Each of the four books Reem El Mutwalli has written so far stands for something she is passionate about. No wonder the attention to detail, design and execution. “Each one of them encompasses a certain experience and a learning process culminating in a delightful attainment,” she says. In her most recent book, she discusses philanthropy — about giving back a little, innovatively.
She spoke with Weekend Review on what led her to writing Sadaqah and her inspirations.
What brought about your “Sadaqah” (Philanthropy)?
A constant inner struggle for a productive life and a pressing yearning to leave it with a clear conscience that I gave my best
This is a question from your “Sadaqah” website: how can I, a simple individual, put words into action and play a practical role to help make my community, my town, my world, my children’s future a better place? And where do I begin?
This needs a personal or individual answer, for we all have different, capabilities, interests and skills. Each one of us can give in their own and different way. To me it was researching, translating, designing and publishing this book. Through this I hope to provide a simple practical guide for others to use to help them achieve a greater good, be it on a personal or communal level.
On your website, you talk about informing, educating and inspiring “an evolution to a compassionate, active and involved youth that helps translate the Arab Spring into a tangible fruitful future woven from productive and responsible individuals”. Tell us more about all this.
I chose and meant every word in this statement. As an Arab, the future alarms me. I believe salvation for us is best reached through evolution rather than revolution. This evolution can only be achieved through education first and foremost. Thus we must insist on reading and asserting the Arabic language. Then as individuals we must mature from societies that mainly preach to those who perform and actively uphold individual responsibility and culpability. Only by consciously training ourselves and our youth to do good on a daily basis might we hope that somehow we end up coding it into our DNA. Only then we will be ready to effectively move forward to civilisation.
Why did you choose a handbook layout for the book? Do you think it will attract more readers?
To put it very simply my obstacles where few: a) We have no such references in the contemporary Arab library; b) in general we are not a reading nation and those among us who read find it much easier to do so not in Arabic; c) our youth seem to have very very short attention span.
So I decided that the book must be: a) In Arabic to assert our mother tongue and enrich the Arabic library; b) very attractive, to capture people’s attention and keep them motivated and functional, and to get them to constantly have it around and make use of it; c) in bullet format and one that quickly gets to the point — to ensure an easy read and active fulfilment.
Where did you get the images of the old Iraqi envelopes and postal stamps? Who designed the book?
I am delighted that you noticed these subtle elements, I am touched. I wanted the book to hold them within its pages to ground us all in our culture and traditions. As you know I have a passion for art and I collect everything I can in different formats. So, apart from my art collection, I have a soft-copy library of images of all kinds. I manipulated some and blended others to design a contemporary but personal design that reflects our notions. I digitally prepared the work and had a professional hand put it into a book format suitable for printing.
You have also linked philanthropy and happiness throughout your book. How does that work in your point of view?
I believe that inner happiness is achieved through helping others. In our world this statement is often preached but seldom practised. Yes, having money is essential, but only through giving back to help others brings true bliss and civilisation. Just look at the multitude of examples you see in developed countries. Every affluent person gives back to crown their achievements and reach fulfilment. Having said that, philanthropy is also possible in small ways, no matter what the size of one’s cheque book is. This book is all about the latter kind of philanthropy. It should not be a chore. What is better than feeling happy and inspired through a book that associates this with reminding one of giving back happiness. In my eyes, it is a win-win situation.
Do not be shy of giving little, as being deprived of it by others. You have linked this verse by Tagore in your book to so many websites that donate to the needy every time we click on their website. How did you find all these websites for your book?
For literal integrity, I did clarify on the first pages of the book that it is based on translations. So I did not reinvent the wheel. I just led it to a new path. I simply searched, translated and drew attention. As I said earlier the developed world is full of books and websites on this topic. This is why you find me say I worked on this book rather than I wrote it.
Also, from an early age, I was privileged to have met and worked with a great Arab scholar and mentor Jabra Ebrahim Jabra, a contemporary and colleague of the late Edward Saeed. I once heard him say during a lecture that for us to evolve as nations we must insist that every university student in the Arab World must not receive his/her degree before translating a book into the Arabic language. He reminded us that without translations the Islamic nation would not have reached its golden age and humanity as a whole — we would not have seen the renaissance. His words left an impression on me and I vowed that one day I must fulfil this notion one way or the other. I am so happy I managed it now.
You have authored many books in both Arabic and English since you first started writing. Why is “Sadaqah” in Arabic only, especially as we all live in the UAE where philanthropy is a way of life for the 174 or more nationalities that live on this blessed land? Wherever we go, there are containers for donating clothes and other commodities. It is a way of life and your book needs to be translated.
I think I have addressed this point in my earlier answers. But just to sum up, this is a simple guide book. There are no shortages of these guide books in the Western or Eastern libraries, while in the Arab world this is scarce, especially in this day and time. We are in dire need for such elementary initiatives to help create a positive change.
I heard you say that all foreigners can buy one of your books and present the book to an Arabic-speaking individual.
This is true. Again in the developed world, individuals are active in supporting their community or school libraries. They have a wonderful initiative where when one buys a book one can pay for another to gift it. I myself have covered the expenses of the first publication of this book to be the first to practise what I preach. I also have vowed to gift one book for each one that I sell, while funds made from book sales will go for reprinting new additions. Yes, we do have many educated nationalities that work here and understand the value of books, reading and the need for social development. By buying the book and gifting it they can participate in this and it can be their way of giving back.
As a child you met the late Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan. What was the occasion and what can you tell us about your memories of that day?
The late Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan is a role model, I was privileged to meet him often as a child, as an adult and all the way leading up to his death. I came from Iraq, my motherland, when my father was appointed as the economic consultant to the then crown prince HH Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan. I grew among the family and have many fond memories with them. Those are a subject of another interview.
However, his vision and passion have left their stamp on me. Just look at my publications: the first, “Qasr Al Husn”, an architectural survey, a building so dear to both of our hearts on many levels; the second, “Sultani, Traditions Renewed, Change in Women’s Traditional Dress in the UAE during the reign of Sheikh Zayid Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, 1966-2004”. His highness was passionate about culture and heritage and instrumental in preserving both — notions that are embedded in my DNA.
What inspired all your books and how well did they do? Did they meet their objectives?
I have four books, including this last one, to my credit. You can go to my website www.reemelmutwalli.com to review them — the two I just mentioned above, “Sadaqah”, the fourth large-format private art book has the private art collection of General Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and his wife HH Shaikh Salama Bint Hamdan Al Nahyan.
