I Complain to You, O Injustices of Love

Mohamed Abdel Magid

In the summer of 2010, Cairo was like a brides house, vibrant with life and boiling with drama. Egypts drama was in its streets, not in cinemas and theaters, as its people believe and as critics write. In the Egyptian streets, there are a thousand Abbas Mahmoud Al-Aqqad, a thousand Tawfiq Al-Hakim, a thousand Naguib Mahfouz, a thousand Youssef Idris, a thousand Abdel Halim Hafez, a thousand Adel Imam, a thousand Sherine Abdel Wahab, and a thousand Mohamed Salah. The streets in Cairo are a grand stage for life.

I was there with Professor Adel El-Baz. Cairo adorned itself and honored us when I met the media personality and poet Zein Ahmed Mohamed, the poet of the song "Ya Omar (When they distributed mischief, they gave it to the postal service)," which was composed by Abdullah Al-Kordofani and sung by Mahmoud Abdel Aziz. Zeins singing, like "Ahaji Al-Hoboubat," conveys descriptions to you until you comprehend them fully. Or like "Kob Al-Haleeb" (the warm milk).

Zein Ahmed Mohamed used to receive everyone coming from Sudan to Egypt, staying with them from the arrival hall to the departure hall at Cairo Airport. Zein was as open as "The Blossom of Seasons," as radiant as "The Crescent of Eid." His smile covered all the streets of Cairo, making Cairo smile at him like it did for no one else. He knew the secrets of Cairo, alley by alley, and street by street. I feel that if I wrote about this poet and journalist in 20 volumes, I would still be shortchanging him. He departed quietly while signing the attendance register every day. He remains present among us through his stories that resemble Cairos evenings.

In that summer, I met the poet Azmi Ahmed Khalil in one of Cairos cafes, the "Qadfan" (the romantic poetry) poet. He sat in a corner in the café, seemingly trying to hide his charm from people. Azmi was wearing a red shirt and appeared to be in a hurry, as if trying to prove that he returned without any credit from patience ("Your mail and awaiting your eyes have completed all the patience"). His patience credit had run out, clearly visible. He was anxious until it became evident in him ("We carried our longing; we returned with it").

At that time, Mohamed Mergani had come to Cairo for medical treatment, and we visited him in one of the apartments where he stayed in Dokki. I remember it was one of the evenings, and Dokki disappeared behind the huge trees. We went to him, hummed "Haneeni Ilaik (Yearning for You)" on our way. The weather was cold, and Cairos winter makes you keep both your hands in your trouser pockets. We entered, and we found Mohamed Mergani in a fatigued gallabiya, singing like his songs. An artistic man even in his illness. He was filled with "Al-Ashwaq (longings)," crowded with them.

That was my first meeting with the artist Mohamed Mergani. I left his place fragrant with longings and laden with them ("We dont separate, ever, like two relatives"), until the streets overflowed with the effects of ("Yearning for You").

Zein Ahmed Mohamed, the poet of the famous song "Ya Omar," departed. Abdullah Al-Kordofani, the creative composer of the song, departed. The legend who performed it, Mahmoud Abdel Aziz, departed. Azmi Ahmed Khalil departed, and Mohamed Mergani departed. Nothing remains of Cairo but memories. Now, when I visit Cairo, I search for Zein and for Azmi, and I feel that Cairos cafes no longer serve "coffee." They have become places that offer the drink of "sorrow," gentlemen, with the boring "table." Cairo is empty despite its congestion, and silent despite its noise.

After that, I had met the artist Mohamed Mergani at his home in Al-Khatmiya in an interview, accompanied by colleagues Hassan Farouk and Majda Hassan. Later, I interviewed him in a radio show on "Hala FM 96" on February 9, 2021, which is still available on Facebook. I remember that he came for the interview while he was sick, leaning on his cane. Despite his severe illness, difficulty in movement, the elevators inconvenience, and the cold weather, he was on time for the live broadcast of the "Al-Dhale Al-Thaleth" (the third rib) program.

These conversations enabled me to know Mohamed Mergani up close. When you get close to these creatives, you are affected by a strange radiation and dizziness whose cause you dont know. I was happy that I learned from the dialogue with Mohamed Mergani just as I lived the role of a "student" with Mahjoub Sherif, Hamid Osman, and Mohamed Wardi. Mohamed Mergani was a teacher, Mahjoub Sherif was a teacher, and Mohamed Wardi was a teacher. As for Osman Hussein, he was a "teacher" in another aspect.

