My dear friend,

First of all, I wish to ask how you are doing and to inform you we settled on an accounting procedure for our receipts and after having calculated our monthly monthly we found it to be well below our estimates.

Abou Bakr Kadiri - circa 1930.

(Text transcribed from an undated rough draft, however the reply dated December 1, 1932 suggests this was written in mid November 1932)

Dear friend, I present you my compliments and cordial greetings.

You are well aware that we have been in midst of the period of exams and from the day we left you until today we have done our duty. The time allotted to us hardly allowed us to pen more than a few lines. But now we have more time which permits me to seize this opportunity to make you aware of all that occupies our minds.

Yes! I acknowledge having failed to meet the necessary obligations of the strong friendship that binds us. More than a month and a half has passed since I arrived in this land without writing you a single word while the most elemental duty of friendship requires the adoption of an attitude diametrically opposite to that of which I have been guilty. And so I will defer to your magnanimity and ask you to not bear much attention to this blunder. I assure you that the only reason for it was the extra workload added to other impediments.

In fact, I was caught in a bind of multiple responsibilities that all people must face when they immigrate to a foreign land to study. It could not have escaped your awareness that I must support myself with all the necessities of living while at the same time facing the heavy burden of scholastic life. I am simultaneously the student who attends regularly school and the father who must go the market to feed his family. My mind is constantly split between worrying about lack of sustenance and focusing on studies and homework. This even more so when one finds himself in the fray of exams. You can readily imagine what all this requires in terms of regular attendance and effort.

Dear friend, Yes! I received your first and second letters and while I was reading them I could envision your impatience in wishing to inquire about our news; about the details that you expect from us to fully understand the status in which we find ourselves. You know the great friendship I have for you. You can not appreciate to the fullest extent my nostalgic feelings. You (should) know that your letters come across to your friend like so many revelations of the sacred nature of this friendship. He reads and rereads and will continue to reread them as long as his mind never ceases to burn with the ardent wish to forever communicate with you. He hardly tires nor will he tire; for he will not be weary because in these two letters he sees the spirit of ingenuity that he loves in you. In them he also sees a pure heart and a temperament that is lively and ignited by a wish that foresees, with much happiness, our future reunion.

Dear friend, I felt a hint of despair gaining on you in your letters. This is a dangerous situation that you must not sink further into. Our youth, like all those from all nations and lands have both good and bad elements. Some work in support of the society they belong to. Others on the contrary only seek what is in their interest. Some are endowed sufficiently with daring while others are condemned to be shackled in irons by fear and cowardice. Hence to what purpose does it serve to despair? Do you think that the youth of those countries who have climbed the rungs of freedom always embark on the right path? Do they always demonstrate audacity and sacrifice their lives on the altar of freedom? No! No! Just as in our country there is wheat and there is chaff. But to be honest, the great majority amongst those other nations are brimming with vitality and are committed to the public interest. This is in contrast to what happens at home where only a tiny minority is truly aware of its responsibilities and accomplishes its incumbent tasks with respect to their society. However we are still in the beginning of a long term process and we have the good fortune to have a future ahead of us.

Dear friend. All our hopes are focused on you. May Allah grant our wishes that you succeed in the activities you are undertaking and that you can rise up heroically and fly to the rescue of your homeland to save it from the calamity that has befallen it. "Our Lord is capable of all things."

Dear friend. My heart overflows with affection and tenderness for you and I am unable to convey in writing the feelings that arouse me. I therefore let you read them directly from my heart without the intermediary of this shaky pen.

Dear friend. Our country places great hope on you. It senses in you an emotional tendency, a heart full of love and a spirit that believes fervently in the virtue of freedom. It reaches out to you to save and help it leave the quagmire of colonialism. Let us all heed its call, even it we write one glorious page of its history at the cost of our lives, a page she can draw upon with pride in front of other nations.

