A Student Remembers a Great Teacher

omar:

...well said!

...very few individuals have this rare quality...grace and dignity under fire

...t

heartfelt

nice memoir..read it in Dawn a few days back :-)

sad but inspiring...

Read this in dawn... Omar R Qureshi is lucky to have known a man like Said as his teacher...

Omar,

It is one of the most obscene ironies of our lives that a genius like Said was hounded by conservative intellectuals who had the machine of institution behind them-that one single man could be so powerfully intelligent and compassionate. I submit that Said`s grace enabled him to maintain his dignity and self respect and respect for others-esp. when Zionist intellectuals and bandwagon jumpers on would do anything to discredit him and his scholarship.

In the post I just sent, the phrase ``study sponsored by the US`` should have been ``study sponsored by the UN``.

We have of course just had a thorough discussion on this ``great teacher``. Rather than going through the same drill again, I am simply cutting and pasting from my last post on the subject which pretty much sums up what I found in the reaction of those who were furious that their hero was being accused of being an emperor with no clothes:

``Further to my post #190 - OK. Time`s up. You have failed to back up your heat with light with regard to my calling Said a lier when he claimed in al ahram that US bookshops are full of anti-Islam books. ``

I also read some more articles from Said in al ahram to see if I missed anything: I found the man to be even more pathetic than the impression I got from reading a his articles.

First, his articles are loaded with strong language, ``hypocrite`` being a favorite adjective Said applies to anyone he does not like. Those he does not like include not just the US or jews, but any Arabs themselves who dare to be introspective. Thus, in one al ahram article he lashes out at the group of Arabs who wrote a study sponsored by the US which engaged in - horrors! - self-criticism. They pointed out the flaws in Arab society - the dictatorial regimes, the government controlled media and so on. Rather than focus on the substance of what they write and explain why he disagrees by providing something concrete, he prefers to simply pass his opinion attack them personally. Other articles from him that I read launch similar insubstantive and strongly worded attacks on the Bush government and on jewish students at Columbia who questioned him.

I have wasted enough time on this man. I dont plan to spend any more time discussing him on this board (although I may change my mind). I have already wasted enough time discussing him on the other board.

tahmed bhai,

Edward Said is dead... let him rest in peace.

Said was the biggest critic of autocratic and dictatorial regimes in the middle east. He is banned by many Arab countries... he was an outspoken advocate of secularism, democracy and modernity for the Arab world... Unlike most Arabs... he had accepted the two state solution... and was not anti-Israeli... just simply pro-palestinian rights....

For those rights he considered the corrupt PA as much an enemy as the Israeli army.

-ylh

Nice to read an excellent account of the person as great as Edward Said from his student.

I would also like to express my desire to meet with tahmed32 saheb (Tauheed Saheb ?) some time in future. I am simply amazed at his rebellious viewpoints on many subjects. I think discussing any topic with him during such a meeting would be a challenging task :-)

Omar,
Enjoyed your piece. I was fortunate enough to hear Said speak in 1997...and as you say ``the audience [was] spellbound – to say the least – by this dapper Jerusalem-born Palestinian Christian.`` Said commanded this respect for believing that the ``two communities (Arabs and Jews) must be seen as equal to each other in rights and expectations``. He was sought for his insight and hated for his honest eloquence. Qualities which no present day leader can claim to possess.
Shahid

ugghhhh....

I feel deprived... :(

Bilal

Mantolives/Ahmedzai: I am basing my comments on what I have read for myself of his articles on al ahram. Please do a ``google`` on said, and check out those articles for yourself.

Re: #7

Edward Said was perhaps one of the few intellectuals in the Arab world that had the strength of his convictions and eloquence of both his literary work and his humanity to have a huge impact on the cause of his people.

One may not agree with his viewpoints but the grace with which he expressed his views mesmerised both friend and foe alike. His passing left a vacum of an eloquent spokesperson for the Palestinian cause.

Said had spoken often on College campuses and I have been priveliged to hear him speak on several occassions. He spoke with brutal clarity, masked in subtle sarcasm and a sharp wit, - a hero to his supporters - a worthy foe to his detractors - but always a gentleman to the last days of his life....

He shall be sorely missed not just for his compassionate and eloquent portryal for his people- but for the true academic and intellectual that he was.... A great man who left a legacy far larger than himself ..... IN the pantheon of post modern Arab heroes - he shall surely stand out - but in hearts and minds of people who believe in compassion and justice his clarion call will echo for the rest of our lives........ Standing at the citadel of power he was couragous enough to say ......O Great PHaroah !! Set my people free.....

Surely I for one will mourn the passing of a great man .....

RE: tahmed

Edward Said was a man - not a god..... with failings and mistakes But your derision of the man - with abilities far greater than yourself based on a narrow view point is a poor reflection of your judgment.... Said was an humble man - despite his outstanding accomplishments and respectable credentials - IN retrospect - your arrogance and perhaps contempt rings hollow - based on no public accomplishments to date ...... _

Perhaps that is what distinguishes mice from men ............

coming next from tahmed sahib, arguments in support of each of the following:

- yahoo was really worth $ 600 a share
- dick grasso was underpaid!
- jews are chosen people and hence god made them blonds even though they have lived in middle east all their lives.
- middle east solution requires transfer of palestenians from gaza and west bank to jordan and hence israelis are justified in electing as cabinet members, people who advocate this solution
- america`s war on terror will not be affected by latest israeli attack on syria.

and folks while we wait for more insights into topics which are beyond comprehension of ordinary folks, please read the following piece to get a confirmation of vileness of edward said

http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,3604,1050144,00.html

``The loss to his family I cannot speak of. For us, his friends, we are orphaned. What shall we do without him? He brought love and concern and loyalty and charm to his friendships, and he kept them in good repair. He was ready with help before you even knew you needed it. Many times, alone in a strange city, my hotel phone would ring and it would be a friend of Edward`s: ``He said I had to look after you so I`m coming round to take you out.``

tahmed,

............ are you competing with romair for the title of captain clueless?........ what does the koran say about ed said?