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THE PRECIOUS REALM OF SCIENCE "AL SAYEDA NAFISA"
Article · December 2010
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ZA
HA HA
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STO ID’S
TOW NE
ERS
CU LATE
ARTI
A B OON
B E
IS O N TH
S E!
LOO
G
Content
Letter from
6 44
ROOTS FILM REVIEW
2010 comes to an end.. should we say “Finally!” Or should we HARRY POTTER
8 48
SAYEDA NAFISA
ponder on the successes and failures of our year’s end. The Crys-
tal issue celebrates one year since Greens Magazine was initi- PARENTING ARTS AND CULTURE
ated, and in great success a continuing emblem in our social his- PRESENTATION SKILLS PATRIZIO TRAVAGLI
12 50
tory. Thanks to the donated contributions, and corporate social
responsibilities offered by important supporting structures in GREENLIGHTMENT
our Cairene society, we continue to be one of the most success- ARTICULATE BABOON
14
PRECIOUS STONES
54
ful and unique publications in the printed media industry.
ARCHITECTURE
The Crystal Issue marks a start and an end. A start for the new CAIRO’S STONE TOWERS HANY RASHED
22 56
trials we are yet to discover in 2011, and an end to a very well
spent annum of ideas, and creative formulations that offer the INTERIOR DESIGN
best stories, the most exclusive interviews, and the greatest stars TRANSPARENCY THE BARJEEL COLLECTION
24
in Egypt’s social history.
60
GREEN TEA WITH
Marking a presence of community, a presence of social DR. IBRAHIM KARIM TRAVEL
28
awareness to great ideas and even more extraordinary SIWA
65
initiators who operate out of passion, good will, and ZOOLOGY
even greater achievement. PEARLING MOLLUSKS ‫بالعربي البسيط‬
30
69
‫درر العلم بشوارع مصر اجلديدة‬
With the Crystal Issue we have truly applied our DOT APPLE
mandate: If It’s Greens, It’s Fresh. SIMON RAMSDEN ‫بدايات املصريني‬
36
70
Have a great read! ACTION VEHICLES ‫شفافية الهوية‬
Ghada El Bedeawi
43
SUPER SPORTS CARS
UNWIND
CITY OF THE DEAD
CTP & Printing
EDITORIAL Sahara Printing Company
Founder and CEO
Ghada El Bedeawi
Special Thanks to
Acting Editor-in-Chief Shereen Adel
Ahmed Hamed Faramawy
WRITERS and CONTRIBUTORS
Aida Eltorie Dr. Mohamed El Daly
Shereen Adel
Designed by Mahmoud Riad
Ahmed Roshdy May Kosba
Contact Michael Adly
Photographer A. 52 Mohamed Farid St, Heliopolis, Rana Salah
Jasmine Alladin Cairo, Egypt Manar El Gammal
E. contact@greensmagazine.org Vetime Shaipi
Sales Media Representative T. +2 (019) 99 219 55 / (010) 17 631 14 Amr McGyver
Abdel Rahman Osama Ahmed Hamed Faramawy
Mohamed Farag Facebook group: Greens Magazine Erin M.Degerstedt
Twitter account: Greens Magazine Hala El Tayeb
Administrative Assistant www.greensmagazine.wordpress.com
Reham Abdel Gawad
Roots
Manar El Gammal illustrates
SCIENTISTS
GEMSTONES OF THE ARABIC NATION
THE PRECIOUS REALM OF SCIENCE
At Al Sayeda Nafisa’s house which is now the place of her Mosque, great
AL SAYEDA NAFISA Imams and scholars of Islam used to gather and learn from her the
issues of religion. Some of those scholars are al Bishr Ibn al-Harith,
the pious Imam of Sunni Ahmad Ibn hanbal, Imam Shafi’i and many other
First I must say that I am dedicating this article in the honor of one of distinguished Muslim scholars. When Imam Shafi’I got sick ,he went to
the great Arabic Muslim Women scientists who unfortunately most of her saying “Please Pray For me Nafisa”, in 204 Hijri the Imam died. Before
the young female generations know nothing about their role in building burying his corps, they went by his funeral to her house where she prayed
up the Arabic and Islamic nation. The scientist I am mentioning this on him and said: “May Allah bestow his Mercy and blessings on Al Shafi’i’s
time in my article inspired me through her Strong invisible personality soul, he used to improve his Wodou.”
affecting very much my life and career. However, in the contrast of
prevailing notions of secularism which claimed that the civilization AlSayeda Nafisa did the Hij ritual 30 times walking on her feet. She cried
of Islam and Arabs restricted the role of women in society and civil heavily while she is attached to Al Kaa’ba saying “Oh my dear Lord, my
Life. As a gemstone , women in the Islamic nation were given a great deal pleasure and happiness is achieved only through your acceptance of me,
and prestige. Women had an important role in lighting the history and so please dear lord don’t me do anything or to let any reason would veil
civilization of Islam and Arabs, preserving the Holly book of Koran and me from you”. Al Sayeda Nafisa lived in Egypt for at least seven years, and
the Sunnah of Prophet Mohamed for the future generations. There are in one of the years a drought struck Egypt and the rain became very few.
well known Muslim scientists such as el Imam el Shafei & Ibn Hanbal who
had been schooled on the hands of women. One of the great women who The people of Egypt went to her asking for her du’aa so that Allah would
affected the Life of Egyptian people and had a great role in educating bestow heavy rain on Egypt in order to irrigate the plants and cattle.
Muslim scholars is AlSYEDA NAFISA who was known among scientists as She responded to their request and asked Allah for rain, and immediately
the Precious Realm of Science, may Allah bestow his blessings upon her the rain started to fall as a bless of her prayers. In Ragab of 208 Hijri.
soul. AlSayeda Nafesa, got sick and when she felt for her death approaching
,she dug her own grave in her house. She used to pray in her grave and
AlSyeda Nafisa, is the daughter of Imam Hassan bin Zaid Anwar Alobalij read the Koran ,one hundred and ninety Khatmahs. On the First Friday of
son of Imam Hassan bin Ali bin Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with them Ramadan while she was reading sorate Al An’aam reaching the verse
all. She is from the house of prophecy, she was born in 145 Hijri. And when
her father heard of her birth, prayed for her saying:”Oh God, let her be
raised well, Make her righteous, and among your associates who you “‫ ”لهم دار السالم عند ربهم وهو وليهم مبا كانو يعملون‬, she said the Shahada and died. Her
Love and who Love you. Oh God, let her be the precious realm of science husband wanted to bury her Al Bak’ee in Saudi Arabia but the people of
, having great deal among your worshipers, being tolerant and strong Egypt went to him and requested that she would be buried in the land
believer of your religion”. During her childhood, she loved worship of Egypt. He initially refused , then afterwards he accepted their and
where AlSayeda Nafisa had never left the campus and the mosque of the when he was asked about the reason of his acceptance ,he answered “The
prophet Mohamed, peace be upon him. Her father, used to take her while Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him in my dream, he told me : Bury Nafisa
she was still five year old to AL Madinah, where grew up in an atmosphere in Egypt because the people of Egypt deserve has the right to have her
dominated by science and piety, in the middle of an environment full with them”. She was buried in her grave in her house in Darb el Seb’aa,in a
of scientists and worshipers. She excelled in studying the science of region between the city of Al Qat’aae and the city of Al Askar, the region
jurisprudence and sharia. She memorized the Holly book of Koran , the was known after wards by the name of “Kom el Garhy”. The day of her
Hadith and Sunnah of Prophet Mohamed. funeral was a great memorable day where the people of Egypt rushed
from every where including the far parts of Egypt in order to bury her
It was well known as a distinguished scientist and a good worshiper. She corps and pray on her. And until this day the house of AlSayeda Nafisa
had a bashful soul where she never asked for any life needs except from which is today the place of a Mosque named after her,is the sanctuary of
Allah. AlSyeda Nafisa, used to spend her money which she gained from her asceticism and knowledge , the residence of the people of piety and science
Yarn work on her house and charity work. She enriched her mornings by Students. May Allah bestow his blessing upon the Family and descendants
fasting and revived her night by prayers therefore it was well known by of Prophet Mohamed,and as the mighty Lord said in the Holly Koran :
people that her prayers where always accepted by Allah. “‫”إمنا يريد اهلل ليذهب عنكم الرجس أهل البيت و يطهركم تطهيرا‬.
6 7
Parenting
Teaching the basics

The basics of preparing a speech and the
fundamental elements of public speaking can be
found in many books and on the internet.
However, it is always a good practice to have
By Mohamed El Daly a coach that guides your child along the way and knows
how to break the skill into smaller areas that your child can practice individually and
combine collectively to master public speaking. The coach can be any experienced
presenter or a skilled orator.
When Martin Luther king delivered his speech “I have a dream..” in 1963, he
changed the course of history for his nation. He spoke for 17 minutes words
that lasted for years and by speaking the way he did, he inspired, preached, Practice
liberated and transformed not only his people but all humankind. “Practice makes perfect” this proverb summarizes it all. The more your child practices,
the better their speaking skills will be. Some view great orators as outliers with special
Public speaking has been skillfully employed throughout history to motivate innate talents or genetic code that allowed them to stand out of the crowd. Psychologist
crowds, mobilize masses, inspire nations and defy others. It has been used Anders Ericsson argues that innate talent has very little to do with great achievers and
to ignite wars and also to promote peace. It is the skill most known to have performers. What makes the towering difference between excellent performers and
connected legendary leaders with their peoples allowing them to occupy normal ones is the boundless hours of practice usually paired with immediate coaching
the front seats in the hearts of their nations and the chronicles of history. feedback that allows them to fine tune their performance and achieve excellence in
what they do. One crystal
This indispensible life skill has always been viewed as a special gift bestowed clear example is Winston
only on a selected few and that’s far from being true. Public speaking, like Churchill, Britain’s prime
any other skill, can be acquired and mastered boosting one’s self-confidence minister and one of the
and creating a healthy self-esteem. great orators of
all time.
What better time to start learning such an essential skill

than childhood?
Learning to comfortably address the public will thrust your child’s self-
confidence and prepare your child for real-world applications. The more
comfortable your child is with public speaking the more outgoing they tend
to be and the better they are in handling conflicts, facing challenges and
resisting negative peer pressure.
Introducing public speaking to your children entails 3 main steps;

teaching them the basics about how to prepare their speech and deliver
it, supporting them in taking massive actions to find opportunities to
present and practice the skill, and finally coaching them to enhance their
competencies and raise their self-esteem, helping them to avoid all the
negative thoughts and emotions.
8 9
Churchill stuttered frequently but this didn’t hold him back from being a great orator. Coaching
His seemingly effortless delivery of speeches was the result of his commitment to prac- Being under the spot light can trigger all sorts of anxieties and negative feelings. Your
tice and rehearsal of his talks until they seemed to flow spontaneously. child’s hands might sweat and shake like a leaf. They’ll experience a dry mouth, a shiv-
ering voice and their stomach will be invaded by butterflies. This is called stage fright
Speaking opportunities are all around your child. They can participate in speech con- and it would leave your child thinking of getting off the stage as quickly as possible
tests in their schools, take part in the school broadcasting crew and deliver lots of class instead of thinking how to get their message across to their audience in an interesting
presentations. and a compelling way.
More notable is empowering them to communicate their needs, articulate their ideas In order to overcome these anxieties, re-shape your child’s belief system by changing
and speak up for themselves during their daily activities. For example, if they are go- the way they perceive public speaking. Assure them that their audience is always on
ing for a medical checkup you might encourage them to think of questions they want their side and wants them to succeed. Instill in them that public speaking is an oppor-
to ask the doctor. At the clinic, ask them to pose their questions and let the discus- tunity to share what they know with others and is not about reading information to
sion flow between them and the doctor. Even when the doctor addresses you instead the audience. Help them to see it as a means to connect with people instead of being
(which they’ll probably do if they don’t think they should talk to little ones), look at under the spot and judged by the attendants. Let them focus on doing their best in
your child giving them the power to lead the discussion. Ask them if they want to planning, preparation, practice and delivery and not to worry about anything out of
clarify something or have any further inquiries. their circle of influence. Assist them to reveal the learning potential in each opportu-
nity rather than the challenges.
Another way to encourage them to speak is to ask them to teach you something they
learned today at school over dinner. Take these learning moments and stress the good When they start to think in such a way, public speaking will be a pleasure, a fun thing
things they did while speaking. Remember what gets appreciated, gets repeated. Try to do and an exciting challenge that they’re looking forward to.
to limit your criticism (points of improvement) to one single point at a time. This will To teach your child about public speaking is to take your child on a journey from their
help them focus on it instead of being overwhelmed with many things to work on and comfort zone to their learning zone. The zone where they grow and flourish, learn
feeling frustrated. something new every time they stand up to speak and learn more about the human
potential. It will open doors for more life skills and marvelous achievements in your
Watch together great speeches and let them evaluate the speech. Ask them what they child’s amazing life to come.
liked the most about it, what they think the presenter did really well and how they
could have changed anything to make it better.
Some recommended speeches to check out are:

