{"id":42862,"date":"2025-02-13T15:21:22","date_gmt":"2025-02-13T12:21:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sudanevents.com\/?p=42862"},"modified":"2025-02-13T15:21:22","modified_gmt":"2025-02-13T12:21:22","slug":"whats-the-rush-and-the-current-political-debate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sudanevents.com\/index.php\/2025\/02\/13\/whats-the-rush-and-the-current-political-debate\/","title":{"rendered":"What\u2019s the Rush? And the Current Political Debate!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dr. Al-Khider Haroun<\/strong><\/p>\n

This was the title of an amusing article I wrote back in 2003 in response to an article published in a Sunday magazine issued by The Washington Post<\/em>. This weekly edition was rich with cultural and social topics that didn\u2019t find space in the newspaper\u2019s daily issues, which were primarily focused on current news and political analysis. Similarly, The New York Times<\/em> also published a Sunday magazine, which was even more substantial and well-established.<\/p>\n

Today, we are on the verge of mourning print journalism, as it has been eclipsed by the dominance of fast, modern digital media\u2014bland in taste and of little value.<\/p>\n

The article in question told the story of a university student who spoke at an incredibly fast pace. Her professor, an eminent figure in linguistics, said to her, \u201cSlow down, young lady! No one can understand you at that speed.\u201d<\/em> She responded, \u201cMy mother noticed that too. But I always thought that only slow-witted people spoke slowly, as if searching for words to express themselves. Then I wondered, how can I describe this esteemed professor of linguistics?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

The article continued by noting that New Yorkers are particularly known for their fast speech. Since many television networks are headquartered in New York, this trait has become characteristic of their speech patterns\u2014so much so that elderly viewers complain they can no longer keep up with news broadcasts and TV shows.<\/p>\n

I searched for my old article on my website (maqamat.com<\/em>) to refresh my memory while writing this piece, but all I found was a meaningless jumble of text, with letters overlapping in a way that made it unreadable. This serves as a reminder not to rely solely on digital storage; instead, we must continue using the faithful companion\u2014paper\u2014which has been reliable since the days of papyrus!<\/p>\n

One of the pitfalls of digital archiving in the age of artificial intelligence is how easily information can be stolen\u2014or even deliberately erased. Indeed, I once wrote an article summarizing a lecture by the German orientalist and diplomat Bernd Werner, delivered on Africa TV<\/em> alongside Professor Madthar Abdel Rahim Al-Tayyib. The lecture discussed research from the early 21st century suggesting that the civilization of the Nile Valley flourished between Khartoum and Aswan and that Semitic and Sudanese languages, as well as the domestication of cattle, all originated there. Werner stated that more than 95% of researchers now support this view.<\/p>\n

I had uploaded a video of that lecture alongside my article on my website, my Facebook page, and Sudanile\u2019s<\/em> opinion platform for public access. But to my shock, when I recently tried to retrieve it, I found it missing from all these sources!<\/p>\n

Now, back to What\u2019s the Rush?<\/em>\u2014or, in more formal Arabic, \u201cF\u012bma al-\u2018ajala?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

As mischievous children, we used to challenge the saying \u201cHaste is from the Devil\u201d<\/em> by flipping its meaning and insisting that \u201cWheels are made of iron\u201d<\/em>\u2014therefore, not from the Devil! After all, iron was endowed with great strength and power, and the invention of the wheel was one of humanity\u2019s greatest achievements, revolutionizing transportation and making life easier. It even led some people to arrogantly believe they no longer needed the Creator, imagining themselves \u201ccapable of anything.\u201d<\/em> Of course, as children, we weren\u2019t aware of such deep meanings\u2014we were simply playing with words.<\/p>\n

What our elders meant by \u201cHaste is from the Devil\u201d<\/em> was reckless impatience, which often sabotages the achievement of goals\u2014like the traveler who overloads his mount in his rush to reach his destination, only to wear it out before he gets there.<\/p>\n

However, haste is commendable in matters of goodness. There is wisdom in the saying, \u201cThe best deeds are those done quickly.\u201d<\/em> In the Maliki school of Islamic jurisprudence, it is recommended to perform ablution swiftly, ensuring continuity between washing different parts of the body\u2014a practice known as \u201cimmediacy\u201d (al-fawr).<\/em><\/p>\n

We didn\u2019t fully grasp the exact meaning of \u201cfawr\u201d<\/em> as children. Some of our teachers were short-tempered and reluctant to explain thoroughly, which is why it was said that the testimony of a children\u2019s tutor should not be accepted! Others even claimed, \u201cSo-and-so is more foolish than a children\u2019s teacher!\u201d<\/em> The great writer Al-Jahiz had many amusing stories about such teachers.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s the Rush?<\/em> and the Political Context<\/h3>\n

