Younes Kenbib, 19, Taza

Aisha: The Legend

Life is a big novel; between its lines it holds several deep secrets and mesmerizing stories which are closer to imagination than reality. Let us take a leap into the dark ages of this “Cherifian Empire” history, where courage was the best weapon, faith the real Excalibur, and religion the most effective shield… In the name of the most Merciful, and the most Beneficent, she solemnly swore to lead her life upon His obedience. She is a free white bird who lost his track and got stuck in our Planet. Every passing day was an opportunity for her to call her Creator and ask him for the right way to visit her eternal home. Although she knows that she is already following the right path, she perseveres keeping contact with God five times a day, dedicating half of it to worshipping God, and the other half to yearning for the values she was raised upon: Freedom, Pride, and Resistance; this was the motto she inherited from her predecessors, and this is the motto of the whole Moroccan nation. This is a brief story that will shed the light on the person who helped on forging the puzzle of my personality and mind. Throughout this story, we will learn about one of many other forgotten legends who helped expulsing the Imperial powers in the era of the Moroccan Protectorate, a woman who stood tall for her country to emancipate it from the yoke of colonialism. She held the name of one of the Prophet’s wives and with it she held traits of her character as well. Aisha was her name; “Mima” is what everyone calls her.

In a country who never knew how to bend the knee, with women and men who never knew how to kneel to Imperial injustice Aisha was born. Unfortunately for her, she was born in the middle of a vortex of injustice, oppression, and darkness led by Imperial powers. Fortunately for her, she was raised in a climate of justice, of freedom, and righteous values. The Moroccan nation’s loyalty relies with “Amir Al Muminin", letting an intruder wreaking havoc in our lands was never been part of our Doctrine. Even when the 36

darkness of the night covered the holly sky, she believed that stars will shine to illuminate the way, and so she spent her nights under the shiny belt of Orion holding the two weapons her Father entrusted her with while he was in his mission of liberating the country. A very old rusty gun and a Coran was all she had. Hence, it was all she needed to protect the six souls her father entrusted her with. The first one represented the courage she had, and the second one was her faith. One was to defend her family and the other one was to pray for all her nation. She was the eldest, the bravest, fearful from no one but her God. Dutiful to her parents and to the cause, disobedience was a word unfound in her dictionary. That is how she is and that is the path she always follows. Pious as ever, fearing no one but her real creator, the one who witnessed her existence and the one who blessed her with existence. Her whole life was dedicated to Him. God

has ninety nine names but His most famous one is Allah.

The dark night has tented on the human world again and this time with no stars to give hope for a tomorrow. The moon was pale as a human’s face while throwing up all the drinks he mixed for the night, and the shadows of the night were engulfing Earth and roaming night free. Lost in her thoughts, the darkness of the night, and oblivion, she narrated stories tome.

She wanted me every time to listen very carefully, get morals of everything she said, and unravel the hidden secrets between the lines she spoke. She said: “Moroccans at the time knew one way; they have endured the pain and continued on fighting for their principles, for their rights, for and with their King until they thrived and earned what they have aspired for, Freedom and Justice”. I looked straight to her grayish eyes, while a maleficent shadow of light gave more beauty to the platinum inside her abyss. Her eyes held a black raven in her iris, stained with a color of coal that engulfs you between its wings like a blanket, while her orbs scintillated with a roguish sparkle giving a mischievous umber that could be seen from her eyelashes. Her eyes imprisoned a deep sorrow which cloaked her eyes and played on the depth of her mind. I, with a very excited tone replied: “Tell me more Mima… Tell me more!!” Time had begun to dissolve into itself, as shapeless as the rain while she was narrating stories of the glorious martyrs who died yearning for

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Independence. Meanwhile, having this intimate conversation with her made my eyes so heavy I could no longer see the vividness of the mighty sky anymore, unusual salty water was coming out of my eyes while she remained intact, focused on the story she wanted me to imbibe. It was her way to convey her thoughts and her heritage.

I have drawn my path at an early age, determined to study political science/ International Relations. I am planning to take the torch that has been passed to me and become one of the next leaders nurture peace on Earth and work to ensure a bright future for the humanity.

Last but not least, while many other imminent figures held the name of “Iron Lady”, I would give my Grandmother the name of “Steel Lady” for all what she has experienced, for the life she had led, and for the next generation she has raised. Aisha, as many other women who disdain the spotlight, is one of the emblematic figures who fought against oppression and Imperialism. They prefer to be unknown and fight for the alter reward (Heaven). They, the nameless ones who protect the peace of their nation within its shadow, are the ones worth to be called True Legends … National Treasures.

In conclusion, Aisha has experienced away more than she could ever verbalize. She doesn’t have one story to tell. She is the story…

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