"Al Maghrib" Special edition. Commemoration of the 40th day after the loss of Said Hajji, sixth year - No. 937 April 29, 1942
Yesterday a commemorative ceremony was held for the youthful and talented Said Hajji whose passing was a priceless loss for Morocco. This ceremony which took on the proportions of a huge event was organized by a group of his loyal friends. it was attended by a significant number of speakers who gave tributes highlighting the intrinsic qualities of the deceased and his natural disposition such as his flexibility, his high ideals, selfless work and his extreme modesty with regards to notoriety. A large gathering whose constituents came from all the regions of Morocco came to honor the deceased and express their admiration for his achievements.
His friends, his literary brotherhood and his fellow citizens all acquitted themselves of their duty towards the deceased so well that it would not be an exaggeration to say that the commemoration took on the character of a recognition ceremony.
His close literary cohorts have fulfilled a part of their duty by continuing the work initiated by the deceased in the service of our dear country by engaging to the best of their abilities in meeting his "our responsibility" that he bequeath to them.
The friends of the deceased, the literary circle he formed around him and his fellow citizens can meet his expectations only if they remain united and in solidarity to complete the work Said initiated by taking care each in his area to promote projects and to realize the hopes and dreams that Said was not able to achieve during his all too short life.
The duty of the close collaborators of the deceased is to remain well within the intellectual family Said formed which finds itself tossed into a most terrible quandary following his death. (However) their duty is to not withdraw from the feeling of brotherhood that binds all their hearts and to remain always true to the work at hand in the interest of the nation. The literary brotherhood formed by the deceased's will should (follow his dream to) enlighten public opinion on national issues, to provide the necessary recommendations, to contribute to all productive endeavors and of course to act exclusively in the interest of the nation and its progress. Our fellow citizens for their part must support and encourage those who can be considered to be successors of the deceased's mission. Our loyalty to Said is in reality none other than a personified expression of our loyalty to our nation and to its ever recurring common interest.
The loyal friends have equally fulfilled a part of their duty by looking after the execution of his projects, by continuing to participate like when he was alive and by organizing a commemorative evening during which they bore witness to the deceased's place in their hearts and acknowledged their recognition of the many acts in the name of his nation which he strove to serve always and everywhere with sincerity and selflessness.
As with his honorable fellow citizens, it would not be the first time that they acknowledged their bond to him; they have shown this on many occasions while he was alive. The day of his burial was one of national mourning felt as such across all of Morocco including the most distant areas of the land where his reputation has preceded him. Yesterday one again they have fulfilled as well their part of their obligation vs-a-vis of Said with their presence en mass at the commemorative of the 40th day of his passing.
Kacem Zhiri
