2023-10-03 23:47:47
They are three hundred or a little less, and most of them are over thirty, standing waiting for their friend Khaled Khalifa at the door of the hospital in Damascus. We waited, first in front of the outer door, and when we were told that Khaled would see you off at the ambulance door, we ran, as if he was already waiting for us, and we were a little late for the appointment. The ladies are dressed in black and their eyes are very sad. Many of us have come from other cities, and we are from Damascus. Everyone agreed that he was still in shock or a joke, and perhaps Khaled would appear shortly; Khaled is not a fan of frowning, and they wait for his comments, stories, jokes, and joy that accompanies him all the time.
The shock is severe. The people gathered barely exchanged a few words. After the greetings and condolences, silence prevailed. It is an unexpected departure, very heavy, as Khaled has a lot of work, and his friends in the country and abroad are waiting for his novels, which have been translated and are being translated extensively to become international. Thus, the pain is double, as his gentle presence and his novels will take Syria to the international level, as he is one of the most prominent contributors to the entry of Syrian literature into the world.
Some friends were clear that the funeral would be held in silence. The intention is not to exploit the funeral to become a demonstration, or to call out some words denouncing the regime, especially since its media tools were silent regarding his painful death. His very early departure is the source of real pain for all his friends and acquaintances; He had not yet reached sixty, and he deserved to have some voices raised for him, but he did not, so Al-Wadae’s words continued cold despite their heat. God is with you, Khaled. Early, Khaled. Very early, Khaled. The crowd started clapping, indicating protest, and it is a method that the Syrians have come to use. This also happened at the funeral of Syrian director Hatem Ali.
Khaled Khalifa left a deep hole in people’s hearts, as Damascus was full of him, as were Latakia, Masyaf, and Suwayda in the past, and the cities he visited or traveled to. This cannot be compensated, just as the displacement of millions of Syrians abroad cannot be compensated. Everything that happened in Syria resembles the departure of Khaled.
Khaled Khalifa left a deep hole in people’s hearts. Damascus was full of him, as were Latakia, Masyaf, and Suwayda in the past, and the cities he visited or traveled to.
We stopped some young men, asking about the deceased, and they witnessed this crowd, and it was as if the gathering of this number was a crowd! The question says: Why do all these people come together? Farewelling the dead in Syria has become limited to a few individuals, as families are separated, as is the case with Khaled’s brothers and sisters. Yes, not all forms of departure deserve these small numbers, nor the low voice during departure, but time is very miserable in Damascus, and fatigue is the only characteristic that shades the individual; That question is very painful, and the answer was the late Syrian novelist and screenwriter Khaled Khalifa.
Damascus sleeps these days without immortal noise. Perhaps we are the ones who think so, but he used to express and write a lot on social media about loneliness in his last years. The truth is, quite simply, the conditions of all Syrians. When a country becomes devoid of millions of residents, loneliness becomes the reality of people’s lives. Now, the loneliness will become more severe, as that happy man, the man who cannot stand complications in the presence of friends, has disappeared from our lives. He who believes that life should be lived happily and joyfully; It is not reasonable to take it too seriously. It is the wisdom of the majority of those who have delved into this fleeting existence.
Raheel Khaled says death is really hard work. Syria has lost a writer, busy and passionate about the tragedies of its present, “Death is hard work,” and its past, “No one prayed for them,” and with novels deconstructing the legacy of tyranny and its impact on society, “There are no knives in the kitchens of this city,” and “Praise of Hatred.”
Syrian literature has lost a lot, and it is difficult to overcome that loss, and its works have become a special school in the Syrian novel. Simplicity and condensation, precise aesthetic form and content defined by central issues for Syrians, moving away from politics and approaching it through the positions of the characters in his novels.
Goodbye Khaled Khalifa; All of Syria was hurt by your departure, at home and in exile.
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