Martin Luther King’s speech “ I have a dream..”, 1963
John F. Kennedy’s speech “We choose to go to the moon..”, 1962
Winston Churchill’s speech “We shall fight on the beaches..”, 1940
Anwar Al-Sadaat’s speech to the Knesset, 1977
Barak Obama’s inaugural speech, 2009
Steve Job’s Stanford commencement speech, 2005
Queen Rania’s speech at Yale University, 2009
10 7
Greenlightment
found in Egypt during the Old Kingdom was from the north-
west of Abu Simbel. In the Middle Kingdom, the main source
ANCIENT EGYPT’S
was found at Wadi el Hudi, about twenty miles southeast of
Aswan.
PRECIOUS STONES Another very beautiful stone was Beryl, which can be found in
an array of colors but only found in green in Egypt. The more
common name for this is the Emerald. This was used as a gemstone
and bead, and they naturally form in the Sikait-Zubara region on
the hills of the Red Sea. Although there has been some discrepancy
Written by: Erin M.Degerstedt
on when exactly the Emerald was used for in Egypt, but it is known
Edited by Greens
that it was chiefly used during the Ptolemaic times.
When paying a visit to the country, you are introduced to the “Jewels of an-
cient history.” An analogy placed on the preciousness of the historic sites, is
Another type used by ancient Egyptians was a group on minerals
also a value granted to the geological treasures of the country.
called Garnet. The Garnet was used by the ancient Egyptians of
a dark red with reddish-brown translucent stone that occurs plentifully in the country.
Precious and semi-precious stones of Egyptian landmarks were primarily rec-
Mainly in Aswan, and towards the Eastern Desert, it is also located in Kharga Oasis and
ognized and used in ancient Egypt for amulets; a type of protective device
the Sinai regions. The stone however was usually found in very small sizes and were
worn around the body, or placed next to other objects to protect against
mainly used for beads and inlays. They date back as early as the predynastic times and
evil. It has existed across cultures and religions, from ancient Egypt to Rome,
were mainly used in the Second Intermediate period.
and from Christianity to Judaism and Islam. In the latter they usually carried
texts, images of the saints and patrons, and designs all pertaining to their
cultural heritage. They were usually found in the form of beads, jewelry, and
Turquoise was one of the most versatile stone that was used in ancient Egypt. It was
even sacred scarabs (the image of a dung beetle), which was also known as
primarily pigment in dye for gaze and paints and readily used for jewelry. Turquoise
Scarabeus Sacer due to their habits of feeding on feces. It was used by the
was found mainly in Sinai, at Wadi Magharah and Serabit el
ancient Egyptians for many purposes such as recording historical events or
Khadim, where the stone occurs in seams in the sandstone
inscribing prayers to be placed on mummies for protection against evil, and
rock. The stone is typically a light blue but can also be a
other personal ornaments. Precious and Semi-precious stones were also used
greenish-blue. Turquoise was used in Egypt as early as the
as inlay for the decoration of boxes, coffins, furniture and other objects. The
Neolithic and predynastic periods.
stones that were referred to in ancient Egyptian text were some of the fol-
lowing: agates, amethyst, beryl, calcite, carnelian chalcedony, coral feldspar,
granite, hematite, jade, jasper, lapis lazuli, malachite, olivine, onyx, pearl,
Ancient Egyptians spent significant time excavating these
peridot, sard, sardonyz and turquoise. They also used resins such as amber,
precious minerals. They would take long excursions through
a type of gem stone although it isn›t a stone at all. Many of the stones were
the deserts in search for these rare finds, and until today,
used as early as the Predynastic times, and others were not used till much
even though these are considered to be naturally formed
later. With a few exceptions all of which the stones were native to Egypt.
stones across thousands of years, excavations are still quite vast in contemporary Egypt
since they are serving a market that seeks the types of stones found in the country›s rich
One of the widely used minerals in ancient Egypt is Chalcedony also know as
lands.
quartz. Chalcedony is the bases for many of the precious and semi-precious
stones used by the Egyptians. Agates (reddish brown white banded
Reference:
quartz) occurs plentifully in Egypt, chiefly in the form of
Lucus,A. and Harris, J.R Ancient Egyptian Materials and Industry, Percious and Semi-Per-
pebbles, but it has been found also in small quantity
cious Stones Edward Arnold, London 1926
associated with jasper (strong red fined grained
quartz) these were mainly found at the head
of Wadi Abu Gerida in the Eastern Desert.
This stone were used for beads, amulets, and
other small objects but was limited to jew-
elry.
Another type of quartz that was used readily was

Amethyst; usually a purple color, it was used largely in an-
cient Egypt in the form of beads, chiefly for necklaces. Most of the amethyst
12 13
Architecture
Cairo’s Stone Towers: There are also cultural patterns, which can be understood as overarching principles
that guide certain groups of people (whether connected via geography, religion,
vocation or even interest). Such patterns form cognitive understandings of the sur-
Zaha Hadid’s Manifestation of Nature rounding context within the human brain, and thus trickle down into various forms
of expression like language, architecture, cookery, music, or even basic rudimentary
behavior. Egyptians as a cultural group tend to have their own behavioral pat-
By Mahmoud Riad, Architect terns and modes of expression that stem from within their language, exposure to
climate, and historical episodes. Musicians as a cultural group tend to have their
For any object or form – whether natural or manmade – to take shape and crystal- own analytical problem-solving techniques and use of emotional expression that
lize, we will find that a set of patterns that govern its development is required for it stem from their understanding of time, harmonic proportions, and improvisation/
to exist. If we take, for example, the primitive cube, we would immediately realize composition. Horror movie enthusiasts have their own crude and diabolical sense
that it’s shaped by six individual squares; or that the primitive sphere, is shaped by of humor due to their exposure to (god-awful, gut-wrenching) movies like dawn of
an infinite series of circles and curves (unless it’s a facetted football, and then made the dead and hostel, for example.
of a number of polygonal surfaces). It is thus easy to assume that any physical object
can be broken down into a series of surfaces in connection and in relationship to
one another.
But if we step into the world of the metaphysical, we will see that this idea of pat-
terning, even with intangible artifacts, still holds true. If we are to understand the
word “pattern” as a theme of recurring events, characteristics, or elements, we can
start to associate this phenomenon with invisible forms. In music, we hear patterns in
both rhythmic expressions and melodic / harmonic intervals; in embroidery, we feel
patterns embedded in the texture and fabric of the textiles; in perfumery, one whiff
is combined with a set of patterning chemical formulas (I’m not sure if we can smell
patterns, but what we smell is definitely a result of it).
15
14 All images are courtesy of Zaha Hadid Architecture Firm, London, 2010
Architects, as a cultural group, often see the idea of patterning as a method of forming or
informing an “ordering principle” that ties the kid of parts to the whole. When confronted
with a project, each architect will attempt to find an organizing pattern that will dictate
the reasoning behind the resultant form. On a basic geometric level, such organizing pat-
terns may take the shape of a grid or module – for example, when using a regular square
grid pattern, each line or curve drawn is always conceived in relationship to the uniformity
of the grid, which allows the grid to become the overall ordering principle.
Renaissance architects, heavily engaged in creating their version of heaven on earth, saw
hierarchy as the ordering principle. They envisioned harmony as the relationship between
the larger elements and small counterparts – which in painting was manifested through
the foreground and background elements in perspective, and in music through the louder
and softer dynamics produced by the musical instrument. From the Renaissance onwards
until the modern movement (when Le Corbusier reintroduced the idea of modulation),
most of the worthy built environment were ordered around a central space – a big room,
courtyard, garden, urban plaza, concert or performance hall…etc – with all the surround-
ing rooms designed in relation to this central space.
16 17
Fast forwarding to the 21st century, architects are still searching for an organizing
principle that will allow them to explore their creations’ gestalt, utilizing com-
plex mathematical equations and critical regionalist theories to inform the design
process, taking a step further from their historical predecessors by consciously
attempting to let an intangible cultural quality dictate the design process and
overall form. Stone Towers, an xyz square meter commercial complex designed by
Zaha Hadid Architects (under the leadership of project director Chris Lepine and
project architect Tyen Masten) and developed by Rooya Group in New Cairo, is no
exception to this rule. The patterns along the facades of the south tower ribbons
(and found subsequently dispersed in various elements within the entire project)
were designed through a critical regionalist idea of defamiliarization. The term
was first coined on the turn of the twentieth century by artist Viktor Shklovsky, of
the Russian Formalist group, and is an artistic technique of forcing the audience
to see common things in an unfamiliar or strange way, in order to enhance the
perception of the familiar. Architects from the last century onwards have used
this technique with traditional forms or motifs, in an attempt to arouse the visi-
tor’s awareness and consciousness over an aspect of heritage that may have been
previously taken for granted.
The patterns on the so-called stone ribbons were inspired by and used to defamil-
iarize the attitude towards the use of shadow on the facades of Ancient Egyptian
temples. The facades of the Philae, Luxor, and Abu Simbel temples all use hiero-
glyphs and drawings in order to tell stories about the history of the ruler who
commissioned the complexes. They engraved and carved out their drawings from
the planar stone façade, and let the created shadows bring their stories to life.
Depending on the time of day and strength of shadows, the façade would dra-
matically differ in character and in surface play (the façade would look more like
a blank wall on an overcast day while looking heavily undulating on a sunny day).
This is the element that the designers of Stone Towers chose to emulate, using the
interplay of recessed, protruding, and opening surfaces; they allowed the light –
or perhaps the Ancient Egyptian sun god, Ra - to play a major role in the design.
Upon my first gaze of the drawings produced by the Zaha Hadid team, I found
myself connecting to it on a very cultural-heredity level. Although it looks very
futuristic and alien to anything Egypt has ever attempted, it still felt right – it felt
like it belonged to Cairo. The patterns on the ribbons, and perceived density in
the renderings may have helped, but these are not the ordering principals of the
entire project. There was something deeper at play here, a question that a mere
glance at a few perspective drawings could not answer. The key is to take a step
back from the built environment and to treat this as a cultural pattern / ordering
principal; through such analysis, one can link the design strategy of Stone Towers
to the principal of Heterophony in Arabic and Middle Eastern music, particularly
in Egypt.
16 19
Heterophony is a type of musical texture that refers to the practice of two or more musi- Because of the irregularity of the site footprint, these towers start off to be really close
cians simultaneously performing slightly improvised or ornamented versions of the same together, and then grow exponentially in distance from one another. Both towers connect
melody – the embellishment of the melodies often result from the technical abilities of the through the delta region via a network of landscaped surfaces and xyz square meters of
performer and the sonic material qualities of the instrument. Traditionally, Arabic music retail, both forms and shapes are governed by the distance between the towers and how
does not employ the western ideas of harmonic proportions between intervals (known their ribbons flow into the delta region. In a sense, the delta region becomes the harmonic
to musicians as harmony). If you listen to any Um Kalthoum or Abd El Haleem Hafez mu- result of the subtle embellishments of each tower, just like the general mood that is cap-
sical piece (or anyone from what is considered to be the golden age – and by steering tured through music played in heterophony – the embellishments here become the order-
clear from Amr Diab and his contemporaries), you will notice that all the instruments and ing principle.
backup singers sing the exact same tune, devoid of any harmony or chord progressions.
The conception of harmony in the Renaissance could be traced to the 16th century when The interesting aspect in all of this is that the association between Stone Towers and Het-
equal temperament was adopted and developed into their musical instruments (meaning erophony in Egyptian music was not made intentionally, as confirmed by the project direc-
that all musical intervals and increments on the scale would be divided equally, as opposed tor, Chris Lepine: “... although it was not a conscious decision within the design process, it
to be based on pure mathematical ratios). Arabic musical instruments on the other hand grew and developed out of a need for an ordering principle within the architecture – bal-
are non-incremental, and thus do not rely on equal temperament – it achieves this idea ancing desires for formal cohesion while offering richness and variety – allowing such as-
of harmony through the subtle embellishes and emphasizes intrinsic inconsistencies of the sociations to resonate on a deeper profound level”. In searching for an ordering principal
aesthetics of the unequal tempered tonal spectrum. for Stone Towers, the architects immersed themselves into the local culture - visiting and
experiencing the flavors, overpowering adhan calls, close (sometimes claustrophobic) social
This concept of heterophony can be found in numerous art forms within Arab culture. This proximities of the locals, and breathing stones of Cairo. Within their research, a cultural
idea of appreciating subtle differences between seemingly identical objects could argu- pattern was imprinted in their design cognition and found it trickling down to the drawing
ably be traced to the lifestyle of the Arab nomad; responsible for navigating their tribes boards – a process of defamiliarization occurring again and again unconsciously.
through the barren desert land, the Arab adapts to notice subtle differences in the sand
dunes and climate (wind patterns and position of the sun) in order to orient him with the At the closing of this article, I leave you, the reader, with some food for thought. For the
surrounding context. This cognitive skill is trickled down through the Arab psyche and re- past century or more, many scholars of Islamic architecture and urbanism have pondered
veals itself once again through the attitudes of creating many artifacts (from architectural about the generating principles of the meandering episodic nature of an Islamic town –
elements, to music, to pottery… etc). most of which have concluded that the irregularity is probably due to rebuilding the city
over time and that the majestic space that we feel at awe within were conjured through
If we are to imagine that the North Towers are a musical group singing one melody (for pure happenstance. Now that we have established that ordering principles do not neces-
the sake of argument, let’s assume they are the male vocals), and the South Towers are a sarily have to be geometric or consciously made by the designer, we can start to assess the
musical group singing another melody (female vocals), then we can perhaps start to see a patterns of development found in our Islamic quarters of Cairo, and hopefully start to un-
clear association between the overall architectural gestalt in this concept of heterophony. leash some of our intrinsic cultural patterns as we evolve through the 21st century.
All the buildings are almost identical in form - the North Towers differ in formal orienta-
tion (they flip around) while the South Towers bow down to the site at different angles
– and are aligned sequentially along the edge of the site at equal intervals, which negates
the inclusion of hierarchy and allows the architecture to be experienced in serial motion.
The subtle variations and formal embellishments of each unit depend on how these towers
meet both the edge of the site and delta region between the towers.
20 21
Interior Design
Vetime Shaipi explores
Transparency Piano House, China - This building
is blending of music and art and is
as Part of a Magical located in An Hui Province, China.

The building displays various city
plans and development prospects
World Around Us
in an effort to draw interest into
the recently developed area
An obsession of human kind with transparent objects is not a novelty. In pagan religions In many hotels and buildings are present transparent stairs and elevators but rarely they
transparent objects were used in rituals, and often they were prescribed magical quali- are as astonishingly beautiful as the Piano House, China, where the stairs and the elevator
ties. Many crystals were used as talismans; bringing power, health, beauty, and riches. are located within the violin.
A discovery of glass, instead of diminishing, just fortified human fascination with see
through objects and this gave them an opportunity to not use them only in rituals and as With our adoration of transparency in winter time we forget the cold and simply chip
jewelry but also in homes and palaces. Maybe one of the most beautiful monuments of small ice stalactites from tree branches and suck them as an ice-cream bar, while using
this enthrallment would be the Hall of Mirrors in Versailles, France which to this day and this great icy opportunity to skate or slide. But, there are always people who know how
age still represents one of the most dazzling interiors in the world. This unique interior to make fairytales true. In some parts of the World like China, Sweden, Norway, Alaska,
consists of 17 crystal chandeliers whose beauty and uniqueness reflects in 17 mirrors that to name just a few, during the winter periods people make ice heavens.
face 17 windows.
The semitransparent walls are bring-
Until nineteenth century crystal and glass remained being symbol of wealthy but with ing light and shimmer and festive
industry development this has changed and in contemporary interiors they are present atmosphere of the unique aurora
in our homes and offices. borealis.
But here the story just begins; the bedazzlement of humans with transparency Many of Greens Magazine read-
has maybe just begun. In the last couple of years, companies have pre- ers live in Egypt and surrounding
sented us a see through toaster, fridge, and even a washing countries where snow is not pres-
machine. Their beauty and uniqueness goes handy when ent, and interiors addressed are
children as us: “How does this work?” Well, not part of their culture, but this
at least now, we wont have to answer the does not mean that glass was
question... Oooops there is a spill from juice not known or present in their
inside my fridge and I got to clean it! Guess, interiors. On a contrary many
not every innovation is so cool in practice, blown glass articles are pro-
but then nothing is perfect... except, I would duced in this part of the World.
really love having that toaster.
The traditional blown glass
Several years ago, scientists managed to cre- made in Egypt is one of the
ate a transparent concrete and I just love the top best buys among tourists.
idea, except we are not to paint it, but then I The uniqueness of each piece
could live with that, couldn’t you? Just imagine, is priceless and the imagina-
daylight not only entering through your windows tion and creativity of glass
but walls too. artists is endless.
The Transparent bricks are manufactured by Litra-

con company, made of optical fiber, and mixed with
the concert, the result: a light that can penetrate Piano House, China - This
from outside. building is blending of music
and art and is located in An
Hui Province, China. The build-
ing displays various city plans
and development prospects in
22 an effort to draw interest into 23
the recently developed area.
Green Tea
Mirroring Energies
BioGeometric Emitters
Dr. Ibrahim Karim
Born in Cairo, Egypt on February 1st, 1942,