Dear friend. The fifth monthly edition of the magazine "Al Maghrib" reached me. I felt great pleasure to read it from cover to cover. I was particularly impressed with the article by the founder of the magazine titled, "A Question of Equity." To be honest, this article proves that the magazine is in the process of moving towards a new thinking; one that contains a phrase susceptible to carry (favorable) bias to our politics without at the same time drawing any consequences. It is certainly a means for the article's editor to justify the thesis he developed. With regards to the article appearing under the title "The Catholic Morocco," its author shows great mastery of his craft within the bounds of course allowed by the circumstances. Equally the article dedicated to "Ifrane" is no less so. I even think that you might have been the editor. Nevertheless we are very happy with this edition. May this joy last as long as possible.

Dear Friend. If the "Assiyasa" (The Politics) newspaper I sent you provided you with much pleasure, on my part I was happy that the intention with which it was sent found in you someone who would know its true value. By sending it I feel encouraged especially after having read the comments you made to the great writer, Dr. Haykal. Our friends here unanimously appreciated your noble spirit when I informed them that you had sent him a protest letter with regards to the article in which he spewed out criticisms that in no manner were applicable to Moroccan society. The Moroccan youth must use your example and behave like the active patriot that you naturally portray.

Dear friend. Do not forget your promise to me to come visit us during the month of October in the company of Mrs. M. Perhaps she also has not forgotten this vow. I ask you to respond to me on this matter after reminding this lady of that wonderful memory and that we put much hope on the realization of that promise.

Dear friend. If you write us, I will wish that your letters contain all the important information that is possible for your to relay to us and which you know are of interest to us. Like the matter of the library which we left in the early stages of being established or about the parents who wished to send their sons to the Middle East to pursue their studies. I would also be delighted to hear news of our dear colleagues Ahmed Maâninou, Haj Talbi, Omar Mouline and Master Hajji to which we send, as well as to you, our most cordial greetings with affection.

December 1, 1932

Dear friend and great patriot Abdelkrim Hajji.

My respectful salutations.

I have received your letter which I have been longing for. And I will not hide from you that I was touched greatly by its very moving sincerity and emphasis that went straight to my heart. I don't know how to express what I felt reading it but it suffices to believe that it reminded me of the devotion and friendship you conveyed to make me happy.

My friend, we base much hope on you. Respond to the good opinions we have of (all of) you, work (hard) and make the effort to return to your country like sources of light. Remain faithful to your religion and your patriotic goals. You asked me to relay to you news of important events occurring at home. You wished that I tell you about the status of the library that you left in the first days of its opening. You wanted to if the parents who demonstrated their desire to see their sons to study in the Middle East remain attached to this project.

We have written to Said about the library and communicated all the details concerning it. You can find the answers to your question in that letter where we have taken care to provide a precise idea on how it is doing.

As far as the matter of parents desiring to send their sons to study in the Middle East, they awaited the return of the King from his trip to France to solicit his support. However the King has returned to Morocco and the parents are still waiting.

My friend, because I know how you very much love to be well informed on the latest news, I will tell what is currently happening in our poor country. The unjust tyrant, Ben Bouchta Baghdadi, Chieftain of Fez, had died. News of his passing quickly spread through the city and the faithful population welcomed his demise. His funeral was attended by a large crowd of traitors and colonizers. They used a European built coffin to protect him from contact with the earth and all else that could be of bother. But Allah wished to inflict upon him a suitable punishment because the moment they readied to entomb him, they realized his coffin was too big. The removed the body and laid it on the ground even. Despite this the Chieftain's cadaver was too big to be placed for the site reserved for him. They had to enlarge the grave which was dug next to a sheriff (descendant of the prophet). After much difficulty, including shoving in the deceased's head, they finally were able to place the Chieftain's body in the grave. They were even forced to inter him by shoveling earth on his belly which had swollen excessively. Moreover, fearing that his enemies might unearth his body to burn or expose it to passersby, they took the protective measure to guard day and night the zaouiya (sanctuary) where he was buried. Several poems were cited (with some ironic sarcasm) in classical Arabic and Moroccan dialect to eulogize appropriately (!) the departed.

Commemorative Day for Ahmed Chawqi in Fez: I sent you a copy of the government newspaper "Assaada" which ensured coverage for the ceremonies in commemoration of the passing of the great poet from the Nile, Ahmed Chawqi on day after his burial. I attended this commemoration with a number of our colleagues from the Salé.chapter.