I did not interview Ibrahim Awad or Abdel Karim Al-Kabli, so I feel that there is a journalistic flaw in me. I still feel a complex of deficiency because I did not interview Ibrahim Awad and did not interview Al-Kabli. I did not interview Mohamed Amin, an unavoidable figure. How did I miss that?

Mohamed Mergani bin Awf, that is his real name, but he was known as Mohamed Mergani, the artistic name that carries a sense of ease and music. This name was given to him by the poet Hassan Al-Zubeir and the composer Hassan Babikar, and thus he became known as Mohamed Mergani, although his official documents bear the name Mergani Mohamed bin Awf.

Mohamed Mergani bin Awf grew up in a religious family. His fathers roots trace back to Al-Abyad, and Sheikh Ismail Al-Wali, the region from which Ismail Al-Azhari came. The family settled in Omdurman, the Sayyid Al-Makki neighborhood, with the arrival of the army of Imam Al-Mahdi.

Mohamed Merganis roots are from the Nile State, the regions of Saqadi and Al-Mahmiya, and his mother is from the Kaboushia region. The family settled in Faki Hashem, Al-Khalilah area, before moving to the Sayyid Al-Makki neighborhood in Omdurman, where Mohamed Mergani was born in the forties of the last century.

Mohamed Mergani absorbed some Sufism, and he met Sheikh Sadiq Abdullah Abdel Majid, who taught and influenced him. His father was a friend of the artist Sorour, traveling with him to Kassala and Eritrea on their business trips. Mohamed Merganis father was a lover of art and singing.

Mohamed Merganis house in the Sayyid Al-Makki neighborhood in Omdurman was close to Abdullah Khalils house and the poet Hassan Awad Abu Al-Alas house. Through them, he met the artist Ahmed Al-Mustafa and admired him. Mohamed Mergani was also a fan of the artist Amin Barhan.

Mohamed Mergani played for Al-Amir Club in 1963, playing as a right-winger. He also sang for the club during their trips after moving from Omdurman, Sayyid Al-Makki neighborhood, to Al-Khatmiya neighborhood in Khartoum Bahri. At that time, he used to sing the song of Abdel Rahman Al-Raih ("Ya Al-Badea Ya Hawak Sabani"), which is one of the songs of the artist Fadel Ahmed.

Mohamed Mergani met the poet Ismail Hassan in prison in 1965 and got to know the composer Hassan Babikar in his house. They formed a duo, and Hassan composed most of Mohamed Merganis works. Mohamed Mergani sang for Ismail Hassan ("Ishtaqat Leik") and "Imsakki Alaik Ayyunik Deyal." He also sang the song "Ghareeb," which Mohamed Mergani gave up to Mustafa Sayed Ahmed. Mohamed Mergani sang for the poet Al-Sir Doleeb in his early artistic career, "If you can be absent from me," and "I and the longings became more than relatives." He also sang the song "Meen Fakkrek Ya Habib" in 1966, and those works were mostly composed by his close friend, Hassan Babikar.

Mohamed Mergani sang for Salah Ahmed Ibrahim "Sahmuk Al-Fataak," which is his composition, along with another version that says Hassan Babikar is the composer. However, it is certain that Mohamed Mergani composed "Law Kan Asayt Amrak Ana." For Mustafa Sand, Mohamed Mergani sang "Ashan Khatarina," which is Hassan Babikars composition and is the song that came in second place in the Culture Festival in the 1970s. The first place went to the song "Rajanaalik" written by Abdul Basit Sabdrat, composed by Bashir Abbas, and performed by Al-Balabil. The song "Ashan Khatarina" elevated Mohamed Mergani from the second class to the first class by the decision of the Minister of Culture and Information at that time. For the great poet Sadeq Madathir and the composer Abdullah Arabi, Mohamed Mergani sang "Saba."

For Salah Hajj Saeed, Mohamed Mergani sang "Law Kan Asayt Amrak Ana" and "Ma Qalna Leek Al-Hob Azab." He also sang for Hassan Al-Zubeir, "La Bitwasali Wala Batafasali Wa Ana Al-Sabir Wa Ana Al-Baki." Salah Hajj Saeed and Hassan Al-Zubeir were Mohamed Merganis schoolmates, while Mohamed Merganis companion in the Teachers Institute in Shendi was the artist Tayeb Abdullah. Mohamed Mergani worked in teaching until retirement.