Dr. Ibrahim Karim reflects about the power
of BioGeometry on the Environment
Recognized as one of the foremost contemporary pioneers in the study of scientific ener-
gies, Dr. Ibrahim Karim, from Egypt, is the founder architect of the science of BioGeometry
So, What is Energy: On The Analogy of the
based on a new kind of Physics that he developed and called ‘The Physics of Quality’. This
new physics opened the doors to measuring the quality and effect of different energies on
Musical Instrument
the living systems and their environment. BioGeometry is a designing language that has the Energy is an effect, always defined from a quantitative point of view. When you pluck a
means to harmonize and balance the harmful effects of the environmental energies rang- string from a musical instrument, say for example a Harp, you define the effect of the noise
ing from earth radiation, to electromagnetic fields and radioactive materials. Dr. Ibrahim is from the amount of times you pluck that string, and if not from the number of times, then
maybe one of the few specialists in this diverse field of true scientific magic, who is aware the one time you will pull that string, you will define it from the strength of that pull. Sound
of and studies the interconnectivity between energy fields and the quality of their effect on carries frequencies. Now associate those frequencies to the qualities of sound you will like
the living systems and the environment.. to hear within the range of your own senses.
In looking for the laws of your quality (not quantity), notes are quantitatively completely
different from the quality. But do we consider them to be the same?
How would you define the
With the practice of quantities, you start to become sensitive to the notes. It is in that “feel-
temperaments of science and its effect on ing” that cooks that subjective notion to an objective reality. So what we might consider
is a linear forwarding direction, do we create a psychological fusion of the dependence of
interrelationships? qualitative analyses of energy upon quantitative values.
The physics that we all study in schools today is a quantitative kind of science, it does not
take in consideration the quality effect on the human being; we built a whole civilization
with this concept ignoring the human subtler energies like the spiritual, mental and emo-
tional levels which never happened before with great civilizations. In the age of informa-
tion, we keep raising the amount of electromagnetic waves in the atmosphere ignoring
their effect on living systems, not acknowledging the health problem we’re creating; we’re
of course very far from trying to find a solution. In the qualitative science of BioGeometry
we extend the axiom of ‘Man is the measure of all things’ to include all levels of the hu-
man subtle energy. In this way and with the measurement tools and the harmful energies
balancing tools that we have, all interrelationships are studied and solutions are applied.
24 25
The Hidden Time Bomb in the Age of
Information
There is no time that will be able to destroy our existence like NOW. Electricity is filling
the air. Pollution does not only come in the form of volatile organic compounds, but
also radiation, electromagnetic wastes, and continuous waves of information.
In this age of information, we are bringing our selves closer to knowledge, but we are
also shortening life on earth.
On the Analogy of the Farmer We started to place BioGeometric emitters, that look like little shells made out of ma-
terials such as wood and Plexiglas. Recognizing that there is a natural pen, writing the
forms of nature in the environment, this is exactly what these objects do, and Guess
The beauty of a farmer’s life in the universe is in his natural relationship with his/her sur- What? They are built by architects. Even if you look historically, such objects existed in
rounding environment. The Farmer leaves the tension of quantities, and only seeks the ancient monasteries. So we look at qualitative physics, in the form of visual language
quality and later on the quantity in the growth of nature. He/she enters into the divine that comes to fit in the environment with its shape to balance the negative energies
wisdom of quality as a primary. and redirect positive energies into the natural space.
Now connecting the qualities of the farmer to that of a musician, everything in nature is By developing such new solutions into the ground and open air space, all forms of ar-
a vibration, and most certainly a quantitative one to that, as we are all interconnected in chitectural designs will change the motion of energy in the space. So returning to the
numerical values: From 0 to Infinity. cow analogy, she looks at all these tricks and tells the audience: “This is old!” These
techniques are old, have existed since the ancient Egyptian times, and we, in our mod-
By looking into the light, will you then realize that you are in the dark: Whether in the spiri- ern times, have not been able to tap back into the laws of nature due to our complete
tual realm, or through the intellectual development of science, only through Great Art will disconnection from our natural surroundings.
you become harmonized. And it is due to such subjective qualities does humanity become
stuck by their destructive impacts. When we change a space into an architecturally ideal situation overnight, people be-
come stunned at how these changes have completely enveloped the emotional mental
Outside of Egypt, we are changing the world with this sort of energy science. Due to our state - how it cycled from the negative to the positive. Dr. Karim tells us about how
need to restore quality back into our lives, does the ancient Egyptian land of the “Goddess they found a forceful change in the natural surroundings, and by changing the archi-
Hathor,” carry a great desire to return to nature. It took 5,000 years to develop a new sci- tectural settings of a location, and I do not mean changing from one monumental
ence and understand the power of geometrical shapes over nature. (Which brought Dr. building to another, but an actual evaluation from one space to another by changing
Karim to his first lecture with TED-x, a network of professionals dedicated to the concept only a single shape from within the volume of the space. It will surely change the envi-
of ideas worth spreading, titled “Why is the Cow Smiling?” This past May at the American ronmental vibrations of the space into positive energies.
University in Cairo’s Ewart Hall.)
While researching in Switzerland, the cow tells Dr. Karim that she was laughing at man- Dr. Ibrahim Karim is the foremost architect researcher and developer of energy science.
kind’s disastrous existence, she laughs because she had hope in mankind. Speaking to the Sitting on his office desk come the words: “Only those who see the invisible, can do
audience through Dr. Karim, the cow tells them of her importance in Swiss culture: The cow the impossible.”
is more important to a man, than his own wife. She produces milk, cheese, and carries meat;
a nurturing fauna caught up in the destructions created by mankind. She says; “You destroy
the environment and then claim to fix it. I am the one close to the environment, and never
attempted to harm it. I am stuck next to you. My fate is to stick next to mankind, however
birds can migrate, and as my weight keeps me here lagging beside you I am unable to run
away, so I start to develop diseases from all the harm mankind is creating around us.”
26 For more information on BioGeometry, visit: www.biogeometry.com/ 27
Zoology
A Pearling Culture
Usually Pearl Oysters are grown with beads when cultivated in saltwater,
as for freshwater, pearl growers get resort to a piece of mantle tissue
Mollusk
in the culture process. Both beads and mantle tissues come from a prize
oyster that proved to produce the best pearls. Akoya Oysters, is the trade
name of the cultured ones, their pearls harvesting is very active in the
southern part of Japan. When grown to maturity, reaching about 3 years
By Rana Salah of age, oysters are ready to undergo this pains-taking process of pearl cul-
ture. The culture process aims at implanting nutrients into the oyster to
initiate the formation of the pearl. And to implement the implantation
operation with no shocks, the oyster’s metabolism must be slowed down
by placing it into an anesthetic bath. Then a mantle tissue that contains
cells responsible for secreting nacre is placed into a safe location within
the body of the oyster next to a bead (or a nucleus) that serves as an ir-
A Pearling Mollusk ritant to the oyster, which then covers it by layers of nacre.
God has created nature with incomparable perfection and inlayed it
with creatures which when observed, reveal a miraculous structure Finally the oysters are left in their natural habitats, under a vigilance
that proves the beauty of God’s effect. care and observation for about 2 or 3 years, in which water temperature,
When we contemplate a creature like the oyster; that soft invertebrate salinity and alkalinity are constantly checked and measured. The size
mollusk enclosed in a calcareous shell, we wouldn’t imagine that we’re and color of the pearl could be specified according to the implanted nu-
watching a laboratory for pearl production. The oyster is well known cleus. Smallest pearls are usually considered as the finest ones.
for its delicious taste, it’s what we call the True Oyster, but the waters
contain much bigger oysters that produce pearls named Pearl Oysters.
Location
God propagated his miracles from the east to the west to bring to mind
God equipped this marvelous creature with a tiny heart for pumping
His omnipotence wherever we are. Pearl Oysters are usually found in
colorless blood which gets filtered for waste by 2 small kidneys. The
warm seas, like Pacific Ocean around the Philippines, the Indian Ocean
food gets into the oyster’s mouth through the gills that pull in water
around the coasts of Australia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, China and Japan,
and filter it by the residing mucus substance. The most fascinating fact
and it could be found as well in the Red Sea, Bay of Panama, the Gulf of
about this humble mollusk is that it can change its sex many times
California and Mexico. The most famous Pearl Oysters reside in the Per-
through its lifetime, which leaves a chance to a single female to fertil-
sian Gulf; a country like Bahrain sticks to deal in natural pearls and has
ize its own egg and then produce millions of eggs in 1 year.
banned selling cultured pearls.
It never crossed my mind that my reaction to an invasion would result
in a lustrous pearl bead, that’s what actually happens with the oys- Ecology
ter, when a foreigner object gets into its shell causing the irritation God created nature, maintaining its ecology equilibrium through its
of the oyster’s soft body. So to evade any injuries to its mantle tissue, creatures, and manifested nature mitigation in Oysters by letting them
the oyster envelops this invader with a sac to coat it with concentric consume Nitrogen which attracts phytoplankton. Lowering the amount
fluid of nacre which end up to form the valuable shiny pearl we know. of Nitrogen leave more room for Oxygen for marine creatures.
God makes out of this defence mechanism a piece of jewelry. This pro-
cess is too long and difficult to produce the amount of pearl beads we Although we managed to come up with pearls’ development technique,
need and therefore we came up with a technique to breed Pearl Oys- but that same time-consuming process which requires diligence and surgi-
ters; cultured pearls. cal precision, elaborated to the human beings more of God’s perfection in
His creation and made us aware of our limited capabilities.
Pearls from water to land
Historians believe that Sumerians are the first to deal with pearls
which was brought from the Persian Gulf. That was the deal with pure
natural pearls. British Biologist William Saville-Kent is the man credit-
ed with developing the pearl culture process which was later brought
to Japan then commercially applied by the Japanese entrepreneur Mi-
kimoto Kokichi who got interested in such industry since he watched
pearl divers collecting pearls at the shore of Ise Island, located in Ja-
pan.
28 29
dot-apple That was literally how it all started. With a phone call in London, going to Beirut, his old boss in
Beirut coincidentally was asking Simon to fly in to start the project in Cairo. It was in late 2002,
early 2003, Simon was set to start working on a whole new world of challenges that lasted for
nearly 4 memorable years.
2003 was moving in a very fast rate. Desiring a “cool” channel, Beirut, Amman and Dubai had
already started their movements, and “now it was time for Cairo to set the standards.”
With great pride, he returned to Nile FM just a couple of months ago, and speaking of the be-
ginning of that journey to where it is today, Simon is very pleased with the direction the station
took, now that it has more of a local management with names like Mohamed Safi and Louay
Attia; “When we first started, the ratio was 70% foreign to 30% local, and today we are talking
of a ratio of 10%: 90% which is great!”
Since Louay Attia came on board, he was the starting point of the transmission from foreign
voices to young local pioneers.
Simon realizes his relationship with Cairo; “I’m very close to Egypt… even though I am English,
I feel very Egyptian!”
Simon Ramsden, an eclectic and affluent voice on Egypt’s No. 1 Radio Station,
has returned to continually mesmerize the local residents of Cairo. Known for
THE BIG DRIVE HOME, between the hours of 4-7 PM on Nile FM, Simon’s voice
became the accompaniment of millions of Egyptians while meandering through
the traffic, and seven years ago is where it all began.
Starting off in Cyprus, Simon became one of the most established voices of main-
stream contemporary culture in the Middle East and Mediterranean region. He
started in Ayia Napa where he felt he had reached the top after working on
NAPA FM Radio in Cyprus from 1993 to 1995 where he hosted the afternoon
show. Ramsden first arrived in Lebanon in 1996 and started to work on their No.
1 Hit Music Station RADIO ONE, where he also hosted “Simon in the Afternoon,”
and it later on became the most listened to show in the country. Launching with
his own TV program on local television, called “Friday Night Live;” playing off
of the pun of the American NBC program; Saturday Night Live. Simon would
go around the city, and broadcast live, fun pranks and challenges and record
people’s reactions. “It was an interesting challenge, that then lead to radio in
Beirut.”
“When I came to Cairo, I noticed there wasn’t any real, tangible, credible radio
stations, and you have all these people, who are changing and wanting to have
stimulation. So I actually vowed on that day; ‘I am going to make it my life’s
work, to found a radio station here.’ And I said it almost in a joking way! But
then of course, within one year... God works in mysterious ways. If you want
something bad enough, it will definitely come.”
30 31
Simon was also involved in voice-over productions, and just
returned to Nile FM as a station consultant and oversees man-
agerial decisions that would be in the best interest of the sta-
tion. He is also back to presenting a daily live afternoon show
in Beirut called BIG MIX DRIVE on Lebanon’s No1 hit music
station MIX FM (www.mixfm.com.lb).
“It’s really funny, because I am in Egypt, while talking to Bei-

rut. So I usually need the station to feed me the weather con-
ditions to be able to comment on the situation while there.
They would tell me “Simon, it’s raining now.” So I would need
to imagine what it is like and zone myself in those conditions
and talk about it… If you listen to the show, you would never
think I am not there!”
Between the hours of 5-7 PM from Monday-Friday, Simon logs

into the station in Beirut, from his studio in Maadi, and Live On
Air he directs the local crowds into the grooves and rhythms
with his voice as though he is sitting right there.
Today Simon lives and works in Maadi, where he is set-up

with his own exclusive radio station studio by Dot-apple Com-
pany. Servicing iMac’s, Mics, preamps, studio monitors, Apple
Soundtrack Pro software, Apple Logic Pro software and Apple
Garage Band software, Simon uses all utilities for music scoring
“Nile FM has evolved into something now, and I have to respect what it as become,
and see if we can sprinkle some magic dust! Bringing back the shine it lost over the
last couple of years.”
Lou is now working in television in Canada, working with places like the Cartoon Net-
work and Discovery Channel. Safi is now the program Director of Nile FM. Both Lou
and Safi are a great inspiration to Egyptian youth and aspiring local avant-garde’s.
Positive and proactive characters for those who aspire to become something big one
day out of self-driven passion.”
“That guy was just a simple guy who played the guitar in Cairo. Now its fantastic to
see what one has become. It makes me feel very proud to know them, and see them
grow. A great inspiration for others to show you ‘Yes, you can get what you want out
of Life!’ You just have to work at it, believe in yourself, and get there! ... It’s all down
to how you look at your life. It’s so easy to say ‘No’ to something. You surely will have
your off-days, but you can change all that.”
It was during that year in 2005, that NILE FM had become recognized as one of the
region’s leading stations, and not only by the region, but also from the United King-
dom and United States. The desire for the station to find its own feet, Simon was able
to leave and return; missing Cairo, missing the fast-paced movement of the city, he
did not want to be sucked back into the hefty responsibilities he held before. After
launching and establishing the No. 1 Station, Simon desired to regain his life, and
it was after spending one month in Cyprus, he returned to Cairo in 2005 to start his
own business GO LIVE IN STORE, wanting to remain in the center of the civitas hub.
Egypt has developed massive change, from the availability of international retail
brands, to appreciating international sounds, Simon joined forces with Mohamed
Ghorab, the director of Hybrid Records, to develop the sonic branding of Instore
sounds. Walking into stores without sound… it felt “naked without music!”
32 33
and music arranging with visual hybridization.
His entire world is there: transmitting sounds to
the worlds of Beirut and Cairo, Simon Ramsden
is back, and is working full throttle with Mo-
hammed Ghorab, director of Hyrbid Records,
and his own Go Live In Store Label, while jam-
ming to his own mixes.
Starting from the Age of 12, Simon was a radio

