Adnan Jastaniah

Whisper of Truth

Deaf in the Yelo League Wedding Procession

20 July 2026 - 00:03 | Last update 20 July 2026 - 00:03

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In more than one journalistic article, I did not escape to another platform, nor did I hide behind flashy words or 'filtered' images seeking a refuge to cover up the weakness of an argument lacking evidence, or to alleviate an inability to confront directly. Rather, I preferred a clear and honest language, characterized by literary courage, far from rhetorical phrases that 'neither fatten nor satisfy hunger.'

- And in more than one article, I took great care to present, from start to finish, important lessons for those who do not grasp the difference between a journalistic dialogue and a press statement. These lessons were not merely rhetorical practice or an academic lecture, but I provided a professional dissection of two separate texts published in Okaz newspaper, in which I proved - with conclusive evidence - an undeniable journalistic indictment against a journalist who failed miserably in exploiting a dialogue with a major figure, and suffered a painful professional fall, after he was unable - as usual - to produce a fully-fledged journalistic piece, despite his long experience in the profession of troubles.

- And in one of those awareness articles, I did not spare him a set of professional observations revolving around the correct journalistic work, foremost of which is a known media rule stating that any response or comment should be published on the same media platform where the article was published, so that the recipient does not become 'the deaf one in the wedding procession,' not knowing the origin of the issue and unable to follow its details, while the respondent chooses to address himself inside a closed room, away from the followers of the original article.

- And this, in my estimation, is the state that colleague Ahmed Al-Shamrani has reached; he has moved from the character of 'Abdelmuti' the headmaster of the School of Troublemakers to the state portrayed by artist Mohamed Naguib in the play 'Esh El-Maganeen,' repeating his famous phrase: 'Shafiq... ya ragell!' Whenever I read Abu Muhammad's texts, written and visual, I felt they reflect a state of helplessness not much different from that comedic image whose echo still resounds: 'Shafiq... ya ragell!'

- Yesterday, the colleague appeared again on another platform, commenting on my latest article titled: 'Wake up from your heedlessness... Documents are stronger than the language of threats.' Instead of benefiting from the professional lesson I gave him in a previous article, he remains determined to move us from the Roshn League to the Yelo League, through rhetorical words and a theatrical style, in which he did not even dare to mention the name of the book's author.

- And here I find myself obliged to know the reason that prevents him, whether in dialogues or statements attributed to others or responses he adopts, from mentioning the name of the author of the biography of the pioneer of the sports movement, colleague Saleh Al-Omoudi, and they all possess a measure of literary courage, far from the language of insinuation and threats, so that we all contribute to enriching the sports and media scene with a civilized dialogue based on clarity and transparency, not on practices that make the recipient, once again, like 'the deaf one in the wedding procession.'

- But if the reason for this abstention is due to fear of a legal stance that the book's author might take against anyone who questions his credibility or addresses his work without possessing evidence, then that is a matter that deserves to be said frankly, not to be hidden behind insinuations and rhetorical phrases, and God is the Guide to the right path and He is the Helper.