Life’s ups and downs leave their mark on a person’s soul; bitter experiences leave bitter scars. But with Salah Diab, it was different. His humanity defied the adversities he endured.
He emerged from the other end of the tunnel unscathed, the unique purity and sincerity of his character fully intact.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau famously held that man is innately good, but society corrupts him. Diab proves this premise wrong. You might even get the impression that, early on in his innocent childhood, he decided to preserve his humanity in the face of society’s attempts to tarnish and corrupt it. As anyone who knows Diab will tell you, whatever he says comes straight from the heart, unfiltered by considerations of politesse or personal gain. This is a rare quality in today’s world in which interests dictate people’s words and actions.
To me, the great value of Salah Diab’s recently published memoir, This Is Me (published by Al-Dar Al-Masriah Al- Lubnaniah), resides not so much in the events or ideas it relates — novel, engaging and stimulating as they are — but in the rare character that emerges from its pages. As emotionally intense as it may be at times, we never detect a whiff of rancour or spite. His is a personality at peace with itself, because he acknowledges his failures, takes pride in his accomplishments and always puts human considerations first. He even returns injury with kindness.
Salah Diab’s life contains many hidden details regarding his dealings with journalists and others who put him in their crosshairs. Yet, he stood by them at their toughest moments, turning them from adversaries to friends. Moreover, this was not out of cunning or scheming. Rather it was the spontaneous response of someone who harbours a genuine affection for others.
Salah Diab’s memoirs merit our attention for the important lessons it imparts. They extend beyond the success story to show how a person’s integrity and humanity can overcome and transcend injustice, hardship and even failure.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 10 April, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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