| Arabic Electronic Mail Journal |
| London Phone: (0044) 07 919 021 409 |
| Egyptian Art and Culture |
Edited by S Suwellam, London, UK /
| Taha Hussein b. Nov. 14, 1889, Maghaghah, Egypt d. Oct. 28, 1973, Cairo |
outstanding figure of the modernist movement in Egyptian literature. His writings, in Arabic, include novels, stories,
criticism,
and social and political essays. Outside his own country he is best known through his autobiography, al-Ayyam (2
parts, 1929-32). The first modern Arab literary
work to be acclaimed in the West, it appeared in English as An Egyptian Childhood (1932) and The Stream of Days
(1943).
Born in modest circumstances, Taha Hussein was blinded by an illness at the age of two. In 1902 he was sent to al-
Azhar seminary, Cairo, the leading orthodox
centre of higher Islamic education, but was soon at odds with its predominantly conservative authorities. In 1908 he
entered the newly opened secular University of
Cairo, and in 1914 he was the first to obtain a doctorate there. Further study at the Sorbonne familiarized him with the
culture of the West.
Taha Hussein returned to Egypt from France to become a professor of Arabic literature at the University of Cairo; his
career there was frequently stormy, for his
bold views enraged religious conservatives. His application of modern critical methods in Fi sh-Shi' al-Jahili (1926; "On
Pre-Islamic Poetry") embroiled him in fierce
polemics. In this book he contended that a great deal of the poetry reputed to be pre-Islamic had been forged by
Muslims of a later date for various reasons, one
being to give credence to Qur'anic myths. For this he was declared an apostate. In another book, Mustaqbal al-
thaqafah fi Misr (1938; The Future of Culture in
Egypt), he expounds his belief that Egypt belongs by heritage to the same wider Mediterranean civilization that
embraces Greece, Italy, and France; it advocates the
assimilation of modern European culture.
Serving as minister of education (1950-52) in the last government formed by the Wafd Party before the overthrow of
the monarchy, Taha Hussein vastly extended
state education and abolished school fees. In his later literary work he showed increasing concern for the plight of the
poor and interest in energetic governmental
reforms. A further book of memoirs, Mudhakkirat, was published in 1967, when he was 78.
** Copyright © 1994-2000 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
more info.:
He was born in Upper Egypt and lost his sight at the age of three.
Taha Hussein is the doyen of contemporary Arabic literature and a
pioneer of enlightenment.
When he assumed office as Minister of Education in 1950, he
managed to put his motto, "Education is like water we drink and the
air we breath," into practice.
In 1914, he received the first doctorate granted by an Egyptian
University.
He succeeded in making all elementary and secondary education
free.
In 1918 he obtained another PhD in Social Philosophy from the
Sorbonne, Paris.
In 1919 he received a diploma in post-graduate studies in the Roman
Civil Code from the same university.
He was granted honorary doctorates from the universities of Oxford,
Madrid, and Rome.
In 1919 he was appointed a professor of history at the Egyptian
University. He did not confine himself to political and constituational
history but transferred to his students his knowledge of Greek drama
such as Sophocles and Aeschylus.
The greater part of Taha Hussein’s canon is basically influenced by
Greek culture. He issued "Selected Pages" from Greek Dramatic
poetry (1920), "The Athenian System" in 1921, and "Leaders of
Thought" in 1925. Thus, the link between his Arabic culture with that
of Greece was a turning point as thinker.
The first book was an incomplete attempt at an expose of Greek
poets and their works. The second book was a meticulous translation
of one of the most important texts of Greek history of civilization. He
deals with the religious impact on thought in the Middle Ages, then
moves on to the Modern Ages of multi influences.
Thus,Taha Hussein was not merely influenced by Greek thought in his
literary work but also in his books on politics and civilization. The
books he issued following his return from Paris greatly influenced
modern Arabic classical literature.
He waged many battles for enlightenment, the respect of reason and
thought, and women’s emancipation. The first of these was in 1926
when he issued "Pre-Islamic Poetry", which was highly controversial
in both politically and literary circles. It aroused widescale front page
arguments in newspapers between supporters and opposers. In self
defence he argued that he adopted a scientific method of approach in
his treatise on Pre-Islamic poetry. That method, he said, was
adopted by western philosopher scientists and men of letters who
followed the French philosopher Descartes in his reasoning in search
of the truth of beginning. It rennovated science and philosophy and
changed the outlook of men of letters and artists in the West.