star of his own playground. With the desire and
passion to grow from the youthful beginnings
of his career path, he landed his first gig by the
age of 18 by performing gigs in local clubs and
parties which then developed into private func- Visit the dot-apple store:
tions and corporate events touring the United Ard El Golf, El Nadi Street, Maadi
Kingdom. This lead to his joining with the larg- (Cairo-Egypt). All creatures in this
est DJ agency which continued to push Simon article are copyrighted to dot-apple
into UK tours and not European tours at large. Ltd <www.dot-apple.com>
It was with his lightheartedness and determina-
tion to do something he loved, Simon started
to become recognized as one of the brightest
radio stars in his locale, and it was while he was
on his traveling expeditions that he got offered Station, and in reality, he never
his first major radio hit on NAPRA FM Radio, left Cairo - Simon was, and will
Cyprus. This was his first real job, with real pay, always be the original voice of
making the passion even more rewarding: To the city.
get paid to do what you Love.
“There is more to Cairo then
After running FM Radio on a beautiful Mediter- meets the eye. Bringing a win-
ranean Island, Simon’s next wave brought him dow on Egypt for the other,
to the Arab World. Entering for the first time showing another perspective of
through the doors of Beirut in the late 90s, at Egypt, and the many things it
a time of constant urban revival from political has. Egypt is just so cool! “Egypt
and social warfare, Simon got picked up by one where it all begins” is seen on
of the leading channels; Radio One, and spent buses in London. It makes you
three years ongoing in the pleasures of Euro- feel proud, and I am not even
Lebanese jamboree flavors. Egyptian. So, how an Egyptian
must feel: Wow! It’s brilliant.”
“Egyptian Youth were developing at such a
fast rate in this vibrant city, that with all their On that note, Simon tells us of
energy, they needed a release. For something a Presenter from the past, who
this groundbreaking to had been established will remain undisclosed, for the
from a private company with foreign voices, of big surprise and re-launch of the
course we were challenged by a lot of unease Nile FM in Feb 2011, a true new
from the country’s authorities. We did not want year with new sound wave reso-
to come off as an influence that would corrupt lutions.
the minds of the youth. But we superseded the
challenges and came off as the most success- Stay Tuned!
ful outreach to a locals’ cruise in the streets of
Cairo, enjoying some good rhythm, and partici-
pating in our call-in conversations, enjoying the To connect with Simon, visit his
fact that they can connect to people who are website:
running through the same traffic jams.” www.simonramsdenonline.com
All images of Simon Ramsden
The journey lasted Simon 2 very intensive years. are courtesy of Jasmine Alladin
He was the managing director of Nile FM Radio Photography
34
Action Vehicles
Car Exterior
The exterior of these cars are designed by aerodynamics structure, as race cars have to have less
wind resistance and required stability. The doors open to the sky in some cases, and its sides are
like fins to allow for the wind to swift through easily for the speeds it will travel in. Suspension
of these cars are designed to handle the flood of power from its engine for the ones that go
above 1000 horsepower to a 700 horsepower bracket. They are no less than 600 horsepower
in either case, and they need super sports suspension, for the maneuvering and engine is so
powerful so it can handle turning very efficiently.
Traction Control System

In all cars, the design must accommodate the cars speed, weight, aerodynamics, and strength
of the motor even if in a «straight line» performance under normal speeds. This is to guarantee
safety for the driver. It would be normal to hold a top speed of 300 km/h keeping you com-
pletely safe.
Super Sport Cars The Wheels

These cars have special tires to roll over. If we know about normal passenger vehicles for exam-
ple, hold wheels of 14-inch thickness, while SSC’s usually have 18-inch wheels at least in width.
... Technically they are not cars! Just imagine you are driving an object that goes at a
The width of the back tire, is usually greater than the front, so it can handle the tail of the car
speed of 400 km/h, passing a distance of a playground in every second! If you happen
better and causes a greater push for the strength needed from behind. Knowing that the tire
to be in a good mood one morning, and feel like going to Alexandria for the day, just
has to be a strong brand name, it has a certain material that handles temperature, speed, hu-
ride anyone of these and it will bring you there within half an hour instead of 2.5.
midity; it also handles all types of weather conditions and speed impacts.
By this alone, we must admit that everyone will definitely want to have one of these
cars, you just have to be maybe older than 5 years old to realize how gorgeous these The Braking System
vehicles really are! Being the most powerful and desirable cars in the world - if you When we come to talk about the 10 fastest cars in the world, they move no slower than 300-400
want to ride the wind, this will be your way. km/h. You must have a powerful brake system to stop these cars. The majority of their brake
systems are no less then 8 or 6 BI-STEM, large discs, and they use mainly ceramic and carbon to
So, let’s take a closer look... handle the heat of the braking system. Often located within the wheel to make sure it stops
the car efficiently and the caliber starts from 4 pistons at least.
Car Engine
Starting with the engines, going inside to see and feel the vehicles interior, listening Alright, so now is the moment to learn which are the top 10 SSC’s in the world today!
to the solemn sounds of power, and holding safety between your hands, beneath
your feet, having the ultimate handling and traction control, high-level comfort with
prime seats and suspension. Unfortunately, only the rich of rich can ride such ve-
hicles, regardless of where you live in the world, its the kind of car designed only for
sports activities, low luxury rides, with a certain type of aerodynamics used only for Price: $1,700,000
racing. The high speed, regardless of the racing level, this car will have no problems
of stopping, and in just moments!
Engine: 4 turbochargers - 8 liter
To help you imagine the power and speed of such vehicles, think of the speed cre-
ated by your own city car, and now double its engine speed. How about four times
of its ordinary size, or even tent times its power. Yes, so these are Super Sports Cars. Weight: 4160 lbs
To support such engine systems, the SSC’s must hold a particular type of exhaust
system. The type that plays a symphony of serene pleasure, so when you see four Torque: 1106 lb-ft
outlets of exhaust, they serve this purpose.
HP: 1200 hp
Car Interior
The interior of the car is a work of art. Engineering the hand
made interior with two Recaro seats designed to hug the
Top Speed: 268.2 mph
body and disallowing the opportunity of body shock, these
seats keeps the driver seated in an upright position, with
both hands in an controlling post. That way the driver is
always in control with the engine located in the back, now
they have it all.
36 37
Price: $654,000
Price: $970,000
Engine: twin turbo v8 – 7000 c.c

Engine: v128 – 6064 c.c
Weight: 2750 lbs

Weight: 2513 lbs
Torque: 1112 lb-ft at 6150 rpm

HP: 1287 hp @ 7200 rpm

HP: 627 hp @ 7400 rpm
Top Speed: 270 mph

Top Speed: 240 mph
Price: $555,000 Price: $670,000
Engine: twin turbo v8 – 7000 c.c Engine: v12 – 5988 c.c
Weight: 2950 lbs Weight: 3020 lbs
Torque: 700 lb-ft at 4800 rpm Torque: 485 lb-ft
HP: 1287 hp @ 7200 rpm HP: 660 hp
Top Speed: 248 mph Top Speed: 217 mph
Price: $650,000
Price: $545,000
Engine: twin turbo v6 – 3494 c.c

Engine: supercharged v8 – 4700 c.c
Weight: 3241 lbs

Weight: 2601 lbs

HP: 542 hp @ 7200 rpm

HP: 806 hp @ 6900 rpm
Top Speed: 217 mph

Top Speed: 245 mph
38 39
Price: $667,000
As we saw these cars are extraordinary, even for someone like me, a professional stunt
driver, I am confirming that each one of these vehicles will be an attractive package
Engine: v12 – 7300 c.c
for any man or woman, any child or adult in its magnificence. A general note to any-
one who would buy this car, they will learn how to drive and handle it prior to his
departure. They need to take full courses to learn all maximum utilization making this
Weight: 384 kg
vehicle very specific for the driver.
How I would wish to drive the slowest car of the fastest cars in the world: A Ferrari
Torque: 561 lb-ft at 4000 rpm The satisfaction would make wonders.
HP: 620 hp @ 7200 rpm

So, now we wonder why don’t we see such cars in Egypt?
We are simply one of the most expensive market values in the world, due to the tax
rates applied on the car as it enters the country (super sports cars particularly). Their
Top Speed: 215 mph
tax values can reach 300% and 400% from its original price.
Taking the Bugatti Veron as an example, its price is 1.7 million dollars and if you include
our taxes rates; it will rise to about 5 million USD, which is almost 28.5 million EGP.
And for anyone who is thinking about buying such a vehicle in Cairo, they should be
thinking about its servicing, and maintenance. Not even a screwdriver could be found
Price: $333,000 to replace. All these cars are low rides, and with the bumps in our streets, it will not
be possible to casually ride around. They will be severely tarnished if they were. We
have a highway that would not approve or handle a speed of 300 or 400 km/h that
Engine: v12 – 6496 c.c these vehicles need to travel in. The traffic is also a huge factor as it will be destroyed
from the traffic alone, not to mention its lacking ability to fly in the streets. The Brake
systems are in now way suitable to such conditions.
Weight: 3671 lbs
In the majority of cities in Europe, these cars are always known to whom they belong,
and they are counted through out the world. Police are also well informed who owns
Torque: 487 lb-ft at 6000 rpm what, to make sure these vehicles are not abused, nor are they abusive to social well-
being.
HP: 640 hp @ 8000 rpm “With my eyes closed right now, I can imagine myself driving a VERON, with its chair
hugging me, and moving at a speed no less than 430 km/h in just moments. I never
argue where I will go it will just take me far away in moments…”
Top Speed: 211 mph
This text was conceived by Amr McGyver

and developed thanks to the help of Ahmed
Hamed Faramawy, a student in his 3rd year
Price: $440,000 of Automotive Engineering at Ain Shams
University. Of his many affluent goals in life
to help the poor from ignorance and lack of
Engine: v10 – 5733 c.c education, Faramawy hopes to start his own
business in car modification and tuning with
his own workshop one day.
Weight: 3042 lbs
HP: 612 hp @ 8000 rpm
Top Speed: 205 mph

40 41
Unwind
Life, Death, and Community in Cairo,s City of the Dead

By Hassan Ansah
THE CITY OF THE DEAD is a mysterious area of Cairo that many Egyptians are aware of but not
intimately connected too. This book provides a historical evolution of a residential cemetery more
than four centuries old. Beneath a modern multilane highway lies a vast intricately connected ancient
necropolis that stretches over three kilometres.
The primary focus of the book is to analyze, understand, and to share the unique history and culture of
this hidden, yet dynamic city with the outside world. It is here that life and death reconcile under the
amazingly interesting stories of the lives shared by its community members. From the Majestic Citadel
to the wonderfully designed grave tombs of unknown mystic saints, this book expresses the historical
and cultural voice of this indomitable city which never stops reinventing itself. This panoramic story of
a city that oscillates between the sacred and the profane- ancient tombs coalesce with chaotic markets-
blends the personal touch of first hand travel with the in depth provocation of history. It is a sweeping,
lucid work.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR

PROFESSOR HASSAN ANSAH works as an international photojournalist and documentary
filmmaker for IRIN news agency. He holds a BA degree in International Relations and an
MBA in Global Business Management from the University of Maryland.
He has been published in Lonely Planet Egypt 2008, Lonely Planet Jordan 2009, The Lead
Business Journal, The Community Times of Cairo, Helium online, as well as Yemen Today
Magazine. Professor Ansah filmed the first documentary film dealing with Sufism in the very
conservative Islamic Republic of Yemen. Mr. Ansah has lectured on international relations
and global business at Western International University , Central Texas College, as well as
the American University of Cairo.
The author was born in Atlantic City, New Jersey, but now considers Southern California and
Dubai, his primary residences.
43
Film in Review
...”These are dark times,

there’s no denying” It is safe to say that behind the scenes aspects, of making a movie, all played out quite well in this one. We’ve seen more sophisticated
cinematography and art direction in previous episodes of the saga, but this still does have its eye catching moments as well. Acting, however, has
evidentially elevated quite a bit here. An obvious reason for that is the age of the main three characters that have grown in shape and experience
If you read around and check out reviews on The Deathly Hallows, you’ll see through ten years of shooting. But it is not to be ignored that Emma Watson is the one that stands out this time; her character’s confusion of
that the most predominant theme of the hype about this film is anticipation. emotion, determination and humour were damn sure not easy to be portrayed as good as she did.
Literally, the most redundant keyword in the first paragraph of any article, any
review or any news report is the word “Finally”. HP7 is tagged in its trailer as We’ve also seen something new to the saga in this one, and it was indeed some of the most amusing three minutes of the whole thing, an actual
the finale of the worldwide phenomenon, the motion picture of a generation. animated short. The tale of the three brothers narrated by Hermione plays back in a shadow, puppet- like animated sequence, that is just pretty
Needless to say, it is one of the best selling stories of all times. Bottom line is, entertaining.
like the movie or not, it made over 300 million dollars in the first few days, and
judging by how things look, this should be just a tiny fraction of its coming In a nutshell, The Deathly Hallows Part one is merely is a lengthy introduction to the ultimate climax of this masterpiece of a story. It’s truly beyond
success. me how J K Rowling is not yet up for a Noble Prize in Literature. This film paves quite the road to what’s coming ahead, and looking at that combo
trailer, it gonna be quite fun. It will feel at the end as if someone has switched the TV off in the middle of your movie. You will really want some
more. Too bad you’ll have to wait another eight months for it.
As a result of the intense criticism on the last three Potter movies for not being For other film reviews, visit the page: “In a Nutshell Reviews” by Michael Adly on Facebook
worthy of the books, David Yates and Warner Bros. had to spread the finale
on two long films; a decision leading to an utter cinematic and commercial
success. And since the fans can’t get enough, you can always give them some
more on the boy who lived, the chosen one and his magical adventures that
have become the prevailing obsession of millions around the globe.
The gloominess of the opening scene and the dramatic dose you get from the film’s first lines
spoken by Rufus Scrimgeour (Bill Nighy) tell you all about what you’re in for; a journey of
darkness, a daring quest of the good to defy the evil, a hopeful adventure shadowed by blood,
love, tears and death. After the sad ending of late Dumbledore, it is now Harry’s mission to find
and destroy all the horcruxes that shield Lord Voldemort from death. As Potter accompanies
his lifetime mates Ron and Hermione through their ultimate journey, they stumble across
some of the most significant and powerful secrets of the wizarding world, the deathly hallows
When you watch The Deathly Hallows Part one, you’d only wish they
did the same with at least the last two books; split them in two. God
knows how many scenes and characters had to be knocked out to fit
in something like The Order of the Phoenix in one movie. This time
they fill it in with details that even book readers may have forgotten
about. The events go on sort of an inverse bell curve scenario; it starts
off exhilarating and thrilling, it mellows down a bit in the middle and
then it gets all fired up towards an ending that comes very quick.
44 45
47
Arts & Culture
bulk bulk n.
Size, mass, or volume, especially
A caleidoscope of light opens the view of the observer onto a new multi-dimensional place:
the polyhedron (3-dimensions) becomes a hyper-polyhedron (4 and more-dimensions)
tending to a hyper-sphere.
Patrizio Travagli adopts timelessness by unlocking a treasure of secrets: Offering regular

