"Al Maghrib" Special edition. Commemoration of the 40th day after the loss of Said Hajji, sixth year - No. 937 April 29, 1942

There are several aspects of Said's active life that can serve as models for our youth for whom we wish a life that is active instead of inactive, progressive rather than stagnant, serious in lieu of frivolous and productive rather than sterile.

Among these aspects, there is one that emerges above all during his life that had a major impact on all his projects, endeavors, aspirations and expectations. This aspect is none other than Said's friendships. It would not be an exaggeration to state that friendships were the secret and determining factors his success in achieving his hopes and goals.

In addressing this aspect today, I will limit myself to my friendship with the beloved over the past fifteen years. A friendship full of sincerity, dedication, consideration, admiration and candor. It was a friendship sealed on a portrait Said gave me in 1930 with the following inscription:

For fifteen years, whenever I met with Said I would always see him either completing some task he took to heart or putting down an outline or a work plan of some project. Likewise I never left him without walking out with a bundle of papers filled with ideas and suggestions to be dug into and to be subjected to a comprehensive study. I do not recall receiving one letter from the Middle East or Europe which did not involve at least one of the topics mentioned above.

I saw a Said spurred on by hopes of success, toying with unbelievable dreams and wrapped up with the most unforeseen fantasies. I was beside him as he thought through and worked on his projects. I was there when he developed his work plans. I would leave him while he was in the process of achieving what he had envisioned or while he was in the process of illustrating what could only be conceived in a dreamworld. He would transpose what was only a mental image into a concrete and palpable reality. Throughout the lifetime he shared with me I knew him as a friend and I became appreciative of his conception of friendship.

Said was not a man of just pure sensitivity. He spoke frankly, laying out his deeply felt sentiments; taking pains to search in the lexicons of propriety for the most conciliatory words and accommodating expressions to the circumstances in a refined style far removed from any fit of temper or any attacks on someone's self-esteem. He did so to avoid having to stop or slow down his efforts that knew no respite by not admitting what his mind refused to accept, by not believing that whichhe perceived contracted reality or by letting escape even one new idea he deemed to be correct.

Moreover Said was not inflexible, nor was he driven by thought alone sensing no trace of any feelings deep inside himself or inside others. Neither did he conduct himself with respect to others through a prism of implacable logical reasoning based solely and purely on perception.

Said was man of the heart and mind. His mind was vivacious and bold, his imagination was fertile and his heart filled with generosity. His avowals of friendship were serious. However what ever the appearances and the ties they seemed to imply, our beloved only granted his true avowal to friendship born from work and from the efforts of constant labor that intrinsically benefits one and all. He dedicated his body and soul to this type of friendship and was zealously preoccupied with sharing with others the high standards that he had adopted for himself. Friendship reinforced with the common purpose of the task at hand allowed him to go far with regards to his sincerity and loyalty. It also gave him the opportunity to charm his partners with his speeches, his exemplary behavior and his tactful avoidance of clashing with the feelings and leanings of others.He was naturally predisposed to explore the unknown boundaries of a murky and uncertain future with his imagination. He would create plans and depict future achievements in such a beautiful and shining manner that it captivated the hearts and minds as well as the esteem and recognition of all around him. Nothing could better express the Said's influence on his entourage than the following verse:

As for the opportunity to influence him and change his thoughts and feelings, here is a field even those rare initiates closest to him have not succeeded in cultivating. This is because Said is not of those who (readily) submits to the influence of others nor does he fit into the category of men who once exposed to this situation, are not able to show to what point they have been manipulated by an external authority. Good luck trying to penetrate the depths of his mind to understand the reasons for the precautions he takes to remain outside the spheres of influence surrounding him. He is content to vow his foolproof friendship and reassures us of the commitment when we follow him on the path he outlines to reach his objectives. But when we stop midstream and our viewpoints diverge we have to deal with a very rationale and brave of heart Said who continues to march straight ahead with no regard for those around him.

It is true that he has never shown any dismay to his friends, nor more than he would forget their friendship which, on the contrary, he cherished and always sought to reinforce. He succeeded by an exceptional gift to make the most from his friends and acquaintances who show no effort to become active irregardless of their leanings of the diversity of their abilities and of their views. He has put on the good path numerous people who had none in life: he taught those who wandered with no specific order in their goals, with no accuracy in judgement and details in establishing their programs. He inculcated principles and helped to nourish and cultivate the hope of those who live from day to day like he was able to take advantage of the experiences of his friends in various sectors of activity and by being guided by their opinions and exhorted by their encouragement.

May Allah receive you soul, Said. You have succeeded thanks to your abilities, your mind's vivacity and your noble conduct to become the central hub around which all your projects and achievements orbit. Likewise your hub was a meeting place for people who did not know each other, for scattered opinions which have nothing in common and for predispositions that swore at each other. You gathered around you a family, created a work environment and won support for our projects.

May Allah receive your soul, Said. With your passing we have been subjected to an unrecoverable loss. We kneel in your memory.

Hachmi Filali