In the Memory of Mustafa Amin who died on the 13th of April 1997.
Mustafa and Ali Amin were the most famous twin in the history of journalism not only in Egypt but in the Arab world. Their life was controversial and rich more than you can ever imagine.
This is a very rare photo I found for them when they were young children playing at their mother’s aunt house “ The nation’s house” . Their mother’s aunt who raised them was the mother of Egyptians “Safia Zaglol”
I won’t speak about the history of the Amin brothers now because it needs a lot of time but I will speak about one thing : How different they were from those official journalists currently in Egypt ??!!
The main difference is not in time or political preferences and choices but the main difference is that Mustafa and Ali WERE REAL JOURNALISTS.
They were real journalists who respected their readers and their mission.
Has Safia Mostafa Amin reclaimed ownership of her father's paper? Will she ever?
ReplyDeleteNo she has not and I do not think that she will,already she writes there and she is heading currently his charity NGO
ReplyDeleteI dont think the Egyptians will ever forget the twin brothers Ali and Mustafa Amin. They are like the Pyramids, you cannot ignore it or you cannot say I dont see it! We will never forgets the sufferings of Ali and Mustafa Amin from the Nasser regime and the time Mustafa Amin spent in prison for 9 years. May Allah swt bless their soul in Jannah insyallah. Pls do doa' for them.
ReplyDeleteAFTER 6 DAYS,THE ARAB WORLD ON TUESDAY/MARCH 21 and every year celebrates MOTHERS* DAY or 3EID EL OMM,also the 1st day of Spring,and our brothers in Iran/Afghanistan/Pakisatan/Kurdistan following the ZOROASTRIST or MAZDAYASNA Order/calendar,their NOHROZ or the Eastern New-Year?!Wishing them all,a very prosperous New-Year..But a Mother^s Day was a new concept in ARABIC calendar thanks to those TWIN brothers,ALI & MUSTAFA AMIN that marked that date,first,in 1956 & on, to say to our >>SEET AL HABAYEBs/ or Mothers,:*THANK YOU..MOM & MAY GOD KEEP YOU WELL!!Because both loved their LADY MOTHER/and a second MOTHER TOO, Lady: Saphia ZAGHLOUL,their immortal uncle Mr.SAAD ZAGHLOUL^S spouse Lady SAPHIYA Hanem with Adoration & great..DEVOTION too!!as much as they loved THE PRINTED WORD and much more! Immortal twins that MODERNIZED not just the Egyptian PRESS,but the whole Arab News medium,REVOLUTIONIZED it..with their great IDEAs or FIKRAs for at least 6 decades if not More!! Between CAIRO/LONDON/BEIRUT they spread their hidden treasures of editing & renovating failed papers to get back on their feet all over ,in Egypt, and abroad? When they edited DAR EL HILAL publications,in early 1960s,i still remember those twin little sisters looking in a shop window, on the AL HILAL monthly Jan.1962 issue cover?,which made that Educative monthly..once >hard faced< look ..a Family Friendly publication and much close to everyone^s..heart & soul!!also when Mr.Mustafa weekly column of FIKRA(IDEA)where HE enlightened, us(the Kids + teens), with the latest in inventions and future scientific predictions.. in intriguing 30->50lines each week!!Also when decided in 1964 to publish HE-YA(SHE or ELLE)Gloss weekly for all the family, with its many supplements.. never ignored or forgot children comics among such supplements, it was GENIUS step in Arab-Press then!! sadly after almost 30 maybe 40 issues HE-YA seized to publish,as things went BITTER in 1965 for the TWINS..Unfortunately!! i won^t discuss all that here,to avoid reminding all whom loved them then & still today,about those DARK..DARK days that both went through, even though Mr.ALI who was born few minutes after MUSTAPHA on Saturday of Feb. 21/1914 was shuttling between Beirut/London,and assisting member at Lebanon^s DAR ES-SAYYAD/in Hazmiyeh suburbs of Beirut..in the late 1960s til Late President Mr.ANWAR SADAT pardoned HIM,In 1974 after 9 years in detention?! SADLY enough Mr.ALI passed away on April 3rd 1976 in Cairo, i was stunned when i read the news in AL ANWAR daily in Beirut,even the bombs/bullets/snipers busy in taking innocents* lives,still such SAD NEWS hurt me TREMENDOUSLY, AS I ADORED both as Mentors/Leading MEN in Arab-Press culture and my WRITTEN WORD>>IDOLS?!!i got much to ADD about them soon-> From: Is-Hak BARSOUMIAN/London/