My friend, I hope you are in good health and all of you are content with your new scholastic life. As for me, I am doing well, thank Allah and I feel wonderful. Relay my friendship to all and in particular to your two brothers Abdelmajid and Said as well as you companion Abdelhadi Zniber.

P.S. It was not possible this time for me due to a matter of time to inform you comprehensively on all that is occurring at home. However I intend in a couple of days to write you or to Said to bring up to speed on all events in which our country is center stage.

Damascus, February 4, 1933

Dear friend,

I received your last letter dated the 16th of last month. I read it with much focus and learned many things.

February 10, 1933

Dear friend and great patriot Abdelkrim Hajji.

I received with great pleasure your precious letter, a testimony to your great friendship. The deep thought, the mastery of rhetoric combined with the easy writing style and the sincerity of assertion (in your letter) all are qualities that delighted me. They are evidence of a very literate and cultivated mind. I pray to Allah to provide us more young men like you with a proud soul, foolproof religious fervor and ever present awareness. We must promise to work hand in hand since we share the same ideals and choose the same tendencies and goals. Our duty is to lift high the torch for Islam and spread the teachings that speak to the truth. We must silence the voice of its oppressors who seek to lead us astray and we must let our unconditional dedication to the national cause be our guide and our means for all that we undertake. We are called upon to struggle with all our might and with the extent of all our abilities against the enslaving and sinister reputation of colonialism. Even if the path is arduous and strewn with pitfalls, we have the power to hope to overcome all difficulties that lie ahead. We believe firmly and we are resolved to move forward counting on Allah's assistance as well as the faith of free and dedicated men such as you. Even if our efforts our not always crowned with success or certain gains eluded our grasp this only reinforces our beliefs and principles and incites us to persevere in our struggle. An old saying teaches us that "a fall is not cause for pride but there is reason to be proud to recover from a fall each time we stumble."

The path ahead to success is little by little beginning to become clear. In times past the publication of a free national magazine that defended the deprived rights of our poor country resided in the land of dreams. However, today thankfully, the times have changed and this press which we coveted for so long has become a free forum where all Moroccans are welcome to present their views. They can divulge the prejudicial treatment they were subjected to and use it to protest against all wrongs that victimized them. Now the circumstances are more favorable to move from this first phase into a higher level, namely the creation of a national political weekly magazine that will act as a spokesperson for all Moroccans and especially for the patriotic youth. The magazine will be written in Arabic by an elite group consisting of our most gifted intellectual youth. The joy and jubilation of Moroccan society were at their peak when the young and the not so young heard the news about the project to publish this magazine. Hearts overflowed with comfort, faces filled with smiles which shows that this (heretofore) ill fated nation is aware of the significance of a magazine that speaks in its name on all the issues that concern it. If Allah wills it and we obtain the authorization to publish this magazine -- something that we no longer doubt -- Morocco will appear wearing its beautiful national mantle of a Muslim nation and so, day by day, we will progress little by little until when the circumstances are right we reach our goals.

My dear friend, you noted in your letter that you will write in an orderly manner so as to inform me on the latest news circulating in your area concerning Morocco as well as the Islamic world in its entirety. I am filled with joy with this initiative and I will be waiting with an impatience that I can hardly contain for your next letter where you will surely explain how you intend to order your writing and to define its objectives. For my part, I will respond as far as possible to all questions you raise and will inform you on the most recent events (here). And, of course, I will inform you each time a new element intervenes into the Moroccan political scene be it favorable or unfavorable. I am convinced that I am the only friend that fulfills all the duties of friendship towards you. I am always pleased when you ask something of me or when you propose something or that you direct me in the path of the common good. I am not an egotistical type of person who thinks only of himself. My goal in life is to live for my country and to die in its defense.

(Give) my best wishes to all the comrades whether I know them or not and in particular to brother Abdelmajid who never thinks of us or never remembers a keepsake of us if only by sending a postcard with greetings for a holiday.