polyhedrons to a fully functional sphere, he redesigns his given space according to its di-
mensional versatility. Travagli references his principles: Plato, Luca Pacioli, and Leonardo
when very large. A distinct mass or da Vinci, when it came to continuing the conversations between the mathematicians and
portion of matter, especially a large artists of the time regarding the secrets of the golden mean and its application to the arts
one: the dark bulk of buildings and science of design and its construction to human shelter.
against the sky.
Pacioli, codified his mathematical references making it less likely to be recognized through
vernacular means and only in numerical literature. Leonardo da Vinci however was his
foremost collaborator who continued to explore beyond Greco, pre-Platonic and Platonic
conversational philosophies. He was the first to publish an illutsration in the De divina pro-
portione, and a leap of structural creation grasped from the 4th century BCE to the brink
of the 16th century AD, is now a well-lit revelation of the twenty-first century.
The dominance of cultural wealth as temporary time alterations recreate the physical lo-
cation of a metropolitan fabric of metal, glass and light, to its illuminating impact on the
urbane site. What comes off as a transparent bodies filled with mirrored bulks of light is a
confrontation of a utopian civitas: Flatlandic BULK.
In his artist statement, Patrizio Travagli writes of Ludovico Sforza, in 1497, had asked Luca The works are on exhibit at the 12th International Cairo Biennale, Palace of the Arts, Cairo
Pacioli to write a book about his research in mathematics. It was following that conversa- Opera House Grounds until February 12th 2011. Showing in an international exhibition of
tion, that Leonardo Da Vinci was asked to complete a book of drawings based on the same 82 international artists under the curatorial direction of Ehab Ellaban.
mathematical methods discovered.
Leonardo brought more to the theory of dimensions. In the Florentine Biblioteca Lauren-
ziana, he had the chance to study a copy of The Book of Secrets or ‫ كتاب االسرار‬by Al-Muradi.
Such a powerful enigma between two wealthy cultures had already proven to share simi-
lar scientific interests in the fifteenth century, developing a knowledge of proportions
and generating this important book: De Divina Proportione, or The Divine Proportions.
The focus of Pacioli was on Plato’s regular solids. In all cultures the attention was given to
the perfection of geometry as a main goal, simultaneously in scientific and religious fields.
In two dimensional geometry all regular figures tend to, and can be inscribed in a circle,
and in a three-dimensional space all the regular solids tend to a sphere. We are used to
reading our world through the three dimensions we “know” of. Important researches in
CERN laboratories (Geneva), physicst’s are still trying to find a particle that is supposed to
give mass to the photon, and then the photon can “show” us those other dimensions that
exceed beyond the third.
In Patrizio Travagli’s Bulk research, he tries to show the hidden dimensions revealed
through light, starting with three dimensions, and in all the five solids designed; (tetra-
hedron, hexahedron, octahedron, dodecahedron, icosahedron), they act like small light
architectures, or sculptures, that the user can see a series of reflections, due to their use of
mirrors and a particular kind of glass giving the perception of extra-dimensions.
48 49
Arts & Culture Adam Mourad and Omar Ozlap two young men from Egypt, their passion for art re-
places the need for an art background to be the driving force behind their project. As
much as they value art and aspire to contribute to elevate the aesthetics spirit they bring
to the scene a familiar type of art to some of our ears and eyes offering a vast stage for
street art to flourish in the capital.
Articulate Baboon is our heroes’ gateway to contemporary and street art to help Egyp-
tian graffiti artists embark on a journey of putting an end to playing art and growing a
generation who takes it more seriously.
Such journey shall include artists like Hany Rashed a well-established Egyptian contem-
porary artist recently exhibited his radical side through ‘Cartoon War’ under the Articu-
late Baboon roof in Designopolis (6th of October branch) in November 2010. His work
shows ardent conflicting cultures in the most eccentric radical yet creative and attractive
form.
As much as Egyptian contemporary, comic and street inspired pop artists are targeted to
showcase the Egyptian culture and its transformations through a bouquet of contempo-
rary art schools in Egypt – AB is also concerned with introducing international graffiti
The Lowbrow Aesthetics artists in Egypt and to Egyptian artists stemming from a strong belief in creating a forum
for international and Egyptian artists to communicate and also examine the Western
on the Trigger
perception of the Egyptian culture, as shown in ‘The Weight: The Golden Soul’ exhibi-
tion by Sam Flores the legendary American graffiti artist at Amuse Zamalek branch early
December 2010.
“It is always fun to see what people focus on in Egypt.” Said Mourad
May Kosba uncovers the harborage of counter-culture This undergoes quite an interesting process which requires international artists to pay a
visit to the country in advance so that they can merge whatever they grasp of the Egyp-
in Egypt and the Middle East tian culture with theirs to form a comprehensive dose of art with a domestic cultural
flavor and also preserve the authenticity of their work as Mourad asserted.On the other
If creativity was a mortal it would have long been vanished and left us with a royal blockade hand, Articulate Baboon plans to provide talented Egyptian artists the opportunity to
of emotions and ideas swaying back and forth between black and white and a few clouds of showcase their talent and express the culture internationally.
grey. Yet through the darkest and brightest of the two worlds, creativity thrives with motion
and ideas bringing out in the open the sleeping layers of beauty inside every one of us, each Graffiti Between Acceptance And Vandalism
in their own way. Street art is street inspired pop art established in public places mostly referred to as
graffiti. The vagaries of graffiti manifest in its infinite creativity, colors, thick lines, raw
Creativity often defined as art; it is mostly how artistic a man can be to send the message across messages, and more specifically the target audience who happen to be the public and
with less conflict and ample zeal. It is rather the talent of harnessing the rigidness of rejection, what basically puts artists on the trigger. In addition to the little nuances and tricks which
diversity, and mix-ups into being able to stack it in a colorful rara avis. separate artists and ideas from each other, which is another good reason international
artists are offered a forum in Egypt to enrich the graffiti scene.
Flattering it is to think that there is an artist engraved deep inside every one of us. You can be a
problem solving artist, teacher artist, tree trimmer artist – as you can be a black, white, yellow, “Graffiti’s reputation abroad is changing. People grew more accepting to graffiti as fine
or brown artist. art when in the Middle East it is considered rough and vandalism.” Mourad said.
Art falls among the nouns which have no home, no color but definitely ripe with taste and the Inspite of the huge number of talented Egyptian artists in the country, too little do we
need to utilize your senses – not the usual five senses, it is however the sense of appreciating know and see of the true graffiti art on the streets. We might see scribbles on the eleva-
art and the will to preserve an omnific blessing. tor, the school walls, bathroom walls and doors, classroom desks, etc… This only shows
that both self-expression and graffiti have played a fair role in our life. But some had no
clue this was graffiti and others did not take it up a notch.
So What About True Art?
How many of us with too little knowledge of art stood in awe reading and analyzing a painter’s “Graffiti is what the country needs at this time. It is a nice way to express yourself.
work? Too many observations of different perspectives wax up the painting’s territory with There’s a lot of talent and it’s a shame all the art that comes out is the same kind of art”
a secret wish of possessing half the painter’s talent to command the brush bend in the most said Ozlap. Articulate Baboon aspires to take the lead of empowering graffiti art in the
paradoxical forms succumbing to the highs and lows of our imageries and stories. country and the region being located in the heart of Zamalek, the art galleries mecca.
How many of us apart from our appreciation of art plucked up to purchase a painting and have “In 5-10, even 15 years, all art galleries will be doing the same” Ozlap said.
it exclusively hanging on our walls? We might not be looking at an insurmountable amount of
51
buyers; however, the appreciation is undeniable.
50
The Artist Not the Gallery
Articulate Baboon’s goal is to reach out to graffiti and street inspired pop artists by first
offering artists a forum to showcase their work by seeking them out and urging them
to push their boundaries to be in tune with AB’s work, and also teaming up with the
nonprofit sector offering artists a wider space for learning and picking up on all the new
techniques through training workshops to be able to sneak out on the street in old neigh-
borhoods and paint, as well as merging them with the international art scene so that they
are connected and learning.
AB has an undying faith in artists – Mourad and Ozlap strongly believe artists are the back
bone of galleries. “The artist is more important than the gallery. Without the artist there
is no gallery. Galleries have to understand the importance of artists.” Ozlap clarifies.
Artists are free spirits. They can do all the work from home but as Ozlap says “There’s no
place for them to sell on a gallery level.” It seems that well established galleries only tar-
get well established artists leaving rising artists with no space to be seen or sold. Mourad
and Ozlap seem to have scanned the art scene in Egypt and as much as they are trying to
establish a certain brand and certain identity, they are concerned with boosting the graf-
fiti art scene through empowering rising artists and make the Egyptians familiar with this
type of art.
Articulate Baboon wants to “form a little niche in the market” Mourad adds and in order
to be able to do that there has to be a continuous financial support for artists to keep
pouring creativity and for rising galleries to continue to sponsor them. “It is costly to run
a gallery like that” Ozlap said. Financial support cannot be provided by word of mouth or
a pat on the back, it is rather crucial that art can be dealt with like any other commodity
especially intellectual commodities such as books. Books are no less than paintings. If a
writer’s goal is to be read and preserved – the artist goal cannot be any different.
Writers and artists are the two faces of the same coin – they need to be nurtured and sup-
ported emotionally and financially to be able to survive. Both are the documentators of
the country’s history and the people’s psychology. They are needed, for their work lives
long.
The Lowbrow Aesthetics Meet Egyptian Genetics

Our Pharaoh ancestors had long preceded the world in creating a documentation revolu-
tion on the walls of old Egypt, found in their tombs. It can be referred to as an early grace-
ful perception of graffiti which gives us enough purpose to revive our ancestors’ art work
and continue to enrich our country’s cultural scene.
If you are an artist go out there and show up at Articulate Baboon’s door and shine. They
can be found on this link: www.articulatebaboon.com, and easily contacted via e-mail or
at either Designopolis or Amuse locations in 6th of October and Zamalek.
52 53
Arts & Culture
Hany Rashed shows his 8th solo exhibition at
Mashrabia Gallery in Cairo, returning with a new
collection of works under the title Beware of the
Chili, or ‫احترس من الشطة‬. For the first time we see
Rashed depart from the attachment of a full-fig-
ured body and now strictly observing inanimate ob-
jects, he identifies items like a bucket, a teapot, a
jacket and trousers. English and Arabic terms fuse in
a very unconventional and ostentatious plain man-
ner, whereby an object is drawn in contour lines,
simplified by duo-tonalities, layered on a wall-
paper motif, and then re-emphasized by writing
the names of other objects not seen in the image,
above the other preceding layers.
Born in Cairo, 1975, and atelier trainee at Mohamed

Abla’s studio from 1994 - 2004, Hany Rashed refers
to European popular image in his collages where he
fuses pictures of political meetings, cartoon icons,
religious ceremonies, of war, fashion and sports
with his individual painterly abstractions. Press doc-
uments of historical events are altered in such a way
that reality turns into fiction.
Cowboys juxtaposed against donkeys, symmetrically

aligned by a muscle man, then flanked by the words
“‫ ”محطة‬and “‫ ”شارع‬a plane is equated to a washing
machine and a fridge; car mechanics are also occu-
pied by words like “arm,” “hair,” “stomach,” and
“nose.” The sarcastic relationship between infant
and adult in learning capacities, reading the words
to reminisce a child’s classroom when learning their
first words, Rashed exposes the irony of life. From
love messages of “habiby” and that primary motion
picture close-up kiss, to a suffragette-like women’s
gossip corner, embalmed in a ring of women’s
names, Spiderman and lizards equated to zodiacal
signs. Rashed exceeded his iconographic normality’s
and focused on the social commonalities of learn-
BEWARE
OF THE
ing 101, not only the Arabic or English languages,
but the parallels it makes by free association.
CHILI
Rashed just recently shown in Articulate Baboon’s
Gallery in 6th of October City “Cartoon War.” Be-
ware of the Chili act as a continuum to what he had
‫احترس من‬
started in this emerging gallery of inconspicuous
works all leading to the influences of graffiti and
comic art in contemporary Egyptian society.
‫الشطة‬
The works will be on view at Mashrabia Gallery un-
til January 13th 2011.
8 Champollion Street, Downtown, Cairo
www.mashrabiagallery.org
54 55
Arts & Culture
Courtesy of the artist and Beyond Art Productions
Chant Avedissian, You are Love
Abdulnasser Gharem, Men At Work