SIS.EG
criticism,
and social and political essays. Outside his own country he is best known through his autobiography, al-Ayyam (2
parts, 1929-32). The first modern Arab literary
work to be acclaimed in the West, it appeared in English as An Egyptian Childhood (1932) and The Stream of Days
(1943).
Born in modest circumstances, Taha Hussein was blinded by an illness at the age of two. In 1902 he was sent to al-
Azhar seminary, Cairo, the leading orthodox
centre of higher Islamic education, but was soon at odds with its predominantly conservative authorities. In 1908 he
entered the newly opened secular University of
Cairo, and in 1914 he was the first to obtain a doctorate there. Further study at the Sorbonne familiarized him with the
culture of the West.
Taha Hussein returned to Egypt from France to become a professor of Arabic literature at the University of Cairo; his
career there was frequently stormy, for his
bold views enraged religious conservatives. His application of modern critical methods in Fi sh-Shi' al-Jahili (1926; "On
Pre-Islamic Poetry") embroiled him in fierce
polemics. In this book he contended that a great deal of the poetry reputed to be pre-Islamic had been forged by
Muslims of a later date for various reasons, one
being to give credence to Qur'anic myths. For this he was declared an apostate. In another book, Mustaqbal al-
thaqafah fi Misr (1938; The Future of Culture in
Egypt), he expounds his belief that Egypt belongs by heritage to the same wider Mediterranean civilization that
embraces Greece, Italy, and France; it advocates the
assimilation of modern European culture.
Serving as minister of education (1950-52) in the last government formed by the Wafd Party before the overthrow of
the monarchy, Taha Hussein vastly extended
state education and abolished school fees. In his later literary work he showed increasing concern for the plight of the
poor and interest in energetic governmental
reforms. A further book of memoirs, Mudhakkirat, was published in 1967, when he was 78.
** Copyright © 1994-2000 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
more info.:
He was born in Upper Egypt and lost his sight at the age of three.
Taha Hussein is the doyen of contemporary Arabic literature and a
pioneer of enlightenment.
When he assumed office as Minister of Education in 1950, he
managed to put his motto, "Education is like water we drink and the
air we breath," into practice.
In 1914, he received the first doctorate granted by an Egyptian
University.
He succeeded in making all elementary and secondary education
free.
In 1918 he obtained another PhD in Social Philosophy from the
Sorbonne, Paris.
In 1919 he received a diploma in post-graduate studies in the Roman
Civil Code from the same university.
He was granted honorary doctorates from the universities of Oxford,
Madrid, and Rome.
In 1919 he was appointed a professor of history at the Egyptian
University. He did not confine himself to political and constituational
history but transferred to his students his knowledge of Greek drama
such as Sophocles and Aeschylus.
The greater part of Taha Hussein’s canon is basically influenced by
Greek culture. He issued "Selected Pages" from Greek Dramatic
poetry (1920), "The Athenian System" in 1921, and "Leaders of
Thought" in 1925. Thus, the link between his Arabic culture with that
of Greece was a turning point as thinker.
The first book was an incomplete attempt at an expose of Greek
poets and their works. The second book was a meticulous translation
of one of the most important texts of Greek history of civilization. He
deals with the religious impact on thought in the Middle Ages, then
moves on to the Modern Ages of multi influences.
Thus,Taha Hussein was not merely influenced by Greek thought in his
literary work but also in his books on politics and civilization. The
books he issued following his return from Paris greatly influenced
modern Arabic classical literature.
He waged many battles for enlightenment, the respect of reason and
thought, and women’s emancipation. The first of these was in 1926
when he issued "Pre-Islamic Poetry", which was highly controversial
in both politically and literary circles. It aroused widescale front page
arguments in newspapers between supporters and opposers. In self
defence he argued that he adopted a scientific method of approach in
his treatise on Pre-Islamic poetry. That method, he said, was
adopted by western philosopher scientists and men of letters who
followed the French philosopher Descartes in his reasoning in search
of the truth of beginning. It rennovated science and philosophy and
changed the outlook of men of letters and artists in the West.
SIS.EG
