Jam is expensive... when ethics, not money, are inherited
Author: Haya Al-Aqeel
What distinguishes every society from others, whether in customs and traditions, in food and clothing, in literature and art, in what is accepted and what is not, and in many other aspects, are the simple expressions that carry profound meanings, reflecting the reality of the society lived by its members. These expressions, known as proverbs, are characterized by their simplicity yet profound significance, using language in a dialect specific to the speakers. Among these proverbs are those that weigh as heavy as diamonds for their beauty and depth of meaning.
And among them are those deserving of disappearance due to their negative impact outweighing the positive, as it has been said in the definition of a proverb that it is a saying passed down through generations, a tale of wisdom from ancestors suitable for all times and places, reflecting the result of the culture, language, and events from which it emerged.
The Arabs, like other peoples, have endeavored to collect these proverbs and pass them down from generation to generation. Among their proverbs is one widespread in the Levant, which says "المربى غالي," meaning "the jam is precious." This expression conveys a sense of beauty with every situation that reflects noble morals and royal reactions from its owner.
It was often heard in our ears, but at a young age, we did not understand the meaning of the phrase as much as we memorized it along with the other proverbs repeated by the community around us. When someone behaved immorally or rudely, they would say "المربى غالي," so it became ingrained in our minds and placed on the shelf of proverbs alongside its counterparts. However, time has allowed this proverb to reign over all others, firstly because of its correctness and secondly due to the rarity of those representing it in these days.
المربى غالي... This means that one's upbringing combines the age of two people responsible for education, patience, guidance, and follow-up, sometimes encompassing the age of several individuals.
المربى غالي... This means that he received education and guidance, not just care and indulgence.
This means that time has been spent to emotionally, intellectually, and socially satisfy him, not just adding empty days to his life for those who are not fit for education, providing them only with empty food.
This means that he has grown and matured mentally and emotionally, not just physically and in age.
This means that good morals are an integral part of him, just as he is himself.
المربى غالي... This means that someone was once the main goal in this person's life, cared for with every attention, whether that person is his mother, father, or both, or someone who has devoted themselves to making him a better person, whether a teacher, mentor, or relative.
This means that he does not act until he returns to a clear criterion to evaluate his actions and behavior, classifying them as right or wrong, with no bias towards interests and desires.
المربى غالي... This phrase is understood only by those who have interacted with different people in different situations, through which they understand what it means for someone to be precious in upbringing. Through these situations, one understands what is required to be valuable in upbringing, understands the weight of upbringing, literature, and morals, and realizes who lacks these qualities, which means nothing.
المربى غالي... This means that he is precious in the eyes of his mother and father, for only someone who brings a pure heart to them helps them see that their upbringing is going well in this world, through someone who has devoted their life and efforts to building him up, and who has given him their time, effort, money, days, and nights, their bodies and ages, to place him in a better place in this world, and when the time comes, this person also takes the world to a better place.
المربى غالي...
This means that he is taught by books and constantly strives to improve himself, having realized that he did not receive good education at home from his family and environment, he decided to re-educate himself without making excuses for the circumstances and environment around him, and he motivated himself from within to fight bad morals and entrenched habits without being aware of it most of the time.
المربى غالي... This means that he has learned that in order to be precious in his own eyes, he must be different from those many here and there, and not be deceived by their noise, which they make with trivialities and lack of morals. Every empty person makes noise, and every full person speaks through their actions and leaves a mark in place of others. And silence, your characteristic and your hand are what you should speak with, and you must be a leader for yourself before being one for anyone else, and make efforts to gain their trust so they feel secure behind you, but they will not follow you for their good if they are not certain that they will be safe behind you.
المربى... This means that he respects everyone because he is respected by himself, he knows his worth, and he knows that he will not sit with those who do not value him or give him the remnants of their time, and if he is insulted dishonorably, he must find a way to preserve his value in his own eyes before the eyes of others, strongly defending himself and others, for being a good-mannered and precious person means being a winner and brave, not a surrenderer and coward, for a strong Muslim is more beloved to Allah than a weak one.
And in society, a person with strong high morals is loved by its members more than a weak one with refined morals, for the soul is built on imitating the stronger and the victorious, and with the spread of the stronger ones with no morals, society began to decline downwards without being aware of it. So let us rescue it by educating ourselves and the next generation on principles and values, perhaps we will save ourselves and the generations that follow us, those who will inherit our morals before our money.
And let us not forget that as long as the soul is imprisoned in the body, there is always another chance, a chance to educate the soul and those we are responsible for, and to start anew.
And always remember that nations without morals perish no matter how long they endure and how much they achieve in knowledge and progress. And there is a lesson for us in history.
For as the poet Ahmed Shawqi said:
"And the nations' morals are what remain
For if their morals go, they go"
So let us inherit morals, not money... for they will immortalize us here and there.
Peace...