ReplyDeleteAMIN TWINS..THOSE 2 GIANT BROTHERS,in fact Giants ,not only in their physical form/looks but also in their THOUGHTS and IDEAS..SINCE EARLY 1940 while planning for the launch of AL AKHBAR The Daily-NEWS- & AKHBAR EL YOWM my World< when i began to read them in the Sixties/it was like having Turkey on a dinner table 6 days a week then on Saturdays having Whole Lamb too,for feast? to be precise, and >honestly< putting you in the picture, that how things were then under their provision/even when running DAR EL HILLALs publications like entertainment weekly AL-KAWAKEB(The STARS)for cinema, we..I myself Thoroughly enjoyed Autumn special edition ADAD AL MOW-SEM The SEASONAL,in which we all read about our favourite movie super-stars and all about NEW movies that we in the Arab world + in Lebanon specifically are going to watch?? very intriguing edition in a Book shape than as a Mag., as for the rest 51 issues were, and a document of that field.. that I TREASURED..yearly!! and as a collectors Item too!! even though others such as Radio+T.V. (Al Izaa Wal Televizion prog. weekly +AKHER SEAA (Last Hour) political weeklies done the same thing under ADAD AL CIMA(cinema) yearly, but AL-MOWSEM was U..N..I..Q..U..E, in its pagination and style thanks to AMIN brothers* modernized ideas!! In many many other aspects too,,find it hard to mention in such modest Comments! Even we learned about BRIGHT*BLINDING *STAR OF THE ORIENT LADY UMM KALTHOUMS upbringings in weekly serials on 4 large pages >insert< HE-YA Continue soon!! From:London I.N.Barsoumian
ReplyDeleteMISSED BUT NEVER FORGOTTEN/..That's how you are to us/Immortal Mr.MUSTAFA AMIN as well your Great twin brother Mr.ALI..who sadly left this troubled world on April the 3rd/1976 ,and at HIS young age of 62...that Chubby+smiley faced Media GIANT,almost 41 years ago, SO then it took MUSTAFA ,whom always mentioned in HIS(Their) biographies that it took few MINUTES to be delivered at birth in 1914 & following HIS brother's birth, which was in month of February-21st?..outlived HIS early-born brother,also who left before HIM,or Mr..ALI,>>21 years earlier than Mr.Mustafa, Sadly enough, Beirut was at the peak of its civil war that commenced on 13th of April 1975,people being shot here & there,but this sad news i read in a Lebanese AL-ANWAR paper in 1976 REALLY shocked me,I didn't want to believe it/same feeling I ENDURED in London on Tuesday the 15th, as in 1997 Arab dailies reached Great BRITAIN 24 H.late,and read in that large Headline>> FAREWELL MUSTAFA AMIN<< dated Monday-14th/4/1997 AL**AKHBAR/issue No:14024,which HE was editing then?!.. COINCIDENTALLY: in the same Month of April but 10 extra days,or precisely>on 13th of April 1997..20 years ago this year!! Both were the pioneers of Modern Egyptian PRESS in the 1940s, together They founded in 1952 2 GREATLY renowned newspapers AL**AKHBAR(The** NEWS)+weekly Edition of IT named AKHBAR**EL YOM(Today's NEWS),semi-Towered publishing house at> No.6 Al-Sahafa<(Press)-Road/CAIRO...Kingdom or Republic,they tried to reflect Egyptians' daily struggles in every field and to endorse what both regimes were capable but somehow failing to provide/deliver & make things happen,sooner than later,for the sake of all hard working population,whatever their backgrounds or faiths were,even though BOTH grew up in Late/Great (King's MINISTER at the time)in 1920/30s,Mr.Saad ZAGHLOUL's palaces,but grew up to feel with the poor & the working classes..alike,..but sometimes were Both treated..Unfairly for their outspoken opinions..in their & other periodicals they edited in..and helped with their ideas in journalism.not only that,also worked as London BASED CORRESPONDENTS..fighting for Egyptian' cause/Rights during 1956 Suez-CANAL dispute,As their telepathic connection same as among any Twins, kept them going,as 2 beings but united as one soul&thought,if one is in London or Washington<(sometimes) got hurt or felt low in moods,the other one felt the same in CAIRO or sometimes in BEIRUT or wherever else in this world were living apart, & miles away but spiritual