helps no one and it does not solve anything! In actual fact, as they say in both Swahili and in Arabic you have caused ‘fitna’ (friction discord fight enmity etc.)!
The Holy Quran and The Hadith are both very clear on how to treat the workers with us – and that treating even one slightly bad would invalidate all the otherwise good deeds you have performed in life – even opening for you the doors of Eternal Fire starting in your grave before The Day of Judgement Reckoning when you meet Allah SWT – and that too when you escape The Punishment on Earth – with the great Islamic Principle of ‘Being Bankrupted’ against your judgement in front of Allah SWT!
In one of The Hadiths Abdulla bin Umar RA narrates – When someone asked Nabii Muhammad SAW – How often was one expected to overlook his slave’s faults he was replied – after some silence and repeat of the question – Seventy times in a day!
Most of these housemaids (houseboys / drivers) driven by poverty more than anything else have left their homes family and country to come and look after you and your children and family! Just as you would not like your Office boss to mistreat insult you – the same ethic, principle etc. applies to you in your handling and dealing with those working for you!
And you more the housemaid than anything else for that matter should appreciate and value your job – as it more than take cares and looks after your own family back home! My housemaid with the years with us has built even a villa for her mother back home in Philippines!
There have been issues too with housemaids from other countries – but the East African one has taken up a nasty sour turn that may develop – if one is not careful – to sour relations of ties that have been historical since ages!
Day before yesterday a family member who had promised me some funds to send to build a Masjid Mosque was lamenting to me loudly why he should continue ‘when these people have still hatreds for us Omanis – and see how they think of us and curse us like this? I retorted to him – Brother this is only one ‘irate lady’ – but now how many audios are circulating from Tanzanian housemaids praising and justifying Omanis as good decent kind caring people – as we have always have known to be – despite some issues and problems here and there!
A Joint Investigation should be held between Oman and Tanzania on The Plight of The Housemaids and on The Purported Death Case if is true – and the culprits to be brought to justice – as we always do to Protect The Workers and in Human Rights!
Take Care!
*****
ADDED POINTS!
Be Merciful for Allah SWT to be Merciful to You!
“Whosoever of you sees an evil, let him change it with his hand; and if he is not able to do so, then [let him change it] with his tongue; and if he is not able to do so, then with his heart — and that is the weakest of faith.” [Muslim]
“He who does not show mercy shall see no mercy (from his Lord).” “Allah is not merciful to him who is not merciful to men.”
Debt: Relieving the person in debt
Abu Qatadah related that the Prophet said: If anyone would like Allah to save him from the hardships of the Day of Resurrection, he should give more time to his debtor who is short of money, or remit his debt altogether. (Muslim)
Relatives who are needy!
Abu Huraira narrated that the Prophet said: The best charity is that which is practiced by a wealthy person. And start giving first to your dependents. (Bukhari)
Salman ibn Amer reported that the Prophet said: To give something to a poor man brings one reward, while giving the same to a needy relation brings two: one for charity and the other for respecting the family ties. (Ahmad, Ibn Majah, Nasai, Tirmidhi)
Stinginess
Jabir reported that the Prophet said: Avoid doing injustice to others, for on the Day of Judgment, it will turn into manifold darkness, and safeguard yourself against miserliness, for it ruined those who were before you. It incited them to murder and treating the unlawful as lawful. (Muslim)
One Hadith in particular that underscores this message comes from a collection called An-Nawawi:
Whosoever removes a worldly grief from a Believer, Allah will remove from him one of the griefs of the Day of Judgment. Whosoever alleviates [the lot of] a needy person, Allah will alleviate [his lot] in this world and the next. Whosoever shields a Muslim, Allah will shield him in this world and the next. Allah will aid a slave [of His] so long as the slave aids his brother.
END
Images – African Women – For Demonstration Purposes Only!
The Happy Housemaid Article!
For Thursday – July 18th 2013.
Between Us Only!
The Telegraph Is No More!
Where we used to live as kids was this island off the main coast of Tanzania called Mafia – from the famous Omani Arabic word of ‘She Without’ – or locally known as Chole before the emigrating Omanis had named it as such! The reason was they were comparing this island with the bigger islands of what was once The Sultanate of Zanzibar – comprising the islands of Unguja and Pemba – and several others – and the eastern coasts of Africa – from Somalia to Mozambique as now! Mafia island is about 120 kilometres south of the commercial capital city of Tanzania named Dar es Salaam – the city of peace – by Sultan Majid – the Zanzibar ruler then!
Images – Telegrams – For Demonstration Purposes Only!
I was watching the mixed emotions of India closing down The Telegraph services as no more longer feasible and economical with the advent of the Internet, SMS and mobile phones (GSMs)! It reminded me of my youth days – where the only communication at the time with the outside world was the telegraph services – and even the radio to radio services sometimes did not work when there was bad weather and storms – which frequently hit the island! It would rain continuously day in and day out – for even 2 to 3 weeks unending and incessantly! My late father was a business person – shop keeper and transporter – and also as a plantation farmer – and many articles in my columns have been about this as kids!