This brings us to the speech delivered by Sudan\u2019s Transitional Sovereignty Council Chairman and Commander-in-Chief of the Sudanese Armed Forces, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, on February 9, 2025.<\/p>\n

The urgency of his speech lies in the fact that the expected liberation<\/em> has not yet reached its full extent, though its signs are emerging thanks to the extraordinary sacrifices of the armed forces, joint forces, and mobilized volunteers. As their leader, General Burhan undoubtedly deserves the highest praise and recognition.<\/p>\n

However, what we see as undue haste is that significant milestones in the liberation process remain incomplete\u2014particularly the sieges of El Fasher<\/em> and El Obeid<\/em>. The ongoing siege of El Fasher continues despite the crocodile tears of the UN Security Council and its feeble calls for intervention. Meanwhile, the rebels openly declare their intentions to use the city as a launchpad for attacks on Northern and River Nile states\u2014and possibly even to retake Khartoum, as their leader Hemeti ominously suggested in a video: \u201cThe places they claim to have liberated\u2014we were never really there. And we\u2019ll take them back!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Lifting the siege of El Obeid<\/em> would pave the way for the liberation of many areas in Kordofan and West Darfur. Securing both cities would reaffirm Sudan\u2019s territorial unity and dispel lingering suspicions that a secret deal was struck to exchange central Sudan for the west.<\/p>\n

Burhan\u2019s speech on \u201cThe National Proposal Initiative\u201d<\/em> suggests that he is shifting his focus from military campaigns to political processes. However, the reality on the ground indicates otherwise\u2014battles still rage on Soba\u2019s bridges, Manshiyya, the areas west of the General Command, east of Old Khartoum, along Mac Nimir Street, near the Friendship Hall, and in districts like Nimr 2 and Al-Firdaws<\/em>.<\/p>\n

While a delegation of esteemed citizens presented a national proposal to end the war, their initiative should be treated as one contribution among many\u2014not as the ultimate foundation for Sudan\u2019s political future. Other groups and factions also have their own perspectives, which must be considered.<\/p>\n

There was no need to single out political parties\u2014whether the National Congress Party<\/em> or others\u2014as this only fuels division at a delicate moment in Sudan\u2019s history. After all, it was already decided that no political parties would hold power during the transitional period, and some of their members are actively engaged in the liberation struggle.<\/p>\n

Yet, Burhan seems to view the 2019 Constitutional Document<\/em>\u2014despite its role in Sudan\u2019s current crises\u2014as still holding some allure. The presence of respected figures who were once part of it may explain why he seeks to draw legitimacy from it, despite having gained genuine popular support as a skilled military leader with undeniable battlefield victories. As the poet Abu Tammam put it:<\/p>\n

“The sword conveys clearer messages than books\u2014
\nIts sharp edge separates truth from mere pretense.”<\/em><\/p>\n

While the authors of that document deserve respect and their input is valuable, using them as the sole foundation for Sudan\u2019s future governance would be a repeat of past mistakes.<\/p>\n

Sudan\u2019s near-collapse demands that we all rally behind a new<\/em> foundation\u2014one rooted in Sudan\u2019s unique cultural identity, while remaining open to global ideas that benefit the nation. This must be achieved through true democracy, upheld by a formidable, unified army that remains ever-vigilant against foreign threats.<\/p>\n

Our international messages must be clear: we are committed to upholding global security and stability, but any friendship with foreign powers must be based on respect for our sovereignty and national dignity\u2014without coercion or interference.<\/em><\/p>\n

This critique, though firm, is written in the spirit of goodwill. Though it may not reach the eloquence of Al-Mutanabbi, I hope it adds something valuable. I have long resisted the temptation to engage in political writing, given the abundance of voices in the field. But sometimes, one must say something<\/em>\u2014however modest\u2014that might help preserve a nation that our children and future generations deserve.<\/p>\n

As the Greek historian Herodotus<\/em> once said while standing at the borders of Aswan:<\/p>\n

“Here lies the fountainhead of true human civilization.”<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Dr. Al-Khider Haroun This was the title of an amusing article I wrote back in 2003 in response to an article published in a Sunday magazine issued by The Washington Post. This weekly edition was rich with cultural and social topics that didn\u2019t find space in the newspaper\u2019s daily issues, which were primarily focused on …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":31130,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-42862","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-opinion"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sudanevents.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42862","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sudanevents.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sudanevents.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sudanevents.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sudanevents.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=42862"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/sudanevents.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42862\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":42863,"href":"https:\/\/sudanevents.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42862\/revisions\/42863"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sudanevents.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/31130"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sudanevents.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=42862"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sudanevents.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=42862"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sudanevents.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=42862"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}