In the program "Al-Dhale Al-Thalith" (The Third Side), Mohamed Mergani mentioned that Zidan Ibrahim hesitated to sing the song "Tabareeh Al-Hawa" whose lyrics were written by Tajani Haj Musa and composed by Mohamed Siraj al-Din. Zidan Ibrahim transformed its poet and composer to Mohamed Mergani in objection to Zidans delay in presenting it. Zidan Ibrahim responded to Mohamed Mergani, stating that he took from him the song "Iza Al-Khatr Sarah Anak," written by Tajani Haj Musa and composed by Zidan Suleiman Abu Daoud, while Mohamed Mergani was preparing to sing it after Abdullah Arabi composed it for him. Mohamed Mergani also sang from the lyrics and compositions of Tajani Haj Musa, "Kalamni Ya Helo Al-Ayoun," one of the songs that made an impact in the 90s.

For Al-Sir Qadour, Mohamed Mergani sang "Haneeni Ilaik" (I Miss You), which Qadour wrote in the nights of Cairo, and it was composed by Aqab Mohamed Al-Hassan. It is the same melody that Aqab composed for the song of Hamid Al-Rayeh, "Al-Zuruf Ya Helwa Daima Li Ayyoun Helwa Bitajibna," whose lyrics were written by Azmi Ahmed Khalil. He also sang for Othman Khaled, "Ma Jaratna Bint Haratna Banuriduha," composed by Hassan Babikar. He sang for Mohamed Abdel Qadir Abu Shura, "Ihtartu Feik Ana Shu Aqool," and the famous song "Atfah wa Hanaan Ya Nas," both from the close friend and artist Al-Sunny Al-Dawees compositions.

Mohamed Mergani mentioned that the song "Ana wal-Ashwaq," written by Doleib, was supposed to be sung by Othman Hussein in his radio interviews with him. Also, the song "Al-Wad," written by Al-Doush, was supposed to be sung by him before the artist Mohamed Wardi, who composed for him the song "Law Gharamak Nar, Uhibb al-Nar." He also recorded with him on the radio the anthem by Mahjoub Sherif "Ya Harisna wa Ya Farisna."

Once, Othman Hussein was asked about a song by another artist that he wished he had sung, and he mentioned the song "Al-Sineen" by Tayeb Abdullah. This is the same question that was asked to Mohamed Mergani in the recording currently available on the internet in the program "Al-Dhale Al-Thalith." Mohamed Mergani mentioned the same song that Othman Hussein wished for, "Al-Sineen," which was written and composed by Tayeb Abdullah: "They told me to forget him, erase his memories from your imagination, forget all the past, and stay away from his path and his life."

Mohamed Mergani was nicknamed the "Specialist in the Surgery of Longings" in Sudanese music. He sang "Haneeni Ilaik" for Al-Sir Qadour, "Ishtaqtu Lek" for Ismail Hassan, and "Ana wal-Ashwaq" for Al-Sir Doleib. Mohamed Merganis songs boil like a cauldron of passions.

In the song "Ishtaqtu Lek," Ismail Hassan says, "At this moment, I long for you like the yearning of the departing cloud." This is the highest degree of longing documented in Arabic music, not to mention Sudanese music. "Yearning of the departing cloud" is Ismails discovery, a longing that Ismail Hassan has not surpassed.

Mohamed Mergani is the brother of the well-known poet Mohamed Al-Maki Ibrahim and the cousin of the famous journalist Othman Mergani.

Mohamed Mergani was known for supporting Al-Hilal football club, and he was one of the influential artists in the sports community. Mohamed Mergani, Al-Sunny Al-Dawee, and Abdel Azim Haraka were friends who shared both art and Hilal. They were always present in Hilals camps to entertain the players.

We ask Allah to have mercy and forgiveness for the great artist and the teacher of generations, Mergani Mohamed bin Awf.

In these days, the actor and comedian Hani Awadallah, known as "Abu Al-Dabsh" and "Kabous," also passed away, leaving a comedic legacy in a short period. May Allah have mercy on Hani Awadallah.

Due to the war, Mohamed Mergani moved to Medani and passed away there. Hani Awadallah also moved to Atbara and passed away from there. We ask Allah to have mercy and forgiveness for both of them.

O Allah, have mercy on Zein Ahmed Mohamed, Azmi Ahmed Khalil, Abdullah Al-Kordofani, Mahmoud Abdelaziz, and all the deceased Muslims.

A final note: Allah is sufficient for us, and He is the best disposer of affairs.