In Search of the “Jeem” – No. 3 by Dr. Mohammad Reza Zaeiri

  ✍️ By: Dr. Mohammad Reza ZAEIRI,
Cultural Counselor at the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Translated into English by: Dr. Hana Saada  

Dr. Mohammad Reza Zaeiri: A Distinguished Voice in Religious Media and Cultural Diplomacy

Dr. Mohammad Reza Zaeiri is a renowned academic specializing in religious media, Islamic philosophy, and interfaith (Islamic-Christian) dialogue. As a prolific author and eminent literary figure, he has penned over thirty works encompassing literature, translation, creative writing, and narrative arts—several of which have been translated into major foreign languages, including English and French.

With a distinguished media career spanning more than a quarter of a century, Dr. Zaeiri has established an enduring reputation in the journalistic world. He has founded numerous periodicals and magazines and served as editor-in-chief of several prominent newspapers, most notably Hamshahri (¹), the largest Persian-language daily in the world.

His influence extends well beyond journalism. A committed cultural figure, Dr. Zaeiri has made significant contributions to the fields of film and television production. He is also a leading figure in the publishing sector, having established an independent media house that has continuously issued a monthly magazine for the past 23 years.

His most recent intellectual endeavor, “In Search of the Jeem”, marks a new milestone in his ongoing creative exploration. This reflective series, published regularly in Al-Ayam News (Arabic) and jeune-independant.net (French), chronicles his current tenure as Iran’s Cultural Counselor in Algeria. In these writings, Dr. Zaeiri offers a deeply personal and poetic meditation on identity, belonging, and the enduring cultural bonds that unite Iran and Algeria.

Today, Dzair Tube is proud to present the English edition of this compelling series—meticulously translated from both the Arabic and French originals.

This Is Your Second Homeland

What is one to do upon arriving for the first time in a country known only through pages of history and echoes of others’ voices? Like any newcomer, I spent my early days confined to a hotel room, torn between real estate agencies and digital listings, navigating the unfamiliar terrain in search of a home and a vehicle, while my mind churned with questions about what the future held for me in this new land.

Yet what offered me comfort and steadied my footing was the unwavering image I held of Algeria—a nation etched in the collective memory as a bastion of resistance and liberation. It is a country that our Supreme Leader, Imam Khomeini, profoundly revered at the dawn of Iran’s Islamic Revolution in 1979. He had taught us that Algeria was not just a nation, but a symbol. Now, here I stood, on this sacred soil, experiencing firsthand the stories I had heard and read. In that moment, I finally grasped the meaning behind the old Arab adage: “He who lives among a people for forty days becomes one of them.”
And truly, I felt I had become one with Algeria. And truly, Al-Zaeiri is beginning to become Jazaeiri!(4)

The thought of walking through the Casbah—the legendary quarter immortalized in The Battle of Algiers—filled me with awe. Equally, I was exhilarated to roam the streets of Algiers, a living chronicle where every mural whispered tales of resistance, of the atrocities of torture, and of the immortal sacrifices of the martyrs.

That exhilaration only deepened as I wandered through the heart of the Casbah. The textures of its architecture, the rhythm of its alleys, and the soul of its people evoked vivid memories of Iran’s urban soulscapes.

I moved through the capital with a deliberate lightness, my eyes attuned to every nuance. I sought connection in the glances of passersby, many of whom instantly identified me as a foreigner. Yet every encounter was met with the same generous spirit—always punctuated by the word “kif kif,” the very first term I had learned in Algerian darija. Their warmth was unfailing, and invariably accompanied by this heartfelt refrain: “This is your second homeland.”

And those words penetrated deeper than any courtesy. They mirrored the very sentiment I carried within.

It was in Algiers that I first set foot in this country—specifically in the district of Hydra, in Sidi Yahia. But my journey would soon extend across the breadth of Algeria—from its eastern and western frontiers to the sweeping majesty of its southern expanse. My eyes, overwhelmed by its natural beauty and rich diversity, beheld this nation with boundless admiration. I strove to engage, to adapt, to integrate—and above all, to forge sincere and lasting bonds with the people of this vibrant, art-like land.
Algeria is, in the truest sense, a masterpiece.

Gradually, faces became etched in my memory; souls unveiled their essence; and places began to settle within me—inscribed by the cadence of music, letters, and lived experience. As I wandered its streets, I felt a profound sense of belonging—an inner certainty that I had found my own among strangers.

A brother, smiling, once said to me warmly: “You are welcome in Algeria, your second home.”
That was not merely a kind phrase—it was a declaration of brotherhood, a solemn bond.

It was only six months later, on my return trip to Iran, that the depth of that bond became fully clear. During a layover in Istanbul, I spotted familiar faces among the passengers—people to whom I had grown deeply attached and whose absence I now felt acutely.

Strikingly, even my daughter—despite her struggle to connect with other children and her inability to articulate more than a few words in Algerian dialect—showed a deep emotional tether to Algeria.

Indeed, Algeria is a land of magic, splendor, and awe.

Endnotes

1. Hamshahri (in Persian: همشهری) is a major Iranian daily newspaper founded in 1990. The name means “fellow citizen” or “co-dweller” in Persian. It is the largest Persian-language newspaper in the world.

2. Jeem (ج) is the fifth letter of the Arabic alphabet and holds the phonetic value of the “j” sound in English. In this context, it symbolizes the moral and symbolic bridge between the author’s identity and his host country, Algeria.

3. Zaeiri (الزائري) is the author’s surname. When the letter “Jeem” (ج) is added, it becomes Jazaeiri (الجزائري), meaning “Algerian” in Arabic. This clever linguistic play underpins the philosophical theme of identity and belonging that permeates the text.

4. Jazaeiri (الجزائري) is the Arabic term for “Algerian.” It signifies both national identity and spiritual rootedness. The author’s aspiration to become “El-Jazaeiri” symbolizes a moral and cultural affiliation with Algeria.