In one of the funny anecdotes in India was this man sending a telegram to his son in UK – and it took 2 days to reach him there. The son was retorting to the father – why did you not send me an email – or a SMS message instead? And the father replying that ‘old habits die hard – and I just did not think about it then’! In the olden days when you received a telegraph it was usually associated with bad news – that is why people dreaded most when one received a telegram! Though sometimes came in good news – like it is a boy! Or a girl!
Images – Telegrams – For Demonstration Purposes Only!
In the place – there was this mysterious and weird strange Omani called ‘The Bedouin’! Nobody knew who gave him or ‘framed him’ that name – except it stuck until his dying day when it was said loud for all to hear that Mr. Bedouin had died! He was a loner – a mysterious and keep to himself individual – and he used to scare some of us that he had magical and bewitching powers! He went to Africa alone – leaving all his family behind!
It was rumoured that he had ‘magical powers’ and he could fly at night all the way to our home town Hayll Al Ghaaf in Quriyaat – though originally our grandparents came from Manah! One day I teased him ‘to teach me to fly with him’ – and he retorted that ‘you need to be really brave to be able to achieve such a feat’ – when I teased him – M being M even as a boy! – that I wanted to see his magic carpet he flew at night times!
Mysterious Flying Spotted!
Seriously though, he would fly more during dates harvest times – and what he showed us was real fresh dates – but everyone was scared to ‘try them’ – and this made him more sad, lonely and miserable! I have not seen the dates myself – but my late elder brother – born in Oman – swore he did – and even ate some! Our poor late mother warned us to keep away from the person – but poor late dad with the usual S tribe sense of humour and wit – thought it all funny!
Coming to the point – one day this Bedouin came to the family shop – and called out loud – Said Nasser? (my father!) – Come out here! I have bad news to tell you! As most people had already discounted him already – anyway my father invited him in! But the man insisted for my father to come out to be seen visibly clear! Then he told my father – Your Mother yesterday night had died in Oman – Allah Preserve our soul! He repeated the message twice!
Images – Telegrams – For Demonstration Purposes Only!
My late father – I could see his face turn all the colours – but there was still denial. Then he said to my father – If you don believe me – please mark the time and day. 40 days later the letter arrived from Oman – and it was all true and correct! At the time was the joke our late father had received an Express Telegram from Oman – but the joke died soon afterwards when the letter came! The letter was the confirmation that we needed to take the person more seriously – even if we refused to accept the ripening dates he brought back!
Images – Mafia Island.
Another incident I remembered as a boy of 10 then in that island of Mafia, was losing the money for the telegram my late father was sending to the Income Tax department in the capital – thus a very important document! I was scared to tell my father – so I begged the Post Official ‘that I will pay him one day’ – but please send the telegram for now! When I told him why I was so scared to tell my father the truth – he sent the telegram as requested – but he accompanied trembling me to my father to get the money – and ‘not to scare your children that much – old man’! The money was never found – and even after frequent retracing of my steps from home to the Post Office per se!
Years later, when in the oil company as a young man – until the 1980s – we used to still use telegraphic messages and telegrams! As a HR Officer, I could send messages to especially UK – but also to The Netherlands and USA – Houston! And also receive messages! During duty week times, I was able to get to read all the telexes that came in for the company – even confidential and oil related – and the ‘coded’ ones too! The power was calling the concerned parties for action – for 3 days every 3 months you got to act as the MD of the Company! Just imagine – all the power and so associated and related – just because of telegraphic messages then!
In the UK as a student then in the 1970s, you could dictate a telegram by the phone! So I was sending this telegram to our relatives in Dar es Salaam – Tanzania – but later we found out it was sent to Jerusalaam in Palestine instead! The pun was taken out as the message was very important at the time!
Like they say in life all good things do not last – and they have to end one day! But ‘the Bedouin story’ beats all odds and everything the telegram did – or was able to do! First of all – there were no telegrams then in the home town – and how, where and how you will address it – even if there were? Just imagine!
Take Care! Ramadhan Kareem!
By Majid Al Suleimany
For Sunday May 19th 2013.
Between Us Only!
Are You Afraid?
Or The (African) Island Touch!
Do you believe in these paranormal ghost things? These things were common occurrences in this place!
The Island – When I was a young boy in this island I grew up in East Africa (Mafia – not the Italian one) but the Arabic one for the place (island) without (She without) – also known locally as Chole – there were a lot of scare and weird stories there. These are not tales that I was told, but had actually experienced myself, family and or by my close friends! See Mafia Island Images Below!
So Afraid?
For example? Like cars cutting off engines whenever they reached one special baobab tree, especially after evening prayers (Maghrib) and for no reason. It never happened when our late father (pbuh) was there! In one incident when it happened, my late father shot in the air – and the truck mysteriously restarted!