Image courtesy of the Barjeel Art Foundation
With the first opening to Al Qasimi’s collection, there was an amalgam of works
on exhibit. Introducing the collection for the first time to an international audi-
The Barjeel Collection: ence in March 2010, there was one particular piece Sultan had highly appreciat-
ed and is a good example of what the collection has to offer: A work he had dis-
A Sentimental Realization to the Arab Identity covered through Al Qattan Foundation, of a 21-year old Palestinian female artist
whose life had ended during that point in her career due to a terminal illness.
Her name was Layan Shawabkeh, who had won Qattan Foundation’s Young Art-
ist of the Year Award in 2008 with her Loss Series where she portrayed a group
It was a couple of years ago, when Sultan Sooud Al Qasimi had begun to collect of female figures, painted in luminescent hues of green and yellow against a
art out of the passion of aesthetic pleasure. It was within that first year, he had black backdrop shown in very distorted shapes, almost as though they were not
collected maybe 60 works of art, all by personal choice, and well-recommended female, but just human forms, exasperated by the evolution of contemporary
works, Sultan sought to find works that would not be typically seen in the popu- life. The type of life that has only seen warfare, and constant political unrest
lar nuances of the contemporary art scene from the Arab World, however served that a young lady of 21 could not but take as a conventional modus operandi to
a very crucial purpose when it came to the understanding of what the collective her own living.
culture had to offer.
It was in those images, did we see Gaza in the eyes of a Palestinian. Projecting
Publically founding the collection of the Barjeel Art Foundation in March 2010, the sense of loss, birth, absorption and reincarnation, do they appear with open
with the new opening of Maraya Art Centre, a three-floor building of arts, cul- wombs, lacking arms; almost as though they were lacking bodies, lacking minds,
ture and a social hub of combined distinctions. The Barjeel Foundation opened and lacking souls?
on the 2nd floor to show a rotational exhibit of a selection of works designed to
accommodate a curatorial approach that would help expose, inform and relay It was with the Ladies of Gaza, amongst other works with great market val-
the importance of arts from the region and beyond. The first floor holds a library, ue such as Dia Azzawi’s sculptures, Chant Avedissian’s Oum Kolthoum, Khaled
computer station and work/study desk, with a film screening room, all offered by Hafez’s Seated Goddess with Side Up from the Temple of Flight Series, Steve
Shelter, while the third floor holds the gallery space run by Al Maraya Art Cen- Sabella’s In Exile color prints, Abdul Nasser Gharem’s Men At Work Series, Ghada
tre, an important and popular center for contemporary art exhibitions, primarily Amer’s Snow White Without the Dwarves, Susan Hefuna’s Patience is Beautiful,
granted to the regional ambience, and secondly to the international arena wel- as well as Hassan Sharif, Sabhan Adam, and a unity of many more. All works
coming new ideas and educational programs in the form of workshops, exhibi- leading to just a few examples of what Sultan Al Qasimi holds, out of maybe 600
tions, talks and discussions that would allow for local visitors to interact with a works of art, built over the past year alone have been shown in Zoom Art Fair in
more affluent market of artistic and cultural importance in the non-commercial Miami, Contemporary Istanbul, and ofcourse Maraya Art Centre with the current
realm. exhibition “Residua” or ‫املتبقي‬.
56 57
Khaled Hafez, “Seated Goddess with Side Up” from the Temple of Flight Series, Who is Fig?
Image courtesy of the artist and Galerie Caprice Horn
Opening in Riviera, Heliopolis comes one of 12 restaurants in an A-class
The actual meaning of the term ‘residua’ are the remains, or rather what is left be- setting. FIG, a newly founded cafe by SAAL opens for the first time and
hind from chemical residues. How alteration continuously occurs in the form of seen acts as a means for interaction between the people through arts and
and unseen formats, “scattered or composed.” A feature recognized in Arabic culture, culture. Starting with their own publication that is the trendiest cultural
whereby they are challenged with contemporary identities, diversities of associating event calendar in Cairo, the walls will be occupied by monthly exhibi-
to one meaning, one concept, and one affirmation, are however shifted, forgotten, tions, screens will stream the most happening international films, and
and dissolved into newer reinvented realities. As remnants to immigration, diasporic watch out for the food that comes to your table. Their culinary arts
departures and social alleviations into the types of environments an artist might be are the simplest in social demeanor, yet most delicious mouthwatering
able to identify him or herself with an alternative. Existent or non-existent, it is in that experience you can have with a pizza>s and burger>s brought to you
‘Other’ that formulates a new meaning. Residua is composed of twenty-five artists, all from Roma2Go and Buffalo Burger, as well as an agreeable selection of
established and significant names to the purpose of the collection; from Ghada Amer, salads, appetizers, and cold cuts. A special menu will be provided on
to Huda Lutfi, Camille Zakaria, Jawad Al Malhi, Youssef Nabil, Adam Henein, and more sushi only during weekends, . Not all at once, but it>s all there.
who have fulfilled the approach in identifying their political and social positioning in
the Arab World, either by being of Palestinian origin who had departed quite young,
or remained and only left at temporary intervals to rethink the positioning of their
lives in their ever changing lands. Be it Egyptian, who has also remained and become
A Bit About SAAL
a pop icon of feminist modes reinvented into found dolls, or super hero projections
SAAL is an Egyptian Company founded in 1998, with the first themed
found in batman forms, or even just very ancient Egyptian icons of women adorned in
coffee shop: Football Cafe. The successful launching period encouraged
Sufic scripts. Or simply monstrous looking creatures, an emblem of untitled exhaustive
SAAL to open a continuum to their international marketability, by dis-
series coming out of Syria, not to iconify the human form, but to re-establish it under
covering Nubia Cafe in Anaheim USA, that became one of the trendiest
newer realms of social misunderstandings, repeated again and again and again, only
Middle Eastern spots of the city abroad. Egypt is the headquarters and
to reiterate their existence without acknowledging their identity.
magical source of all SAAL>s inspiration. The diverse, wild and pas-
sionate atmosphere offered by the culture is reinvented in the passion
All these are but a few themes suggested to what the collection holds. An emblem to
of food and the trendsetting atmosphere for visitors to enjoy their time
many movements that Sultan Sooud Al Qasimi quite ostentatiously selected only to
away from their daily routines.
educate, promote and realize the embodiments secured in the palm of the Arab World;
Sharjah (UAE).
FIG is SAAL’s latest project: Inspired by the People!
To view more visit: www.barjeelartfoundation.com

58
Travel
because of one single visit. In 331, Alexander the great, having conquered Egypt which was
Sherine Adel discovers... then ruled by Persians, set sail from his newly-founded city of Alexandria, reached Mersa Ma-
truh, and marched toward Siwa along the desert route that we’ve just used only yesterday.
The hidden pearl of the As it was customary for each of the pharaohs of Egypt’s 28th Dynasty to travel to Siwa to be
Western desert
acknowledged at the temple as the son of Amon-Ra, Alexander was no less. He wanted the
same declaration of divine power to legitimize his conquest of Egypt and put himself on the
same footing as the pharaohs. As we entered the temple, or what’s left of it, nothing seemed
apparent to such great history. The site consisted of crumbled walls and passages, and no
More can be read on specific structure. However, the magnificent panoramic view of the town and its surrounding
“A Cup of History” Blogsite fields and natural springs is alone worth the 4KM trip.
Image courtesy of the author We take a different route back to the center of town. On the way we stop by a large field to have
our lunch. We’d grabbed some tuna cans, bread, cheese and some drinks from the local super-
The over-night trip was pretty exhausting, 500+ Km along the road from Cairo to Matrouh market early this morning, so all we had to do was a dinner table, so we improvised one! A few
and then around 300 Km to the south into the Western Desert. After 9 hours of straight wooden logs thrown here and there did the trick, using some as seats and a couple of them as
travel, the only thing you need to see is a warm meal, a hot tub bath and a clean bed. a table to lay our food on. Soon, we had company too, as some local children with ages rang-
ing from 4 years old to 10 years old gathered in silence watching us from afar. We tried to invite
As I stood in the center of this very small town, starring at the crumbling ruins of the 12th them over but they wouldn’t approach, they just giggled and exchanged naughty remarks about
century fortress that locals call Shali and which constitutes the old town of Siwa where the “strangers in their field”. One of them, a skinny 7 years old boy had the courage to ask us if we
inhabitants resided safely within its walls, and listening to nearby shop-keepers in the typi- would like some dates. It’d have been such a silly question to ask him “from where?”, so we just
cal nomadic garments as they communicate in a local dialect of a centuries old Berber lan- nodded. He then literally “walked” his way up a three storey palm tree in an unspoken agility, held
guage, unspoken in any other area in Egypt: I was simply perplexed! In the exterior, it was the end of his red shirt with his teeth and filled the gap in between with some dates then “walked” –
just a humble village where houses are still built with clay, and where the local means of this time backwards - again down to earth. He dropped the dates right in front of our amazed eyes
transportation are limited to donkey-driven carriages and carts. It seemed to be the literal and ran back to join his gang. We were so touched by the gentle gesture that we insisted to offer
opposition to modernity. “Just another village, not far from my home-village in the Delta”, the kids some biscuits in exchange, the younger ones showed interest, but the older ones quickly
I thought. refused politely saying that give-away food is for charity, and they wouldn’t accept charity. A wave
of disappointment at my “modern” life acquired culture struck me as I realized the pride of a 7
I found my condolence in the soon to start desert safari that we were scheduled to have as -10 bare-footed year old in simple clothes who understood the difference between “need” and
soon as we arrived in town. And so I separate myself from even those small traces of modern “desire” almost instinctively.
life that manifests itself in houses, shops and imported goods that fill up the town center,
and immerse myself in an eternal view of the golden sands. Just miles and miles of endless After a 10 KM bike-ride all day, it’s only sane to have some rest. So we head back to the hotel
dunes that leaves you totally disoriented and bewildered, needless to say scared as the 4WD for a quiet nap that lasts till eight in the evening. We had heard during the day that a café near
vehicles race up and down the steep slopes. Right before sunset, we stop over a high sand Cleopatra spring offers a nice dinner over a bonfire and if we’re lucky there’d be a Siwan show.
dune and indulge into a tiring contest of sand boarding, a Sisyphean task where we would Not exactly knowing what to expect a “Siwan show” to be, we rent a couple of donkey-carts
sit or stand on a wooden board, slide down the dune and then breathlessly struggle our to take us to the spring. Moving through pitch black narrow lanes among the fields, it takes us
way up the absorptive fine sand. After sunset, a camp is set up and people gather around around 15 minutes before we could see the bonfire and hear the loud chanting accompanied by
the bonfire for a delicious fire-cooked meal. When darkness falls, the desert sky is covered soft drum beats. Suited in a secluded area right in the middle of the endless fields is this natural
by a blanket of a thousand stars so close you can almost reach out and pick up a bunch of water spring known a Juba spring or Cleopatra spring. In the morning, it looks like a circular
them. swimming pool, and is treated as one too since most visitors cannot resist taking a dive into its
emerald water. Right next to the spring is a small café, with wooden rooftop, wooden chairs and
Our rented bikes navigate us as we follow the Lonely Planet map through the palm fields woolen rags and pillows spread about. A bonfire is lit in the middle of the yard next to the spring,
and olive gardens which surround the town center in an almost perfect circle. The long while candles are spread all around the concrete edge of the spring. Diners are invited to pick up
leaves touch our heads gently and we stretch out our hands to pick some dates. It was the their food from an open buffet set up inside the café, then choose their seat in the yard, circling
sweetest dates I ever tasted, fresh off a palm tree. It was only our second day in Siwa and we the Siwan ensemble of men in their local costumes of white “gelbab” and head cover – called
couldn’t be more eager to have our own tour in its whereabouts, so we rented some bikes “hammudi” – who enthusiastically chant in their special Siwan language to the beats of a
from a local shop and headed on a lonely-traveler adventure across the fields. Four KM couple of drummers. A couple of them also perform some sort of a traditional belly dance as
away from the town, the hill of Aghurmi stands ahead as we approach the small ticket of- part of the entertaining show.
fice on the side of the road. We climb up the short hill into the ruins of the temple of the Or-
acle. At some point in time, probably around 700 BC, this temple which was originally built It’s next to impossible to experience Siwa in just two days, let alone summing up a history
in worship to the sun god Amon-Ra, housed a divine oracle whose fame was widespread that is as old as history itself in just a few pages. Those two days had left an imprint
in the eastern Mediterranean. However, the temple itself has placed itself in historical tales on my soul that would probably last forever. It is said that Siwa casts a spell on all its
visitors, just one visit is enough to make you addicted to it forever. So, I’m sure that
this will not be the last. Siwa still has a lot of treasures to discover and deeper culture
to experience, so let that be another story to tell.
60
62
‫درر العلم بشوارع‬
‫السيد الميرغنى‬ ‫مصر الجديدة‬
‫بقلم شيرين عادل‬
‫السيد محمد عثمان الميرغني الشهير بالختم هو مؤسس الطريقه الختمية الصوفية عام ‪1817‬م المنتشرة في مصر والسودان‬
‫وإريتريا وأثيوبيا والتى أرخ لها كل من الجبرتي والسيد أحمد بن إدريس والزبيدي‪ .‬وينتمى إلى واحدة من أعرق أسر‬
‫األشراف بمكة المكرمة وهي أسرة الميرغنى‪ .‬ولد السيد الميرغني بالطائف ودفن في مكة المكرمة بالمعال بعد أن عاش حياة‬
‫من المجاهدات في سبيل الدعوة اإلسالمية طاف فيها أنحاء واسعه من األرض وأسلمت على يديه جموع كثيرة‪ .‬وواصل أبناؤه‬
‫مسيرته من بعده فاشتهر الكثير من أبنائه وأحفاده باالشتغال بالدعوة اإلسالمية وخاصة فى مصر والسودان‪.‬‬ ‫شارع الميرغنى‪ ،‬شارع إبراهيم اللقانى‪ ،‬شارع شمس الدين الذهبى‪ ،‬شارع السيد المقريزى‪ ،‬شارع السخاوى‪ ،‬كلها أسماء شوارع‬
‫ويعتبر شارع الميرغنى من أكبر الشوارع الرئيسية بمصر الجديدة ويمثل الحد الشمالى الفاصل بينها وبين حى مدينة نصر‬ ‫يجمعهم حى مصر الجديدة‪ ،‬ولكن يجمعها كذلك عنصر أهم‪ ،‬هو أنها جميعاً تحمل أسماء علماء أجالء وشيوخ كبار عاش كثير منهم‬
‫شماال وحتى شارع الخليفة المأمون جنوباً متقاطعاً مع كل‬
‫ً‬ ‫فى تعريف الحدود اإلدارية للمنطقة‪ ،‬حيث يمتد من شارع النزهة‬ ‫فى مصر وذاع صيتهم بها‪.‬‬
‫من شارعى الثورة وصالح سالم‪.‬‬
‫المقريزى‬
‫هو شيخ المؤرخين المصريين « أحمد بن علي المقريزي « المعروف باسم « تقي الدين المقريزي « ولد في القاهرة‪ 764‬هـ الموافق‬
‫شمس الدين الذهبى‬ ‫‪1364‬م‪ .‬عُ رف بالمقريزي نسبة لحارة بمدينة بعلبك‪ ،‬فى لبنان‪ ،‬تعرف بحارة المقارزة فيقال أن أجداده من بعلبك وأن والده ذهب إلى‬
‫ولد محمد بن أحمد بن عثمان بن قايماز الذهبي أبو عبد هللا الملقب بشمس الدين في مدينة دمشق في ربيع اآلخر ‪673‬هـ‬ ‫القاهرة حيث ولى بها بعض الوظائف‪ .‬كان المقريزي محل احترام رجال الدولة في عصره وكانوا يعرضون عليه أسمى المناصب‬
‫الموافق أكتوبر ‪1274‬م‪ .‬نشأ في أسرة كريمة تركمانية األصل‪ ،‬يعمل والده في صناعة الذهب‪ ،‬فبرع فيها وتميز حتى عُ رف‬ ‫فكان يجيب مرة ويرفض أخرى‪ ،‬وحبب إليه العلم في آخر أمره فأعرض عن كل مظاهر الحياة وأبهتها وفرّ غ نفسه للعلم وكان ميله إلى‬
‫بالذهبي وكان رجال صالحً ا محبًا للعلم‪ ،‬فعني بتربية ولده وتنشئته على حب العلم‪ .‬وفي سن مبكرة انضم إلى حلقات تحفيظ‬ ‫التاريخ أكثر من غيره حتى اشتهر ذكره به وبعد صيته فألف كثيراً وأجاد في مؤلفاته التي أربت على مائتي مجلد كبار‪ ،‬ورغم ذلك فقد‬
‫القرآن الكريم حتى حفظه وأتقن تالوته‪ .‬ثم اتجهت عنايته لما بلغ مبلغ الشباب إلى تعلم القراءات وهو في الثامنة عشرة من‬ ‫قال عن نفسه «وقلما أجاد مكثر» ‪.‬‬
‫عمره‪ ،‬فتتلمذ على شيوخ اإلقراء في زمانه‪ ،‬وفي الوقت الذي كان يتلقى فيه القراءات مال االمام الذهبي إلى سماع الحديث‬ ‫عاش المقريزي جانباً من حياته معاصراً لدولة المماليك البحرية كما عاش شطرها اآلخر في عهد المماليك البرجية وشغل العديد من‬
‫الذي ملك عليه نفسه‪ ،‬فاتجه إليه‪ ،‬والزم شيوخه‪ ،‬وبدأ رحلته الطويلة في طلبه‪ .‬ترك اإلمام الذهبي إنتاجً ا غزيرً ا من المؤلفات‬ ‫وظائف الدولة في عصره‪ ،‬حيث ولي فيها الحسبة والخطابة واإلمامة عدة مرات‪ ،‬ثم عمل مع الملك الظاهر برقوق ودخل دمشق مع ولده‬
‫بلغ أكثر من مائتي كتاب‪ ،‬تناولت القراءات والحديث ومصطلحه‪ ،‬والفقه وأصوله والعقائد والرقائق‪ ،‬غير أن معظم مؤلفاته‬ ‫الناصر سنة ‪ 810‬هـ‪ ،‬وعُ رض على المقريزي قضاؤها فأبى‪ ،‬ثم عاد فيما بعد إلى مصر فيتوفى بها‪ 845‬هـ الموافق ‪ 1442‬م‪.‬‬
‫كانت في علوم التاريخ وفروعه‪ ،‬ومن أشهرها كتاب تاريخ اإلسالم ووفيات المشاهير واألعالم وكتاب سير أعالم النبالء‪.‬‬ ‫والشارع الذى يحمل اسم المقريزى يقع فى منطقة منشية البكرى‬
‫كل بصره‬ ‫وظل اإلمام الذهبي موفور النشاط يقوم بالتدريس في خمس مدارس للحديث في دمشق‪ ،‬ويواصل التأليف حتى ّ‬
‫في أخريات عمره‪ ،‬حتى فقد اإلبصار تماماً‪ ،‬ومكث على هذا الحال حتى تُوفي في ‪ 3‬ذوالقعدة ‪748‬هـ الموافق ‪ 4‬فبراير‬ ‫شمس الدين السخاوى‬
‫‪1348‬م‪.‬‬ ‫هو مؤرخ كبير وعالم شهير فى الحديث والتفسير واألدب‪ ،‬وعلم من أعالم مؤرخي عصر المماليك‪ .‬ولد في ربيع األول سنة ‪ 831‬هـ‪،‬‬
‫الموافق ‪1428‬م‪ ،‬في باب الفتوح بالقاهرة‪ ،‬وبعدها انتقل إلى ملك ألبيه مجاور لمسكن ابن حجر العسقالني‪ .‬سافر شمس الدين السخاوى‬
‫يقع شارع شمس الدين الذهبى فى حدود منطقة أرض الجلف بمصر الجديدة‪ ،‬ويشتهر بوجود كنيسة العذراء المعروفة باسم‬ ‫طويال وصنف أكثر من مائتي كتاب أشهرها « الضوء الالمع في أعيان القرن التاسع « ترجم نفسه فيه بثالثين صفحة‪،‬‬ ‫ً‬ ‫في البلدان سفراً‬
‫كنيسة أرض الجولف‪ ،‬وهو يمثل همزة وصل بين شارع أسماء فهمى وتقاطع شارع الميرغنى مع مخرج شارع أحمد‬ ‫وترك تراثا علمياً ناصعاً في الحديث والتاريخ‪ .‬وقد مات بالمدينة المنورة ودفن بالبقيع بجوار مشهد اإلمام مالك‪.‬‬
‫تيسير‪.‬‬ ‫والشارع الذى يحمل اسمه اليوم يقع خلف شارع الخليفة األمون‪ ،‬ويشتهر أكثر ما يشتهر بالمول التجارى الكبيرة لبيع أجهزة ومتعلقات‬
‫الكمبيوتر والمعروف بـ»مول السخاوى» فى مصر الجديدة‪.‬‬
‫إبراهيم اللقانى‬
‫اللقاني المالكي‪ ،‬المصري‪ .‬وله اتصال هو‬ ‫هو إبراهيم بن إبراهيم بن حسن بن علي بن عبد القدوس بن الولي الشهير محمد بن هارون ّ‬
‫وقبيلته المنحدر منها بالنسب الشريف‪ .‬وكان ال يظهره تواضعا منه‪ .‬ولقبه «اللقاني» نسبة إلى لقانة‪ ،‬قرية من قرى مصر‪ .‬بعد طول‬
‫المراس مع العلوم الشرعية وصحبة العلماء عرف الناس الشيخ اللقانى كأحد العلماء األعالم وأئمّة اإلسالم المشار إليهم بسعة االطالع‬
‫والرسوخ في العلوم الشرعية‪ ،‬حتى أصبح مرجع العلماء في المشكالت والفتاوى في وقته‪ ،‬مما جعله منافسا لرجال الدولة في زعامتهم‬
‫وتدخالته في تظلّمات الناس وقضاء مصالحهم‪ ،‬كان له كثير من التالمذة حتى قالوا‪ « :‬لم يكن‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫على الناس‪ ،‬وفارضا عليهم قبول شفاعته‬
‫أحد من علماء عصره أكثر تالمذة منه ‪.‬‬
‫فتوفي بالقرب من مدينة «أيلة»‬‫وفى سنة ‪1041‬هـ ‪ 1632‬م سافر اإلمام اللقاني ألداء فريضة الحج‪ ،‬وعند رجوعه لبّى داعي ربّه‪ّ ،‬‬
‫‪ ،‬أى العقبة‪ ،‬بطريق الركب المصري‪ ،‬ودفن بمكان وفاته‪.‬‬
‫يمتد شارع إبراهيم اللقانى على حدود منطفة الكوربة‪ ،‬بدءاً من تقاطعه مع كل من شارع القبة والخليفة المأمون ثم يتقاطع مع شارع‬
‫األهرام ويتجه ليصب فى شارع كليوباترا‪ ،‬وهو شارع حيوى يزخر بالمحالت التجارية المتنوعة ويعد جزءًا غنيًا من مركز التسوق‬
‫فى منطقة روكسى‪.‬‬
‫إعداد‪ /‬شيرين عادل‬
‫‪64‬‬ ‫‪65‬‬
‫وسنعرض م ًعا عبر أعدادنا املتالحقة إن شاء اهلل أحداث هذه األسر‪ ،‬فتاريخ املصريني فى رأيى هو أن تستغرب ما تعرفه عنه كل‬
‫يوم أكثر من الذى قبله‪ .‬وينصح دائ ًما بقراءة «موسوعة مصر القدمية» للدكتور سليم حسن‪ ،‬الذى توفى عام ‪ ،1961‬ملن يريد‬
‫أن يقتفى أثار هذه احلضارة مبساعدة مصرية‪.‬‬
‫من المصريين وللمصريين‬

