Mahmood's Den

By inference that is. By the fact that – as far I know – he still resides on these welcoming islands even after the cancellation of his television program.

For all I know, he probably already received the precious Bahraini passport; thus, making him a full Bahraini and now speaks in our stead and his words counted as that representing Bahrainis.

I dearly hope that he didn’t receive that particular honour and hope that after the grievous allegations against our Kuwaiti brothers and their ruling family he and his like will be shown the door off of these islands for ever. That experience, one hopes, will give them a clear message that their poisonous vitriol is not welcome here, nor will it be tolerated. We Gulfites enjoy a one family spirit and what affects anyone from Oman through to Kuwait affects us all.

I hope that our Kuwaiti friends and family understand that we do not condone his remarks, in fact we fully and unequivocally condemn them and demand that our government ends its welcome to what clearly has crystallized into a liability beyond a shadow of a doubt. It is high time for him and those like him who take advantage of our hospitality to go.

You probably remember Mr. Wagdy Ghoneim, the guy that was thrown out of the States and is now still waiting for being blessed with a Bahraini passport (shock horror!) even though his immensely popular religious show on our Bahrain TV canned; hence, the country no longer requires his services, but he’s not only still around, he has taken Isa Al-Shaiji, the editor-in-chief of Al-Ayam newspaper and the head of the Bahrain Journalists Association to court for defamation!

Needless to say, Wagdy doesn’t have a leg to stand on, but is probably looking for another financial compensation package to help defray the high costs of living in this overly generous country.

We’re all with you Isa and are sure that you will win, even though you are dragged once again in front of the Public Prosecutor for just expressing an opinion, treated like a common criminal just for your and your paper’s word. But persevere my friend, it’s all for a good cause.

As to Wagdy, I think he should take the opportunity given by the Ministry of Labour and apply for free plane tickets back to wherever he came from before the illegal migrant amnesty period ends.

And that, my friends, would be good riddance and none too soon!

Update 29 Aug, ’07: BJA Press Release after the break (in Arabic)
Read more…

Yes, the last episode of television programs are always emotional, look at the finale of the Sopranos for instance, many a tear has been shed by their fans. So what’s so different then when these three grown men weep a flood of tears on air? It’s pretty normal, but ain’t pretty at all, it is in fact quite psychologically disturbing.

No matter. They have sung their swan song and their contentious program has been canceled and pulled off the air (well done BTV!) so you would think that as the program is off now and their services are no longer needed, the talent would now leave to greener pastures? Nope, two of them are sticking around like ticks on a dog. And why not if they continue to get their feeding, and at least one of them has purportedly been promised a Bahraini citizenship and the third who commutes between Bahrain and the Emirates will just lose the opportunity to build up his air-miles, so he might have to settle for holidaying in Oman rather than the Caribbean.

One would be excused for thinking that at least the main program presenter would be thankful for the opportunity the “Television of the Arabic Family” has given him to spread his message and the word of his god, but it seems like almost every other talent he’s really into it for the money and it sounds like he’s not only biting the hand that feeds him:

وبشأن حصوله على المستحقات المالية عن حلقات البرنامج أجاب غنيم: «في الحقيقة لا ادري ما هي الاستحقاقات ولا أعلم عن مقدارها، ولكنهم وعدونا أن تضاف إلى حسابنا واعتقد أنهم قد أضافوها».

As for his receipt of his financial dues for the program, Ghaneem answered: “In truth I do not know what those financial benefits are and I don’t know how much they are, but they promised us that they will add it into our account and I think they did do that.”

Ah, okay, so first he doesn’t know anything about the financial arrangements, then he says that they promised to pay and finally confirms that he has actually received the funds into his account! Gimme a break. Receiving financial compensation for work done is condoned in Islam, so dinne be bashful lad, take it and run!

But running is farthest form his mind. He puts down Bahrain TV and steps on it too in disgust for them canceling his precious program; he’s making it look at he took this job out of pity for Bahrain even though he got better offers elsewhere!

