The journalist Hussein Al-Hayani passed away in Rabat at the age of 87 after a battle with illness. Before the late Al-Hayani departed to "the house of eternity," he wrote a heartfelt farewell message where he asked for forgiveness and welcomed death.
In the message published by his son on his Facebook account just moments after the veteran journalist's passing, Al-Hayani addressed his fellow Moroccans, saying: "My Moroccan brothers and believers... A farewell message... The doctor does not prolong life, nor does fate extend it. My grandfather, may God have mercy on him, used to say: There is no dancing for the newborn, nor wailing for the lost... My brothers, the time for departure has come, and I am happy about that. I will be the groom of happiness if forgiveness prevails between me and anyone I have wronged, even slightly. I have been keen on this request with all my strength before I leave. The departure from this world is a bird around my neck and the necks of all God's creations, since God wanted for us a world with an end, which is the transition to the afterlife. Be gentle with us until we understand the lesson that our materialistic and barbaric excesses have ignored... And none were exempt from that, neither His messengers nor His prophets."
Al-Hayani continued: "God Almighty does not say 'died as fated,' but rather 'killed as fated.' And why do we give such cheap importance to death, attributing to it what we possess, yet it snatches us away instead of waiting for us in whatever form it arrives?"
Al-Hayani had a rich history in sports journalism and sports writing. He was the first to publish a sports-focused newspaper in Morocco in 1966, titled "Al-Riyadi." He published the book "Moroccan Sports: Testimonies and Secrets" in 1992, "Al-Arabi Benmbarak: Player of the Century" in 2002, and the novel "The Whinny of Midnight" in 2008.
The late Al-Hayani was a complete media figure, being the only journalist in Morocco who practiced his profession across various media platforms: print, audio, and visual. He mastered all genres of responsibility, production, and practice, including editing, commentary, analysis, criticism, and overseeing newspapers for over 47 years.