‫نرى أنه من الضرورى االتصال بالوجود املصرى عن طريق التحدث عن شخصيات انبثقت من مجتمعنا املصرى القدمي أو أماكن‬
‫خلقها اهلل للمصريني وأثرت فيهم حتى تشكل تاريخ املصريني الذى نستقبله فى حاضرنا ونرسله ملستقبلنا‪ .‬فمع سلسلة‬
‫أيضا عن شخصيات وأماكن معروفة لنا‪ ،‬لنعمق هذه املعرفة أكثر وأكثر ولترتسم فى ذاكرتنا‬ ‫بدايات املصريني‪ ،‬سنتكلم ً‬
‫التاريخية ماهية هذه الشخصيات واألماكن بإدراك توقيتها وتأثيرها‪.‬‬
‫شخصية من المصريين‬
‫فى هذه املرة سنحكى عن شخصية من املصريني‪ ،‬وهذا ألنه مت ذكرها بطريقة مثيرة للجدل فى كتاب يدعى «حياة بنى إسرائيل‬
‫فى مصر بني حقائق الدين ومصادر التاريخ»‪ ،‬قام بإعداده مؤخرًا مركز األهرام للنشر والترجمة والتوزيع‪ .‬وهى امللكة نفرتيتى‪.‬‬
‫نفرتيتى هى زوجة امللك إخناتون الذى حكم مصر ملدة ما يقرب من ‪ 18‬عا ًما‪ ،‬ويعتقد أن فترة حكمه قد كانت بني ‪ 1370‬حتى‬
‫‪ 1352‬ق‪.‬م‪ .‬هى من أهم شخصيات األسرة الثامنة عشر أى فى عهد الدولة احلديثة‪ .‬إذن فنحن فى فترة بعيدة متا ًما عن بدايات‬
‫املصريني‪ .‬وهى أم لست بنات‪ ،‬توفيت إحداهن وهى صغيرة وانتحب عليها كل من نفرتيتى وأخناتون كثيرًا‪.‬‬
‫كانت تستغيث امللكة مبلك خيتا‪ ،‬إحدى‬ ‫تنتمى هذه امللكة إلى أسرة مثيرة للجدل‪ ،‬فقد ظهر بها ملوك قاموا بإجنازات ضخمة وملوك يغلفهم الغموض‬
‫املمالك األسيوية‪ ،‬لكى يرسل لها ابنه‬ ‫مثل زوج ملكتنا إخناتون الذى لقب نفرتيتى بالوريثة‪ ،‬مما يعطيها احلق فى حكم مصر بعد وفاة زوجها امللك‪،‬‬
‫ليتزوجها نظرًا لعدم وجود وريث يخلف‬ ‫ويعتقد أنها حكمت البالد مبا أنها صورت وهى تضرب أسيرًا مبقمعة حربية وهو الفعل الذى ال يقوم به‬
‫عرش والده الذى مات‪ ،‬ولم تكن نفرتيتى تبالغ‬ ‫إال ذكر يحكم البالد‪..‬‬
‫فى خوفها من التربص بها‪ ،‬فقد قتل ابن ملك خيتا‬
‫فى الطريق ثم أعلن «شوبيليو لوما» ملك خيتا احلرب على‬ ‫اسمها بالهيروغليفية «نــِفــِرت إيـتـى» ومعناه‬
‫مصر‪ .‬إذن فقد شاب التوتر مصر منذ تولى إخناتون ‪ ٫‬زوج نفرتيتى‪ ٫‬العرش وحتى بعد موته‪.‬‬ ‫أت أو التى من أجلها جاء‬ ‫اجلمال قد أتى أو اجلمال ٍ‬
‫اجلمال أو اجلميلة قادمة ولقبت بـ»نـِفـِر نـِفـِرو‬
‫ينص الكتاب املذكور فى بداية حديثنا عن نفرتيتى أنها من بنى إسرائيل‪ ،‬وهو الذى جعل الكثير من علماء األثار‬ ‫أتون» أى جميلة جميالت أتون أو جميل اجلمال أتون‪.‬‬
‫والباحثني فى تاريخ مصر فى حالة استنفار من مثل هذه املعلومة‪ ،‬إن صحت‪ ،‬ويرون أن نفرتيتى من أصل مصرى‪ ،‬نستطيع‬ ‫وأتون هو إله قرص الشمس والذى فرضه إخناتون‬
‫أن نقول أن أصل نفرتيتى يحتمل عدة أراء‪ ،‬فمثلاً يرى البعض أن نفرتيتى من أصل مصرى صريح والدليل على ذلك أن‬ ‫على املصريني كإله موحد لهم متحديًا كهنة‬
‫اسمها فرعونى‪ ،‬فقد سبق أن تزوج ملوك مصريون من غير مصريات ولكنهن احتفظن باسمهن األجنبى وحرصن على‬ ‫اإلله أمون والذى كان يعبد منذ أمد بعيد‪ ،‬ويعتبر‬
‫عدم تغييره مثل زوجة أمنحوتب الثالث من األسرة الـ‪ 18‬وكذلك زوجة رمسيس الثانى من األسرة الـ‪ 19‬إذن فلماذا قامت‬ ‫هذا الفعل من أكثر األشياء التى أتت بالكثير من‬
‫نفرتيتى بالذات بتغيير اسمها إلى اسم هيروغليفى إذا كانت من أصل غير مصرى‪ ،‬وهو األمر غير املعهود من األسر‬ ‫املشاكل على إخناتون وعائلته‪.‬‬
‫امللكية فى تلك الفترة‪ .‬ولكن مع كم التغيير الذى حدث فى مصر مع مجئ إخناتون للحكم‪ ،‬من تغيير ديانة وعاصمة‬
‫فال يستبعد أن تقوم ملكة بتغيير اسمها‪ ،‬فهى فترة إستثنائية فى تاريخ مصر فى مختلف األحوال‪ .‬هناك رأى أخر أنها‬ ‫قام إخناتون ببناء عاصمة جديدة للدولة املصرية‬
‫من املمكن أن تكون من أصل غير مصرى أولاً ألن جمالها كان مختلفًا عن جمال املصريني وثان ًيا ألن من معانى اسمها هو‬ ‫بتل العمارنة والتى اكتشبف بها أهم رسائل‬
‫اجلميلة أتت‪ ،‬ورمبا يشير هذا إلى أنها قدمت من خارج مصر‪.‬‬ ‫مصرية والتى حتوى العالقات الدبلوماسية الدولية‬
‫وهى رسائل تل العمارنة املكتشفة عام ‪ ،1887‬وقد‬
‫وما دمنا ذكرنا جمالها‪ ،‬فبالفعل تعتبر نفرتيتى من أجمل ملكات مصر‪ ،‬ودل على ذلك متثالها املشهور من احلجر اجليرى‬ ‫وجدت بها رسالة مهمة من امللكة نفرتيتى تعرب‬
‫الذى اكتشف فى تل العمارنة والذى يحتويه متحف برلني‪ ،‬ويقال أن العالم األملانى ودفيج بورخاردت الذى اكتشف التمثال‬ ‫بها عن خوفها قائلة‪:‬‬
‫فى أوائل القرن العشرين قد ادعى عدم وجود قيمة للتمثال لكى يتمكن من أخذه خارج مصر‪.‬‬ ‫«زوجى مات‪ ،‬ليس لدى أوالد‪ ،‬لن أتزوج أح ًدا من خدمى‪،‬‬
‫وتعرض مصر بعض األجزاء احملطمة لتمثال أخر لها من احلجر الرملى األسمر فى املتحف املصرى‪.‬‬ ‫إنى خائفة»‬
‫ولذلك جند متابعى احلضارة املصرية القدمية مترقبني لعودة متثال نفرتيتى من متحف برلني إلى مصر‪ ،‬فقد واجهت نفرتيتى‬
‫متوجا مرة أخرى إلى بلده مصر‪.‬‬
‫ً‬ ‫صعوبات كثيرة لكى تبقى على حياتها فى مصر ولذا يجب أن يعود متثالها‬
‫‪66‬‬
‫رنا صالح تحكي لكم عن‬
‫بدايات المصريين‬
‫إن حضارتنا التى متتد ألالف السنوات لم تظهر فجأة‪ ،‬ويرجع الفضل إلى عالم املصريات البريطانى فلندرز بيترى‬
‫‪ ،Flinders Petrie‬والذى توفى عام ‪ ،1942‬فى أن يزيل الغبار عن نشأة احلضارة املصرية املبكرة وذلك عن طريق قيامه‬
‫بحفائر فى منطقة الالهون عند مدخل الفيوم عام ‪ 1889‬ثم ميدوم التى تبعد حوالى ‪ 90‬كم جنوب غرب القاهرة ثم طوخ شمال‬
‫القاهرة‪ ٫‬حتى أخذ العلماء من بعده يجوبون احلفائر مثلما فعل هو بعدة أماكن‪.‬‬
‫العصر الحجرى القديم‬
‫(‪)Paleolithic‬‬ ‫إن تكوين هذه احلضارة قد تأثر بتغيرات األرض فمع انحسار اجلليد ‪ -‬الذى غطى األرض ألالف السنني ‪ -‬ثم بدء عصر اجلفاف اجلديد‪،‬‬
‫استعمل املصرى القدمي‬ ‫فرت بعض احليوانات إلى وادى النيل عند تكونه فتبع اإلنسان هذه التحركات ليبدأ فى رحلة الصيد الطويلة على ضفاف هذا النهر‬
‫ً‬
‫بسيطا‪،‬‬ ‫احلجر املهذب تهذي ًبا‬ ‫الذى ارتسم بني املقطم وهضبة األهرام وامتد حتى مصبه فى البحر املتوسط وكان هذا املصب فى صورة خليج ثالثى الشكل‬
‫ومت تقسيمه إلى العصر احلجرى القدمي‬ ‫يبعد عن البحر حوالى ‪ 200‬كم وأضحى يترسب على ضفافه الغرين الذى شكل‪ ،‬مع مرور األيام‪ ،‬الدلتا التى نراها اليوم ودفن حتته‬
‫األسفل‪ ،‬احلجرى القدمي املتوسط‪ ،‬واحلجرى‬ ‫الكثير من القرى‪ ،‬تشهد عليها فى عصرنا قرية مثل العمرى (رأس حوف القريبة من القاهرة)‪ ،‬ومرمدة بنى سالمة على حافة‬
‫القدمي األعلى‪.‬‬ ‫الدلتا الغربية ‪ 50‬كم شمال غرب القاهرة والتى عثر بها على أقدم فخار صنعه اإلنسان دون استعمال أى ألة‪ ،‬ودميه وكوم أوشيم‬
‫وقصر الصاغة فى الفيوم‪ .‬أما فى الوجه القبلى عثر على مدينة فى بلدة دير طاسا قرب البدارى جنوب أسيوط‪ ،‬وقد قدر فلندرز‬
‫العصر الحجرى المتوسط (‪)Mesolithic‬‬ ‫عمر مدنيتها بنحو ‪ 10000‬أو ‪ 13000‬سنة ق‪.‬م‪ .‬وقدرها أخرون بنحو ‪ 5000‬سنة‪ ،‬فقد وجد بها أقدم أثار مصرية فى هذا العصر‪.‬‬
‫وهو العصر الذى وضعه العالم «دى مرجان» استنادا إلى‬
‫منطقة ما وجد مبنطقة «مرمدة أبو غالب» على ساحل الدلتا الغربى‬ ‫وهناك هذه املدينة التى تقع بني األقصر وقنا‪ ،‬قريبة من قوص شمال األقصر وتدعى نقادا‪ ،‬ازدهرت بها حضارات ما قبل األسرات‬
‫ونسمع بها عن عصر نقادا األول (عهد ما قبل األسرات) ثم الثانى (عهد ما قبل األسرات املتوسط) ثم الثالث (عهد ما قبل‬
‫العصر الحجرى الحديث (‪)Neolithic‬‬ ‫األسرات احلديث) والذى بدأ به االستعداد لعهد األسرات ببناء القصور واملعابد‪ .‬مما يبني بل ويؤكد مرور حضارتنا مبقدمات كثيرة‬
‫استعمل املصرى القدمي احلجر املصقول بعد التهذيب وصنع الفخار واحلصير‪ ،‬يحتمل وقوعه منذ ‪ 10000‬عام وبه بدأ‬ ‫أهلت إلى وصولنا إلى عصر األسرات‪.‬‬
‫عصر ما قبل األسرات‪.‬‬
‫وقسم عصر ما قبل األسرات كالتالى‪:‬‬
‫عصر بداية استعمال المعادن (‪)Eneolithic‬‬
‫استخدم املصرى القدمي املعادن ثم النحاس والذهب والبرونز فاحلديد ويحتمل أن يقع هذا العصر منذ ‪ 5000‬أو ‪6000‬‬ ‫عصر ما قبل الحجرى القديم (‪)Eolithic‬‬
‫عام‪.‬‬ ‫استعمل املصرى القدمي احلجر الصوان لصنع أدواته التى اتسمت بالبدائية والبساطة‬
‫ثم يأتى عهد األسرات الذى نسمع عن كثير من ملوكه‪ ،‬وقد قسمت إلي دول وأسرات بتواريخ تقريبية مختلفة‬
‫سنتعرف عليها‪ ٫‬كالتالى‪:‬‬
‫‪ 1570‬ق‪.‬م‬ ‫‪ 1778‬ق‪.‬م‬ ‫‪ 2065‬ق‪.‬م‬ ‫‪ 2280‬ق‪.‬م‬ ‫‪ 2778‬ق‪.‬م‬ ‫‪ 3197‬ق‪.‬م‬