وعلى صعيد متصل كشف غنيم أن قنوات فضائية كثيرة عرضت عليه استضافة البرنامج قائلاً: «في الحقيقة هناك قنوات كثيرة خليجية وعربية كانت تعرض علينا الاستضافة حتى قبل أن يبادر تلفزيون البحرين في الاستضافة، ولكنني آثرت أن يكون الخير للبحرين البلد المضياف الذي استضافني».

Ah well, I guess we should be thankful for him grazing us with his presence. But he still doesn’t get it:

وعما إذا كان هذا القرار يحمل إشارة ضمنية من الجانب الرسمي بأنه غير مرغوب فيه في البحرين قال غنيم: «لا بد أن أشكر البحرين على الضيافة، ولم أر منهم إلا الجميل طوال تلك الفترة، ولكنني لست مرتبطاً بالبرنامج، وبالتالي لا أعتقد أن ما حدث سيؤثر على بقائي في البحرين، ولن ينسحب على نشاطاتنا الوعظية والإرشادية»

On whether this decision [to cancel his program] is a message that he is no longer officially welcome in Bahrain, Ghaneem said “there is no doubt that I have to thank Bahrain for its hospitality, and I I did not see from them anything other than goodness throughout that period, but I am not connected with the program, and as such I do not believe that what happened is going to affect my stay in Bahrain and that he will not withdraw from missionary activities.”

Not wanting to use a 4-pound hammer to drive a small nail, let me put it simply to the respected gentlemen:

You have overstayed your welcome. Feel free to leave, the sooner the better.

Bye bye!

I would like to formally welcome two new newly naturalised Bahrainis to the fold:

Wagdi Ghoneim, the respected Muslim preacher, ex-Egyptian and ex-Ministry of Finance accountant and ex-scholar of Al-Azhar University who has wrongly been thrown out of The Great Satan, refused entry into Canada and has had to endure the humiliation of a strip search in 1998 (not sure if he enjoyed that, the report doesn’t elaborate, but as he asked for financial compensation, I guess not too much) and on top of all that a real Muslim hero for calling a spade a spade, as in people blowing themselves up as martyrs and Jews as pigs and monkeys and all that colourful stuff.

He should feel comfortable enough here with our excellent health care especially as the poor sole suffers from hypertension and heart problems. May Allah give you strength Wagdi.

He will sure add to the cultural mix that we call home, I hope he relaxes here with his seven children (1998 count, maybe the brood has increased since then, I don’t know) and (one? only one?) wife.

The other newly naturalised and now fellow Bahraini is Salah Soltan, who now holds the position of being a high-level consultant at the Ministry of Islamic Affairs whose “vision” in his online resumé is described as a fervent hope “To live happily. To die as a martyr.” What courage!

Uh, okay. I hope his presence in Bahrain will delay that eventuality, but if acceleration is actually required – it is a grandiose vision after all – he might have chosen to reside about 400 or so miles to the north of these islands.

He seemingly is more than adequate for that consultant position though, the list of qualifications are quite impressive and I must admit that I am jealous; how can a person so young gather so many pieces of colourful paper? I wish I had half his energy to pursue one quarter of those certificates. I am sure the minister will find him quite valuable in forming and formulating modern Shari’a laws, especially as it seems that the country is moving fast toward the Islamic Kingdom of Bahrain utopia and his services will be more than needed in that regard.

Salah does have friends in very high places though, and that might come very handy for the future of our country.

I am glad that the Bahraini government not only bagged such a talent, but made him a fellow Bahraini too! I am thrilled at sharing a neighbourhood with the good gentleman any time.

These naturalisations are good for our country and I don’t even mind especially bending the constitution just a teeny bit in order to achieve the honour of having these good gentlemen amongst us.

Welcome to your new home guys!

update 8May07: According to Al-Wasat this morning, it seems that Wagdi’s passport application is still pending. I am fairly sure that he will receive the honour of becoming a Bahraini pretty soon.