Al Maghrib - A special edition in commemoration of the first anniversary after Said Hajji passed away - 6th year, No 1189 , March 11, 1943.

It is difficult for me to dig up memories of a bygone era marked by much good, deeds and struggle. Unearthing memories is a most dire act. I often strive to forget this period filled with pain, sadness, sorrow, sufferance and to return to peace and quiet. However certain aspects of hope rebuilds one's morale and creates an environment full of good fortune and well being and by doing so arouses men with renewed zeal and perseverance in their chores. When one of these aspects is deficient, then men are seized by a sort of psychological crisis which paradoxically constitutes irrefutable proof of their loyalty.

And thus it is with regards to our beloved Said and why digging up the past is like reliving a betrayal by destiny and a recurring blow by fate. And yet the family of the newspaper Al Maghrib is bent on reliving the past driven by its loyalty to him. But if they were to allow a retreat backwards then we have no choice but to dig them out with the past. The renewal of hope in these circumstances is the common remedy of broken souls in as much as their pain holds within itself the seeds for their own healing as some psychologists have said.

A whole year has passed since Said's death but the fruits of his endeavors are always present in our minds. This is because those actions he initiated are being achieved in his absence as in his presence and will prosper after his death as they did while he was alive. The secret lies in the fact that he had a steady and calming power and was always engaged in a silent campaign. The evils that gnawed at him were but the first stage towards lasting greatness and hope. He developed projects to solve these ills; some were known by the public while others remained unknown to them. But sooner or later they would see the light of day.

It was not in his nature to publicly claim satisfaction nor to shout from rooftops about his endeavors. He regarded most achievements as the fruits of a collective reflection. In reality it was he who initiated all of these projects. It was he who made plans for them and who conceived them from embryos in his mind. It was he who introduced them nicely packaged to all with no recourse to lofty words, drums and trumpets. He had no use for noisy fanfare.

Some have said that Said succeeded in the efforts he undertook and that he would have had a promising and prosperous future for all undertakings he envisioned. Rare are those that have penetrated the secret to his success in these harmonious endeavors. If they could watch him up close, they would realize that the key to his success lay in his good command of the various components of each phase of his projects. This is given only to those who firmly believe in what they were doing. While there are many such individuals in all countries and in all eras, true success is reserved for those amongst them who live a silent campaign against some ill.

So now you have a clear upfront view of Said's life. It is a life marked by a sequence of phases in the struggle against lethargy and the need to carry out profound revolutionary change on how to better respond to the imperatives of life's upheavals. In general people do not avoid the temptation to project a flattering image of themselves nor do they avoid seeking to abusively deceive the public about their importance. This is precisely the image Said never wished to project. Said's image was disclosed only through his projects, his acts, his objectives and his achievements.

The absence of an egocentric tendency is a struggle waged to control one's desires and reign in one's instinctive behavior. Said was a genius with exceptional talent in this regard. The fact of not preceding a project initiation with flashy hoopla is by and large a manifestation of the silent campaign he waged. This was a crucial factor in the proper conduct of all his endeavors.

Said's life had several facets. Some derived from his natural psyche, others from his plans which essentially were put in the service of the country including a part which was dedicated to championing the freedom of the press in Morocco. All these facets are worthy of study so people can better understand this great self taught man.

And yet the most rooted and worthy facet to be studied is the one which we referred to today as "his silent campaign." There is no greater tragedy than to witness the death of someone who was driven by this mindset in the struggle waged against stagnation. There is no greater calamity than to see that life itself was deprived of those who chose to lead a life during which they never ceased to demonstrate their virtues by accomplishing the most worthy of acts.

People have had the opportunity to observe Said walking down the street with firm steps and lowered head that was raised only to reply when spoken to or to a greeting. He always raised respectfully the left bottom of his fine djellaba, smiling as he made a remark to something that deserved an expression of his affection or sympathy.

Did the people he met as he walked know that his demeanor and image were the same, especially in his public life, as those he kept of himself? Rare were those who met him on the street that did not seek to engage him on one topic or another. Rare also were those to whom he confided in detail on what he planned to undertake and that was also one of his most effective tools in his powerful silent campaign.

If Said would have been able to live longer, he would not have crashed against the resistance of immeasurable and irreconcilable views to his views because he had an unshakeable will and a steadfast ability to persuade others. If Allah willed that the young should not learn to overcome difficulties and breakthrough the most arduous obstacles Said would be here today. If He willed these young to commit a sacrilege by making them utter the word "impossible" He would not have called him to His side at the prime of his life. What more could one wish for?

as a poet from the Nile once said.

That said, the family of the newspaper Al Maghrib will remain steadfastly loyal and will reinforce their efforts in the areas of activity that the deceased considered his raison d'etre. This is a debt incumbent on each member to do what is called for so that the hopes of our beloved Said are fulfilled.

Ahmed Ziyad