‫العصر الفارسي الثاني‬ ‫العصر الفارسي األول‬ ‫العصر الليبي ثم الصاوي‬ ‫عصر الملوك الكهنة‬ ‫الدولة الحديثة‬ ‫عصر االضمحالل الثاني‬ ‫الدولة الوسطي‬ ‫عصر االضمحالل األول‬ ‫الدولة القديمة‬ ‫عصر ملوك طينة‬
‫األسرة ‪31‬‬ ‫األسرة ‪27‬‬ ‫األسر ‪ 26 : 22‬بها‬ ‫األسرة ‪21‬‬ ‫األسر ‪20 : 18‬‬ ‫األسر ‪17 : 13‬‬ ‫األسر ‪12 : 11‬‬ ‫األسر ‪10 : 7‬‬ ‫األسر ‪6 : 3‬‬ ‫األسر ‪2 : 1‬‬
‫يتخللهما عصر االستقالل من‬ ‫اآلسرة النوبية‬
‫‪ 401‬ق‪.‬م‪ .‬حتي ‪ 343‬ق‪.‬م‪.‬‬
‫باألسر ‪30 : 28‬‬
‫‪68‬‬ ‫‪69‬‬
‫شفافية الهوية‬
‫هالة الطيب‬
‫ماذا لو غير العبو فريق األهلي لون زيهم الرياضي الموحد تبعاً للفريق الذي يلعبون ضده؟ ماذا لو غيرت‬
‫غيرت لون جلدك تبعاً‬
‫َ‬ ‫شركة مرسيدس اللوجو المخصص لها تبعاً للدولة التي توزع فيها سياراتها؟ ماذا لو‬
‫غيرت نوع شعرك تبعاً لمرتبة الشخص الذي تتعامل معه؟ ‪ ...‬ستضيع‬ ‫َ‬ ‫للمكان الذي تتواجد فيه؟ وماذا لو‬
‫الهوية! فلن يصبح بمقدورنا تشجيع فريق األهلي بسهولة‪ ،‬وسنضيع بين اللوجوهات المختلفة لمرسيدس‬
‫وقد يتسبب هذا في ضعف المبيعات وحتى إفالس الشركة‪ ،‬وسوف يصبح جلدك بلونين إذا كنت تقف على‬
‫باب بيتك بينما جزء من جسمك داخل البيت والجزء الآخر في الحديقة‪ ،‬وسيصبح شكل رأسك عجيباً إذا‬
‫كنت تتحدث مع مديرك وألقى عليك الساعي التحية في ذات الوقت!‬
‫إن لكل شيء هوية تعبر عن أصالته‪ .‬لفريق الالعبين هوية وللشركات وللمؤسسات هوية وللجماعات هوية‪،‬‬
‫ولألوطان هوية‪ ،‬بل وللعالم هوية‪ ،‬وأنت لك هوية تعبر عن أصالتك‪ ،‬بدأ تكوينها منذ أن خلقك الله تعالى‬
‫ّ‬
‫وشكلك واختارك كرجل أو إمرأة باإلضافة إلى محيطك الثقافى واالجتماعى‪ ،‬كل هذا‬ ‫وكرمك من بين خلقه‬
‫مجتمعا يحدد هويتك التى أنت عليها األن‪ .‬ولكن‪ ...‬أنت أعلى من أن تحدد هويتك هذه األشياء فحسب‪.‬‬
‫فأنت مخلوق ذو عقل ورسالة وهدف فى الحياة‪ .‬فشكلك وحده ال يمثل هويتك وال نستطيع أن نصمم لك‬
‫لوجو ليعبر عنك‪ .‬إن أخالقك ومبادئك التي تتجسد في تصرفاتك وسلوكياتك فى المواقف المتخلفة هى‬
‫التى تعبر عن هويتك باألساس‪ .‬فمن خالل التصرفات والسلوكيات نقيم األخرين لكى نتخذ القرار بأن نتقرب‬
‫منهم أو نبتعد عنهم‪...‬‬
‫ولكن هل يعرف كل منا هويته؟‬
‫هنا يكمن التحدي! يزعم الواحد منا أنه خلوق‪ ،‬أو يحدد أكثر فيزعم‬
‫أنه كريم أو متعاون‪ ...‬إلخ‪ ...‬نحن ال نكذب ولكن المشكلة أننا نعتقد‬
‫ال بأننا نمتلك هذه الصفات ولكننا في ذات الوقت ال نؤكد مصداقية‬‫فع ً‬
‫ذلك‪ .‬نعم‪ ...‬الكثير منا ال يمتلك المصداقية‪ .‬فنحن نتذكر فقط‬
‫المواقف التي كنا فيها كرماء‪ ،‬وعادة ما تكون مع من نختارهم فقط‪،‬‬
‫ونتناسى المواقف الكثيرة األخرى التي اخترنا فيها‪ ،‬بمحض إرادتنا‪،‬‬
‫أن نضع الكرم جانباً‪ ،‬ونتصرف بشكل آخر‪ ...‬فشاب يفتح باب السيارة‬
‫لخطيبته‪ ،‬ويحمل عنها حقيبة ليست بالثقيلة‪ ،‬وربما يتشاجر من أجل‬
‫حمايتها‪ ،‬يرفض في ذات الوقت أن يوصل أخته بسيارته إلى مكان ما‪،‬‬
‫ويرى أمه تحمل عدداً من الحقائب دون أن يحرك ساكناً‪ ،‬ومن المؤكد‬
‫ال عن زميلته في العمل! ورغم ذلك فهو يؤمن‬ ‫أنه لن يحمل صندوقاً ثقي ً‬
‫ويصدق بأنه شاب شهم‪ .‬وفتاة تختار من زميالت العمل صديقتين‬
‫تتعاون معهما وترفض مساعدة بقية الزميالت وقد تضع العوائق‬
‫أمامهن‪ ،‬تعتقد أنها إنسانة متعاونة! الثبات‪.‬‬
‫إن األخالق ملتصقة بنا ال بالآخرين! نحن ال نغيرها تبعاً لألشخاص‬
‫الذين نتعامل معهم‪ ،‬أو تبعاً لألماكن المختلفة التي نتواجد فيها‪،‬‬
‫أو تبعاً للمواسم أو الفصول‪ .‬األخالق والمبادئ التي يرتضيها‬
‫أحدنا لنفسه هي هويته‪ ،‬فالسلوك الثابت في كل المواقف ومع كل‬
‫األشخاص هو الدليل الوحيد على مصداقية هذه الهوية‪ .‬أخالقنا هي‬
‫الزي الحقيقي أو اللوجو‪ ،‬وهي اللون المميز لكل منا‪ .‬ومن السهولة‬
‫بمكان أن نتصرف بثبات في جميع األحوال‪ ،‬ولكننا نختار الطريق‬
‫الصعب‪ ،‬ونتلون ونتغير حتى نصبح بال هوية‪ ،‬بال شفافية‪.‬‬
‫ثبات األخالق ال يتعارض مع المرونة‪ ،‬ففريق األهلي قد يغير موديل‬

‫التي شيرت ولكن يحتفظ باللون األحمر‪ ،‬ومرسيدس تنوع في أشكال‬
‫الدعاية ولكن تحتفظ باللوجو‪ ،‬ونحن نصبغ الشعر ولكننا ال نغير‬
‫نوعه‪ ،‬ونرطب الجلد وال نغير لونه‪ .‬والخلوق يلون وينوع في األسلوب‬
‫ولكن أخالقه ثابتة‪ .‬ففي المرة القادمة وقبل أن نزعم أننا نمتلك خلقاً‬
‫أو صفة ما‪ ،‬علينا أوالً أن نعرض سلوكنا على مسطرة الثبات‪.‬‬
‫‪70‬‬
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THE PRECIOUS REALM OF SCIENCE "AL SAYEDA NAFISA"

Article · December 2010

Manar Ahmed Algammal

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

Teaching the basics

What better time to start learning such an essential skill

Introducing public speaking to your children entails 3 main steps;

Some recommended speeches to check out are:

Another type of quartz that was used readily was

as Part of a Magical located in An Hui Province, China.

The Transparent bricks are manufactured by Litra-

Dr. Ibrahim Karim

Born in Cairo, Egypt on February 1st, 1942,

“It’s really funny, because I am in Egypt, while talking to Bei-

Between the hours of 5-7 PM from Monday-Friday, Simon logs

Today Simon lives and works in Maadi, where he is set-up

Starting from the Age of 12, Simon was a radio

Traction Control System

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This text was conceived by Amr McGyver

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Life, Death, and Community in Cairo,s City of the Dead

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

...”These are dark times,

Patrizio Travagli adopts timelessness by unlocking a treasure of secrets: Offering regular

The Lowbrow Aesthetics Meet Egyptian Genetics

Born in Cairo, 1975, and atelier trainee at Mohamed

Cowboys juxtaposed against donkeys, symmetrically

Abdulnasser Gharem, Men At Work

To view more visit: www.barjeelartfoundation.com

‫من المصريين وللمصريين‬

‫‪ 1570‬ق‪.‬م‬ ‫‪ 1778‬ق‪.‬م‬ ‫‪ 2065‬ق‪.‬م‬ ‫‪ 2280‬ق‪.‬م‬ ‫‪ 2778‬ق‪.‬م‬ ‫‪ 3197‬ق‪.‬م‬

‫ثبات األخالق ال يتعارض مع المرونة‪ ،‬ففريق األهلي قد يغير موديل‬

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