Damascus, Early May 1933

Dearest friend,

... I have informed you of our project to publish in a special edition of Jerusalem's "Al Arab" magazine on the day in question. It is at least what we agreed to two and a half months ago with the person in charge of this publication. We completed all texts and completed more than 18 articles including some of the best about Morocco in various areas laying out our situation with maximum clarity for our Eastern brethren. One month and four days before the date targeted for publication, we delivered to the magazine's management in conformance with our joint agreement all the material we were able to gather so as to have it published in the edition which would be released three weeks before the anniversary on the 16th of May. But when the person in charge of publication became aware of the folder 's content, he came to the conclusion that the special edition would be seized by the protectorate authorities and that would to a major loss to his circulation in our country where his magazine's sales were going well. He then said he was sorry that he can not publish the special edition as agree with us invoking pretexts lacking any consistency. Finally he told us the following: "Summarize all this material so as to reduce it to one or two articles. Try to get from one of the luminaries of Islam an article to be published under his name and I promise you an eight or more page supplement."

We then contacted Prince Chakib Arsalane to ask him to write an article. However he waffled with vain excuses under the pretext that the French were accusing him of being an agitator for the National Movement. Furthermore he clearly let it be known that he will be wise to stop writing articles on behalf of the Moroccan or Berber cause. Such an excuse is, as we say, like a spider web behind which he sought shelter in order to decline our invitation.

... I am writing these few lines on the very day of May 16th so that you are aware of the results we achieved with regards to the Middle Eastern press. The Egyptian and Palestinian newspapers and magazines have published long headlines on Morocco for the past week. In contrast, the reaction of the Syrian press is clearly more feeble due to (external) pressure. Suffice to know that we sent to their press and to Syrian leaders two informational papers and only one was published and that by only one newspaper. As for Iraq we have sent to its press agencies and to its principle luminaries a wide variety of informational papers on the Moroccan problem. We are waiting for their reaction. We will not fail to make you aware of the fallout from the press, if there is fallout, or bring it with us when we return to Morocco.

Cairo, October 26, 1933

Dearest friend,

This is the first letter I send you from Cairo and I await fervently your letters bringing me news from Morocco and informing me all of the events that unfolded since I left you. I pass on to you greetings from our friends from Tetuan with whom I am at present. They are all fired up to take any action beneficial for our dear country. We discussed at great length the information newsletter and we have agreed on the course to take next. Pretty soon we will go from the conceptual to the implementation stage. But we are still trying to figure out the quickest way to send to Morocco addressed to you a given number of copies (of an article). You must certainly have thought about this matter. If that is the case I ask that you let me know in a coming letter alongside the news and events occurring in Morocco. We are ready to send you a large quantity of this newsletter. However, here again I ask you to let me know your estimate on the number of copies you intend to distribute, especially in the future since will depend upon your material assistance. The matter of the "List of Grievances" is very important. I need to know the various steps that have already been taken. Please visit our friend El Yazidi to personally inform him that two days before my departure I have brought you up to speed on the history of this matter. You must make a solemn vow before him to never disclose to anyone but myself the discussion that you will have on this subject. This letter is sinful in its brevity. I will make up for that in my next correspondence. Meanwhile I shall await your reply.

Cairo, May 4, 1934

Dearest Friend,

We received two days ago, the "official newspaper" with the modified text of the Berber Decree which you had the kindness to send. On the same topic, our friend Mohammed Hassar referred to this amendment in one of his recent letters. However until this very moment we have been unable to understand your opinion nor that of our militant comrades on the changes inserted into the original text. These need to be studied and analyzed in minute detail. For now we grasp only that criminal acts carried out on Berber territory henceforth revert back to the jurisdiction of either the court of the Makhzen (Moroccan authority) or to a special chamber created with the mission to render justice on penal matters. We have also received a copy of "The People's Action" dated April 20 and nowhere in it is any treatment of this affair. Hence we do not know that our movement thinks. We have resorted, until further ample information from you , to read articles in the press which dealt with the status of this amendment. We wait very fervently for you to bring light and clarity especially now as we near the eve of May 16. I have written you and we have not received any response on the subject of the commemoration of this date. I had informed you that we can not undertake anything with regards to this matter if it has not been cleared at your level. And on the day of the 16th of May, will it unfold quietly with a few articles published on this occasion? Furthermore the questions on the amendment to the Berber Decree have put the brakes on our activities because we deemed it useful to not undertake any action as long as we are not well informed about what those in charge of the National Movement think about the pros and cons of this issue.