Ahmed
Amin in his gem, "The dictionary of the Egyptian customs, habits
and expressions", has defined the word "Al-barakah" as the secret
clue of God and Prophets in all things.
If
the "barakah" reaches the money for example, the money will be increased
and become enough to cover much buying; If the "barakah" touches
the age, the age will be spent in great doings, and if the age lackes it,
it would be spent in useless doings, He adds, "The ( Mubarak ) man
is always a source of happiness to the people around him.
People
also called some seeds (herbs), "barakah herbs" or habb al-barakah
as they believed that they cure many diseases; they also named their children
"Barakah", "Mabrouk", "Barakat" and "Mubarak".
Surely
Ahmed Amin , who wrote his book in the period from 1938 to1953,
did not anticipate the coming "Mubarak" age in the modern Egyptian
history; otherwise, he would have had second thoughts about defining the
"Mubarak" man as always the source of happiness to the people around
him!
In
1981,
he ascended the Pharaoh's throne and delivered his first speech promising
that electing the same president will be confined to a maximum two successive
terms. And like a broken record the story is repeated!
The
continuous story could not be defined better than Amin's words,
"The relationship between the Egyptians and the ruler throughout history
used to be a relationship of injustice and oppression on the citizens in
favor of the ruling class, a foreign power, or a local oppressive one.
The relationship formed a heritage of beliefs, actions, expressions and
even jokes; and most significant, it formed the Egyptian's vision of their
small society and the bigger surrounding world.
The
society which knew "oppression" had to know many other matters
so it can adapt living under oppression to keep the continuity of life.
The social entity itself had to be divided into many classes, different
according to their portion of power and wealth, added Amin giving
a live example of Egyptian fondness for "titles" before the revolution
such as "Pasha", as many would offer all their wealth to get the
title, and of course their wealth was to be returned doubled later!!
The rush to be elected in "People's congress" or "Magles
el shaab" in Arabic - after the revolution- had the similar goal!
"Mubarak"
man is always the source of happiness to the people around him; but the
story of "Mubarak"'s Egypt was, on the contrary, a new chapter of
the suffering of the majority of simple Egyptians, who unfortunately missed
the "Barakah", which picked up only a very few individuals and put
them on the top of the new Egyptian pyramid! |