brotherhood kept them close,as ever?!My few humble lines will seem as a drop in the OCEAN OF LEGACY> BOTH left behind for the generations of new /young journalists that worked next to them or followed after since they left us..but with all their political interests they never IGNORED the Arab-Family's requirements when around 1964-65 They launched HEYA(SHE or ELLE)look-alike weekly magazine for all the family to read,and fashions published synchronized in PARIS>LONDON>CAIRO same week...A GIANT STEP IN ARAB-JOURNALISM, in their days, the FIKRA(Idea),daily/weekly column Mr. MUSTAFA edited even in our childhood years reading S A M I R weekly kids' magazine's on page-2 we waited impatiently for the next one after a week,and what a long week that was for the person who's ..WAITING?!May BOTH twin brothers inspire all believers in FREE-PRESS of to-day's journalists with CONSCIENCE & DEVOTION to their beliefs ..whatever or however the price to pay..is HIGH!!.... BLESSED BE THEIR UNDYING MEMORIES..THAT KEEPS THE FLAME IN THE BEACON OF FREE- EXPRESSION..ALIGHT!!may Heavenly PEACE encircle BOTH..always!!Regard to all from London/Mr.NostalgiA>Is-hak BARSOUMIAN /None greater NostalgiA around than The AMIN Twins articles,books,each word from Mr. ALI & Mr. MUSTAFA...so NOSTALGIC!!
ReplyDeleteI SAYS LOUDLY:SHAME..SHAME..SHAME on you>> Arab Media;WHY? & what for?? Because none of YOU mentions even in few lines,or even once a year or do mention on Visual/Written means that jam our TV Screens/Radios+periodicals and remind its readers & listeners,..even very briefly, about the Anniversaries of such greats' Like AMIN Brothers/Mr.ALI& Mr.MUSTAFA's departure?? as if BOTH never existed?..So sad!!as gratitude to all their sacrifices along decades in Arab Press,Yes i know lots of events/developments going on in our days,and getting priority on the Airwaves+Papers+Small-Screens+Y-Tube..and getting on top of each other,trying to find a place by worming itself through & at any opportunity,...MEDIA competition is at its PEAK..or WHO gets there..FIRST-syndrome/grabbing more readers or listeners...but ignoring a fact and that IS:If not for PRESS LEGENDS such as Late Mr.MOHAMMAD AL TABI3I/Lady ROSE AL YOUSEF/Late Mr.SALEH GAWDAT+Mr.FIKRI ABAZA+ Mr.GALIL AL-BANDARI+YOUSEF SIBA3II+YOUSEF IDRISS+AHMAD HAMROUSH+Multy-talented SALAH JAHEEN+MAHMOUD AMIN AL-ALEM+GreatMr.ABBASS MAHMOUD AL ACCAD+AHMAD BAHA AL-DIN+ANISS MANSOUR+EHSSAN ABDEL QOUDDUS+Mrs AMINA AL-SA3EED<(Agony Aunt)+Mrs NAWAL AL SA3DAWEE+Great Dr.BINT AL-SHA'TEH+SAFINAZ KAZZEM..just few of other hundreds..over the years bygone..if not THOSE infamous WRITERS or THE ARAB/EGYPTIAN WRITTEN-WORD PIONEERS..There was not a Thing called THE ARAB-PRESS,let alone others in Lebanon such as Late Mr.SA3EED FREIHA(Founder of Dar A-Sayyad+AL-ANWAR daily) +Mr.GHASSAN TWAINI(Publisher+ex-Editor of AN-NAHAR daily)Mr.RUSHDI MA3LOUF editor of AS-SAFA daily + Great Mr.AFIF AL-TIBEE and His Brother WAFIQ,Founders of AL-YOWM daily + Mr.RYAD TAHA of AL-KIFAH + Pess MARTYRS Such as Late Mr. KAMEL MROU'EH of AL-HAYAT daily/also THE 1st English daily publisher of The DAILY STAR Many many others, OR THE LEGITIMATE MENTORS OF WHAT WE CALL TODAY>>THE ARAB-MEDIA?!!All mentioned above or even not mentioned above,maybe the papers/magazines carried their lines for many decades past,possibly they turned frail..pale..or even turned SEPIA colored,after all such decades..some hard to RE-READ,But their names & words will stay Engraved in our souls & thoughts...those who were lucky to be around when they were around TOO,at the DAWN OF THE ARAB GOLDEN-AGE/but i do apologize if i was wrong in Blaming The MEDIA as whole,but still there is some kind of Forgetfulness/Dementia in OUR-DAYS'PRESS/deliberate or not/intentionally or not,remains to be seen,YES we acknowledge that >some< made >some< mistakes now & then in their judgements,or their circumstances imposed on them DO DO some Wrongs or Mistakes but none of US is Perfect,or let ANYONE THINKS IS perfect among us, cast the first stone at anyone HE /SHE assumes that they miss-led their Readers+listeners,Or the Nation as whole??!...Best wishes to all/ Mr.NostalgiA/Is-hak BARSOUMIAN/London-GB.
