In Search of the “Jeem” – No. 4 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” (2), 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  (3) 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.

A Smart Mosquito Bite!

It all started with a mosquito bite—an unexpected one. I found myself in Algiers, or as we Iranians affectionately call it, El Djazeera: a place of well-being, surrounded by kindness and security, bathed in love and harmony. The name El Djazeera serves, for us, to distinguish the capital city from the country at large.

At first, I often confused the two names used here in Algeria. Once, in a bookstore, I asked for a map of El Djazair, only to be handed a map of the entire country. I had to clarify: “El Djazair El Assima”, the capital city specifically.

It was during my first few days in Algiers that I got bitten by a mosquito—just a minor nuisance at first, a mild pain in my right hand. But soon, that slight discomfort morphed into an unbearable itch, a persistent reminder of its presence. Unfortunately, the bite evolved into a significant inflammation, causing my hand to swell abnormally. The discomfort became so severe that it interfered with my daily routine, even simple tasks like performing ablutions. The itching, paired with a throbbing pain and a burning sensation, soon began to worry me deeply.

By sheer coincidence, I came across a man in the street whose left arm was grotesquely swollen. His hand appeared at least three times the normal size. Instinctively, I thought he must have gone through something similar to what I was experiencing.

That moment reignited my fear and anxiety. I realized I needed medical help—urgently—before things took a turn for the worse. I immediately made my way to a clinic where I already knew the owner: a woman in her sixties, a doctor with an elegant presence, kind demeanor, and a genuinely compassionate nature. She embodies the very essence of Algerian hospitality—a shining example of what this nation represents. I had visited her before, accompanied by my family.

Fear consumed me once again, and I knew I had to act fast. Consulting her was the obvious choice. Her graceful aura, her warmth and attentiveness—she was always ready to help. She truly represents the best of the Algerian people. Over the past months, I’ve returned to her clinic several times, always with my family in tow.

Drawing on her medical experience, the doctor quickly diagnosed the issue as an allergic reaction. She prescribed a tailored treatment to reduce the swelling and relieve the symptoms. Feeling reassured, I headed to the pharmacy to pick up the medication. Within hours, the pain began to ease, and the swelling gradually subsided.

It was at that moment I fully grasped the meaning of an old Iranian saying I had heard often as a child: “tabcheh gharib kaz”—mosquitoes always prefer to bite strangers. As a child, I would wonder: how could a mosquito possibly know someone was foreign? And why would it choose them?

This experience helped me realize that being a “stranger” isn’t about nationality or language; it’s about not being fully adapted to a new environment—the air, the food, even the water. My allergy was less about the mosquito and more about my body’s lack of acclimatization to this new ecosystem. Reflecting on it, I’ve come to a strange conclusion: mosquitoes aren’t malicious—they act purely on instinct, not intention.

Since that initial encounter with Algeria’s healthcare system, I’ve continued to consult doctors here for both myself and my family. Every time, I’ve been struck by their professionalism and sincere empathy. My visits to public hospitals, in particular, have allowed me to witness first-hand the Algerian State’s ongoing efforts to ensure access to healthcare for all its citizens—efforts that deserve to be recognized and applauded.

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.