a few days ago, i officially ended my relationship with the world of finance, business, stocks, companies, bonds, contracts, and tenders after more than half a century.

throughout those years, my journey was filled with activity. i worked along with distinguished partners and faced many failures and significant losses. yet, the ultimate outcome was positive, both financially and psychologically.

i concluded my career with a good reputation, one i am proud of. it is enough for me that no one, whether a “jealous and spiteful” individual or a noble, religious or political party, managed to tarnish my name or condemn me, despite whatever power, connections, and money. i was never convicted, as they wished, of any violation or dishonorable act.

i have successfully navigated all my battles, sometimes alone, sometimes with the financial and moral support of my family, and more often with the backing of the al-qabas newspaper management and friends. despite dozens of lawsuits filed against me by political, religious, quasi-governmental entities, individuals, and companies, i emerged from these “battles” with minimal blemishes and losses.

from my experience at al-qabas, i learned how to face major challenges, how a person can be honest when silent, loyal to his readers, and devoted to serving them. i also learned how important it is to stand against lies and not believe in the accusations that enemies or critics bring, even when those lies i am part of.

i am not saying i was able to be flawless, but i can say that i have made a genuine effort to resist my partners when they wanted to use me to attack others and condemn them, to publish fabricated stories, to invent lies, to fill a full pocket with money at the expense of others, or to create enemies with those with whom we needed to stand united in business.

after being deceived, companies trying to win my vote, being tricked into their murky work, i’ve had to stand against those i believed threatened society, especially those who used religion as a cover to justify and enrich.

writing for al-qabas has always been an enjoyable and rewarding experience, morally, psychologically, and socially. however, my activity was not without hardships, which i do not regret, and have caused financial losses despite some comforts. unfortunately, part was the reality of being the owner of a major company we worked with.

i will never forget the beautiful moral experience i had when waleed al-nisf first became editor-in-chief of al-qabas. he politely apologized for publishing one of my articles that included sharp criticism of some corporate behavior by another company. interestingly, this critical column could have benefited a competing project owned by the al-nisf family. yet he boldly accepted the situation for personal gain.

i also learned a great deal from the al-qabas institution, an organization i sometimes rebelled against, even stopping writing for several days. from al-qabas i gained linguistic, technical, and legal knowledge that helped me accept when they refused to publish many of my articles, despite the significant effort i put into writing them as a businessman rather than a professional columnist.

i understand that al-qabas’ refusal to publish certain articles always came from its desire to protect both itself and the newspaper from political and business disputes. i revisit this point because, over the thirty years i wrote my columns, i was very careful not to use my platform to advance personal or commercial interests.

on several occasions, i received advice that went against my own interests.

there are too many examples to list. my positions were very firm, as much as possible, reducing partners and their number. i have faced many of my rebellions, but now, as i am free from responsibilities, i write with relief, and this brings me peace of mind.

i am happy to say that i ended my professional life without signing any commercial or “opportunism” or employment contract. if ever an individual asked me to sign a contract, even for a trivial amount, i should present it now, or else remain silent forever.