See Fear Images Below
There was this beautiful damsel wandering in the night (very tall fair Arab lady). They said she was a ‘Jinn’ (ghost, fairy) trying to trap gullible (and usually drunk) men. It was said she actually walks through walls. If that will not scare you to run (and forget all others ideas you had in your head) what else will? I never met her – but our houseboy did! We heard his screams late at night!
We used to mock these things that they used to make people collect cashew nuts whilst they thought they were dreaming it in their sleep – only to find it the hard way when their hands reeked of cashew fruit next morning!
Travel Express by Night – One old Bedouin (Omani) telling my father one day early morning ‘that our grandmother had died in Hail Al-Ghaaf (Quriyaat)’. In those days mails took a month, when the letter was received, it was the exact date (the man had insisted to my disbelieving late father to write down the date!).
It was said this man traveled at night (how – do not ask me! I never asked him, nor did I want to find out!) to and back to Oman. To prove his point, he had fresh ripening dates in his house (guess nobody ate them except himself, who else in his right mind would want to try?) It was always in summer time – I came only to know when I returned to Oman in 1972 was the time of dates!
There were so many stories In this island, of so many stories of people changing into ‘cats and monkeys’ and coming to people’s houses (we used to think our poor dad (pbuh) had lost it, when he used to shout at them in Arabic – to go away, and they actually did!).
There is also this one! How my late elder brother (pbuh) beat a cat badly because it ate his food. Next day he was seriously sick, everybody said he was a goner. They had to go to apologise to an old African man who looked like he was just beaten up! Only then my brother recovered.
The Haunted Hotel Room – The hotel Reception offered me this room on the top floor. It was at a reduced rate. The Reception Staff lady said to me – You are Omani. So you will be okay in the room! I refused to take chances – and rightly too – as it emerged that the room was haunted – and there was an evil presence in the room. Next morning the people found themselves on the floor thrown from the bed – in the bath tub – and hearing angry hissing voices – like get out from my master’s bed!
I would have discounted this as just whim. But I met someone later one I knew well who had tried the room – and met exactly the same fate. It seemed the hotel was housed in a large family house belonging to an ex Omani famous family. Some of the family members were massacred in the Revolution – and the rest had all left the place soon afterwards!
The Singing Pretty Damsel – There was a great disbelief – but one person was ready to swear on his mother’s grave – that he had a glimpse of her at the haunted house as dusk was setting! Only two brothers lived in the house. They were aloofers – and were marked as hermit misers! The man swore he had never seen such a beautiful woman before in his life – she had long hair – and was singing a Faiza Ahmed (Arabic) song! She was tall and very fair in complexion. When he looked into the window – she instantly disappeared – but he felt his whole body going into a chill! Then the fierce dog of the house barked loudly – and he just ran non-stop back to the village!
The People of the Night! – As kids we used to go out early in the morning before dawn to collect fresh fallen from the trees mangoes! In one place we heard as if someone was moving in the shrubs near us – moaning loudly! Next day we met this old local woman who kept staring at us! She was known as a Mchawi – Mwanga – or as you and I understand as a witch!
She lamented to us – You be careful in your fruit mango picking things – because you are disturbing some other people out doing their thing (job: business)! Lucky they know you – or they could have harmed you! Actually we did not really need to collect the mangoes – as they were always being sold to us the family very cheap! But boys will always be boys! We stopped the mangoes collecting exercises soon after this!
The Big Question – The big question I keep asking myself since a kid! How come the people practicing these are always still poor, destitute and in need? Or why don’t they help us fight our adversaries?
Hope I did not scare you in the process! Being scared and afraid is normal human trait and behaviour – nothing illogical, alien or strange either! Or illogical and inconclusive either!
Take Care!
By Majid Al Suleimany
Mafia Island Images Below
Mafia Island Images Above
ADDENDUM
The Very Tall (UFO) Person – Our farm boy was returning to the farm at Wayani late at night. Then he saw this very tall looking person, pulling chains tied to him! When asked if he was local or not – he said I did not stop to look! But the tall person was wearing the long white dress put for funeral purposes! The man was admitted in the hospital for acute shock! He was exclaiming loudly what he saw at the hospital ward. Two days later he had died! People just put it to him turning mad and senile – and seeing things! But was it really? True the man liked the local drink Uraka – made from fermented cashew fruits! But is it that all to make the person so scared … to death?
The Car Lift Gone All Wrong! It was coconut picking season time. So he was driving very late at night. He nearly hit the local woman who was standing on the road – after his car beams picked her out from the shadows! So he asked her – Mother – what are you doing late at night? Get in the car – I will take you to the village. She reluctantly got in! After awhile talking incessantly to her – but she was not answering – so he turned around! She was not in the car!
A few miles on – he saw her again by the side of the road! This time she was stopping him for a lift! Again she was standing in the middle of the road! He said to me – I drove through her. I thought I hit something – because I found the car shaking! He did not stop – or look back. He put loud the Quraan cassette – and reciting along! When he told the villagers – they did not disbelieve him! They mentioned one old woman who had died many years ago! The woman was famous for asking for lifts!
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