ReplyDeleteA CHANCE IN MY LIFETIME..UNFORTUNATELY,MISSED?!! And to this day i hate my luck, not because i lost the Jackpot,for me that was more than money could buy,a chance / an opportunity to say to that Giant Legend,:NICE TO MEET YOU Mr.ALI AMIN/Sir??..YES THIS great man of Arab-Press...mentioned above,who was working in Lebanon's Dar AS SAYYAD/Hazmieh-Beirut suburbs since HIS brother MR.MUSTAFA was imprisoned ,for right or wrong charges then,that'snot for us to judge...but HE suffered a lot in those years 1966->1974 when late President/Mr. Mr. ALIANWAR SADAT pardoned HIM,& thank GOD too!!..But in 1972,Mr,ALI Twin brother ,AS both were long time charitable TWINS for any cause to help the needy & the poor,and founders of 21 MARCH/Arab Mothers'day since 1956 with the 1st Spring day?!SO, Mr.ALI continued that path >SINGLE< Via AL-ANWAR daily's Editors that As-Sayyad House published early in the 1960s/ Anounced a >DO GOOD< gesture inviting all the paper readers to HELP and send in old/used toys/or clothes of kids..in fine condition or DONATIONS?..So i thought this will be an opportunity, or hitting 2 birds with one stone,if you forgive my pun?/I confirm this not to boast or say that I am a generous individual,but i admit i spent 100L.L which was in 1970s had Some value,or as any carpenter's assistant's weekly wages he gets?? to buy NEW toys/not used or broken..from an Armenian street salesman named ABU GARO,altogether 18 or 20 pieces/TOYS/Dolls,with my friend ADNAN JERADI ,together took a Taxi from Famous SAHAT EL-BOURJ(Martyrs Square's parking)or as called now days BEIRUT's SAHAT EL-TAHREER/as demonstrators gather occasionally?? and headed for Hazmiyeh/13 minutes journey if no traffic jams on the way/there we were greeted by AL-ANWAR >Molhak or Sunday's(Magazine Supplement) chief Editor then called Mr.MAHFOUZ MAHFOUZ/we handed him the large TOYS' bag,my heart was pounding with excitement that any minute now we will meet Mr.ALI AMIN..the Man HIMSELF??..then we all went downstairs to the parking,i saw 4-5 cars ,filled with guests,i guess Mr.ALI was in one of them,Mr.MAHFOUZ waved us goodbye ,and all went living Me and ADNAN..Aghast? and we felt as 2 Idiots,and EMBARRASSED too!! Because i was certain we will meet HIM, i promised my mate? WE returned back to Beirut...without saying a word during this WAY BACK-journey as LOSER-S, But 6 days Sunday 2 JAN./1972 Al-Anwar supplement later I saw their photos,I mean the orphan kids and Lebanon's 1971 beauty Queen(INVITED TOO) Ms.Christien AKKAWI,distributing the presents all over,what really cheered me up in all this was seeing that little orphan girl holding one of the modest Toys i managed to buy & send..made me much happier if i won the Lebanese YA-NASSIB/Lottery jackpot,and compensated my GREAT MISS meeting Mr.ALI in person ,as i was hoping then & almost 46 years ago..i was 24 y.old then or a humble FA'EL-KHEIR/DO-GOODER?maybe?!...GOD bless HIS/Both loving SOUL-s & GOOD HEART-s,By the way this was HIS 2nd gesture ,as before Christmas they done the same thing at EID El Fitr in 1971 for Muslim orphan kids..WHAT A GREAT PERSON!!R.I.P Mr.ALI+Mr.MUSTAFA AMIN->S/// Regards from/Mr.NostalgiA/Is.,Barsoumian/London-GB
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