Peace be upon you,

Dear brother, Mr. Firas Haj Muhammad,

After greetings;

I am neither a critic nor a notable writer, but merely an amateur writer who has penned a few books that may be nothing compared to your works and your significant efforts in this field. However, I would like to share some of my observations – if you allow me – regarding your book titled "The Temptation of the Sixth Sense - Reflections on Images":

First: Although the title of the book was strange to me and I thought it unappealing, its content was astonishing and captivating, as the ideas you discussed are novel and I am sure no one has addressed them before you.

Second: Despite the importance of the linguistic meanings and the literary imagery in the analogy in the introduction of your book, they unfortunately did not attract me, and I firmly believe that the fault lies with me personally as I am not specialized in the Arabic language.

Third: I was intrigued by your method and style in diving into varied references and drawing from multiple sources; sometimes you refer to the Holy Quran, and at other times to the Prophetic Hadith, and again to popular proverbs, and even to social media; this demonstrates oddity, skill, and creativity at the same time.

Fourth: Your candid descriptions of some of the topics raised may seem strange and inappropriate to me, especially when discussing sex or sexual organs in an indecent manner. However, at the same time, I respect your unparalleled boldness, which I cannot approach or encircle.

Fifth: It seems that you suffered as much as I did when entering the arena of writing and literature. I echo your words in this book when you mentioned that you dedicated some of your books to people who did not deserve them, and they stuffed them into their drawers, among their neglected papers (p. 50). My books too have been shoved between piles of their neglected papers and belongings.  
At the same time, I faced, as you did, critics and those searching for mistakes among the pages of my works merely to find errors and belittle the accomplished work. All of this pales in comparison to the dilemma of publishing and its costs as well as the exploitation of publishers and their greed, which I am certain you have suffered from far more than I have, and you have been burned by it more than I have. However, with all this, I lived your experience when you wrote on page (120) that every time you wrote a page in a new book, you felt the blood of youth flowing freely in your veins, and so do I.

Sixth: I really liked your predictions when you spoke about the "Heads of Devils" (p. 120); I noted in the margin of that paragraph: (Firas Haj Muhammad's predictions have become a reality), in the context of discussing the technological revolution and artificial intelligence, which has indeed started to materialize at an escalating rate.

Seventh: Your words about Gaza were sincere, clear, and genuine, emanating the fragrance of national spirit, particularly in your heartfelt discussions in paragraphs (45) to (50).

Eighth: I really appreciated your discussion about honoring the deceased ancestors and elevating their memory while neglecting them when they are alive. This is the subject of my article titled "Honoring the Living Before Burials," which I published on the "Dunya Al-Watan" news site on May 7, 2017. Here’s the link to the article:  
https://pulpit.alwatanvoice.com/articles/2017/05/07/435813.html

Ninth: When I am fascinated and intrigued by certain lines and words, I capture them and record them in my notes on my phone or between the pages of my notebooks, so that I may refer to them when I encounter similar situations and use them similarly. Here, allow me to quote some of your beautiful lines as follows:  
1. What cannot be fully grasped should not be left partially. (p. 158)  
2. Every time drawing marks existence even when the name is absent. (p. 185)  
3. This is what the images of the departed do; an unceasing longing. (p. 186)  
4. The images became the "highest place" that keeps the soul in constant communion. (p. 188)

In conclusion, I was deeply moved and intrigued by the dialogue that concludes the book (p. 199), as your questions were clever enough, candid, and boldly exceeded the necessary limit, reflecting a self-confidence and high transparency that I envy you for.

Finally, the conclusion you placed at the end of your book (p. 206) was comprehensive and complete to the extent that I affirm if I had read it from the beginning, I would have been satisfied.

In the end, I was intrigued and captivated by the dialogue that enriches the conclusion (p. 199), as your questions were clever enough, candid, and boldly exceeded the necessary limit, reflecting a self-confidence and high transparency that I envy you for.
Finally, the conclusion you placed at the end of your book (p. 206) was comprehensive and complete to the extent that I affirm if I had read it from the beginning, I would have been satisfied with it alone and would not have deeply indulged in reading all the pages of the book; for it had a beautiful and concise impact that summarized everything in this great work.

Dear brother...
I apologize if I have overstepped my bounds regarding you, your literature, and your culture, but I wanted to share with you what has intrigued, fascinated, attracted, and provoked me in these lines, which I must reiterate, have not been addressed nor matched by any others to my knowledge and humble experience.

Best regards...

Levant: Dr. Sarmad Fawzi Al-Taieh