Gaza -
Between the "Basta" and the "Silo", Mohieddin's dogs spend his life every day, as a seller during the day in the beach camp market in Gaza City, and as a reader searching among his books at night.
He uses a small corner in his modest house in the camp as a reading and research corner called the "silo", which he resorts to after he finishes his work in the market.
A young man in his thirties, holding a higher degree in Hadith and its sciences, the deteriorating conditions in Gaza, and the lack of a job opportunity in his field of specialization, forced him to work as a "basta" to sell strawberries in the camp market, to support his family and three children.
Doctor degree seller
Clapp, who is known among his neighbors and acquaintances as "Abu Omar", told Al Jazeera Net, "The people of religion and students of knowledge are not satisfied with humiliation, and sustenance is on God, and striving for a livelihood from any profession with halal is a thousand times better than relying on despair."
And when "Abu Omar" did not find an opportunity that he used to wish himself, throughout his studies, by standing in front of the students as a lecturer for the noble hadith and its sciences at a university in Gaza, he found nothing in front of him but to stand on a small "pasta", selling strawberries, which he wakes up early to fetch from its farms. In the town of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip.
One of the market merchants was listening to the Friday prayer sermon delivered by Dr. Clapp “voluntarily” in one of the camp’s mosques, and he was very impressed with it, and when he learned that he had no work, he donated a small area of his shop in the market, to put this small rug on it to sell fruit, and earn his family’s livelihood .
Abu Omar’s day begins early, performs the dawn prayer, and sets off towards the strawberry farms for which Beit Lahia is famous, buys the best of them to display on his rug, and returns to his home after he finishes selling them, and says that what he earns daily from standing in the market for long hours does not exceed for 15 shekels (about $4).
He returns to his family with a few basic needs. He says that what he earns from selling in the market does not meet the requirements of daily life, but it "stops the question of people," in addition to receiving $100 per month as part of the "Qatari grant" allocated by the State of Qatar to the poorest groups in Gaza, According to "Abu Omar", this scholarship - despite its simplicity - helped him complete his university studies.
Dr. Clapp spends his day in the market selling strawberries and his nights reading and writing (Al-Jazeera)
silo
"Abu Omar" sits with his wife and children, following up on their affairs and reassuring them, before entering his cellar, which is "full" of books and literature piled in every corner, in which he spends long hours as a reader, researcher and author.
Since he was a university student, this corner has witnessed many of his dreams, which were playing with his imagination, and he is waiting for the day when he will stand as a preacher on the pulpits of mosques in Gaza, and a lecturer for students of Hadith and its sciences in universities. However, these dreams were “crashed” on a “rock”. The deteriorating reality in Gaza, due to the years of the Israeli siege and internal division.
Data from the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (an official institution) show that the unemployment rate among university graduates in various disciplines reached 78% in Gaza during the year 2020, compared to 35% in the West Bank.
According to a statement published by the agency on its official website in July last year on “the field of study and its relationship to the labor market,” higher education institutions graduated in 2019 more than 42,000 students in various fields, while the local labor market accommodated only 8,000 graduates. annually.
Despite this bitter reality, "Abu Omar" clings to hope, and says that his work in the market is "not a defect" but is temporary, and the day will come when he will benefit from his forensic knowledge and benefit other students and researchers.
Dr. "Abu Omar" dreams of completing his scientific career and teaching forensic sciences at the universities of Gaza (Al-Jazeera)
achievements
"Abu Omar" standing on a stand in the market did not prevent him - as he says - from practicing his advocacy role, benefiting people from the forensic sciences he acquired during his university studies and daily research.
During his working hours in the market, "Abu Omar" responds to students who turn to him, whether by presence or by phone, asking for help with an issue or scientific research they need in their university studies.
In addition to voluntary religious sermons and lessons delivered by "Abu Omar" in mosques in Gaza, he publishes on social media platforms video clips dealing with issues specialized in the hadith and its sciences.
Abu Omar’s work in the market did not prevent him from publishing about 50 books on the hadith and its sciences (Al-Jazeera)
Authors
The most important achievement in the life of this young man in his thirties remains the publication of about 50 books on hadith and the history of Palestine, which recently found a place in the Cairo International Book Fair, the most prominent of which are:
The Gaza pamphlet, which deals with events that have been proven through its attribution to have occurred in the city of Gaza throughout history.
Flags of Jerusalem and its descendants from humans, and it deals with influential politicians, economists and scientists who left an imprint in the Holy City throughout history, and it is in two parts, one part consisting of 600 pages.
A glossary of battles and military operations on the land of Palestine, which is composed of 500 pages, and records the war battles that the land of Palestine witnessed historically until 2018.
Readings in archaeological and historical manuscripts related to the history of Palestine and its flags.
How to be loved
A 400-page book, it provides important advice based on daily experiences of life and relationship with people.