Thursday, October 20, 2011
Salam
Posted by
محمد الفيلالي
10:55 AM
I can hardly maintain my family, but I am surviving
anyway. I feel pity for those who cannot afford their least needs. I have
worked as a guard in a car-park in Tetuan every day since August 9, 1999 like a
slave for a low wages. I meet tourists from different nationalities. I must
admit that most of them are well educated people. But, sometimes there are
exceptions. That is not a pretext for me to say that all western people are
arrogant. I speak three foreign languages: Spanish, French and English. This is
my advantage. It helps me explain myself far better than the false guides a
tourist finds in the street. Some of the tourists I met asked about safety in
the country and I assured them that my country is safer than many western
countries. So, they had nothing to worry about. They asked me about terrorism
and I told them violence has nothing to do with Islam, which already bears the
meaning of peace and the daily Islamic greeting is Salam. Unfortunately, I had
a bad experience in the summer of 2007. There was a jam in the car-park. It
happens all over the world during summer time. A European burst out like an
insane saying we are all animals. I came
up to him. I saw he was smoking. I asked him:
“Have you ever seen an animal smoke? A bird, a cow... But, you smoke!
Anyway, me the animal, I am going to pay for you.” A girl, who was behind him
in the car, told me he was drunk. I said: “That’s why he is so sincere!”
I
neither smoke nor drink alcohol. When I am walking, I worry about the ants on
my way. Muslims, all over the world, are expected to act civically and not
respond to provocation whatever the case. Remember the words of the prophet who
was hurt by his own people and bleeding, but prayed: «Allah (God), forgive my
people, they do not know!” To defend the prophet we only need to set good
examples to the rest of the world, not by insulting those who insult him. Let
us be live characters like the true believers we read about in Koran: “and when the
ignorant address them [harshly], they say [words of] peace,” Patience and wisdom! Islam
is synonym of peace. Never forget this! And remember, the first message to the
prophet was: “Read!” The more you read the better you can face the world.
Slavery
I have worked in a car-park in Tetuan, north of Morocco, like a slave since August 9, 1999. Every day is an appointment with a nightmare called my boss. I began working for as little as 3 Euros a day. Gradually I have come to earn 7 Euros, which is, indeed, half the salary I deserve. I never stopped working as I have no right at all but the right to shut up according to my boss.
"I won't listen even if you spoke!" - he would say.
I cannot even dream of a paid holiday. But, of course, I was fired many times for no real reasons at all. Most of the customers are happy with my behavior. If it were not for their generosity, I would not be telling you stories. I know there are cases worse than mine. That is why I am telling bosses all over the world stop treating workers as if they were slaves !
Roman
“Après mon premier roman en espagnol "Un Intrus Inattendu",
je prépare mon deuxième roman en français cette fois. La plupart des gens ont aimé mes deux livres.
Je ne suis pas sensible à la flatterie. J'essaie toujours de faire mieux. Dans mon prochain roman, j'expose la réalité
qu'on discute sans cesse mais qu'on n'ose guère changer.”
En fait, notre problème n'est pas la pauvreté, sinon la mauvaise éducation!
About me
I am Mohamed Failali. I was born on 23/11/1969. I live in Martil, Province of Tetuan, north of Morocco. I work hard for my living. But I have a hobby: I write. I left university in 1993, unable to continue my studies for so many reasons. Since then I have learnt English and Spanish. I began writing in 1987 to forget about the Stone Age classes I was receiving. Now I write poetry, stories, novels and screenplays in Arabic, English, French and Spanish.

